114. Not Dead Yet

As if drawn by a magnet, I approached the greenhouse.

The greenhouse seemed recently built. All the materials looked new—the pillars, the glass walls, and even the large birdcage in the center.

When I opened the door, a wave of heat and a medley of scents greeted me.

Above, various birds flew through the air. As I stared at the vibrant, paint-like colors of their feathers, one bird flew towards me.

Chirp.

With a melodious call, it gently landed on my shoulder.

Startled by the small fluttering wings, I froze, making the bird fly in front of me again. It tilted its head curiously, looking at me with familiar eyes.

Long pink feathers and short down feathers.

It was my bird, the one I had left behind in the prince’s residence.

I recognized it instinctively. The peculiar way it pecked at my fingers with its beak confirmed it was mine.

My little, untrained, and unruly bird that I hadn’t bothered to train because of its short lifespan.

“So, you’re here.”

This bird should have died by now, but it was still alive.

The bird I had abandoned, believing it to be dead, was still here, thriving in this luxurious greenhouse.

Gently, I cupped it with both hands. The bird nestled into my palms as if they were a nest, rubbing its cheek against my hands. It looked cozy and content.

I petted it and then opened a nearby feed box. Picking out its favorite seeds, I placed them in my palm. The bird dipped its head and started pecking at the food. The sensation of it eating from my hand was fascinating—an old feeling I hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“How bothersome.”

Suddenly, the sound of the greenhouse door opening shattered the silence. An irritable voice came from the entrance, jolting me awake from my drowsiness.

Startled by the sudden noise, I froze. The bird, disturbed by my sudden movement, flapped its wings and circled around before perching on my knee.

“How much longer must I do this? I said I don’t like birds.”

The voice was coming from the greenhouse entrance, growing closer with each complaint.

A wide, billowing dress fluttered as the woman approached, her movements almost obnoxiously fast.

Through the leaves, I saw a young woman followed by attendants.

Their conversation filled the spacious greenhouse.

“You have to, though. You haven’t secured your position yet.”

One of the maids trailing behind the woman whispered.

“They’re smelly and filthy. Why must I care for disgusting creatures that eat bugs? What peculiar taste. It’s not even a majestic hawk, but these insignificant creatures.”

The woman shuddered in disgust.

I glanced around. All the plants in the greenhouse were short and transparent, offering no place to hide.

The woman’s grumbling voice grew closer. She crossed the greenhouse with quick strides, stopping abruptly when she saw me.

“Who are you?”

Her voice, filled with suspicion, echoed above me.

She scrutinized me with a frown, trying to figure out who I was.

My simple clothes, black hair, and the scattered bird feed around me must have confused her.

“Excuse me.”

I said, trying to sound composed.

“I didn’t mean to intrude.”

She narrowed her eyes, clearly not convinced.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“I was… just admiring the birds.”

I replied, hoping to defuse the situation.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

She snapped.

“This is a private greenhouse.”

“I apologize,”

I said, standing up slowly. The bird on my knee fluttered to the ground, pecking at the feed.

One of the attendants stepped forward, whispering in the woman’s ear. She listened, her eyes never leaving me.

Finally, she seemed to reach a decision.

“Very well, But be quick about it. And don’t touch anything.”

With that, she turned and continued her inspection of the greenhouse, her attendants following closely.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Carefully, I picked up the bird again, letting it rest in my hands.

“I need to find a place for you,” I whispered to it.

The bird chirped softly, as if in agreement.

I glanced around the greenhouse one last time before heading back towards the forest.

The blue jewelry box was still in my pocket, and I needed to find a place to bury it.

Somewhere safe, where no one would find it.

She squinted her eyes at me and the bird pecking at seeds on my knee, then let out a mocking laugh.

“Well, well. Must be a new maid.”

She approached me swiftly and grabbed my collar with a quick motion.

“Ah.”

“What are you doing lurking here? Trying to get noticed, are you?”

I had no time to resist. My bandaged leg was numb.

I collapsed to the ground under her rough grip. My head tilted back, causing the veil covering my face to fall away.

I watched the black veil flutter down to the grass. Despite her seemingly delicate frame, she had surprising strength.

“How dare you enter the royal greenhouse without permission? Are you so desperate for a rise in status? Are you prepared for the consequences?”

I managed to twist away and free myself from her grasp, but the back of my neck burned, and my vision blurred. Was it the heat, or the pain from having my hair yanked? Everything felt hazy.

I picked up the veil that had fallen to the grass and hastily covered my face again.

She glared down at me with a look of utter disgust, as if she owned the entire greenhouse.

“Who…”

I began to speak, but one of her attendants, who had been watching with a pale face, stepped forward.

“This is the future Empress. Show proper respect.”

Empress?

I locked eyes with her.

