32. This Might Lead to a Death Route!!!

Klaus was walking through the corridor that crossed the garden, heading towards the Crown Prince’s palace.

At that moment, a breeze from the garden brushed past Klaus, carrying with it a fragrant scent. His gaze followed the path of the wind to the garden, where he saw roses in full bloom.

Perhaps drawn by the scent, Klaus uncharacteristically stepped off the well-trodden path of the corridor and walked towards the garden.

The white roses, meticulously cultivated by the imperial gardeners, seemed to guide him on either side.

As Klaus walked along the path, he suddenly sensed a familiar fragrance carried by the wind and turned his head.

There, a blonde woman in a white dress was walking towards somewhere. Unlike the excessively voluminous skirts of Lugbelzet-style dresses that extended below the waist, her dress had a graceful silhouette that accentuated her curves.

The dress fluttered delicately in the breeze, almost ethereal in its elegance, reminiscent of both a cheongsam and a Greek goddess’s attire.

Klaus found himself inexplicably curious about the woman’s identity.

If she was a blonde woman freely strolling through the imperial garden… she might be the Crown Princess, he thought as he instinctively followed her.

As the wind blew again, the woman turned her head, and the scent of roses enveloped Klaus, causing him to freeze.

Though the sunlight behind her obscured her face, the sight of her turning to look at him made his heart skip a beat.

“Your Grace?”

An all-too-familiar voice reached his ears.

After staring blankly for a moment, Klaus realized that the woman was Roselia.

“Roselia…?”

Klaus was taken aback by how drastically different she looked compared to the stiff dresses she usually wore since the masquerade ball.

Despite just a slight change in her attire, her entire aura had transformed, catching him off guard.

It was undoubtedly a Raphelios-style dress, but… were their dresses always this revealing?

Though it was just a different silhouette without much exposure, Klaus found himself strangely unable to avert his gaze, feeling flustered.

“What are you doing here?”

His voice came out gruffly despite his flustered state.

Roselia looked around awkwardly before giving a sheepish smile.

“I think… I got lost.”

Her embarrassed smile left Klaus momentarily stunned. Today, her smile seemed particularly dazzling.

Klaus told himself that it was only because the sun was exceptionally bright today and tried to maintain a composed expression.

“Aren’t you supposed to be having tea with the Crown Princess?”

At Klaus’s curt question, Roselia awkwardly brushed her hair behind her ear.

“Yes… somehow, I ended up here. Haha…”

Her embarrassed laughter only added to Klaus’s inner turmoil.

Klaus cleared his throat and spoke in a calm voice.

“If you go this way, you’ll reach the Crown Prince’s palace. The Crown Princess’s palace is in the opposite direction.”

“Oh… I almost made a big mistake.”

Roselia’s expression turned serious as if she had just learned an important fact, and she smiled brightly in genuine gratitude.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Roselia slightly lifted her thin skirt and gracefully bowed with a bright smile before turning to walk in the direction Klaus had indicated.

Klaus slowly raised a hand to cover his face as the wind carrying the scent of roses brushed past his bangs.

His face, visible between his long fingers as if to hide it, was flushed red.

Klaus, feeling confused by his own reaction, ran a hand roughly over his face and let out a complicated sigh.

Despite his bewildered expression, his gaze remained fixed on the path where Roselia had disappeared.

* * *

“Miss Roselia, where have you been?”

Roselia was greeted warmly by the Crown Princess, Claucet, and Ikelia, all now dressed in Raphelios-style dresses. Roselia smiled awkwardly and scratched her head.

“Ah… I went out to the garden for a bit and got lost.”

“Oh dear… The imperial gardens can be quite confusing, especially since the garden in front of the Crown Princess’s palace is connected to the Crown Prince’s palace,” Ikelia explained kindly, causing Roselia to laugh awkwardly at the near-miss of ending up at the Crown Prince’s palace.

Claucet, approaching Roselia with a feminine demeanor, twirled around to show off her dress.

“How do I look, Roselia?”

