Princess Shu

“Yes. I have been using it since I was a child.”

“So His Grace ordered someone to bring it.”

Valia stopped while scooping her medicine.

“…How did you know?”

No one knew. Not Paul, not the aide, nor anyone in Garth castle knew why Schuden asked his people to bring the pillow to Valia. And even though she slept every night hugging the old pillow, she still could not make any good guesses as to why he did that. She thought she would ask Schuden when he got back but it seemed that the doctor knew about it.

“His Grace said something to me before he went to the battlefield.”

The silvery-gray eyes, mixed with expectations and curiosity, shone brightly. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

After taking away the empty medicine bowl, the doctor now had to go to the medicine room and take care of the Madam’s evening medicine. He left the bedroom and went down the stairs to the first floor. On the way, he could see the view of the spacious and magnificent hall at a glance. Though the workers and employees were busy reorganizing, the grandeur of the castle was still capable of overwhelming people.

‘It will be better once the renovation is done, right?’

The main building connected to the hall was no different than the basic frame of the castle, so it could not be touched. Instead, it was decided to demolish all the spaces that had been expanded to the back and sides of the building. Even though the total number of members of House of Garth–including the employees–was slightly more than 100, having hundreds of rooms in the castle was just too much.

Of course, there was also a limit to management. The current Garth castle was so large that, should someone pass out in the middle of nowhere, they would not be found until three days later. There was just too much useless space. Even in a practical view, the doctor thought the Madam’s decision was wise.

“Doctor.”

The doctor ran into Sarah at the end of the stairs. As she saw the empty medicine bowl in his hand, it dawned on her that it had not been long since the doctor went upstairs with the medicine.

“The bowl is empty again today. Does it taste less bitter than it smells?”

“The taste is worse than the smell, actually. All the ingredients are just awful…”

“Oh no…”

Sarah looked up to the second floor with a pitiful look. She felt sorry and sad that her delicate Madam had to take such bitter medicine three times a day. It was a stroke of good luck that she was recovering quickly after coming to the Marquisate.

“Now that you mention it, Madam took the medicine so quickly today. Did you change the ingredients or something?”

“Oh, that’s not it.”

The medicine was the same as the one in the morning. However, there was a reason why it took 30 minutes in the morning but only five minutes just now. The doctor laughed at the thought of what had just happened.

“It just seems that the Madam is in a good mood.”

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

After covering Valia with a down quilt, the maids politely bowed their heads.

“Good night, Madam.”

“We will take our leave.”

The maids closed the door carefully. Left alone in the bedroom, Valia habitually moved her head to see out the window. Of course, she could not see anything outside, for the maids had closed the thick curtains at each window out of worry for the night breeze. But despite the moonlight being blocked, the bedroom was not at all dark. A soft light flowed on the table from the fist-sized crystal ball.

Valia blinked. She somehow felt awkward lying alone in such a spacious bed. It was unfamiliar. In the bed back in the manor, Schuden was always next to her. He used to come back within a few days even though he was busy with work.

‘I’m glad I came to this castle right away.’

Valia did not know whether the change of environment was a good thing for her or not. She was still trying to adjust to the castle, so she was not yet aware of the emptiness that lingered on the seat next to her. Of course, as time went by and as she got used to the castle, she would feel hollow without Schuden. But she was fine now–and for another reason.

Valia held her pillow still. What the doctor said at lunch kept ringing in her ears.

‘I can’t believe I have insomnia…’

Valia could never sleep well whenever her bed changed, it was not even because of insomnia. Of course, she was a little tired due to the lack of sleep, but it never interfered with her daily life. Compared to how she could not sleep for several months after she entered the Imperial Palace in the past, she was able to get a good night’s sleep very quickly after entering Marquess Garth’s manor.

‘That’s why he asked someone to bring my pillow.’

Valia had a hard time lowering the corners of her lips as she listened to the doctor. Schuden was good-looking, cold, and somewhat dull with a slightly monotonous atmosphere. But she kept thinking that the man was cute even when he was taller than herself. It was truly unimaginable in the past.

Schuden’s unexpected consideration… 

Because of that, her heart felt as warm as if it was wrapped in a cloud. She was overwhelmed and excited. Her heart was beating fast. Valia buried her face in the pillow.

‘What do I do…’

Valia did not think she would be able to hide this feeling when she met Schuden again. It felt like she would bury her cheeks in his firm arms and confess right away as soon as they met again. It felt like she would tell him that she loved him.

“Urgh.”

Valia groaned. It was embarrassing just thinking about it. Still, there was a smile that could not be hidden on her lips.

‘I miss him.’

Schuden. 

She missed that man. She wanted to hug his neck and kiss his cold lips first. She wanted to kiss his beautiful eyes and nibble his ears. How would Schuden react?

