The glass greenhouse was well-ventilated inside. A stream of moonlight streamed in, allowing the leaves to warm themselves in the soft light.
As Eileen continued walking, her eyes scanned her surroundings in search of the new and indescribable oriental plants. Then she heard a slight creaking sound. She turned and saw the greenhouse door opening behind her.
— Mr. Lotan?
Eileen looked back to see if Lotan had returned. And she simply froze. Cesare entered the greenhouse at his usual slow pace.
He was dressed in a ceremonial uniform that differed slightly from the one worn during the triumphal procession. Under the moonlit night, the man took on an even more dangerous appearance. A gentle smile graced his lips, as if hinting at a secret kiss.
Eileen lowered her head hesitantly. With a graceful movement, she shifted her leg, delicately bending her knee and gently lifting the hem of her dress, a gesture of utmost reverence.
— Your Grace, Archduke Erzet.
And so, Cesare began to speak to her formally.
— Miss Elrod.
Congratulations on your victory, Your Grace… I–
She hesitantly offered her congratulations, unsure if it was proper etiquette. Then, a laugh erupted before she could think. Eileen slowly raised her head.
The man facing the moon had a bright smile on his face, his red eyes radiating light. Eileen couldn't help but be captivated by the sheer beauty of his radiant smile. Her attention was completely absorbed by him when she finally asked her question.
Did I make a mistake?
No, not at all.
Cesare smiled as he shook his head.
— That makes me nostalgic, Eileen.
He then reached out to Eileen, tapping the dance card with his leather-gloved hand.
Eileen, would you do me the honor of dancing with you?
He quickly and politely took out the card and inspected it. With a fleeting smile, Cesare examined the signatures written inside. He inscribed his name on the first blank line.
The signature was written in elegant, confident handwriting, without any rough strokes or indication of hesitation. As if it had always belonged there. With a tender touch, Cesare delicately fastened it to Eileen's wrist.
She examined the card hanging from her wrist, the corner of her lips twitching. Someone might mistake it for a military document.
'I never imagined that His Grace would actually invite me to dance.'
She had no choice but to sway awkwardly on the dance floor. Eileen imagined the stares and whispers she would receive while dancing with Cesare.
There was no point in making excuses for fear of losing her way. She knew Cesare would reassure her, guiding her to follow his lead.
In fact, he was capable of doing exactly that. After all, it was Cesare himself who taught him to dance.
She remembered him taking her little hands and spinning her around.
She never mastered the art of dance. From the beginning, her mother severely reprimanded her.
"How dare you disrespect the prince! You're wasting his time with your dance lessons!"
The mother didn't like Eileen spending time with Cesare. When she found out about the dance lessons, she exploded in hysterics, screaming and throwing things all over the house.
Little Eileen cried and begged her mother to stop, praying in her heart that she wouldn't get angry like that again. Only after seeing her despair did the woman's anger subside. When she came to her senses, she hugged her daughter and fell silent.
“I’m so sorry, my little Lily. But you understand, don’t you? Mommy only has you and the Prince in her life…”
As a baroness, she was very proud to be the prince's nanny while he competed for the throne.
This pride also served as a driving force for his mother throughout her life. She was even willing to sacrifice her last breath for Cesare.
Eileen didn't want to hurt her beloved mother. She didn't want to be an obstacle for the Prince.
So, Eileen gave up dancing. Cesare never insisted on details.
'However, here I am once again, about to dance the night away with him.'
Eileen rubbed her fingertips along the edge of her dance card. She could feel the sharp edges through her silk gloves.
The silence that followed was crushing, and his gaze was even stranger. The man sent slight shivers down her spine as he approached. She parted her lips to break the tension.
— Shouldn't you go to the banquet hall? Everyone must be waiting for you…
I have enough time to admire the garden.
Cesare answered as they gazed at the castle's small Garden of Eden.
The team reported that a new flower was imported from Asia.
' Liar. He came here on purpose just to see me, he doesn't even like plants.'
Eileen sighed inwardly.
She always thought Cesare was as enthusiastic about plant life as she was. After all, he was the only one who listened to her talk for hours about its properties while everyone else turned away mid-conversation.
'I was such an idiot for not realizing…'
Eileen cursed her past and present selves as she walked into the greenhouse with Cesare. She swallowed hard to keep her composure and carefully chose her next words.
"Thank you for the lily and the dress. I apologize for not being able to dress appropriately, despite Your Grace's thoughtful gesture. Initially, I only intended to say 'hello' and then leave. I hadn't even considered the possibility of dancing, but here we are… I realize now that I should have tried harder."
Eileen, who had been reciting her prepared lines in order, stopped suddenly. Her eyes widened, and her mouth slowly opened.
- Oh my God.
Eileen ran to the flowerpot, which was full of seedlings.
This is a camellia cutting! I saw it in a book once, but this is the first time I've seen it in person!
It was a tree she had longed to see for some time. The flower's petals had piqued her interest, particularly because she had read that they were used as hemostatic agents. She had given up hope of ever obtaining them due to their rarity. Who would have imagined it would be planted in the garden of the Imperial Palace?!
Eileen crouched down in front of the sapling, observing the camellia intently with great anticipation.
