Those Flower Meanings I Couldn’t Tell You Back Then

Is that really Sylvia I’m looking at?

That’s where my doubts started.

“Why are you looking like that, Layard-gongja? Is something the matter…?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

Was I staring too intently?

I was startled by her tilting her head, and hurriedly picked up the teacup on the table, gulping it down like it was water.

I don’t know anything about tea flavors in the first place, so it didn’t really matter.

More important than some tea flavor is Sylvia’s outfit sitting in front of me.

Before the regression, she always appeared in the darkest colors to cover her entire body, but how on earth did she end up wearing such a daring outfit?

Is it puberty? She’s fifteen, so it’s about that age.

“…Eung.”

No, it doesn’t seem like it’s just that.

She might not realize it, but I feel like Sylvia is pushing herself quite a bit right now.

Even now, she’s glancing down at her outfit and blushing.

Perhaps, since I’m a rare guest for her who’s been cooped up in her room, she’s trying to show me her best self.

Just because it’s revealing doesn’t mean it’s beautiful, but I don’t know where she got such biased knowledge.

If there’s anyone who instilled that kind of knowledge into Sylvia, I’d punch them in the face right away.

“Ahem…. First of all, I apologize for requesting a sudden meeting between people who have never met before.”

“It’s okay. It’s not something to be proud of, but I’m mostly confined to my room. Rather, I was happy to have an excuse to leave my room after so long.”

I made an effort to take my mind off Sylvia’s outfit and bowed politely, offering an apology.

Then, a faint smile appeared on Sylvia’s lips.

As I expected, Sylvia at this time is still spending lonely hours in her room.

I’m glad I came to visit a little earlier.

“The reason I asked for this meeting today is none other than this. I heard that Eleanor-gongnyeo is suffering considerable persecution within the family due to the Demon Eye embedded in her right eye.”

“It’s not to the extent of persecution. It’s only natural considering those who are harmed because of me. But the rumors have spread far and wide. Of course, those who know, know….”

So, it was quite a publicly spread rumor.

While riding in the carriage, Alp once told me a rumor he had picked up from somewhere, and the content was similar to what I had heard from Sylvia, so I wondered.

It seems the rumor that Sylvia Eleanor, a witch, is being held captive in the castle is well known among those with keen ears.

“Actually, the reason I came here is to make a proposal based on that.”

“A proposal…? You mean?”

“Yes, it’s entirely up to the gongnyeo whether you accept or reject it.”

I brought it thinking it was the best way in my own way, but it might not sound very appealing to her.

If she refuses, I’ll just find another way.

That’s what I’m here for.

“To put it simply…. We pretend to be lovers.”

“So, you mean you’re proposing an engagement?”

“Yes, if it goes further, that’s what it would mean.”

Since it’s just a contractual relationship anyway, I didn’t want to mention such a word, but I had no choice but to nod reluctantly at Sylvia’s blunt question.

If it’s an engagement, it reminds her of the past that left her with only bad memories, so I wanted to express it in a roundabout way if possible.

“May I ask why you’re suddenly making this proposal?”

“It’s simple. I thought our interests aligned well.”

“Interests, you say…?”

“It means it’s the most ideal and rational relationship to fill each other’s shortcomings.”

I took out a small piece of paper I had prepared from my pocket.

It contained a brief summary of the mutual benefits of this engagement.

Sylvia, who had been scanning it with her unique calm eyes, nodded as if she understood.

It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t captivated by her graceful gesture of briefly bending down to look at the paper closely and tucking her hair behind her ear.

“…Indeed, that’s what you meant. In short, Layard-gongja, what you want is a foothold within the family.”

“That’s right. By any chance, have you heard any rumors about me before, gongnyeo?”

“Yes, vaguely.”

“Yes, that goddamn Layard family’s failure was me. A rat that almost crawled into the gutter has finally found the light. That’s why I don’t want to miss this opportunity.”

I deliberately spoke a little roughly, acting as the next head of the family with eyes full of desire and greed, growling as I spoke.

Then, Sylvia frowned slightly as if she was uncomfortable, and opened her mouth firmly in a resolute tone.

“Layard-gongja.”

“Yes, please speak.”

It was the first time even I had seen her interrupt someone, so I nodded, outwardly not showing it, but inwardly quite embarrassed.

Did I say something that might have offended her?

But no matter how much I thought about it, there was no particular part that came to mind, so while I was racking my brain, she continued to speak with a stern look.

