Lady Lorke’s eyes were already burning with a feverish jealousy.
If the Grand Duke had been within reach, she was in such a state of agitation that she would have gladly seized him by the hair and shaken him, decorum be damned. They had been together for three years. Surely it was only right for him to show some restraint for at least a month?
Unable to endure it any longer, Bestia bolted upright from her seat.
“Lady Marnier, I apologize, but I must ask you to leave. I just remembered I have a prior engagement.”
“Is that so? How unfortunate.”
Lady Marnier dipped her head in polite agreement and prepared to leave. Even so, she dawdled, lingering just long enough to catch the exchange between Lady Lorke and her maid.
“We’re going to the seed farm. Have the carriage prepared.”
As expected, Lady Lorke was unable to suppress her rage and was heading out to confront the Duke. Having achieved her petty objective, Lady Marnier climbed into her own carriage with a light, triumphant step.
It was several hours later when Lady Lorke finally crossed paths with the young ducal couple.
—
As we entered the seed farm, the owner came out to greet Archid and me warmly.
“I received word of your arrival in advance. I am Mack, the manager of this seed farm.”
“Nice to meet you, Mack.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome despite our sudden visit,” Archid added.
As Archid and I took turns responding, Mack turned to me. “This is your first time back since your visit last year, isn’t it?”
“Hmm? I visited here last year?”
I tilted my head, hearing this for the first time. Archid also seemed surprised by the news. “Did you come here last year?”
“Uh… I suppose so. My memory is a bit hazy.”
As I gave a vague response, pretending it had just been too long to remember, Mack spoke up.
“You likely don’t recall because you only stopped by briefly while accompanying Her Grace the Grand Duchess.”
“Ah. I see.”
“Was everything alright that day? Her Grace looked terribly displeased, so I was quite worried.”
“Mother was?”
“Yes. Her Grace was very angry because the Young Duchess left without a word.”
“Wait, I just left without saying anything?”
I blurted it out before I could catch myself, quickly clapping a hand over my mouth.
*Roena, you really were a piece of work, weren’t you?*
I mean, honestly, skipping out on someone without a word is just low. Since I had no memory of last year, I could only piece together the clues from Mack’s words. It seemed certain that she had come with the Grand Duchess to inspect the seeds. Given her personality, she wouldn’t have been able to endure such a tedious place for long.
*She probably saw an opening and made a run for it. Leaving the Grand Duchess to handle everything alone.*
To top it off, she had completely botched that year’s Flower Festival, so it was no wonder the Grand Duchess held a grudge.
*I really have to do a good job this time.*
Steeling my resolve, I looked at Mack with a determined expression. “I’ve cleared my schedule for the day, so please, give us a thorough introduction to everything.”
“Of course. Shall we start by looking at the flowers currently in bloom? We have some samples growing in the greenhouses. I can explain them as we go, if you like.”
“Oh, I’d appreciate the explanation!”
“The Delus flowers have come out with particularly vibrant colors this year. If you plant them now, you’ll see them in full bloom by mid-year. Of course, it’s also possible to accelerate the blooming with magic.”
Mack led us to the flowering area with a genial smile. He pointed out the beds one by one, explaining each variety.
“In the case of this flower, the seeds are very light. Occasionally you’ll find some with rounded ends; those are defective, so you must set them aside.”
Every time Mack explained something about the seeds, I diligently scribbled notes. Archid looked bewildered by my uncharacteristic enthusiasm, but he kept pace with me, occasionally adding his own insights. He had clearly studied quite a bit, as he was remarkably knowledgeable about the seeds.
“I had heard the Young Duke was multi-talented, but I see you also have a great interest in landscaping.”
As Mack offered his warm praise, Archid looked away, appearing slightly bashful. A moment later, Mack led us toward a specific door, building up the anticipation.
“Now, this is where we have cultivated the Delus flowers I mentioned earlier.”
My ears perked up at the mention of the Delus flower. It was a flower I knew well.
*The Delus flower… that was the first flower Archid ever gave to Maybel as a gift.*
The Delus flower was a rare species that grew only in this region, serving as the symbol of the Grand Duchy of Hadelus. For him to gift that flower was more than a mere gesture of friendship.
*Because it’s a flower that only the Grand Duke or the Young Duke gives to his wife.*
However, since Maybel had never been to Delus, she hadn’t understood the significance.
*It all ended with a simple ‘thank you.’*
While I was lost in those thoughts, Mack opened the greenhouse door. Immediately, a breathtaking vista of multicolored Delus flowers unfurled before us.
“Wow.”
My jaw dropped at the beautiful sight. True to their reputation for blooming even in the dead of winter, the colors were vivid and the petals looked remarkably fresh.
“Since you’re here, please take your time looking around.”
“We will.”
“I realized I left a kit behind; I’ll go grab it quickly.”
With that, Mack hurried away.
