TSMT 68

Chapter 68

The Proposal Ceremony

Diana lowered her gaze. What had surely been a beautiful crown of flowers was now crushed. She stared at it blankly. If even something like this ended up the same, didn’t it mean her fate was already decided?

“Why is the wreath… Who was in charge of this?”

“I-I swear it was fine when I left it just before!”

The maid’s face turned bright red. She looked as if she couldn’t believe the situation herself. Even Mabel’s expression changed.

“W-what do we do now?!”

“Then just find new flowers.”

At Diana’s calm words, Mabel shook her head.

“These flowers don’t bloom in the royal gardens! His Majesty personally went out into the forest to gather them… Oh no!”

For once, Mabel was visibly flustered. Even then, Diana thought absentmindedly. He went all the way into the forest for them? Was it just to keep up appearances? That wasn’t like him—he had actually put in effort.

She continued staring at the crushed flowers with no real emotion. Strangely, she didn’t feel despair. She didn’t even think, Who would do such a thing?

People here had always hated her and often played such tricks. Rather than feeling angry, she only worried about what Giscard would think when he saw the ruined wreath.

“My lady, forgive me. The fault is mine for failing to manage it properly.”

Mabel bowed deeply. Diana looked down at her impassively. She had never thought the always-proud Mabel would apologize like this.

“We’ll sort out responsibility later. You can’t claim to be blameless, but still…”

As she spoke, Diana scanned the maids. All of them looked nervous, but not in a way that suggested someone had deliberately sabotaged the crown. Unless, of course, one of them was an excellent actress.

“If we cannot replace the flowers, what do you think should be done?”

She asked Mabel, since the blame would fall on her anyway. Mabel would not give advice that harmed her own interests.

“With respect… May I speak plainly?”

Mabel closed her eyes tightly.

“Everyone in the palace will believe you were the one who ruined it, my lady.”

Diana did not protest at the injustice. I didn’t do it, but why? Yet the palace had always been like that.

They had even fabricated the lie that she deliberately killed a child—something Diana would never have done. Once caught in someone’s trap, someone like her could only be helplessly destroyed.

“I’ll take the blame for breaking it. I’m sorry.”

At Mabel’s deferential attitude, Diana sighed. Mabel lowered her head further, clearly ashamed. It was, in truth, the easiest solution.

If the head maid admitted fault, people might doubt it but ultimately believe it. Diana could even use it as a reason to dismiss the troublesome Mabel.

But was that really the right thing to do?

“I won’t pin this crime on someone else.”

“….”

“The right way is to tell the truth and ask forgiveness. So, Mabel, help me get dressed first. After that, find out who really did this.”

“My lady… this matter is…”

“Serious, yes. But I’m a foreigner—no matter what happens, I’ll be criticized. There’s no reason for you to take the fall.”

Diana looked again at the wreath. It had only been meant for appearances anyway. This was never going to be a romantic proposal. Still, looking at the crushed flowers made her chest tighten. Was it because, in her past life, she had been the one trampling? It felt as though she was committing a grave sin herself.

Hiding her bitter thoughts, she let the maids tend to her. She chose not the pure white gown that glowed too brightly, but one of ivory hue. Instead of pale pink, she tied a deep crimson ribbon beneath her chest—something that matched the flowers better.

“Let’s go.”

Soon, Giscard would place the wreath on her head in front of the king’s kin. Diana headed toward the traditional site where past kings had proposed to their brides-to-be. A small slope surrounded by a great tree and mistletoe.

She looked at both the tree and Giscard. Some enchantment seemed laid upon the branches, for a golden glow seeped from the leaves.

As she approached, the whispers of the crowd fell silent. Every gaze was fixed on Diana. Mabel, following behind her, trembled so hard her hands shook.

This was a ritual she had never experienced in her past life. Giscard’s eyes locked onto her like an arrow. His expression was grim as he studied her. Perhaps the gown didn’t suit her, or maybe he disliked the way she stared back at him with steady eyes.

Diana looked at him and said,
“I didn’t think we’d go so far as to hold a ceremony like this.”

Giscard gave no reply. He gazed at her like a statue, not even blinking. The faint furrow in his brow made her wonder at his thoughts.

