Flutter.

Early the next morning, Cornelia woke up to an unfamiliar sound coming from outside the window and turned her head toward it.

There, in the place her gaze landed, was a bird that had become familiar over the past few days.

The bird, with its glossy, dark red feathers, was a Peligian—one of the species managed by the imperial palace. It had started flying to her room in the afternoon on the day she received flowers from Carlisle.

Even now, her heart raced when she recalled how startled she had been the first time it tapped on her window.

Tap. Tap.

Hearing the sound again, Cornelia exited the bed and approached the window.

As soon as she opened it, the adorable creature hopped forward as if it had been waiting.

“Come on in.”

She handed the bird a small treat, knowing how hard it must have worked to bring her another note.

“You did well. Wait just a moment, okay?”

While the Peligian nibbled on its snack, Cornelia unfolded the note sent by Carlisle.

[Lia. Are you feeling better?]

“Again?”

Just one sentence.

She stared at the note in disbelief, flipping it over and checking the bird’s leg once more, as if expecting more.

But that was all.

Nothing else.

Every note Carlisle had sent her so far had been simple inquiries about her well-being or her preferences.

Did she sleep well? Had she eaten? What had she done today? What were her hobbies? What kind of food did she like?

She understood that he was showing interest in her.

She had already figured out his feelings when he sent her flowers.

And using a Peligian to deliver notes in an attempt to approach her cautiously was not a bad strategy.

“But this is getting a little ridiculous…”

If he had so much to say, why not write it all in a single letter?

Why go through the trouble of sending only one sentence at a time?

By the time the Peligian had tapped on her window more than ten times, Cornelia had given up keeping count of how many notes Carlisle had sent her.

At first, she had assumed he would stop soon and let it slide.

But she couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Postponing her schedule once or twice to deal with these notes was one thing, but she was beginning to feel trapped by them, day and night.

She was also growing weary of the constant worry that someone might notice.

Besides, ever since he sent her flowers, she had already planned to meet with him again.

[No. I’m still uncomfortable. More importantly, I think we need to meet and talk. Let me know the time and place. – Cornelia Olsen]

Cornelia, her expression firm, swiftly scrawled the message, tied it to the Peligian’s leg, and sent it off.

***

“My lady, the weather is lovely, but I’m worried you might catch the morning dew. Shall I fetch you a shawl?”

“No, I’m fine. It’s not too chilly. What about the tea?”

“I’ve prepared it just where you requested.”

Cornelia, who had been gazing at the morning sunlight streaming through the large window, rose from her bed and moved to the sitting room.

She bent down and selected a few books from the stack on the table.

“I can carry those for you!”

Sophie, who had approached unnoticed, took the heavy books from Cornelia’s hands.

“Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. I’ll come check on you later. If you need anything, just call for me.”

“Alright. Go take care of your own errands.”

Stepping out onto the balcony that opened to the outside, Cornelia saw that Sophie had already arranged a tea set with refreshments on the table.

Whenever she felt overwhelmed or stressed, she turned to books.

It might seem mundane and old-fashioned, but immersing herself in the words allowed her to escape the turmoil in her mind.

It was the perfect solution for someone who disliked excessive movement and preferred tranquility.

Before diving into her book, Cornelia took a sip of the perfectly steeped tea.

The tea leaves, carefully selected by her maternal family—the greatest trading house on the continent—and delivered to her quarterly, once again satisfied her refined palate.

Rustle. Rustle.

In the balcony, partially shaded by green trees, the sound of turning pages mixed with the occasional chirping of birds.

After spending a peaceful and languid morning, Cornelia straightened her posture, suppressing the urge to stretch.

Maintaining perfect poise for so long made even the smallest movements feel stiff.

“I thought a reply would come soon…”

Her gaze shifted toward the window of her bedroom, which opened onto the balcony.

But no matter how long she stared, nothing was beyond the cascade of blooming spring flowers.

Tap. Tap.

Her slender white fingers rhythmically tapped against the tea table.

‘Did he not receive my note?’

The thought briefly crossed her mind, causing her to furrow her brows.

But she quickly dismissed it.

It was a Peligian raised by the imperial family. There was no way such an intelligent creature would have strayed off course.

It had only been a few hours since the last Peligian visit, but…

Considering how frequently she had received one-sentence replies before, it almost felt like a dream now.

“It’s not as if he finds the idea of meeting me burdensome.”

Or perhaps…He had simply lost interest.

As that possibility dawned on her, Cornelia felt a strange sense of relief.

And yet, at the same time, there was a heaviness in her chest.

She glanced toward the window. No matter how much she resisted, her eyes drifted to the vibrant scenery outside.

That was not a good sign.

***

By late afternoon, long after the sun had passed its peak, Sophie, noticing Cornelia’s pensive mood, gently suggested an outing.

“My lady, the weather is just too beautiful!”

“Hmm.”

“Are you really going to stay in all day? It would be a shame not to enjoy it.”

“It sounds like you’re the one who wants to go out, Sophie.”

“Me? Oh, no! I was only thinking of you, my lady!”

Sophie waved her hands frantically, startled by the accusation.

Seeing how earnestly Sophie tried for her sake, Cornelia felt grateful and amused.

A small laugh escaped her lips.

