Chapter 131
“What do you mean?”
As Lupeon tilted his head slightly and asked in a languid voice, Elena continued without hesitation.
“I’m talking about the pendant I gifted before the Princess was born. It seems she has no knowledge of it at all.”
“That’s…”
The question seemed unexpected, as a fleeting disturbance passed through Lupeon’s blue eyes.
Elena slightly furrowed her brow at his appearance, which suggested he was having difficulty speaking about something.
At that moment, Lupeon began to clear his throat.
“Ahem—”
“Lupeon, are you alright?”
Worried that he might have caught a cold in the chilly weather, she gave him a concerned look.
In response, Lupeon lowered his head and leaned slightly against his lover’s slender shoulder.
As Elena felt the touching skin gradually warming up, she gently stroked his black hair.
‘It really does feel like he has a fever.’
At that moment, the man lifted his head slightly and quietly gazed at her.
Seeing Lupeon’s almost childlike demeanor, Elena carefully touched his forehead.
“Lupeon, I think you have a fever. You should get plenty of rest today.”
Nodding slightly, he brushed back his bangs that had been scattered by the wind.
“…Then, I’ll take my leave now. I wouldn’t want you to catch my cold.”
“Alright, Lupeon.”
‘I didn’t even get an answer about the pendant…’
Elena remained on the balcony, letting out a light sigh and giving a small shrug of her shoulders.
* * *
On her mother’s death anniversary, Elena visited the marquis’s residence and went to the marchioness’s grave with the father and son of House Rohenbach.
Holding an armful of lisianthus flowers, she wore a sorrowful smile.
Visiting her mother’s grave brought back small memories of her childhood, one by one.
“Mother, why do you like lisianthus the most?”
“Well…”
The marchioness had told her the reason but said it was a secret from others because it was embarrassing, and Elena had promised with a bright smile.
Whenever her mother’s death anniversary approached, Elena felt a flood of longing surge in her heart.
Feeling as though she might cry, she deliberately put on a bright expression as she placed the flowers on her mother’s gravestone.
‘Mother, we’re here. With your favorite flowers too.’
The marquis, who had been quietly gazing at the gravestone, muttered in a low voice with deep shadows across his face.
“I’m sorry, dear. I should have come with the children sooner.”
Worried that the marquis might burst into tears, Lisette, who stood beside him, hurriedly spoke up as if trying to change the atmosphere.
“Hey, we can start coming together from now on! Right, Sister?”
“Yes, that’s what Mother would want.”
Elena nodded slightly and gave them a faint smile.
When Lisette had to return to his office due to important matters, she decided to take a walk in the garden with her father.
If she returned to the imperial palace now, the marquis would surely feel disappointed.
In the garden of the Rohenbach mansion, the only space imbued with magic was the flower bed where lisianthus bloomed all year round.
After the marchioness passed away, the marquis had created the lisianthus flower bed in remembrance of his wife.
That’s why Elena had deliberately avoided this place. She hadn’t wanted to face her father even in the garden.
Having taken a long time to understand and forgive her father, Elena felt mixed emotions as she walked around the flower bed with him.
‘I suppose it’s alright to tell Father now?’
With a faint smile, Elena looked at the marquis standing beside her and asked.
“Father, do you know why Mother particularly liked lisianthus?”
“Well… I never quite understood the reason.”
The marquis stopped walking with her and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Elena nodded slightly, as if she had expected this response, and gazed tenderly at the lisianthus filling the flower bed.
“They say it was the first flower you gave to Mother.”
“What…?”
The Marquis of Rohenbach’s eyes widened then narrowed with bewilderment.
Glancing at the marquis who had never noticed this before, Elena decided to reveal the answer.
“Mother… truly loved you.”
Her mother, who sincerely loved her husband, must have treasured even the smallest memories with him.
‘Even during moments when she resented Father.’
The marquis, who had been quietly listening to his daughter’s words, began to tear up.
“So I hope you won’t blame yourself too much.”
“Elena…”
Though their married life surely wasn’t always happy, there must have been more happy and tender memories than not.
That was something even the young Elena could clearly see.
“After all, Father was the source of most of Mother’s happiness.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
Elena wore a slight smile as she watched the marquis wipe his tears with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket.
“I have something to thank you for as well, Father.”
“Me…?”
As the Marquis of Rohenbach tilted his head slightly, she answered with a bright smile.
“Because thanks to you, I was able to meet him again.”
The marquis, who had been quietly watching his daughter, curved his lips into a gentle smile.
“Yes, I’m glad to see you doing well.”
“Indeed, I’m doing very well.”
Suddenly, Elena felt grateful to her father.
From her first meeting with Lupeon as a child to meeting him again and becoming engaged—perhaps the marquis had unknowingly played the role of matchmaker.
“Thank you so much, Father.”
“Hm? What did you say?”
When the marquis couldn’t hear her words due to a sudden gust of wind, Elena shook her head.
“It’s nothing.”
‘I suppose I can tell him about becoming lovers with Lupeon later.’
* * *
Elena sat alone sipping tea on the terrace garden of the Empress’s palace, deep in thought.
Her curiosity grew day by day, as she hadn’t had the chance to discuss the pendant with her busy lover.
Whenever she tried to bring up the topic when they met, it seemed like Lupeon subtly avoided the subject.
‘Hmm, what exactly happened with that pendant?’
Just as Elena was tapping the table while resting her chin on one hand, she felt someone casting a shadow over her in the direction of the warm sunlight.
Startled, she turned around and called out to him with blinking eyes.
“Lupeon?”
“You seemed to be deep in thought about something.”
Finding his loosely upturned lips somewhat vexing, Elena grumbled quietly.
“Hmph, and whose fault is that?”
“…?”
Seeing Lupeon’s expression of complete innocence, she gently pushed against his chest.
“Lupeon, I’d prefer if you didn’t come to my chambers for a while.”
“What… do you mean?”
Looking at the man who had stiffened as if struck by lightning, Elena shot him a playful glare.
“Well, you won’t tell me about the pendant, will you?”
“…”
Faced with her honest and bold words, Lupeon seemed slightly shaken as he slowly closed and opened his eyes.
Watching him, Elena shrugged her shoulders slightly and added.
“Hmm, if Lupeon won’t tell me, I have no choice.”
Having found no answer despite thinking it through on her own, she had resorted to what she considered her ultimate measure.
As Elena gazed at her lover with triumphantly sparkling golden eyes, Lupeon let out a small laugh.
“I really can’t win against you.”
He gazed at Elena’s face quietly for a while before finally beginning to tell the story she was curious about.
“Anasha doesn’t know about the pendant’s existence.”
“Why not?”
As Elena blinked her eyes slowly, wondering if there had been some problem.
“Because I never gave it to her.”
“What do you mean…!”
Elena’s eyes widened like saucers at his answer that he hadn’t fulfilled her childhood request.
“Your existence was like salvation to me.”
“…”
Lupeon began to tell his sincere story in a calm voice.
