CH 81

Asha was uncertain if the expression “flowers blooming” was a common phrase in the Etzheim Empire.

Dart’s silver eyes gazed at Asha as he spoke.

“If it’s not too much trouble, would you grant me the honor of kissing the back of your hand, Lady Vanessa?”

“……Pardon?”

Asha was taken aback by the sudden request, but Dart’s earnest gaze made her eventually agree to the hand kiss.

He knelt on one knee, took Asha’s hand, and gently kissed it. At that moment, a fragrant floral scent spread in the space they were in.

Despite his ascetic priestly appearance, Dart looked exceedingly pleased upon meeting Lady Vanessa.

Asha asked him carefully.

“I heard that you have been living here since you were a baby under the High Priest’s guidance.”

Dart replied with a simple smile, still on his knees.

“Yes. To me, this temple is my home and all that I have.”

Asha looked at this selfless priest with a somewhat sad gaze. 

Although he didn’t get the throne, Dart seemed to be quietly cultivating his own flower beautifully in this place.

She somehow understood why the spy who came from a minority group claimed that this man should be made emperor.

If he became emperor, he might become a benevolent ruler who could embrace all his subjects without discrimination or violence.

“You must have had a difficult childhood……”

Dart replied faintly to Asha’s words.

“The wind makes the grass stronger.”

“…..What?”

“I think I am where I am today because of the hardships I faced. I heard that Lady Vanessa also went through various hardships before hatching into a butterfly. They say that’s the destiny of those who will become a butterfly.”

He spoke earnestly as he looked at Asha.

“I believe that every living thing has its own value. Even a mere tiny creature or even a pest. It shouldn’t be judged recklessly by human standards. I, too, am trying to fulfill the mission given to me by God in this place.”

Asha felt a great resonance in her heart thanks to his words.

Suddenly, she remembered the words of the God Etzheim that she had heard in her dream.

[Where the flowers bloom is destiny. Flowers cannot choose where they will bloom, but they can choose how they will bloom. Just like humans.]

As she prayed to God Etzheim and tried to ask about the path she would walk, she felt as if she had found all the answers through her conversation with Dart.

The answer was already within her.

“……That’s a kind thing to say. I hope you become a great priest, following in the footsteps of the High Priest.”

Asha sincerely blessed him to become a High Priest instead of an emperor.

But now, Asha had a sickly flower in need of her care.

There were two men before her, one who could carve out his own destiny and another cursed to stand alone without the help of a butterfly.

Asha had made the choice to nurture the latter, planning to raise the sickly Karaf into a benevolent emperor no matter what obstacles they may face.

It was her choice as a butterfly.

She believed that if both the temple and the Imperial Palace had strong leaders, the Etzheim Empire would maintain peace and prosperity even more.

Dart looked at her intently for a moment, then bowed his head and said.

“Thank you, Lady Vanessa. May God’s blessings be with you as well.”

He walked over to the podium and returned with a book in his hand.

“This book will be helpful to you, Lady Vanessa.”

Asha exclaimed in surprise.

“You knew I had just come back from the library?”

Dart smiled modestly and replied.

“I’m not a butterfly, and I don’t have a valuable ability like prophecy. I just had a vague feeling that you might visit me. So, I prepared this book in advance, hoping to give it to you when the time came. I’m happy that you came to me so quickly.”

Asha swallowed nervously, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

[About the Awakening of the Butterfly]

As she read the title of the book, it made her feel as if he knew exactly why she had come to this place, searching for a way to help the emperor bloom.

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine.

“Thank you. This will be a great help.”

“I hope that the answer Lady Vanessa is desperately seeking is contained within that book.”

Dart said, placing a hand over his chest before bowing politely and leaving the chapel.

Asha stood there for a moment, watching his back as he walked away.

His footsteps made no sound, so he moved with a silent and reverent demeanor.

Alone in the temple, Asha gazed at the great statue of the God Etzheim that stood above the altar.

The god’s benevolent face gazed down upon the worshippers praying before him.

Many flowers bloomed around the statue, seemingly tended to by the priests who took turns caring for them. 

There was a barrier surrounding the flowers to ensure that visitors would not accidentally trample or damage them.

Asha knelt before the stone statue and offered a brief prayer before rising to leave the chapel.

Meanwhile, Dart stood by the window, his silver hair shimmering in the sunlight.

His silver hair shone brightly in the sunlight. 

He watched her retreating figure with an odd expression.

* * * * *

On her way back to the palace, Asha stopped by an accessory shop for a moment.

