“Ah, the weather is nice today, so I’m going to read outside.”

Raoul inhaled the air like a puppy chasing the scent of spring.

“You’re right, I can smell flowers.”

“Here?”

“Yes.”

Diana turned her head to look around, but there were no wildflowers, not even a small vase, near the training ground.

‘Can the scent of flowers from the garden reach here?’

Raoul looked at Diana, who was just blinking her eyes gently, and let out a small chuckle.

“Where are you going to be?”

“I’m heading to the annex. I heard the cherry blossoms are in full bloom there.”

“I’ll join you. Wait for me.”

Before Diana could answer, Raoul picked up his sword again and headed towards Vincent.

Watching his retreating figure, she felt a strange sensation, as if butterflies were flying in her stomach.

She clenched and unclenched her fingers, which had turned pink, trying to shake off the ticklish feeling, and quickly moved away.

As she left the main building and headed towards the annex, a picturesque scene came into view.

The garden, which her mother had once tended to with great care, was filled with colorful primroses and pansies, and pink rain fell from the cherry trees planted at the entrance to the forest.

Diana was momentarily mesmerized by the beautiful sight before quickly spreading a large cloth under the biggest tree and sitting down.

‘It’s like heaven.’

She put down her fruit lunch box and book beside her and fully enjoyed the natural scenery.

In the quiet stillness, the peaceful sound of birds could be heard, making her wonder if this was paradise.

‘If only Father wasn’t the villain, there would be no reason to leave this place…’

She imagined Arnel in flames in the future.

The streets’ waterways would overflow with blood from the rebels’ attack, and red letters filled with the enemy’s hatred would be inscribed on every wall.

The Duke’s head would be displayed on the castle walls, and by then, Diana should have already left the castle.

‘This peace is only temporary.’

She swallowed the bitter aftertaste and opened her etiquette book after a long time.

‘I need to attend social gatherings more often to improve my dancing skills, but I lack practical experience.’

She sighed, gently touching a falling cherry blossom petal with her finger.

‘With these skills, I probably can’t even approach Peniche?’

Peniche was the young viscount of the Hestion family, known for their high pride.

‘If I want to make money in the future, I must attend his fourteenth birthday party no matter what…’

Diana thought of the man who would become her source of funds in the future.

‘My golden goose… the genius painter Paisar…’

Suddenly filled with passion, Diana jumped up from her seat.

‘Just reading books won’t do. I need to practice.’

She stood with her feet shoulder-width apart and awkwardly raised her arms.

As she moved her body unsteadily, as if dancing with someone, she looked like a pigeon that hadn’t flown for a long time.

After dancing like that for a while, Diana, out of breath, collapsed and lay down.

‘The sky is really blue…’

Warm air, a pleasantly tired body, a peaceful atmosphere.

Intoxicated by the gentle spring breeze, Diana’s vision blurred.

‘I wonder when Raoul will finish…’

Before her next thought could form, she fell into a deep sleep.

After sleeping sweetly for a while, without even dreaming, she woke up to the soft sound of someone turning pages.

‘When did I fall asleep?’

“Are you awake?”

Raoul, who had arrived at an unknown time, was sitting beside her, reading a book.

“When did you get here?”

“About 30 minutes ago.”

“Why didn’t you…”

She rubbed her eyes, trying to chase away the sleepiness.

Raoul looked at her, still drunk with sleep, and slightly raised the book he was holding.

“You got the steps wrong earlier.”

“…What?”

Looking at the book cover, she saw it was the etiquette book she had been reading earlier. Gasp, Diana’s face turned red as if it might burst at any moment.

“…Don’t tell me you saw?”

“You were dancing when I arrived.”

“…No, why did you…”

Diana covered her face and slid down.

Feeling too embarrassed, she lowered her gaze and tried to lean her head against the tree trunk, but Raoul quickly slipped his hand between the tree and her head.

“You’ll hurt yourself.”

