Chapter 6

A week had already passed since I entered the ducal estate.

And now, thanks to Mia’s relentless insistence, I found myself taking an afternoon walk. Apparently, remaining indoors would only weaken my body further.

Even the nurse who raised me for thirteen years hadn’t been this persistent.

Mia was a strange woman in many ways.

“You’re much smaller than others your age, Your Highness. Moderate exercise helps with growth.”

“I can manage my own health.”

“Of course, of course.”

There she went again.

No matter how coldly I spoke—or even when I snapped—Mia would answer in that same gentle tone. And instead of aggravating me, it somehow dissolved my irritation.

She must treat Carlos the same way.

It didn’t feel like imagination—Mia held quiet authority in this estate.

“This garden is lovely, isn’t it? A walk truly lifts the spirits.”

I nodded half-heartedly.

The weather is annoyingly pleasant.

I had assumed the estate was perpetually gloomy. But under daylight, it looked old yet well maintained.

Turning such a splendid mansion into something resembling a haunted house was a talent in itself.

“…What’s that flowerbed?”

I stopped mid-step.

Unlike the rest of the garden, one section was filled entirely with white roses in full bloom. A faint shimmer lingered in the air around them. Thousands of blossoms thrived vibrantly.

At a glance, it looked like snow blanketing the earth.

Mia’s eyes brightened.

“You like this garden too?”

“It’s not the season for roses.”

“You’re perceptive. It’s maintained with the master’s mana.”

“The Duke’s mana?”

Mana that shaved away at his own life force—and he was spending it here?

That cold-blooded man?

I turned toward her, unable to conceal my curiosity.

“They’re for our young lady.”

…Young lady?

The ducal daughter?

Mia continued gently.

“When the lady was still in her mother’s womb, the mistress dreamed of a field of white roses.”

Her gaze softened as it swept over the blossoms.

“In her homeland, Verba, they say gifting a child a white rose ensures happiness.”

“….”

“When the master heard that, he brought back cartloads of roses himself. He planted them one by one. Wouldn’t let the servants touch them.”

She laughed quietly, then caught herself.

“Oh dear, I’ve said too much.”

I couldn’t speak.

That man… hauling roses for his daughter?

I couldn’t imagine it.

“…Even after the mistress passed and the estate fell into neglect, he still comes here often. And the young master visits as well.”

Her quiet words pressed heavily against my ribs.

I reached out and brushed the edge of a petal.

It was cool and damp with life.

“…I heard the ducal daughter died long ago.”

It had been an accident that shook the capital.

The carriage bound for the Duchess’s homeland had fallen from a cliff. The Duchess died instantly. The two-year-old daughter vanished. Despite months of searching, she was never found.

Realistically, no toddler could have survived alone.

And yet—

Here I stood.

Alive.

Wearing the mask of a half-blood princess.

If not for the Emperor, none of this would have happened.

The scent of roses felt suffocating.

I turned abruptly and walked away.

“Never mind. I’m not interested.”

After crossing most of the garden—

A shadow fell over me.

“You seem comfortable here.”

Carlos stood before me, dressed casually in a loose poet’s shirt, his hair uncombed.

“…Grand Duke?”

“You’re surprised to see me in my own house?”

Despite living under the same roof, he rarely appeared before me.

More accurately—he clearly disliked my presence.

If not for the purification stones, he might have cut off my head already.

It’s a miracle he’s restraining himself.

Perhaps it was the roses.

Facing him now made something twist painfully inside me.

“Thanks to you,” I replied quietly.

“At least one of us is comfortable.”

After a brief silence, he turned.

“Follow me. I have something for you.”

In his second-floor office, Carlos handed me a small box.

Inside lay a delicate platinum necklace with a tiny pendant.

“What is it?”

“An artifact. It temporarily alters eye and hair color.”

He spoke matter-of-factly.

“Until the guardianship is formalized, there’s no need for outsiders to know the princess resides here.”

He rubbed his temple, looking faintly tired.

I picked up the necklace.

Even after absorbing that many purification stones, he still looks exhausted…

And he wastes mana on roses.

“…Thank you.”

The moment I fastened it around my neck, my silver hair darkened to brown. My crimson eyes shifted to an ordinary shade.

Carlos studied me.

“Wear it inside the estate as well. Your original appearance is… unpleasant.”

My fingers paused against the pendant.

Unpleasant.

Of course.

The princess who bore the same hair and eyes as his missing daughter.

Even before my regression, he had avoided meeting my gaze.

I tucked the pendant beneath my collar.

“I’ll keep it on. It isn’t difficult. An uninvited guest should show consideration.”

For a fleeting moment, his expression softened.

“I’ll finalize the paperwork this week. Once the temple registers it, the imperial family won’t be able to interfere. Until then, keep your head down.”

I repeated his words silently.

Once it’s official… I’ll be safe.

“In that case… I have one request.”