Don't Pick That Flower (2 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 7

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The farther north they traveled into the empire, the colder the weather became. With every breath, white vapor rose like mist.

It was only October, yet already this cold. Irene was already worried about how much colder it would get once winter truly set in.

Ah, first I should probably figure out how to survive until then.

And before that, I should think about ways to escape.

Irene leaned against the carriage and watched Carlos, who was standing a few paces away talking with Dewey.

Perhaps because they’d spent the past ten days together, Carlos no longer seemed as terrifying and frightening as he had when they first met. It also helped that he hadn’t done anything to her at all.

He had acted strangely back in Montro, but only that one time. Since then, he’d done nothing—and had even personally stepped in to rescue her when she was in danger.

‘He even treated my wounds himself.’

Not only that—he’d provided her with fine clothing and fed her delicious meals to her heart’s content. Given all this, her once fortress-like wariness had gradually begun to crumble.

“Irene.”

…Still, he’s scary.

When Carlos called her name, Irene flinched and hunched her shoulders. Still, unlike before, she didn’t avert her gaze from him or step backward.

Carlos strode over to Irene and said,

“We need to reach the Esper Territory by today, so I’ll have to ride a horse myself.”

“A horse?”

“Yes. Riding a horse directly is faster than taking the carriage.”

“Well, that makes sense, but I don’t know how to ride a horse.”

Horseback riding was fundamentally a noble’s pastime. As a commoner who had spent her entire life confined indoors, Irene had no chance of knowing how to ride.

“Don’t worry. You’ll ride with me.”

“Oh.”

At Irene’s short gasp, Carlos’s eyebrow arched slightly.

“You don’t trust my riding skills, I see.”

“No, no! It’s not that—I was just worried I might be a burden to you…”

“Not at all, so don’t worry.”

With that brief reply, something fluttered before her eyes and soon settled over her head and shoulders—a thick robe shielding her from the biting wind.

“Wear this. It’ll be cold on horseback.”

See? He’s being unusually kind. Irene pulled the robe tighter and quietly murmured her thanks.

While Irene and Carlos spoke, Dewey prepared one of the carriage horses for them to ride.

Once everything was ready, Carlos grasped Irene’s waist and lifted her up in one swift motion.

“Oh!”

Startled, Irene instinctively grabbed the reins tightly as she found herself suddenly atop the horse, her upper body bent like a bow.

“Straighten your back. Lift your chest too.”

Carlos, who had mounted behind her, adjusted her posture himself. As she followed his instructions, she soon found herself leaning back against his chest.

“Do I really have to stay like this?”

“Yes. If you hunch over because you’re scared, you’ll be more likely to fall off. Just relax and lean against me.”

Was that even possible? Her heart pounded wildly at the slightest contact—how could she possibly relax?

Still, it was better than falling off, so Irene tried her best not to think about Carlos and kept her eyes fixed straight ahead.

The horse carrying them stepped forward powerfully. Riding at speed, she could clearly feel the sharp, icy wind slicing through her clothes.

Thanks to the thick robe Carlos had given her, Irene wasn’t cold—but he was. He wore only a thin outer coat with no protection against the cold.

“Aren’t you cold?”

When she asked out of concern, a low chuckle sounded above her head.

“Are you worried about me?”

She was worried, but hearing him ask it like that made her feel awkward. Irene tightened her grip on the reins unnecessarily.

“I’m not cold. Are you?”

“No. The robe is warm, so I’m not cold at all.”

“Good. Once we reach the Esper Territory, it’ll be warmer, so just bear with it a little longer if you feel cold.”

Warmer once they reached the territory? Had he mistaken the name of the castle?

“We’ll arrive in about half a day. If it gets too hard, just say so. We can take a break.”

“Yes.”

After that, neither of them exchanged further words. Even during their brief rest stop, Carlos and Irene sat apart from each other, gazing in different directions.

Trending

After riding for a long while, they finally emerged from the forest. Not far ahead, imposing castle walls came into view.

Irene immediately recognized it as the Esper Territory, even without anyone telling her. The walls stretched endlessly, just as Dewey had claimed—this territory truly was larger than the capital itself.

They would soon enter the Esper Territory. Though she’d known this was coming, Irene still felt nervous now that the moment had arrived. She swallowed hard and slowly parted her lips.

“…May I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“What should I… do once we’re in the Esper Territory?”

It was a slightly rephrased version of the question she really wanted to ask: why had he brought her here? If she knew what task he intended for her, she might uncover his true purpose.

Please, just let it not be anything strange. Her anxiety intensified, and her mouth went dry.

Irene waited tensely for Carlos’s answer.

But Carlos remained silent for a long while.

Was it difficult for him to answer? Or did he simply not want to?

Just as Irene, tired of waiting, was about to ask which it was, Carlos finally spoke.

“You may do anything you wish.”

