Unintended Elegance in Silverbrook Garden
Shai said, "We've arrived, Lady Ricoris."
At the baron's words, I turned my gaze out the carriage window. An enormous mansion stretched out before my eyes. White marble columns and a silver roof gleamed dazzlingly, like a palace straight out of a fairy tale book. As the carriage came to a stop, more than ten servants were already lined up in neat rows. They were all dressed impeccably, their faces polite and composed. At the front stood an elderly butler in a gray suit and bow tie, holding an elegant posture.
"Now, please step down."
The baron alighted first and extended his hand to me. Without thinking, my body gracefully took his hand and descended from the carriage. I couldn't see it myself, but the way my dress hem fluttered lightly in the breeze must have been stunning, judging by the servants' admiring gazes.
"Jason, we have a distinguished guest. Prepare the finest meal."
"Yes, my lord. I'll see to it immediately."
The butler bowed deeply in response. Then he turned to me with a profound bow as well.
"It is an honor to welcome such a precious guest to Silverbrook Manor."
"Yeah. Thanks."
I'd meant to say it casually, but my voice slipped out as smoothly as gliding over water. The baron smiled in satisfaction and gestured toward the mansion.
"Would you care to stroll through my humble garden on the way in?"
Garden? As we passed through the black iron gate, the sight that unfolded left me breathless. The vast garden brimmed with every kind of flower and tree imaginable. Perfectly manicured lawns and stone paths wound through, dotted with white marble statues here and there, and right in the center stood a grand fountain!
Whoa!
"Oh ho..."
An exclamation escaped me naturally. Though it came out a bit differently... As a flower myself, seeing such a beautiful garden made my heart flutter for no reason. What if I made one like this in Sia Kalt? Would Master like it? How romantic would it be to stroll through it with her... Just imagining it made my chest pound.
That's when Miel and Cecilia suddenly fluttered up and zipped toward the garden. Blue and red lights intertwined as they vanished among the flowers.
"Huh?"
Worry hit me in an instant, and I started to follow them. But the baron stepped forward with a smile.
"No need to worry. Allow me to guide you through the garden personally."
His kind offer actually made me happy. Touring a beautiful garden sounded fun!
Sure, that'd be great!
I was about to reply brightly when completely different words flowed from my mouth.
"A garden like this is all the same. I'll go alone—head inside first."
My voice sounded bored and haughty somewhere. That wasn't what I meant to say! No, that was too much! I'd hurt the baron's feelings!
The baron's expression fell for a split second before shifting to a professional smile.
"Very well. We'll go ahead. Please take your time and enjoy."
The baron led Liandel and Levy into the mansion. Levy glanced back at me with a puzzled look before following.
Ugh... what do I do? That wasn't what I meant...
Because of this trait, words totally opposite to my intentions kept coming out. Why did Nis give me something like this? What kind of person was she trying to turn me into? It left me feeling glum for no reason.
Only Lote still hovered by my side, watching over me. Right. I'd just tour the garden with Lote. With every step, new beauties of the garden caught my eye. Flowers of every color wafted their scents to greet me. Orange blooms dotted here and there especially—they were so pretty.
What kind of flower is that? I'll ask Liandel later.
I strolled along a narrow stone path cutting through the garden, admiring the flowers. The zigzag path between flowerbeds guided me through beautiful vistas like a maze. But lost in the blooms for a moment, I failed to spot a pebble at my feet and stepped on it. I nearly tumbled forward, losing my balance.
"Ah!"
But my body moved on its own. My dress hem flared elegantly as I spun like a ballerina, perfectly regaining my balance. My fingertips even pointed gracefully skyward.
Whoa, this is awesome!
I'd grumbled about the noble trait, but who knew it activated in a crisis like this? Surprisingly useful!
"It has its moments, doesn't it?"
The words slipped out as a murmur. I turned toward a small pond past the narrow path. As I walked, I scanned around for Miel and Cecilia. I'd been going for a while, but no sign of them.
Where the heck did those two go?
