CH 73

There were rumors that Vanessa had dumped him and run off with another man, but they seemed to get along like a pair of lovebirds.

Before the second flowering ceremony, Karaf dispelled the rumors, that they weren’t true, and seeing the nobles now, he noticed their opinions gradually changed. They expressed that they seemed to have misunderstood.

Karaf patted Asha gently on the back and whispered to her.

“……Everything will be fine now. No one will speak ill of you. I will get rid of curses from now on.”

Asha felt a little hurt. 

Karaf was convinced that she didn’t love him at all and asked her to act.

Asha broke free of his embrace and gently took Karaf’s face in her hands to look into his eyes.

He was a bit taken aback by her bold touch, but soon his expression relaxed and he smiled slightly.

Asha couldn’t easily read if that smile was genuine or fake, aware of the people around him, or if it was just resignation or affection.

But one thing was for sure, she no longer felt intimidated or scared, despite being so close.

In the romantic setting, Karaf placed his hand on the back of her head and moved closer to her lips.

He didn’t kiss Asha but deftly turned his head to the side so the others could see they were kissing.

Asha and Karaf looked into each other’s eyes from very close, while the cheering began again.

She could feel his breath right in front of her nose. Her posture was so embarrassing that she couldn’t bear to look at him, so Asha squeezed her eyes shut.

Karaf held his face close to hers one last time, then pulled away slightly.

“Now, it’s time to extinguish the fire with holy water.”

At the order of the high priest, a young priest who was following him came forward carrying a silver gourd-shaped bottle.

At that moment, the floral scent hit her, startling her.

The young priest bowed his head respectfully and slowly raised his head and looked at Asha.

Asha felt a chill from head to toe when her eyes met his.

The man who appeared with the thick floral scent was wearing a white robe, with a hood on his head, but he had silver hair and silver eyes as if all the pigment had been removed from his body.

If her intuition is correct, this man is… He is the second flower of the empire.　

Asha was so frightened that she froze, but Karaf, who received the bottle for her, did not notice it.

“Let’s do this together.”

As Karaf glanced back, Asha quickly came to her senses and nodded.

If she had shown a strange reaction in front of him, she thought that Karaf could kill that man right here.

When Karaf was looking for Asha, he also searched the temple like a rat. It was because he got the idea that Asha might have secretly sneaked off to the temple to find the other flower.

There was little chance of fleeing to the temple, but he searched the entire temple with a feeling of finding it.

And if she found another flower first without him knowing, he’d try to get rid of it.

The temple was also in trouble because Vanessa was kidnapped from the temple during the flowering ceremony.

The priests were more serious than usual because they were paying attention to Karaf.

Asha was breaking out in a cold sweat and her heart was racing, but she calmly completed the blooming ritual.

At the same time as the holy water poured out of the gourd-shaped bottle, the flaming butterflies that were flying around vanished and turned into drops of cold water.

After the ceremony, Asha and Karaf stood next to each other and clasped their hands on the altar, and prayed to God.

Asha prayed to God to help him blossom from a tyrant to a sage.

Having finished her prayer, Asha pretended not to care and looked toward the place where the second flower was.

But before she knew it, he disappeared. 

She was a bit disappointed but decided to be content with just confirming that there was a second flower in the temple.

She was so confused and distracted that she didn’t have time to get a good look at him.

Golden dust and flower petals flew around the temple, blessing the two.

Asha and Karaf were recently named in the empire’s history books as an imperial couple, a butterfly, and a flower.

* * * * *

After the ceremony, the two went to the empress’s palace. 

The room where she will live as the Lady of the Imperial Palace.

Asha walked in with a determined face but was surprised when the door opened and her room looked completely different from before.

Had he been preparing all this before returning to the palace?

The newly renovated empress’s palace looked truly dazzlingly luxurious.

Standing in a daze in the doorway of the dazzling bedroom, Karaf spoke from behind.

“I changed everything in case you remember bad memories. But I wasn’t sure how to decorate it to your liking…..how funny…. Even though we were already married once, I don’t know anything about what you like…..”

He sneered at himself.

In preparation for Asha’s return, he ordered the servants to redecorate the empress’s palace, but when asked how to decorate it, he could not answer anything.

