Idel slowly opened her eyes. Through the blurry vision, she began to see the clear ceiling between the branches.

Still in a daze, she stared blankly at the ceiling. Then, the sound of crackling firewood from the fireplace broke the silence, awakening her senses.

‘Where am I…?’

As she gradually rose, the blanket covering her body slid down. Simultaneously, droplets of water fell from her still-damp hair.

“Ah…!”

Idel looked at the spreading water droplets on the blanket, recalling the last moment before her memory went blank.

‘I must have fallen from the cliff and into the waterfall.’

The frigid waters of the ravine were quite deep. The fear she felt when submerged in the sea resurfaced, and her body submerged in the water stiffened more and more. Her final memory was struggling with her stiffened body.

‘Thankfully, I survived…’

Since Kaelon wasn’t by her side, the fear of death she felt just before losing consciousness became even more vivid. Idel, feeling a mix of fear and relief, embraced her trembling body with both arms.

‘Someone must have rescued me. This seems to be that person’s house.’

Idel, whose body tremors had subsided somewhat, looked around to understand her situation. The interior of the old cabin contained simple furniture and utensils that appeared well-used, giving off a cozy atmosphere.

‘I should probably return soon…’

When Idel lowered her gaze outside the cabin window, she saw the sky turning red. Feeling an urgency, she swung her legs over the bed.

“Awake, are you?”

The door to the cabin opened, and someone entered. It was an old man who seemed as aged as the cabin itself.

“Ah! Hello… ugh!”

As Idel spotted the owner of the cabin and attempted to stand up, she immediately sat back down, feeling a tingling pain in her ankle.

“Tsk… Looks like you bumped into something. There’s a bruise on your ankle. The pain might persist for a while, so it’s better not to move.”

Perhaps she hit a sharp rock when falling from the cliff. Idel looked at her right ankle where a faint green substance was applied.

“Fortunately, I had some honeysuckle, so I treated it as an emergency. It should take until tomorrow for the pain to subside.”

“Honeysuckle… Are you referring to the flower I had?”

“Yes. It was inside the clothes you were wearing. Applying crushed honeysuckle petals is good for treating bruises. You’re a lucky lady.”

“Ah… That’s…”

Idel felt embarrassed and unsure of what to do. To think her rescue would involve using the precious flower…

However, she couldn’t blame the benefactor who saved her. Idel pondered how she could retrieve the flower she had worked so hard to obtain.

“Did you, by any chance, fall into the ravine while trying to get the honeysuckle? I found you unconscious near the water.”

“Ah, yes. Sir, I needed that flower.”

The old man chuckled, lifting the cane he held to point at one side of the cabin.

“Don’t worry about that. I left one honeysuckle for you.”

Following the old man’s words, Idel’s gaze shifted to the table at the end of the cane. Though she hadn’t closely examined it before, on the table lay her still-damp tailored jacket and a single honeysuckle.

“Thank goodness! Thank you so much, sir.”

With a sincere expression of gratitude, Idel bowed her head to the old man.

“But why did you need the honeysuckle?”

“Well… I’m currently undergoing the coming-of-age ceremony for my family.”

“The family’s coming-of-age ceremony?”

“Yes. In our family, when we turn twenty, we undergo a coming-of-age ceremony. We have to bring our birth flower from this forest to be recognized as true members of the family.”

“So, is that honeysuckle your birth flower? A sharp-scented, lively flower doesn’t seem to suit you.”

“Ah… That flower belongs to my great-grandfather. I, um, don’t have a birth flower, so I decided to bring that flower instead.”
“Why is it that only the young lady doesn’t have a birth flower among the family members?”

“Well…”

Idel, who hesitated for a moment, silently stared at the old man standing in front of her. She didn’t want to hide the truth from the benefactor who had saved her.

“In our family, we receive a birth flower by extracting the fragrance from the body since birth. However, I was born without fragrance, so… I don’t have a birth flower.”

After finishing her words, Idel lowered her gaze. The old man, who had been gazing at her intently, spoke quietly.

“I see. It must have been tough on you.”

Although it was just a simple statement, Idel felt a warm feeling spreading deep within her, like the warmth from the fireplace. As Idel, with moist eyes, stole a glance at the old man, he changed the atmosphere with his words.

“Well then, now that you’re going to take that flower and gain the family’s recognition, only happy things are left.”

“Yes, I should be happy.”

Nodding in response to the old man’s words, Idel touched the engagement ring on her left hand. Upon hearing the word ‘happiness,’ the image of a certain person naturally filled her mind.

“With a ring on the left ring finger, looks like you have an engagement.”