Perhaps because he was not next to her, but in a state of daringness, she imagined something she did not usually do. That day, Valia barely fell asleep after her ears turned red.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

“Have you heard of that story?”

“Of course I have. That’s all everyone talks about these days.”

News of the major renovation of Garth castle was a hot topic for the Southern nobles. The castle had been closed for a long time. However, the lady of the House of Garth came to the castle alone and began to tear down and fix the old castle.

The vassals were, of course, restless. The Marchioness was so determined that she tore down a part of the castle as soon as she came to the Marquisate! Many nobles in the south were frightened. They thought that the Marchioness might even act like a tyrant. In a territory, a feudal lord was akin to a lesser King, so the lord’s spouse was also able to wield the same power. They wondered how the Marchioness would control the southern high society.

The tension and fear of the southern nobles were further amplified by rumors in the Imperial banquet a few months ago. And the rumor had already been distorted a few times as it first circulated several months ago. In the rumor, Valia was an extraordinary Madam who trampled on Young Lady Carnie Billiam without hesitation. Marchioness Garth had frightened many nobles in the south without even showing her face. 

Meanwhile, Valia was looking reluctant. She looked at Robin, who was half-armed, and asked.

“Sir Robin, are you going to leave like that?”

“Hmm, I’d better be fully armed, shouldn’t I?”

“…No. I think that’s good enough.”

“Yes, Madam! I will escort you today!”

‘But I’m just going out in front here.’

Robin stood behind Valia with a determined face. She thought she was quite accustomed to this young guard’s overprotectiveness but she guessed it was still a long way off. Valia could not help it anymore and smiled. Then, she got into the carriage.

Valia had been looking forward to going out for the last three months. Her destination was the sunflower field, and her companion was only one of the oldest gardeners Schuden had left.

Somehow, the season had changed to winter. And the project to extensively demolish and repair Garth castle had entered its final stage.

Valia had been busy working on three things at the same time. First, getting well, second, rebuilding the castle, and third, finally taking care of the affairs of the Marquisate.

But Valia had been far too busy, and the curiosity she had from the first time she came to the  Marquisate could only be resolved now. Because whenever she was about to go out, the doctor would make a fuss and beg her to stay. He said that even though the flu seemed to have healed, the disease being healed and the body being recovered were two separate things. It seemed to make sense, so Valia just calmly obeyed him.

“Madam, we have arrived.”

“…Already?”

 It did not even take ten minutes with the carriage. Flustered at the brief travel time, Valia murmured those words when she heard the coachman’s voice outside. The doctor begged and begged her that her illness would get worse if she went out. She did not expect it would only be this far away.

“Let’s get off, Madam.”

“Thanks, Sir Robin.”

Valia got off with Robin’s escort. It was the boundary between late winter and early spring. The wind waved Valia’s hair, it was slightly cooled down but was not that cold. She tucked her hair behind her ears and looked around the field. Countless embrowned sunflowers were sleeping in the vast field. Valia said to the gardener who came with her in the back of the carriage.

“You must have had a hard time managing this vast field.”

“It’s His Grace’s wish. Sunflowers grow on their own so it wasn’t that hard.”

Upon hearing the gardener’s answer, Valia moved toward the field. The dry field in winter felt a little scary. Was it because there were countless sunflowers the size of her height? Nevertheless, she thought it would be pretty when the flowers were all in bloom.

“Has there only ever been sunflowers here?”

“There were only a few sunflowers at first, Madam. It was originally the personal backyard for the former Marquess. The backyard mainly had expensive flowers and ornamental plants from abroad.”

“…The backyard for the former Marquess?”

“Yes, Madam. Strictly speaking, even this place is House of Garth’s backyard. It’s just been cut down a lot because we don’t have enough people to manage it.”

Valia was a little confused. The House of Garth’s backyard and yard were already vast as they were. In fact, the backyard’s size and landscaping were as if the entire forest had been moved there. But apparently, the field that was a ten-minute carriage ride from the castle was still considered as House of Garth’s backyard.

‘No wonder there are no fences or walls in the backyard.’

A large-scale construction would be needed just to put around a wall for a backyard this wide.

“Was it your plan to plant the sunflowers?”

“No. His Grace told us to smash… I mean, close down everything. But he suddenly changed his words. He told us to plant all the sunflowers.”

They did not know how far they should plant the sunflowers. They wanted to ask Schuden, but his eyes were fierce. Eventually, after the gardeners had their own meeting, they planted this many sunflowers. It was not a high-maintenance flower, so they managed to care for the field with just a few gardeners.

‘…It’s probably not a good thing if it has to do with the previous Marquess.’

Valia remembered what she had heard from Shaun. Thanks to that, she was able to refrain from recklessly asking if Schuden liked sunflowers. Instead, Valia became curious about something else.