Chapter 46
As she turned to the side, Siervian saw a strange status window.
AD
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Mood: Nervous
Thoughts: What are you planning to do that there’s suddenly a spring picnic…
In this tranquil atmosphere, the empress was feeling tense all by herself.
The spring picnic was Siervian’s request, so this was strange.
What’s going on with the empress?
* * *
“Mm, hm, mm.”
Humming the tune of a song that Jane frequently sang to her, Siervian closely looked at the sephinel flowers to her heart’s content.
The lush garden was filled with the scent of the refreshing sephinel flowers. Just the scent alone would make anyone smile.
Whenever the wind blew, she affectionately watched the white leaves flutter in the breeze.
‘I knew it, it’s really familiar, and it’s so nice.’
She really did like sephinel flowers.
This was because, in her previous life, she saw a fairy inside the bud of a sephinel flower.
AD
There’s a legend saying that the Mana Fairy lived inside a sephinel flower. Maybe she actually saw a fairy there, maybe not.
‘I’ve come back to the past though, so maybe there’s a fairy here, too!’
She didn’t completely dismiss this all as a dream. There was a time when she told herself that she had only deluded herself into thinking that she saw a fairy because she was desperate to be comforted, that’s why she had such a fanciful imagination.
However, after she had returned to the past, she could now be more certain.
‘Can’t we meet each other again?’
She felt faintly nostalgic from the memory, and she felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
It was a fairy that she had been able to meet only once.
“Do you like the flowers that much?” her father asked.
“Yees!”
As Siervian was preoccupied with looking at the flowers, she left the macarons alone for a long time, and the emperor carefully approached her.
Here he was, just wanting to spend some time with his children, yet there the empress was, hellbent on finding out her husband’s ‘plans’.
It was a political marriage, but meeting people from her ducal family a lot lately was tiring.
AD
“Hmm. Isn’t this similar to the flowers in the Imperial Palace?”
“Nooo!”
Siervian sulked for a moment with her cheeks all puffed up as she turned around.
The emperor thought he didn’t say anything wrong though, but he looked at the sephinel flowers again.
Still, he just saw the same thing.
[ Alderuan Erveldote ]
Thoughts: Mmh. It’s a purple flower. The ones that Siervy always looked at for a long time in the palace garden were also purple flowers.
“……”
Her father nodded, but she could clearly see what he was thinking.
What she was looking at in the palace garden were hydrangeas though. How could he say that they were the same!
Despite that, Siervian continued her sephinel sightseeing. No touching with the hands, just look with the eyes.
‘Even though there’s some bad memories, the flowers are still pretty.’
In her previous life, the crown prince had given a sephinel flower to a noble lady.
AD
That noble lady in question was none other than Siervian’s enemy in high society.
Back then, it’s been a few years since the millenary garden had not been open to the public, so the appearance of that sephinel flower inevitably became a hot topic.
‘I was a bit jealous before.’
The crown prince giving the sephinel flower to a different young lady instead of his younger sister had been talked about for a long time.
And it was even more talked about because, of all people, the crown prince had given the flower to the noble lady who was always compared to Siervian in every way possible.
To the point that more rumors were incited that she was a villainess who was inevitably shunned even by her own blood relatives.
“I’ll plant some in the palace.”
The unexpected remark shocked Siervian completely. She looked up at her father.
It was a very serious decision, just as she could see from his status window.
She didn’t know what kind of flower it was, just that she liked it. Her father proposed this just for that reason alone.
“Nooo. That’s not allowed.”
“Then just take one.”
Her father’s simple suggestion once again brought up those memories to the surface.
Her jealousy for that rival for receiving a sephinel flower—and the transgression that she shouldn’t have done.
She had secretly tried to sneak into the millenary garden in her first life.
“But I can’t.”
Though she snuck into the millenary garden at night back then, it had been no less beautiful.
And that’s when Siervian met the Mana Fairy.
