Was it because it was hot outside? Although it was already September, the garden was full of white dela flowers instead of the autumn flowers. The sky was dark without any starlight today, but it wasn’t that dark around us because of the white flowers shining in the moonlight.

I walked along the promenade in the middle of the garden with him, enjoying the sweet scent peculiar to dela flowers.

“Tia.”

“Huh?”

“Can you host the banquet well on the second day?”

“Well, I’ll do my best.”

“Good. Cheer up.”

The wind blowing softly was cool. Was it because some of the heat was gone in the evening?

I felt refreshed a little more than before.

Some of my dishevelled hair from the lightly tied hair band scattered little by little, obscuring my vision. As I was thinking about tying it again, he reached out his big hands and tightened my loose hair.

‘Uh, I know that!’

I tilted my head, looking at the cufflinks on the sleeves of his white shirt that were revealed when he stretched out his arm.

Ruby cufflinks inlaid with a rose shape:they were the gift I sent to him in return for the dress he gave me when I attended Jiun’s welcome banquet.

By the way, these days, he only wears them.

“Sein, those are…”

“Huh? What do you mean? ”

“Those cufflinks. You seem to wear them all the time. Do you like them so much?”

“Well, this is the first gift I received from you, right? So, I feel they’re monumental.”

‘Hum…Was it a first gift to you?’

I unwittingly paused for a moment because I felt I was indifferent enough not to give him any gift until now, despite my long friendship with him.

As if he noticed I was sorry, he said, dishevelling my neatly combed hair, “Hey, look at your expression? Did you realize only now that you were indifferent to me?”

“… ”

“Well, I thought you were too mean. Let bygones be bygones. I know you are indifferent to me all the time.”

“… ”

“You don’t have to give me a gift. Hope you can grow up fast.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

When I tilted my head, he looked at me for a moment and said, “I mean, grow taller than now by eating more. Do you know how hard it is for me to talk to you at your eye level?”

“…I wish I could be taller than now, Sein.”

“You know what? It’s because you’re working too hard as you’re still young. Take a break on this occasion. Let me tell your father.”

“Got it.”

“Don’t be sick. My heart aches if you’re sick.”

“… Sorry to make you concerned.”

When I whispered, he leaned forward and wrapped my cheek with both hands, then tried to stretch it both sides.

“Hey, you look ugly like that. Don’t make that expression!”

“I didn’t do anything…”

“You’ve got to grow ten years more than now if you want to make that gloomy and sad expression! Don’t do it. If you do, let me give you much harder training than now. Got it?”

“Okay, okay.”

Only then did he smile and let go of me. I rubbed my burning cheeks, but he took me back to the front door and turned. Watching him disappearing quickly, I also turned and went inside.

I went back to my room, washed and changed my clothes. Thanks to the walking, I felt much better, compared with a little ago when I couldn’t do anything because I was full.

When I buried myself in my soft bed, I broke into a smile. I felt so relaxed after such a long time that I fell asleep before I knew it.

How much time passed? I woke up because I felt something strange. My back felt stiff, I had a slight pain in my stomach and I felt wet.

I frowned. I think I have never experienced this before.

I reached out and lit a candle on the bedside. As I moved the candlestick closer to the bed, I noticed red stains on the white sheet.

I couldn’t believe it. Why did you start my period so early? In the past, my first menstruation began only after I came of age. Was it because I am more healthy now?

After hesitating for a moment, I pulled the string. Lina appeared, rubbing her sleepy eyes and asked with a confused look, “Oh, my lady, what are you doing at this time?”

“Well, LIna…”

Even though she was my bosom friend, I felt a bit awkward when I tried to explain, so I just removed the blanket and showed her the bedsheet.

Lina, who was blinking, standing on the side blankly, suddenly cheered.

“Oh my lady! Congratulations! ”

“Huh?”

“You are now an adult! You were a little behind, so I thought you would start your first period after coming of age. How happy!”

“Oh, did you think so?”

“Yes, wait a minute.”

She quickly went out and came back, with a sheet, new pajamas and a bunch of other stuff.

I simply took a shower and changed my pajamas while she was tidying up the bed.

While lying on the new bedsheet, I frowned a bit because I began to feel a pain in my stomach.

‘Oh, it hurts. Something wet is also bothering me.’

“Do you have any pain?”

“Well, a little bit, but I can manage it.” I nodded.

Though I had a bit of pain in my back and my stomach, I could endure it, compared with the past when it was so painful that I couldn’t even raise my body in bed.

“What a relief. As you are so skinny, I was worried you might feel lots of pain.”

“Really?”

“Oops! I forgot to tell your father about it. He will be very happy. ”

“What? What are you going to tell him? Don’t do it. Please!”

I barely persuaded her, who was about to run to my father.

When I recall the time when the royal doctor examined my body the other day, I still find myself embarrassed, with my face blushing.

But the rumor seemed to have already spread because the maids brought me cookies and cakes, with smiles on their faces. I was embarrassed, but felt pretty good. I felt like my temper tantrums that I often had recently seemed to go away.

“Please eat more, my lady.”

“I’m full…”

“Your father has ordered me to make sure you empty the plates.”

“Ah, okay. Let me eat it all.”

After I pushed away from the abundant lunch table, I grabbed an embroidery frame for the first time in a long time.

I was not sure if I could do it well because I hadn’t touched it for a long time.

After cutting out the fabric to make a white glove for a knight, I slowly embroidered it.

A silvery longsword and a red rose, which was the crest of the Duke Lars family, as well as Caresin’s initials. As I was bothered by what he said last night, I decided to make an embroidery gift for him.

After completing the last letter of his initials, I stretched once. Perhaps because I was sitting for a long time, I felt my back hurt more.

When I saw the finished glove, I felt a bit strange.

Sword and rose? I never expected there would be a day when I would embroider this.

Before my return, I had learned embroidery as part of my class on the empress orientation. At that time, I was told I should focus on embroidering the crest of the imperial family, not caring about anything else, because I would join the imperial family. Because of that, I had never embroidered even the crest of my family.

The crown prince didn’t know it at that time, but I made all of his handkerchiefs with the golden lion emblem on a white cloth with tears and sweat, reflecting my wishes to be his lady.

I put my hand on a white cloth. I cut out soft cloth and threaded a gold thread on the needle. Even though five years have passed since I returned, I skillfully embroidered a golden lion on a white cloth. I took my hands off the needle only after completing the lion’s pupil with blue threads and embroidering his initials with the colorful handwriting used by the imperial family.

When I looked at his name glittering on a white handkerchief, I felt like I was thrown with cold water.

Oh my god! What did I do now?