“Your Majesty. The administrator, assistant, and assistant to the Minister of State are all waiting in the grand conference room. There are many decisions to be made with the Imperial Princess.”

Calip immediately noticed Harchen’s glaring gaze and lowered his head.

“I’ll postpone it until tomorrow for now. Shall I bring tea?”

“That won’t be necessary either.”

Harchen grabbed Patricia’s wrist as she came out of the fitting room.

The Empress Dowager, Isabella, Madame Terra and her assistants, the court painter who was sketching, and the maids all gaped as they watched the Emperor take away the Imperial Princess like an eagle snatching its prey.

Patricia, who was walking with her wrist held without knowing why, tried to recall what had happened in the salon that might have angered the Emperor. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t remember doing anything to provoke him.

As they turned a corner in the corridor, Patricia, struggling to keep up with the Emperor’s stride, stopped walking.

“Your Majesty!”

Harchen finally came to his senses and looked down at her.

“My wrist hurts.”

“Huh? Oh.”

He loosened his grip on her wrist and walked a little slower.

The knights standing in front of the corridor office bowed their heads. Harchen grew impatient in front of the office and yanked Patricia.

Bang!

After closing the office door, he immediately went to the reception room, closed the door, and backed her against it. He placed both hands on either side of her head, leaning on the door.

Bending his knees to match her height, he lifted her chin.

Patricia.

“Princess, have you been busy these past three days?”

“Yes. A bit.”

“I’ve been sitting on the bench under the lilacs whenever I had a moment.”

“Ah, I didn’t know.”

“Did you miss me?”

She slightly furrowed her brow. Harchen was too anxious to wait for an answer.

I’m the only one who’s desperate.

“I feel like I’m going crazy, and my patience has run out.”

He lowered his left hand from the door to support the back of her head and tilted his face.

“So I’m going to do what I want.”

“Are you angry?”

Patricia spoke in a calm voice and averted her gaze. Her breath caught and her reason was paralyzed by the sight of his chest rising and falling roughly through his open shirt right in front of her, and the sound of his pounding pulse.

“No.”

He turned her cheek with his right hand to meet her gaze.

“Calm down.”

The Emperor tilted his head, pressing his thumb against her lower lip.

“How, what am I supposed to calm down?”

Patricia had also been concerned about the Emperor and missed him. For three days straight, his gaze and low voice had tangled up her thoughts. She was afraid of the intense, unfamiliar sensation coming alive. It had only been three days, but it felt like ten.

Her reason told her she should push him away, but unlike her reason, her body couldn’t push away his embrace that entwined around her like vines wrapping around a moist plant.

“Patricia.”

At that moment, the Emperor lowered his upper body further, embracing her waist and gently touching her lips. Soon, something hot delved into her mouth. Their hot and soft passions intertwined, seeking each other.

The west wind blows, lingering in my hair. Hair that magically grows longer when touched by the wind… Wind carrying the scent of flowers, stay with me. Hello, Patricia Rose… Patrick Daffodil.

Patricia silently recited the song she used to sing in the West Tower.

Patrick. I changed the lyrics. I don’t want to be a rose anymore. I want to forget the angry rose that bloomed in the West Tower where I was confined and be a peony instead.

Patrick, you’re no longer a pale daffodil either, but a fir tree stretching vigorously towards the sky. Hello, Patricia Peony. Hello, Patrick Fir.

Just before Patricia arrived, the garden soil had been turned over, and the planted flower trees were taking root.

In the garden where the scent of lilacs lingered, the petals of the Winter Daphne bloomed wide, spreading a subtle fragrance. Peonies with large, lush, layered petals also bloomed.

Patricia saw peonies for the first time. White, light pink, dark pink, and red peonies had varying fragrances – delicate, rich, and subtle – according to their different colors. Patricia fell in love with the peony flowers.

“It resembles you, Imperial Princess. Especially this peony.”

Isabella, who was taking an afternoon walk together after having tea, pointed to a light pink peony.

Isabella said that Karsic women’s hair was black or dark brown, so when they decorated their hair with peonies, they used red ones.

“I thought the flower’s meaning didn’t suit the gorgeous peony, but seeing the peony that resembles you, Imperial Princess, it’s a perfect match.”

Isabella cut off a light pink peony with gardening shears and handed it to Patricia.

“It means shyness, bashfulness.”

“Thank you, Imperial Princess Isabella.”

Patrick. You should come before the fully bloomed peony falls. I want to show you Patricia Peony. I’ll introduce you to the kind Imperial Princess Isabella who says I’m like a peony.

“Imperial Princess Risha, are you awake? If you’re going to sleep more, should I put ice in the bedroom?”

At Eva’s voice, Patricia suddenly sat up. She went to the terrace of the reception room in her nightgown. She whistled, looking up at the sky.

“Whistle!”

She made a visor with her hand and looked up at the sky. She whistled a few more times, but Brie wasn’t visible, only the blazing summer sunlight pouring down.

“Eva, make me pretty today.”

“You’re always pretty.”

Eva had selected a dress made of lemon-colored muslin fabric with cream-colored layered lace. Patricia smiled contentedly at her reflection in the mirror.

Eva skillfully divided her hair into four sections and braided them up. She decorated her hair with white Winter Daphne flowers that had been soaked in ice water.

“Everything’s good, but this bothers me.”

