Chapter 12 Part 6: Will You Marry Me?

Rosa came to meet Louis, the boy she had sponsored a few years ago.

‘Shouldn’t I go see him at least once..?’

It would be difficult to meet after the wedding. That was her initial thought for arranging this meeting.

Louis, now sixteen, seemed frozen when he first saw her. Especially when Rosa removed her mask.

The boy’s pupils gradually dilated.

Combined with the sacred atmosphere of the monastery, her silver hair, reflecting the sunlight, was incredibly beautiful. And her eyes. They were like red rubies, full of warmth.

Light pink lips, delicate eyelashes.

Her harmonious features were enough to take anyone’s breath away.

Louis finally managed to speak.

“You’re, you are so beautiful…”

But he couldn’t help stuttering.

Rosa laughed at his words and replied.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“I mean it.”

The boy’s already red face turned even redder.

After a while, they sat down and started talking. Louis couldn’t make proper eye contact, but he didn’t forget to express his gratitude.

“Thank you so much, benefactor. Thanks to you, my friends at the monastery and I were able to spend a warm winter. Oh, and I’m learning what I want to learn.”

From their conversation, it seemed Louis was attending a private academy’s playwriting department.

“No difficulties?”

“Of course not.”

At Rosa’s question, Louis answered with a bright smile.

In truth, there were a few.

“Compared to the fact that I can learn what I want, those things are nothing.”

As he said that, Louis held something like a notebook in his hand. Rosa asked with a curious expression.

“Louis, what’s that?”

The boy, as if realizing something, hid his hand behind his back.

“I-it’s nothing. It’s just a script I’ve been working on, or a story, I guess.”

Louis would become a famous playwright in the future. Rosa was curious about the story in the notebook.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could I take a look..?”

“Trouble? Not at all!”

But Louis hesitated for a long time. He fidgeted with his hands, blushed, and then, with his head bowed, handed the notebook to Rosa.

“The script is all make-believe.”

Why did the boy say that? Rosa soon found out.

‘This story…’

She knew it. She had seen it before.

The promising playwright, Louis Dice’s first play to gain fame. His autobiographical script, the first and last to be remade into a play.

<Oh, Mademoiselle>

In the original novel, it’s a play performed at a festival in the capital. It was a highlight of the early to mid-part of the story, and a date scene for the two protagonists, so she vaguely remembered it.

After reading the story for a while, Rosa naturally agreed.

‘A story like this is bound to be popular.’

An orphan boy with a beautiful noble lady as his benefactor, who eventually achieves love and his dream.

It was very similar to the famous fairy tale she had read in her childhood before the transmigration, Daddy-Long-Legs. Only the genders of the protagonists were reversed.

‘It’s interesting.’

Misunderstanding her smile, Louis tried to make excuses.

“Benefactor. It’s not like that! It’s just that such a setting seemed interesting…”

“What’s not like that..?”

At Rosa’s playful question, the boy stuttered.

“I.. I mean, I didn’t know when I wrote it.”

“It’s okay even if you knew. I found it quite interesting.”

“Really?”

Louis’s mouth stretched wide.

After that, they shared various small talk. Mostly, Louis talked actively, and of course, Rosa and the director listened with smiles.

It was soon time to part.

“Then. Let’s meet again sometime.”

The gradually disappearing carriage.

Sixteen-year-old Louis couldn’t take his eyes off it.

Perhaps because of the setting sun, the boy’s profile was red.

“..Director. I think I met an angel today.”

“Is that so?”

The director let out a soft laugh.

A flower garden in full bloom. The walls were entirely made of glass.

Transparent sunlight shone in, and maids busily carried desserts and food.

The surroundings were filled with green foliage. In the center was a huge emerald fountain.

“It’s amazing.”

The noble ladies couldn’t stop their exclamations. It was a rare sight in winter.

“The Empress must be very happy.”

“Yes. She can come out for a walk whenever she pleases.”

“Listen, everyone. How desolate our mansion’s garden is. It looks as unappealing as my husband’s hair in winter.”

“Countess Felt, that’s too harsh.”

The ladies covered their mouths and let out soft laughter.

The mistress of the empire, Empress Savina, watched the scene with a languid expression. She was wearing the most splendid golden dress, adorned with expensive jewelry including obsidian.

Red wavy hair, alluring golden eyes. Even time couldn’t erase her beauty.

The noble ladies didn’t stop their flattery, trying to please her.

While the conversation about the glass greenhouse continued, one lady inadvertently mentioned that she had heard there was a similar greenhouse elsewhere.

“Oh, really?”

At that reaction, she raised her voice.

“My, I heard it from my husband who recently went on a mission. It makes sense, considering Elchen was the origin of the ancient magic kingdom.”

Elchen.

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold at that word, but.

Someone objected in a high voice.

“Well. I don’t think so. No matter how advanced Elchen’s technology is, can it compare to this place?”

It was a noble lady with an ordinary appearance who had been quietly listening to the conversation.

‘Hmm..’

Empress Savina’s cold gaze slightly contained a hint of interest.

It was the moment her displeasure was about to become obvious.

Just how much the Empress loved this place could be seen from the name of her palace.

The Glass Lily Palace.

The most abundant thing in this greenhouse was the white lily.

This vast greenhouse, spanning hundreds of pyeong, was Empress Savina’s pride.

‘Nowhere else on the continent can you find a place like this.’

Savina confidently asserted that.

Only the Imperial Family could create a greenhouse of this scale.

“You, I haven’t seen you before.”

At the Empress’s words, the woman bowed deeply.

“Your Majesty. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Annelin from Shante.”

“Shante..?”

“It’s about half a day’s journey from Delphinad.”

“But, why are you wearing a yellow sash?”

The Empress asked.

