Chapter 5 – Adaptation (Part 3)
What Elysia had picked was an ornament with an automatic action feature. The base part of the ornament was a frog made of light green translucent crystal that sparkled when it caught the light, and a baby angel with golden wings stood on the frog’s back. The baby angel was posed as if drawing a bow, with an arrow tipped with a heart shape.
At first glance, it could be argued that it was cute. However, with the added alchemical function, when the ornament was touched, the frog’s long tongue extended and retracted, making a ribbit sound.
Next, the baby angel would wink audibly with one eye and perform the action of drawing the bowstring. Then, a small heart-shaped pink light would emit from the arrow tip with a pop sound.
Ronan was also embarrassed that such a bizarre ornament was on display. In terms of materials, it was made of rare minerals, crystal, and gold, making it quite expensive. However, it didn’t exude elegance, so it was stocked for those who occasionally liked funny or quirky items. It was definitely not something intended to be shown to the Duke and his fiancée.
It was a mistake not to personally inspect the display items before entering the reception room. However, since Elysia had precisely pointed out this item, Ronan had no choice but to demonstrate it.
Whether Elysia had unique tastes or deliberately chose such an item thinking the Ducal residence was too solemn, Ronan had to praise the taste of the future mistress of the Ducal household regardless.
“You have truly exceptional taste.”
Even though it was a strange item, it was expensive, and as the head of the trading company, Ronan was eager to seize the opportunity to sell it. Knowing this, Elysia hoped Cassius would refuse the item, watching him for any sign. However, she couldn’t read what he thought about the item from his expression alone.
“Is there anything else you need?”
When the Duke asked, Elysia thought he intended to refuse the item and promptly answered that she needed nothing else. She felt that staying any longer would only lead to more embarrassing situations.
“I don’t need anything at the moment, so I hope to visit again when I have more time. Today was too sudden, and I couldn’t think of what would suit the Ducal residence.”
Cassius nodded, and Elysia felt relieved.
“Please prepare that ornament to take with us, Mr. Hass.”
‘He’s taking it?!’
Before Elysia could stop him, Ronan quickly took the frog and baby angel ornament to pack it. Elysia began to explain.
“Well, there are no brightly colored ornaments in the Ducal residence. I thought bringing something different might be refreshing, and since you always have a lot of work, I thought seeing this would cheer you up. Yes! I thought it would be perfect for your bedroom, Your Grace.”
Elysia, trying to sound as if she had intended it all along, inadvertently mentioned placing it in the Duke’s bedroom and immediately regretted it. However, she couldn’t take back the words once they were spoken. Cassius quietly looked at Elysia, who claimed to have chosen it with him in mind.
Even without saying anything, his gaze felt like a rebuke or criticism.
‘I should have just said I wanted to see something funny and that I’d keep it in my room. He might think I’m mocking him. Or he might think I’m a woman with terribly poor taste! Being considered tasteless by someone in the Ducal household would be truly humiliating.’
“Thank you. But I hoped you would choose something for yourself.”
“I live in the Ducal residence without lacking anything. Choosing something that would be helpful to you is enough.”
Elysia responded without losing her grace, but she desperately wanted to return to the Ducal residence and retreat to her room.
***
Elysia and the Duke were told that the carriage would soon be ready, so they went downstairs to the first floor.
If the second floor was the special showroom, the first floor displayed samples of items for wholesale transactions by the Haas Trading Company. Regular trading merchants could sometimes purchase small quantities for personal gifts.
Currently, the first floor displayed hats, gloves, scarves, decorative buttons, exotic flowers, perfumes, scented oils, and imported fabrics. Elysia was casually browsing these items when she spotted Seti, the coachman, leading the Duke’s carriage outside the window. However, Seti’s demeanor was strange.
‘Why is he glancing around so nervously?’
As Elysia thought this, a realization struck her. She remembered Seti having the same expression when he brought the large, black carriage to the Serenze household. She recalled how especially embarrassed he seemed, bowing his head deeply when Daisy called it a coffin. Moreover, he had been blushing while preparing the carriage today.
‘Ah!’
Realizing the reason, Elysia spoke to Cassius.
“Your Grace, I would like to purchase a few items on the first floor, and I will cover the cost.”