Eva gently rubbed Patricia’s nape. Immediately, Patricia’s face in the mirror turned red. A red petal-like mark was visible in the middle of her neck.

It was what the Emperor had left yesterday. Although it had been carefully covered with powder, it quickly reappeared.

Patricia tilted her head, thinking, then smiled brightly and said.

“Annie. Pick one light pink peony.”

“Pardon?”

Annie, understanding Eva’s intention as she rubbed the neck, nodded.

“Just a moment.”

Annie went straight from the reception room terrace to the garden and picked a fully bloomed light pink peony.

Eva fastened a lace choker around her neck and attached the peony.

“Imperial Princess. It’s pretty and perfectly hidden. But please tell His Majesty to be careful from now on.”

“I will.”

Patricia answered half-heartedly and went out to the terrace, leaning on the railing and looking up at the sky. An eagle with a yellow beak was gliding.

“Whistle, whistle. Brie!”

At the sound of the whistle, the eagle descended fiercely and landed on her bent arm. She stroked the eagle’s feathers and gave it a bird kiss on its beak.

“Arrived in the capital Riswan. Patrick.”

“Kyaaak! Eva!”

She ran into the reception room, fluttering towards Eva.

“Eva, Patrick has entered the capital.”

“Ah, thank you, Lady Aldisha. Lady Aldisha has protected him. Please continue to protect Imperial Princess Risha from now on.”

Eva always thanked Aldisha’s soul as if it were nearby when good things happened. Then she pulled her skirt hem to wipe away tears.

“No, Eva. Why are you crying when it’s joyful?”

Patricia was purely happy with an excited heart until she said those words. She asked the head maid to prepare guest rooms for Patrick and Eden.

She wrote thank-you replies for today’s portion of congratulatory gifts in the office. She planned to finish today’s portion before Patrick arrived and spend the entire evening with Patrick and Eden.

Even copying from pre-written samples and adding names lacked focus.

At some point, tears began to fall onto the letter paper.

Like black ink spreading blue, an emotion welled up in her heart and spread.

The sadness that had been suppressed all this time burst forth with relief that Patrick was safely approaching her side after being entangled in Pamila’s schemes and enduring through evil.

Patricia shook her head and composed herself, knowing that if she let her emotions unravel and cried, she wouldn’t be able to recover. She wiped her tears with a handkerchief and tore out three wet letter pages.

After writing and signing the last reply, she was sorting fifty letters when there was a knock and the head maid entered.

“Imperial Princess. Crown Prince Tane has entered the palace. You can go to the main palace entrance now.”

Annie opened a parasol and tilted it at an angle.

At the bottom of the main palace stairs stood the Emperor, Calip, the head chamberlain, and other attendants who had come out to greet them. Patricia curtseyed slightly and stood beside the Emperor.

Harchen snatched the parasol from Annie’s hand. He bent down to enter under the parasol and stared intently at Patricia’s neck.

“A flower has bloomed on your neck?”

He doesn’t let anything slip by. Patricia tilted her head towards the Emperor.

“It’s to cover what Your Majesty made yesterday. My maid worked hard. Please be careful from now on.”

“Huh, there are only three days left until the wedding. If there’s a chance in between.”

The Emperor traced Patricia’s muslin dress neckline with his gloved index finger.

“I’ll keep it only within this line.”

“That won’t happen.”

Flustered Patricia pushed away the Emperor’s hand and looked up at him, rolling her eyes. The Emperor pulled the parasol towards his face and whispered in her ear.

“I can’t promise that.”

“Is your goal to tease me?”

“The ultimate goal is to seduce you.”

She didn’t say, You’re already fatal. Patricia forgot about her goal of divorce in a year whenever the Emperor seduced her.

The seducing Emperor was a problem, but Patricia couldn’t believe herself for falling for it every second.

The Emperor returned the parasol to Annie and stood beside Patricia, placing his hand on her back.

Patricia, who had been watching the fountain’s fierce stream of water shoot high into the sky, took Annie’s hand and tilted the parasol back.

Annie, sensing Patricia’s presence, raised her toes and chin and gestured.

“Imperial Princess. The carriages are here.”

Clop clop clop.

Following the sound of hooves, three carriages came rushing in. Five escort knights came on horseback. One of them was Eden Patterson.

Sir Eden.

His dark blue cloak spread like wings, and the silver hair of the sturdy knight, Eden, shone particularly brightly.

The three carriages stopped in a line. From the back carriage, court physicians, an old blind woman of the Heun clan, and attendants alighted.

Then, from the front carriage, after the attendants, Patrick stepped out. Patricia took one step, two steps forward from under the shade of the parasol.

Patricia scanned Patrick’s entire body. He was of average height with a slender build, but dressed in Crown Prince attire complete with a ceremonial cloak.

Brushing back his glossy blonde hair, he looked healthier than when they parted in Tane. His face, which had been green, was now white.

“Risha!”

Patrick, upon spotting Patricia, quickly approached her.

Patricia extended her gloved hand for him to kiss, but Patrick grabbed her hand and hugged her tightly.

That bastard.

A grinding sound came from the Emperor’s jawbone. He frowned.

To the Emperor, they both had delicate builds, but Patrick was slightly taller and had broader shoulders, so Patricia was fully enveloped in his embrace.

They may be blood relatives. Their similar faces and identical blonde hair intertwined. It was annoyingly sexy.

The Emperor’s eyes rolled back.