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It had been so long since my last stroll in the garden that I hadn’t even noticed how much time had passed. Just as I was about to suggest to Edwin that we return, Warren hurried over from afar.
“Your Grace.”
“What is it?”
“The guests who were scheduled to visit today have arrived.”
“Guests? Ah… I see. They’ve come, then.”
Edwin paused at Warren’s words, then nodded as if recalling something.
“Bring them here. I’ll meet them over there for a moment.”
“Yes, understood.”
As Warren turned and gave instructions to a waiting attendant, Edwin turned to Lucius.
“My apologies, Your Highness. I had forgotten that we were expecting visitors today. Would it be alright if I step away for a short while?”
“Of course, it’s fine. Please, don’t worry and go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
Relieved at his permission, Edwin left with Warren. Visitors today? Watching him walk off a little way to wait, I turned to Lennox.
“Visitors, he says… Reno, do you know who’s coming?”
“No, I’m not sure either.”
He looked puzzled as well. If even Lennox didn’t know, then perhaps they were personal guests of Edwin?
Curious, I glanced toward the garden entrance. At that moment, two people entered with a servant—an older man and woman dressed plainly, clearly commoners. Judging by their demeanor, they seemed to be a couple.
As the two, visibly tense, entered, Edwin approached them. They bowed deeply at once, and he shook his head with a few words. At this, their faces lit up with emotion as they raised their heads again.
Looking slightly relieved, the couple continued speaking with Edwin for a short while. From a distance, I couldn’t hear their words, but judging by their expressions and the atmosphere, they seemed to be expressing gratitude.
Lennox tilted his head and murmured,
“They look like commoners… who could they be?”
“They do. A couple, perhaps…”
They appeared to be an ordinary pair of commoners, yet something about them stirred a strange feeling in me. They kept bowing toward Edwin—had he perhaps done them some kindness?
Their conversation wasn’t long. After finishing, the couple bowed again and followed the servant out. Edwin spoke briefly to Warren before returning. Lennox, waiting, was the first to ask,
“Who were those people just now?”
“Hmm…”
Edwin hesitated at Lennox’s question, then turned his gaze toward me. Surprised, I looked back at him, and after a short sigh, he spoke.
“Tiana, do you recall the accident a few months ago on the road to the ducal estate? The carriage overturned…”
“Yes? Oh, yes, I remember. On the riverside bridge—the carriage overturned, and a young child and the coachman were caught in the accident.”
“Indeed. Those people just now were that child’s… parents.”
“What? Truly?”
They were the parents of that child? The revelation shocked me. Perhaps that explained the strange feeling I had. I remembered the child’s body from that day—not fully, but the image of the drenched shoes still lingered vividly.
“But why did they come to see Father?”
“The ducal house provided compensation for the accident. Although an official sum was issued by the local guard after the investigation, I gave them an additional amount, fearing it might not be enough. They came to express their gratitude for that.”
“I see.”
That must be why their faces showed such heartfelt thanks. Edwin had indeed shown great care at the time—I knew he had instructed the knights to ensure the guards handled the case well, but I hadn’t realized he had personally given more compensation.
“They also told me the child’s funeral was carried out properly.”
“Oh… I’m truly relieved to hear that.”
I had worried they might not have been able to bury the child in a proper place. Knowing things had been settled eased my heart.
“Surely, the compensation Father gave was a great help to them.”
“It was all I could do for them. But of course, nothing could ever replace the loss of a child so young.”
His expression was bitter, and I understood his feelings. The couple’s loss could never be undone. Still, perhaps it had offered them some small measure of comfort.
“At the very least, Your Grace has given them solace. You did what no one else would have done.”
Lucius, who had been listening quietly, spoke. I had thought the same. Edwin looked slightly startled, then offered me a faint smile.
“You’ve done a good deed. I should take it as an example myself.”
“…Ahem. Not at all, Your Highness.”
Embarrassed by the praise, Edwin coughed and turned his gaze aside.
About a week passed after our return from the ducal estate. The once-boisterous social circles gradually regained their usual calm. The Werner count’s business had stabilized, and both Angelica and Count Werner now lived without worry.
