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Chapter : 46
The Rose Garden of Viola Mansion
The rose garden of Viola Mansion.
It had been cultivated by the late Baron Viola and had now become the stage for the debutantes of young ladies and young gentlemen.
Those who saw the rose garden for the first time often said it felt like stepping into a fairy tale. That was how beautiful the fully bloomed garden was.
As the days grew warmer, the sky turned a transparent pastel, and under it, the roses bloomed lavishly as if each petal were alive.
Crimson, peach, and lavender hues layered over one another, filling every corner of the garden. When the wind brushed past the countless roses, petals would flutter like confetti.
At the very center of the garden was a gazebo draped with cream-colored lace.
Passionate red roses surrounded it entirely. Legend had it that couples who kissed inside would enjoy a lifetime of love.
Even in its usual state, the Viola Mansion rose garden was this beautiful.
If it was prepared and arranged for a tea party, its prestige could rival that of a royal garden.
The young lady Grimani, visiting for the first time, couldn’t help but marvel.
Everywhere her gaze landed, there was beauty. Everywhere she looked, the garden was filled with brilliant roses, and she felt herself becoming as radiant as them.
Choosing a tea party in the rose garden as a brief escape had been an excellent decision. The memories that once filled her mind no longer came to her now.
Of course, she had another reason for being here.
“Is it that one?”
She walked gracefully, holding the cream-colored dress that matched her soft brown hair. It felt strange since it wasn’t her usual attire.
Even so, it didn’t show outwardly. Observers couldn’t help but quietly admire her elegant figure.
Those who had gossiped about why she hadn’t participated in debutante events were left speechless.
Who could speak ill of such a presence?
Thanks to that, young lady Grimani was able to move comfortably to where she wanted.
“Hm, it seems no one’s here yet.”
She murmured softly as she inspected the setup.
On a table set to the side of the garden were glass bottles lined with golden rims, each containing drinks of various colors.
Yes, those were prepared beverages. Pale yellow, red, light brown—there was a wide variety.
They had even set up a spot for coffee, with an array of desserts to pair with it.
For young lady Grimani, the coffee was the familiar choice.
Yet she didn’t look toward the coffee. Something else had caught her attention.
She approached the maid distributing it and asked,
“What is this?”
“This is called ‘hwachae.’”
“Hwachae?”
“It’s a refreshing dessert made by adding various fruits to milk.”
The maid’s explanation came out automatically, as if prompted by some script. Her kind smile reminded Grimani of someone.
Grimani smiled faintly, and the maid quickly scooped some hwachae into a small glass bowl and handed it to her.
“Hmm…”
After a brief hesitation, she carefully examined it. The name was unfamiliar, and the fruits inside were strange to her as well.
‘This is watermelon, that’s a kiwi… but what’s this white thing?’
As she stirred with the spoon provided, some candied fruits peeked out.
“What have I been doing all this time…”
She murmured as she took a spoonful and placed it in her mouth. Cool, soft, and sweet. The fruit added a crisp texture, making it perfect.
Her eyes widened as she took another bite, feeling a pleasantly tender texture this time. If this were served to Xenon’s nobles, they would enjoy it without hesitation.
It even seemed easy to make!
‘If done well, this could become the talk of the entire social circle. Or maybe it already is.’
Grimani looked around. Somehow, the surroundings were unusually quiet for a tea party hosted by social masters.
Everyone seemed so absorbed in the hwachae that they had forgotten to converse.
“One has to admire the skill here.”
She murmured and walked toward the drink table she had passed earlier.
“Hmm, what should I try?”
She paused in front of the drinks, finally stopping at one of a light brown hue.
This time, the maid reacted first.
“This is an aid made from maesil (plum). Shall I pour you a glass?”
“Yes, please.”
“Here you go.”
Grimani shook her head at the drink quickly placed in her hand. How could the maids move with such efficiency?
A devilish woman hidden behind the kind smile came to mind briefly, and Grimani quickly took a sip.
“Oh…”
It was a fruit she had never tasted before. Yet it was sweet, sour, and refreshing. Though it was a sweet drink, the aftertaste was clean.
The refreshing sensation even seemed to whet her appetite.
She wanted another bite of the hwachae she had tried earlier.
Though she had thought the fruit was too much at first, the surrounding scenery made everything acceptable. Her mouth felt fresh, and the incoming scent of roses was delightful.
Even the faint sound of string instruments blended perfectly into the atmosphere.
There was no sense of discord.
The unexpected dessert and plum aid fit the rose garden so perfectly that she didn’t even think about coffee and butter-laden pastries.
It was truly a perfect tea party.
And it seemed all the nobles attending felt the same.
“Who made this? It’s absolutely delicious!”
“I think it must be the owner of that café…”
“Is that rumor really true?”
“It is! Should we invite them to our houses next time?”
Groups of nobles chatted about similar things. Even though the main event hadn’t begun, their attention was entirely on who made the hwachae and the aid.
Grimani glanced around, sat at a prepared seat, and murmured,
“…This could be troublesome.”
‘It’s so good that I can’t even complain.’
She gave a faint smile. She had planned to intervene and tease them when things got difficult.
Grimani—Iliana—exhaled a long breath, letting go of past frustrations and the fleeting ill feelings. She didn’t want to let go of them in such a manner today.
So Iliana immersed herself in the rose garden tea party. It was refreshing because the atmosphere of the social circle wasn’t repetitive as usual.
Today, at least, the mood—like the hwachae and plum aid they had eaten—felt new.
Iliana, intoxicated by the atmosphere, chatted with many people.
It was then that Baron Antonio Viola stepped into the center of the gazebo. Every noble attending the tea party turned their gaze toward him.
Next to the baron was a new face.
A girl with pale pink hair braided into twin tails.
Her appearance was very familiar to Iliana. She had seen this face every day for a week.
Iliana smiled elegantly at her. The girl, who had been scanning the surroundings next to the baron, now looked directly at Iliana.
Surprise and shock.
Her eyes widened, a mix of all emotions. If she could speak freely, she would surely have shouted,
‘Iliana, why are you here?’
Even that reaction alone felt like a victory to Iliana. In fact, this was part of the reason she attended the tea party.
Seeing Leila’s response was more satisfying than expected, Iliana tilted her chin slightly.
“Hm, this will have to do for now.”
Iliana shrugged lightly, smiling broadly.
