Chapter 29
Tericia stared silently out the window.
Somehow, the interior of the carriage had become even softer and more comfortable than the day before. She didn’t know when he’d arranged it, but the cushions and seating were clearly upgraded. Sitting down, her back and hips didn’t hurt nearly as much. It was actually quite bearable now.
He came back late last night.
By the time she had finished bathing, eaten a light supper, and gotten into bed, Rashid still hadn’t returned.
She’d been debating when he’d come back. In the end, she had changed into the least revealing nightdress she’d brought—thankfully the most modest of the bunch—quickly climbed into bed, shut her eyes, and pretended to sleep… only to end up genuinely falling asleep. She must have been more exhausted than she thought.
At some point in the middle of the night, she woke briefly—and found Rashid sitting by the bed.
She meant to ask him when he’d gotten in, or why he wasn’t asleep yet… but then his hand began gently stroking her hair. That quiet touch lulled her straight back toward sleep.
“Go back to sleep, Sister. Don’t wake up…”
His voice had been soft as he ran his fingers gently through her hair.
She drifted off again, lulled by his warmth.
…Something…
She remembered him saying one more thing before she fell asleep again, but she couldn’t make out the words.
“……”
Now, Tericia glanced at Rashid. So much for being “free this week”—he was reading documents again, just like the day before.
He looked relaxed, as though he were reading a novel. But from the slight furrow in his brow, it was clear the content was serious.
You think this makes up for everything?
She turned her gaze away, trying not to soften.
“……”
Rashid, meanwhile, was desperately trying to keep from laughing. He was pretending to read, but all his attention was on Tericia.
He was trying so hard not to grin that he had to tense his expression just to keep it together—making him look far more serious than he actually was.
This is insane.
He was happy—thrilled, even—but the situation was more complicated than he expected. Seeing a different side of her was wonderful, but it made his heart stir too much, and that made things hard.
Her usual calm had completely vanished. Now she was flustered, pouting, and just… endearingly emotional.
It was so unbearably adorable, it was almost painful.
Definitely shot myself in the foot.
But if he regretted tagging along?
Not in the slightest.
This trip had given him more than he’d hoped for.
When else would he get to see her like this—unguarded, expressive, and vulnerable?
Rashid let out a soft sigh. He loved seeing her glance his way and watching her face change with every thought. But most of all, he wanted to hear her voice.
“Are you still upset with me?”
He picked his words carefully, choosing something he thought would draw her out quickly. And it worked.
“I’m not upset.”
The moment the words left his mouth, she whipped her head around to respond.
“Then why haven’t you said a word to me?” he asked, letting his voice drop into something almost pitiful.
“I—I mean…”
She started to answer, then clamped her mouth shut. After a brief moment of inner conflict, she gave in.
“You were out of line.”
“I was?”
Rashid tilted his head, feigning confusion. She clearly had many reasons to be upset, but he could tell she was trying to choose the least embarrassing one.
“Well… that whole… ‘wife’ thing.”
Her cheeks turned slightly pink.
“I was under the impression I was your husband.”
“So what I’m saying is—they mistook us for a married couple.”
Rashid looked at her with an expression that said, And that’s a problem because…?
“Why bother correcting them?” he replied. “It’s not like we’ll ever see them again.”
“But still… you just let them think that? You and I are—”
At her words, Rashid’s hands stopped moving.
He quietly set aside the documents and leaned back in his seat, arms crossed.
His expression hardened, as though something about her words rubbed him the wrong way.
“Right. I’m your younger brother. And you’re my older sister.”
He spoke after a long pause—his voice cool, distant. It was the first time she’d ever seen that side of him.
“Rashid, I didn’t mean—”
His cold tone struck like a blade, and she found herself instinctively reaching for some kind of excuse.
“We’ve arrived in Membel.”
He cut her off, turning to look out the window.
Following his gaze, Tericia turned to see the approaching city.
Nestled in the eastern mountains, Membel was named after the famous Membrooks Mountains—the pride of Latran.
It was here that Baronet Rase, Sarah’s family, maintained a small estate.
“Welcome, Young Duke Hespelt, Lady Tericia.”
Baronet Rase greeted them with impeccable manners.
Rashid offered a nod in acknowledgment, then gave a subtle signal to the coachman, who stepped forward and handed the baronet a letter.
“A letter from Sarah.”
Baronet Rase read through the letter slowly, then tucked it into his coat.
“I understand the purpose of your visit.”
He turned to Tericia.
“As Sarah mentioned, we do have Sedamen flowers in our garden. Not many, but yes—they are indeed cultivated here.”
“Then…”
Delighted, Tericia stepped forward. But the baronet’s expression grew slightly hesitant as he inclined his head politely.
“However, I must inform you—the flowers are my wife’s domain. I cannot speak for her.”
There was a subtle distance in his demeanor.
Rashid turned to Tericia, as if to ask with his eyes, Do you want me to take them by force?
But Tericia shook her head.
The flowers themselves weren’t what mattered. What she truly needed were the conditions for growing them. Learning how to cultivate them was far more important than taking a few stems.
“May I speak with Lady Rase?”
Baronet Rase studied her quietly, then gestured toward the back of the estate.
“She should be in the garden.”
He led them through the grounds.
“She was just here a moment ago…”
But Lady Rase was nowhere to be found. The baronet glanced around with a hint of embarrassment, then turned to them apologetically.
