Chapter 6. The Final Destination
After the banquet, following Eisen’s request, Yudar had Kylon called.
A war hero calling for a mere imperial landscape designer—Kylon entered the dining room with a puzzled expression.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace. I am Kylon Clarion, the viscount in charge of the Imperial Palace gardens.”
Eisen rose from his seat to greet him.
“I once landscaped the gardens of the Duke of Trone, and at that time was even invited to a banquet by His Grace the Duke. But unfortunately, I was not able to see you there.”
Kylon had stayed for months at the Trone mansion while working on the gardens. But Eisen was someone he had never once met.
“Perhaps, by then, you had already left at a young age to become a knight, and were not staying at the castle…”
“I was there.”
Before Kylon could finish his words, Eisen corrected his mistaken assumption.
“I even met Lady Clarion there.”
“You know Roa?”
“I had ties with Lady Clarion. After I was knighted, I immediately sought her out and promised that once she debuted, I would formally propose.”
Kylon remembered hearing briefly from Sheindrik why his younger sister Roa, despite being long past her debut, had delayed marriage until she was nearly past the right age. She had promised marriage to a man who left for war, and, with no word from him, she continued to wait.
He had not known who that man was. Yet here he was—the very same noble who had accompanied the Duke of Trone six years ago. Kylon had even sent Roa a letter telling her that Eisen was returning, without realizing the full nature of their relationship. The uncanny coincidence felt like destiny itself.
“After the coronation, I wish to bring what I have been granted and visit the Clarion family. Would you accompany me then?”
Eisen felt the same as Roa. During all the years they were apart, not once had they forgotten each other.
“I was sent here under the Emperor’s command, so…”
“I will speak to His Majesty.”
At this point, any request from Eisen would be granted.
Early the next morning, Yudar left the palace and walked into the rear gardens. Surrounded by untamed tall trees, he breathed in the fresh air. As he inhaled deeply, a sweet fragrance of leaves pulled him along, as if enchanted.
“Mmm, this scent is marvelous. Do you know the name of this tree?”
He asked the knight guarding behind him. The knight hesitated before answering softly.
“I am sorry, but I do not.”
Yudar looked around, searching for someone who might know.
“Where is Kylon?”
“I hear he was granted leave by His Majesty to visit his family estate.”
Yudar tilted his head at the reply.
“Leave already? He has barely entered service. Did he suffer some loss?”
“No, Your Highness. I was told Duke Trone personally requested to travel with him.”
Yudar had arranged their meeting since Eisen wanted to see Kylon, the man who had landscaped his old family’s garden. But requesting to accompany him too—Yudar grew curious about what bound them together.
“Have they already departed?”
“They are to leave after lunch, once they have paid respects to His Majesty.”
“Then I must see Kylon now.”
Following the servants’ guidance, Yudar went to find Kylon at the palace. He was packing his things in his chamber.
“His Highness the Crown Prince wishes to see you.”
Soon, Kylon’s door opened.
“Your Highness, to what do I owe the honor?”
Kylon tried to hide the mess of a room he had made while packing. Yudar entered, looking around. Eisen, seated at a table inside, stood and bowed politely.
Yudar glanced back and forth between them, suspicion in his eyes.
“It seems the two of you are very close?”
“Yes. We became acquainted when I landscaped the Trone gardens.”
But even before Kylon finished answering, Yudar turned toward Eisen.
“I hear you are bound for the Clarion estate. Is that where you also plan to accompany him, Duke Trone?”
“Yes.”
“And why does Duke Trone wish to visit the Clarion family?”
The probing into future plans was uncomfortable, but Eisen answered with courtesy.
“Lady Clarion is my betrothed.”
Yudar’s eyes widened in astonishment, blinking rapidly.
“What? You are engaged, Duke Trone?”
“Yes.”
“No wonder you said nothing of it when you received your title.”
Eisen had spent years at war and was still young. For him to already have a betrothed was unexpected news.
“So you promised marriage about two years ago, then parted because of war?”
“Yes.”
“And Lady Clarion—she has met no other man all this time, waiting only for you?”
The questions kept flowing one after another. Eisen paused briefly, then answered.
“Yes.”
Yudar sighed into the air with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Hah, such a faithful woman truly exists.”
What weighed most heavily on him as Crown Prince was the matter of succession—and choosing a betrothed. The lack of a bride had even stirred wars between nations. For him, there was no more difficult matter.
Now, the existence of a woman like Duke Trone’s betrothed piqued his interest. Eisen’s merit was so great that he could have been awarded a fiancée from a house richer and more powerful than any count. Yet he had cast aside those prospects to choose her. And she, without knowing if he lived or died, had waited endlessly.
It was like something out of legend.
“Your Highness.”
Yudar turned his gaze from the air to Kylon, who had addressed him respectfully.
“Didn’t you have something urgent to tell me?”
“Ah, right.”
Yudar finally remembered why he had come.
“In the gardens, there is a tree with a marvelous fragrance. I wished to know its name.”
“Hm, I would need to see it myself, but if you’d like, I can accompany you now to identify it.”
Kylon prepared to leave, but Yudar began to describe the tree.
“It was not very tall, and though it bore no flowers, it gave off a strong scent.”
“Ah, perhaps a species whose leaves themselves are fragrant?”
At that, Eisen realized what tree it was—Loa’s favorite tree. The very one he used to kiss the leaves of when longing for her.
“That would be a golden osmanthus. Among the trees planted in the palace gardens, only the golden osmanthus gives fragrance from its leaves.”
He had expected it to be the silver osmanthus, but the palace had chosen a different species.
“Golden osmanthus… even the name is lovely.”
“It is also my favorite tree. Generally, silver osmanthus is used to fragrance gardens, but since this is the imperial rear garden, I wanted something more unique and beautiful, with not just fragrance but remarkable leaves and fruit.”
“Then I should like to see more of them planted.”
“I will take note of that.”
Eisen smiled faintly. To him, the silver osmanthus was a symbol of his bond with her. The palace may have chosen golden osmanthus for refinement, but Eisen liked that it was not the same—perhaps for another, more personal reason.
“Brother! Eisen is alive! He’s coming to the estate with Kylon!”
Roa, clutching Kylon’s reply, rushed noisily down the stairs to the dining hall. Her maids hurried after her but could not keep up.
“Roa, you must walk more properly.”
Sheindrik set down his teacup. He already knew Eisen Trone had survived the war and been elevated as Duke before Roa did.
“And mind your words. He is no longer Sir Eisen, but formally His Grace the Duke of Trone.”
Roa hugged Kylon’s letter to her chest and nodded eagerly.
“His Grace did not forget me.”
She hugged the letter tightly, radiating joy. Seeing her finally smile brightly after nearly two years, Sheindrik’s lips also curved into a smile.
“The hard days are over. Now only bright ones remain.”
Kylon’s letter had been full of things she had long dreamt of, things that felt impossible outside of dreams. Eisen had returned with the Empire’s highest honor and wealth, rewarded with a ducal title. And he too had not forgotten her. By chance they had met again at the palace, and with the Emperor’s permission, he would visit the Clarion family.
Roa counted the days with excitement, unable to sleep at night. She began to care again for her hair and skin, which had grown lifeless in her despair.
“My lady, are you truly so happy?”
“Of course! On that day, I’ll choose my dress with care. Judy, you’ll help me, won’t you?”
The servants, too, breathed easier seeing Roa’s smile return.
After tidying the flowerbeds, Roa walked to the fragrant silver osmanthus tree. Even approaching it, the strong aroma filled her senses, and she closed her eyes. Tiny white buds were already preparing to bloom.