Perhaps due to the aftermath of the Flower Festival, there were many flower-themed accessories and butterfly accessories in the shop.

Asha felt a little proud inside as she saw many black rose-shaped accessories.

In the past, people used to avoid black roses, but now they seem to be popular after the festival.

Asha calmly looked around the pretty necklaces neatly laid out on the red velvet and pointed to one.

“I’ll take this one.”

After returning to the palace, Asha neatly packaged the necklace in a small case.

“Lady Vanessa, have you been out?”

Sonya approached her from afar, and Asha handed her the case.

Sonya’s eyes widened as she asked.

“What is this?”

Asha smiled and said.

“It’s a gift for you.”

When Sonya opened the case, her eyes widened even more.

Inside was a necklace shaped like a red carnation.

“I wanted to give you a ring, but I chose a necklace because I didn’t want it to get in the way when you work. You can wear it under your clothes anytime. If anyone asks why a servant is wearing such a precious necklace, just tell me right away.”

Asha placed her index finger on her chin and looked up for a moment, thinking, then added.

“Then I’ll bring a bottle of perfume and pour it over their heads.”

Asha smiled like a villain, pleased with herself as she recalled Karaf’s past actions.

Sonya burst out laughing but was so moved that she stumbled over her words.

“Lady Vanessa…. How could you give such a valuable item to someone like me….?”

The necklace was adorned with real rubies.

Asha smiled and replied.

“Because you are the person I have chosen.”

Hearing this, Sonya placed her hand on her chest, deeply moved.

Asha personally placed the necklace around Sonya’s neck.

Sonya blushed like a girl receiving a proposal, folding her hands over her chest and bowing her head forward.

It was a reverent posture as if she was receiving a reward from the king.

Sonya was so touched that tears welled up in her eyes and her nose started running.

“Lady Vanessa, I will treasure this forever. This will surely become an heirloom in our house.”

Asha laughed out loud. 

However, there was a shadow behind the wall, watching them.

It was a Karaf. 

Upon seeing Asha giving a gift to her servant, he involuntarily felt jealous inside and was startled.

I shouldn’t do this…….

He quickly shook his head, trying to push away the overlapping scenes from the past.

But the words Asha spoke to her servant were something he wished to hear from her as well

Because you are the person I have chosen.

Karaf’s face turned gloomy.

He felt unworthy of receiving any valuable gift from her, and it made him feel depressed.

Feeling dejected, he walked back to his office.

But on the way back to his office, he saw a priest carrying books.

All the books delivered to the palace were related to butterflies and flowers.

As he looked through the books, a small hope began to grow in his heart.

Maybe there’s a gift for me too.

This was the first time Karaf had seen Asha take such an interest in breaking the curse.

He thought that perhaps her heart had opened up a little, and eagerly awaited her visit.

As he sat at his desk, looking down at his paperwork, his face was as serious as a knight going to battle.

Despite appearing to work diligently for anyone who saw him, Karaf’s mind was consumed by thoughts of Asha, making it difficult for him to focus on the words in front of him.

But no matter how long he waited, Asha didn’t come.

Karaf had expected her to at least greet him after her trip to the temple, but she coldly ignored him.

Duran, who had arrived at the office, looked at Karaf cautiously as he sensed the tense atmosphere.

He quickly bowed his head to avoid any conflict.

“I apologize, Your Majesty… The love book I gave you doesn’t seem to have been much help… I’m ready for Your Majesty to throw the book in my face.”

Karaf looked up at him for a moment.

Duran was really anxious and had his head down.

“No, that nasty pink book you gave me was helpful in its own way. However, the problem was that the premise was wrong to follow the contents written there.”

Karaf murmured self-pityingly, causing Duran to look at him curiously.

“It’s because I’m a trashy bastard. It was me who was wrong. No wonder Vanessa hates me…”

Duran, unaware of Karaf’s past life, was surprised.

“Your Majesty! Why are you saying such a thing!”

“Duran, maybe what I need is not a love book, but a self-improvement book that can help me develop my personality.”

Karaf let out a deep sigh as if the ground had opened up after finishing his sentence.

Asha had not left her room since she returned from the temple.

It seemed that she was locked in her room reading the book that had been delivered to her.

However, this made Karaf feel uneasy.

Could something have happened at the temple?

Perhaps she had met the man who was called the second flower and heard something unpleasant.

Or maybe she simply doesn’t like me……. 

As he reached for his bottle of alcohol out of habit, he stopped himself.