Chapter: 17
Before long, Mary’s knee healed completely.
Ricardo returned to his peaceful daily life.
No—he had returned to it.
“Young master, would you like to go for a walk in the garden today?”
Mary’s casual remark shattered Ricardo’s peace.
“Why all of a sudden?”
“It’s the perfect weather for a walk. And there are lots of flowers blooming outside!”
Standing by the sunlit window, Mary smiled brightly. Ricardo stared at her as if spellbound, then quickly turned his gaze away.
So what if there were flowers?
Just as he was about to say, I don’t want to go outside, Mary spoke again.
“You said recently that staying in your room all the time feels suffocating.”
Did I say that?
Ricardo hurriedly searched his memory.
He had said something like that—just a vague excuse he’d used because he needed a reason to go see Mary.
“I thought you didn’t like going outside because you stay in your room all the time.”
‘I don’t like it. I hate it. I loathe it.’
Ricardo wanted to stay in his room as much as possible. He knew exactly how hideous he looked.
Of course, he wouldn’t run into anyone else in this annex. Aside from a very small number of servants, access to the annex was forbidden.
Even knowing that, Ricardo hesitated to leave his room. To him, this small room was his entire world.
Mary wouldn’t know.
How much courage it took just to step into the hallway to visit her room.
Every time he went to Mary’s room, Ricardo would anxiously glance around as if he were being chased. Even now, recalling those memories made his heart pound.
Just walking down the hallway had been that difficult—so going outside the mansion entirely?
‘Absolutely not.’
He could grant any other request, but not this one.
No matter how much Mary asked, leaving the mansion was out of the question.
“Actually, I’ve been inside the mansion this whole time since I came here, so I’ve been feeling a bit stifled too.”
No matter what.
“I felt bad leaving you alone, so I kept holding back.”
Never.
“But thinking about going flower-viewing together with you makes my heart flutter!”
Impossible—
“Oh! Should I make you a flower ring?”
…What?
Ricardo hurriedly grabbed hold of his wavering resolve.
A flower ring? Not even a diamond ring, just a flower ring—
“Fine.”
His mouth and heart betrayed his mind, and Ricardo froze in shock at the answer that slipped out.
What did I just say?
He tried to take it back immediately, but seeing Mary’s bright, excited smile, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Swayed by something as trivial as a flower ring.
And so Ricardo’s first outing happened for such a trivial reason.
Warm sunlight and a cool spring breeze.
As I looked at the garden, where flowers bloomed in abundance and petals fluttered gently in the air, I couldn’t stop exclaiming in awe.
“Wow!”
It was a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
Even when the wind tousled my hair, I couldn’t help but smile.
Breathing in the fresh air after so long made me feel wonderful.
When I glanced back, the young master was staring blankly in this direction too. Well, the scenery behind me was beautiful.
If I’d known it would be like this, I would’ve suggested it sooner. From now on, we should go for walks more often.
It would be healthier than staying in his room all the time.
“Which flower do you like best, young master?”
“……”
“Young master?”
When I called again, he flinched, having been staring at me absentmindedly.
“Huh—what? What do I like?”
Technically, I’d asked which flower he liked, but close enough.
I nodded. Once again, his answer didn’t come right away. Since I was used to that, I waited patiently. With a dazed expression, he parted his lips.
“Mary.”
“Yes?”
“Huh?”
“Me?”
Why is my name coming up here?
Confused, I looked at him. His green eyes were wide open in surprise.
“M-Marigold.”
“Oh, marigolds are pretty.”
“A-and you? What do you like?”
“My favorite flower?”
“Yeah. Flower. Flower.”
He put strange emphasis on the word flower.
“I like all flowers. Hehe.”
“But there must be one you like more than the others.”
“Hmm… actually…”
I spoke carefully.
“I like flowers, but… I like new sprouts even more.”
“Sprouts?”
“They’re small and fragile, like they’d snap if you touched them, but they grow steadily and bloom into beautiful flowers.”
I always found it amazing how tiny sprouts pushed through the frozen, hardened ground after winter.
So small, yet so strong.
Their fresh green shoots announcing spring felt like they were shouting, I’m alive.
“I find the process of blooming into a beautiful flower so touching. Somehow, it really pulls at my heart.”
I smiled and added, “Isn’t that a bit strange?”
People in the village often asked me what flower I liked. Every time, I’d casually name a flower nearby.
I knew they wanted to give me that flower as a gift.
This was only the second time I’d answered honestly that I liked sprouts more than flowers.
The first person to hear that was Ian.
My childhood friend—more mature and considerate than other boys our age.
“Mary, you really are unusual. You’re probably the only one who likes sprouts more than flowers.”
I’d laughed and teased him back, saying he wasn’t exactly normal either.
I wonder how he’s doing.
As I drifted into memories, the young master replied in his usual curt tone.
“Not strange at all. It suits you.”
“Really? My friend said I was weird.”
“Friend?”
Suddenly, his eyebrow twitched.
“What kind of friend?”
“A childhood friend I’ve known since we were little. We’re the same age.”
“Is he a boy?”
“Yes.”
The moment I answered, his face hardened. His calm green eyes burned as if flames had ignited within them.
“Are you close with him?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Why?”
“Huh? Well… because we grew up together—”
He cut me off sharply.
“Between me and him, who are you closer to?”
Ah, that’s why this felt familiar.
I’d seen this many times while taking care of village children.
Children have strong possessiveness. They can’t accept someone they like being close to someone else. They want the person they like to like only them.
The young master’s adorable possessiveness made the corners of my lips lift slightly.
Of course, I was closer to Ian—but if I answered honestly, the young master would be hurt. So this time, I decided to lie.
“Of course, you, young master.”
He still looked unconvinced, his eyes full of suspicion.
Thinking it’d only get worse if I continued, I smoothly changed the subject.
“By the way, earlier you said it suits me. What did you mean by that?”
“I meant it literally. You look small and fragile, like a sprout, but you live on steadily. That’s why I also—”
He suddenly froze, his body trembling.
“W-what are you doing! Aren’t you making the flower ring?”
“Oh right! I promised I’d make you one.”
I looked around for flowers on the ground.
I felt bad plucking them, so I picked a few small blossoms that had fallen with their stems intact. Sitting beside him, I quickly made a flower ring and held it out.
“Could you hold out your hand? I’ll put it on you.”
He seemed to comply, then suddenly clenched his fist with an annoyed expression.
“Young master? Don’t you like it?”
“Teach me.”
“How to make a flower ring?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, then…”
I gathered more flowers and taught him how to make one.
It was easier than expected. Soon, a clumsy little flower ring was finished in his small hands.
Looking down at the ring resting on his grass-stained hand, he muttered unhappily.
“I’ll throw it away and make another.”
“What? Why would you throw it away!”
“It’s messed up. The flowers are all crushed.”
“It’s cute! If you’re going to throw it away, give it to me!”
I quickly held out both hands.
“Why would you even want something like that…”
“Something like that? You made it for the first time—it’d be such a waste to throw it away.”
“…Then close your eyes.”
“Why do I need to close my eyes all of a sudden?”
“Just do it.”
He didn’t explain, but I gently closed my eyes.
Soon, soft, small fingers carefully took my left hand.
Then, very cautiously, he slipped the flower ring onto my finger.
It rested on the ring finger of my left hand.
