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~Chapter 17~
A garden filled with the color of violet. The scent of lavender brushed against the tip of her nose.
Suddenly, a large black shadow appeared above her head.
A huge bird was flying in the sky, so big it seemed to cover the whole sky. Its whole body was red, like a spirit of fire, making a sharp contrast with the blue sky.
Its pointed head was orange, and its long tail feathers were a deep, fiery red.
Could it be… Lemon, all grown up?
The red bird let out a long cry—piii!—and circled high in the air.
Then, flapping its big wings, it slowly landed on the ground.
Dahlia was amazed at its beauty, but as always, she couldn’t say a word.
“Are you waiting for ‘him’ again?”
When the red bird opened its beak, human words came out.
Dahlia looked at Lemon in surprise.
Lemon can talk? Who is he talking about? Is he talking to someone behind me?
But, as always in her dreams, she couldn’t turn her head.
“He doesn’t even look at you properly…”
Lemon slapped his chest with his big wings, as if feeling frustrated.
Dahlia smiled at the sight.
He would always hit his chest when he was upset, whether as a chick or fully grown.
“Lemon…”
Dahlia slowly opened her eyelids.
Pipi.
Lemon was in front of her, tilting his small head, as if asking why she called him.
Her dreams showed her the future.
Who would have thought this cute, tiny bird would grow so big and beautiful? Who was the person talking so naturally with Lemon in that dream?
Dahlia stared into Lemon’s red eyes, then smiled shyly.
Lemon, not knowing what was going on, smiled along with her.
Pipi.
“Lemon, you’re really big.”
Dahlia stretched her arms wide to show Lemon’s size.
Pipi.
Lemon proudly lifted his head, as if to say, “You just realized?”
Dahlia found Lemon so cute that she kept patting his head.
“Lemon, you’re really pretty.”
Pipi.
Lemon chirped brightly and tapped his tail feathers down, as if asking for more praise.
“Lemon, you’re lovely. And so cute.”
Just as Dahlia was meeting Lemon’s demand for compliments—
“Was Lemon always such an amazing fruit?”
Dahlia’s hand froze while petting Lemon.
The Lemon sitting on her hand quickly flew away.
Dahlia slowly turned her stiff neck.
“Greetings to Your Majesty the Emperor.”
The emperor nodded roughly at her greeting, but his eyes were on the dessert on the table.
Dahlia followed his gaze and quickly pointed at the thinly sliced lemon.
“I like lemons!”
“I can tell.”
The emperor sat across from her and pushed the plate of lemons toward her.
“Is this what you call lovely and cute?”
“Don’t you think it’s cute, how thinly it’s sliced?”
Dahlia proudly put a lemon slice on her hand.
“Do you find everything in the world lovely, Young Lady?”
The young lady of the pink flower garden thought deeply, then nodded her head.
“Yes. I think so.”
“Even though everything ends?”
At the end of his cold gaze was the neatly cut lemon.
No one ever knew what she was thinking, but after a long pause, she finally spoke.
“That’s why it’s more precious and lovely. Because we don’t know when the end will come. That’s why we should love with all our heart.”
Grey looked at her with surprise. It was the first time he saw her serious side.
He turned his gaze back to the lemons. Ethan, the only one allowed in here, had prepared them ahead of time.
To love even something that’s already cut…
He, who already knew his own end, didn’t give his heart to anyone.
But she said that knowing the end makes her love even harder.
How interesting. Could people really be so opposite?
His eyes were drawn to her clear eyes, as if pulled by something.
Ever since their meeting yesterday, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, so he called her again.
Even when he invited her to this garden, he doubted she could come in again.
But again, she came in with no problem.
Who was this woman? Was she so special that even the garden allowed her? No way, right?
“How did you grow up, Young Lady?”
The young lady carefully put down the lemon in her hand and looked at him curiously.
“Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“You seem like someone who grew up cut off from the world. So free. But you’re a noble, yet you sit and roll and sleep on the ground.”
His gaze landed on her hair. Since there were no green leaves in it today, maybe she hadn’t rolled on the ground.
He could see her cheeks turning red.
“Can you keep that last part a secret?”
“From whom?”
“Annie would scold me.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get scolded.”
“Well, actually, I was raised pretty well.”
The young lady nodded to herself.
“You were raised well but are close friends with the ground?”
“Let’s just say I grew up very freely.”
Her tone made it sound like she would say anything he wanted, and Grey let out a small laugh.
“Oh? You laughed.”
“I always laugh.”
Grey smiled brightly, as if showing off.
“That smile looks like a mask…”
“Young Lady, you do disrespectful things to the emperor without hesitation.”
She avoided his eyes at his words.
She was a noble, even if only from a side family, but she didn’t fear the emperor at all. Anyone would think she had royal blood. Did the Herdan family have royal blood mixed in?
He should look into it.
Grey put down his hourglass on the table.
“I’ll give you five minutes for our second meeting.”
“That’s too short!”
Grey leaned comfortably in his chair.
“Our meeting isn’t a date, so it doesn’t need to be long.”
“That’s true, but…”
“You wanted to get to know each other, right? Go ahead.”
She took a deep breath, then, with an eager look, opened her notebook and grabbed her quill.
When did she even prepare those? Was she planning to write a love letter?
Grey frowned and shook off his thoughts.
“What food do you like?”
“None.”
“What instrument do you like?”
“None.”
Grey answered kindly, keeping a gentle smile.
She bit her lower lip in frustration, her plump pink lips getting even puffier.
Without meaning to, Grey found himself staring at her lips, then quickly looked up.
“Your Majesty, do you not have any preferences?”
She gave him a sideways look.
“Then do you like everything, Young Lady?”
“Of course! My favorite foods are coq au vin (wine-braised chicken), roast chicken with lots of herbs and olive oil, spicy chicken diavola with chopped chicken and vegetables, and—”
“You like chicken.”
“Yes! What about you, Your Majesty?”
She looked at him with bright, eager eyes, and Grey glanced at the hourglass.
“Is asking my favorite food what you call getting to know each other?”
The young lady hesitated, thinking carefully.
“Um… Then what kind of woman do you like?”
“No—”
“Don’t say ‘none’ again.”
She cut him off before he could finish.
Grey lifted one corner of his mouth.
“I really don’t think I have one.”
“That’s the same answer!”
