The one who walked out from the inside of the garden was Padre. Behind him were priests following him like a curtain. Adel stared at him with slightly surprised eyes.

Today, at this time, they had arranged to meet briefly here, but she didn’t expect him to appear so openly like this.

The priests were all holding scriptures and thorn staffs, the symbol of Morig, in their hands. As if they had heard some hint, their faces all looked determined and suspicious.

Pretending not to notice the perplexed Adel, Padre gently greeted her.

“The Grand Duke is here as well.”

Valentin still seemed to have his mind preoccupied with Adel’s face, as if he didn’t even notice someone approaching him. Or perhaps it was closer to not caring.

Adel, who had been nervously looking around, finally managed to smile at Padre.

“Padre High Priest. We meet here. I hope you’re not experiencing any inconveniences?”

“Of course not.”

And only at Adel’s smile, as if it bothered him, Valentin threw an annoyed glance at Padre. His pupils, narrowed in the light, looked even arrogant at first glance.

Valentin looked Padre up and down and seemed to regain some composure. He seemed to have judged that Adel wouldn’t smile lovingly at someone like this.

“Who, is it?”

“Do you remember when I mentioned that Grita was ill? Recently, Grita’s condition has worsened, so I requested help from a priest I’m acquainted with. It’s also to repair Morig’s curtain.”

“I, see.”

“He’s also my godfather and we frequently interacted when I stayed at the institute. You might have greeted him before too, Your Highness. He officiated our marriage vows.”

“It’s been a while, Grand Duke. I am Padre, a servant of Morig.”

“Ah.”

He answered carelessly as if uninterested, and once again gave Adel an affectionate look. Padre cleared his throat and continued speaking.

“So the rumors of the Grand Duke regaining his health were true. I’m glad to see you looking robust again. I must convey this joyous news to His Majesty the Emperor as soon as I return to the institute.”

He seemed to regard the priests of Morig as annoying flies. And for good reason, as the priests were staring at Valentin’s face so intently it was almost rude.

Perhaps they were shocked to witness the much-rumored return of the Grand Duke in person?

‘At this rate, they might even sprinkle holy water.’

Adel thought anxiously. She hoped they wouldn’t act too rudely.

However, Valentin didn’t seem to mind at all what they were doing towards him. Throwing an indifferent glance over the priests’ heads, he gently pulled Adel’s hand, which had stopped.

“Adel. Let’s, just, walk…”

Padre interjected in between.

“Are you going for a walk? This is perfect timing. I had some urgent matters to discuss… Would it be alright if I accompanied the two of you, Your Highnesses?”

“Of course, Padre. Certainly, it’s fine…”

“No.”

Valentin answered with a rare firm tone, intertwining his thick fingers between Adel’s small ones.

“Next, time. Now… is not, possible.”

“Your Highness?”

Valentin grabbed Adel’s hand tightly and quickly headed down the walking path. He rushed out, pushing through the people who were looking puzzled.

He dismissed the knights and priests who were following closely behind with just a gesture, quickening his pace.

He had long legs befitting his tall figure, and Adel had to almost run to keep up with his stride. Already wearing an uncomfortable dress with many layers, she quickly became tired even before running for long.

“Your Highness, just… a moment… I can’t… breathe…”

Adel clung to his arm, gasping for breath. Only then did he turn to look at Adel, his eyes widening. He looked surprised, as if he had no idea she would struggle this much.

“Sor, ry.”

Valentin immediately supported Adel’s waist and the back of her thighs, lifting her up. Feeling her legs floating in the air, Adel was startled and tightly hugged his neck.

“Y-Your Highness!”

At Adel’s shrill voice, a few servants who were tending to livestock startled and looked over, but upon recognizing the Grand Duke couple, they wiped under their noses and averted their gazes.

They all looked embarrassed, as if they had unintentionally caught a glimpse of someone else’s good times.

Adel’s round green eyes were filled with a very troubled expression.

“Um, please put me down. I was just startled earlier, but now I can walk on my own.”

“We’re, almost, there…”

There was a strange sense of stability in his posture as he adjusted her in his arms, as if soothing a child. After confirming that she was holding his shoulders firmly, he quickened his pace again.

It was more like a raid than a walk. Except that the raided object was his wife from the beginning.

