Chapter 8 – Part 5

Lenci blushed and answered, “Hehe, I just told the truth, My Lady. Thank you so much.”

Lenci got out of the carriage first and reached out her hand to Kristin. Oliver, seeing the carriage stop in front of the shop, hurriedly put down the Sansevieria pot he was holding and ran over.

Wearing a green apron, the brown-haired young man with blue eyes greeted Kristin.

“It’s an honor that you came here in person, Lady Kristin. I’m Oliver. I’ve heard a lot about you from our Lenci. Thank you for treating her so well despite her shortcomings,” Oliver said.

Oliver, who was the same age as twenty-one-year-old Kristin, seemed much brighter and more cheerful than the often gloomy Kristin.

It seemed that Lenci and Oliver shared many similarities, perhaps because they were siblings.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’ve come with a proposal, and I also need some flowers,” Kristin said.

“A proposal? Please come inside first. We have a private room prepared for customers, where you can comfortably discuss what you have in mind,” Oliver replied, then turned to Lenci,

“Lenci, can you please prepare some tea for Lady Kristin?”

With a smile, Lenci answered, “I’ve already prepared it. The lady loves black tea, so I brought the one she always drinks at the mansion. Didn’t I do well, brother?”

“Yes, you did well, my dear Lenci,” Oliver said, patting Lenci on the head.

Seeing them in person, Kristin thought their relationship seemed even better. She watched the two with a thoughtful expression.

Such close siblings should never experience misfortune, she thought.

“Before we discuss the matter, I’d like to gift you some flowers. Would you mind if I choose them myself?” Oliver asked Kristin.

“I love all kinds of flowers, and I’m very grateful for the ones you’ve sent me before. If there’s one regret, it’s that their beauty fades too quickly,” Kristin replied wistfully.

“But even when they wither, flowers are still flowers, right? What is beautiful and noble remains precious regardless of its form. I believe the same goes for people. Even if they go through hard times and their appearance changes, they are still valuable,” Oliver said gently, his words touching Kristin’s hidden wounds.

He smiled at her and continued, “And you, My Lady, possess an inner beauty that will never fade. You might be even more beautiful than the flowers. Also, I haven’t forgotten how well you’ve treated our Lenci.”

Tears welled up in Kristin’s eyes. Oliver’s words did more than console her; they soothed her deeply buried pain. All the resilience she had built up felt like it was crumbling at that moment.

It had been a long time since someone besides Winston Zenon had shown her such warmth and kindness.

Oliver’s sincerity was evident, and Kristin wondered what would have happened to her reputation if she had died and never lived again.

Perhaps she had subconsciously longed for someone to treat her like this all along. Her previous life was akin to hell, one she couldn’t escape from until she returned.

Reflecting on her past, Kristin realized she must have been seen as a lesser noblewoman, unable to speak out, possibly due to her self-perception. She had always been criticized and felt unworthy of love, though she deserved respect and love as any human being did.

Everything felt futile to her.

Kristin thought that perhaps these feelings were why she had relied on Raphael in her past life.

Most importantly, she didn’t want to live a life where she had to rely on others for her happiness, even though she was the one who deserved it.

“My Lady.”

As Lenci brought the prepared tea, Oliver returned with a bouquet of Gladiolus. Seeing the beautiful, vibrant flowers, Kristin was unfamiliar with their name and meaning.

“I hope you like the bouquet. Do you know what these flowers are? I had them prepared in advance for your arrival,” Oliver asked with a kind smile.

Looking at Oliver’s warm expression in the sunlight, Kristin felt a comforting warmth, similar to the one she had experienced with Lenci. She was grateful to have found such caring attendants.

“I don’t think I’ve seen these flowers before.”

The flowers, blooming elegantly with multiple petals in a light pink hue, left her speechless.

“This is a Gladiolus. It blooms in September and October. I love these flowers and often give them to Lenci. They’re beautiful, but I also love their meaning,” Oliver explained.

“Whenever I return home, my brother would have these flowers waiting in my room. He’s been doing that since the beginning of this month,” Lenci added.

