Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 202

☆ Chapter 202 ☆

In a flash, something stirred in my memory.

My five-year-old hands weren’t very skillful, so the result was somewhat clumsy, making the bouquet look a bit haphazard.

But in reality, I poured an enormous amount of time and effort into making it.

Back then, I made excuses to myself, saying, ‘The bouquet has to be pretty so that he won’t have bad thoughts.’ But that wasn’t the real reason.

It was the last gift I could give to Sid.

I wandered around the east garden, west garden, greenhouse, central flower bed… picking the prettiest flowers from every place.

While making the bouquet, I put so much force into my fingertips that the flower stalks snapped, and the stems were crushed.

I remade it countless times until my fingers were stained with plant sap, and I chose the prettiest one among them.

How could I forget?

Even now, I vividly remember Sid’s expression when I gave him the bouquet—when he held it full in his arms.

That day, I gave him a name.

And freedom too.

‘……But that was already six years ago.’

It should have already withered or dried up completely.

However, the bouquet in front of me was as fresh and vibrant as if the flowers had just bloomed.

It was the moment I reached out to touch the petals.

“Ah, you shouldn’t touch that.”

“The Captain cherishes it so much. He doesn’t let anyone get near it.”

“……You guys didn’t put it there? It’s been over a month since Echen was away.”

Shouldn’t it have withered a long time ago?

“Well, um… how should I put it? That flower doesn’t wither.”

Varen scratched the back of his head awkwardly, adding some more words.

“But we can’t be sure it was a woman who gave him the bouquet. It could have been a family member. So…”

But I couldn’t hear his last words properly.

“What do you mean it doesn’t wither? Do you mean it’s been there for a long time?”

Varen was sweating profusely at my urgent question.

“No, calm down……. This bouquet, well—.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hey! Nemis!”

Varen hit Nemis with his thick arm, but Nemis didn’t react at all.

He just looked at me and continued to speak.

“He’s had that bouquet since long before… before we met the Captain.”

Ah.

“I don’t know what he did, but that bouquet never withers.”

“…….”

“Even on days when he returned after crossing the line between life and death, unable to sleep for three days and nights, even when he was seriously injured and hovering between life and death.”

“…….”

“The Captain took care of those flowers. Even putting his own life aside.”

I lowered my head.

My mind was in chaos, and I felt dizzy.

Even the ground I was standing on felt like it was swaying.

“Surya? Are you okay? Why are you so 신경 [nervous/sensitive]?”

“I’ll ask this time.”

Nemis approached me.

I looked up at him blankly.

Nemis’s expression was stiff.

“Are you the one who gave that bouquet to the Captain, Surya?”

“What?”

Varen looked surprised and seemed to say something, but it was out of my sight.

But neither Nemis nor I paid attention to Varen. No, we couldn’t afford to pay attention.

I slowly nodded my head.

“……Yes.”

“……!”

Nemis seemed surprised by my answer, even though he was the one who asked the question.

Varen rushed towards me.

“What?! What are you talking about? Surya, you—.”

“I’m right.”

“…….”

“I gave it to Echen.”

“…….”

The bouquet that I gave to Echen—to Sid.

He still has it, even after several years—.

When I touched the flowers, I felt the soft and delicate texture of the petals.

So vividly.

“Surya, you gave this…….”

“Let’s leave them alone for a while.”

“What? Hey, I haven’t—.”

Nemis dragged Varen out.

Thud.

The door closed, and the room was enveloped in perfect silence.

I leaned against the table to steady my staggering body.

“You’re not showing your true self either, are you?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Echen’s answer that I heard back then.

“But the two of them…… Huh? That’s weird, what is it?”

“They’re different, but why are they the same? Confusing…….”

The words of the 환수 [mystical creature/familiar].

“Ah…….”

Why didn’t I know?

Why couldn’t I recognize it?

My heart kept telling me that the two people were one person.

I lifted the bouquet.

The fresh bouquet had a pleasant floral scent.

