CH 62

Russell laughed, albeit a bit awkwardly and probably unaware of his staring.

"Rose, do you like flowers?"

"Me? Flowers?"

She wasn't all that fond of flowers. Rather, it depended on who brought her the flowers. 

None of the flowers I've received recently have pleased me. Especially because of the situations and people who've brought them to me.

Rose frowned at the thought of the bouquet Elliot and Stanley had given her.

Perhaps misunderstanding her expression, Russell withdrew the bouquet of flowers he was holding.

"If you don't like it, you don't have to force---"

"Oh no! I like those flowers!"

Seeing the flower moving away from her, Rose reached out urgently, causing the man and woman's hands to meet.

Russell couldn't hide his embarrassment at Rose's hand holding the flower in his palm, but Rose was oblivious as she had her attention focused elsewhere. 

"I love the flowers. I'll ask my brother to plant these flowers in the garden so when spring comes, I can enjoy them."

Rose noticed Russell's expression belatedly before she caught sight of the hand that was holding him tightly.

"Oh my!!!"

Rose quickly withdrew her hand. Her face flushed bright red as she wondered what kind of ugliness she had shown.

[TL/N: Basically it's her overthinking her every move since they started talking.]

She was worried that he would see her as a person obsessed with flowers.

"Your Majesty, that is... It's not like that on purpose. My---I'm trying to tell you that I like flowers... It's not like I'm madly in love---no! It's not that I hate it..."

Why won't my mouth stop?!

Eventually, her blabbering got to the point where even Rose herself could not understand. She wanted to cry.

Before she could overthink, Russell's hand wrapped around hers and placed the flower on her palm. Only then did her mind become clear and calm. 

"Isn't this the first time anyway?"

Rose tilted her head, not understanding what Russell was saying.

Her action, brimming with confusion, brought a smile to Russell's lips, and he tightened his hold on the lady's hand.

"That's how we got our hands on it."

"Ah?"

Rose let out a short exclamation as her already tiny hand became engulfed in the grip of both of Russell's.

Slowly, the emperor moved away as Rose fiddled with the flower anxiously.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"If you like it, that's fine."

"Yes, really... I like it."

Rose, who had been looking at the flowers Russell handed her while meaningfully thanking him, stared at the bouquet with a sense of alienation.

...What is...? What's weird about this?

The flowers in her hand felt somewhat awkward rather than strange-looking.

Rose knew at once what the cause was.

The flowers were different in color and shape. It was a completely inconsistent form.

[TL/N: The flower placement in the bouquet.]

As if reading Rose's mind, Russell confessed the reason.

"I am not good at flower arrangement, but... even if it's strange, you understand, right?"

"Did Your Majesty arrange this yourself?"

"Huh? Of course. Even if it's not in a harmonious arrangement, I want you to accept it happily."

Rose looked down at the flowers again.

Looking at it again, even though the flowers seem disorganized and not complimentary, they also seem to go well together.

Rose let out a small laugh.

"It's the most beautiful bouquet I've ever seen."

"Unlike Wells, who says exactly what he wants without holding back, you're sweet, Rose."

"But it's true, Your Majesty."

"Thank you for thinking that way."

Russell escorted Rose to a table.

Even as she followed him to the table, she did not take her eyes off the flowers in her grasp.

Russell seemed incredulous of her assessment, but Rose was sincere.

More than any bouquet of flowers she'd received, the one from Russell was the most beautiful.

Elliot and Stanley Gardner's bad memories of bouquets have been washed away thanks to His Majesty.

Upon reaching the table, Russell pulled out a chair for Rose, causing her reddened cheeks to darken as she sat down.

Rose set the bouquet down on her lap and looked at Russell, who was sitting across from her.

"But I didn't expect you to ask me to see you at the greenhouse. I thought it would be at the office or the parlor..."

"Ah, I wanted to give you a bouquet of flowers. I'm glad you like flowers."

"Thank you."

"So, are you okay?"

"Yes, I don't know if you heard from my older brother, but I'm fine except for my legs. Though they were hurt, there is no problem with walking now."

"Hmm, alright."

As Rose touched the teacup handle, she felt Russell staring at her.

Curiously, she peered at him from her lashes and felt a tenacious gaze from him that seemed to be searching for something.

It was the most uncomfortable gaze Rose had ever received from Russell. She hesitated to speak.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty... Why did you call me to the Imperial Palace?"

"It's nothing bad. I called because I have something to ask about what happened during the hunting festival."

"Hunting festival?"

"Yes."

Rose could vaguely guess what he wanted to know.

He's probably asking about getting lost in the woods.

"You said you were with Lady Ilya Titsonsser. Is that right?"

"Yes, Ilya went out of the camp, saying she had something to say to me."

Russell crossed his arms, listening carefully.

So, it is true that Rose was with Ilya.

He asked the next question.

"Then did you know that the wild beast who attacked you was affected by the pheromone solution?"

"Ah, yes? Elliot told me. It was sprinkled where I was attacked."

"Then the owner of the drug is Iliya Titonsser?"

Rose wasn't surprised, and Russell finally realized that she knew it too.

There was a short silence before they spoke at the same time. 

"Ilya Titonsser said she fell and broke the bottle."

"But I didn't see Ilya spraying it."

Silence fell again. Perhaps it was the silence caused by the momentary inability to understand each other's words.

It was Russell who reacted first. His brow narrowed.

"Didn't you see the roots on the ground around you?"

"Yes, however... They were already trampled when Ilya brought..."

Russell slammed his arms on the table suddenly and hunched his upper body over the table, closer to Rose.

"Rose, tell me more about what happened then."