The yellow sash was a mark to distinguish nobles who didn’t reside in the imperial capital, Delphinad. In other words, the woman with the yellow sash was an outsider.

Normally, she wouldn’t be allowed here. This was a place for the Empress and the high-ranking noble ladies of Delphinad who followed her.

The woman, who bit her lip slightly, soon began to confess her situation to the Empress.

“Actually… my husband was recently granted the title of Count.”

The Empress questioned.

“But..?”

“The outskirts are still saturated. There are no vacancies, so our family hasn’t been able to enter Delphinad for several months.”

Nobles above a certain rank were granted the right to reside in the imperial capital. The location of the assigned mansion often determined the family’s prestige.

There was a reason why Countess Shante had been so brave. Seeing her husband agonizing over this issue, she had stepped forward to catch the Empress’s eye.

Would it be worth it?

“Hmm..”

The Empress calculated.

Shante was a fairly well-positioned territory. A city located near the coast where commerce flourished.

‘It wouldn’t hurt to be owed a favor.’

Of course, it wouldn’t be of much use. This was her generosity and investment.

Whoosh-

The Empress gestured to a maid. A gray-haired official hurried over shortly after.

“Minister of the Interior. Can you arrange a place for the Count of Shante in the outskirts?”

Surprisingly, he was the Minister of the Interior. At the Empress’s single command, he answered, sweating profusely.

“Yes. Your Majesty. I will arrange it somehow.”

“Thank you… Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”

Countess Shante bowed her head.

“And..”

The Empress’s gaze swept over the noble ladies.

Someone who understood the meaning of that gaze prostrated themselves on the floor.

“Your Majesty. I’m sorry!”

How dare she mention Elchen thoughtlessly in front of the Empress.

Quick-witted maids hurriedly dragged the woman out.

“Your Majesty, it was my mistake! Please forgive me..!”

Without even turning her head, the Empress said.

“Come to think of it, the Second Prince’s triumphal banquet is soon.”

The noble ladies, realizing the living power, began to open their mouths, reading the atmosphere.

“Haha.. What’s so great that he’s having a triumphal banquet?”

“Elchen was originally the Imperial Family’s land, after all.”

“Perhaps His Majesty had no choice.”

“Ah, I heard about that too. They say the Second Prince’s vanity and arrogance are quite something?”

The Empress chuckled.

“Do you think it’s just the triumphal banquet?”

Soon, the noble ladies, hearing about the Second Prince’s imperial marriage, began to bite at the bait as if they had been waiting for it.

“Rosa Anencia…”

“It’s definitely a name I’ve never heard before.”

The social circle where rumors spread quickly. The fact that her name had never come up even once meant.

“..She’s probably not someone of note.”

“Who knows. Maybe she has never attended a social gathering?”

“Oh my, is that possible? Unless she is an ugly woman who can’t show her face…”

“Maybe she has a hooked nose. Or maybe she’s taller than a man?”

“It’s exciting. We can see her soon, right?”

The glass greenhouse was filled with giggling laughter.

A handsome forehead was furrowed in thought.

Ash-gray hair, vivid red eyes.

Caron, dressed in a black formal suit, walked alone in the hallway.

The epaulet on his right shoulder swayed with each step.

Caron had just finished his meeting with the Emperor and was returning to his detached palace.

[How about it? Postponing the wedding.]

The Emperor suggested at least three months of preparation and a grand wedding.

[We will have a simple ceremony.]

But Caron’s thoughts were different.

Of course, the Emperor was displeased. But he managed to get through it somehow.

[It would look better to hold it together with the triumphal banquet, wouldn’t it? Still, if you desire a grand wedding, I will return to the capital after I finish my task and hold it then.]

It wasn’t as if he was speaking from a genuine parental heart.

Of course, Caron’s task was in Elchen, and after throwing out a few more undisclosed goals and achievements, the Emperor reluctantly nodded in agreement.

The imperial palace hallway was splendid and beautiful, but Caron didn’t like the place beneath his feet.

He just wanted to return to Elchen as soon as possible.

‘That place is now my home.’

Of course, he was certain that Rosa would also come to love Elchen.

Elchen was a beautiful land. In winter, the whole world turned white.

Imagining Rosa standing in that beautiful scenery, his hardened expression softened for a moment.

But soon, Caron encountered a face he wasn’t at all pleased to see.

“Look who it is.”

It was the First Prince, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Brilliant reddish-gold hair, sharp golden eyes. A young man in a white formal suit with an arrogant impression.

In many ways, he was the antithesis of Caron.

The First Prince, Leon Winslet.

He put his hand in the pocket of his formal suit trousers. Then, smirking, he slowly approached Caron.

“Visiting Father? I’ve been hearing quite a few interesting rumors lately.”

Caron replied expressionlessly.

“I’m not really interested in rumors.”

The First Prince, Leon Winslet, twisted his lips as if he found that absurd.

‘Come to think of it, you’ve been away from the capital for quite some time. I can understand that your neck has become stiff in the meantime.’

Tap-tap-

He tapped Caron’s chest with his finger.

“Don’t be so arrogant. If you’re too stiff, you’ll eventually break.”

For a moment, two golden eyes and two red eyes clashed sharply in the air.

Their long-held emotions flowed through their gazes.

The First Prince was the first to relax. He had lost interest in Caron, who showed no reaction to his provocation.

“Well, I’ll congratulate you for now. I hear you’re tying the knot with a lady from a prestigious family.”

With those words, the First Prince passed by Caron.

A slight sneer on his lips.

It was no illusion. But it wasn’t even worth dealing with.

Showing such hostility was proof of being a novice.

Caron started walking again.

Just one week. The time remaining until the triumphal banquet.

The day he would see Rosa again was near.