-85-
“This isn’t anyone’s fault, Tiana. It was nothing more than a tragic coincidence.”
Lucius’s earnest voice reached me as I closed my eyes.
“The fact that she suddenly made such an extreme choice means she must have carried so much inside for a long time. She had been anxious all along, and that day her condition must have worsened by chance. Even if it hadn’t been you, even if it had been another noble, the situation still would have happened. So don’t blame yourself.”
He was worried I might sink into darker thoughts and tried to calm me. As his hand gently patted me, I slowly opened my eyes and said,
“It’s all right. I’m not blaming myself. I know. It wasn’t my fault, and it wasn’t that child’s fault either. Things just turned out that way. But when I think of how much pain she must have borne alone, for such a long time, my heart aches so much.”
“Tiana…”
“Why couldn’t she even tell her sister, Rina? Why did she keep it bottled up inside? Rina wouldn’t have turned her away… why…”
There was little point in weighing right or wrong in what the girl had done. She and I had been complete strangers, our lives brushing for only a brief moment. That I was the noble who happened to buy the flower was mere chance. But chance had stacked upon chance.
Still, the fact that she had ended her life in such despair tore at me. I didn’t know what she had gone through, but the thought of a child suffering alone despite having an older sister—being hurt and in pain—was both something I could understand, yet at the same time could not.
Lucius stroked my hair gently as I fought to hold back my tears.
“Perhaps because they had no parents, and only each other to rely on, it became all the harder to share something like that. For her, confiding such a thing to her only family would have been more painful—like handing over a disease. They each bore responsibility for the other, so if one of them broke down, survival itself would become unbearable.”
“And that’s exactly why she should have told Rina. She endured in silence for the other’s sake, and in the end, it led to the worst possible outcome.”
“No matter how well they lived together, no matter how much money they earned, a child is still a child. It’s heartbreaking that someone not yet even ten years old thought so deeply about such things. They say she was more mature than her sister, but in the end, she was still just a little girl. Of course, there were limits.”
“…You’re right. That’s why it hurts even more.”
Both girls had grown up far too quickly because of hardship, but in the end, all they truly had was each other. Yet both Rina and Rena were still small, still children. Their youth, in a way, became poison. Protecting each other was too heavy a burden.
Sighs escaped me over and over with the weight of sorrow. When tears finally spilled, Lucius quietly wiped them away with a worried expression.
A heavy silence lingered until Viscount Ezach, who had been watching quietly, spoke with a pained face.
“I should have paid closer attention to the children. I was reassured just seeing how well the sisters got along… but that was careless of me.”
“Then even you didn’t know about Rena?”
“No. I only knew she was shy around strangers, but aside from that, she never seemed unusual. She was hiding it. I never imagined she was suffering so much.”
At her deepening expression, Baron Vien spoke up.
“She was thoughtful, even as a child. If she set her mind on hiding it, it’s no wonder no one noticed.”
“Still, if I had paid more attention, I might have seen the signs. I only felt relieved seeing how well she looked after her sister, and that was my mistake.”
“Rena did take especially good care of Rina. If it weren’t for her smaller size, everyone would have thought she was the elder sister.”
“Compared to the bright and lively Rina, Rena was quiet and reserved. Even though they were sisters, their personalities were complete opposites.”
Hearing the two of them and then the quiet words added by Viscount Grassel, I finally understood what kind of child Rena had been.
The elder sister, Rina, was lively and cheerful, though somewhat clumsy. The younger, Rena, was more mature but shy and withdrawn, unable to stand out. They had been close as sisters, but because of their opposite natures, Rena was inevitably overshadowed.
“Their bond was such that only one could be in the light, while the other was left unseen. That makes it all the more tragic.”
“Indeed. In the end, we let that small child slip away in vain. I feel so terribly… guilty.”
As she agreed with me, Viscount Ezach finally broke down in tears, covering her eyes with the back of her hand. Baron Vien quietly offered her a handkerchief, which she accepted, though her tears would not stop.
