Standing bewildered, Marienne blinked her large eyes.

Though she never wanted to misunderstand others’ feelings and be disappointed again……

Still……

It seems he likes me after all. That’s why he seems not to know what to do with himself.

“That can’t be. Impossible.”

Marienne shook her increasingly reddening face, trying to shake off such idle fantasies.

* * *

“Miss, we’re almost at Rockshield. That over there must be the famous Lion’s Gorge.”

Bell, now accustomed to the carriage, pointed outside to Marienne.

The long journey was nearing its end.

It had already been ten days since she left Louer.

Throughout the journey, the knights remained courteous to Marienne but kept their distance, and Marienne also always kept Bell with her and didn’t approach them unless necessary.

At night, she would fall asleep before the Duke came, and when the rooster crowed at dawn, he would leave first.

It was an extremely peaceful and quiet time.

When they stopped to rest in the forest, she would pick wildflowers to make bouquets with Bell or search for berries like wild strawberries.

Sometimes she would remove her stockings and dip her feet in the cold valley stream.

The Duke was present for all those moments.

Without approaching, but not distancing himself either, he would watch from horseback or stand nearby.

Like a knight guarding a princess from stories.

Looking out the window, Marienne twirled a wild strawberry leaf in her hand.

Though it had no particular fragrance, she smiled while holding it to her nose.

She worried he might mock her when she gathered wild strawberries in her palm and offered them to him in the forest, but the Duke had looked at them intently before eating them. And then he smiled.

Though they hadn’t exchanged any particularly affectionate words, and he had walked far behind Bell and herself on the forest path back to their lodgings, she couldn’t erase the smile spreading across her face.

Her steps grew light, almost like a dance, and even the brush of her skirts against her ankles filled her with happiness.

Her empty heart was being filled.

No matter how much she told herself to face reality, or how much the three hundred deniso silver coins pressed upon her, it was useless.

They would arrive at Rockshield in two days.

Deep regret filled Marienne’s gaze as she stared out of the carriage.

Perhaps everyone was tired as they neared the end, as the Duke secured lodgings early.

Sitting on the windowsill to dry her hair after washing, Marienne took in a sweet breath.

I wish this journey would never end.

I wish Rockshield lay beyond an endless road……

Marienne leaned her head against the window frame and wished.

Knock knock.

A knock sounded.

The Duke should be with the knights, so who could it be?

Marienne looked for her shawl and wrapped it around herself as she opened the door.

“Who is it?”

“Miss, the Duke asks you to come to the stables. He specifically asked that you wear your cloak.”

“I understand. I’ll be right out.”

As the inn boy went down the stairs, Marienne hurriedly put on her clothes.

After putting on her cloak, she checked her face from various angles in the cloudy cheap mirror. Fortunately, she didn’t look pale, nor were there dark circles under her eyes.

About to grab the door handle, Marienne returned to the mirror. She pinched her cheeks to make them slightly rosy and put rose water in her mouth before spitting it out.

Wiping the water that had dripped around her mouth, Marienne warned the woman in the mirror whose heart felt ready to burst.

Don’t misunderstand. What if he called you to clean horse dung?

Though it was an unreasonable rebuke, it did calm her racing heart somewhat.

Marienne widened her eyes once before leaving the room.

Then, oh dear, she returned to the mirror to check if her thick braid hadn’t become messy.

Suddenly she felt sorry for the sparkling eyes in the mirror.

“Don’t expect anything. It won’t happen. Whatever you’re imagining. You know that.”

Marienne left the room and headed to the stables with a composed face.

Outside the inn, the setting sun bathed everything in orange.

He stood in the warm yet somehow melancholic light.

“What’s the matter?”

“Keeping a promise.”

Nigel mounted Marienne, who tilted her head curiously, onto the horse before climbing up behind her.

Marienne turned toward Nigel, pulling away from where her back touched him.

“I can ride a horse myself.”

“I know. But with your skill level, you can’t reach where we’re going.”

“Where are we going?”

“Try to guess.”

Nigel turned the horse’s head toward the Lion’s Gorge.

He rode slowly at first, gradually increasing speed as Marienne grew accustomed to holding the mane.

