When asked to give a reward…… Aidel fell into momentary contemplation at the man’s sudden words.

“What kind of reward do you want? I was actually planning to give a special salary.”

The man gently released her hand he had been holding and stood up.

“Well. Rather than money…… I’d like to receive something else.”

“Tell me. If possible, I’ll give you what you want.”

After stroking his chin for a moment, the man smiled meaningfully as if he had thought of something.

“Then would you pour me a cup of tea? With your own hands, that is.”

“Tea……?”

“There’s nothing in this world as valuable as tea served by a beautiful lady.”

Aidel slowly nodded with a strange expression. To value a cup of tea more than money…….

Taking his desire to be served tea at face value, she simply found the man curious.

Meanwhile, the man disguised as a gardener, Shade, was momentarily taken aback by her unexpected reaction, his smile freezing briefly.

‘Usually women would get flustered at words like these…..’

When he told women he wanted to be served tea as a reward, most would blush and shyly agree. Because they understood the hidden meaning of having a private tea time together.

However, on the face of the future Grand Duchess, who only looked puzzled, there was no trace of the emotion Shade had expected.

− She certainly is a woman with many unexpected aspects.

Suddenly recalling Caeron’s words, Shade chuckled. The future Grand Duchess he first encountered was indeed as intriguing as expected.

“Follow me. It’s afternoon anyway, so let’s have afternoon tea together.”

Aidel nodded and began walking in the opposite direction of the mansion. Shade, having picked up the clothes he had briefly set aside, lifted Aidel’s parasol and stepped closer to her side.

“I’ll hold the parasol.”

His gentlemanly escorting manner seemed very familiar. Even in his gait, matching her stride, a natural elegance could be felt.

Suddenly feeling a sense of dissonance, Aidel closely observed his hand holding the parasol handle.

‘This is strange…..’

It was a clean hand without a speck of dirt on it. Finally, she asked with suspicion.

“Are you really a gardener?”

“Well…… I have experience tending to various flowers. Recently, I even saw flowers from the Lisandro Empire.”

Raising his eyebrows, Shade replied nonchalantly with a voice tinged with amusement.

‘Even studied abroad…..’

Feeling increasingly confused about the identity of this incomprehensible gardener, Aidel slightly furrowed her brow.

“Can you perhaps explain what that white flower blooming over there is?”

Shade smiled at the sudden test. He found her cute, asking with suspicious eyes about his identity.

Hmm…… I should meet the expectations of the future Grand Duchess, shouldn’t I? Shade fully demonstrated the knowledge he had accumulated while gifting flowers to women until now.

“You mean that flower with dense stamens and round petals with serrated edges? That’s a flower called anemone.”

When an unexpected answer flowed easily from the man’s mouth, Aidel’s eyes widened.

“However, if you were to gift that flower to someone, it might be better not to. The flower language is a bit sad.”

“What’s the flower language?”

“Fading love. It means ‘Even if you don’t love me, I still love you.'”

To think it had such a meaning…… Knowing the meaning of the flower she had noticed while walking, somehow its appearance now seemed sorrowful.

Seeing her dimmed expression, Shade pointed to a flower blooming in the next section to change the mood.

“If giving a gift, I’d recommend this pink flower here. It’s called a lisianthus and means unchanging love. The hyacinth next to it has a similar meaning.”

“You know a lot about flowers.”

At Aidel’s words filled with surprise, Shade smiled meaningfully and whispered lowly.

“His Grace should also know a lot about flowers.”

“His Grace?”

“Because he has obtained such a beautiful flower.”

Deep purple eyes turned towards Aidel.

“Especially, he should know well how to make flowers bloom at night…… I’m worried.”

“Make flowers bloom… at night?”

Aidel tilted her head at his enigmatic words.

Shade curled his red lips into an alluring smile. His voice lowered, becoming more intimate.

“Of course. Flowers that bloom at night are especially beautiful and fragrant. The sight of a closed bud gently opening under tender touches is fantastic.”

At his words, Aidel imagined the Grand Duke coming out to the garden at night to caress flowers. Unable to picture such an incongruous scene, she burst out laughing.

“Pfft…… I can’t imagine such a sight.”

“To be honest, I can’t imagine it either.”

The two people, picturing completely different images in their minds, looked at each other and laughed.

Just then, someone urgently called out to her.

“Lady Aidel!”

It was a maid who had been sent out on Marlin’s orders to inform Aidel about a guest’s visit. Hearing that she had gone for a walk in the garden, the maid had hurriedly made her way there, only to find her.

“Huh……? Viscount Shade?”

The maid covered her mouth in surprise upon seeing the man walking alongside Aidel. She had come to find the future Grand Duchess to inform her of Shade’s visit, but the two were already together.

At the maid’s exclamation, Aidel also startled and looked at the man beside her.

“Viscount Shade…… you say?”

