When I raised my head, the maid added softly,
“I thought you should know.”
Her tone was kinder than before, so I smiled.
“Thank you.”
“And it seems Selena is preparing a banquet this time.”
“A banquet?”
“Yes, the master gained strong support at the royal palace and was entrusted with regency.”
“Then why is Selena preparing the banquet?”
I couldn’t understand at all. It felt like I still hadn’t even received the engagement ring. The maid hesitated for a moment, then said,
“I don’t know either. But Selena said she’s helping the master prepare the banquet, though it seems she’s actually leading the preparations.”
Hearing that, I wondered if I should stay here at all. I felt ashamed. What was I even here to gain?
Staring blankly at the bowl with bread, my body started to feel cold, so I wrapped my arms around myself. Seeing this, the maid asked,
“Should I bring you medicine?”
Before, when I was sick, I couldn’t even take medicine properly because it was more expensive than the bread. I didn’t want to let anyone know I was sick, so I shook my head. This kind of cold usually goes away quickly, and I didn’t want to take medicine unnecessarily.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’ve had many colds like this, so I know how to handle them.”
When I had a fever, I made scented pouches. So feeling cold now was nothing. Honestly, I was more afraid of running out of money than of being sick. If I were kicked out of where I live now, nothing would be more painful than that.
While I was lost in these thoughts, the maid suddenly said,
“Then please rest well.”
She seemed genuinely worried about me. She bowed her head and stepped back. Now that I think about it, I hadn’t even asked her name.
‘She’s a maid I’ve never seen before here.’
She had brought my food before, but only now did I think about this. And seeing how much kinder she was than before, it seemed that when Selena scolded me, my helping had made a difference. Though I had no real power.
Losing my appetite further, I put down the fork. Feeling cold, I quickly got under the blanket. Before, when I was sick, I always kept working, so resting like this was really rare.
As I was deeply asleep, there was a loud banging on the wall. I sighed and got up. My body still ached as if I had been hit, and my head felt foggy. I wanted to sleep more, but the noise wouldn’t let me.
Wondering what was going on, I put on my robe and stepped outside. I saw someone hammering a nail into the hallway wall to hang flowers. They were deep red roses.
As I stared quietly, I heard footsteps and a lively voice.
“Pretty, right?”
I slowly turned my head and saw Selena smiling brightly at me. She wore a deep red dress like the roses, which matched her sharp features well.
Selena stood beside me, looking at the red roses.
“I prefer deep rose colors to pale flowers. Like very red roses.”
She smiled widely, clearly pleased. What could be going on that she was like this so early in the morning? I was about to ask, but she spoke first.
“Revril, how was the wedding?”
The word ‘wedding’ made me hesitate, and Selena looked me over, raising one side of her mouth in a strange smile.
“You didn’t have a wedding without even decorating with flowers, right? Still, the Revril family has money…”
Not wanting to hear more, I interrupted.
“They were pink roses.”
“Pink roses?”
“Yes.”
I didn’t really want to tell Selena this, but I had no choice.
“But I don’t like pink roses much.”
“Why?”
“Personal reasons.”
“Do you still dislike pink roses now?”
I nodded. Selena smiled gently and looked back at the red roses. I felt uneasy but didn’t show it and asked,
“Why all of a sudden decorate with flowers?”
Selena chuckled and looked at me.
“We’re preparing the mansion early. For the celebration.”
Hearing “celebration,” I remembered what the maid said earlier. Before I could ask more, Selena was already walking away toward the stairs, her steps light.
The next day, as I opened the door and stepped into the hallway, the deep red roses from yesterday were gone, replaced completely by pink roses.
It felt like someone knew I disliked them and deliberately decorated everything that way. Selena had clearly said she liked red roses yesterday.
I vaguely understood why they had changed, but I wanted to hear it directly, so I went downstairs. Selena was giving instructions to a maid in front of the parlor.
When I stood before her, Selena looked at me. Her eyebrows were sharper than yesterday. For a moment, I felt her expression had changed. Then she said,
“Do you have something to say to me?”
“Why suddenly decorate everything with pink roses? Yesterday you clearly said…”
Selena looked at me and said in a tired tone,
“I changed my mind. Suddenly pink roses look pretty to me.”
“Isn’t this decoration because I dislike pink roses?”
My voice had a hint of frustration. Selena gave a dry laugh and frowned.
“Do I look like someone who cares about such small things?”
She said that and glanced around. Then she frowned as she looked into the parlor.
“If flowers reflect on the glass, it looks cheap. I told them not to put vases on the glass tables.”
Her voice was very sharp. The maid immediately bowed her head and kept apologizing.
“If you’re sorry, you should take them away immediately. What are you doing?”
I felt embarrassed just watching. Why was she so sensitive? Looking around, it was clear they were very busy replacing flowers with pink roses.
I couldn’t stand seeing pink roses any longer, so I finally said,
“Can you at least not put pink roses in the hallway where I am? No one can even see that hallway from the banquet hall.”
Selena frowned.
“Do you have some grudge against pink roses?”
She sounded annoyed. Though I felt bad, I told the truth.
“They remind me of my wedding to Cedric. I don’t want to see them.”
“Wasn’t that a happy past?”
I said nothing more. It wasn’t a happy past. Cedric hadn’t been kind to me much.
Selena looked around again, then smiled at me.
“Okay. I’ll do that.”
Even hearing that didn’t reassure me. I felt more anxious, maybe because our last talk didn’t end well.
Selena turned away and busily gave more orders.
“I said don’t put vases on the glass tables!”
She shouted as if it was obvious, making a loud fuss. My head throbbed and I turned away. My body was already weak, and standing was hard.
As soon as I returned to my room, I closed my eyes. I prayed my body would heal by morning.
How long had I been asleep? I vaguely heard a sigh.
“You should have told me earlier.”
“I’m sorry.”
I felt something touch my lips. It tasted bitter, but I had no strength, so I swallowed it. I barely opened my eyes. Everything felt hazy, like a dream.
“How are you feeling now?”
The voice was very low. It was almost like Cedric’s voice.
“Not very well. You have a high fever.”
“I’m sorry, Master. Revril said she doesn’t take medicine…”
“Leave.”
That voice was familiar. It sounded like he was holding back anger. I heard the door close and one side of the bed sink down. Then something cold touched me. It felt like a cloth. He wiped my face, arms, and legs with the cold cloth.
I struggled to breathe but slowly opened my eyes. Cedric was looking at my hand like I was a poor victim. I put my hands together. I hated how he was looking at me.
Cedric lifted his gaze and met my eyes. His bright blue eyes quickly came alive.
“Revril.”
I said nothing, just looked at him. Cedric asked,
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What?”
My voice was rough. Without answering, Cedric poured water from a bottle and helped me drink. After I drank, I looked at him.
I saw emotions in him. I briefly saw the face he used to have when he treated me well. My heart stirred as if moved.
Cedric looked at me with complicated feelings and said slowly,
“If you’re sick, ask for medicine. Don’t let it get worse.”
His words made something rise up inside me. Looking at him, Cedric didn’t avoid my eyes and stood up.
“I’ll call a maid. Next time you’re sick, tell me right away.”
Then he left without looking back. Shortly after, the maid came in. She gently wiped my body with a white cloth.
While she did, I thought about Cedric’s earlier attitude. Seeing him come here and care like that, he must have feelings for me.
But Cedric left the room like he was rejecting something, as if I were a painful presence to him.