’Just one flower. Can I take just one?’
With a nervous heart, Siervian pleaded. She thought that it would comfort her so much to have even just one flower by her side.
The fairy let out a peal of laughter and gave her permission. She couldn’t understand the fairy’s language, but it was clearly permission.
So, she brought the sephinel flower back to the imperial palace with such excitement…
‘I didn’t expect that to happen.’
The very next day, the imperial family was turned upside down.
The sephinel flower bed, the very pride of the millenary garden, had been completely ruined.
’Here is the recording of the last person who went in, Your Majesty!’
There were many magic circles for security measures installed at important spots around the palace. They were magic circles that recorded the likeness of people who came and went through those places.
And, of course, there was a recording of Siervian going into the garden alone at night.
’Who else could it be but that villainess!’
‘She must have gotten jealous of Lady Yphta!’
She had taken only one flower from the garden, but before she knew it, Siervian had become a villainess who ruined the entire flower bed just because she had gotten jealous of her rival.
It was certainly true that she went there alone in the middle of the night without asking for permission.
That’s why, despite the many accusations and criticisms, she remained silent.
Amongst them, what hurt her and made her sad the most was her father’s ferocious anger.
‘I must stop it this time.’
She clearly remembered the date it happened, too.
AD
So, this time, she would stop whatever caused this beautiful sephinel flower bed from being ruined.
“Why can’t you? You’re evidently fond of this flower.”
Though her father continuously suggested for her to take one, she turned him down each time. She kept her thoughts to herself.
Contrary to her previous life, when she had gone through so much to get even one sephinel flower, it was so easy to have one now. It’s a pity that she couldn’t meet the fairy again.
Right then, Siervian impulsively spoke her mind.
“I wish the flowers can stay alive. They’re so pwetty.”
“Mm.”
[ Alderuan Erveldote ]
Thoughts: Such a lovely heart. She’s truly an exemplary member of the Imperial Family.
She only said what she had in her mind, but her father seemed to have taken it another way.
It’s actually quite a relief.
Even if she wouldn’t be able to stop what she knew would happen in the future, he would still trust her as much as he did now.
She would believe that she wasn’t the one who trampled all over the sephinel that she loved very much.
“You’re right, Siervy. So, this Father will give you a present.”
“Present for Sebi?”
“Yes. These sephinel flowers will stay here forever, so the flowers will continue to live.”
Although it was a valuable flower garden, the imperial family often presented the sephinel flower to others as a gift of honor.
Thanks to the romantic symbolism of the flower, it was also used to express the start of a royal courtship.
But then her father stopped it all with what he said just now.
“Woooow!”
Siervian reflexively reacted very happily as she heard that the flowers would be preserved from now on, but then she stopped in her place.
Wasn’t her brother supposed to give one to Lady Yphta? Then this shouldn’t be the case, right?
However, when a big hand patted her head, she soon calmed down.
‘Right. I should just prepare a different present for her.’
* * *
On the way back, everyone including the empress rode the emperor’s carriage.
Because the emperor did not say anything to her as she naturally intervened, Siervian had to go together with them.
‘I should’ve asked Brother to ride with me in the carriage.’
But then if she was seen to have a close relationship with the crown prince, then the empress would not like it.
Even in the midst of nervousness, she was able to sleep comfortably. This was because she ran around the garden all day long.
As the carriage shook moderately, it felt like she was listening to a lullaby.
“Uuung.”
“You must be feeling sleepy.”
“Yees.”
As the small head kept bobbing forward, the emperor was conflicted for a moment.
Then, he carefully picked up his daughter. The small body was cradled in his arms.
“Did you have fun today?”
“Yees. A lot of fun.”
It felt like her father’s chest was shaking slightly.
She raised her head to see, but his face was as aloof as usual.
“Right. The security around the area was a bit of a mess, but it’s not a bad place.”
He’d be the only emperor in the empire who’d say that the millenary garden was merely ‘not bad’.