He always gave Asha everything he wanted, without asking if she liked it.

He didn’t know if she really needed anything else…

Not knowing if it was what she needed or what she would be delighted to receive, he sent her gifts as if to show off.

Asha stared back at him, her eyes widening slightly when she saw the vase in his hand.

Karaf walks past her and into her room, carefully placing the vase in a sunny spot by her bed.

The mysterious purple flowers were violets.

Asha realized why he brought that flower and her eyes turned red inadvertently.

Karaf couldn’t bear to look at her and said, just looking at the ground.

“I know you were delighted when you received this flower from Baron Violet……. I was so pathetic that I only knew how to give a garden to the woman I loved, but I didn’t know how to pluck a single flower with my own hands.”

Karaf raised his head and was distraught to find Asha, who seemed to be about to cry again.

Somehow, from time to time, he seemed to just make her cry.

Karaf couldn’t bear to put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her and looked away as if embarrassed.

“If you don’t like this room, feel free to tell me, Empress.”

Asha suddenly went blank as she heard him speak formally.

Karaf’s gaze sank further.

She was the only woman for him, the only butterfly in this empire, who did not treat her properly as an empress just because she was from an ethnic minority.

He only realized it after his memories returned.

Foolishly, he only realized now that there was no way for others to treat her properly, even when the emperor did not treat her properly.

‘A man’s worth depends on his position.’

Even though he had said that with his own mouth before, he was unable to follow through.

He made himself feel like an idiot.

Karaf said, clenching his fists as if his chest were tight.

“I……strangely, once I get angry, my body shakes unbearably and I can’t control it. But I’ll fix it for you. So would you give me one more chance? This time I will definitely, definitely make you happy. I won’t hurt you.”

“…… Your Majesty.”

Karaf raised his head when she called out to him and looked at her with some concern.

But Asha, whose expression had softened, spoke quietly.

“I’m fine, so please treat me like you used to. Your sudden respect makes me feel distant from you.”

“But…….”

“I’m really fine. I didn’t understand Your Majesty’s feelings until now. But I do… now. Don’t push yourself too hard. When people try to change everything at once, they quickly get tired. Let’s walk slowly. I’ll walk next to Your Majesty.”

Asha walked softly beside her, sniffed at the flowers, and smiled.

“It smells really good. Thank you for the flowers.”

Karaf looked at her with trembling eyes.

And soon, his earlobes turned red and the corners of his mouth twitched as if he was about to smile.

It looked like he was about to die of joy.

Asha pretended not to notice but held back a laugh because he seemed like a child happy to be praised.

Karaf spoke with a flushed face.

“You may get tired of seeing the same flower, so I will come with different flowers every day. I want to show you only fresh flowers that never wither. And if you want… I’ll take you to the rose garden.”

He gave Asha an entire rose garden as a gift, but he hated the garden himself, so he left it unattended and did not visit.

So he hadn’t even thought about taking a walk in the rose garden with her.

He became depressed again and reflected on his actions.

“Your Majesty, I actually liked the black rose as well.”

At her words, Karaf raised his head with his eyes slightly wide.

Asha said with a smile on her lips.

“I know that Your Majesty ordered the servants to change the black rose every day.”

Karaf was embarrassed and looked away.

In his past life, Karaf was extremely obsessive, he wanted her to look only at him, and he didn’t want to show her any withered roses, so he made the servants change the roses for new ones every day.

He was embarrassed and muttered to himself as if he was talking to himself.

“What’s so beautiful about a dull black rose……”

“Each flower has its own beauty and scent. I pressed some of Your Majesty’s black roses with books. I wish I could show you. It’s a bit disappointing…..”

Asha said so and awkwardly smiled.

Karaf is surprised that she kept the roses he gave her.

His desire to see the pressed flowers was like a chimney, but unfortunately, that too was a thing of the past.

But even without seeing the roses, Karaf’s heart warmed.

It was a short conversation about flowers, but this conversation also eased their deep emotions.

After a long rainy season, they all felt more mature.

But at that time, the chieftain reported from outside.

“Your Majesty, it’s time for lunch.”