“The garden is quite beautiful.”

Theodore said, with a smile on his face.

I walked beside him and answered in a calm voice.

“….The gardener is exceptionally skilled.”

“That’s good to hear…. I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”

“…”

His words hung in the air, and I almost retorted that he seemed to be faring worse, but I swallowed the words instead.

“Did you choose…. the flowers in the garden based on your preferences?”

“….Somewhat, yes. Charlotte’s preferences are also considered.”

“What flowers do you like the most?”

“I suppose…I like blue flowers—like delphiniums and forget-me-nots… though they aren’t in this garden.”

Delphiniums bloom in June, and forget-me-nots later in August. I could ask the gardener to procure and plant some seedlings, neither are difficult to obtain.

“Do you still….paint?”

“Occasionally.”

The time when I thought I would make my living by selling paintings feels like a distant memory. Back then, I had no idea I would end up with a title and a manor.

“Over the last five years…”

Theodore trailed off, looking up at the sky. His eyes were bluer than the clear, azure sky above.

“Sometimes, I think about how little I know about you.”

“…”

“What you like and dislike, what you do when you can’t sleep at night, what time of day you prefer, your favorite type of tea…”

“…”

“I’ve been sad about not knowing those little things, and I’ve come to loathe the person I was in the past for not trying to know.”

Theodore then looked down at me with a bitter smile on his lips. I found it hard to meet his gaze, so I inadvertently turned away. But I felt an immediate regret for my reaction, but it was too late to take it back.

Theodore’s voice was heavy with resignation and sorrow.

“I’ll….stay here quietly for a while and then leave.”

“…”

“Don’t worry about me.”

The walk in the garden ended in an uncomfortable silence.

I immediately realized that the misunderstanding had complicated our conversation, but for some reason, I found it difficult to mend.

‘Human relationships remain a challenge no matter one’s age. The human heart is as deep and incomprehensible as the ocean…’

The words of Mrs. Naillo suddenly came to mind. Indeed, her words were true. I thought I had grown mature and experienced with age, but I was still naive when it came to relationships.

Perhaps it’s because Theodore means so much to me. The only person who has the power to hurt me this deeply is Theodore Valentino himself.

What is special is often complicated.

“Viscount, it’s about time to head to the banquet hall.”

Charlotte’s voice brought me back from my thoughts. I gathered my mind and turned to Charlotte then spoke.

“…Have the guests been informed?”

“Yes, the butler said that everything is perfectly prepared.”

“That’s good, then. Let’s go.”

I left the room and walked with Charlotte to the banquet hall. Along the way, Charlotte glanced at me, seemingly to sense my mood and asked.

“How was your conversation with… Duke Valentino? Did you talk a lot?”

After a moment of hesitation, I responded.

“…It seems five years is a much longer time than I thought… I…suddenly felt afraid. Afraid that he might be broken.”

His pale complexion, his occasionally distant gaze, his sad smile.

They weren’t just the consequences of a head injury but marks of the past five years etched upon him.

“But Viscount, life is long.”

I stopped and turned to Charlotte. Charlotte was frowning, seemingly trying to make sense of a difficult topic.

“Five years isn’t short…. but we have to live much longer than that.”

“….Yes, that’s true.”

“So perhaps what matters is that the time we live from now on… is happy?”

Charlotte, appearing slightly embarrassed by such talk, fidgeted with her hands before continuing.

“In the last five years that I’ve been watching over you, it was clear that this time was necessary for you. It seems the Viscount improved in many ways… at least, that’s what I think.”

“…..”

“And for Duke Valentino, even though these years might have been tough, he must have done a lot of thinking during that time. So, it wasn’t a meaningless period… that’s how I see it.”

Charlotte finished speaking with an awkward smile, lightly scratching her cheek. I pondered Charlotte’s words and soon gave a faint smile.

__