Thinking about silly things, Siervian turned her head to the side.
As she was in her father’s arms, she felt so cozy that she forgot for a moment, but right then, she saw the empress who was sitting over there.
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Mood: Extremely nervous
Thoughts: Did he notice the secret passage? …No, he shouldn’t have. That can’t be possible.
Because she was so sleepy, she didn’t think much about those words. However.
‘Secret passage?’
She inadvertently looked directly at the empress’ face.
Perhaps it’s because of this that the emperor also glanced at her as well, and in return, the empress showed a benevolent smile.
It’s as if she was adoring the cute whining of her daughter.
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Favorability: -50
Thoughts: It’s frustrating that I can’t go to the treasure room by myself.
Siervian felt goosebumps running up at her spine.
As the empress contemplated alone, Siervian realized one thing.
‘The secret passage at the treasure room is directly connected to the millenary garden!’
She recalled that the candelabra that opened the secret passageway over there was also engraved with a sephinel flower.
Hiding how flustered she was about this revelation, she once again buried her face in her father’s chest.
‘So who sent the thief? Was it the Empress? Or the Duke?’
Her head started hurting.
Her young body was pulling her into slumber already, so it was even more difficult to hold onto her rational thoughts.
‘But why on earth?’
The reason was an important aspect to this situation and yet it was still missing. However, one thing was certain.
That, judging by the empress’ status window, they were somehow involved.
“Sebi, picnic, wanna go more.”
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Favorability: -50
“Mm. It’s not a bad idea to increase security in that place.”
This was all she could do right now.
Fortunately, her father promised at once that he would strengthen the security measures in the millenary garden.
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Favorability: -100
Thoughts: This little wench just can’t shut up, can she.
It then became clear that Siervian’s earlier suspicions were right because of this status window.
“But you have to go there with this father of yours every time. Got it?”
Though he had the same expression on his face, her father’s tone was heavy.
Really, what was going on in that garden?
——
Chapter 46
As she turned to the side, Siervian saw a strange status window.
AD
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Mood: Nervous
Thoughts: What are you planning to do that there’s suddenly a spring picnic…
In this tranquil atmosphere, the empress was feeling tense all by herself.
The spring picnic was Siervian’s request, so this was strange.
What’s going on with the empress?
* * *
“Mm, hm, mm.”
Humming the tune of a song that Jane frequently sang to her, Siervian closely looked at the sephinel flowers to her heart’s content.
The lush garden was filled with the scent of the refreshing sephinel flowers. Just the scent alone would make anyone smile.
Whenever the wind blew, she affectionately watched the white leaves flutter in the breeze.
‘I knew it, it’s really familiar, and it’s so nice.’
She really did like sephinel flowers.
This was because, in her previous life, she saw a fairy inside the bud of a sephinel flower.
AD
There’s a legend saying that the Mana Fairy lived inside a sephinel flower. Maybe she actually saw a fairy there, maybe not.
‘I’ve come back to the past though, so maybe there’s a fairy here, too!’
She didn’t completely dismiss this all as a dream. There was a time when she told herself that she had only deluded herself into thinking that she saw a fairy because she was desperate to be comforted, that’s why she had such a fanciful imagination.
However, after she had returned to the past, she could now be more certain.
‘Can’t we meet each other again?’
She felt faintly nostalgic from the memory, and she felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
It was a fairy that she had been able to meet only once.
“Do you like the flowers that much?” her father asked.
“Yees!”
As Siervian was preoccupied with looking at the flowers, she left the macarons alone for a long time, and the emperor carefully approached her.
Here he was, just wanting to spend some time with his children, yet there the empress was, hellbent on finding out her husband’s ‘plans’.
It was a political marriage, but meeting people from her ducal family a lot lately was tiring.
AD
“Hmm. Isn’t this similar to the flowers in the Imperial Palace?”
“Nooo!”
Siervian sulked for a moment with her cheeks all puffed up as she turned around.
