Chapter 46
Out of gratitude and guilt, Sophia decided to buy something before Bled returned. She crossed the corridor and headed back to Rosent Castle.
“Sophiiie!!”
As she walked through the corridor, Stella came running toward her from a distance with her arms wide open.
Normally, Sophia would’ve just nodded politely and thanked her, but maybe it was because the other was a child—or because she was such a kind one. Or maybe, it was the feeling of finally having a friend after such a long, lonely time.
Sophia opened her arms too.
“Yeah. Come here.”
When Sophia posed to receive her, Stella’s joy overflowed as she beamed and threw herself into Sophia’s arms.
Like a puppy meeting its owner, Stella clung to her, and Sophia gently stroked her honey-brown hair.
“Thank you.”
“…Then, can I come play again next time?”
“Sure.”
“You’ll smile and welcome me, right?”
It seemed Stella had caught on to the expression Sophia had the first time they met—a less-than-welcoming one. She had tried to hide it, but Stella was sharp when it came to reading others’ faces.
Even during tea time.
Next time, with a smile…
“Yeah.”
I will.
Because I promised myself not to dwell on a past day anymore.
Still in Sophia’s arms, Stella smiled nonstop and began telling stories about her recent encounter with Bled—how she thought he’d be scary but he was surprisingly kind, and how he called that room his secret room, among other things. As she chattered on, someone suddenly wrapped both Sophia and Stella in a hug.
“Got you!”
“Ah!”
At the startled voices of Payton and Stella, Sophia remembered—they were in the middle of a game of hide-and-seek.
Still, this kind of sneak attack wasn’t allowed.
With a low voice, Sophia glanced at Payton.
“Grandfather.”
Who said you could just scare people and grab them?
Though she didn’t finish her sentence, Payton immediately realized what she meant. He quickly loosened his grip and gave a sheepish smile.
“Ah… yeah…”
Those sharp eyes could cut through steel. Just moments ago, he’d been so gentle when playing with Stella!
Sophia gently released Stella and turned to Payton.
“Where is everyone else?”
“Already found them all. You two were the last.”
“Guess we lost because we let our guard down. What a shame!”
Stella pouted in frustration. Vowing to win next time, she clenched her little fists, and Sophia asked where the others had gathered.
“Where are they?”
“They’re playing in the garden. Want to go?”
The garden? Those three?
Curious about what they were doing, Sophia walked over to the garden and saw them sitting close together, crouched down, fiddling with their hands.
“Like this?”
“Yes. You have to weave it well into the stem.”
“This is hard…”
“Yeah. I’ve made these so many times, but I still feel like I’m not getting better.”
They were peacefully sitting among the flowers, weaving floral crowns. Lune was busy teaching like a patient instructor.
Joshua and Benjamin, watching their almost-completed crowns, were following Lune’s advice. Just as they were finishing up, they noticed Sophia approaching.
“Soph…ia!”
Startled by the unexpected visitor, Joshua dropped his crown and hurried to pick it up, checking for damage.
While Joshua fumbled, Benjamin noticed the proud expression on Payton’s face and commented,
“Looks like we’ve all been caught.”
“Yeah… I should’ve tried harder to hide with everything I had!”
Stella clenched her fists again, frustrated. Sophia gently stroked her hair as she spoke.
“You can win next time.”
“Yeah, you’re right!”
As the two exchanged smiles, Joshua smiled quietly. It was a scene he could’ve never imagined just a few months ago—something he only ever dreamed of.
As long as I don’t wake up from this dream, as long as this isn’t just a dream, it’ll be perfect.
“You guys made really pretty flower crowns!”
Stella commented while looking at the crowns in Joshua and Benjamin’s hands.
“It’s all thanks to our teacher.”
Teacher? Who was that?
Joshua pointed to Lune, who quickly waved his hands as if to deny it.
“They’re just naturally talented.”
Indeed, though they weren’t quite as neat as Lune’s usual work, the finished crowns were quite pretty.
