36-
The café wasn’t far from where they were. From the entrance alone, it was overflowing with various kinds of flowers. The entire shop was encased in transparent glass walls, and the reflection of the flowers in the glass was breathtakingly beautiful.
Perhaps because it was a popular spot, every table was occupied. Fortunately, they were guided to an open seat deeper inside.
The inner area was sectioned off with partitions made to resemble wood, and a round glass ceiling above let natural light pour in, surrounded by trees and flowers. It felt like stepping into a miniature botanical garden. As I became immersed in the peaceful, natural atmosphere, Lucious looked at me and smiled softly.
“How is it? Nice place, right?”
“Yes. I love it. You found this place just for me, didn’t you? Thank you, Lucious.”
“I’m glad you like it. This café is known for its seasonal flower teas and desserts. If you come at the right time, you can even try some rare flower teas.”
“Really? I’m curious to see what it’s like.”
The fact that I could drink flower tea even in this world was surprising. The existence of a café centered around flower teas was even more astonishing. It was probably influenced by the city’s commercial development.
‘It’d be nice if there were places like this in the capital too.’
There might be one if I looked hard enough. A café with this kind of atmosphere would likely fit well with the capital’s ever-changing trends. A cozy spot like this could become a welcome retreat in a bustling city.
The attention to interior design was evident too, making the place all the more appealing. It wasn’t overly luxurious, nor was it shabby—it struck the perfect balance between elegance and a relaxed, natural vibe, which drew people in.
Perhaps because of that ambiance, more than half the customers were tourists. There were many nobles, but also quite a few commoners. The two classes mingling without tension left a deep impression.
“Thank you for waiting. Here are your tea and desserts.”
As I looked around leisurely, our tea and desserts were brought over. On the serving tray were a glass teapot, teacups, and a lidded dish.
“This month’s special is marigold flower tea.”
Inside the transparent teapot, bright yellow marigold petals floated beautifully. The tea was richly brewed and poured into the teacups, filling the table with a delicate aroma.
“This is the ‘Spring Blossoms’ dessert set.”
The lidded dish revealed an assortment of small desserts—pink macarons, financiers, canelés, muffins. Just like the name, their vivid colors were a feast for the eyes.
“It’s an honor to have you visit our main store, Your Grace the Duke Roderick and Your Grace the Duchess. We hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable time.”
The staff member bowed respectfully before leaving. But… how did they know who we were? Suspicious, I glanced at Lucious and caught him subtly avoiding my gaze.
“Did you… make a reservation?”
“I thought it might be a nice place to visit while we were in the city. I heard it’s hard to get in without a reservation… so I booked it in advance.”
“Lucious…”
This man. It was all part of his plan. He made a reservation in advance and brought me here exactly as planned.
Now that I thought about it, the staff uniform was slightly different. It must’ve been the manager who greeted us directly, having been informed of our visit. I thought we were lucky to get a good table inside, but clearly, it wasn’t luck at all.
“When did you make the reservation?”
“About a month ago…”
“What? Then this trip… you were planning it since back then?”
“…Yes…”
Seeing him avoid my gaze again made me chuckle. A month ago—he’d planned this before our wedding. What am I going to do with this man?
The fact that he prepared all this for me made me indescribably happy. When I looked him in the eyes and saw that shy, red face and bashful smile, I couldn’t help but be filled with affection. His gaze, brimming with warmth, told me everything.
“…Thank you. Truly, I’m so happy.”
“If you’re happy, then that makes me happy too. It was worth the effort.”
“Lucious…”
“Let’s drink the tea before it cools. And enjoy the desserts.”
“…Alright. You too, Lucious.”
“Yes.”
I followed his lead and lifted my teacup. The golden liquid reflected the marigold petals, which resembled the color of his eyes. One sip, and a rich, floral flavor gently spread across my tongue.
Now that I think of it… what was the meaning of marigolds again? As I pondered that, I met his gaze just as he was eating a dessert.
“These financiers are delicious. Tiana, try one.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“How about the canelé? The vanilla aroma is wonderful.”
“I’d like to try that too.”
“Alright.”
He chuckled softly and offered me a piece with his fork. When I opened my mouth and took a bite, the sweet vanilla flavor danced on my tongue. In this sugary moment, I smiled at him.
Ah, I remembered. The flower language of marigold.
‘Happiness that will surely come.’
It was the perfect phrase for Lucious and me.
After enjoying a delightful first day, the next morning, we left our lodging and walked together. Thankfully, the weather was still nice—perfect for strolling.
“Today, I thought we could visit the botanical garden I mentioned and some other places.”
“Sounds good. I’m looking forward to it.”
When I held his hand tightly, he smiled gently and pressed a kiss to my forehead. Embarrassed, he averted his eyes again. I cupped his face and kissed his cheek, making his face flush bright red. How could someone be this adorable?