The emperor thought he didn’t say anything wrong though, but he looked at the sephinel flowers again.
Still, he just saw the same thing.
[ Alderuan Erveldote ]
Thoughts: Mmh. It’s a purple flower. The ones that Siervy always looked at for a long time in the palace garden were also purple flowers.
“……”
Her father nodded, but she could clearly see what he was thinking.
What she was looking at in the palace garden were hydrangeas though. How could he say that they were the same!
Despite that, Siervian continued her sephinel sightseeing. No touching with the hands, just look with the eyes.
‘Even though there’s some bad memories, the flowers are still pretty.’
In her previous life, the crown prince had given a sephinel flower to a noble lady.
AD
That noble lady in question was none other than Siervian’s enemy in high society.
Back then, it’s been a few years since the millenary garden had not been open to the public, so the appearance of that sephinel flower inevitably became a hot topic.
‘I was a bit jealous before.’
The crown prince giving the sephinel flower to a different young lady instead of his younger sister had been talked about for a long time.
And it was even more talked about because, of all people, the crown prince had given the flower to the noble lady who was always compared to Siervian in every way possible.
To the point that more rumors were incited that she was a villainess who was inevitably shunned even by her own blood relatives.
“I’ll plant some in the palace.”
The unexpected remark shocked Siervian completely. She looked up at her father.
It was a very serious decision, just as she could see from his status window.
She didn’t know what kind of flower it was, just that she liked it. Her father proposed this just for that reason alone.
“Nooo. That’s not allowed.”
“Then just take one.”
Her father’s simple suggestion once again brought up those memories to the surface.
Her jealousy for that rival for receiving a sephinel flower—and the transgression that she shouldn’t have done.
She had secretly tried to sneak into the millenary garden in her first life.
“But I can’t.”
Though she snuck into the millenary garden at night back then, it had been no less beautiful.
And that’s when Siervian met the Mana Fairy.
’Just one flower. Can I take just one?’
With a nervous heart, Siervian pleaded. She thought that it would comfort her so much to have even just one flower by her side.
The fairy let out a peal of laughter and gave her permission. She couldn’t understand the fairy’s language, but it was clearly permission.
So, she brought the sephinel flower back to the imperial palace with such excitement…
‘I didn’t expect that to happen.’
The very next day, the imperial family was turned upside down.
The sephinel flower bed, the very pride of the millenary garden, had been completely ruined.
’Here is the recording of the last person who went in, Your Majesty!’
There were many magic circles for security measures installed at important spots around the palace. They were magic circles that recorded the likeness of people who came and went through those places.
And, of course, there was a recording of Siervian going into the garden alone at night.
’Who else could it be but that villainess!’
‘She must have gotten jealous of Lady Yphta!’
She had taken only one flower from the garden, but before she knew it, Siervian had become a villainess who ruined the entire flower bed just because she had gotten jealous of her rival.
It was certainly true that she went there alone in the middle of the night without asking for permission.
That’s why, despite the many accusations and criticisms, she remained silent.
Amongst them, what hurt her and made her sad the most was her father’s ferocious anger.
‘I must stop it this time.’
She clearly remembered the date it happened, too.
AD
So, this time, she would stop whatever caused this beautiful sephinel flower bed from being ruined.
“Why can’t you? You’re evidently fond of this flower.”
Though her father continuously suggested for her to take one, she turned him down each time. She kept her thoughts to herself.
Contrary to her previous life, when she had gone through so much to get even one sephinel flower, it was so easy to have one now. It’s a pity that she couldn’t meet the fairy again.
Right then, Siervian impulsively spoke her mind.
“I wish the flowers can stay alive. They’re so pwetty.”
“Mm.”
[ Alderuan Erveldote ]
Thoughts: Such a lovely heart. She’s truly an exemplary member of the Imperial Family.
She only said what she had in her mind, but her father seemed to have taken it another way.
