An hour later, Hilane was in Chevelyn’s room, putting the child to sleep.
“The deer asked the rabbit to be friends, and the rabbit…”
“…”
“Sweetie, are you asleep?”
Chevelyn, who had been whining for a bedtime story, soon fell asleep on the bed to Hilane’s gentle voice, which must have sounded like a lullaby.
“Hmm?”
“Yummy… looks delicious…”
Chevelyn, lying with her short limbs draped over her bunny doll, mumbled dreamily, apparently enjoying her dream.
Hilane brought another blanket and gently covered Chevelyn.
“Grand Duchess.”
As Hilane watched Chevelyn sleep, Elisha quietly approached her.
“What’s the matter, Elisha?”
“The Grand Duke is here.”
“The Grand Duke?”
Upon hearing that Aachen had arrived, Hilane carefully stood up from the bed, concerned about waking the child.
After brushing her slightly tousled hair and wrapping a shawl around herself, Hilane walked to the living room, where Aachen, sitting on the sofa, stood up.
“My Lady. Is the Princess asleep?”
“Yes, it’s her nap time, so she fell asleep quickly.”
Upon hearing that Chevelyn was sleeping, Aachen walked quietly, almost on tiptoe.
‘Even though her room is just across the hall, and they’re separated, he’s still being so careful…’
It was clear he was a considerate person by nature.
‘Gaeren referred to Chevelyn as the Grand Princess, too.’
Even in front of the servants, he made a point of calling Chevelyn the Grand Princess.
“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to show you around the castle.”
“The Grand Duke… personally?”
“Yes, I want to… but if it’s uncomfortable…”
For some reason, the image of a drooping tail flashed in her mind.
‘Well, this should be fine.’
Hilane stifled a small laugh and nodded.
“…Alright. Please do.”
Aachen’s face lit up at Hilane’s agreement.
“The central staircase you used earlier isn’t the only one; there’s another on the west side.”
As she walked out of the room, Hilane listened to Aachen’s explanations as they toured the entire third floor.
“The library on the east side was built when Hestur Castle was first constructed.”
“So, there must be many rare books that are no longer in circulation.”
“There are. This piano room was remodeled last year.”
Through the glass window Aachen indicated, a grand piano was visible.
Hilane walked into the piano room and played a few keys.
Thunk, thunk, thunk.
With the lid on, the sound wasn’t quite right.
‘I’ve never been good at playing, and my mother used to tell me to find a man who played the piano well.’
But Revan was just as bad at the piano as Hilane.
‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a piano.’
“Playing the piano was difficult for me then, and it still is now.”
As Hilane turned to leave, Aachen moved close, trapping her within his arms.
“…!”
She could feel Aachen’s warm breath, making her body tense.
She felt a peculiar tingling sensation all over.
“…Grand Duke?”
As Hilane called out to Aachen, he reached out and skillfully began to play.
‘He doesn’t take off his gloves even when playing the piano…’
The muscles beneath his rolled-up sleeves moved.
‘He has big hands.’
Hilane discreetly compared her hand size to Aachen’s.
The melody created by his large hands was pleasing to the ear.
Suddenly, Hilane realized the piece Aachen was playing was a familiar lullaby her mother used to sing to her.
‘This is… “Memory of Summer,” a song my mother often sang as a lullaby, isn’t it?’
Feeling flushed, Hilane listened to the nostalgic melody she had missed.
“…Ah, I’m sorry. My Lady. It’s been a while since I entered the piano room, and my hands moved on their own.”
Aachen withdrew his hands from the keys and stepped back, creating some distance.
“It was a beautiful performance. Grand Duke. How long have you been playing the piano?”
Hilane tilted her head slightly and asked.
“I think I started learning when I was young. I enjoyed it because it made me feel at ease.”
Aachen smiled a clear, untroubled smile as he replaced the cover over the keys.
“Oh, there’s something I’d like to show you.”
“Something you want to show me…?”
After leaving the piano room, Hilane accompanied Aachen to the top of the highest tower.
With no reason to refuse, Hilane silently followed him.
As she gazed at Aachen’s back, the outline of his shoulder blades was visible.
She was surprised by how fit Aachen’s body was, despite knowing from their carriage ride that he was strong.
Noticing her contemplative state, Aachen slowed his pace to match Hilane’s.
“My Lady.”
“?”
“We’re here.”
Aachen led her to a breathtaking view of the vast Belzette Grand Duchy.
“……”
The view from the high vantage point was different from what she had seen below.
The sky was so blue it seemed almost within reach.
As she inhaled deeply, the fresh air cleared her mind, alleviating her fatigue.
“It’s… so beautiful. Truly.”
“I’m glad you like this place as much as I do.”
Whistling lightly, Aachen suddenly summoned an eagle, which perched on his arm.
“!”
The eagle preened itself elegantly before acknowledging Hilane with a raised wing.
“Grand Duke…? This eagle is…?”
Startled by the eagle’s sudden appearance, Hilane was bewildered.
“It’s a bird called Khan that my father used to raise. For some reason, it seems to have taken a liking to me.”
Whenever he spoke of the former Grand Duke of Belzette, Aachen would wear a pained expression.
‘That must mean the memories are not easily touched.’
“It’s a smart and adorable eagle.”
Hilane simply petted the bird.
The eagle, enjoying Hilane’s touch, flew to a flag adorned with a crest when it met Aachen’s eyes.
“Grand Duke, what do the blue rose and beluga on the Belzette Grand Duchy’s crest represent?”
Following the eagle with her eyes, Hilane asked Aachen.
“Parthenos, the ancestor who founded Belzette, succeeded in cultivating blue roses, which were thought to be impossible.”
“Since delphinidin doesn’t naturally occur in them, magic must have been used.”
Aachen nodded, lost in thought.
“That’s why, although people don’t know, the language of the blue rose has changed among magicians.”
“…It has changed?”
“From what was once thought impossible to, like the blue rose before you, a love that will soon be made possible.”
He continued, gazing at Hilane.
“A miracle that was achieved because one did not give up.”
She had no idea the meaning of the blue rose had changed.
“…It’s a wonderful change.”
She felt embarrassed about the prejudice she had held when she first received his proposal letter.
“The blue roses are in the greenhouse, the Greenery Rose. It’s a restricted area, but please feel free to visit whenever you’d like.”
‘Restricted area means not everyone can enter, right?’
Hilane cautiously asked, surprised by his suggestion to visit the blue roses.
“Can I… go in?”
“As the other master of Belzette, there is no place in Hestur Castle where you cannot go.”
Aachen spoke with certainty as if it were only natural, and he also explained the beluga that accompanied the blue rose.
“Magicians tend to dislike being tied down. The beluga, also a sacred beast of Belzet, symbolizes freedom.”
At that moment, another gust of wind blew Aachen’s silver hair across Hilane’s cheek.
“I see. Thank you for explaining…”
Aachen gently tucked the strand behind her ear and whispered in a low, soothing voice.
“The sacred beast can only be summoned in the waters of Oskwaltz…”
“?”
“Would you join me there?”
“Later… yes.”
“Later?”
Perhaps curious about when that would be, Aachen leaned closer. Their lips were almost touching.
♡♡♡
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