ITMFYWCLBU 8

Preparations for the flower-viewing gathering began in the castle’s front garden.

The flowers themselves would be carried out from the greenhouses the day before the event, but beforehand, platforms for display, tables, tents, and the like had to be set up. In addition, the flowerbeds in the front garden were being tidied to match the occasion, shrubs trimmed, and the lawn carefully maintained, meaning a large number of workers were coming and going.

As the sound of hammers striking wood echoed through the air, it truly began to feel as though the flower-viewing gathering was drawing near.

Once the setup in the front garden began, the consorts also entered the final stage of preparing their displays.

Clarisse, too, headed to the greenhouse with Félicité, helping with tasks like pruning the flowers and cleaning soil stains from the pots. As a result, she was a little busier than usual.

While they decorated pots with ribbons to make them look more splendid and set up stakes to adjust the angle of the flowers, Félicité instructed Lady Léonie to begin carrying some of the pots out.

“Are you already taking the flowers out?”

When Clarisse moved to help, Lady Léonie smiled and shook her head.

“Not to the garden—just to Her Majesty’s chambers. The flowers here are fine, but several roses—including the rainbow rose—and the orchids will be kept in the queen’s room until the day of the event, partly to acclimate them to the outside air. You see, the temperature is a bit lower than usual this year.”

Flowers that were sensitive to sudden temperature changes were apparently taken out of the greenhouse once and allowed to adjust in the queen’s room. They hadn’t done this the previous year, so it was likely a judgment call based on this year’s weather. The rainbow rose, in particular, required careful handling—they wanted it displayed in perfect condition.

There were seven pots in total. They were heavy, so carts would be used to move them to the castle, and the stairs would require two people carrying each one.

“Bruette and Clarisse, could you stay here and assist Her Majesty? You both helped with preparations last year, so you’re used to it.”

Lady Léonie gave instructions to the other attendants and began carrying the pots out.

As Félicité carefully removed wilted blossoms, she smiled happily.

“Now then, what shall we display besides the flowers we’ve set aside?”

Since Félicité cultivated so many flowers, it was impossible to display them all.

“The seven we’ve chosen are all deep in color, so perhaps the remaining ones could be lighter shades,” Bruette suggested as she carefully removed pollen from a large white lily. Lily pollen was conspicuous and could stain clothing, so it was always removed unless the lily was being used for breeding.

“Yes, that sounds good. Then that lily, the pale pink lilies as well—and perhaps the yellow-green hydrangeas. They won’t overpower the others.”

They set aside the pots Félicité indicated. Clarisse polished the pots while Bruette tied ribbons around them, and once finished, the flowers to be displayed were gathered in one place.

As they worked diligently, a cheerful voice accompanied by attendants rang out.

“Looks like you’re hard at work.”

The king had appeared in the greenhouse.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

Clarisse and Bruette hurriedly stopped and bowed, but the king waved a hand.

“Don’t stop on my account. Please, continue.”

He stepped closer to Félicité.

“Lilies and hydrangeas this year?”

“There will be roses and orchids as well.”

“I see. Your displays are always so splendid—I’m looking forward to it.”

Listening to the royal couple speak so fondly, Clarisse resumed her work.

They really do get along so well.

Félicité cut several lilies that wouldn’t be used for display and handed them to the king. An attendant tried to take them on his behalf, but the king shook his head.

“I’ll carry them myself.”

The attendant, looking troubled, ventured, “Aren’t we heading to the second consort’s greenhouse next…?”

The king showed no sign of concern. Joanne would surely be displeased to see him carrying flowers grown by Félicité—proof that he’d visited the queen’s greenhouse first—but apparently, he didn’t mind.

Well… surely she won’t take it out on His Majesty, at least…

Joanne disliked being treated as secondary to Félicité, but she couldn’t very well demand priority over the king himself. Instead, the poor attendant would likely bear the brunt of her irritation. His complexion already looked pale.

When the attendant urged him along, the king left the greenhouse with a regretful expression. Between visiting Joanne’s greenhouse and his tightly packed schedule afterward, he couldn’t stay any longer.

“Now then, since we still have time before the next appointment, shall we choose the reserve pots as well?”

Aside from the pots already set aside, they gathered additional ones at Félicité’s direction. With two weeks remaining before the event, some of the selected flowers might begin to wilt; these reserves would be used in that case.

Once even the reserve pots were decorated with ribbons and Lady Léonie and the others finished carrying the flowers out, Clarisse and the rest locked the greenhouse and returned to the castle.

So far, everything is proceeding just as I remember.

And if things continued according to her memories, then the troublesome commotion Joanne would cause after the flower-viewing gathering would happen again as well.

I’d like to prevent it somehow… but since His Majesty will choose Her Majesty’s flowers, there’s probably no stopping it.

The future would unfold as it was meant to—

At least, that was what Clarisse believed at the time. She had no idea that, just three days later, an incident not found anywhere in her memories would occur.