“Kasha unni! Margaret unni!”

As soon as they entered the Grand Duke’s residence, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard and Eve appeared.

“I was so nervous yesterday that I couldn’t sleep! Hehe.”

Her face was flushed, and her hair was only half-braided.

Behind Eve, a maid could be seen hurriedly coming down the stairs.

“Young lady! How could you run out like that in the middle of getting ready!”

“Hehe. The unnis are here! Now I have two close unnis.”

As if she didn’t know what to do with her excitement, Eve clung to Kasha and Margaret’s clothes with both hands.

How adorable she looked, expressing such intimacy like a puppy after meeting only two or three times while conspiring to prepare for the tea party.

Kasha gently stroked Eve’s platinum blonde hair.

“Still, finish braiding your hair before coming.”

“Okay! Got it, Kasha unni!”

Eve answered energetically and ran to the maid.

Kasha savored the soft texture of the hair that remained on her hand.

Hair the same color as Leon’s.

Would his hair be this soft and fragrant too?

If she touched it, what kind of expression would he make?

‘He gets so flustered just from holding hands.’

Kasha realized she was smiling as she thought about this.

As she paused to compose her expression, Margaret gestured from the other side.

“Kasha! I told them to arrange the tables in the garden. Let’s go take a look.”

“Okay.”

Kasha answered briefly before approaching her.

The two had become quite close in just four days. They had even decided to speak informally to each other on their second meeting.

The two crossed the reception room leading to the garden side by side.

This was already their third visit to the Grand Duke’s residence. They had become quite familiar with the layout of the mansion inside and out.

The servants passing by also greeted them as if they were familiar.

Margaret marveled anew at the arched stained glass decorating the door leading to the garden.

“This looks like an early imperial style. It’s something you’d have a hard time seeing even in a museum.”

“I see.”

At Kasha’s indifferent response, Margaret chuckled.

“When you first asked me to help prepare for the Grand Duchess’s tea party, I thought you were joking. Who would have thought we’d end up coming and going from the Grand Duke’s residence like it was our own home?”

“Hmm.”

“You know what, Kasha? The number of young ladies who have been invited to the Grand Duke’s residence can be counted on one hand throughout the entire social circle.”

“Really?”

“That’s right. If everyone knew about this, there would be an uproar. They might even spill wine glasses on our dresses out of jealousy this time.”

‘…It seems Margaret hasn’t experienced the wine glass attack yet.’

Kasha paused in her thoughts. Margaret had naturally linked arms with her.

“When I’m with you, Kasha, it feels like good things keep happening.”

“Me too.”

Kasha had now become able to respond naturally to Margaret’s friendly gestures.

It seemed that a ‘friend’ was someone who could reveal their heart more candidly than expected. Kasha’s smile as she faced Margaret had also become much more natural than before.

At that moment, a servant approached and set down a table. Seeing this, Margaret quickly waved her hand.

“No, no. Not there. Place it over here so we can overlook the entire garden.”

Margaret pointed to the courtyard in front of the fountain surrounded by a colonnade and said firmly.

“Yes, miss.”

“Hmm. Since we deliberately chose the location in front of the fountain, shall we go with a cooler color scheme?”

Margaret began comparing color schemes as she looked at the tablecloths brought out by the maids.

Then, turning to the maids, she said:

“I mentioned it last time, didn’t I? The main theme of this party is freshness. I want to create an atmosphere so cool that you forget it’s summer. Could you ask the gardener to fill a basket with blue flowers?”

“Yes, miss.”

Kasha, watching the maids busily setting down the tablecloths, suddenly interjected.

“I’ll go find the gardener. You’re… taking care of everything here anyway.”

“Would you? Thanks, Kasha.”

Although she had asked for help, Margaret was handling everything so perfectly that Kasha herself had little to contribute.

It felt awkward to just stand there alone, so this seemed like a good opportunity.

‘I should find the gardener first.’

She picked up a basket lying nearby and headed into the garden.

As expected of the Grand Duke’s residence, it occupied a vast area even within the capital.

This garden was full of not only meticulously trimmed garden trees but also various exotic and rare plants.

The grounds were so extensive that it would take quite some time to find the gardener.

Wandering through the vast garden, Kasha soon forgot about finding the gardener and began to focus on observing the plants.

“Oh? This is a wild herb that only grows… in the Southern Continent.”

Even Kasha, who had quite a bit of knowledge about plants, saw many plants for the first time.

“This is bloodstop… It’s hard to find. Ah. This is an herb that helps reduce fever.”

She gathered a few leaves of bloodstop and other medicinal herbs as if entranced.

‘If I make tea with this herb, it might help Leon…’

Having forgotten her original purpose and now engrossed in plant hunting, Kasha reached the corner of the north garden.

Perhaps because the owners rarely visited this far, tall grass had grown around a small, seemingly abandoned greenhouse.

‘It’s hot.’

Kasha looked for shade to cool off.

There was a tall broadleaf tree growing near the abandoned greenhouse.

As she was cooling off in its shade, Kasha’s eyes widened as she discovered a small grassy area adorned with tiny purple flowers.

“This is… self-heal.”

Kasha blankly stared at the short plants.

‘If you pluck and suck on the flower of self-heal, it tastes sweet.’

A suddenly surfacing memory. A face she thought she had completely forgotten.

‘It’s been a while since I thought of mother.’

With that thought, Kasha unconsciously reached out towards the flower.

As she gently plucked the purple flower cluster and put it in her mouth, a sweet and nostalgic taste spread.

It felt like returning to a distant time, as if from a previous life’s previous life.

As she closed her eyes for a while, savoring the taste, Kasha suddenly sensed a presence.

Slowly opening her eyes, she saw someone observing her with arms crossed.

