episode_0024

The Iris Palace, boasting splendor, had a garden.

In one corner of the garden, there were modest and monotonous colored flowers gathered.

It was a place where ordinary people would not even reach, captivated by its splendor.

However, there was a woman who naturally took her place there.

Luna Iris.

She was staring at the flowers absentmindedly with a teacup in front of her.

It would be better to say she was lost in thought.

‘Confidence….’

A few days ago, Luna had been pondering Albert’s words.

He had told her to have confidence, but she didn’t know how to do that.

From the beginning, she found it subtle what confidence even was.

How it differed from courage, how it differed from belief.

She had been contemplating for quite some time, but a suitable answer did not come to mind.

Yet, she couldn’t think otherwise.

Because Albert’s words filled her head.

“Am I amazing…?”

What kind of thinking would make a mute person, someone who had brought a family to ruin, amazing?

Although it was in a negative direction, what Albert said was not meant in that way.

It seemed like he tried to avoid saying things that would hurt her.

So, it was even more puzzling.

One could ponder about confidence, but this was something entirely incomprehensible.

Why did he leave such words, she wondered about his intentions.

And why.

“Why did Confucius make such an expression.”

His gaze was heavy, and his brow was furrowed.

It was a rather agonizing expression.

That was also why she asked if he wasn’t feeling well.

If somewhere didn’t hurt, there would be no reason to make such an expression.

But he said he was fine.

And he really was fine until he left.

Albert David.

Every time she met him, it seemed like she was becoming more and more ignorant.

After pondering for a long time, Luna finally got up.

She couldn’t properly appreciate the garden because she was lost in thought.

It was a place where no one was looking for her, and if she couldn’t even see herself correctly, it was unfair to the flowers.

She also wanted to see the moonflowers placed in the room.

Because when she looked at the moon, it felt like unnecessary thoughts disappeared.

Luna entered the mansion and went up the stairs.

And walked down the hallway.

That’s when it happened.

Crash-.

A sharp sound as if something was breaking echoed through the hallway.

It came from the direction of Luna’s room.

“Could it be?”

The servants often cleaned her room, but they were all skilled and had never broken anything.

Yet her steps quickened.

Because of a sense of unease.

Eventually, Luna arrived in front of the room.

Perhaps due to walking fast, her heart was pounding unusually fast.

But there was no time for deep breaths.

Her body involuntarily pushed the door open.

“Oh, no. I didn’t do it on purpose…”

Rachel shook her head as if denying something.

And in front of her feet, a broken flowerpot.

The moonflower with its roots exposed was entangled with the soil.

Squelch-.

Seeing that sight, Luna felt a stifling sensation.

Her chest felt tight and a little painful.

“Oh….”

She had forgotten because she hadn’t felt this for so long.

This feeling was clearly the feeling of being hurt.

Thud-.

Luna walked forward.

Rachel was standing there, but she didn’t look at her, instead, she only gazed at the moon, slowly taking steps forward.

Eventually, Luna, who had arrived in front of the moon, crouched down.

And reached out her hand to gather the surrounding soil and the moonflower.

It was a very careful movement, fearing the roots might get damaged.

“What, what’s so precious about such a petty flower! You can just buy another one!”

Rachel shouted at Luna.

She knew she had done something wrong, but she couldn’t bring herself to humble her pride.

As she had done until now, she couldn’t bow her head to the person who caused her mother’s death.

Luna’s gaze slowly turned towards Rachel.

Her expression was as dry as ever, but ironically, it made her eyes seem even colder.

Unconsciously, Rachel gulped visibly.

Expressing emotions outwardly.

It was the first time since Luna was very young.

Of course, her actions were not intentional.

It was just emotions that I didn’t even know about.

“Yes, what are you going to do if you see it that way?! Am I going to die too?! Where are you going to do it?!”

In response to Luna, Rachel’s anger surged to the tip of her head.

Because the wounds she received were so great that they couldn’t be compared to this small anger.

She made her mother die. She shattered the peaceful home.

She was no different from a demon who took away future happiness from herself.

Rachel’s heart was filled only with hatred and anger towards Luna.

Clack-.

Luna turned her gaze away from Rachel and started to walk.

It wasn’t that she wanted to avoid a fight or was afraid.

This situation was so familiar, and she couldn’t even think about Rachel.

Luna’s mind was filled with nothing but the moon.

How can I save it?

Can I get a new pot?

Will Albert think the pot has changed?

Thinking like that, she walked down the hallway.

There was a sound of Moore’s voice from behind, but Luna didn’t hear it.

Thud-.

Dirt falls through the gap in her hands.

At first, there was a handful of dirt, but now there was only a palmful left.

Luna quickened her pace.

Of course, arriving a little faster wouldn’t change the result.

However, regardless of her will, she wanted to bury these tender roots in the ground as soon as possible.

Perhaps it was a personal desire.

That’s when she was rushing towards the garden.

Thump-.

Luna tripped over a tree root.

It was a mistake she wouldn’t have made under normal circumstances, a sign of how mentally preoccupied she was.

“Thank goodness.”

Thanks to falling, a few leaves of the moon fell, but there wasn’t a big problem.

Relieved by this fact, Luna got up and quickened her pace again.

Finally, she arrived at the garden.

The garden was full of flowers so splendid that they could make moonflowers seem insignificant, but she paid no attention and just hurried on, still holding the moon as precious as ever.

The place Luna had finally arrived at was a corner of the garden where modest flowers gathered. It was also a place where evening primroses suited exceptionally well.

It was the only place where Luna could truly relax.

Thud-.

Luna, who carefully set down the shovel, began to dig with her hands.

She could have assigned the work to a servant.

If she didn’t like that, she could have at least asked for gardening tools.

However, she hadn’t thought that far.

Because her head was filled with the thought that she had to save the evening primroses.

However, digging the ground with bare hands was not an easy task.

After a few gestures, beautiful nails were scratched, and before long, her fingers began to ache.

“Miss?!”

A servant who discovered Luna hurriedly approached.

As she happened to be doing garden maintenance, she had gardening tools in hand.

“I-I will do it!”

Despite the servant’s words, Luna silently continued to move her hands.

It was a perplexing situation where she knew she should stop, but couldn’t bring herself to do so.

After some thought, the servant cautiously handed her a small seedling shovel.

“A-at least with this….”

Luna, who was staring blankly at the shovel, cautiously accepted it.

Before long, a hole appeared, and she carefully planted the evening primrose in that hole.

Looking at the evening primrose now among the other flowers, Luna thought,

“May you be happy here.”

* * * * *

It was around the time when the sun had not completely set and the mountain ridges were draped in shadow.

After helping my father finish his duties on the estate, I was reading the romance novel Luna had given me as a gift.

I found it quite interesting and unintentionally got absorbed in it, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get very far.

The knocking sound shattered my concentration.

I sighed with regret and said, “Come in.”

As permission was granted, the door opened cautiously, and Melina entered.

But wasn’t she wearing a smile on her lips?

So, I wondered if she had perhaps eaten some cookies….

“Young master, a carriage from the Iris Viscount has arrived.”

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but be surprised by her words.

Although we had exchanged quite a lot of letters, there was no mention of a visit anywhere.

However, separate from that, it was a happy enough occasion, so I dressed quickly and headed straight for the entrance of the mansion.

Not long after, the carriage of Countess Iris arrived.

The coachman nodded and opened the carriage door.

Only one person got off the carriage.

Luna Iris.

She was the woman I had longed for, but she looked different from what I had expected.

“Luna, Lady Luna?!”

She looked different from what I hadn’t expected.