“Sophie, contact Madame Carla for me.”

“Oh! You’re going out? Really?”

“Yes. Please get things ready.”

Cornelia had initially planned to stay at the mansion and organize her thoughts, but this time, she decided to grant Sophie’s request.

“Wow—! Thank you! My lady, I’ll make sure you look absolutely beautiful!”

“Don’t go overboard.”

Cornelia watched Sophie’s excited expression and felt the need to issue a precautionary reminder, just in case.

***

As the Olsen Marquisate’s carriage entered the noble district at the heart of the capital…

“Are you that happy?”

“Of course!”

Sophie clapped her hands together in excitement.

‘She’s incorrigible. Really.’

Cornelia shook her head slightly, causing the pearl veil draped over her hair to catch the light and shimmer faintly.

Thanks to Sophie, who only half-followed her request to keep things simple, what was supposed to be a light outing had turned into a dazzling affair.

“My lady, shall we stop by Madame Carla’s boutique first?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Cornelia turned her head to the side.

Through the small window of the carriage, she could see the beautifully maintained scenery outside.

Originally, she had planned to take a complete rest for a few days and meet with Carlisle once he contacted her.

But with his sudden silence, her plans were thrown into disarray.

It was for the best.

She told herself she could simply return to her usual routine.

Yet, no matter how much she tried to push the thought away, Carlisle’s lingering presence kept surfacing in her mind.

“Oh, wow! My lady! It really feels good to be out!”

As they neared the boutique, Sophie leaned against the window, eagerly peering outside. Cornelia let out a faint smile.

Sophie was right. Now that she was outside, she did feel better than when she was cooped up at home.

The weight pressing on her chest seemed to have lightened a little.

Cornelia kept herself unusually busy that day as if to make up for the time she had spent indoors.

Sir Edin escorted her, and she visited a boutique and a bookstore.

She stopped by the artists she regularly sponsored to admire their works.

And as the once-blue sky turned red with the setting sun…

Cornelia finally managed to go an entire day without thinking of Carlisle.

However—

“My goodness! Is that really true?”

“I’m telling you! I saw it with my own eyes—the statue from the Kingdom of Romania was being carried through the main gates of the Citran Count’s estate.”

“But… there’s been no word that His Majesty was the one who sent it, has there?”

His Majesty?

Just as Cornelia was about to lift her teacup, she froze at the words drifting from behind the low partition.

Before returning to the mansion, she stopped by one of the capital’s famous dessert shops after leaving the bookstore.

She frequented it, and she had just sat down for a moment of rest.

“My lady?”

“Ah.”

“Is something wrong? Do you not like the aroma? That’s strange—you always order this tea whenever we come here.”

Sophie mumbled, eyes widening in concern.

“I can have them prepare a fresh pot.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s nothing. I just had something on my mind. More importantly, could you pack some desserts to return to the mansion?”

“Oh, right! I should’ve done that earlier—I’ll be right back!”

Since Cornelia always brought back an assortment of desserts for the mansion’s staff whenever she visited, Sophie didn’t think much of her request.

Setting the teapot down on the table, Sophie quickly stepped away.

Meanwhile, the conversation beyond the partition continued.

“I’m sure you’ve all heard that Lady Citran wanted a famous royal sculptor’s final masterpiece from the Kingdom of Romania, right?”

“Yes, I remember. She kept mentioning it at every tea party, so I’d say most noble ladies know about it by now.”

“Exactly. But just because she wanted it doesn’t mean she could have it.”

“I heard it was extremely expensive. The Romanian royal family supposedly named an astronomical price. To buy it, you’d need to be among the wealthiest in the Roman Empire… Oh, wait, don’t tell me—!”

“Yes, Lady Marianne, you guessed correctly.”

“My goodness! Did His Majesty really purchase it?”

“The Citran family may have made some money from their maritime and wine businesses, but that hasn’t been for very long, has it? Rumor has it that Count Citran has been using that money elsewhere… That’s why they say it must have been a gift from His Majesty.”

“Well, that makes sense. Other wealthy families couldn’t even afford it, except perhaps the Olsen Marquisate.”

“How enviable.”

“His Majesty must be quite affectionate toward her!”

With a gasp, one of the ladies exclaimed, followed by murmurs of admiration and envy.

“Oh my, an emperor in love! How romantic!”

“I know, right? He’s known to be cold and terrifying, but a grand gift like that for Lady Citran is enough to overlook that, don’t you think?”

The noble ladies’ laughter carried through the walls and reached Cornelia’s ears.

Carlisle gave Lady Citran a gift?

A royal sculptor’s final masterpiece from the Kingdom of Romania?

A crease formed on Cornelia’s smooth forehead, and doubt flickered in her light brown eyes.

She slowly lifted her teacup, turning the overheard conversation over in her mind.

Her air of elegance and composure remained unchanged, but her gaze sank lower, heavy with contemplation.

By the time the gossiping ladies had moved on to a new topic, Sophie returned.

“My lady! I’ve loaded all the desserts onto the carriage!”

“Is that so? Then let’s head back.”

“So soon?”

Sophie, who had only stepped away briefly, blinked in surprise when she saw her mistress rising from her seat.

Cornelia always lingered whenever she visited this shop. That was why her sudden decision to leave was so unexpected.