As soon as the front door opened, the fragrant smell of grass wafted in. On the left, servants were busy carrying bundles of branches the storm had broken under the gardener’s direction. There were three bags of branches that couldn’t withstand the rough spring. The grass cut this morning showed off its greenery wherever it was stepped on.

In front of the main gate, Izer looked up at the house. The fountain was still white, and the sky was still blue. Today he wore a black jacket again, and his eyes were red. But his expression gazing at the mansion was completely opposite to any day in the past.

The door opened and a teenage girl came running out, her dress fluttering. A blonde boy, not as long-strided as Bess but superior in stamina, came bouncing down the stairs. The secretary quickly twisted his body to avoid disaster when the boy charged like a colt.

Then Izer, who had been staring at the door, moved urgently toward the entrance. The baby, who had been toddling while holding her mother’s hand and missed a step on the stairs, landed safely in her father’s arms. Celian’s sigh could be heard.

“She can’t even walk properly but has such an impatient personality……”

“Who can you blame? She’s your daughter, Lian.”

The baby laughed cheerfully, oblivious to her parents’ worries. Seeing the tiny fist grab and pull hair of a similar color to her own, a similar sigh to Celian’s flowed from Bess’s mouth. The father, whose hair was being sacrificed, was busy cooing at the baby.

“Yes yes, our daughter. She just takes after her mother, right?”

“Izer, is that possibly an insult to me?”

“I’m saying I love her because her personality exactly like yours.”

At the honey-dripping voice, Bess, who had been waiting in front of the carriage, pretended to retch. Percy, whose morning scolding hadn’t completely worn off, also made an incredulous face. Time had brought them comfort instead of formality.

Izer, who had helped Celian into the carriage first, followed while holding Estelle. Bess and Percy sat across from them. Four sturdy horses were mobilized to pull the heavy carriage carrying five people including the baby.

The four-wheeled carriage made cheerful clattering sounds as it entered the outskirts. The familiar river water that they had passed so often welcomed the familiar visitors with open arms.

Celian stretched her stiff shoulders upward. The riverside in early summer, where the leaves had deepened from light green to dark green, offered a different feeling from spring.

Dandelions that had sent off their seeds and left only bare stems naturally spread among the weeds. Forget-me-nots that had bloomed early in the season, choosing only sunny spots, shook their tiny petals in the wind. Izer placed his hand on her shoulder as she stood under the hot sunlight.

“Step back. It’s sunlight.”

“Thank you, Izer.”

With those words, Izer turned back toward the carriage. Celian continued to gaze at the river water. Among the rustling of her companions, Izer’s calm voice mixed in.

“Percy, give me the bouquet.”

“……”

Today was David Ren’s death anniversary. At the same time, it was also just two weeks before Renéee Chesterfield’s wedding anniversary.

This riverside was the closest place to their home among the spots where David Ren had been scattered. They had wanted to scatter him in the garden, but couldn’t approach a place that already belonged to someone else, so they let him flow into the river.

Izer looked up at the sky.

***

David Ren was from the southern region. When he first stepped forward to work as a gardener, the noble ladies all showed reluctance. For them, who were earnestly competing to cultivate gardens and flower beds, an excellent gardener was an absolutely necessary existence, but conversely, a mediocre gardener would only become a laughingstock.

Baroness Avery, a notable of Fairville, was also one of the proud noble ladies.

“Yes, you said David. I understand that you’re serious about gardens. But you’re too…… young. Farming and gardening are different. I’m concerned that you might kill all the plants in the garden and greenhouse, making me embarrassed.”

“I will do my best to ensure there are no problems with your concerns.”

Even then, Fairville was interested in other people’s stories. Gossips murmured for a while about Baroness Avery finally hiring an unfamiliar man as a gardener. Among them were some rather unpleasant rumors. The story was that the old lady approaching sixty had fallen for a young man’s seduction.

Naturally, the old lady didn’t hire David because she felt romantic emotions toward his appearance. Baroness Avery pitied this young man of unknown origin. With looks that could easily catch some decent noble and live comfortably for the rest of his life, as the world gossiped, his appearance at her house in half-beggar condition might have aroused her curiosity.