It wasn’t Isella. But she had the same striking red hair.

A woman I had never encountered in society before. Her freckled cheeks were flushed with excitement. And oddly enough, she smelled like me.

The sharp, pungent scent of the dye the maid atEdan’s mansion had used lingered in the air. Every time the wind blew, the strong smell tickled my nose and grated on my nerves.

She seemed to notice the similarity too, scrunching her nose in distaste. Fine lines appeared on her haughtily raised nose.

“They say women on the streets are lining up to imitate me. Now they’re not just copying me, but crawling into my greenhouse too. So, how did you charm the bird?”

The bird had simply recognized its owner and flown to me.

I tilted my head, confused by her words, and she immediately raised her voice.

“Did you hear that I cherish birds and use it to lure them? Do you think ignoring me will make this go away quietly? Did you think this would get you my attention?”

Her chest heaved with rage.

Still fuming, she reached out to grab me again. One of her maids stepped forward in a panic.

“There’s no need for you to dirty your hands, Young Lady. We will handle this.”

“No. This is a perfect opportunity to set an example. We will uphold the laws of the palace strictly.”

At her words, even the silent attendant stepped in.

“There’s no need to soil your hands with this filth, Your Grace. Leave it to us.”

“This is what happens when I don’t intervene. How on earth are they managing the garden?”

A brief struggle ensued. The maids in identical uniforms tried to dissuade her, but she persisted, a gleeful smile spreading across her face. It seemed she relished the chance to make an example out of me.

I clutched the jewelry box tightly, my mind racing. The situation was spiraling out of control, and I needed to think of something fast.

As she reached out for me again, the greenhouse became a flurry of activity.

A knight in uniform opened the greenhouse door, and soon others followed, casting long shadows across the floor.

“What’s all this commotion?”

“Your Majesty!”

Even the maids following the woman turned and bowed their heads.

Deon had arrived.

He approached with a billowing black cloak, flanked by knights with swords at their sides.

“There’s an unauthorized person in the royal greenhouse handling the birds. I was just teaching her a lesson,” the woman quickly explained, running to Deon and clinging to his arm. Her previously fierce gaze softened into a pleading look.

I couldn’t see Deon’s face clearly.

But I knew it was him instantly. His presence was unmistakable, even if he spoke only a single sentence.

His icy tone, the effortless authority that weighed down on others. The voice that hadn’t changed, as cold as ice despite the northern kingdom.

Deon didn’t look at me, who was still sitting on the ground. His eyes were fixed solely on the woman clinging to his arm, his expression unreadable.

His indifferent behavior towards his new lover didn’t sit well with me, even though he didn’t push her away. It wasn’t love or affection but mere tolerance.

It irked me to see how quickly he had replaced Isella. Though I had been mocked and gossiped about for my association with Deon, it bothered me even more to see him so easily cast aside one woman for another.

To Deon, were women merely passing entities, meaningless and fleeting? How quickly had he moved on from Isella? Not much time had passed since their separation.

Taking advantage of the distraction, I stole a glance at him. I was curious to see how he had changed.

The light behind him obscured his face, but as a breeze blew through the open greenhouse door, leaves shifted and temporarily shaded the sunlight.

In those few seconds, I could see his face clearly. Meeting his gaze, I saw the details that had been hidden in the shadows.

His uniform, adorned with golden buttons and intricate embroidery, was immaculate.

His trousers, once dark from the dirty work he used to do, were now pristine white. He no longer needed to dirty his hands or solve problems himself.

He stood on the grass, the highest authority in the land, having reclaimed his title and reached the pinnacle of power.

But he didn’t look like a man of power. His expression showed nothing but boredom and disinterest in the situation before him.

For a brief moment, I felt as if our eyes met. Though there was no reason for him to notice me.

Feeling our gazes lock, I quickly lowered my head. Thankfully, the veil still covered my face.

“What should we do? This person trespassed into the royal garden and tried to harm the birds. We can’t let this go unpunished, can we?”

Deon remained silent despite her insistence. He stood still like a statue in the greenhouse.

Seeing that her coquettish pleas were having no effect, the woman’s impatience grew, and she called out to him again.

“Your Majesty?”

The leaves settled, casting shadows again and obscuring his expression. I couldn’t tell where his piercing gaze was directed.

“Your Majesty.”

At her prompting, Deon turned his head. She continued speaking to him in a wheedling tone.

Now. There was nothing to gain by passively waiting for my fate.

Without hesitation, I pushed myself up and took advantage of their distraction to slip past them and run.

Or rather, I should say I fled. The knights were startled by my sudden escape, but without any orders to stop me, they did not pursue. Deon, too, did not signal for anyone to apprehend me.

Behind me, the woman’s angry shouts echoed.

I raced out of the greenhouse, my heart pounding.