Chapter 34

‘This is going to be Larissa’s house, so from now on, it would be good to find out what’s in the house, right?’

Because she doesn’t have to be locked up in a room anymore.

Larissa didn’t show any dislike either.

With courage, I grabbed Larissa’s hand and ambitiously left the room.

When we finally arrived, the fountain was much wider than when we looked down from above.

The lawn spread out among the neatly arranged beautiful trees, and flower beds and statues were arranged in harmony with each other.

It was still a bit chilly and early in the season, so no butterflies or bees could be seen, but the chirping of birds could be heard through the trees.

It was beautiful and peaceful.

‘Unfortunately, the weather is a little cloudy.’

Still, it didn’t look like it was going to rain as the blue sky was shining through the clouds.

“On cloudy days, you don’t have to wear a parasol or hat, so it’s less troublesome and good, isn’t it?”

I walked with Larissa and kept talking.

Larissa followed me, but she kept staring at her feet as she walked, not knowing where to put her eyes.

Every time she did, I deliberately pointed my finger around.

“Wow, look at that. How did they trim the tree so well? It’s really square, huh?”

“There’s a statue too! It must be a baby angel. How pretty.”

As if talking to a two-year-old, I pointed at the surroundings with my finger.

Every time I did, Larissa looked carefully at the place I was pointing at.

That means she’s listening to me right?

The lips that had been tightly closed at first started to open slightly.

‘Cute! Looks like you’re concentrating.’

I became more chatty.

“The daffodils are blooming. It is said that spring has come. Look at this, Larissa. At first glance, the leaves look like green onions, but they are not green onion flowers. Green onion flowers are white and round, and the stem looks like a needle stick.”

In front of the daffodils garden, she didn’t just look at them, but her steps got slower!

Do you like flowers?

I smiled and walked slowly at Larissa’s pace.

“You can touch it. It smells good too.”

As I whispered, Larissa’s steps slowed even further.

Her eyes could not fall from the yellow petals of the daffodil.

‘Ahhh, cute.’

I let go of Larissa’s hand and squatted in front of the flowerbed. Then, I inhaled the scent of daffodils with exaggerated movements.

When I sat in front of the flowerbed and didn’t get up, Larissa approached me with hesitation.

“Smell it too. Here you go.”

When I gestured to the seat next to me, Larissa sat down on her knees quietly.

And she slowly lowered her head over the yellow buds.

“……!”

After a while, Larissa looked up and her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were wide open.

It’s like smelling the scent of a flower for the first time in your life.

‘It’s worth bringing her out.’

I smiled happily and realized what Larissa’s reaction meant.

Is this really your first time seeing flowers?

‘Somehow, it was like trying to eat sweets for the first time.’

I don’t know how old Larissa was when she was locked up in the basement.

Oh my gosh. What has she ever done?

‘Are you sure you haven’t done anything that normal people would have experienced?’

I bit my lip.

Looking sideways, Larissa was quietly smelling the flowers and carefully touching the petals with her fingertips.

Long silver eyelashes cast a shadow over the green eyes gazed at the daffodils.

The eyes that looked like they were dead were more alive than usual.

After escaping from that hellish basement, Larissa changed a bit.

Perhaps it was because she ate well, her slender cheeks became a little plump, and her face began to turn red.

She was a young child who had soft fluffy cheeks.

‘I still have a long way to go. I have to feed her more to look like her age.’

I smiled and imagined pinching Larissa’s plump cheeks.

‘I have to feed her well until her cheeks are plump and warm like winter buns.’

Seeing Larissa carefully burying the tip of her nose among the yellow spring flowers, it felt like seeing a chick just hatched from an egg.

A cute, soft, little creature that only follows me.

A small bird that is too weak and needs to be cared for so as not to get hurt.

I waited for the cute chick to finish observing the daffodils, then stood up.

‘I’ll ask the gardener to cut some flower stalks so I can put them in our room later.’

Crocuses were planted in the next flowerbed.

Small purple flowers were in full bloom, like a purple carpet.

Larissa also squatted in front of the flowerbed and watched for a while.

She stopped at each flowerbed and walked around, and when she arrived at the fountain at the end of the garden, quite a bit of time had passed.

It was a small fountain with a statue of a small girl holding a water bottle high in the middle.

“Shall we sit here for a while?”

We sat on the edge of the fountain.

As I looked up at the sky, the previously thick clouds were gradually dissipating.

The sun began to fall over the trees.

‘I should have brought some snacks.’

I regret it a little now.

