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nTranslator: Latte Editor: BakaReem Proofreader: Adulldoll

nClang—!

nSomething crashed into the window, surprising the maid who stood beside it.

n“Wh-what was that?!”

nThe lady-in-waiting turned her head.

nIt was a bird.

nThe bird had crashed into the window and had fallen due to the impact, but it flew up again and sat down on the windowsill.

nThen, the bird started pecking the glass, as if asking for attention.

n“Wait, isn’t that a carrier pigeon?”

nCarrier pigeons were trained to fly to the west tower, so they never came to the main palace.

nBut this bird was very unusual.

nThere wasn’t even a note tied to its leg.

n‘So this isn’t one of ours.’

nThe lady-in-waiting tried to shoo the bird away, but the pigeon didn’t budge.

nIt scratched the glass with its beak, slammed its wings against the windowpane, and chirped loudly.

n“This crazy bird…!”

n“What’s with all the commotion?” a voice suddenly spoke, followed by a fit of raspy coughs.

nThe voice belonged to Sabina, the Grand Duchess of Valentine.

n“Yo-Your Grace! I apologize for the racket!” the maid bowed.

n“No need to apologize. What is the bird doing?”

nSabina’s throat seemed to be clogged, making her sound hoarse. Her silhouette could be seen through the gaps of the canopy bed’s drapes.

nHer skin tone was ashen, not ghostly like a white person, just subdued and pale. Her once plump hands were now skin and bones. Her fingers now appeared longer, thinner, and frail.

n“Well, there’s something wrong with this carrier pigeon. He keeps rapping the window.”

nSabina scoffed, “I’d like to see this brave bird.”

n“Oh, you mustn’t! The doctor told Your Grace to rest…”

n“I will only rest once I die.”

n“Your Grace is saying such things again,” the maid frowned.

nThe lady-in-waiting’s eyes glimmered with tears, but she gritted her teeth and endured the pain. She couldn’t just cry in front of the Grand Duchess.

n“I was lucky to survive yesterday, but today might be my last. So I shall do what I want.”

nSabina knew that her time was running out. Death is a thorny road, but she had already given up, accepted, and was ready to depart.

n“Madame…”

nThe head lady-in-waiting, Diana, would’ve been more strict if she was here, but unfortunately, she was away. She sighed and helped Sabina sit on a chair by the window.

nHowever, the bird immediately flew away.

n‘Once I find that pigeon, I’ll turn him into food!’ the lady-in-waiting thought, gnashing her teeth.

nSabina gazed outside the window and spoke, “Those are… cherry blossoms?”

nSurprisingly, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

n“That’s absurd. It’s impossible for them to bloom this fast,” the lady-in-waiting muttered.

nBut when she opened the curtains, her eyes widened and her eyebrows raised.

nThe giant cherry trees that lined the palace were clothed in pink and white blossoms, the boughs that used to be so bereft suddenly became beautifully adorned, and their scents were diffused along with the spring breeze.

nIt was akin to a miracle.

n* * *

nLloyd headed to the place where he first saw Aria.

nSeveral jaguars followed him from behind.

n“Find her.”

nThe jaguars roared in response.

nSuddenly, something fell to the top of his head.

nLloyd took it off with his hands and observed the object.

n‘…A petal.’

n“What on earth….”

nHe raised his head.

nThe petals fluttered down like gentle rain.

nAmongst the bare trees, only the cherry blossoms showed signs of life.

n“Is this one of Carl’s pranks?”

n‘When did he start doing these kinds of things? No, he couldn’t have learned the magic of blooming flowers in the first place.’

nThe palace’s sorcerers were in charge of burning the petals, not making them bloom.

n‘Then, this must be the work of someone else.’

nLloyd immediately thought of the little girl who stood absentmindedly under the rain, holding her umbrella.

nThe dancing petals resembled her hair flowing in the wind.

n‘As expected, it’s annoying.’ Lloyd thought as he gazed at the cherry trees.

nA while later, his jaguars came back while carrying an item in their mouths.

nIt was a small, old leather bag, and it was soaked in rainwater.

n‘It’s that kid’s.’

nAria held the bag tightly as if it were her lifeline before. She must have dropped the bag when he pointed his sword towards her neck.

n‘She must be hiding something.’

nPoison? Weapons?

nLloyd instantly opened the bag. However, its contents were not what he expected.

nThe bag was filled with cards, ink bottles, and broken quills.

nWas she using these to communicate?

n‘That idiot.’

nShe wrote everything on her cards and didn’t even try to discard them. Her conversations could be easily leaked.

n‘She should’ve burned them on the spot.’

nHowever, this was a good advantage for Lloyd. He could find information about her, and if she were even a bit suspicious, he would kill her.

nThe flowers outside are beautiful.

nShe unexpectedly talked about flowers.

n‘Did she like flowers?’

nI can see the flowers. I like them.

nHe liked them too.

n‘So that’s why she went to the garden? To see the flowers?’

nCocoa. Tastes like melon.

n‘Tastes like melon?’

nHe skipped to the next card.

