I blurted out anything to hide the pounding in my chest.
“You could go in. I can handle this alone. So…”
As I spoke, I tried to move away from him.
But stepping on a large stone on the ground, I lost my footing and started falling backward.
“Ah, ah…!”
Crash.
The sound of the pot breaking coincided with Caern catching me around the waist, preventing my fall. Unfortunately, the flower that should have been in the pot was now rolling on the ground.
“Ah, the flower…”
I looked sadly at the flower, then turned away, realizing I was much closer to him than before.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes? Yes, I’m fine. Sorry.”
“Are you really okay?”
His voice, full of concern, kept ringing in my ears.
“Yes, I’m fine. Thanks to you catching me, I didn’t fall. Thank you.”
Embarrassed, I apologized to Caern and avoided his gaze.
Trying to wriggle out of his embrace, I found myself unstable, and he didn’t let go.
“Duke, I’m really fine. You can let go now…”
Despite my response, Caern didn’t release me until he had safely set me on my feet.
“Thank you so much. Oh, but the pot…”
I sighed, looking at the shattered pot and bent down.
“Whew, fortunately, the flower is unharmed.”
Thankfully, the flower wasn’t damaged. I could transfer it to a spare pot from the carriage.
Just as I reached for the flower among the broken pot pieces.
“Don’t touch!”
Startled, I stopped as Caern held my wrist, preventing me from reaching the flower.
“It’s dangerous, don’t touch.”
“I just need to pick the flower.”
“No.”
He firmly halted my action and called for the servants.
“Transfer the flower to a new pot.”
“Yes, sir.”
At Caern’s command, the servants moved quickly.
Soon, the area where the pot had shattered was spotless, thanks to their skilled work.
“I had a spare pot in the carriage, but you’ve already transferred it.”
I murmured, looking at the more expensive and luxurious pot he was holding, with the red flower nestled inside.
“You brought the flower, so it might get hurt.”
“The red petals with the white pot look very harmonious.”
The bright flower and the serene white pot balanced each other perfectly.
“But now the gift doesn’t feel like a gift anymore.”
“Gift?”
The flower in the pot was intended as a gift for him.
In addition to the handkerchief I bought from the shop, I wanted to give him this flower, so I had prepared the pot accordingly.
“Yes. It was a gift I brought for you, Duke. It’s a shame I broke the pot.”
I responded with a disheartened voice.
“A gift for me?”
“Yes. When I saw this flower, it reminded me of you. The color is similar to your eyes…”
I hadn’t planned to say something so embarrassing, but it just slipped out.
“So that’s…”
“I thought of you while buying this flower…”
Embarrassed by my actions, Caern seemed more interested in the flower.
“It would have been a pity, then.”
“Yes?”
“If I had known it was a gift for me, I would have made sure not to break it.”
“Sorry, my carelessness caused it…”
“No need to apologize. My sudden action caused it. I’ll gladly accept the gift.”
As I apologized with regret, he comforted me and handed the pot to a nearby servant.
“First, take it to my office.”
“Yes, sir.”
After the servant took the pot away, a brief silence enveloped us. I was pondering what to say when I remembered my original intent.
“I’ll go plant the flowers in the garden.”
“Let’s go together.”
Surprisingly, Caern, just like before, walked side by side with me.
“Am I not taking too much of your time?”
He was a very busy person, known to everyone.
I worried if he was exerting himself too much because of me.
However, Caern responded dryly and expressionlessly.
“Not particularly.”
“Ah…”
His words, implying he wasn’t too busy, made me halt any further conversation.
Truthfully, I had secretly hoped we could walk together in the garden since I saw him getting off the carriage.
So, hiding this thought, I quietly walked with him to the garden.
With Caern, the day seemed much brighter, though it could be just my feeling.
Entering the garden, the warm, cozy spring air and the sweet fragrance of flowers tickled my nose.
Pretending to look around, I sneakily stole glances at Caern. He looked as handsome and dashing as ever.
However, it seemed I stared a bit too intensely without realizing.
Caern, sensing my gaze, turned to look at me.
“Is something on my face?”
“No, nothing.”
I quickly hid my embarrassment and looked away.
We reached the flower bed where I intended to plant the flowers.
I swiftly took the flowers from a wooden box and, bending over, began planting them in the already tilled soil.
He didn’t speak further, which was a relief. I had feared he might offer to help.
It seemed he already knew from Adelia that I preferred managing the garden alone.
The garden of the Laevellion Ducal Estate was special to me – a place I had adorned solely with my efforts.
While Adelia often accompanied me, she only watched, knowing my dedication.
Once I leave for my studies abroad, the estate’s servants will take over, but I wanted to plant these flowers myself.
‘Is he still behind me?’
I couldn’t be sure without looking, but I felt a burning gaze on my back.
Trying not to mind it, I quickly finished planting.
The job was done faster than expected, thanks to the servants’ preparation.
Straightening up, I turned to find Caern sitting on a bench nearby.
Satisfied with the planted flowers, I approached him, and he rose from his seat.
“Is everything done?”
“Yes, we can go inside now.”
“Just a moment.”
“Why so?”
I was about to move when he suddenly reached out, hovering his hand near my head before pulling away.
In his fingertips was a flower petal.
“Ah, it must have gotten stuck while I was planting. Thank you.”
Expressing my gratitude with a small smile, I prepared to follow him inside.
Before leaving, I gave the garden one last look.
A content smile formed on my lips.
‘This is the end, isn’t it?’
Yet, the thought of it truly being the end brought a sense of melancholy and regret.
‘Well, the people of the Ducal Estate will take good care of it from now on.’
Hoping for the best, I entered the mansion with Caern. Although I frequented this place, it felt strange to be here with Caern instead of Adelia.
We went directly to Caern’s office, a room where he worked, and sat opposite each other with a table between us. It was then that Caern, who seemed to be deep in thought, spoke up.
“Why do you still only call me ‘Duke’?”
“Excuse me?”
Caern slightly furrowed his brows, seemingly dissatisfied.
“Haven’t we agreed to call each other by our names?”
I hesitated to respond, not expecting him to directly question why I hadn’t changed the way I addressed him. Although being allowed to call him by his name was pleasing, it was unavoidably embarrassing and nerve-wracking.
To avoid answering directly, I diverted the topic, pretending to be fascinated by the surroundings.
“This is my first time in your office. It’s definitely…”
The room emanated a cool aura, meticulously tidy without any superfluous items – a space that was so characteristic of Caern.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