"Uh... That, so... Ilya said she had something to say to me, so I left the camp with her. I don't know exactly, but we'd gone pretty far. Then I stopped to talk to her when Ilya suddenly screamed and ran away. Immediately after that, the beast appeared."

"Ha! Her liver is really big!"

[TL/N: She's got guts.]

Russell did not hide his ridicule. It was the first time Rose had ever seen his expression so cold and hardened.

Rose shrugged her shoulders for a moment before opening her mouth cautiously.

"But what Your Majesty said...? Ilya fell?"

"She said it herself. Rose, she said that she fell down on the way to see the animals with you. Apparently, the bottle in her pocket broke at that time, and the pheromone solution leaked."

Rose was speechless. 

Russell is not lying.

Tears welled up in her red eyes.

"No, Your Majesty---no! I---I mean... What I said is true. The drug... So the drug was never a mistake?!"

Unable to say her new assumption, Rose covered her mouth.

It was only later that she realized what a terrible situation she had been thrown into. 

Ilya Titonsser had purposely sprayed her with pheromones to attract wild beasts to kill Rose Honeywell.

Rose's shoulders began to tremble with a feeling she did not know whether it was anger or resentment, but it was rising up from the depths of her soul. Fast.

What would have happened if Elliot hadn't appeared then. If I had been eaten by a beast without doing anything? Without knowing...?

Eventually, tears fell from her eyes. She moved her hand that had covered her mouth and covered her face, ashamed.

She tried to hold back her tears by biting her lips, but there was no way to stop the sobs that leaked out.

"Hic, hic, waa."

[TL/N: Crying sounds.]

As her shoulders shook with the force of her suppressed tears, a large hand wrapped around Rose's shoulder.

Guided by that hand, Rose fell into Russell's arms. She pathetically gripped the hem of his coat.

"Your Majesty. Your Majesty! Whaa... I... Then..."

Rose was sure now. 

Ilya sent Stanley Gardner to me.

I don't know how she found out about that horrible, unscheduled meeting at the garden, but Ilya was definitely trying to kill me at any cost.

Rose clung to Russell without even having time to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Your Majesty, please... Please save me, hic, me... help."

"Rose."

"Whaa, I don't want to die. I want to live. Hic, I... I want to live."

Russell gritted his teeth as he watched Rose cry like a child in the safety of his arms.

Anger consumed him, but he struggled to keep his temper on a tight leash.

He tightened his arms around Rose.

"Don't worry, you won't die. I won't let that happen."

Rose, who had been crying in Russell's arms, suddenly raised her head.

"...Brother!"

"Wells?"

"My older brother is at the mansion right now. Ilya too! What will Ilya do to my brother? I want to go, Your Majesty."

Rose stood up, holding the bouquet that Russell had given her, and then, unable to fully control her unstable body, she stumbled momentarily.

Russell supported Rose by holding her shoulders in his arms to keep her from falling.

"Rose. Although Wells can't handle a sword well, he's not someone who can easily be beaten."

"No---Oh, I know but..."

Is death and downfall an inevitable fate for the Honeywell family?

Rose, despite being supported by Russell, moved forward.

"I have to go and make sure that my brother is safe... I have to see it with my own eyes."

Rose staggered away as Russell grabbed hold of her hand.

"Then I will go with you."

"You too?"

"Yes, Wells is your older brother, but he's also my confidant and old friend. I'll go out right away and prepare the carriage."

Rose did not refuse. Rather, she wanted to ask Russell to accompany her to the manor earlier.

Russell and Rose hurriedly took action.

In the name of being close to Rose and taking care of her in her injured state, Wells had been on leave.

But taking a vacation didn't change his busy schedule, and Wells couldn't stop working, even if he was at his manor.

His place of work might have changed from the Imperial Palace to the Honeywell Manor, but it was his vacation that did not change much.

In the spring, a party was held at the Imperial Palace for the children of nobles who had come of age, and after the coming-of-age celebration, they got even busier with preparations for the founding festival coming about in the summer.

He had a lot to do, but Wells couldn't lift a finger and was interrupted by a knocking sound that stole his attention.

The person who opened the door was the butler of Honeywell Manor.

"Master. Did you call?"

"Yes. Is Lady Titonsser in the manor right now?"

"Yes, she is in her room. Perhaps the lady was very tired, she just went to the room and had a simple meal."

"Then tell her to come out for lunch."

"Yes, Master."

The butler left the office without asking for any details.

Left alone, Wells was lost in his thoughts until later, after he put down the pen he was holding and a sound of a knock brought Wells, who had not budged, into reality.

"Duke, I'm here."

It was Ilya Titonsser's voice that came from beyond the door. Wells rose from his chair.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Ilya entered.

He guided her to the couch in front of the desk, where Ilya sat down and Wells brewed the tea himself.

"I heard you woke up late today."

"Yes. I had a bit of trouble sleeping at dawn, so I couldn't wake up in the morning. I am sorry."

"Why are you so tired? Are there any inconveniences at the manor?"

"What? No. The duke, Rose, and everyone else treat me well."

Wells poured tea into a teacup and handed it to Ilya. 

She bowed her head and accepted the teacup.

Watching Ilya lift the teacup and smell the tea, Wells recalled the reason for inviting her to his office.

"Since you say you're doing well at the manor, I'll ask you directly about the business you've been doing since you've arrived."

[TL/N: The things she's done and appointments she's gone to.]

Ilya put down the teacup with her eyes wide open, her reaction honest, unable to react in time, but Wells continued looking at her without missing a single action or expression.

"Why did you go to the Proud Mansion yesterday?"