nSoft, white clouds floating on top.

n‘…whipped cream?’

nMelon is delicious.

nShe must have liked it.

n‘Though it’s not melon.’

nMy name is not bitch.

nAs he went further back, the cards had traces of time. All of them were yellow, and the edges were completely torn.

nI was wrong.

nIt’s all my fault.

nDon’t hit me.

nI will try to speak.

nI’m sorry for being a mute bitch.

nThe cards were wrinkled. There were traces of Aria taking them out and reading them over and over again.

nThe ink was smeared with tears.

nPlease love me.

nThat card was the last.

nLloyd’s gut clenched.

nHe stood still as if he was paralyzed.

nSuddenly, one of his jaguars bit his leg, making him lose his train of thoughts.

nThey pointed towards the palace.

nThat could only mean one thing.

nAria was there.

n“……”

nThe boy, who had been silent for a while, let go of his grip on the broken quill and dropped it to the ground.

n* * *

nEven from under the sheets, Aria was radiating heat like a brick right out of the oven. The fever was burning her up, both body and spirit.

nShe could hear the chatter of voices getting louder and louder.

nThose were the voices of the nobles who came to see the Siren.

n“Sing for me, my angel.”

n“Is that it? Are you kidding me?”

n“I spent all of my fortunes to see you. Don’t you dare pretend to be sick! Get up now!”

n“If you don’t want to die, then sing. Right this instant!”

nAria couldn’t distinguish the voices from imagination and reality.

nHer head felt as if someone had shaken it until her brain was thoroughly bruised, when suddenly… a nudge to her ribs jerked her awake.

nAria’s eyelids blinked open to the ceiling of the room, her breathing rate beginning to steady.

n“Young Miss! Are you awake?”

nAria glanced upward, her mouth slightly opened. She blinked and tried to refocus her vision.

nOn her left was the Head Lady-in-Waiting Diana, and on her right, was the Head Maid Betty.

nBoth servants stared at her anxiously.

nDiana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and spoke, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

n‘That’s right…’

nShe was in the Grand Duchy.

nAria had almost forgotten.

n‘Were they the ones who took care of me?’

nAria was suffering from a fever. She laid still as her skin reddened from her blood’s heat.

nHowever, there was always someone beside her, running to and from her room with cool cloths and wiping her body with a wet towel.

nAria felt weird because their actions seemed to tell her that she didn’t have to take care of herself anymore, even if she was sick.

n‘Oh no, I’m tearing up.’

nDiana stroked Aria’s head.

nShe didn’t falter this time. She had gotten used to Diana’s warm touch.

nHer strokes and hugs brought a feeling of peace she had never known before, calming the storms in her heart, as if telling her she was safe within these walls, protected.

nThe world around her melted away as her touch made the room warmer.

n“Oh, my,” Diana beamed.

n“How lovely.”

nWhile patting Aria’s head frantically, Diana remembered that she was still a patient.

nShe scratched the back of her head.

n“You have to eat this soup before taking the antipyretic,” Diana said as she scooped the soup and blew the heat away.

nAria flushed red in embarrassment, but she still took every spoonful of soup diligently.

n‘Ah!’

nAs the spoon went to her mouth, she realized something.

nAria scanned her surroundings, searching for her bag.

nShe couldn’t find it.

nWorried, she wrote on her hands.

nGrand Duchess?

n“Fortunately, she has crossed the hurdle.”

n‘Phew.’

nAria breathed a sigh of relief.

nIt seemed that the Grand Duchess had not passed away yet.

n“Oh, and the Prince came to see you. But milady was sleeping at that time.”

n‘Lloyd?’

n“He wanted to return this to you.”

nIt was Aria’s bag.

n‘When did I drop it?’

nAria rummaged inside the bag to write on her card, but she could not find her quill.

nInstead, what she found was a luxurious fountain pen.

n‘….Huh?’

nShe rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was actually hallucinating because of the fever.

nIt was a fountain pen with gold trim in black ripple. The nib was gold and adorned with diamonds, and it was decorated with Catalonia’s signature, the world’s most famous craftsman.

nEven if it were displayed in a museum, the fountain pen would still be considered priceless.

nAria stared at Diana with a worried look.

nDiana shrugged and replied, “He must’ve picked it up from the office.”

nThat’s right.

nThe Valentine’s fortunes were so vast that they could never be topped.

n‘When the empress got one of Catalonia’s works, she boasted all night at the banquet.’

nSuddenly, Aria found a note in her bag.

nLeave when you’re all better.

nThis was a farewell gift.

nIf Aria did not disappear after she was healed, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.

nAria turned to Diana for advice.

nDoes Lloyd hate me?

nAria touched her neck, which was wrapped in a bandage.

n‘I thought I could live as long as I hid my abilities as a Siren.’

n“I’m afraid I don’t know… I am not able to figure out what’s in His Highness’ mind.”

nDiana replied.

n“He ordered us to let you try every kind of dessert,” Diana muttered, briefly showing signs of trouble. “Even though such a thing isn’t possible…”

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