You, Who's Kind Only To Me - Chapter 21
Outside the wide open window-
At a glance, the vast sea in the distance and the vibrant city starting the day come into view.
And a little closer, the sight of the blue rose garden, cultivated since generations past, now became a symbol of the DaveridCastle.
Blooming roses, the warm sunlight shining down. And a woman with pink hair strolling through the rose garden. The maid next to her asked the doll-like woman, she looked up and smiled brightly.
“Wow, are all these roses here more than ten years old?”
“Yes, indeed. Some have been here for over 14 years.”
“That’s truly impressive! Yet the garden is so well-maintained.”
“The gardener would be delighted to hear that. As would the Elder Madam.”
The two seemed to have known each other for 4 to 5 years.
He had thought from their first meeting that she was somewhat unusual, with a lack of wariness and a curious nature. But he never expected that he would become so close to Marie Citrus so quickly.
She wasn’t the type to let her guard down so easily.
He furrowed his brows at a memory that fleetingly crossed his mind. The face of the woman, with a cotton-candy-like appearance, giving him a goodnight kiss on the forehead
‘Does that even make sense?’
He pursed his lips briefly and turned his head. A goodnight kiss?
Did that mean the woman had spent the night with him or something?
With a wry smile, he dismissed the whimsical thought. It seemed like his brain had lost its edge due to oversleeping.
At first, the silhouette seemed to overlap with something he had seen in his dreams, but this, too, was an absurdity. His insomnia had stemmed from an incident ten years ago, but this wasn’t a dream.
This was a memory far older.
“…..Ugh.”
As he took his first steps to start the day later than usual, a sudden headache struck his head.
Frustrated and familiar, he gripped the bedpost tightly. Taut veins protrude on his tense, muscular shoulders.
He breathed heavily, hoping the headache would subside. After about ten seconds, his hazy vision seemed to return to normal.
The dream that had started from a time he couldn’t remember had always been accompanied by unexplained headaches. It often seeped into his daily life, sharpening his already keen senses even more.
Frowning, the man clenched his left chest, which had begun to throb simultaneously. He breathed heavily as he sat on the edge of the bed, causing the entire bed to sway under his weight.
Lucas looked down at his upper body. Starting from the abdomen and moving up to the clavicle, faint golden traces began to shine.
“I’m going crazy.”
It was a symptom of the ‘fever.’
***
“The Duke is running late.”
Ren cautiously glanced at the elegant lady lifting her teacup.
At the dinner reception room, Ren, who had been invited by Madam Herwin, commonly referred to as the ‘Elder Madam,’ felt uncomfortable as she caught sight of the Madam’s troubled expression.
She glanced at Marie standing on the opposite side, holding a teapot.
‘It seems the Madam is upset.’
‘Seems like she’s a little upset. You don’t have to worry too much.’
Marie grinned. Ren glanced at the Madam’s demeanor once again.
Though she was somewhat clumsy in dealing with people due to her rare opportunities to converse, she was not completely oblivious to social cues.
The Madam was indeed angry with the Duke.
‘Miss, if you don’t know what to do, just smile quietly. The Madam generally dislikes noises.’
Marie advised before leaving the room. The words she had imparted naturally unfolded in her mind, summarizing the events that had unfolded.
Ren woke to the sound of running water in the morning.
Sunlight gently illuminates the room, a watercolor landscape outside the window.
It was such a refreshing and brilliant morning that she felt excited as she admired the scenery outside. Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door as if by magic.
Knock, knock.
“Miss, it’s Marie. May I come in if you’re awake?”
Ren’s eyes widened as she looked at Marie, who had come in with a tray of water and a towel.
Curious as to how Marie knew she had just woken up, she asked, and Marie giggled, saying there were various ways to know.
“The Elder Madam would like to have dinner with you. What do you think?”
“I’d love to!”
“Great, I’ll arrange that. The Madam will be pleased.”
Like the previous evening, Ren found herself already washed up and dressed after chatting with Marie. She was truly like a magician. How was this possible?
“What should I do?”
She had come here to repay a debt to the man, but that had been taken care of the previous night.
Surely, the term ‘night duty’ doesn’t mean having to work all day without a break. Seeing the word ‘night’ attached, it doesn’t seem to be the case…
When she asked, Marie kindly suggested taking a stroll in the garden.
“There are plenty of things to see in Daverid Castle, but the highlight is undoubtedly the Blue Rose Garden. It was cultivated by the former Duchess and it is very famous for its beauty! How about a walk in the garden?”
At her suggestion, Ren went for a walk. It turned out to be a very good choice.
The Rose Garden was the second most beautiful thing Ren had seen since waking up – the first being the sight of the city and the castle from the carriage. Just seeing it lifted her spirits with its freshness and vitality.
Feeling quite satisfied, she wanted to share this feeling with someone.
The former Duchess, or the current Duke, or perhaps the gardener who tended the garden.
‘If I could sing, it would have been even better.’
Unfortunately, there was no way to meet the late former Duchess, and the busy current Duke was no different.
So during the walk, Ren expressed gratitude to the elderly gardener she met for enabling her to witness such a beautiful sight. The old gardener smiled and revealed a very significant secret.
“Of course, I am most proud of this garden, but it would also be nice to visit the forest behind the castle. A star festival takes place there every night.”
The thought of the place recommended by the gardener who tended such a garden made Ren’s heart race, but unfortunately, she couldn’t go there right away. Marie had relayed that she needed to prepare for the dinner.
“What if I make a mistake?”
As Marie delicately arranged her hair, Ren asked in a somewhat unsure voice.
“What is it that worries you, miss?”
“I’m afraid I might offend the Madam because of my clumsiness. I haven’t had many conversations with people, so I don’t know what to say. I’m worried she might take it the wrong way.”
Observing the serious expression on the pink-haired girl in the mirror, Marie Citrus subtly lifted the corners of her mouth.
As she perceived it, this young Miss was incredibly honest and without pretense. Being without pretense didn’t mean she lacked social awareness. It meant she was sincere and transparent. There was no hesitation in conveying her feelings, no falsehood in expressing herself, and no deceit in considering others.
Though it had only been a day, she seemed to understand why the Master liked this girl.
‘She’s like transparent water.’
To someone who disliked falsehoods, she must have been a refreshing and comforting presence. Perhaps Marie herself had been drawn in unknowingly.
“Miss, if you don’t know what to do, just smile quietly. The Madam generally dislikes noises.”
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