I wanted to do it again, but there were too many eyes around. He seemed to be cautious, so I reluctantly gave up and just held his hand tighter. I clung to him, linking arms so we wouldn’t be separated. His face turned redder but he didn’t push me away. Instead, he cautiously yet firmly wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
Because the weather was so nice, we decided not to use the carriage and walked the slightly long distance to the botanical garden. Along the way, the neatly kept roads and blooming flowers made the walk pleasant and passed quicker than expected.
“Wow…”
The botanical garden was even bigger and more beautiful than I’d imagined. Sunlight poured through the stained glass, casting a warm glow over the entire place.
“Welcome, Your Grace Duke Roderick and Your Grace the Duchess.”
Three people—a man and woman included—came out to greet us at the entrance. The eldest among them stepped forward and bowed, and Lucious introduced him to me.
“This is Viscount Gracell, lord of this region and the head of our joint business project.”
“Oh, is that so? Pleased to meet you, Viscount Gracell.”
“The honor is mine, Your Grace. Thank you so much for visiting.”
He had a polite demeanor and a clean, pleasant smile. Though he looked like the oldest among the three, he didn’t appear too old—maybe in his early thirties.
To be leading a business at that age—though the standards are different from the modern world—it was still impressive.
“I’d like to introduce these two. This is Viscount Lona Ejac, director of the botanical garden and a partner in the business. And this is Baron Kenil Vien, assistant director and secretary.”
“I’m Lona Ejac. It’s an honor, Your Graces.”
“…Kenil Vien. I look forward to working with you.”
“Nice to meet you both. I look forward to it as well.”
As I smiled and greeted them, I noticed Viscount Ejac’s eyes sparkle. Baron Vien sighed beside her. It looked like Ejac had more to say but was holding back, while Vien gently tugged at her sleeve to restrain her. Their unusual dynamic caught my attention.
“From here on, Viscount Ejac and Baron Vien will guide you.”
With that, Gracell stepped back, and the two led us further into the garden. Ejac, who had been holding back her excitement, now bubbled with enthusiasm as she showed us around.
“This area is a greenhouse zone! It houses plants that thrive in warm climates. Especially this one—”
“…You’re pointing to the wrong one, Director.”
“Ah! I didn’t even notice…”
Ejac laughed sheepishly while Vien sighed deeply.
“This flower garden is organized by color for each type of flower. There are ten types of flowers with five different colors each—”
“Twelve flower types. Six colors.”
“I knew that! I just slipped!”
“Let’s hope you don’t slip and fall instead.”
“To say such things in front of our guests—ah…!”
Sigh…
Watching the scatterbrained Ejac being silently but carefully managed by Vien was, oddly enough, more entertaining than the garden itself.
‘I sense something here…’
With my vast experience reading romance novels, I could tell—these two were not in a simple relationship. They didn’t seem to be a couple yet, but… maybe in the early stages? They didn’t exist in the original story, so they must be extras. But as a reader, seeing such potential made me excited. Could there be a hidden story between them?
Though I got slightly distracted from the garden tour, I still enjoyed it thoroughly.
Eventually, the pair led us back toward the entrance and around to the garden’s rear.
“This is the final area we’d like to show you.”
“This is…”
Behind the garden was a large open flower field, far wider than what we’d seen inside. Many flowers were in full bloom, with some still budding. Among them were children.
“I heard you bought a rose from the children yesterday.”
“How did you know…?”
“The word spread fast. You both stood out, and apparently, one of the sisters who sold the flowers has been enthusiastically telling everyone.”
“Oh…”
So she really did brag about it. I smiled awkwardly, and Ejac spoke gently.
“Thank you for buying the children’s flowers.”
“I only bought them because they were beautiful. No need to thank me.”
“Still, we’re grateful. Those children’s flowers are more beautiful than any others… but they rarely get sold.”
“Why is that?”
“Their origins are unclear… All the children selling flowers here individually live in the local orphanage, and they face a lot of discrimination.”
“…I see.”
I stared at her, surprised, as she continued with a bitter smile.
“Children employed by shops wear badges indicating their affiliation. It’s like a mark of belonging. But orphans sell flowers without any symbol. They’re called ‘unmarked children’—bullied by shop kids and blocked by store owners from selling.”
“That’s awful…”
“There are ridiculous rumors—that the unmarked children’s flowers are dirty, cursed, or even deadly. Tourists hear this and avoid them. We try to regulate it, but it’s hard to manage… and the children suffer for it. They pour their hearts into raising those flowers… It’s heartbreaking.”
Her gaze never left the children tending to the flowerbeds. Discrimination simply because they’re orphans. And worse, it jeopardized their only means of livelihood.
I was furious—not only that the problem existed but that no one had resolved it. Perhaps it was tangled in political interests between the territory and the merchants, but still—how could they just let this happen?
“When I heard the duchess bought flowers from them, I wanted to say thank you. Truly, thank you.”
As Viscount Ejac bowed her head, a lump formed in my throat.
