ITMFYWCLBU 9

“The greenhouse flowers were chopped to pieces?!”

There was no such incident in my memories!!

Three days later, Clarisse arrived at the castle as usual with Alexis and stepped into the ladies-in-waiting’s room—only to cry out at Bruette’s report before she could stop herself.

“Shh! You’re too loud!”

Bruette immediately scolded her, and Clarisse clapped both hands over her mouth.

“What do you mean they were chopped up?”

Lowering her voice, Clarisse asked. Bruette carefully swept her gaze around the room—confirming no one else was present besides the two of them—before speaking.

“It happened yesterday. It was warm, so we opened the greenhouse windows a little during the day to let the air circulate. When I went in the evening to close them, the greenhouse door had been unlocked from the inside—and all the flowers meant for the flower-viewing gathering, and the reserve flowers, had been cut down.”

Clarisse had been off yesterday.

Stunned that something like that had happened while she was away, she watched as Bruette bit her lip in frustration.

“I’m certain it was the second consort’s doing. There’s no one else who would gain from something like this. And yet Her Majesty says she doesn’t want to make a fuss, so she’s keeping the incident quiet.”

“That’s awful…”

“And I was so angry! Her Majesty plans to wait and see, but what if someone breaks in again and damages the remaining flowers? That would be disastrous, wouldn’t it? So I thought about it.”

Bruette leaned in close, whispering into Clarisse’s ear.

“We take turns guarding the greenhouse. During the day, of course—but at night too!”

“You mean… staying overnight in the greenhouse?”

“Exactly. Every night would be exhausting, but if we rotate, it should be doable, right? What do you think?”

Clarisse considered it for only a moment.

There was no better idea if they wanted to protect the remaining flowers.

Since Félicité had decided not to escalate the matter, they couldn’t post guards around the greenhouse. That meant they had to protect it themselves.

“I think it’s a good idea.”

“I knew you’d say that! Lady Léonie can’t do it because she has children, but I’ve already gotten approval from the others who were on duty yesterday. Later, let’s decide a schedule for who stays awake on which nights!”

“Is it all right to keep this from Her Majesty?”

“If we tell her, she’ll say it’s dangerous and forbid it—guaranteed.”

That was true. Félicité would absolutely stop them.

And if they were stopped, they’d be unable to act at all. It was better to move quietly.

The queen’s ladies-in-waiting adored Félicité. Even if she said it was fine, they couldn’t accept it.

Cutting apart the flowers Her Majesty raised with such care… it’s unforgivable!

This wasn’t just about the flower-viewing gathering.

Félicité loved flowers and raised them as if they were her own children. Even the king adored the flowers she cultivated and would sometimes come asking for some.

“Let’s talk more during our break. We still need to choose which flowers to display from the ones that survived.”

One saving grace was that they had already moved about seven pots to the queen’s chambers.

The rainbow rose—the centerpiece of the display—as well as the most beautifully blooming roses and orchids were safe.

But when Clarisse imagined what might have happened if those flowers hadn’t been moved, a chill ran down her spine.

We absolutely have to protect the remaining flowers.

As she reviewed Félicité’s schedule for the day, Clarisse felt a fierce sense of duty ignite within her.