Chapter 1 – Part 6

Mail wanted to meet the emperor before Riela.

However, just because one suddenly has a desire doesn’t mean a clear solution always presents itself. If life moved conveniently according to willpower alone, Mail wouldn’t have left her homeland and ended up in a place like this in the first place.

Nor would she be waking up before dawn with a grimace like she was now.

‘…Again…’

Mail shot up in bed, clutching her head.

‘The same dream again!’

Her head throbbed. It was the same dream. People dying, villages burning, everything lost. The final moments of a small kingdom crushed under the might of a great empire, disappearing like dust.

The vividness of the dream, only two weeks old, made her groan just from recalling it.

Mail sat up and focused solely on deep breathing. Inhale, exhale. As she deliberately lengthened her breaths, her trembling hands slowly steadied. Her heart, which had been racing, also began to calm.

After a while, fully composed, Mail shifted her gaze. At the end of her sight was Riela, sleeping soundly, oblivious to the world.

“…”

She sleeps so peacefully.

It was infuriating. Suddenly, Mail felt deeply wronged. If Riela’s hair hadn’t gleamed as white as snow, this whole dream might never have existed.

If she had been a wise, discerning princess, Mail would have dismissed the dream after having it a hundred times, thinking it was just a silly dream, and gone off to drink some health tonic instead. She wouldn’t be in this foreign land, anxiously fretting over some emperor’s face.

‘Ugh.’

Mail swallowed a sigh and turned her head. If she kept staring any longer, she felt like she might explode. After taking a deep breath to maintain her composure, she slipped out of bed completely. Riela, who was a deep sleeper, didn’t stir from the quiet rustling beside her.

‘Since the nightmare left me in a mess, let’s get some fresh air.’

One benefit of being a garden enthusiast was that the garden served as a cure-all. Most pain and distress could be soothed by the power of flowers and trees. The more beautiful the garden, the greater the effect, naturally.

Mail, who was quite adept at preparing herself despite being a duke’s daughter, stepped out of her quarters in a plain but tidy state.

She wrapped her shawl tightly to shield herself from the early morning chill and stepped into the quiet corridor. After walking a few paces, Mail suddenly stopped in her tracks.

‘Where should I go?’

When she first set out, she had planned to go to an outdoor garden for a stroll if there was one. Such places were usually open to everyone, locals and visitors alike.

It was still early, so she could probably enjoy the sights in peace without running into anyone.

But now, something else was giving her pause.

“The garden I saw yesterday was so beautiful!”

That was the problem.

It was a place I stumbled upon while walking aimlessly. Although I had to leave without exploring much, the thrill I felt at the time was still vivid.

Flowers and grass blooming harmoniously. Trees proudly displaying their leaves in peak condition. Tiny, fresh buds that clearly had received delicate care until recently.

While the average person might not notice the difference, for a garden enthusiast, it was something else entirely. That place was nothing less than paradise.

“I want to see it again.”

I may not have traveled the entire world, but that garden would surely rank among the top ten, at least. Mail was conflicted. Reason and instinct began to clash once more.

“What’s the big deal? Gardens are meant to be explored. Just go and look around!”

“But what if it’s a private garden with restricted access? What if that man from yesterday shows up again and chases me away?”

“Well, he didn’t specifically say I couldn’t go in. If I get caught, I can just deny it! You’re good at acting, right?”

“And what if the owner turns out to be a psychopathic royal who threatens to behead me for trespassing?”

“If I were to be beheaded for enjoying a beautiful garden, wouldn’t that be a death without regrets in its own right?”

“Ugh! That’s not the ending!”

Mail, lost in imagination, snapped back to reality. In the argument between reason and instinct, the instinct made a wild claim. No regrets? That was absurd.

“Of course, I wouldn’t be executed for just that…”

If the royal family were mad enough to execute a foreign noble for trespassing in a garden, they wouldn’t have prospered in the first place.

After muttering to herself, Mail let out a groan. She couldn’t make a decision easily.

“…Alright. Let’s do this.”

The conclusion she managed to squeeze out was simple. Discovering the garden yesterday was purely by chance. She had walked and turned corners based on her feelings.

If she found the garden again by following her instincts, she would go in and look around; if she didn’t, she would give up right there.

Okay! With that resolution, Mail boldly resumed her steps. She was leaving it to luck!

A little while later, Mail found herself facing the same side path she discovered yesterday from the same direction. It was ambiguous whether this was bad luck or good luck.

“If this is my fate, I have no choice but to accept it.”

Having rationalized with a somewhat serious tone, Mail stepped onto the side path. She tried to maintain a calm expression, but she couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of her mouth. Entering the garden, she wore a rather strange expression.

“Ah… how long has it been?”

It hadn’t even been a day. Mail crouched in the middle of the garden with an emotional expression, as if she had reunited with a childhood friend.

The Lacy Marigold, which she confirmed yesterday, was blooming right there. With a bright smile, Mail rested her chin on her hands.

“Hello, Marigold! Have you been well? You really are prettier when I see you in the light.”

The best part of being in a deserted garden was that there was no worry about others looking at her strangely while talking to the plants. Mail displayed her enthusiasm, which even made her parents shake their heads, and chatted cheerfully.

“Speaking of which, Marigold, seeing you reminds me of the memories here. I bravely defeated the lies of a masked trickster.”

“What did you defeat?”

Though she had only heard that phrase twice in her life, if those two times were just yesterday and today, was it strange or familiar? Mail shut her mouth at the familiar deep voice echoing behind her. Then she awkwardly turned her head.

‘Why again!’

The first thing that caught her eye was the white mask. Now that she looked at it, it was indeed an item that demanded attention.

Mail thought that perhaps the mask, which looked like a symbol of a story, could also be a fashion statement as she locked eyes with the man. He was looking down at her, dressed almost the same as yesterday.

“Um… hello?”

Mail, rising from her crouch, awkwardly greeted him. Although she thought she might meet him again after their brief encounter at the banquet hall yesterday, she never imagined it would be so soon. Moreover, the timing was far from perfect. Mail had just been cursing him as a trickster. Oh, what bad timing.

‘I thought there was no one here.’

Mail had first checked for people when she stepped into the garden. Was anyone there? It was a natural search. There shouldn’t be anyone else around if she wanted to speak freely to the plants. Mail was perceptive enough to act accordingly.

In conclusion, thinking that no one was there, she had spoken freely, only to discover that someone was behind her.

There was no excuse, even if she had a hundred mouths. However, Mail felt a bit wronged. In her view, the man had appeared so quietly. It was a stealthy entrance.

“What if I’m not doing well?”

“Uh… that’s unfortunate.”

“Don’t you want to ask why I’m not doing well?”

“…Why aren’t you doing well?”

“Because I overheard someone talking behind my back since early morning. And that while talking to flowers.”

Mail thought the masked man was smiling. Although it didn’t seem like a particularly pleasant meaning. If anything, it was probably a sneer. Mail couldn’t blame anyone for her own misfortune and barely managed to suppress the urge to turn around and flee.

‘Let’s not back down until I hear him say it outright. If a garden enthusiast has come to a garden, they should at least take a look around.’

Whether the man was aware of Mail’s resolve or not, he moved closer, narrowing the distance between them. Startled by the approaching tall figure, Mail flinched but quickly steadied her heart.

‘It’s okay. I can apologize for calling him a trickster. After all, it wasn’t entirely wrong.’

“Ahem, I’ll correct my use of the word ‘liar.’ First of all, I did badmouth you behind your back, so I apologize for that too. But it’s true that you made something up, right?”

“Made something up?”