Chapter : 15
When Diana arrived at the garden, she pondered what topic to bring up.
“The garden is really beautiful.”
Starting with a compliment is always the best.
Diana recited praise like a review, beginning with the care of the garden and continuing to the fragrance of the flowers.
In contrast, he looked around the garden with an expression that showed no emotion.
No matter how closely he examined it, all he saw was a mass of ordinary living things.
He pointed to a thick-stemmed carnation and asked,
“Would you like to cut that?”
“Cut it?”
“I want to see if you’ve been paying attention in class.”
Ersivan whispered to her while handing her the sword.
“From the very first day.”
“Yes.”
“All we learned today was posture and theory.”
“You make it sound like we learned something completely useless.”
“That wasn’t my intention, but…”
Hesitant, Diana reluctantly drew the sword from its scabbard.
“I didn’t think you’d really make me cut a flower.”
She remembered Ersivan’s mocking praise, as if he thought she could easily cut a flower.
‘He wouldn’t actually make me do this to test me, would he?’
Failing would hurt her pride. She had little else, but her pride was more than enough.
Following his instruction, Diana slightly moved her elbow out, applied force, and struck down with all her strength.
‘Damn it!’
She nearly muttered the curse words she had learned surviving in the slums.
Cutting a single flower was harder than it looked.
Sure, she could hack wildly and cut it in chunks, but she didn’t want to do that.
‘Stubborn.’
Ersivan thought quietly. That was actually a generous assessment.
This woman cared only for the life in front of her, not thinking of others’ lives her father might have cut—it was foolish.
But perhaps the foolishest thing was himself, still clinging to a truth that remained elusive.
Ersivan moved behind Diana, placing his hand over hers to guide her movements.
“You actually need to relax for this.”
“……”
“But you must focus on the target. Not a straight line, but a soft curve.”
Following his guided movement, her hand moved with the sword. The blade traced a gentle curve toward the flower.
“Aim precisely at the target.”
The stem of the flower fell smoothly.
“…It’s cut.”
“Congratulations. You succeeded.”
“Strictly speaking, it was Evan.”
“That’s impossible. You are too humble.”
Ersivan drew a dagger from his coat and neatly trimmed the carnation’s stem.
“May I have your hand?”
Diana extended her right hand.
“I was worried about this.”
When he said it was done, she checked the object.
Ersivan had made a flower ring, tying it carefully onto her ring finger.
She remembered the engagement that was hurriedly canceled because of the sudden monster attack in the East. She had never received even a simple engagement ring.
“So this is a Valencian-style engagement ring?”
“Yes, but… you seem unexpectedly unromantic.”
“Oh… I guess I should be embarrassed.”
Diana forced a shy expression to match the moment. The act of pretending to be shy was obvious.
“Even if the marriage was unwanted, thank you for coming to me.”
Whether as an act or genuinely, he kissed the ring with a sweet word.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t participate in the important promise of becoming each other’s partner.”
Even though she knew it was intentional, Diana could not move away.
Her face felt like it might explode. The passionate kiss and smiling eyes were unfair.
“Your reply is so simple, it almost hurts.”
“……”
“Why? Are you a little embarrassed now?”
He whispered while still holding her hand, sending a shy warmth into each joint of her finger.
‘Did he just say that?’
Even being asked if she was embarrassed made her feel embarrassed.
In the end, Diana could not answer.
“Today you spent a long time outside. Aren’t you tired?”
“My body’s fine, except for being a little startled.”
“Shall I prepare a bath for you again today?”
“Please.”
After finishing a simple dinner, Diana went straight to her room without looking back.
‘It was a suffocating meal in a different way.’
She had been so nervous watching Ersivan that she barely noticed if food went in her mouth properly.
She swallowed everything silently, fearing he might try to speak to her.
Her stomach was comfortably full, and she thought it was lucky she didn’t get sick.
“Yes, everything’s ready!”
Diana got up from the sofa at the cheerful voice.
Before entering the tub, Daisy helped her put on a gown and naturally asked,
“Did anything happen with His Highness today?”
“No, nothing happened.”
Feeling guilty, Diana answered immediately without hesitation.
Wherever someone said strong denial means strong affirmation…
Daisy narrowed her eyes and asked again.
“Really?”
“…Nothing. Nothing happened. How long have you met His Highness anyway?”
Even blushing, Diana knew her denial had no effect.
“Okay, Miss. Shall I remove the ring for you?”
Daisy teased her, pointing at her delicate fingers.
Diana’s ring finger instantly felt like it was on fire.
“…Leave it.”
Her heart raced from embarrassment. Funny enough, she didn’t even ask to remove the ring.
The small flower ring remained intact, even after time had passed.
She worried it might get damaged.
“Won’t it get wet?”
“Don’t worry. The ring won’t be damaged.”
Thanks to special magic, the flower wouldn’t wither or break.
“Then quickly go warm yourself in the bath, Miss!”
With Daisy’s urging, Diana finally submerged herself in the warm water.
Her body, tired from frequent activity, began to relax.
‘I never thought life could be like this.’
She lifted her legs into the water, skin smooth and glossy from the rich bath.
Before being taken in by Count Mernard, her life had been poor and harsh. How could it change so quickly?
‘It’s thanks to him, in a way.’
Her life had been saved by a marriage plan between Ersivan and Lillian in her childhood.
Ersivan Valencia still held her life in his hands, now and for the future.
‘The one person who will later forget me is my only savior.’
Diana felt unfairly treated.
She noticed the other hand outside the tub, with the flower ring floating above it.
“Why give me something like this?”
It was the first time she had received a ring from anyone.
Diana had never spent the count’s money on jewelry before, and had never imagined wearing new things.
“Even though it’s all an act…”
Holding hands, sleeping together, receiving a ring—everything was special to Diana because it was all new.
“‘Contrary to the rumors, he seems kind…!’”
Diana felt a rational kindness from the opposite sex for the first time, like a natural law.
She remembered the Diana in the original story, who loved Ersivan. If she didn’t know the story, she might have fallen for him too.
If she had continued her naive routine, she might have ended up giving her life again after returning life to Lillian.
“Foolish. A fleeting thrill isn’t worth life itself.”
She let out a bitter laugh, stomach tightening.
She disliked both: dying suddenly from ignorance, or living in constant fear of a dark future.
Feeling empty, she placed her arms fully into the bath water.
She curled her legs and tucked her head between them, ignoring the difficulty of breathing.
‘Know your limits.’
Reaching her limit, she gasped, eyes stinging. Even though her mind spun, the gloom didn’t disappear—it grew.