‘……I thought I made it really well back then.’

I chose the best one and thought it was good enough, and I puffed out my chest.

But now that I see it, it’s a mess.

“……Idiot.”

Thud.

A teardrop fell on the petal.

“You cherish something like this.”

What is this?

“What did you do to make it look like it was just picked? How much effort did you put into it?”

“Even on days when he returned after crossing the line between life and death, unable to sleep for three days and nights, even when he was seriously injured and hovering between life and death.”

“The Captain took care of those flowers. Even putting his own life aside.”

“You’re really…… Ugh, an idiot.”

The biggest idiot in the world.

I opened my mouth, but no more grumbling came out.

Instead, a stuffy breath, a trembling sigh escaped.

The bouquet was blurred and smeared repeatedly because of the ceaseless flow of tears.

Sid.

Sid.

“Ugh, sob…….”

Sid.

No matter how many times I called out his name, my heart wouldn’t calm down.

It was you.

It was you.

Always, always to me—.

“……It was all you.”

I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer.

I sank down, hugging the bouquet, and cried like a child.

The flowers blooming in my heart were still fragrant.

Chapter 32. Sixteenth Birthday

“Did you hear the rumor? About the Saintess.”

“Ah, the rumor that a Saintess has appeared in the South?”

“But is it true? Such rumors have circulated a few times since a few years ago, but they soon died down.”

“That’s right. If it were real, would it have died down so easily? It would have spread even more.”

“It was like that until now, but this time it seems a bit different. Well, my nephew went directly to the South on business—.”

“Oh my! It’s the Paeraton Duchess! She’s finally lifted the curtain.”

At that one word, the people who were chatting stopped talking at once.

Everyone’s eyes turned to one side.

There, the Paeraton Duchess was sitting leisurely on a large sofa.

Long, shimmering hair.

Eyes that seemed to hold the endless sky and the clearest sea within them.

As she slowly swayed her fan, not only the young masters but also the young ladies swallowed a sigh.

“Wow……. She’s really beautiful today too.”

“Michelangelo is said to have created a goddess statue modeled after the Duchess, right?”

“Now is not the time to be admiring her. I should go and say hello—. Ah!”

However, the Paeraton Duchess was already out of sight due to the people who rushed in at once.

“Hoo, I should have gone as soon as the curtain opened.”

“As expected of the Paeraton Duchess. Did you know? It’s fashionable to put up curtains in the East too.”

“Pfft! It’s funny when you think about it. The more curtains you put up, the higher your position in society.”

“The Paeraton Duchess put up curtains to avoid being disturbed when she was talking.”

“Ah, it was a measure taken because there were so many people who kept eavesdropping and joining the conversation. But there are people who follow that and it eventually becomes a trend, it’s really amazing.”

“She was unusual from the start, when she made her name known as Aurora from her first appearance in society.”

“When I think about the duchesses and the Empress, as well as the Empress Dowager, all fighting to be the Duchess’s chaperone, I still feel dizzy. I was afraid to go to parties back then.”

“In the end, the winner was the Empress.”

“That’s the question. Why did she choose the Empress? The Empress is an outstanding person, but after all, the successor…….”

“Madam.”

A brief awkward silence fell between them.

“Ahem, come to think of it, the Paeraton Duchess’s birthday is coming up soon, right? Did anyone receive an invitation?”

“Would there be anyone? It’s like picking stars in the sky.”

“I mobilized all my connections, even my in-laws’ distant relatives, to get that one invitation, but I haven’t heard anything.”

They turned their eyes back to the Paeraton Duchess with regretful faces.

However, only one strand of her sparkling pink hair was barely visible, buried in the crowd.

* * *

“Duchess, do you remember me? I was at the Imperial Palace last time—.”

“Duchess, you look very beautiful today too. The hall is crowded, so it must be stuffy. If you don’t mind, would you like to—.”

“Duchess, I read the book that you recommended in the academic journal last time. It was really good, and my impressions—.”

