Chapter 89: Please Take Me In as Your Adopted Daughter

Edelweiss packed her things and departed from the Ruer Villa.

She brought only Anna with her, intentionally avoiding any unnecessary commotion. The carriage she rode in came to a stop in front of the gates of the Marquisate of Blossomweaver.

“Your Highness, please be careful not to trip.”

“Thank you, Anna.”

Holding onto Anna’s supporting hand, Edelweiss carefully stepped down onto the ground.

Her eyes met those of the Marquis of Blossomweaver, who was sitting blankly at the fountain in the center of the garden.

“Edel!”

At first, he tilted his head in puzzlement, but then his eyes slowly focused and lit up with joy.

He immediately stood and hurried over to Edelweiss.

“Father.”

“What brings you here, hmm? I was just thinking about you—and here you are, as if you read my mind.”

The Marquis of Blossomweaver gently stroked her shoulder.

As he looked over Edelweiss, a faint furrow appeared between his brows.

“You look so thin. Are you sleeping well? Eating properly? Is your morning sickness bad?”

“I’m fine. Really, you don’t need to worry. The royal physician advised me to rest, so I came here. And I wanted to see you again, too. I plan to stay for a while—would that be all right with you?”

“All right? Don’t be silly. How could I ever find that inconvenient? After Violet… left, and then you got married, I’ve been living here all alone…”

The Marquis spoke wistfully.

As if trying to shed the emotion, he paused for a moment before cautiously speaking again.

“But… nothing happened with Prince Damian, did it? Did he do something wrong to you? Why are you here alone, recuperating?”

Edelweiss lowered her gaze for a moment.

If she told him what had happened with Damian, the Marquis of Blossomweaver would surely fly into a rage and demand she get a divorce immediately.

She didn’t want to worry him further. More than anything, what had happened with Damian was a matter between husband and wife.

“…It’s nothing like that. It’s just that, staying at the Ruer Villa brings back too many memories of Princess Charlotte. And that’s been hard for me.”

“The matter of Princess Charlotte was… truly unfortunate. We knew she wouldn’t live long due to her frail health, but still, she was far too young.”

Thinking of Princess Charlotte again made a corner of her heart ache.

Her tiny hands, her bright laughter—every memory floated thick in her chest, and Edelweiss let out a quiet sigh.

“Please rest well here. Stay as long as you like. By the way, it’s been hot lately. Isn’t it tough on your body?”

“I’m receiving regular checkups from the royal physician. Please don’t worry too much.”

“That’s good to hear. Now then, let’s not just stand here—let’s go inside.”

Just as the Marquis of Blossomweaver was about to lead her in, a sound of wheels rolling came clearly from a distance. Another carriage soon arrived at the front gate.

“The House of Count Celine?”

The carriage bore the emblem of the House of Count Celine—two entwined swords with a serpent.

“Come to think of it, Ivana Celine did send a request to visit… so it was for today.”

The Marquis of Blossomweaver also murmured as he turned his gaze toward the carriage.

Lady Ivana Celine stepped out of the carriage.

And following her was a small girl.

‘Even if it’s not written in the will, as long as one is blood-related, I believe they have the right to claim inheritance.’

On the day the will of the late Marquis of Blossomweaver was revealed, Lady Celine had demanded a share simply because she shared his blood.

When Edelweiss replied that a name derived from a flower was required, she’d trembled with rage and stormed out—Edelweiss still remembered it vividly.

‘Why has she come all of a sudden? And who’s that child?’

The little girl looked about the same age as Princess Charlotte, making it hard for Edelweiss to look away.

Lady Celine’s red eyes briefly reflected surprise as they met Edelweiss’s gaze. But it was fleeting—soon, she curved her eyes and smiled as she walked over with the girl.

The girl, trying to keep up, was sweating nervously.

“Greetings to the Grand Duchess of Lorendel and the Marquis,”

Lady Celine said with a gentle voice. It was a far cry from the hostility she had shown last time, and Edelweiss couldn’t shake off her unease.

The pale-faced girl named Anemone blinked her thick lashes.

Her pink eyes were filled with tension, and her short gray hair looked quite damaged.

“G-Good day, Your Grace. Marquis. I-I’m… Anemone…”

After a long hesitation, Anemone bowed deeply. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment at her stammering, and she barely finished her sentence with her lips trembling.

Her small, skinny fingers tightly clutched the hem of her dress.

“Hhic!”

Anemone hiccupped and quickly covered her mouth to suppress it.

“Anemone. What are you doing, being so rude?”

“S-Sorry…”

“Tch.”

Lady Celine clicked her tongue disapprovingly and continued.

“She’s my daughter, Anemone.”

“…Did you say daughter?”

Lady Celine wasn’t even married. Yet here she was with a child who looked to be about five years old—saying she had secretly raised her daughter all this time was suspicious.

There wasn’t much resemblance between them either. Unlike Lady Celine’s sharp eyes, Anemone’s drooped slightly.

In fact, in such situations, one would normally seek comfort from their mother—but Anemone clearly feared Lady Celine.

What’s more, Lady Celine presented Anemone like an object. There was no trace of maternal warmth in her tone.

“…Yes. I became pregnant unexpectedly at sixteen and had to hide her. Anemone’s father… was a naval officer, but he died in the war long ago.”

Lady Celine turned her head and sobbed briefly.

“…But why did you bring her to the marquisate?”

“I think it would be easier for you to understand if I showed you rather than explained. Isn’t that right, Anemone?”

“Y-Yes…”

Startled by Lady Celine’s call, Anemone nervously waved both hands in the air.

…This is—

A gray butterfly appeared, shimmering with a pale light.

In response, Edelweiss’s green butterfly stirred and revealed itself with a flutter of its wings.

“As you can see, she’s still young, so her butterfly hasn’t fully matured and isn’t green yet. But producing blue roses isn’t much of a challenge for her.”

“…..”

“I plan to formally announce Anemone’s existence to the cadet branches. But before that, I thought it proper to inform Your Grace and the Marquis first, which is why I brought her here,”

Lady Celine said with a benevolent smile curling her lips.

“…Countess Celine, what exactly is it that you want?”

It was clear she had brought Anemone here and planned to reveal her to the cadet branches after proving she could produce blue roses.

‘Even cadet branch children can be considered for succession if their abilities bloom. And if no direct heir’s abilities manifest…’

In such cases, it wasn’t uncommon for a cadet child to inherit the title.

“Since you’ve asked, I’ll speak plainly. Your Grace is currently residing at the Ruer Villa and not at the marquisate… so you might not be aware, but there have been murmurs of discontent among the cadet branches.”

“……”

“There’s no guarantee the unborn royal heir will manifest abilities, so I’d like Anemone to receive succession education.”

Lady Celine placed her sharp nails on Anemone’s small shoulder.

“Of course, I am Anemone’s birth mother, but as you yourself said, I lack the flower name, so I have no rightful claim.”

Anemone flinched at her touch, clearly tense.

“Please take Anemone in as your adopted daughter.”

“…Adopted daughter?”

“If you wish, I’m willing to forfeit all parental and custodial rights over her. Of course… since Anemone is still young, I would need to stay here to care for her for now.”