“She must have gone inside. Please wait here for a moment—I’ll fetch her.”
With that, he walked briskly back the way they came.
The garden was stunning. A blend of flowers Tericia recognized and many she didn’t filled the space with color and fragrance—it felt like a world of its own.
“……”
Tericia stood speechless, staring blankly at the breathtaking view before her.
It wasn’t a garden—it was a floral paradise. A hill overflowing with flowers, so vibrant and vivid it seemed like a painting brought to life.
Though the space wasn’t large, the sheer abundance of natural color and fragrance was overwhelming.
“This is… incredible,” Rashid murmured, clearly impressed.
“It’s really beautiful,” Tericia breathed.
“…Yes. Beautiful indeed.”
His response came a little late.
Because what Rashid saw as beautiful wasn’t the flowers.
It was her—Tericia, standing in the middle of them, golden-brown hair fluttering gently in the breeze, surrounded by blossoms.
She was the reason the flowers seemed more radiant.
He watched her walk into the garden, his expression conflicted. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Should I just… hold on to her?
An ache flared in his chest. It felt like someone was squeezing his throat.
If I were to hold you here, keep you by my side, locked away so you could only ever look at me…
He had thought that if he went slowly—so very slowly—she would begin to fall for him without realizing it.
But the fact that she didn’t even see him as a man? That shook him.
Even so… even if that’s true—I can’t let you go.
If she couldn’t see him that way, he’d make her.
A breeze swept through the flowers, lifting her golden hair into the air like petals in the wind.
Falling blossoms spun around her like she was at the center of a dream. The sight was so surreal, so painfully beautiful, it nearly stole his breath.
Thump.
His heart pounded in anxiety.
She looked like she might disappear at any second. Without thinking, Rashid reached out.
No.
With a sudden, desperate motion, he pulled her fragile body into his arms.
“Tericia!”
The moment she was in his arms, a wave of scent enveloped him.
Not the scent of the flowers.
Her scent.
A quiet, subtle fragrance that coiled into his lungs and clenched at his heart. A scent that made him want to possess her.
“Rashid?”
Her startled voice broke the spell for a moment. As if her words triggered something, he instinctively pulled her closer.
“You’re only acting like this because you’re embarrassed I called you by name, aren’t you?”
Her teasing voice was light, playful.
Rashid didn’t answer. He simply tightened his embrace.
“…What’s wrong?”
“……”
Why?
Why did it suddenly feel like she might vanish from his life?
His heart raced madly.
He buried his face in her hair and inhaled—her familiar scent calming the chaos inside his chest.
“Is something wrong?”
Now her voice held a touch of concern, maybe even awkward amusement.
He was holding her so tightly from behind that she couldn’t move. The heat of his chest against her back was almost too much.
Their pounding hearts overlapped—she didn’t know if the sound was hers or his anymore.
“…I’m sorry.”
His arms finally, slowly loosened.
“I’ll wait inside.”
His voice was low, strained and tight.
By the time Tericia turned around, Rashid was already walking away, putting distance between them.
What… was that just now?
Her heartbeat remained wild and uneven. And she had no idea why.
＊＊＊
“This is the Sedamen flower.”
A warm woman with a gentle smile, who bore a resemblance to Sarah, beamed at Tericia as she spoke.
Lady Rase had a bright and lively personality. In many ways, she was different from Sarah, but certain traits reminded Tericia enough of her to feel a strange sense of familiarity.
“It blooms at night, and the reason it’s difficult to grow is because of the nature of the soil.”
“The soil?” Tericia asked, curious.
“Yes, it thrives better in barren, neglected ground than in rich, fertile earth.”
That immediately brought Alpen to Tericia’s mind—a place as desolate and unused as they come.
“You plan to build a flower garden there, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“Well, then you’re in luck. That kind of place is perfect for this flower to grow. And also…”
Lady Rase began walking through the garden, pausing now and then to kneel beside various flower beds and share her knowledge about the plants and their care.
At one point, she sat on the ground and ran her hands through the soil while explaining.
Tericia hadn’t said anything to Rashid, but she had quietly prepared herself for the possibility that this trip might end up being a waste of time.
But that concern proved unfounded.
Lady Rase explained everything in detail, and even promised to offer further help when Tericia eventually began building her own flower garden.
What she had expected to be a drawn-out and uncertain visit to the Rase estate ended up going much faster—and far better—than she had anticipated.
On the day of their departure, Baronet Rase and his wife stood at the front of the estate to personally see Tericia and Rashid off.
Lady Rase in particular looked reluctant to see her go.
“Please take good care of Sarah, Lady Tericia.”
“If anything, I should be thanking Sarah. I’ve relied on her a great deal.”
“She’s a capable girl,” the woman said with a hearty laugh. Then, with a sidelong glance toward Rashid, she leaned in to whisper something privately to Tericia.
“Lady Tericia, once you’re back at the duchy, you really should see a physician. Your complexion doesn’t look right.”
“I’ve always been a bit pale.”
“I’ve spent years working with flowers and tending to gardens, so I’m very sensitive to color. Your skin isn’t pale—it’s ashen.”
“……”
It was true—since recovering from the poisoning, her complexion had noticeably worsened.
“Please, just have a doctor check. For your own peace of mind.”
Lady Rase gently insisted more than once.
“…Alright. I will.”
Tericia nodded quietly.
After a long and heartfelt farewell, the carriage set off—back toward the duchy.