‘If we had stopped by the kitchen while coming, we would have been able to shake our legs and enjoy the sunshine while eating apples.’

I sighed and dipped my fingers into the fountain. A cool sensation came up through my fingers.

Watching me dip my fingers, Larissa also gently slipped her fingers into the water.

After a while, she began to dip both hands at the same time and squirm through the water.

What’s that? My chest swelled with a sense of exaltation.

It must have been nothing, but I was happy.

‘Did you get attached to me in just 15 days?’

Come to think of it, three weeks have passed since I was in Marcia’s body.

‘It was the most stormy three weeks of my life.’

I brushed the water off my cold fingers.

I guess this is enough. It’s getting colder.

If you catch a cold after being outside for too long, it’s a big deal.

I got up from the fountain.

“Would you like to go back to our room now? Are you not hungry?”

But then, I heard a voice pretending to know me from behind.

“Hey, aren’t you Your Highness the Grand Duchess?”

The voice that seems to have just passed puberty.

It was obvious who the owner was. Richard.

‘I was having a great time with Larissa for the first time in a long time.’

I closed my eyes tightly, sighed, and looked back with a smile.

A boy with black hair, with both hands in his pockets, was walking towards this side.

“I thought I’d never see you again. I thought you weren’t coming out a step because you were stuck in your room, but that wasn’t it.”

I didn’t want to respond much, but it was too late to ignore him. Because he already saw me from the other side and talked to me.

Larissa, who was about to get up from the fountain, sat slumped and looked at Richard with her round eyes, then she looked at me.

I said with my eyes, ‘It’s okay, Larissa. This sister of yours will take care of it.’

I turned around from the fountain and stopped in front of Richard.

Richard looked at me with a sneering expression.

But when it comes to sneering, I’m pretty good at it too.

I smiled and spoke very kindly,

“Oh my, who is this? Richard? What are you doing here after the funeral is over? Both of your parents have already left, so why are you here?”

Richard frowned.

“I’m paying tribute to my grandfather. Can you see this black tie?”

“Oh, I see. For that kind of thing, you hadn’t even shed a single tear at the funeral. Besides, I heard that the body of Grand Duke Frederick was transported to the castle. Why not go there instead?”

As I said with a broad smile, Richard responded with a smirk, “What are you doing with a lot of guest rooms left? Do you want to wield whatever you want because you become the hostess of this mansion?”

“If you are quiet and behave like a guest, I won’t say anything.”

“I met you by chance in this garden and wanted to greet you. Why are you so mean?”

I held back the desire to turn to Larissa.

Richard continued, “Don’t worry, I don’t plan on staying forever. I have to go back to the academy in a few days anyway. The Laurent estate is closer to the train station than my house. I want to save time.”

“It’s a good excuse. Well, anyway, then. Please rest well for the rest of the time, Richard.”

I nodded my head lightly to say goodbye, turned around, and headed towards Larissa.

“Then let’s go, Larissa.”

I reached out to Larissa. Larisa took my hand hesitantly.

“I’ll take you to your room.”

Ah, I’m surprised!

Richard suddenly came in front of us.

How could he move so fast with his hands in his pockets?

“Why? This is my house now, so you don’t have to do this.”

“You probably don’t know the structure of the mansion yet.”

“You’re so kind. But, now I know roughly because the butler guided me.”

“This place is so spacious. I know it roughly……”

“Can you get out of the way?”

Although I spoke outright, Richard stood with his chest sticking out as if he had no intention of moving away.

Won’t you move?

‘I’ll just go then.’

I took Larissa’s hand and stepped to Richard’s side.

Just before I passed him, Richard said hastily, “So you’re just going back to your room? There must be something to do before that.”

“What is that? There is no such thing.”

Why the hell are you being so annoying?

I narrowed my eyes, annoyed. Then Richard grunted.

“Shouldn’t you formally introduce yourself?”

Who?

‘……is it Larissa?’

Richard didn’t even look at Larissa.

Instead, he stared at me with blue eyes, and spoke again and again, “We are now relatives. I hate to admit that a woman from an untitled family is my relative, but I’m facing the reality.”

“The relationship between relatives is not easily broken, and now we are going to see each other for the rest of our lives. Your younger sister, too, so it’s okay to introduce her formally.”

You’re saying something surprisingly ridiculous.

‘Our poor Larissa. She has to be a relative with such a kid.’

I shook my head and looked back at Larissa slightly.

‘……what?’

Larissa stood expressionless, holding my hand tightly.

Somehow she didn’t seem very nervous.

Rather, she rolled her eyes and even glanced at Richard.