Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Side Story

A few winters past, in the kingdom’s capital.

“A teddy bear dressed as a soldier? Will Jade really like this sort of thing?”

“What’s important is that it was you who picked out the gift, Your Grace. Master Jade already has everything he needs, but you should give him more commonplace presents every now and then.”

Sion spoke politely but was unable to reassure his master that Jade would be delighted to receive a toy soldier bear. The duke often utterly failed at choosing a gift for his son, though he was admittedly better than Jade’s aunt Marianne, who kept sending the boy lacey shirts and bow tie ribbons.

When Kallen stepped out of the toy store, the crowd of children gathered in front scattered, disappearing into the alley.

“What was all that?” he asked.

“The children who live in the back alley, I believe. They must have been standing outside, watching the toy store.”

“I see. So they didn’t run away because of me?”

“No, Your Grace. I assume they were simply looking through the shop’s window. Shopkeepers are known to hit and chase away children like them, fearing that they’ll sneak in and steal from the store.”

“Is that so? What stingy shopkeepers.”

At that moment, the toy store owner stepped outside to turn off the lamp in the shop window. One of the back alley children poked her head out from behind the wall, and Kallen locked eyes with her. She had pink hair and her eyes shone with tears. Much like a begging puppy, her eyes were repeatedly drawn to the toys in the window.

Kallen found that quite endearing. He climbed into his carriage, which had just arrived, but stopped Sion when he made to enter behind him.

“Give this gold coin to the toy store’s shopkeeper,” he said, handing the coin to the butler. “And ask him to keep the lamp in the window lit tonight.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Jade will most likely discard this gift, so I’d like to make up for such a failure by giving a gift to other children.”

Sion raised an eyebrow, unsure what his master meant, but then nodded politely. “As you wish, Your Grace.”

After all, it wasn’t the first time he’d been made to follow his master’s whims. The toy store’s light stayed on that entire night. There was one strawberry blond girl, dressed in rags, who stood in front of the shop until dawn.

“Oh, it’s so beautiful…”

The child’s bright smile and twinkling eyes sparkled with her hopes and dreams.

<The Redheaded Fortune Teller>

Case Closed.

* * *

“He’s dead.”

The man lay amid a bed of bright blue roses. I was frozen as I stared at his face. His body was completely stiff. There was no mistaking that it was a corpse. The blood seeping from his body stained the blue roses red. I pressed my palms to my mouth to hold in my scream.

“Don’t look, Leticia,” Jade whispered, placing his hand over my eyes.

To think I’d had no idea that the picnic I’d been anticipating would end in disaster.

* * *

A month had passed since I’d been given the name Leticia, and I had spent that entire month inside the manor. These days, I’d thrown myself into learning to read and write with my governess. By the time the gowns Marianne had chosen and had tailored arrived to fill my closet, my condition had improved immensely. I had gained some weight while receiving treatment for my injury, and everyone said that my eyes were livelier than before.

“You’re so adorable, Leticia!” Marianne shrieked gleefully after the maids had dressed me in a new gown. Apparently, she’d dropped by the manor this morning to see me.

“How are you so beautiful? I bet no one will remember your appearance when you first arrived, not after seeing how you look now!” A flush crept across my cheeks.

“Will this be your first time going boating?” she asked.

“Yes. And I’ve never traveled quite so far.”

“Oh, how cute. You must be excited.” Marianne stroked my hair as she spoke.

Jade, who perhaps felt saddened to see me bedridden, decided to take me boating as promised. I looked down at the roses decorating my three-quarter sleeve dress and fiddled with my hat, which was secured with a ribbon tied under my chin.

“Here,” Marianne said, plucking a flower from a vase and affixing it to my hat. “Flowers make people feel more lively.” Then she leaned back and looked me up and down. “Are you feeling better now, dear?”

“I feel great,” I said.

“If anything hurts, tell Jade to bring you back right away.”

I nodded bashfully. Marianne cared about me a lot. I couldn’t count how many times she’d visited me while I’d been sick. Kallen told her she was being a nuisance, but I was always happy to see her.

Marianne straightened my hat, which had been slightly askew. “Soon you’ll become quite the lovely lady, I’m sure. I want to see you grow up, but I also wish for you to stay a child. Is this how it feels to have a daughter?”