I swallowed a sigh and looked at the young ladies and young masters who had gathered around me.

‘……After dealing with the madams, now it’s the peers.’

The young ladies are at least cute.

The young masters are…….

“Duchess.”

“Duchess.”

“The Duchess looked at me. Is this a blue fire [sign of favor/attraction]?”

The ulterior motives were too obvious.

Above all, I’ve never seen you before, okay?

‘I said I’m not interested.’

At that time, there was a commotion around me.

The crowd that surrounded the sofa I was sitting on began to collapse.

“Get out of the way, get out of the way!”

I smiled brightly at the young lady who had finally pushed people away and came to me.

The rolled-up red hair and slightly raised, mean-looking eyes were as cute as when she was young.

“It’s been a while, Young Lady Poshette.”

Young Lady Poshette, who came with the momentum to shout at me, shut her mouth tightly.

“……It’s been a while, Duchess.”

In the end, all that came out was a greeting.

‘This is what’s cute about her.’

“That’s not it! I came because I have something to say!”

“What is it?”

“That charity party last time! You raised a huge amount of donations, right? I heard it was a new record?”

“Ah, thank you.”

“I’m not praising you?! Just you wait! I’m going to raise even more donations and donate them!”

“Yeah, that’s a good thing. Good luck!”

“Eek! I’m going to win!”

“Yeah, I’ll be looking forward to it. It’s great that you’re taking the lead in such a good cause.”

“Hmph, I won’t be fooled by such sweet talk!”

Young Lady Poshette turned around and pushed people away as she had come.

‘She’s really like a storm.’

At that time, a familiar face appeared through the gap where Young Lady Poshette had left.

“Jasmine!”

When I greeted her, people made way for Jasmine.

Their faces were full of regret.

“I’m sorry. I have a prior engagement with Jasmine.”

At the same time as I finished speaking, Anna closed the curtains.

‘Since when did the lounge become a meeting place?’

Escaping to the lounge to avoid people has now become a permanent fixture.

‘Because people are waiting right in front of the lounge, it’s now fashionable to create a separate curtain room in the hall.’

“Wow, I’m alive. Why are you so late?”

“Sorry. I was on my way and…… This is for you.”

When Jasmine turned over the basket she was holding, love letters poured out.

“Wow, my dad would kill everyone if he found out about this. Are they all risking their lives?”

“That’s why they couldn’t send it to the Duke’s residence and asked me to deliver it.”

“You’re the only one who suffers every time.”

I shook my head.

At that time, the curtain opened slightly and Tyriel’s face appeared.

“Can I come in?”

“Of course. Why are you so late?”

“Ah, I was on my way and…….”

Tyriel was holding a lot of gifts and love letters in her arms.

“……Sorry. I’ll just ignore them from now on.”

“No, it’s okay. I received them because it’s hard for me to refuse. It’s also kind of fun.”

Tyriel smiled, saying it was okay.

I’m so glad my friends are such nice kids.

“Come to think of it, Lulu’s birthday is coming up soon. I’m really looking forward to it. I heard this party is going to be held in Arir, right?”

“Yeah, my grandfather bought me a castle there as a birthday present.”

“It’s famous as a winter resort! I’ve never been there before, so I’m so excited!”

“Well, it’s too far from the capital. But the invitation comes with a 이동 스크롤 [transportation scroll], so it’ll be easy to come.”

“Hehe, I really like it!”

Seeing Jasmine and Tyriel laughing, I felt good too.

“I’m quite looking forward to this birthday too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Sixteenth birthday.

In other words, it means turning fifteen in full age.

That means—.

‘It means I can watch 15금 [rated 15+] novels!’

It means I can summon as many novels as I want that I couldn’t summon because of the age limit!

How happy is this?

“Hehehe…….”

“Lulu?”

“Yeah?”

“What, what is it? Your expression is 음흉해 [scheming/lecherous].”

Jasmine and Tyriel narrowed their eyes and looked at me.

“Did you invite someone you like to your birthday?”