A viscount meant he was the eldest son of a marquis family and the next head of the family.

“Ah…… It seems it’s time to end the act, unfortunately.”

Shade put down the gardener’s mask along with the parasol he had been holding. With one hand towards his chest, the man slightly bowed his head.

“My name is Shade Hilburn, Your Highness the future Grand Duchess.”

The Hilburn Marquis family……!

Aidel’s eyes widened.

Hilburn was a family that had led the empire’s diplomatic policies since its early days. Known as the family that had produced the most outstanding chancellors throughout history, it was one of the most prestigious families along with the Roman Ducal family before the Grand Ducal family.

Although she had thought the gardener’s identity was strange…… Aidel’s pupils trembled slightly in shock, having never imagined he would be the Viscount of Hilburn.

In the reception room that had fallen silent, the sound of pouring tea seemed exceptionally loud.

Though her posture as she poured the tea was infinitely graceful without any unnecessary movements, a troubled smile appeared on Shade’s face as he watched her.

“Lady Aidel…… Are you perhaps angry?”

“……I wonder.”

So she is angry. Shade quietly sighed as he saw Aidel, still not having forgiven his mischievous prank.

The woman, with tightly pressed lips and an expressionless face, placed a teacup in front of him after pouring the tea.

“Here is the ‘reward’ you so desired. Please enjoy it fully.”

“Um…… Haha. Thank you.”

Shade laughed awkwardly, quite unlike himself, as he watched the woman serve the reward with an expression as if she were punishing him.

He had numerous methods for dealing with women who were upset or sulking, but none were suitable for his lord’s woman.

If he were to use those methods…….

‘I’d be quietly disposed of by Caeron.’

He was definitely the type of man who could do such a thing. Shade shook his head as he rubbed his forearm.

Even sneaking in to have a private audience with the future Grand Duchess was an act he had committed after careful consideration.

By now, the trial should be over…… and news of his visit would have reached the Grand Duke.

Shade began to ponder ways to soothe her feelings, even if just a little, before Caeron returned to the Grand Duke’s residence.

‘Ah! I should give her that.’

His fingers, which had been tapping on the table, stopped. He called over his attendant who was waiting at one side of the reception room and whispered quietly.

“Bring just the topmost box from what we prepared.”

“Yes, Viscount.”

The attendant who received the order went out briefly and returned with something contained in an elegant box. Aidel looked at Shade with curious eyes.

“This is my wedding gift to you.”

Shade slightly curved his eyes as he opened the box his attendant was holding. He took out a few items from inside the box.

“This is……”

Aidel suddenly inhaled. If the contents of the box had been porcelain, tableware, ornaments, or jewelry, she wouldn’t have been this surprised……

“Could this possibly be…… the original?”

“That’s right. It’s the first written copy we have at our home.”

As expected, she recognized it at a glance. Shade inwardly praised the future Grand Duchess’s discerning eye.

Aidel carefully caressed the ancient book Shade had handed her with trembling hands.

“To think I’d actually see the first edition……”

It was a history book recording the beginnings of the Yupiter Empire. The book itself was a cultural asset. Since such books couldn’t be bought with money, she was simply amazed to receive it as a wedding gift.

“This is Lord Hoffman’s work, which laid the foundation for the empire’s administrative system. It’s also a first edition, the original direct record.”

Aidel, her face flushed, smiled with undisguisable joy. Watching her sparkling eyes as she gazed at the book, Shade smiled with satisfaction.

As expected…… I thought she would prefer this over jewels or accessories. Her deep appreciation for scholarship was evident, given her decision to enter the Imperial University, not to mention entering as the top student.

Those immersed in scholarship love books the most. Knowing that the rarer the book, the higher its value, Shade had raided the Hilburn Marquis family’s library for wedding gifts.

“In addition to these, I’ve brought about ten boxes filled with hardcover books.”

With each box containing about a dozen books, he had brought over a hundred books.

Aidel sighed deeply with a happy face at the unexpected and generous gift. She expressed her gratitude in a much softened voice.

“This is the gift I like most of all. Thank you so much.”

“I’m beyond happy to see Lady Aidel so pleased.”

Having restored his relationship with the future Grand Duchess, Shade smiled brightly.

‘Lord Shade is truly remarkable.’

Gregory and Marlin nodded simultaneously as they observed the two.

Whatever had happened, the atmosphere between the two in the reception room had been chilly. Aidel had seemed somewhat angry, and Shade had appeared at a loss watching her.

However, his skillful diplomacy in not only dissolving her anger with a very appropriate gift offensive but also gaining her trust was admirable.

As expected of the next head of the Hilburn family, known for their diplomatic skills, they thought in amazement. Just then, a footman approached and announced:

“His Grace the Grand Duke has just arrived at the main gate.”

At those words, the composure that had briefly appeared on Shade’s face instantly vanished.