Don’t Pick That Flower

A sudden and bewildering act made Irene’s body stiffen like stone.

“Hmph.”

Momentarily, as a strange sensation spread from the area he had touched, Irene unconsciously let out a groan. Her grip on her clothes tightened even more.

Is he finally going to show me why he brought me here?

Although she had suspected it might come to this, it didn’t make her any less upset. It was humiliating.

Irene wanted to push him away and run immediately.

But having already failed to escape once, and knowing his threat that things wouldn’t end as they did last time if she tried to run again, she couldn’t. The fear was etched into her mind.

Better to sleep with him than to die.

…Is that really better?

While Irene wavered, his fingers, which had been tracing her shoulder blades, slid down along her spine to her waist.

Feeling an ominous premonition that if she left it at this, his hand would go somewhere it definitely shouldn’t, Irene shouted urgently.

“Stop… please!”

This time, her desperate voice seemed to reach him, and his tormenting fingers withdrew.

Irene let out a breath she had been holding and looked at Carlos in the mirror.

‘Is he… smiling?’

Not just a simple smile, but a broad grin, as if he was genuinely happy.

So he can smile like that. Seeing only his expressionless face, it was surprising.

With his handsome face adorned with a bright smile, he seemed to shine.

Mesmerized by his beauty, Irene stared at his reflection in the mirror in a daze.

“…….”

Feeling her gaze, Carlos wiped the smile off his face and looked down at her.

Only then did Irene snap out of it and hurriedly lower her head.

A cold voice sounded above her head.

“Didn’t you say you don’t have any tattoos?”

When Irene nodded, Carlos placed his cold palm on her back.

A chill ran down her spine, and her small shoulders trembled.

“Then what’s this? There’s a tattoo here.”

A tattoo?

Irene turned her head in confusion, but she couldn’t see her own back.

When she strained to see somehow, Carlos brought a small hand mirror from the vanity.

He held the mirror to reflect her back into the full-length mirror.

Seeing the floral branch tattoo on her back, Irene’s eyes widened.

A long branch with four buds and three fully bloomed flowers.

“This is my first time seeing it.”

“……Yes.”

How many times in a lifetime would one see their own back?

There was only one mirror in Irene’s house, so it was impossible to see her back like this.

Even so, the idea that there was a tattoo on her back seemed absurd.

She had no memory of getting a tattoo.

If it had been there since birth, her mother or her nominal father would have mentioned it, but they hadn’t.

So when did this tattoo appear?

And why did Carlos react this way upon seeing it?

Curious. It seemed closely related to why he brought her here, making her want to know more.

“Excuse me…”

Gathering courage, she spoke up, but a large coat draped over her shoulders. It was Carlos’s coat.

Unable to say what she wanted, Irene blinked slowly and looked up at Carlos.

Adjusting the coat on her small shoulders, he spoke.

“Don’t tell anyone about this tattoo. Don’t show it to anyone.”

His somewhat commanding tone and content reassured her.

As expected, it has something to do with the tattoo.

Knowing why he brought her calmed her uneasy heart a bit, but the mysterious floral branch tattoo made her anxious again.

It felt like becoming a witch.

“Can you answer me?”

Irene nodded.

Even without his words, she had no intention of showing the tattoo to anyone, as it would require taking off her clothes.

What bothered her was his phrase ‘except me.’

That meant he intended to see the tattoo again.

Thinking of being half-naked in front of him again made Irene blush.

Carlos straightened up from his crouch and stood.

“Finish dressing and come down. We need to leave.”

Turning towards the door, he stopped as if remembering something and looked back at Irene, still sitting on the floor.

“I’m sorry for intruding.”

What did he just say…?

Irene was taken aback by his surprising words and stared at Carlos in the mirror.

He seemed displeased or awkward, furrowing his brow slightly before quickly leaving.

Left alone, Irene felt bewildered by Carlos’s actions, but thought that maybe he wasn’t as scary as she had initially feared.

*

When Carlos, who had gone to get Irene, came down alone, Dewey asked curiously.

“Where is the young lady?”

“In the room. She hasn’t finished dressing yet.”

“Is that so?”

Despite giving her enough time, if she still hadn’t dressed, it must be difficult for her to do it alone.

“Then I should help.”

Mumbling to himself, Dewey started up the stairs, but Carlos roughly grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

Thunk.

Falling, Dewey rubbed his sore behind and looked up at Carlos.

His expression suggested he had a lot to say, but no words came out.

He simply looked at Carlos with a troubled face, then sighed deeply and shook his head.

“If you don’t like what I do, please tell me.”

Carlos nodded slightly and said.