Meeting that unwavering stare, Diana thought: In her past life, even when she had trampled the wreath, Giscard hadn’t punished her. Perhaps this was all a lighter matter than she feared—just an attempt to follow tradition.

As she reached toward the box Mabel held, Diana spoke.
“Your Majesty.”

“….”

“I heard that the first king of Rodbrok, Lord Arunkel, gave this wreath to the first queen, Lady Pluicer. Is that true?”

She turned shyly toward the onlookers.

“When he proposed to the maiden of flowers, were there so many people present…?”

Giscard’s gaze flickered toward her. To expose the ruined crown before all these nobles would be disastrous. Cleverly, she was using her status as a foreigner to feign ignorance.

Did he realize her intent? His eyes narrowed.

“Clear the people away.”

“But… the proposal ceremony…”

A servant hesitated. In Rodbrok, this ritual was a public proclamation of marriage. To perform it in secret would surely offend everyone.

“It was never something I wanted. If we are truly to imitate the founding king, then this is the right way.”

At his firm declaration, the servant bowed. A murmur of displeasure rippled among knights and nobles, some glaring at Diana as if she were the cause of their wasted effort.

“If you dare look at my wife that way again, you’ll never open your eyes a second time.”

Giscard’s low threat silenced them at once. Diana stared at him, startled. This man… was defending her.

She accepted the box from Mabel, who looked worried. Diana only shook her head. When the crowd had dispersed, she exhaled deeply.

“Are you satisfied now?” Giscard asked.

“I have a confession.”

She opened the box. Giscard’s gaze dropped to the crushed wreath inside. His usual silence held, but for an instant she felt a piercing intensity.

“I… wasn’t the one who did this. I don’t know if you’ll believe me.”

“You…”

He lifted his eyes from the wreath to her. You didn’t do this? That was clearly what he wanted to ask. Diana answered calmly.

“It’s only three years and four months. I promised to play the role of a perfect wife. Why would I sabotage something like this—”

“No, why are you even trying to justify it?”

“….”

“You’re not the one who owes me an explanation.”

“….”

His eyes shifted to Mabel. Diana asked cautiously,
“Then… you believe I didn’t do it?”

“I knew you weren’t the type.”

…In her past life, it hadn’t been like this. Diana looked at Giscard again as he stared at the ruined crown. These flowers had been gathered with difficulty from the forest.

“When I opened the box to match my gown with the wreath, it was already like this.”

He met her gaze without blinking.
“So that’s why you wanted the people dismissed.”

“….”

Strangely, this Giscard seemed to understand her better than the man in her past life had. Then she realized—it was because he had once been her personal guard. He had studied her closely all that time.

Diana looked again at the ruined crown. Like herself, it was broken, destined never to be worn again. In both this life and the last, it would be cast aside forever. She smiled bitterly.

So, you too weren’t meant to be used.

It was pitiable.

Then Giscard rose to his feet. He looked up at the mistletoe in the tree and, with his strong hands, tore off a bundle.

“Your Majesty?”

Ignoring her question, he pulled a dagger from his belt and began trimming it.

“….”

He left Diana standing there and sat against the tree, working intently. She let the breeze wash over her as the setting sun dipped below the horizon.

It was strange. Their situation was precarious, yet the moment felt oddly peaceful. She watched him focus, dissatisfied expression on his face as he examined his hands’ work.

By the time night had fallen, Giscard reached for the ruined wreath. He carefully plucked out only the salvageable flowers.

“Here.”

Diana looked at what he held out. A wreath of vibrant scarlet flowers woven into fresh green mistletoe. It was far more beautiful than she expected.

“If we’re to follow the founding king’s example, this would be more accurate.”

“….”

“The records say it was winter, and the only flowers then were small loquats. So the king made a crown from mistletoe.”

“….”

“They say it was grand and splendid, but really—it was just like this.”

He tied it together using the ribbon from the broken crown, completing a wreath that was even finer than before. Diana liked it far more than the ruined flowers.

Giscard stepped toward her in long strides. For some reason, her heart pounded. Standing with the light behind him, he looked breathtaking as he leaned down and gently placed the wreath upon her head.

She thought she saw his hand tremble slightly.

It must be from the beating of his heart. At least, that’s what Diana told herself.