I passed through the garden full of flowers. As I walked where my steps led me, a familiar building came into view.

It was the greenhouse I had visited with Alex on the night of the ball.

I had wanted to come back, but I hadn’t been able to due to being so busy, and now I finally made it here.

Remembering that night when I came with Alex, I found the main entrance of the greenhouse and stepped inside.

Unlike the cold outside, the inside of the greenhouse was warm.

I took off the thick shawl I was wearing and draped it over my arm as I looked around the interior of the greenhouse.

The interior had a quite different atmosphere from what I had seen at night.

I let out a small exclamation of admiration and slowly began to look around.

Suddenly, through the lush foliage, I caught sight of someone’s figure.

Are there other people coming into the greenhouse?

Curious, I began to approach the figure.

Impressive dark brown hair and a delicate frame.

The back view looked familiar.

“Christine?”

When I called her name, Christine flinched and turned around.

“Claire!”

Claire, having confirmed it was me, came towards me with a bright smile.

“Are you feeling better?”

I asked, subtly examining her body.

Christine nodded and affirmed.

“Thanks to you, Claire.”

“That’s good then. But what were you doing here?”

“Look at this, Claire. There are so many flowers here. Even though it’s winter!”

Christine smiled brightly and immediately took my hand, leading me.

Following her into the greenhouse, we came to a space where colorful flowers were blooming on both sides.

It seemed Christine had been admiring the flowers here.

She walked with light steps between the flowers and knelt down in front of them.

Then she turned to me and gestured.

“Come here, Claire.”

I looked at Christine for a moment, then chuckled and approached to sit beside her.

Glancing at her, I saw she had a look of wonder in her eyes.

“It’s really amazing.”

Christine suddenly muttered in a small voice.

“What things?”

“Everything.”

I nodded, thinking Christine was marveling at the greenhouse and the garden of the Berzel mansion.

“Indeed it is. To have such beautiful flowers blooming even in winter.”

“No. That too, but……”

But it seemed I was mistaken.

Christine, who had been looking at me for a moment, turned her gaze back to the flowers.

Her eyes seemed somehow filled with deep sadness.

I quietly closed my mouth and waited for her words.

After maintaining silence for a while, Christine carefully opened her mouth.

“I thought I would never escape from prison. I thought I would live and die in that dark, gloomy prison forever.”

“……”

Christine’s voice was low and hoarse.

I was at a loss for words at her statement. What could I say to someone who had been imprisoned for half her life since childhood?

Even I, who had been confined for just a few days, felt suffocated and struggled, so how much worse must it have been for Christine?

In that sense, wouldn’t the garden or greenhouse of the Berzel duchy seem like a new world to Christine?

“It’s all thanks to you, Claire.”

I looked at Christine. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have met my brother. Then I wouldn’t have escaped from prison. Of course……”

Christine, who had been speaking, closed her mouth for a moment.

She turned to look at me with an expression full of guilt. Then, drip, tears fell straight to the ground without even touching her cheeks.

“I’m really sorry for what my brother did to you, Claire. I’ll apologize on his behalf.”

“You heard?”

Christine apologizing to me meant that she too had come to know about what had happened.

Logically, the only person who could have told her this was Sir Kruger.

“Yes, I talked a lot with my brother all night. And I learned what my brother did to you and Duke Berzel.”

“I see.”

He didn’t have to tell Christine specifically.

With a bitter feeling, I rummaged through my pocket. And I took out a handkerchief and handed it to Christine.

Christine hesitated, looking alternately at the handkerchief and me.

“…Is it okay to take it?”

“Of course. I brought it to use when needed, and now is that time.”

As I held out the handkerchief closer to Christine, she hesitated before accepting it with both hands.

Then she made an expression as if she was trying hard to hold back her tears. As her sobs followed, I quietly stared at the flowers blooming in front of me. With my hand, I gently patted her back.

It was only after crying for a long time that Christine was able to compose herself.

“I’m sorry. I meant to apologize, but I seem to have only caused trouble.”

