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nUpon closer inspection, it looked like it was being cleaned.

nThere was a broom and a mop, but the cleaning lady was nowhere to be seen.

nThe exhibition room was full of pottery.

nFrom porcelain embossed with flowers on a pure white background, a light green vase with a white bird, to long blue porcelain wrapped in colorful floral patterns.

nAmong them, the most splendid was the blue porcelain placed on the backside table in the center.

nGorgeous flowers are painted with gold on a deep blue background like sapphire.

nEven the coveted blossoms and the leaves that sprouted from the flowers were all gold.

nThese ceramics were imported from a distant country beyond the mountains.

nThis luxurious hobby was the taste of Kaizen’s grandfather, Emperor Gilbert.

nAstelle admired the elaborate patterns painted on the pottery.

n“It’s really gorgeous.”

n“It’s a useless luxury.”

nKaizen didn’t seem to be very impressed.

n“A lot of these things remain in the capital’s imperial palace. I was planning on selling it all, but the servants just left it.”

nKaizen, with a practical personality, has never liked such luxury in the past.

nThe imperial palace also had numerous treasures that his grandfather had collected and a number of splendid and stylish buildings that kept them.

nSince the new owner doesn’t pay attention, the precious ornaments will only accumulate dust and be forgotten.

n“Theor, don’t touch it.”

nAfter seeing the luxurious pottery, Theor fell in love with the blue pottery in the center, but when Astelle stopped him, he quickly withdrew his hand.”

nTheor asked with a curious expression.

n“What is this bowl for?”

n“It’s just decoration. You can decorate it beautifully and show it to people. If you drop it incorrectly, it will break, so don’t touch it carelessly.”

n“It’s really pretty.”

nThe three of them left the pavilion and continued to explore the garden. After walking around for a while, they arrived near the main palace.

n“Can’t we go see what’s over there?”

nNear the main palace, Theor found a small byway leading from the main road and pointed at it with his finger.

n“Okay. Let’s go.”

nAstelle went in without much thought, but a beautiful scenery appeared that she would regret if she had left it out.

nThere was a flower garden.

nNumerous flowers filled several flower beds.

nThere were so many kinds of flowers that she couldn’t even name them all.

n“Wow…”

nTheor couldn’t keep his mouth shut as he looked at the flower bed.

nBlin also walked around the flower bed and sniffed the smell of flowers.

nAstelle laughed because it was cute.

n“When we get home, I will make a flower bed like this in our garden. Let’s make a shallow pond and catch fish.”

n“Really?”

n“Yeah. I will make it for you.”

n‘Now that Grandpa had pension money, if I save a few months, I will be able to pay enough to make a small flower bed and pond.’

nShe will repair the ruined mansion and make a beautiful garden.

nTheor will grow up playing with the dog in the little garden.

nIt was a happy future just by imagining it.

n‘To do that, I must send Theor and Grandpa back home first.’

nKaizen asked absurdly.

n“Isn’t there a flower bed in that house?”

n“There was a garden, but I didn’t have time to plant a flower bed.”

nPlanting and caring for flowers also required time, dedication, and money.

nUnfortunately, Astelle couldn’t use all three freely while raising young Theor.

nKaizen just looked at Astelle without saying a word. He looked a bit dissatisfied but didn’t say anything more.

nAstelle glanced back at Kaizen.

n‘I have to get the emperor’s permission at the ball.’

nIf she begs in front of a lot of people, Kaizen will have no choice but to listen to her. She thought.

nWhen she returns home, she can live comfortably with her grandfather’s monthly pension.

nIt was when Astelle was looking around the flower bed while making such calculations.

nShe was walking around the opposite side of the flower bed, but she couldn’t see Theor.

n“Theor?”

nAstelle called Theor and looked around.

nBut there was no one around.

nThousands of flowers blooming high in the sky were embroidered on the flower bed.

nNot only Theor, but also Blin who came with him was nowhere to be seen.

nAstelle exclaimed in surprise.