Soon her braided hair fluttered, and fresh wind cleansed her lungs.

Even the horse’s vibrations against her thighs heightened her excitement.

After riding for a while, even the scattered farmhouses disappeared from view.

The sky, now mixing with darkness, had somehow turned violet.

Roughly carved rock faces. Mountain goats moved in herds along the gorge’s steep cliffs.

Several massive waterfalls crashed down as if to crush the earth.

As Marienne was absorbed in the scenery, he called out.

“Hold the mane tight! It gets dangerous from here.”

Nigel guided the horse down a slope thick with shrubs and vines.

Leaning his upper body back, he skillfully controlled the horse even with Marienne aboard.

What she thought would end quickly became a long descent, and Marienne’s palms grew damp with sweat as she gripped the mane.

The surroundings quickly darkened as the sun disappeared.

Focusing tensely on where the horse’s hooves landed, Marienne missed the scenery before her.

Only when the horse finished descending the slope and stood on level ground did she finally exhale and lift her head.

“Ah…… Duke. This is……!”

A magnificent gorge spread in all directions, with a winding stream flowing below.

And white flowers, drenched in moonlight, illuminated the darkening grassland.

Flowers that emitted light in darkness—she had never heard of such a thing.

They were brilliant, as if the full moon in the night sky had shattered and scattered.

Nigel guided the horse toward where the flowers bloomed in profusion.

“Are these Nucria flowers?”

“It means moonlight in the ancient language.”

“How fitting. Oh Duke, what should I do? I can’t believe it even as I’m seeing it. It feels like a dream.”

Marienne bent down and reached toward the flowers.

Each time the petals swayed, sparkling pollen floated into the air.

Nigel dismounted and lifted Marienne onto the carpet of white flowers.

Taking each step through the ethereally glowing flowers, Marienne trembled with uncontrollable elation.

A sensation both strange yet familiar, an odd feeling as if blood flowed through her stiff body and her pulse quickened.

It felt as if her soul, trapped in a suffocating body, was pounding at the locks of her heart seeking liberation.

Walking among the mysterious flowers, Marienne closed her eyes. The flowers swayed together, creating a fragrant wind.

Silver pollen rose toward the black-painted night sky.

The waves emanating from Marienne spread outward in circular ripples, making the flowers sway.

The wind created by petals, leaves, and pollen began to envelop the flower’s child they had long awaited.

Her red hair came loose and flew in all directions.

“Marienne? Marienne!”

Nigel raised his arm to shield his eyes from the magical power that began to swirl violently.

The fierce wind that denied approach made it difficult even to keep his eyes open.

“Marienne!”

Nigel, his eyes fiercely wide, leaped into the flower storm without a moment’s hesitation.

Though the wind grew more vicious trying to expel the unwelcome intruder, he pressed forward heedlessly, reaching out toward Marienne.

Black markings appeared on the back of his hand.

His nails grew grotesquely, and his clenched fangs sharpened.

Though unbearable pain surged through him, his blood-red eyes remained fixed only on Marienne Rose—his woman whom even the gods dared not take from him.

The curse markings spread instantly along his veined forearms, covering his shoulders and spreading across his chest.

Coughing up blood, he gritted his teeth and reached out to Marienne.

Red hair brushed against the trembling monster’s fingertips.

Please…… Marienne!

In the swirling flower storm, Marienne felt an indescribable fullness.

There was no cold loneliness, no gnawing emptiness or hunger.

Only infinite freedom and peaceful silence enveloped her soul.

She floated in beautiful silence where even scattering wouldn’t bring sorrow or sadness.

Memories flashed quickly by—from the orphanage to the tanner’s workshop, Rose Shoe Shop, and Louer.

There were happy times, but truthfully, there had been much pain.

She had to deceive herself by pretending to be strong, pretending not to be hurt, forcing herself to smile.

Wanting acceptance, wanting love, she smiled and ignored the knives piercing her heart.

But the fragrant petals enveloping her body were infinitely soft.

They were as warm as her long-missed mother’s embrace.

Marienne smiled gently as her form began to crumble and scatter into petals, starting from her toes and fingertips.