“We need medicine for wounds.”

“Sorry?”

‘Medicine for wounds’ was a phrase completely unrelated to Carlos, so Dewey needed a few seconds to understand his words.

“Ah. The young lady is hurt.”

Carlos nodded, recalling the wounds on her back and arms.

Seeing that the scabs had barely formed, it was clear they were recent injuries.

Probably from being accused of witchcraft and imprisoned.

From their perspective, Irene was a witch, so it was plausible, but it didn’t sit well with him.

If she had been seriously harmed, he would have had to wait endlessly again.

He didn’t want to wait any longer.

Time was running out.

“Was it Silos territory?”

“Silas territory.”

Dewey corrected the mistake and asked cautiously.

“Should I clean it up?”

By ‘cleaning up,’ he meant completely eradicating the Silas territory and its family.

Carlos looked up at the second floor where Irene was, then nodded.

“I don’t want to hear that name ever again.”

As Dewey bowed in acknowledgment, a sound like a dog howling was heard from somewhere.

*

When Irene came down after dressing, Carlos handed her the medicine Dewey had brought.

Why this? When she looked at him questioningly, Carlos said.

“Apply it.”

“Am I… hurt?”

“Didn’t you know?”

When Irene nodded, Carlos chuckled dryly.

She didn’t know despite having so many wounds. She must be quite dull.

Or perhaps accustomed to pain.

Carlos thought it might be the latter.

Her body bore many old scars and marks. Not just from falls, but clear signs of beatings.

I should have gotten medicine for scars too.

Carlos thought to himself, deciding to ask for it when they returned to the castle, and handed her the medicine.

Irene blinked slowly at the medicine before quietly saying.

“Thank… you.”

There was no response. Irene fiddled with the medicine before putting it in her pocket and handing back his folded coat.

“Keep it on. It’ll be cold further north.”

“It’s okay…”

“Keep it on.”

Showing determination not to accept it, Carlos walked away quickly.

Irene stared at his back in bewilderment before hurrying to follow.

A carriage awaited in front of the inn.

Once again, Dewey took the driver’s seat, and only Carlos and Irene got into the carriage.

Feeling burdened, Irene asked Dewey if she could sit with him, but he refused.

He said it was too dangerous for her.

But wasn’t it dangerous for Dewey and the driver as well?

Puzzled, Irene had no choice but to get into the carriage.

Throughout the ride through the forest, she kept her head down like a turtle, nervously glancing at Carlos sitting opposite her.

Though she had thought he might not be as scary as she had initially believed, she was still afraid of him.

As time passed with nothing happening, the tension slowly eased.

Gaining some peace of mind, Irene looked out the window.

A beautiful lake, like a painting, came into view. The sunlit lake sparkled as if fairies were flying around it.

Mesmerized by the breathtaking scenery, Irene stared at the lake in awe.

Seeing her, Carlos thought for a moment before knocking on the window connected to the driver’s seat.

After a moment, the carriage stopped, and Dewey opened the door.

“Did you call?”

“Let’s take a break.”

Dewey’s gaze naturally turned to Irene.

It was clear Carlos suggested a break not for himself but for her.

Unaware of this, Irene was just happy to get a closer look at the beautiful lake.

She didn’t show it outwardly, but her rising spirits and gaze towards the lake gave it away.

Carlos glanced at her before telling Dewey.

“We’ll need water for the journey.”

Catching on quickly, Dewey smiled and said.

“I should stay and check the carriage, so perhaps the young lady could fetch the water.”

Carlos turned his gaze to Irene.

“Will you go?”

“Yes, yes!”

Irene eagerly agreed. She wouldn’t miss the chance to see the beautiful lake up close.

“Here’s a water container.”

As she got off the carriage, Dewey handed her a water container.

Irene held it tightly like a precious treasure.

“Checking the carriage will take at least an hour, so feel free to enjoy the lake.”

“Can I really?”

“Of course.”

Irene’s face brightened.

It was the first time her expression had lightened since the terrifying experience of being captured and brought here.

Seeing her smile, Carlos thought for a moment before speaking.

“You could swim too if you want.”

“Swim?”

“Yes. If you want to.”

A swim. The moment Irene realized this lake could be her first ever chance to swim, she hesitated.

“Is it… safe?”

“I don’t know.”

Irene found his answer unsettling.

What if there were dangerous creatures? The thought dampened her excitement.

Seeing her waver, Carlos spoke again.

“I’ll go with you.”

Irene’s eyes widened.

“Is that… alright?”

“Of course.”

Reassured by his presence, Irene eagerly approached the lake, her steps light and full of joy.