As for me, I worked hard to fully resume my business affairs. In the mornings, I oversaw the household of the Grand Duke’s estate, and in the afternoons, I met with Baron Evitt to discuss branch expansion.
“How is construction progressing on the capital branch?”
“It’s about halfway done. In around three weeks, it should be complete.”
“Good. Then we’ll place our request with Count Werner accordingly.”
“Yes. Though, given how well the count’s new products are doing, mightn’t supplies fall short?”
I shook my head and reassured him.
“Don’t worry. I already secured an agreement with the count earlier, so it’ll be fine. But just in case, I’ll ask Lady Werner once more.”
“Understood.”
He nodded with relief. After finishing with the paperwork, he produced a small box and handed it to me.
“What’s this?”
“A newly developed flower tea. I managed to obtain a new variety from Sinadelli and tried making it into tea.”
“Oh, really?”
Opening the box, I found a small glass bottle filled with dried blue petals. The familiar shape and color made me study them closely, and he asked cautiously,
“Do you recognize the flower?”
“This is… a rose, isn’t it? A blue rose, perhaps.”
“Correct.”
“Rose tea… I don’t think I’ve ever seen blue rose tea before.”
Normally, rose tea was made from red roses. Blue roses as tea—blue rose tea. I wondered what it might taste like.
“I thought it would be nice to have a special menu item for the first branch. I happened upon some excellent quality blue roses in Sinadelli and decided to try it. The flavor is quite unique, so I wanted Your Highness to taste it first.”
“That’s thoughtful of you. In that case, let’s try it now.”
“I’ll prepare it.”
I handed him the glass bottle, and he rose to leave. Perfect timing—my throat was dry, and I’d been wanting something to drink. Before long, Baron Evitt returned with a maid, bringing a teapot and cups. Opening the bottle, he placed a few petals into the pot and poured in hot water.
After steeping, the tea was poured into a cup before me.
“Please try it, Your Highness.”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
The carefully brewed tea was a pale blue, shimmering like paint diluted in water. I smiled at the nervous-looking baron and raised the cup carefully.
But just as I brought it to my lips, a strong scent brushed past my nose, making me freeze.
This fragrance…
Was it my imagination? No—it was a scent I knew well, one I had smelled before. Staring at the cup, Baron Evitt asked curiously,
“Is something wrong?”
“Well… the fragrance feels familiar. You said these blue roses came from Sinadelli?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Do you know the exact place of purchase?”
“Oh—actually, it’s somewhere Your Highness already knows. They came from the botanical garden, the one where that accident happened.”
“The botanical garden?”
My suspicion hardened into certainty. At my question, he nodded and explained further.
“Yes. I had often visited the garden. Not long ago, I met a child there who was growing these roses. The fragrance was unusual, the condition excellent, so I bought some.”
“That child… brown-haired, around ten years old?”
“Yes? Ah, yes. Perhaps twelve, by my guess. What struck me was that the child cultivated only roses, which I found rather fascinating.”
“…I know that child. It seems to be the same one I rescued from that accident.”
“Truly?”
He looked startled. I picked up the glass bottle on the table. The color of the petals, the distinctive scent—yes, I was sure. They were deeper in hue and slightly different in fragrance than the roses I’d received before, but unmistakably the same.
So, the blue roses the younger sibling once grew… this child is now tending them again.
I never expected to see them again here. They were said to be much harder to raise than other roses, and yet the effort of that child was evident—it made my chest ache.
As I quietly set the cup back down, Baron Evitt swallowed nervously before speaking,
“So that explains it. I had thought the child carried an unusual air… a survivor of the accident.”
“Yes. That child once had a younger sibling. Among those who died in the accident… was that sibling.”
“Ah…”
“The two sisters used to raise roses together and sell them. But after the accident, with the younger one gone… the surviving child now grows the roses alone, for the both of them.”
I remembered the bouquet I had once received. To preserve it, I had dried the flowers carefully and kept them as decoration in my room. That child had been striving on their own ever since—living on, even for their sibling’s share.
The air grew heavy with emotion, and Baron Evitt, looking troubled, suddenly added,
“Now that you mention it… the child cannot speak.”
“…What did you say?”
The unexpected words left me staring at him in shock.