While Roselia exuded an air of elegance and mystery, Claucet looked fresh and lively, like a mermaid who had just emerged from the water. The airy dress that followed her natural lines made her look more mature compared to the usually voluminous and exaggerated dresses she wore.

Roselia, feeling proud of Claucet’s transformation into a young woman, smiled and said,

“You look ready to get married.”

Claucet, with a pout, placed her hands on her hips.

“What a terrible thing to say!”

Their laughter filled the garden as the Crown Princess, Ikelia, and Roselia all burst out laughing at Claucet’s retort.

Thanks to Claucet, the mood was light, and they enjoyed a leisurely tea time at the outdoor table set up in the Crown Princess’s garden.

“Is it true that some people of the Raphelios bloodline emit a fragrance?”

Ikelia suddenly asked, almost causing Roselia to choke on her tea.

The Crown Princess quickly handed Roselia a handkerchief.

“Are you alright, Roselia?”

“Yes… I’m fine,”

Roselia replied, still coughing lightly. She glanced at the Crown Princess, curious about the question Ikelia had posed.

Everyone looked expectantly at the Crown Princess, who smiled and began to speak.

“I’ve only read about it in records and don’t know much myself. The records do mention such individuals, but I’ve heard that the bloodline has become so diluted that it’s almost impossible to find them now.”

Ikelia’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“That’s a shame.”

Seeing Ikelia’s crestfallen expression, the Crown Princess added with a smile.

“Even if such individuals still exist, it would be hard to identify them.”

“Why is that?” Claucet asked.

The Crown Princess, still smiling, explained, “Since it’s an ability passed down through the family, they learn to control their scent. Even if they possess the fragrance, they can regulate it so that they seem no different from ordinary people.”

Ikelia and Claucet, both intrigued, nodded in unison.

Meanwhile, Roselia’s expression grew more serious. She had thought the Crown Prince’s earlier comments were nonsensical, but now she wondered if there was some truth to them.

Swallowing nervously, Roselia spoke up cautiously.

“Um… do I… have a scent?”

“A scent? Of course, the maids must have applied perfume,” Claucet replied bluntly, causing Roselia to smile awkwardly.

“No, I mean, something special… a different kind of scent.”

“I don’t notice anything,” Claucet said, and Ikelia also shook her head, puzzled.

“Is the perfume the maids used not to your liking?” Ikelia asked.

“No, it’s not that… Haha! Never mind, it’s nothing,” Roselia said, relieved that no one noticed anything unusual.

Unbeknownst to her, the Crown Princess Eveline was watching her intently.

* * *

On the way back, with Claucet’s help, Roselia changed her clothes in the carriage, arriving at the mansion as if she had been repairing her sister’s house. She made sure the servants saw her as she walked to her room and collapsed onto her bed, exhausted.

She had barely lain down when there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

She asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

“Come to my study for a moment,”

Klaus’s voice came from behind the door.

Surprised by his sudden call, Roselia checked her appearance. Her shirt was buttoned to the collar, her chest bandage was secure, and her pants and vest were neat. Satisfied, she confidently stepped out of her room, guessing the call might be about her debt.

Arriving at Klaus’s study, Roselia cleared her throat and knocked softly.

Knock, knock.

“It’s Antonio,” she announced.

“Come in,” came Klaus’s dry response from within.

Klaus watched her intently as she entered, his dark blue eyes following her every move. His sharp features appeared even more severe as he rested his elbows on the desk, his hands clasped over his chin.

While Roselia stood nervously, Klaus was lost in thought. Ever since rescuing Antonio from the lake, he had been troubled by a confusing sensation. He had tried not to think about it, wondering if he might have such inclinations. However, meeting Antonio’s sister Roselia in the imperial garden had brought a new kind of confusion.

He felt the same strange mix of emotions as with Antonio but was relieved that he seemed attracted to a woman.

Wanting to confirm his reaction, he had called Antonio.

“Your Grace…?”

Roselia’s wide eyes reflected her confusion at Klaus’s silence.

Finally, Klaus lowered his clasped hands and began to speak slowly.

“Antonio.”

“Yes?”

“Does your sister have a future partner or lover?”