Before long, my own tears returned as well, and for a time the room echoed with quiet sobs.
We stayed at House Ezach for two more days, enough for me to recover somewhat. I still couldn’t exert myself, but I could at least walk slowly, so we decided to return to the capital.
After a light breakfast, I packed and stepped outside, where the Grand Duke’s carriage was already waiting.
Viscount Ezach came forward to see me off, holding my hands warmly.
“Your Grace, please take care of yourself. I’ll pray for your swift recovery.”
“Thank you. You too, Viscount—don’t overexert yourself now that Rina is recovering.”
“Yes, I’ll remember that. Ah, I nearly forgot—there’s something I need to give you.”
“What is it?”
She smiled at my tilted head, then turned toward Baron Vien, who had been standing behind her. From behind her figure, Baron Vien stepped forward, his usual stern face unchanged, holding a bouquet of blue roses.
Carefully, he handed it to me. Viscount Ezach explained,
“It’s a gift from Rina. She asked me to be sure I gave it to you.”
“Oh my… they’re beautiful.”
My arms were filled with vibrant blue roses in full bloom. Their rich fragrance brought a smile to my lips.
“She said it’s to repay you for the glass bottle. She asked you to treasure them—and to protect these flowers carefully.”
“I see. That’s a very important request.”
It was simple yet profound. From the way the bouquet was arranged, I could tell how much care the girl had put into it.
“Tell her I promised. I’ll protect these flowers, and all the others as well.”
“Yes, I’ll tell her.”
“Please take care of Rina… be by her side in my stead.”
“You have my word.”
The viscount squeezed my hands and nodded gently. Leaving her soft, wistful smile behind, Lucius and I boarded the carriage.
As it rolled forward and the Ezach estate faded from sight, I rested my head against Lucius’s shoulder.
“Next time… I hope we can all go on a picnic together.”
“We will. Just wait a little longer. It won’t be too long.”
He kissed my forehead softly, his arm around me, and with his tender pat, I closed my eyes.
After returning to the Grand Duke’s estate, Lucius had to rush back to work at the palace, as the accident had delayed him longer than expected. I could only lie in bed, watching him leave.
“I’ll have a priest stay at the estate for a while. Don’t push yourself—rest well. And if anything happens, promise me you’ll send word?”
“I promise. Don’t worry, go on.”
Though I had received treatment at House Ezach, I wasn’t fully healed, and lingering aches remained. On top of that, the emotional shocks I’d suffered had left me feverish and exhausted.
After finally convincing him to go, I received treatment from the priest again. Once it ended, I ate the meal Jane brought and lay back down. I tried to nap, but sleep wouldn’t come, and I tossed restlessly. Jane, who was about to leave, turned back to me.
“Milady, are you uncomfortable? Should I call the priest again?”
“No, it’s fine. I just can’t sleep.”
“Shall I light some incense to help you rest?”
“Is there one that helps with sleep?”
“Yes. We recently bought one that’s especially good for that.”
“Really? Then please do.”
“Yes, Milady.”
She left quickly. I lay staring blankly at the ceiling, waiting, when a knock sounded.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
I expected Jane, but it was Warren who entered, looking uneasy.
“I apologize for disturbing your rest, Milady.”
“It’s all right. What is it?”
“A letter arrived from Her Highness the Princess. An urgent one.”
“Urgent?”
“Yes. I wanted to wait and deliver it later, but… it seemed too pressing.”
“Let me see.”
His rare unease made me curious. What kind of letter could it be? I slowly sat up and reached out. The envelope he handed me bore the princess’s seal as usual, but there was one unusual detail.
[Top Priority. Urgent. Emergency.]
The words were scrawled in large red ink. Now I understood why Warren had been flustered.
“It must be very serious. What on earth happened…?”
Alexandra’s letters were always a little eccentric, but this time it felt different. I quickly tore open the envelope and unfolded the sheet inside.
As always, there weren’t many words. Just a single line, hastily scribbled.
[Brother has gone mad!]
…What?