I stepped into the flower beds. The colors of the Delus flowers were incredibly diverse. Watching a rainbow parade of reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, indigos, and violets, I couldn’t help but gasp in admiration. The way they grew in vibrant, colorful clusters was quite unique.
“It’s truly beautiful.”
I wanted to touch them, but I kept my hands to myself, fearing I might damage them.
Archid stepped up beside me. “I was under the impression that you didn’t like Delus flowers, Wife.”
“Me?”
“Do you not remember? At last year’s festival, you told me to throw the flowers I gave you into the trash.”
“……”
“So I thought you hated them……”
“I don’t hate them!”
I blurted out the defense, startled. It seemed the original Roena had ordered them thrown away specifically because they were a gift from him.
“I… I’m sorry. I was way out of line back then.”
Realizing that even a thousand apologies wouldn’t be enough, I murmured the words dejectedly.
Archid blinked his clear blue-gray eyes at my reaction, and then—
“I’m glad to hear you don’t hate them.”
He offered a gentle consolation with a faint smile. For a split second, it felt as if a halo was glowing behind him.
*His beauty is truly out of this world.*
I stared at him, dazed and slack-jawed. I still couldn’t believe I had actually become this man’s wife. Then, Archid asked with a relaxed smile:
“If there are any flowers that catch your eye, please let me know. I’ll have them sent to your room.”
“Oh! Then I’ll take the Del—”
I was just about to excitedly pick out a Delus flower, thrilled by his offer of a gift, when…
“Wait, My Lady! We have guests in here right now, you can’t just go in—!”
There was a commotion from the entrance, and a familiar woman, dressed to the nines, came bursting in.
“Lady Lorke?”
I whispered the name, stunned by the unexpected appearance. Lady Lorke scanned the room with sharp, predatory eyes until she spotted Archid and me, then began stomping toward us.
“Where is the Grand Duke?”
“You are being impolite.”
Archid spoke in a low, cold voice as he pulled me behind him. But Bestia, who had always looked down on Archid, simply snorted at his warning.
“I see you’re now using your own child as a smokescreen?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Tell me the truth. I came here because I heard the Grand Duke was on the premises!”
Bestia shrieked. I watched her with an incredulous look as she stood there screaming at Archid out of nowhere.
*Hmm, is it my turn to step in?*
I made up my mind to put her in her place with my specialty—a sharp tongue—and was just about to step forward with a haughty air.
*Wait.*
Suddenly, the world began to spin.
*Eeeeeeeee—*
A sharp ringing filled my ears, drowning out the voices of Archid and Lady Lorke.
*What’s happening? Did I eat something bad?*
I was bewildered by the sudden malfunction of my body. A cacophony of voices, as if several people were speaking at once, crowded into my ears. Cold sweat began to pour down my face. My sense of smell vanished, as if my nose had gone numb to the scent of the flowers.
Overcome by a wave of dizziness, I leaned my face against Archid’s back.
“Wife?”
Archid’s voice sounded panicked by the sudden contact. But I didn’t have the strength to answer.
“A-Archid… Lord Archid…”
I barely managed to gasp out his name before my body swayed violently and my legs gave way. As I collapsed, Archid caught me and shouted:
“Wife!”
“Eek! The Young Duchess!”
The clerk who had been trying to stop Lady Lorke screamed.
“Wife… stay with me…!”
Archid was shouting something at me, but the sounds were fragmented and fading. Eventually, even those sounds vanished into silence.
*What? Is this how Roena dies?*
Could it be that because I’m not the original Roena, the body is going through some kind of rejection? In the original novel, Roena was perfectly healthy until she caught the plague, yet here I was, fainting.
I tried to force my eyes to stay open, but it was a losing battle. A fleeting glimpse of a frantic Archid and a pale-faced Lady Lorke flashed before my eyes. Then, everything went black.
—
Archid arrived at Hadelus Castle with Roena on his back.
“Asil!”
At Archid’s urgent cry, the butler, Asil, came running out.
“Young Master, what on earth… gasp!”
Asil turned pale upon seeing the unconscious Roena.
“Wha—What happened…?”
“Asil, call the physician. Right now!”
Archid barked the command, having no time for explanations.
“Y-Yes! Right away!”
Asil stammered and rang the bell to summon the physician. Archid headed straight for Roena’s bedroom.
Roena’s breathing was incredibly ragged. Her body was burning like fire, and she was drenched in a cold sweat.
*Was she unwell even before we went to the farm?*
Archid was in a state of shock over Roena’s collapse. He hadn’t noticed a single sign that she was ill. It had been their first real date, and the atmosphere had been wonderful. Moreover, seeing her blushing and gasping in admiration at the Delus flowers, she hadn’t looked like a sick person at all.
*Why so suddenly? Because of what?*
Archid threw open the bedroom door, haunted by questions he couldn’t answer.
“Young Master?”
Hanna, who was in the middle of tidying the bedding, wore a look of confusion.
Then—
“My Lady!!”
She let out a piercing scream, her eyes fixed on the unconscious Roena.