As Sophia quietly admired them, Joshua shyly held one out toward her.
“I… made this for you…”
For me?
“Is that okay?”
“…Do you still hate flower crowns?”
Joshua and Benjamin each lifted a flower crown slightly as they asked.
Sophia had never hated flower crowns. Back then, she had just wanted to reject any attention from them, so she pretended to.
Benjamin already knew she didn’t truly dislike flower crowns—after all, she had accepted one from Lucion. Still, asking like this meant they were really asking something else:
“Do you still hate flower crowns from us?”
Instead of answering, Sophia sat down on the grass and slightly lowered her head.
Then came Joshua’s soft groan, followed by a gentle weight atop her head. One, then another.
Two flower crowns rested on her head. As she looked up while supporting them slightly, she was greeted by the beaming faces of Joshua and Benjamin.
The sun had begun to set, casting a golden hue over her white hair and bathing her golden eyes in warmth like ripened sunlight.
As if touched by morning light despite the hour, she turned her head and locked eyes with Stella.
Those green eyes were filled with envy.
Guess I should give one of these crowns to Stella.
Just as Sophia reached up, Stella spoke first.
“I want to give you a flower crown too, Sophia…!”
…Oh, so that’s what she was jealous of.
With a determined face, Stella ran over to Lune and asked him to teach her how to make one.
But before long, Lorey came over and said it was time for dinner and urged everyone back inside.
Stella let out a disappointed sigh but stood up and started heading back. Joshua and Benjamin followed, and Sophia also stood and brushed off her skirt.
Just as she was about to walk back, Lune gently pulled her arm.
“Ah—sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
He looked awkward, glancing around nervously. His hands were behind his back, fidgeting.
Sophia’s gaze drifted toward those hidden hands, but Lune quickly spoke.
“L-Lady Sophia, you should go inside too. You must be tired.”
“Before that, let me see your hands.”
“Why…?”
“Just to check if you’re hurt.”
He’d been handling flowers, and it was possible he’d cut himself on a sharp leaf. Lune wasn’t one to complain, so he might be hiding it.
Worried, she pressed a bit, and with a resigned sigh, Lune held out his hands.
In his palms was a small white flower ring.
“I was… going to give it to you. But it felt too plain…”
“…A ring?”
“Yes. But I guess… I really wanted to give it to you.”
Since I reached out to hold your hand.
With a soft smile, Sophia found herself smiling back.
“Which hand do you want to put it on?”
She asked, teasing him a little.
Would he know the meaning of different fingers at his age? Probably not.
“Left hand. Left hand, please.”
“…Left?”
Was that a coincidence?
Curious, she extended her left hand. Lune took it, gently touched her ring finger, then shifted and placed the ring on her pinky.
“It’s pretty.”
“…Thank you.”
She looked at the small flower ring settled on her pinky and gave her thanks. It was a little loose for that finger, but it was something made just for her, so she treasured it.
“Lady Sophia!”
Lorey called from a distance, noticing Sophia hadn’t come back yet.
“Ah, I’m coming!”
Not wanting to keep Stella waiting, Sophia quickly responded and, after giving Lune one last smile, ran toward the doorway.
She took off the crowns and handed them to Lorey, who seemed genuinely pleased.
“You look happy.”
At those words, Sophia thought of the time she spent with Stella. Feeling the gentle pressure of the flower ring on her finger, she replied,
“…Yeah.”
I never thought a day like this would come.
“I’m really happy.”
After dinner and a nice warm bath, Sophia lay in bed.
Leaning on her pillow, she raised her left hand and looked at the flower ring—dangling on the verge of slipping from her pinky.
It didn’t feel like it belonged there.
Just to test, she took it off and tried slipping it onto her ring finger. It slid on easily, perfectly snug.
“…Ah.”
It wasn’t meant for there, was it?
Feeling her heart stir strangely, she took the ring off and placed it on the nightstand. Then, hoping sleep would chase away the strange feelings, she closed her eyes.
That’s when she heard a knock at the door.