In a garden this huge, it was easy to get lost... As I turned to explore more, my eyes caught a small gazebo in the corner. A pavilion-like structure ringed by white columns, and something moved inside. Heading toward it, I spotted familiar blue and red lights. Miel and Cecilia! But they weren't alone. A little boy was with them.
The child had neat brown hair and tidy clothes. He strikingly resembled the baron. His son, maybe? The boy watched Miel and Cecilia with eyes full of curiosity. A thick book lay open on his lap. The cover bore the title History of the Great Dragons in gold letters. Master must be in there too, right?
As I approached, Miel and Cecilia noticed and flew straight to me. The two butterflies circled me happily. The boy looked up, noticing me too. Surprise spread across his face.
"Hi?"
I greeted him warmly, and his eyes went wide. Then he suddenly averted his gaze, his face flushing red. His hands clutching the book trembled slightly. That's when Miel fluttered subtly near my ear. Seeing the boy look away with blushing cheeks, she suddenly flapped excitedly. Then she zipped up and landed on his head.
What was Miel doing? Up close, I saw her tiny legs fussing with his hair, shaping the brown strands atop his head into a heart!
This girl—her eyes sparkled at any whiff of romance!
Hey, cut it out!
I scolded her inwardly, but Miel had already finished the heart and perched proudly atop it, wings spread like she was showing off her masterpiece. I nearly burst out laughing at the absurdity but held it in.
"Are you the baron's son?"
"Ah... Y-yes... I'm Shai Silverbrook..."
His voice was tiny, almost a whisper. Shai, huh? He really seemed shy—just like his name!
"What were you doing here?"
"Um... I was reading, and these weird butterflies came..."
Shai trailed off as he spotted Lote hovering by my side. His eyes widened further.
"Whoa..."
Lote's metallic surface sparkled in the sunlight. Shai's reaction was so cute—like a kid seeing magic for the first time. Mischief bubbled up; I wanted to tease him a bit.
"I'm heading to eat. Wanna come?"
"Y-yes? Y-yes...!"
He stammered in panic, his cheeks turning tomato-red. Adorable!
"Oh, by the way, we're eating at your house."
"Huh...?"
I couldn't help giggling at his confused face. This kid was seriously cute! His pure reactions made teasing irresistible.
"Sounds good? Come on, let's go."
I started walking with Shai. But he trailed timidly behind me, which was hilarious.
It's your house—shouldn't you lead?
I thought it but didn't say it. Tease him more, and he'd probably sulk!
We walked the garden path in silence. Amid the awkward quiet, Shai mustered his courage and asked softly,
"Um... who are you, sis...?"
Ricoris. Loyal servant to the great Lady Frostia and apostle of Lady Michael!
I was about to boast proudly when different words emerged.
"Hehe. It's a secret."
Argh! Another weird one! My voice carried a mysterious, noble air, like someone guarding profound secrets.
"Oh..."
Shai looked crestfallen, at a loss for words. Guilt tugged at me.
"But sis? How old are you?"
I tried changing the mood.
"Eight..."
"I'm six."
"Huh...? No way..."
Shai's eyes filled with doubt. Even if I was small, I towered over him by a head.
"For real. I'm not human."
His pupils shook. Like he'd realized something.
"N-no way... a dragon...? From the book..."
Hehe, Master's the dragon—I'm a flower!
"Hehe. Imagine as you like."
Yet again, entirely different words flowed out. My hand even rose automatically to cover a graceful laugh. This would definitely lead to misunderstandings!
"I thought dragons only guarded Cargone Dragon Kingdom..."
Cargone Dragon Kingdom? I'd seen it on the world map Liandel showed me—a kingdom in the southern continent protected by dragons.
I wanted to know more.
Tell me about Cargone Dragon Kingdom.
"The world is vast, child. Books don't hold all the truths."
No... this trait is seriously weird... He already mistakes me for a dragon, and now I'm making it worse! What if he really thinks I'm a dragon in disguise? Ah... how do I control this trait?