“The cost can be charged to the Duke’s house. I’ll have the carriage dismissed then.”
“No, it will only take a moment.”
Elysia chose a dark green coachman’s hat with a brim that covered the face but didn’t obstruct vision, and a men’s scarf with a bright pattern. She paid for them with the staff waiting on the first floor.
The items Elysia chose were not of poor quality, but they weren’t particularly high-end either. Cassius was curious about their use but pretended not to be interested as he discreetly watched.
Elysia handed the recently purchased items to Seti. Seti looked at Elysia in surprise.
“This is a reward for the sudden trouble of preparing the carriage today, which wasn’t planned.”
Then Elysia whispered softly.
“Wearing this will hide your face a bit, and you won’t look like someone driving a hearse, right?”
And she smiled brightly. Elysia was unaware that the Duke, with his very keen hearing, had heard the entire whisper. Seti, delighted, put on the hat and wrapped the scarf around his neck, covering half of his face.
‘He’s still young, so he must be sensitive to what people say about him. He must have heard a lot of whispers while driving the carriage around.’
Elysia boarded the carriage with a satisfied smile. With Ronan seeing them off, the Duke’s carriage departed from the Haas Trading Company.
***
Aaron, who had returned to the Ducal residence in the carriage with Cassius, was nervously watching his superior in the office. He was worried about whether his brother Ronan might have committed any faux pas on the second floor while he was waiting on the first floor.
“Aaron.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“The Duke’s carriage…”
Cassius stopped speaking there.
‘The carriage? Is there something wrong with it? Is it uncomfortable? Does he need a new one? What is it?’
“Never mind.”
Since it was rare for the Duke not to finish what he started to say, Aaron could only continue to watch him in confusion.
***
‘Today was so exhausting. Because of the inexplicable outing, I ended up choosing something ridiculous, and what’s more, the Duke actually entrusted the butler to place it in his bedroom. It feels like I’m taking a test every day.’
Elysia reflected on the small disaster that was the afternoon outing during her solitary walk.
‘If I didn’t have this time, I would have already withered away.’
Approaching the untrimmed bushes she had seen before, Elysia sighed again. She had been eager to visit the spot as soon as she received the garden knife from Ronan Hass, but the outing with the Duke had delayed her, making her anxious.
Elysia took the garden knife out of her pocket and unsheathed it. Just like when Ronan demonstrated, the blade, longer than the sheath, was revealed. Elysia swung the knife a couple of times as a trial. The branches of the bush were cleanly cut and fell away.
Having prepared, Elysia boldly swung the knife at the untrimmed bushes. She felt excited, like a royal knight embarking on an adventure.
***
“Huff… huff…”
After swinging the knife for about ten minutes, Elysia realized she would never take up gardening as a hobby.
While cutting a path wide enough to pass through, she had to ensure the pruning didn’t look too sparse, so she was creating a narrow passage just wide enough for one person. However, the bush path, which she thought would be over after a few swings, continued for quite a while.
Fortunately, there were slightly less overgrown areas that seemed to have been used by people before, so she followed those as much as possible while cutting the branches. Nevertheless, she had to swing her arms for quite some time.
“Huff… my arm hurts.”
Not only her arms but also her shoulders, waist, and back began to ache. The fact that she had to exert such extreme effort to find a place where she could be alone and unnoticed was absurd.
Just as she was contemplating whether to give up or continue because it would be a waste of her labor so far, the twigs blocking her path fell away, revealing a wide-open space.
“Wow!”
An exclamation of admiration escaped her lips. It was clearly a space that had once been a small garden. Unlike the neatly arranged other gardens of the Ducal residence, wildflowers, weeds, and shrubs grew freely, which Elysia found more appealing.
A large, unpruned old tree with lush leaves cast a big shadow there. On one side, there was a small garden table and two chairs, and another tree casting a large shadow stood beside them.
‘Although it’s dusty from lack of maintenance, it’s not damaged at all. Judging by the shine, it seems to be treated to prevent rust.’
Elysia put the knife back in her pocket and sat under the large tree instead of on the garden chair. Although she might get grass stains on her clothes, it seemed cooler and more pleasant under the tree. Since she was sweating, she decided to rest for just a moment.