At that ticklish movement, Diana quickly pulled away. Raoul lowered his hand that was now suspended in the air and gazed intently at her reddened face.

‘Peach.’

Recently, Diana looked just like a sun-ripened peach to him.

No matter what he said, she would avoid his eyes and blush, and if he got even a little closer, she would shrink back shyly.

That appearance looked sweet and delicate, like the tender fruit said to come from the south.

“Are you embarrassed about this too?”

“…Huh?”

“I was just trying to be careful so you wouldn’t get hurt.”

“…I know that.”

Diana smiled awkwardly and avoided his eyes.

Seeing her expression quickly change to a gloomy one, this time he was reminded of the white rabbit he had seen before.

‘Rabbit, peach, what’s next?’

A strange curiosity arose.

As Diana rolled her eyes in embarrassment, Raoul put down the book and asked,

“Practice with me.”

“What?”

“Dancing, I mean.”

“…With you?”

“This is a dance for two, right? You keep making mistakes because you’re practicing alone.”

Raoul recalled the situation from earlier.

Diana hadn’t noticed, but Raoul had been watching her dance practice for quite a while.

After finishing his swordsmanship lesson, he saw Diana in front of the annex, stumbling like a newborn calf.

It was a clumsy, almost pitiful gesture. But, that awkward dance wasn’t bad.

The way she moved clumsily and quickly tired out, and how she fell into a deep sleep outdoors so defenseless, was so absurd and funny that he kept letting out small laughs.

This was the Diana he had observed for three years.

A ‘naive, harmless, and unable to hide her feelings’ ordinary girl whose most daring act in private was secretly dancing.

Perhaps that’s why his eyes kept being drawn to her.

Raoul had been deceived for a long time by people with dark intentions.

The sinister thoughts hidden behind smiling faces always hurt the young Lycan.

As Raoul sat next to the sleeping Diana, the scent of flowers he had smelled at the training ground wafted over.

He could feel his heart soften at the gentle fragrance that had become familiar to him.

‘You’re a noble too. A greedy noble… But why are you always so nice to me? Why do you keep making me want to rely on you?’

Instead of answering, she revealed two pearly teeth through her slightly parted lips.

The small, white, blunt, and soft-looking teeth seemed too harmless to hurt anyone.

“You’re different from ordinary humans, aren’t you?”

Raoul asked, but Diana, deep in sleep, remained silent.

How much time had passed like that? As the sun moved and the shade disappeared, Diana made a sound, her eyelids twitching as if about to wake up.

Raoul finally came to his senses and picked up the book.

As he skimmed through the page she had folded, Diana slowly raised her body. That was just a moment ago.

Diana hesitated for a moment, blankly looking down at the hand offered to her.

“…Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, that’s why I’m suggesting we do this.”

“…Okay.”

Raoul stood up first.

Diana hesitated for a moment at the sudden development, but eventually stood up, unable to resist his urging gaze.

“Place your left hand on my shoulder.”

Gasp, Diana took a deep breath.

Naturally, the distance between them narrowed, and guided by his gentle lead, Diana’s hand rested on Raoul’s shoulder.

“You hold one hand like this.”

Diana flinched as an unfamiliar warmth filled the spaces between her fingers.

‘What kind of situation is this?’

Raoul placed his hand on Diana’s waist and spread their interlocked hands wide.

“I’ll adjust to you next. Move your feet like you did earlier.”

Diana awkwardly took steps. She stepped on Raoul’s feet several times, but he didn’t mind.

Instead, he pulled Diana’s waist more firmly, supporting her.

Spring flowers were fluttering behind them, and the boy standing close to Diana was picture-perfect.

When their eyes met as she glanced up, Raoul moved his lips without making a sound.

“Focus.”

‘Ah, why is my crush such a guilty human?’

Diana felt like she might cry.

The two people who had boarded the train of the original story were heading towards different final destinations.

Diana would part ways with him at a different station first, but this cinematic moment was certainly a masterpiece scene she would replay countless times throughout her life.