At Raymond’s attitude as usual, Tatiana was secretly relieved.
Today in the banquet hall, Tatiana felt anxiety for the first time in her life.
The fear that one side of the world she had been safe on was collapsing.
She had to let the precipitation go to overcome that fear.
“Ugh. So. How have you been? What about Ray?”
“I am always fine. Except for not seeing my Titi every day.”
The two sat down.
Raymond brought cookies and drinks from one side of the break room and placed them in Tatiana’s mouth and hands, respectively.
“By the way, Titi, when did the Archduke start to treat you like this?”
“Ah…no. Usually he’s very kind, but sometimes he’s just like that. Once in a while.”
“Then you’re saying something like this has happened before. Titi, if you’re scared of the Archduke, tell me. I will help you.”
Tatiana felt relief as she saw Raymond clasping her hand.
‘Yes, this is still my world.’
Having regained her composure, Tatiana smiled softly and patted Raymond’s hand.
“No. I’m getting along well with Andy.”
“If you are, there is nothing I can do. But Titi, know that I’m always by your side. If you’re having a hard time, just tell me.”
“Yes. That was the truth.”
Tatiana smiled pretty and looked up at Raymond.
Raymond felt ecstatic every time she looked into his eyes.
He felt as if he had found out the truth of the world.
She was seductive and addictive.
Tatiana’s red lips moved up in an arc, and she opened her mouth.
“It’s because there’s something that’s been bothering me. It’s about Karina. Can you do me a favor?”
~*~
(Karina’s pov)
Aster and I headed to the garden.
He said he had something to show me, and he was excited like a child.
“It’s an honor to be able to show this to the princess.”
“What are you trying to show me?”
Aster just laughed at my question.
We arrived at another garden in the deepest part.
Aster put his hand on the closed iron door.
Red magic spread out from his wrist and seeped into the door, and it opened with a squeaking sound.
“Go in first.”
As I walked through the passageway lined with vines with my skirt slightly raised, a white snowfield spread out.
“Wow.”
The place was covered with snow out of season and was full of jeweled flowers.
Besides, each flower was shimmering and shining by itself as if it had been enchanted. Read only at pm tl.
It looked like it was another world.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so pretty.”
“It was a garden that my father gave to my mother. She was a wizard of winter. She wanted to give him flowers that wouldn’t die even in winter, so she made all those flowers into jewels.”
“What a romanticist.”
At my words, Aster laughed bitterly and muttered.
“It was so heartbreaking for him after losing her.”
“Ah…”
His mother was a winter wizard, and Aster was a summer wizard.
Because she had a son with a different personality and powerful magic, she weakened a lot during her pregnancy.
And in the meantime, the poisoning happened.
Normally, that amount of poison wouldn’t have had any effect at all.
However, it was a huge blow to Aster’s mother, who had already weakened to the point of dying.
In the end, she gave birth to Aster and died within a year.
The Emperor blamed it all on Aster.
He neglected him, saying the throne was the last thing he could do for him.
The reason Aster had no choice but to kill all his brothers was because his position was too weak.
I was dissatisfied with that.
“But, Aster. To be honest, His Majesty the Sun Emperor was a coward.”
At my words, Aster looked at me with a surprised expression. I wondered if I had said something wrong for a moment, but decided to finish what I had started.
“The death of Aster’s mother was just an unavoidable accident. And to be honest, he had a lot of illegitimate children.”
“Ha ha ha ha.”
At my words, Aster laughed as if it was funny.
Following his laughter, his puffy breath spread into the air.
Aster reached out and touched my cold fingertips.
“It’s the first time you’ve told me such a story, Kari.”
Was it because the surrounding air was lower than usual?
Strangely, Aster’s face looked shiny.
Eyes full of kindness and affection, and red lips that look dreamy due to the white breath.
‘What am I thinking!’
Still, I couldn’t take my eyes off his face.
“Kari.”
The voice calling my name was perfect.
We slowly got closer.
My heart started beating fast. Will it be okay like this?