Chapter 33
I left the Wizard’s Tower holding Richard’s hand and started heading back to the hotel. When I first stepped out of the hotel, I had a glimmer of hope, but now all I felt was disappointment.
I had thought that even if the flower didn’t fully bloom, at least a bud would appear, but even that was too much to hope for.
From what the wizard had said, it seemed that with most ordinary plants, a spell would make them bloom, but not with the Rosier flower.
So, how could I possibly make the Rosier bloom?
There was no information anywhere about the conditions required. There were only a few anecdotal cases where someone had used the flower to cure an illness.
Did those people have something in common that caused the flower to bloom?
No matter how much I racked my brain over it, I couldn’t come up with a clear answer.
“Are you really disappointed?” Richard asked.
“I can’t say I’m not,” I replied honestly.
I had thought there was hope, but now I was starting to wonder if it was just false hope that I had to accept.
After all, I was destined to die.
If I didn’t get the flower to bloom, I would surely die within a year.
But the Rosier was hard to find, and even more expensive, so with my father having stripped me of my title and wealth, it wasn’t easy to get my hands on one.
Knowing all of this, I had decided not to pin too many hopes on the future.
I hadn’t always been this pessimistic, but the only thing that was certain about my future was that it included my death.
Even after marrying Richard, my intentions were clear.
I had intended to use him to get the Rosier flower. It was my way of surviving.
Yet even though he had set his mind on helping me obtain the flower, it was pointless if none came up for sale.
There was always the chance that no Rosier would appear on the market before I die.
It could even appear only after I was gone.
I had been half resigned to this fate, but one day, Richard brought me the Rosier.
He had gone to the border region himself, attending an auction to get it for me.
And it wasn’t just one plant—he had given me two.
That wasn’t all.
He was the only person who had told me he wouldn’t just let me die when I had resigned myself to death as the only possible outcome.
Others might have dismissed it as just a few words, but for someone like me, who had walked a thorny path all my life, those words were like salvation.
It felt as though the hope and anticipation for life that had been buried deep within me were starting to bloom again.
But now, here we were.
No matter how many plants I obtained, they were useless if they didn’t bloom.
The Rosier’s roots were used to treat my illness, but only if the plant had bloomed. Unbloomed Rosier was ineffective.
I had thought that perhaps even an unbloomed one might help alleviate the symptoms, but Dr. Norman had warned me that consuming an unbloomed Rosier could be harmful.
“At first, I thought that once I got my hands on a Rosier, everything would work out,” I said, stopping in my tracks as I followed Richard.
There were people passing by, making noise, and I wondered if Richard could even hear me properly.
But I kept talking, pouring out my thoughts, even if he didn’t hear them.
“I had never even seen a Rosier before. So, I thought that once I had one, I’d be able to make it bloom somehow. Or maybe I dreamed of getting my hands on one that was already in bloom. To be honest, I always imagined the latter more.”
The future I had envisioned, one where I survived was always colorful and bright.
The sky would be blue, the grass lush, and the sunlight warm.
I repeated it to myself over and over, as if by doing so, I could will it into existence. It seemed as though it would happen eventually if I just kept believing it.
But reality didn’t turn out the way I had dreamed.
“……”
The disappointment was so overwhelming that it made it hard to keep hoping.
“Maybe the Rosier was a plant that would never bloom at all.”
All the records I had seen were old, so perhaps the cases of Darnnella’s Disease I had come across were just coincidences of people who happened to consume the flower while using other remedies to treat their illness.
Even the doctors insisted that the Rosier flower was the only treatment, but for a brief moment, I wondered if that was really the case.
If I didn’t entertain that thought, I didn’t know how I could keep my spirits up.
“Diarna.”
As I stood still, silently staring at the pot, Richard called my name.
I looked up to meet his gaze. His bright blue eyes were focused solely on me.
“Didn’t I tell you?” he continued firmly.
“I will never let you die. It hasn’t even been a month since I found out about your illness, yet I’ve already given you two Rosier pots. Am I wrong?”
“……No.”
Richard was right. He truly seemed committed to his promise, working tirelessly to obtain the Rosier for me.
“So I will find a blooming one for you, and you will survive because of it.”
His voice was filled with confidence that even I found compelling. It felt as if he was determined to make it happen.
I gazed at him for a moment, and suddenly I felt foolish for worrying, which made me smile.
“Alright. I’ll believe you. Since you said you’d save me, I’ll trust you, Richard.”
Who was standing before me?
He was Count Theodore, a man who would do anything to achieve his goals.
I knew better than anyone how strong-willed he was.
He was someone who could go to any lengths to get what he wanted. In the original story, Richard had done everything to win Eilen, even if it meant defying the Empire.
So if he said he would do something, it would inevitably come to pass.
It was an honor that he was willing to go this far to save me.
Then what could I do for him in return?
There was no need to think long.
Winning the upcoming trial and regaining the title and wealth of Duke Tristan.
My role was to give him what he most desired in this situation.
His desire to prevent my death was ultimately for that purpose.
“Are you planning to head back now?”
“I guess so. There’s no reason to stay out here any longer.”
I wanted to sound fine, but my voice lacked strength.
“Then since I brought you here, Diarna, you should follow me this time.”
“Where are we going?”
“……”
Holding my hand, Richard walked toward somewhere. I had no choice but to follow his lead.
Since I had asked him for directions earlier, it made sense to follow him now.
After all, it was only fair to reciprocate.
But was there anything I truly needed from him?
I needed Richard to know where the Wizard’s Tower was since I didn’t know its location, but he didn’t seem to need me for anything. In fact, it was a relief that he didn’t see me as a burden.
So where exactly were we going that required my company?
With confusion in my mind, I silently followed him until we arrived at a quaint, old-fashioned café in the city.
“Richard? Is this the right place?”
I felt my head spin at the thought that he had brought me here just to go to a café.
However, he ignored my question and led me up the stairs into the café.
“Welcome! Let me show you to your seat.”
The staff member smiled kindly and guided us inside. I sat down next to Richard, still feeling a bit dazed.
Then he ordered the café’s specialty cake and Marcel tea. His familiarity with the order struck me as odd.
“What’s this about?”
As soon as Richard turned back after placing the order, I asked him. He shrugged nonchalantly and replied, “I heard that eating something sweet helps when you’re feeling down.”
I paused for a moment, reflecting on his words.
When you’re feeling down…
I began to understand why he had brought me here.
Richard had brought me here to comfort me.
As I chuckled softly, Richard turned his head, as if to check his surroundings.
It wasn’t long before the cake and tea arrived. After taking a small bite of the cake with my fork, I smiled brightly.
“It feels like we’re on a date.”
“Don’t say silly things.”
His voice was gruff, but the fact that he had done this for me was unmistakable.
To be honest, I was a little surprised.
The fact that he didn’t wish for my death, that he was trying to get Rosier for me, and the little considerations he had shown me before—everything was different from the Richard Theodore I knew.
And now he had brought me to a café.
“Richard, do you… like me?”
I asked, wondering if there was a chance, but he just scoffed and turned away.
It seemed to indicate that he didn’t.
“Well, whatever.”
Feeling a bit awkward, I took a sip of the slightly bitter Marcel tea. The tea’s bitterness nicely balanced the sweetness left by the cake.
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