“The meaning of the Gladiolus is ‘courage,” Oliver said. “I’ve heard a lot from Lenci about you, Lady Kristin, and how you bravely helped save the workers during the accident at the Levi Mine. That’s why I chose this flower for you.”

“That’s something that requires courage, something you can’t do unless you truly care about others,” Oliver said.

“It was just something I had to do as the owner of the mine,” Kristin replied.

Kristin hadn’t considered how her actions at the mine might be seen as heroic. She hadn’t done it to gain the favor of the Empire’s citizens; she had acted simply to secure the mine. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt during her plans, hoping only that they would escape the fear of death.

In truth, she felt she had also received help. If she hadn’t met Winston in the tavern, Liam Morrison would have escaped punishment.

“I also heard about Lord Liam Morrison. His father, Marquis Neil Morrison, returned to the Empire and went to the palace, kneeling and asking for his son’s sentence to be reduced. But considering he almost took several lives, he won’t receive a light punishment,” Oliver continued.

This was the first time Kristin had heard about Liam Morrison since returning from the mine to the mansion. Though it had only been a day, the news had quickly spread throughout the Empire through coachmen and commoners.

“I heard that the merchants in the shopping district respect you for helping commoners like us. They say they won’t just stand by if anything happens to you. I, too, have come to respect you, Lady Kristin,” Oliver added.

“Our lady is truly amazing. I was too scared to move when we went to the mine, but you did everything you could to save the workers,” Lenci said.

“You’re remarkable. I mean no offense, but I’ve never trusted nobles. Yet, you made me see them differently. I thought, perhaps, there are good ones among them,” Oliver admitted.

“If Marquis Winston hadn’t been there that day, we wouldn’t have received the knights’ help,” Kristin said, recalling the events of that day.

The merchants from the Merchant Association were now all summoned to the palace for investigation. Kristin herself also had to provide statements as a witness, and she had to clarify how the compensation would be funded and how the mine would be managed going forward.

As Kristin gazed at the Gladiolus bouquet, she pondered. Her plans regarding Rose and her father would soon commence.

Had she married Raphael, they would have clung to her, but currently, there was no such pretext.

In a few hours, they too would hear the new rumors about Kristin. Surely, they would be consumed by jealous envy, as they always had been.

“I have a request,” Kristin said.

“Please, feel free to speak,” Oliver responded.

“I’ve become the owner of Levi Mine and need someone reliable to manage it. As you know, I don’t have anyone I can trust,” Kristin explained.

“Wouldn’t your father be suitable? He’s surely more capable than a commoner like me,” Oliver suggested.

“My father? I can’t trust him,” Kristin said.

“I’m already struggling to manage this flower shop, let alone being the mine owner. I know nothing about mine operations, I’m just a florist, ” Oliver said, seemingly flustered by Kristin’s request.

Oliver seemed taken aback by Kristin’s request. He had not expected to be asked to take on such a responsibility.

Kristin understood his reaction. It didn’t make sense to close the flower shop and move to a region like Oakley he’d never lived in.

So how should she go about this? Was there a good way to convince him?

Then, an idea came to her: she could appoint him as the mine manager for a period he was comfortable with and find someone else to take over later. In the meantime, she could deal with Rose and Elena.

Rose and Elena only needed to be fooled for now. She still needed more time to remove them from the mansion, requiring a thorough plan.

“My stepmother and sister asked Oliver for flowers for their hair decorations. They said they wanted to support Lenci’s family, but I don’t believe their request is sincere. My mother has always mistreated Lenci,” Kristin said.

“M-mistreated?”

Oliver was shocked, though he hadn’t thought his sister was entirely safe, hearing it directly was different.

He felt sorry for not being able to look after her better. Despite her always returning home with a bright demeanor, he had failed to see the pain she must have been enduring.

He looked at Lenci, and Lenci waved her hand dismissively, giving a reassuring smile as if to say she was fine.

Kristin continued, “I can’t stand by and watch this anymore. That’s why I want to stop them from making that flower request.”

Oliver was taken aback by Kristin’s words.