His voice blended with the rustling of leaves in the wind, echoing eerily around them.

“Except running away, of course.”

*

Irene had thought Carlos had mistakenly called the Esper Castle the “Esper Territory,” but she was wrong.

As soon as they crossed the sturdy walls surrounding the territory, a gentle, spring-like warmth enveloped them. She’d heard the Esper Territory was so cold that crops struggled to grow—had that been a lie?

‘That can’t be.’

It wasn’t just anyone who’d said it—it was Dewey.

Then why was it so warm? Surely they couldn’t have activated some magical temperature-regulating device across the entire territory.

Curious, Irene looked around. The bustling streets were full of lively people—a sight unimaginable in Silas’s territory, which housed only about a hundred households.

Truly, a major city was different. While marveling at the territory, she soon arrived at Esper Castle.

As Carlos approached, the guards immediately lowered the drawbridge. Clack, clack—the sound of hooves echoed loudly.

The first feeling Irene had upon entering the castle was suffocation. The towering castle, reaching endlessly toward the sky, seemed ready to collapse and crush her at any moment.

It wasn’t that Esper Castle looked old or shabby—it was incredibly solid and majestic, which only made it feel more oppressive. It even gave off a somewhat desolate impression.

Noticing Irene instinctively shrinking into herself, Carlos asked,

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“My lord.”

At that moment, a woman’s voice rang out. Turning, Irene saw a blonde woman in deep navy-blue attire and a tall man beside her dressed in slightly lighter blue.

As the man approached, Carlos handed him the reins and dismounted. Then he held out both hands toward Irene.

“Come here.”

He meant to carry her down. Though reluctant, Irene had no confidence getting down by herself, so she had no choice but to place herself in his hands.

“Jesse.”

When Carlos called her name, the woman—Jesse—hurried over. Carlos formally introduced her to Irene.

“This is Jesse. She’ll be your personal maid from now on. If you need anything, just tell her.”

“My… personal maid?”

Stunned that she—a commoner—was being granted noble-like treatment, Irene repeated the words in disbelief. Carlos simply nodded.

Still unable to believe it, Irene slowly blinked and turned to look at Jesse. Jesse, meeting Irene’s wavering blue eyes, smiled sweetly, her eyes curving like crescent moons.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lady. My name is Jesse. I’ll do my utmost to ensure your stay at Esper Castle is as comfortable as possible.”

She really had a maid now. Irene’s mouth fell open in astonishment at this unexpected luxury.

“Then let me show you to your room, my lady. Please follow me.”

Irene didn’t immediately follow Jesse but instead turned to look at Carlos. Carlos gave a slight nod of his chin, urging her to go.

Only then did Irene move, following Jesse into the castle.

The ceilings were so high she had to crane her neck, the corridors as wide as open fields, and the marble floors polished spotless—along with lavish wall decorations, the castle’s interior was vast and opulent.

“The Esper Castle is broadly divided into the main castle and the inner keep. There are also several other buildings, but you likely won’t need to visit them. If you do, I’ll explain then.”

While Irene was overwhelmed by the sights, Jesse began explaining the castle layout, and Irene perked up her ears to listen carefully.

“You’ll be staying in the bedroom at the end of the east corridor on the fourth floor. For your reference, my lord’s bedroom is at the end of the west corridor on the same floor.”

Why was she telling her where Carlos’s room was?

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Confused by this odd remark, Irene stared blankly at Jesse, who simply smiled in response.

After listening to Jesse’s explanations for a while, they finally arrived at the bedroom at the end of the east corridor on the fourth floor.

Unlike the grand and majestic castle interior, the room was delightfully cozy—a white canopy bed adorned with lace, a pink bedspread, and fluffy carpets. It looked like a room fit for a fairy-tale princess.

“Am I really allowed to stay in such a wonderful place?”

“Of course.”

Jesse answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“You’re precious to my lord, after all.”

That was strange.

Precious to that man?

Convinced Jesse must be mistaken, Irene opened her mouth to correct her—but Jesse spoke first.

“You may go anywhere inside the castle freely, except for my lord’s private quarters.”

“Does that mean… I can’t go outside the castle?”

“No. You may go out if you receive my lord’s permission.”

Which was practically the same as saying she couldn’t leave—Carlos would never grant her permission to go out.

“If you’d like to explore the territory, shall I ask my lord for you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Since the outcome was obvious—and asking might risk Carlos realizing she wanted to escape—Irene quickly refused.

“Then I’ll prepare your bathwater so you can freshen up.”

As Jesse headed toward the bathroom, she suddenly gasped as if remembering something and stopped abruptly.

“Oh, there’s one more thing I almost forgot to mention.”

She turned around, her expression serious.

“Please never go up to the top of the north tower, my lady. It’s dangerous.”

To Irene’s ears, Jesse’s warning sounded like this:

There’s a secret hidden at the top of the north tower—never go up there.

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