Chapter 127

Marianne shrugged her shoulders, blinking her clear eyes casually.

“I love flowers and jewelry, Miss Rane and his friends like swords and horses, and Beatrice loves books, right? Is it strange for one to be immersed in what they like and enjoy? It’s important to live doing what you want to do. There are many times when you have to do something you don’t really want to…”

Marianne thought she was mentioning something like, “Something you don’t want to do but have to.” She swallowed dry saliva unconsciously.

“I think it’s too annoying to care about what others think when it comes to what we like. Anyway, we won’t harm others, right?”

She consciously recalled the names of loved ones in her hometown. She also recalled the garden at the annex building, filled with flowers and trees in all seasons, and the faces of loved ones she used to play together with on the grass.

The memories of her laughing together, crying together, thinking together, running away, and living every day together with them flashed through her mind.

“Of course I wanted to land a blow on her head when she left me alone on the tree and went away.”

When Marianne recalled her memories and added, Rane put her hand on her forehead, saying with a smile, “Oh, no, how could she do that? It looks like your friend Evelyn was too mean.”

Marianne stopped in front of the pond, feeling envious ofher without knowing why.

The pond looked like a mixture of water lilies and lotus flowers. The flowers of the water lilies which were in close contact with the surface of the water were sunburned in light pinks and purples. As it was still early summer, the lotus didn’t yet bear all its buds yet, but there were a few that put out some buds due to the warm weather.

Marianne, muttering with a small voice, slowly looked back at Rane and said, “By the way, Miss Rane. Don’t you think I’m strange?”

Rane took her eyes off of the pond and asked, “Do I think you’re strange? Why?”

She made an expression on her face as if she didn’t understand her question.

“If there are ten rumors going around in Milan these days, seven of them are about me.”

Marianne laughed bitterly.

There were not many who knew why she suddenly came to the capital and assumed a dangerous role. Besides, there were those who knew the situation but did not fully trust her.

Rane was the daughter of Duchess Lamont who might have incurred the hatred of people for the first time as soon as she came to the capital. She was a cousin of the emperor, but at the same time she was on good terms with those close to Hubble and Chester, Marianne’s main enemies.

Of course, Rane was more friendly to Marianne than expected since she first met her. Marianne was very grateful for her kindness. Her hospitality on that day deepened like a tree growing tall under the sun, breaking down the walls of their hearts up to the point that they were close enough to walk with each other. However, in the social circles, they regarded it as the great virtue of the aristocracy to shamelessly smile at those they didn’t like.

It was a luxury for Marianne to expect Rane to deny the repeated scandals and rumors about her, even when she didn’t yet explain the exact situation to Rane yet.

“Ah, I see. In fact, my mother was very wary of you at first. There were some rumors about you that could make them misunderstand you.”

Rane nodded as if she had noticed the implications of what Marianne said.

Rane continued, “But I have a different idea. I believe only what I see and feel. And in my opinion, you are neither a cunning shovel nor a stupid lady. ”

She used vulgar expressions in her reply, but Marianne didn’t blame her for speaking candidly.

“What do you mean?” Marianne asked.

“I think you are a kind and good woman.”

“Can I ask why?”

“You gave me all your desserts at the last tea party. Unless you’re kind and considerate enough, you can never do that,” Rane whispered playfully.

Marianne laughed a little awkwardly.

At this moment, Marianne thought that Rane’s argument was not so solid enough to judge whether someone was good or bad. In fact, Marianne herself trusted and liked people for more outrageous reasons than she while Marianne felt strange about her own change like that.

Rane leaned over her arms and got close to her body.

“Look at that pond! It looks like the leaves are floating in the muddy water before the flowers bloom, right? Honestly, they’re not so pretty at this point, are they?”

“They might not be since there are much clearer and more colorful brooks in the Imperial Palace.”

“People who can’t wait until the flowers bloom or those who come to the pond after the sun sets will think this place is just plain or dirty without knowing that pretty flowers are hiding inside.”

Listening to her, Marianne looked at the quiet water quietly.

“Marie, isn’t there something in the world that you can see only when we have to try to see the real thing?” Rane said.

Marianne felt someone looking at her right beside her cheeks. She slowly turned her head.

With her clear olive eyes under golden hair, which often reminded Marianne of someone else, Rane was smiling at her tenderly.

“This yard is my secret martial arts practice place. I often spar with my uncle here. That’s why I often look at the pond every summer. After I finished practicing, I used to look at the flowers rooted in the mud for a long time. Then, something flashed through my mind suddenly.”

“What is it?”

“Well, I felt this pond was very similar to the hearts of offended people.”

“…”

“I wondered if the water of the pond was muddy because it was afraid to show its inside to the people transparently, but it bloomed such pretty flowers because it wanted to be loved by people. I wondered if it wanted others to appreciate the fact that it was so beautiful and fragrant…”

Rane’s distinctive voice scattered. Listening to her words mixed in the air, Marianne bit her lips. Somehow, she felt like tears would come down.

“So, you have to soak your hands in that muddy water in order to get that flower. You need to know how to wait at least, even if you look at them from far away. Only those who have overcome that adversity can see and love the flowers properly.”

Rane let go of her arms slowly.

Two pairs of their clean eyes faced each other, not too far or too close.

“Rumors coming out of the social circles are like muddy water. Those that look at me strangely are like that muddy water. I believe that you are a woman who can accurately appreciate and love the lotus blooming over there, and the other lotus.”

“… I think you’re the same, Miss Rane.”

“Oh really? Thank you. I always try to be that type of person.”

In reply to her trembling response, Rane smiled brightly and grabbed her hands and said, “Anyway… Just as I trust you, someone else may be trying to find out who you really are.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course! Look around you carefully. There may be a poor lotus that needs your warm touch, other than me,” Rane said meaningfully.

She slightly twisted the tip of her chin and pointed to her back.

Marianne turned back and stared at the pure white palace towering high above the blue cottonwood forest.

As if to pierce the sky, the tip of the pointed spire shone brightly in the sun.

“… Thank you, Miss Rane.”

Calming her troubled mind, Marianne gave her reply. Rane shrugged her shoulders slightly and shook her head.

“You’re welcome. I just told you my own opinion. You don’t have to thank me.”

“Really? That’s too bad. The milk pudding I had on the way to Roshan was so delicious, I wanted to bring one to you. Maybe next time…”

“No, wait a moment! Milk pudding? Where is it? I’m going to try it right away. Hurry!”

It took less than a second before she with a cool and wary look turned into an adventurer who had discovered a secret map.

She continued, “Do you mean the milk pudding made by that chef last time? I really like pudding. Can you give me ten plates? You are a good person, right?”

“Of course, if you want, I can give you as many as twenty dishes instead of ten. But do you really think I’m a good person because I gave you the desserts? Come on, slow down! Walk slowly, Miss Rane!”

Not caring at all, Rane crossed the garden quickly, folding her arms with hers again.

Embarrassed, Marianne trotted, almost dragged by her as Rane quickened her pace.

Cordelli quickly adjusted Marianne’s long dress and walked with her.

The three soon disappeared into the shortcut between the cottonwood forests. Their cheerful laughter echoed along the road they walked.