n“Theor? Where are you?”

nKaizen also looked around for Theor.

n“Theor!”

nAstelle walked around the flower bed and called Theor.

nShe heard a rustling sound next to her.

nThe tall yellow flowers swayed like waves in the gentle breeze.

nAstelle ran towards it.

nThe closely attached flower stalks rustled and moved, and a tiny head suddenly popped out from among the swaying petals.

nIt was Theor.

n“Theor!”

nTheor jumped over the small flower bed and came out.

nHe was covered in yellow pollen all over.

nFrom head to toe, yellow pollen was all over his body.

nHis hair, which was covered with yellow pollen, looked like a blonde in some places.

n“Didn’t I say you can’t go into the flower bed?”

n“I couldn’t help it because Blin went inside.”

nWhere Theor pointed, golden hair spurted out.

nIt was Blin.

nLike Theor, Blin was covered in yellow pollen all over.

nThere is yellow powder like a stain on the black nose.

n“Blin suddenly entered the flower bed and I followed him to catch him.”

nEven after coming out of the flower bed, Blin continued to sniff the petals with its nose and smell the flowers.

nWhen Astelle saw it, something came to mind.

n“Oh, yes, that’s right. The dogs loved Tokar flower.”

nTherefore, this flower was not planted in the imperial palace where dogs and hunting dogs were kept.

nEven if you took good care of this flower, dogs came and trampled it.

n“From now on, we must not play in this area.”

nTheor sneeze because of the pollen on the tip of his nose.

n“Etchu!”

nBlin, who was next to him, also brushed off its body covered in pollen.

nYellow pollen was scattered everywhere.

nAstelle wiped Theor’s face with a handkerchief.

nA smile appeared on his yellowed face.

n“Oh my gosh… I have to go and wash both of you.”

nAstelle took Theor back to the annex.

nKaizen, who was next to her, spoke first.

n“I’ll be on my way, so if you need anything, just tell me.”

nAstelle bowed her head.

n“Yes, thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll see you at the ball then.”

nKaizen looked at Astelle and turned his body.

nThe slightly regretful gaze stayed for a while and then disappeared.

n* * *

nThe vase on the table hit the floor and shattered.

nThe maid hurriedly knelt down on the floor.

nThe Marchioness kicked the maid with her feet.

n“Ahh!”

nThe maid screamed and fell over the fragments of the vase.

n“Get out now!”

nThe maid went out quickly as her skirt was soaked and dripped with water.

n“… Mother?”

nFlorin found her screaming mother in the mansion’s drawing room and approached her.

nThe Marchioness shouted, poking at her daughter.

n“What the hell have you done? You went to see His Majesty alone, so why couldn’t you save your sister?”

n“What can I do?”

nFlorin responded as quietly as calm water.

nIn fact, Florin didn’t really want to save Marianne.

nIt’s because she’s stupid and didn’t help in any way.

nThe emperor will not forgive her anyway.

n“You should have begged His Majesty to release Marianne!”

nThe Marchioness was furious to the end of her head.

nShe still trembled at the thought of the humiliation from Astelle.

n‘How could I being insulted by her?!’

nWhen she saw Astelle living in a luxurious villa in Denz Castle, she was even more upset.

nPoor Marianne is still suffering in prison.

nThat stupid former empress is lavishing herself with luxuries.

n“He gave that bitch such a nice abode!”

nFlorin wanted to protest more, but she gave up when she realized that it was useless.

nHer mother lost her sense of sensibility.

nAt this rate, she could have been beaten.

nThe short-minded and impatient Marchioness was never a kind mother to Florin.

n“Ahhh!”

nPottery with colorful ornament fell to the floor and shattered.

nThe drawing room quickly became a mess.

nVases and pottery were broken, carpets were all wet, and furniture was smashed.

nFlorin said while watching her mother throwing things around for a while.

n“Mother. Don’t do it or you will hurt yourself. Take a walk in the garden for some fresh air.”

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