I had since learned that Marianne wasn’t allowed to marry because she was a saint, and I wondered if this was the cause of the loneliness I sensed in her. I smiled brightly at her. “I want to grow up quickly and become someone like you, Marianne.”

“Someone like me?”

“You know, someone who makes you wonder, ‘Is she pretty because she’s kind, or kind because she’s pretty?’ It’s not just your appearance that shines. Everything about you sparkles.”

I was being honest. Marianne was one of the most beautiful people I’d ever met—perhaps one of the most beautiful people in this world. She was also cheerful and friendly, which sent butterflies fluttering through my heart.

She watched my grin for a moment, then drew me into a hug. “Oh, you’re too kind! Just where did an angel like you fall from?”

As she nuzzled her cheek against mine, I smelled a fragrance so pleasant, I could forget she smoked. I heard the door creak open.

“Just remember not to adopt Aunt Marianne’s terrible drinking habits,” Jade said, leaning in the doorway. He was clearly dressed and ready to leave.

Marianne smirked and replied, “Alcohol is a blessing that everyone is allowed to enjoy, Jade. In fact, you should learn how to drink from me.”

“No, thank you. I already know how to hold my liquor.”

Marianne was a rather unconventional saint, just as I had expected.

“Won’t you join us for boating, Marianne?” I asked, clutching her dress sleeve.

“I’m afraid I must attend an event at the temple this afternoon. You go have fun,” she said. Then she kissed my cheek and waved us both goodbye.

Jade motioned for me to follow him, and I skipped alongside him until we reached the carriage outside. It was a beautiful sunny day.

* * *

“Oh, how stunning!”

Lenoch Island, the site for our eventual picnic, was across the river. Marianne had said that the island boasted some of the most beautiful flowers. Today’s plan was to enjoy the boat ride across the river and then have a picnic once we arrived on the shore.

As the servant rowed the boat, I clutched my parasol and eagerly looked around. The autumn breeze was refreshing, and the sun’s rays were warm. The sparkling sunlight tickled the water’s surface. The boat swayed as it creaked across the river.

“In all likelihood, the blue roses will be blooming on Lenoch Island today,” Jade said.

“Blue roses?”

“Blue roses flower on the island for only three days each year. I chose today because there won’t be many people there. We can relax and enjoy the picnic without a crowd.”

“Huh? Why would that mean that there won’t be many people?”

Flowers that only bloom three days a year… Doesn’t that mean they’re rare? Wouldn’t people flock to the island to see them?

“Because blue roses mean bad luck,” Jade said.

“Bad luck?”

“They say that when blue roses bloom, they emit a poison that kills everyone around. It’s a superstition on Lenoch Island.”

I gaped. Jade chuckled at my widened eyes. “But three years ago, the legend was proven to be nothing but an old wives’ tale. Besides, the Leweltons are a family of magicians, remember? This is the only time we visit Lenoch Island, as it’s more peaceful.”

“I see…”

I guess I’m not all that scared of superstitions. What kind of superstitions did I have in my past life? If you sleep in a closed room with a fan running all night, you’ll never wake up. If you write your name in red pen, a ghost will come to take you away. As I reflected on the ridiculous myths of my past, my fear slowly abated.

“Blue roses are completely harmless to the body. Humans are what you really need to be afraid of,” Jade remarked.

“Oh, I think I know what you mean. I don’t like being around too many people, either. And when it’s crowded, I’m sure you can barely see the flowers.”

“Hm, I suppose that’s one way to look at it…” Jade grinned. He seemed to find me amusing.

Doesn’t this mean we’ve grown quite close? Suddenly, a shout beside us disrupted my thoughts.

“Hey, you! Are you going to Lenoch Island?”

When I looked over, I saw a group of young men in a boat like ours, waving over at us.

Who are they? I stared at them and clutched my teddy bear tightly.

“Hey! Over here!” They kept waving at us, bottles of alcohol in their other hands. “We see you, Jade!”

Jade groaned and placed his palm on his brow.

Does Jade know them? He doesn’t look happy to see them, though.

“Today’s not our lucky day, given that those bastards are also heading to Lenoch Island. We’ll probably run into them on the hill.”

Did you just call them “those bastards?”

The servants continued to row diligently, and the gap between the boats widened.

“Do you know those people?” I asked.

“Oh, uh… They’re just people I know from the academy,” Jade said, rubbing his temples with a sigh.