“…”

That strange escape drew attention wherever they went. No matter how much she pleaded, Valentin persisted, and finally, Adel, embarrassed, buried her forehead in Valentin’s shoulder and lowered her head. Valentin only stopped when Adel’s hand, clutching his collar, began to tremble slightly.

Even then, he seemed to want to look at her, worried about her condition.

“Are, you… alright? My, love?”

“I’m fine, so please put me down now.”

Adel gently pushed away Valentin’s chin while keeping her head down. If it were a place where no one could see, it might have been different. She was almost at the point where even her hands felt hot.

He carefully lowered Adel to the ground. Adel quickly moved away from his embrace and straightened her crumpled clothing. Then she looked at Valentin with a deliberately stern face.

“You must never do this again. It was against etiquette.”

“Your, face is, pale.”

“Ah. I think it’s because my waist was a bit pressed.”

Adel coughed weakly a few times. Although Valentin was the one who exerted force, her whole body felt drained as if she had been exhausted. It was because she had been so tense and stiff the entire time she was being carried.

“I’m, sorry…”

Valentin slightly lowered his elegant eyes, looking somewhat dejected.

“I just, didn’t want, to be, disturbed…”

“…”

“Us. First time, Adel, with me. This, walk.”

“…”

“So, I wanted, to show you… this.”

With those words, a cool breeze brushed against her cheek. Only after Valentin stepped aside from in front of her did Adel finally realize where she was standing. They had already passed the garden and were now in the northern open space of the castle.

Usually, it was used as a training ground for knights, and when the Grand Duke was in residence at the castle, occasionally equestrian competitions were held here, and in summer, festivals were held.

That vast open space was densely covered with white wildflowers. Even out of season…

“This is.”

Beyond, the bare tree branches still showed winter, and the sky, which was always overcast with gloomy clouds in winter, remained the same.

The grass and wildflowers that had grown as if mistaking the season made the entire scene surreal.

‘It seems the Grand Duke must have gone out to check the walking spot several times in advance.’

‘It appears to be towards the open space that’s rarely used in winter, I wonder what he’s preparing… He gave strict orders not to even set foot in that direction.’

‘Perhaps he wanted to show it to Her Highness for the first time.’

The words that the maids who were helping with her grooming had been dropping here and there now made perfect sense. The wind touching her cheeks was gentle. As if the biting wind that had been howling so loudly inside the castle was a lie, as if a modest spring had come only to where they were.

“…”

Adel took a step forward, overwhelmed by indescribable feelings. Could it all be an illusion? Or some malicious magic? But the fragrant scent of grass reaching her nose was real. Adel bent down and gently cupped the overgrown flowers with both hands.

White flowers piled up like snow in her hands.

“Ah.”

Adel lowered her gaze slightly at the moist warmth felt on the back of her hand. At some point, a scruffy dog she occasionally fed had approached and was gently licking the back of her hand.

She looked at the dog with surprised eyes. Behind it, puppies were rolling around, holding onto their mother’s tail. Adel’s light green eyes widened.

It was surprising that the dog, which had always been wary even when fed, had come this close, but it was also surprising that the dog wasn’t trembling in fear at all.

‘Even though Valentin is nearby.’

Suddenly, when she looked back, Valentin was staring at her as if entranced from a few steps away.

“Adel.”

As their eyes met, his golden eyes, which had narrowed as if dazzled, soon curved beautifully. The moment she saw that smile, for the first time, her heart pounded as if it would break under her thin ribs.

“The power… won’t last, long… Sorry.”

Because it was their first walk together, he wanted to show her this. He was sorry that he couldn’t maintain the power for long.

At that affectionate voice, Adelheit suddenly felt sorrowful. No one had ever looked at her so passionately. She had never been called by her name so tenderly, nor had she ever received anything close to this kind of affection from anyone, so she was simply overwhelmed.

“…Ah.”

So now, it seemed like it wouldn’t matter what he was. As long as there was no lie in those eyes looking at her.

Even if the one giving such blind affection was not human, but a monster.

Somehow, she felt like she might cry.

“So that’s what happened.”

“It must have been Morig’s arrangement. White wildflowers are a symbol of Morig, after all.”

“…I did hear the servants whispering. They said the flowers bloomed for about an hour and then withered in an instant.”

“I’ve decided not to doubt him anymore. It was clearly Morig’s will that returned him to me.”

“Adelheit.”

Even at Padre’s call, Adel stubbornly continued.

“I heard that even the priests couldn’t find any suspicious points about him. Even…”