“It might be an overstep to say this on our first meeting, but please don’t belittle yourself so easily as a failure. Because there’s always someone who’s saddened to hear that.”

 “……”

The moment I heard those words, it felt like my consciousness stopped for a moment.

Because it was exactly the same as what Sylvia had told me before the regression.

Her eyes, which were usually kind and soft, suddenly turned stern, and her lips pouted slightly as if she was sulking.

But what I feel from her expression is not anger or rage, but closer to sadness and pity.

The sight was so familiar that I almost thought she was the Sylvia I remembered, and I barely restrained myself from running to hug her, clenching my fists out of sight.

Don’t be mistaken, Kyle Layard.

The reason she’s reacting like this is only because she has a benevolent personality comparable to a saint.

The Sylvia Eleanor of six years later, whom you loved, who cherished even the lowliest thugs, is no longer here.

In the first place, if the miracle of her regressing to the past with you had happened even one in ten thousand times, she would have torn you to shreds right away.

So, put aside your vain desires and keep doing what you were doing.

“…I’m sorry. As I was explaining my miserable situation, I think I got a little carried away.”

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry for suddenly interrupting you.”

When I apologized, Sylvia, who had returned to her usual expression, gestured as if to tell me to continue with the story.

So, I continued with the explanation again.

“Anyway, in that regard, the last resort I have left is to use this body.”

“So, you chose the engagement. Because there’s no better card to use than making a connection with the Eleanor family.”

“That’s right.”

It’s just a justification for me to get her out of this cage, but it’s definitely a valid point.

So much so that even my father arranged a meeting with Sylvia, whom he had opposed so much, just by saying that he would make contact with the Eleanor family and return.

Therefore, even Sylvia will not see any flaws in this proposal.

“Layard-gongja uses this to solidify his position within the family, and I use Layard-gongja as an excuse to escape this cage…. There are definitely many benefits for each other.”

“Yes, of course, I don’t know if they’ll so easily allow Eleanor-gongnyeo to go out based on a mere outsider’s proposal…. But I’ll do my best to resolve that point somehow.”

In the first place, my position within the family is not important to me, and rather, the main point is the latter, so I have no choice but to do my best.

However, I judged that Sylvia might worry that I’m just taking the benefits as an engaged person and not caring about her treatment, so I expressed my will in my own way.

“Heu-eung….”

Sylvia, who heard this, seemed to be carefully examining the paper, and then suddenly put it back on the table with a sound and stood up from her seat.

Is the negotiation broken?

Various thoughts came and went in my head at her sudden action.

Is it not going to work after all?

Well, yes. Of course, it’s true that it’s a beneficial proposal for her too, but as a result, a strange man is trying to use her and her family for his own selfish desires, so it wouldn’t sound good.

I made the proposal on the assumption that Sylvia might be as full of animosity towards the family as I am, but it seems she doesn’t think so badly of the family she’s currently in.

I vaguely guessed it because I had a similar conversation before the regression that allowed me to see this….

At this rate, I’ll have to rewrite the plan.

“Layard-gongja, do you happen to know a lot about flowers?”

“Yes? Flowers…. You mean?”

Just as all sorts of thoughts were passing through my mind, a somewhat random question came from Sylvia.

I know a little about flowers.

Before the regression, when Sylvia visited our family, I showed her around the garden, but because we both didn’t know about flowers, we just squatted down and stared blankly, wondering, ‘What kind of flower is this?’

After that day, I became a little curious and started looking through various books or asking the gardener from time to time, and I learned to some extent.

“I know a little. But why…?”

“Actually, I don’t know much about flowers because I’ve been living in my room. I want to look around the garden now, but can you help me?”

‘If you can do that well, I’ll accept this proposal positively,’ she said, putting her hands behind her back and smiling brightly.

At those words, I couldn’t help but jump up from my seat.

When you first visited our family’s garden, I still regretted not telling you the name of the flower that you couldn’t figure out and left feeling disappointed.

When you were in Kaintreche Castle’s garden, you enthusiastically described the flower and asked if I knew what kind of flower it was, I deliberately pretended not to know, and that remained a regret until the end.

I know it’s greedy to want a chance to love you again.

But at least telling you the name of the flower that I couldn’t tell you until the end, even God wouldn’t scold me for being too greedy.

“If it’s something like that, I’ll help you as much as you want.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

I tried hard to hide my overwhelming emotions and hurriedly followed her out of the drawing room.