Chapter 9
Tristian’s Gift
As soon as I saw Mürse, I realized that “Lady Garden” referred to the lady he had met in the garden—that is, me.
Goodness. Is he really searching this hard?
I quickly looked around. Fortunately, I had already sent the maids away, so there was no one nearby. Mürse stopped a few steps away from me.
“…If you are not Lady Garden, then I apologize. I am looking for someone, but as I cannot see, I may have unintentionally been rude.”
How should I respond?
Should I just pretend I’m not and leave? But if Mürse is searching this hard for Lady Garden, he might continue wandering the gardens until he finds me. If we were to meet again under even more troublesome circumstances, it might be better to resolve this quickly and send him on his way.
After hesitating, I finally opened my mouth.
“It’s nice to see you again, Sir Mürse.”
“Ah.”
At the sound of his name, the corners of Mürse’s lips curled into a gentle smile beneath his blindfold. It was such a pure and bright smile that I was honestly taken aback.
Was meeting me really such a joyful event for him?
“I’ve finally met you again.”
“…Were you looking for me?”
“Yes.”
Judging by his demeanor, he still hadn’t realized that I was the Empress.
Did he not hear my voice clearly at the banquet? That worked in my favor.
Mürse chuckled softly.
“There is something I wanted to give you, but I didn’t know how to deliver it. So I’ve spent the past few days wandering the gardens aimlessly. Since I called everyone I met ‘Lady Garden,’ I nearly found myself in quite a few awkward situations.”
“What?”
His unexpected words made me laugh involuntarily.
“I’m sure quite a few people were caught off guard.”
“Of course. I even asked a gentleman if he was Lady Garden.”
“Ahaha!”
Picturing the flustered nobleman, I burst out laughing.
Because he was a confessor priest, I had assumed he was a reserved man, but he had an unexpectedly amusing side.
It had been so long since I had laughed out loud that my cheeks stung. Pressing my hand against my face, I asked, still smiling,
“If I hadn’t come here, what would you have done?”
“Well… I probably would have wandered the gardens for a few more days.”
As expected.
It was a good decision to resolve this now. Otherwise, rumors that Mürse was searching for ‘Lady Garden’ might have spread, and the imperial gardens could have become crowded with curious noblewomen.
As our conversation wrapped up, Mürse took off the necklace he had been wearing around his neck and handed it to me. I checked my surroundings to confirm that no one was watching before extending my hand to receive it.
Perhaps because he couldn’t see exactly where my hand was, Mürse’s fingers pressed firmly against my gloved palm. It tickled.
“It is a star, symbolizing the grace of Benedis. As a listener of Benedis, I could not comfort you properly, and instead made you speak of things you may not have wanted to. I wish to apologize for that. It is a humble piece, but I crafted it with sincerity, so I am certain that Benedis’s blessing will be with you.”
“This is a precious gift. Thank you.”
“I’m relieved that you are well.”
Ah.
My heart ached at those simple words.
Could it be that he had been wandering the gardens, worried that I might take my own life? Even without knowing who I was?
After carefully putting the necklace away in the pocket of my dress, I ran my fingers over its ornament.
I hadn’t expected it to be handcrafted.
If the noblewomen found out about this, it would cause even more chaos than I had imagined.
Suppressing the smile that threatened to form on my lips, I offered Mürse a polite bow.
No one was watching for now, but I had no idea when someone might appear. I needed to leave quickly.
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
“Go safely. I swear that I will not become a blade that harms you.”
His words were veiled, but their meaning was clear.
He had searched for me out of concern for my well-being, not to uncover my identity.
Because the moment Mürse found out who had confessed to him, what he had heard would no longer be just words—it would become valuable information.
In high society, the private thoughts of an anonymous lady meant nothing, but information about ‘Empress Isolleti’ could become a weakness, or even a weapon, capable of wounding both me and those around me.
Though his actions had been priestly, the way he conveyed his message was anything but naïve. Perhaps his frequent dealings with nobles had made him adept at their manner of speech.
Regardless, I chose to respond to his kindness by withholding my gratitude.
Expressing thanks would be the same as admitting that the secrets I had confessed were a vulnerability.
There was no need to expose my own weakness when he had only meant well.
Mürse, seemingly understanding, did not reproach me as I walked away in silence.
Alone in my dark bedroom, I retrieved the necklace from beneath my pillow.
Taking off my gloves, I ran my fingers over the carved ornament. The warmth of the wood was comforting—a sensation rare in the imperial palace, where I was surrounded by hard, glittering materials like gold, silver, gemstones, and porcelain.
“Not bad…”
A wooden necklace, handcrafted by a priest rather than a skilled artisan.
It was likely the least expensive item I owned, yet it pleased me more than I had expected.
I had always loved such things—the delicate flutter of petals, the soft stems of plants, the damp, yielding earth. After choosing to become Empress, I had almost no opportunity to touch them.
Someday, when I left the palace, I wanted to live surrounded by such things.
Just imagining it made me smile.
Though I wished I could return Mürse’s kindness, that was impossible.
For now, I could only offer my silent gratitude.
Late into the night, I carefully placed the necklace into my bedside drawer and locked it securely before lying down.
Tonight, I thought, I might have a good dream.
A few days later, the gardens of Navis Palace were bustling.
Today was the day I hosted tea for the noblewomen who had donated the most during the Blessing’s Proof.
Most of them were the wealthiest and most influential women in the empire, aside from a few who had made excessive donations in hopes of impressing Mürse.
Since those who could afford such donations often wielded power as well, I always took special care to entertain them. However, it had been a long time since I invited people to Navis Palace rather than the main palace.
I worried whether this might affect Serenity, but I pushed the thought aside.
I had instructed my maids to ensure that Serenity did not leave her chambers. Unless she wished to create a scandal, she wouldn’t bring her pregnant self before these noblewomen.
After the maids finished adjusting my dress and jewelry, I stepped outside.
The noblewomen, chatting at the prepared outdoor tables, noticed me and immediately stood.
“We greet Your Majesty, the Empress.”
“It has been a while, ladies. Please, be seated.”
As I took my place at the head of the table, they followed suit. I began my prepared speech.
“For your generous offerings to Benedis, which ensure the peace and safety of the Harden Empire, I, Empress Isolleti Bipis Ruind, express my deepest gratitude.”
“We are merely grateful for this opportunity, Your Majesty.”
“I have prepared tea, refreshments, and gifts for you all. Please enjoy them. As for the gifts, you shall receive them when you—”
Just then, a large carriage turned the corner toward Navis Palace.
Startled, I paused for a moment before quickly recovering.
“—when you depart.”
However, the sharp-eyed noblewomen followed my gaze.
“Oh my.”
Some gasped, while others covered their mouths with fans, whispering amongst themselves.
It was the Emperor’s carriage, laden with cargo.
A steward descended and bowed before me.
“I greet Your Majesty, the Empress. I bring a gift and a message from His Majesty the Emperor.”
“A gift?”
Tristian had briefly mentioned sending me something.
‘I shall be sending you a gift soon, so look forward to it.’
This must be it.
But the timing and sender made me uneasy.
A gift from Tristian, arriving now, of all times?
The stewards opened the carriage and unloaded a large object.
The noblewomen, watching curiously, looked puzzled.
But I knew exactly what it was.
My heart pounded wildly.
A luxurious, gilded basket adorned with gemstones.
A cradle.
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