Klaus de Valtesar…

Klaus was walking through the corridor of the colonnade, which crossed the garden, to head towards the prince’s palace.

At that moment, a breeze from the garden brushed past Klaus. Inadvertently looking towards the garden, his sight was filled with blooming rose flowers.

Drawn by their fragrance, Klaus, unexpectedly, moved his steps towards the garden instead of the well-maintained corridor.

Rows of carefully cultivated white roses in the royal garden seemed to guide the way on both sides.

As Klaus walked along this path, he suddenly turned his head at the familiar scent carried by the wind. There, a woman with blonde hair, spreading a white dress, was walking towards somewhere.

Unlike the excessively voluminous Rugbelzette-style dress that extended below the waist, the woman’s dress showcased a graceful silhouette, revealing her feminine curves distinctly.

Wrapped around her legs and fluttering in the breeze, the ethereal dress created a mysterious atmosphere.

Klaus became curious about the identity of the woman freely strolling in the royal garden. If she were the blonde woman who had attended the masked ball…

Inadvertently following her, drawn by the scent carried by the wind, Klaus was taken aback when she turned her head with the sudden gust of wind.

Accompanied by the rich scent of roses, Klaus froze in place.

Though the sunlight hindered a clear view, the moment the woman turned to look at him, he felt his heart pounding.

“Sir Duke?”

The voice of the familiar woman reached him.

After staring blankly for a while, Klaus realized that she was Roselia.

“Roselia…?”

Unlike the stiff dresses she had always worn since the masquerade ball, her appearance had changed remarkably, surprising Klaus.

Though the costume had changed slightly, the transformation in her atmosphere was bewildering.

Certainly, it seemed to be a Lapelios-style dress… Were Lapelios dresses always so revealing?

Despite the silhouette being a bit different, and not particularly exposing, Klaus couldn’t help but feel disconcerted by the lack of a clear focal point.

“What are you doing here?”

His voice, surprisingly composed despite the confusion, rang out.

Looking around awkwardly, Roselia, who had been glancing nervously, broke into a subtle smile.

“I guess… I seem to have lost my way.”

Watching her awkwardly laugh, Klaus found himself dumbfounded.

Contrary to his disconcerted feelings, her smile seemed particularly radiant today.

Perhaps it was because the sun was shining too brightly today, Klaus thought, deliberately brushing off the odd sensation, maintaining a composed expression.

“Weren’t you supposed to have teatime with the Princess?”

At Klaus’s straightforward question, Roselia awkwardly brushed her hair behind her ear.
“Yes… Somehow, I ended up here. Haha…”

Rogelia’s embarrassed yet stylish laughter left Klaus’s inner thoughts in disarray.

Klaus cleared his throat deliberately and spoke calmly, “If you go this way, it leads to the prince’s palace. The princess’s palace is on the opposite side.”

“Oh… I almost got into big trouble.”

Rogelia, who had been quite serious as if realizing an important fact, expressed sincere gratitude with a wide smile.

“Thank you, Duke.”

Rogelia, who slightly lifted the edge of her thin skirt, bowed politely, wearing a modest smile.

As she walked towards the direction Klaus pointed out, Klaus slowly raised one hand to cover his face.

The wind, carrying the scent of roses, brushed Klaus’s forehead as it passed.

Through the long fingers covering his face like a mask, his face was blushing.

Klaus, confused by his own reaction, roughly swept his face and let out a complicated sigh.

Despite his bewildered expression, his gaze still lingered towards the direction where Rogelia had disappeared.

????????????

“Miss Rogelia, where have you been, and now you’re returning?”

Suddenly, Princess Beatrice, who had changed into a Lapelios-style dress after the wardrobe change, welcomed her along with Closet and Icelia.

Rogelia, wearing an awkward smile, scratched her head.

“Oh… I went out to the garden for a moment and ended up losing my way.”

“Oh dear… The royal garden is a bit complex. Especially the garden in front of the princess’s palace connects to the prince’s palace, making it even more confusing.”

Rogelia, who had almost gone to the prince’s palace, smiled awkwardly at Icelia’s kind explanation.

Closet, who approached her side, swirled around, showing off a very feminine figure.

“How about me, Rogelia?”

While Rogelia exuded a very feminine and mysterious atmosphere, Closet, on the other hand, emitted a lively and vibrant mood, like a mermaid rising from underwater.

Instead of a rich and exaggerated dress with a childlike feel, her light and airy dress, flowing naturally along her body lines, made her appear more mature.

Rogelia smiled proudly at Closet, who was getting closer and displayed a more feminine pose.

“What do you think, Rogelia?”

Rogelia, feeling closer to femininity, looked at Closet with a proud smile.