Christine, who had gotten up from her seat, spoke to me while still hiccuping from the aftermath of crying.

I also got up from my seat and nodded with a smile as if I understood her.

And I tidied up her disheveled hair to the side.

“You don’t need to apologize, Christine. The apology… I already received it from Sir Kruger earlier.”

I finished my answer and turned towards the direction where I felt a presence.

“Isn’t that right, Sir Kruger?”

“……”

As I had guessed, Sir Kruger was there.

He hesitated before bowing his head towards me.

“I went back but couldn’t see Christine, so I came looking for her.”

Sir Kruger, who had raised his head, spoke like he was making an excuse. Then he gestured towards Christine.

“Christine, come here.”

At that, Christine approached Sir Kruger with short steps.

Sir Kruger, examining Christine’s face which still had tear stains, opened his mouth with a troubled expression.

“It seems my sister has been rude. I apologize.”

“No, that’s not the case, so you don’t need to worry.”

As I waved my hand and spoke, Sir Kruger made a bitter expression.

“Thank you for saying so. Then we’ll be going first.”

Sir Kruger left the greenhouse with Christine.

Watching them, I felt equally uncomfortable.

I remained in the greenhouse, looking at it from where Christine had been.

I thought that this scene must be more than just pretty to her.

It must be more than a world she never dared to imagine.

Thinking about that, I felt strangely calm and settled.

***

After wandering in the garden for a long time, unable to sort out my feelings, I returned to my room only when it became late evening.

Until this morning, I had been sharing a room with Miss Veronica for my stability and security, but now that the situation had calmed down somewhat, I was using a separate room again.

I hadn’t thought much about it until then, but this space alone felt strangely unfamiliar and awkward.

Because of that, I sat on the bed, blankly blinking my eyes.

In the meantime, I heard a knock on the door.

“Miss Claire, Miss Veronica has come.”

It was Avina’s voice.

“Yes! Come in!”

I belatedly came to my senses and got up from my seat.

The door opened and Miss Veronica walked in.

“Were you resting?”

I smiled brightly at Miss Veronica’s affectionate tone.

“Yes. How about you, Miss?”

“I was resting too.”

“Please sit here for now.”

As I pointed to the chair and spoke, Miss Veronica immediately sat down.

I also sat opposite Miss Veronica.

Avina prepared warm chamomile tea for us.

I picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, and I felt like my complicated feelings were calming down.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the trial for Duke Franz will start soon.”

“Ah, yes, I heard about that.”

I nodded and answered to Miss Veronica’s words.

“I heard that you’re going to testify, is that right?”

“Yes.”

After giving a short answer, Miss Veronica took a deep breath and looked at me again.

“I think we should go back once the matter with Duke Franz is over.”

“……”

Hearing those unexpected words, I closed my mouth and just blinked my eyes.

Although the three months I had contracted with Alex hadn’t passed yet, we had experienced major events during our stay here, so even Alex probably couldn’t stop Miss Veronica’s decision.

“Claire, what do you think?”

“Me?”

“Yes. You came here because you made a contract with Duke Berzel. I need to check your opinion.”

“That’s true……”

As I trailed off, Miss Veronica stared intently into my eyes.

“Don’t you want to go?”

“What? No! That’s not what I mean!”

“Then?”

“Well…”

I couldn’t answer readily and looked at Miss Veronica’s expression.

I certainly wanted to return to Count Maynard’s estate all this time.

And it was still true that that was the place I should return to.

But strangely, I couldn’t bring myself to say I would go back.

Why?

I asked myself, surprised by my own reaction.

Meanwhile, Miss Veronica covered my hand that was placed on the table.

I raised my head at the gentle touch, and Miss Veronica was smiling faintly.

“Or……”

Miss Veronica leaned her upper body towards me. She looked as if she was trying to listen carefully to my words.

“If you have any other feelings, feel free to talk about them.”

“Other feelings……”

I could guess what kind of question it was, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask, so I repeated her words.

Then Miss Veronica continued in a low voice.

“Claire, do you like Duke Berzel?”