It’s actually quite a relief.
Even if she wouldn’t be able to stop what she knew would happen in the future, he would still trust her as much as he did now.
She would believe that she wasn’t the one who trampled all over the sephinel that she loved very much.
“You’re right, Siervy. So, this Father will give you a present.”
“Present for Sebi?”
“Yes. These sephinel flowers will stay here forever, so the flowers will continue to live.”
Although it was a valuable flower garden, the imperial family often presented the sephinel flower to others as a gift of honor.
Thanks to the romantic symbolism of the flower, it was also used to express the start of a royal courtship.
But then her father stopped it all with what he said just now.
“Woooow!”
Siervian reflexively reacted very happily as she heard that the flowers would be preserved from now on, but then she stopped in her place.
Wasn’t her brother supposed to give one to Lady Yphta? Then this shouldn’t be the case, right?
However, when a big hand patted her head, she soon calmed down.
‘Right. I should just prepare a different present for her.’
* * *
On the way back, everyone including the empress rode the emperor’s carriage.
Because the emperor did not say anything to her as she naturally intervened, Siervian had to go together with them.
‘I should’ve asked Brother to ride with me in the carriage.’
But then if she was seen to have a close relationship with the crown prince, then the empress would not like it.
Even in the midst of nervousness, she was able to sleep comfortably. This was because she ran around the garden all day long.
As the carriage shook moderately, it felt like she was listening to a lullaby.
“Uuung.”
“You must be feeling sleepy.”
“Yees.”
As the small head kept bobbing forward, the emperor was conflicted for a moment.
Then, he carefully picked up his daughter. The small body was cradled in his arms.
“Did you have fun today?”
“Yees. A lot of fun.”
It felt like her father’s chest was shaking slightly.
She raised her head to see, but his face was as aloof as usual.
“Right. The security around the area was a bit of a mess, but it’s not a bad place.”
He’d be the only emperor in the empire who’d say that the millenary garden was merely ‘not bad’.
Thinking about silly things, Siervian turned her head to the side.
As she was in her father’s arms, she felt so cozy that she forgot for a moment, but right then, she saw the empress who was sitting over there.
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Mood: Extremely nervous
Thoughts: Did he notice the secret passage? …No, he shouldn’t have. That can’t be possible.
Because she was so sleepy, she didn’t think much about those words. However.
‘Secret passage?’
She inadvertently looked directly at the empress’ face.
Perhaps it’s because of this that the emperor also glanced at her as well, and in return, the empress showed a benevolent smile.
It’s as if she was adoring the cute whining of her daughter.
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Favorability: -50
Thoughts: It’s frustrating that I can’t go to the treasure room by myself.
Siervian felt goosebumps running up at her spine.
As the empress contemplated alone, Siervian realized one thing.
‘The secret passage at the treasure room is directly connected to the millenary garden!’
She recalled that the candelabra that opened the secret passageway over there was also engraved with a sephinel flower.
Hiding how flustered she was about this revelation, she once again buried her face in her father’s chest.
‘So who sent the thief? Was it the Empress? Or the Duke?’
Her head started hurting.
Her young body was pulling her into slumber already, so it was even more difficult to hold onto her rational thoughts.
‘But why on earth?’
The reason was an important aspect to this situation and yet it was still missing. However, one thing was certain.
That, judging by the empress’ status window, they were somehow involved.
“Sebi, picnic, wanna go more.”
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Favorability: -50
“Mm. It’s not a bad idea to increase security in that place.”
This was all she could do right now.
Fortunately, her father promised at once that he would strengthen the security measures in the millenary garden.
[ Cybelle Erveldote ]
Favorability: -100
Thoughts: This little wench just can’t shut up, can she.
It then became clear that Siervian’s earlier suspicions were right because of this status window.
“But you have to go there with this father of yours every time. Got it?”
Though he had the same expression on his face, her father’s tone was heavy.
Really, what was going on in that garden?
——