In any case, David Ren was an excellent gardener. He made even fruit trees he’d never seen before bloom and bear fruit. The fact that various plants of unknown nationality overflowed in Fairville, due to its characteristic of having merchants from various countries come and go, posed no obstacle to him whatsoever.

So much so that there was a story that plants touched by David’s hands would come back to life even if they were dead. Naturally, the shoulders of Baroness Avery, who employed him, also rose high.

Whenever she invited friends, she would invariably lead them to the garden to show off.

“This is all your handiwork.”

“You flatter me.”

David always said the same thing while bowing politely. It was natural that rumors about the young gardener at the Avery baronial house spread widely.

Those rumors made a full circle outside the baronial house and headed back inside. Renéee stared blankly down at the paper.

Renéee Avery was a timid young lady, unlike her aunt. For such a person, her joy in life was hiding behind windows and stealing glances at the handsome gardener’s face.

Though young men overflowed, coming all the way from the distant south to exchange even one word with the baronial house’s young lady, she was reluctant to form deep friendships with them. It was probably because she felt uncomfortable with the words she had constantly heard from her aunt since childhood: ‘You are a good commodity.’

Harris Chesterfield, a young man who had turned twenty this year, smiled brightly.

“The young lady is quite quiet.”

“……I’m sorry.”

“You apologize for everything. There’s no need for that, so feel free to speak comfortably.”

“……”

Good commodities sell for high prices. She turned her head to avoid the gaze that seemed to see through her heart, and outside the window, a tree was moving by itself.

Doubting her eyes, she squinted. Looking closely, the tree had arms and legs attached.

‘Of course.’

David Ren was working hard. She envied his unhesitating movements even under the blazing sun. She resented her own frail limbs that stayed only indoors. If she had been born a man, if she had been a little healthier, could she have gone outside like David?

A gentle voice struck her ears as she was thinking.

“Your pen will break, my lady.”

“……!”

Renéee jumped in surprise and lifted her hand. All the ink that had accumulated was seeping into the parchment. The poetry she had romantically transcribed before Harris Chesterfield’s arrival was also smudged beyond recognition.

Renéee stammered.

“S-sorry.”

“Not at all. Seeing your handwriting is my pleasure. Did you formally learn calligraphy?”

“When I was young, from my mother……”

“The baroness must be proud of her niece. To be so overflowing with refinement.”

“……”

Renéee’s eyes shook unsteadily. She was afraid of Harris Chesterfield. Every time she saw this man with his tall appearance, kind smile, and face that looked at her as if she were the most lovable thing in the world, she got goosebumps.

His blatant interest in Renéee made her uncomfortable. She felt suffocated before the affection that should have been precious enough to be luxurious for her. Renéee guessed this stemmed from the difference in status between herself and Duke Chesterfield. It was perfectly natural for the niece of a humble rural baronial family to be intimidated before the powerful figure of Humingham.

“You keep looking outside since earlier. Is there something interesting?”

“No. Just, the weather is nice……”

But Harris was already heading to the window. The thought that she should stop him suddenly flashed through her head, but it was already too late. Leisurely putting his hands in his pockets, he looked down at the afternoon garden bathed in sunlight.

“I know about the relationship between you two.”

“……!”

“Don’t worry. The baroness knows nothing. It’s something I found out personally. Let me ask, what’s so good about that gardener?”

“You’re mistaken. David and I aren’t in that kind of relationship. He’s a good gardener, and he just taught me how to make pretty flowers bloom. Over there, the red roses……”

“Did he also teach you how to make women bloom?”

“Your Grace!”

At the teasing remark, Renéee involuntarily screamed. Harris made an interested face upon hearing the shout from the water-colored haired young lady who had only been timid.

“Part of why I’m rushing the engagement is because of that gardener. I don’t think you’d have that kind of courage, but you never know with matters between men and women. At this rate, you two might hold hands and run away together.”

“Your Grace, what kind of wild speculation……”

“Anyone would think so seeing the way you look at that gardener and how you try to protect him in front of me.”