Shimmering silver hair. Deep, pale green eyes. Pale skin and a thin frame exuding a sickly atmosphere.

The beautiful young man she had seen in the portrait in Leon’s study was standing before her. Now grown into a tall adult man.

“Anthony Aranias?”

At the name that inadvertently slipped from Kasha’s lips, the man slightly furrowed his brow. That expression perfectly matched his irritable and sickly aura.

“You know my name. Even though we’ve never met.”

At his sharp response, Kasha replied with a slightly embarrassed face.

“Ah. I saw… a portrait. In Leon’s… study.”

Anthony Aranias, Leon’s eldest younger brother, looked intrigued upon hearing Kasha’s words.

“In brother Leon’s study, you say?”

“Yes.”

As Kasha replied with a calm face, Anthony showed a gentle smile. Surprisingly, his irritable atmosphere disappeared in an instant.

“Ah. I see you must be that person. The lady who has been visiting the mansion often lately. I heard you’re helping with Eve’s tea party preparations.”

“Yes. I’m Kasha Lyuschino.”

Kasha introduced herself with a slight curtsy, following social etiquette.

Hearing Kasha’s name, Anthony made a strange expression. However, he quickly composed himself before she raised her head and acknowledged her greeting.

“…I see. Pleased to meet you. My little sister must be causing you much trouble.”

“Not at all.”

Despite Kasha’s unsociable short answer, Anthony continued speaking with a smile.

“But this is quite a remote area. How did you end up here?”

“For Eve’s tea party… flowers are needed, so I was… looking around the garden.”

Anthony seemed to understand her explanation. He glanced around briefly.

“You could have asked the gardener to do that.”

“I was… looking for the gardener.”

“I see. Let me find one for you. What kind of flowers should they pick?”

“Blue ones. The type… doesn’t matter.”

“Ah, I see.”

He nodded in understanding.

Kasha gazed at his profile, which looked as if it had been drawn with a delicate brush.

‘He really doesn’t resemble Leon at all.’

Just then, as if he had read her thoughts, Anthony turned to her with a grin.

“I’m quite different from my brother Leon, aren’t I?”

“Ah.”

As Kasha became flustered, Anthony shrugged slightly as if it were nothing.

“That’s usually the first thing people say when they meet me.”

After saying that, he spread his arms as if guiding the way and smiled as if painted. Kasha stared at him blankly.

A holy knight with outstanding looks, skills, and popularity. In contrast, Anthony had been sickly since childhood and still regularly relied on the temple’s care.

So he probably couldn’t attend the academy. Despite his beautiful appearance, given the current circumstances of the Grand Duke’s family, it would be difficult for him to stand out in social circles.

Presumably, he had lived a life of constant comparison to his brother.

A life where one’s mere existence is someone else’s disappointment and shame. Kasha knew all too well how much that could eat away at a person. After all, that had been her entire life until recently.

Kasha met Anthony’s eyes and slowly spoke.

“You may not… resemble him, but… Anthony, unlike Leon… you are very kind.”

“Pardon?”

Anthony, who had been waiting for her to move, raised his silver eyebrows as if surprised by her words.

“And, you are… very pretty. Much more so… than Leon.”

Anthony blinked for a moment at Kasha’s tone, which was too serious and sincere to be a joke, then gave a small laugh. However, it seemed much more natural than the beautifully painted smile from earlier.

“…You’re an interesting person. Enough to catch brother Leon’s attention, I see.”

Saying this, Anthony, who had been quietly gazing into Kasha’s eyes, suddenly turned his gaze and pointed towards the mansion.

“Shall we go now?”

“Yes.”

As Kasha walked following him, her eyes suddenly fell on the abandoned greenhouse.

“By the way, that greenhouse… it’s not in use now, is it?”

Anthony seemed to hesitate for a moment at her question. But he soon replied in a calm tone.

“Yes. It’s a greenhouse my late mother used for growing medicinal herbs.”

“Ah, I see.”

Kasha nodded indifferently and continued walking after him.

That’s when it happened.

Stumble.

“Ouch!”

Kasha fell helplessly. There had been an unexpected rock protruding from a spot perfectly hidden by the grass.

“Are you alright… No, you’re bleeding!”

Anthony, who had reached out to help Kasha, stopped short.

Of all places, there had been a broken piece of glass where she had put her hand. Red blood quickly began to flow over Kasha’s pale palm.

“Oh no…”

Anthony searched his pockets with a troubled expression, then bit his lip.

“I didn’t bring a handkerchief. Let’s quickly return to the mansion. I’ll call for a doctor.”

“Ah, yes. Just a moment.”

The mention of a handkerchief reminded her of something.

Kasha rummaged through her dress pocket.

Soon, a snow-white handkerchief appeared in her hand.
It had a golden border and the initials ‘L. M. A’ embroidered on it.
Anthony’s expression became peculiar again upon seeing it, but Kasha was too busy struggling to tie the handkerchief to notice.
Trying to fasten the handkerchief with one hand wasn’t as easy as she thought.
‘If you don’t have teeth, use your gums.’
As she was about to use her teeth to tie the handkerchief, Anthony, seemingly frustrated, grabbed her hand.
Kasha tried to shake it off in surprise, but he was unexpectedly strong.
He took the handkerchief she had been struggling with and began to gently wrap it around her hand.
“You could have just asked for help, you know?”
“……”
Feeling a bit awkward, Kasha blankly watched him tend to her wound.
Anthony had long, delicate fingers. His hands were soft, without a single callus.
Just as he was about to tie the knot after wrapping the handkerchief,
“…What are you doing?”
A clear voice that seemed to tug at the heartstrings no matter when it was heard came from nearby.