Leaving Hertian’s room, I sought the butler again. I intended to get him some mahogany because Jackson’s skin disease had improved a lot. It was easy to get it at the herbal shop in the capital, but there didn’t seem to be a suitable place here.

“Madam, is there something you are curious about?”

“Butler, you mentioned that there are herbs in the Duke’s castle, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“I’d like to see them, can you show me?”

Usually, noble households have glass greenhouses where the temperature is controlled. The Blan Dičić estate had severe wind and low temperatures, making it unsuitable for plant growth.

I didn’t see any glass greenhouses when I looked around the mansion, so there must be another place.

“Of course. Please follow me.”

The butler opened a door deep inside the Duke’s castle and led me. The place he guided me to was not a glass greenhouse or a garden, but an underground staircase.

“Here?”

“It’s exactly at the end of the stairs.”

The butler handed me a lantern.

It seemed there was a dungeon below, barely audible with the breaths of the prisoners.

Do plants really grow there?

Without a doubt, I took the lantern from the butler and headed straight down.

“Please have a safe journey, Madam.”

The butler did not follow me but bowed at the door.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“I have some work to do.”

It was scary to go alone.

‘But I need to find the herbs.’

I pushed my heavy legs and descended the stairs.

How far underground did I come?

Descending was good, but looking ahead, it seemed daunting to return. So, that’s why the butler didn’t follow me.

“Just let there be nothing. Just let a strange prison come out!”

Blaming the butler for no reason, I reached the end of the stairs. In front of me was a wooden door that stood tall, just like an entrance.

When I pulled on the door, which looked like a prison door at first glance.

“Wow.”

I couldn’t help but marvel at the landscape that spread out before me.

It felt like a scene from a movie. A vast land. A field of grass stretched out under an unknown bright light pouring from the ceiling.

As soon as I stepped in, the smell of earth tickled my nostrils.

“It really is here?”

There really was a garden with growing grass, blooming flowers, and fluttering butterflies.

How could there be a garden in such an underground? It was mysterious.

“But it’s warm here.”

Another strange point was that it became warmer as I went down the stairs.

It felt like freezing just a few steps up, but it was warm here.

There was even a small stream running next to the field. The more I looked, the more unusual the place was. Because of that, I suddenly had a ridiculous thought.

“I wonder if it’s okay to bring a bed here and live?”

The temperature here seemed similar to the capital.

“First, let’s find the flowers and then go up.”

First, I rolled up my sleeves and started looking for flowers. The colorful fruits and grass were so plentiful that I felt like I was back in the backyard of the mansion after a long time, and I felt relaxed.

There were no mahogany trees here. Instead, I found Epimedium, which has similar efficacy. After a long time of researching diseases, this was as easy as eating rice porridge.

After bringing the herbs, it took two hours to memorize the castle, one hour to guide the house staff, and three full hours to study the tradition of the Duke’s family.

Half of that time was spent shivering.

Rubbing my body and shrinking, I saw the sun setting before I knew it.
The maids from the mansion, including Betty and Bonisa who had followed me, had been scrubbing my body clean for the vigil since an hour ago.

“Just get rid of the grime adequately.”

“But Miss, or rather, Your Grace the Duchess. The Duke will be pleased if you are clean.”

“No…. I need to keep some grime to survive here.”

I brushed aside the dry sponge in Betty’s hand.

It was difficult to withstand the cold even with thick clothes on, so it seemed less cold with some grime on my body.

Finally, I was liberated after a long while of scrubbing and cleaning.

I ran through the corridor filled with the cold air of the night.

Upon opening the bedroom door, a rich floral scent wafted around.

The crackling sound of burning firewood. Along with the candlelight softly illuminating the room, rose petals were scattered on the bedspread.

“Why would you go to the trouble of plucking flower petals?”

I cleared away the petals and slid into the thick blanket.

A fluffy sensation and warm heat made me feel drowsy. As I was slowly closing my eyes, a man’s broad chest suddenly dominated my vision.

“Ah, you startled me!”

I unintentionally hit his chest muscles.

“I, I’m sorry. I was startled.”

Hertian appeared over my hands that were cold from touching the hardness I had never felt before.

“I apologize if I startled you.”

He hurriedly put on a white gown. His hair was wet, as if he had just bathed.

“Osen said he would be late today. Have you finished your work?”

“Her Highness insisted that I must… Ahem. Hold the vigil, so I hurriedly finished and returned.”

I leaned against the head of the bed following him. His earlobes, seen from the side, were red. It seemed that even an asexual person couldn’t help but feel shy.

“Hertian, am I making you uncomfortable?”

There’s no way sharing a bed would be comfortable.

“Should I sleep on the sofa? I’m okay with it.”

There was a fireplace in front of the sofa, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable as it was warm.

I lifted the pillow as I waited for his response.

“It’s not uncomfortable.”

But he immediately stopped me. He gently took the pillow and put it back in its place.

“We have to sleep here together.”

I chuckled and lay down flat on my back.

“Hertian, you should lie down too.”

I patted the pillow next to me and he looked down at me wordlessly. I smiled with my eyes creased into a fine line and said.

“You’ve worked hard, good night.”

And I buried myself back into the blanket. I was certain I would wake up with body aches tomorrow. It was the moment I was about to close my eyes.

“…May I hold you?”

A trembling voice was heard.