— They say the leaves look like thick leather, and that's actually true. The sheen is so vivid, and… If you look closely, the edge of the leaf resembles tiny teeth. It's quite unusual, isn't it? Hah, it would have been wonderful if the flowers had bloomed. The protruding stamens looked so enchanting in the illustrations… How I long to witness them in person!
Eileen made an effort to contain her excitement, speaking in a composed manner as she admired the camellia.
The flowers are also distinctive because their corollas are all attached without a stem. That's why it falls off completely. In Asia, they say it's a symbol of bad luck because it looks like someone's severed head…
Eileen, who had been speaking enthusiastically, suddenly jumped up and fell silent. She belatedly realized that she had been speaking passionately about a subject that the person she was with might not find interesting.
A flower that resembles a severed head?
(Elisa: Trigger for him )
A deep voice echoed Eileen's words.
Eileen slowly shifted her gaze from the camellia to the source of the voice.
— …
Cesare lowered himself and sat beside Eileen. His attention was solely on her; he didn't even glance at the camellia.
Eileen's eyelashes fluttered. There was always a strange chemistry between them, no matter how they looked. When her eyes met Cesare's, a whirlwind of thoughts within her mind seemed to calm down.
Was it the darkness of the greenhouse, or did his eyes radiate a particularly deep red?
Do you like this type of flower?
— N-No, that's not it! A-Argh! It's just that it's fascinating…
Eileen screamed in annoyance as Cesare held the camellia cutting in his hand. His large hands looked ready to pluck and crush the delicate plant at any moment.
Why do you always do that?!
Cesare smiled gently. Eileen pleaded, even sweating profusely, but he only laughed ironically.
— Let go of the sapling first, then we can talk. It's very easy to damage…
He obeyed her, but his actions were sudden and rude. Eileen felt her heart sink when she fixed her eyes on Cesare's face.
— I'm so sorry, Eileen. I haven't been feeling well lately.
Cesare apologized without sounding remorseful. Eileen frowned in concern.
Has something worrying happened to you?
Besides the fact that you almost had your head cut off by the guillotine?
- Sorry…
Eileen murmured softly, not knowing what to say. As Cesare claimed, if Morpheus had been discovered by someone else, Eileen's fate would have been that of a headless chicken.
'Even so... He's never been like this before...'
If Cesare had found this exotic plant problematic, he would have ordered his soldiers to destroy it long ago, and Eileen would never have noticed. But here he was, sitting with her, touching the seedling, listening to her daydreams… It’s unusual to see him acting on impulse, satisfying her as he always did. Of course, he had always indulged her many times before, but not to this extent…
What has happened in the last three years?
Eileen gave him a strange look, and Cesare leaned forward. Then he declared:
The wedding is happening in a month. Personally, I'd rather it were tomorrow, but some preparations take time…
Eileen blinked slowly at him. Everything she wanted to say, everything she had carefully planned, was tangled in an impossible knot. She had been defeated before she even stepped onto the battlefield.
— I can't beat you, can I? There's no point in even expressing my opinion, is there?
As an adult, you have to tolerate things you don't like.
Cesare rose deliberately slowly. As he stood upright, his back against the moonlight, he cast a piercing gaze at Eileen. His bright red irises locked onto hers with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.
"On the other hand, why would it be so unpleasant if it were me…? " He reflected aloud, a crooked smile forming on his lips. "Considering we'll have to get married eventually, wouldn't it be preferable for me to be your partner than some old pig? 'What old pig?!'"
Eileen almost screamed, scandalized and indignant.
The harsh words that came out of the man's mouth made her eyes widen at that exact moment. Cesare tilted his head slightly.
He frowned at her and urgently grabbed Eileen's arm, encircling her. She staggered under the man's omnipotent power.
Then, in the silent greenhouse, the shadow of an unwanted figure emerged. They were covered in black from head to toe, and there seemed to be more than five of them. "Eileen asked," her face filled with disbelief.
They're not murderers, are they?
I wonder the same thing…
He answered in a slow tone. Eileen was on the verge of tears from fear.
Since they were in the Imperial Palace, Cesare was completely unarmed. There wasn't even a ceremonial sword at his side, much less a firearm.
Fortunately, the assassins wielded only swords. Firearms, with their limited number of manufacturers and tendency to be noisy, would have been easier to track. It seemed the assassins had opted for swords to carry out their task silently.
However, even in the absence of firearms, Cesare remained defenseless against the armed assassins. Eileen clenched her fists in frustration, realizing the terrible odds they faced.
If she needed only one survivor, it had to be Cesare. Eileen whispered to him, determination evident in her expression.
"Your Grace ," she began, catching his eye. "I'll create a distraction for you."
"A distraction? " Cesare's voice echoed, clearly intrigued.
— Take advantage of this opportunity and run.
Knowing his agility, she believed there would be a chance for him to escape on his own. It seemed like a viable plan to her, but Cesare burst out laughing.
— Eileen. —He said, his tone almost amused.
- Hey?
His answer left her perplexed.
Could you close your eyes for a moment, please?
— Hmm…? Sure!
Eileen answered hesitantly, unsure of what the man had in mind.
"And maybe... sing a song, " he added gently.
"One song? H-how many? " she asked, confused.
"Just one will suffice, " Cesare replied tenderly.
To be continued…