Chapter 40: Chapter 39

Chapter 39

When the princess heard that Noah wasn’t present, she immediately lost interest.

‘Oh, really? Then get out, I want to be alone.’

When the knights and the maids had left, she walked to the desk. The herbs weren’t all medicinal, she found that there were some poisonous ones too. He must’ve simply ordered his subordinates to give whatever herbs they could find. Since they were men that focused on brawns rather than brain, they must not have been well-versed with herbs.

‘Well, how much can you expect from a man, much less a rough knight, to know much about medicinal properties?’

The princess began to distinguish and sort out the messy pile. When it was all over, the tent entrance flapped open.

‘What are you doing?’

She saw Noah walking inside, and as expected, he looked as stunning as usual. The princess cleared her throat and answered.

‘I am trying to sort out the that herbs you sent me.’

The princess spoke when she saw Noah wasn’t answering her and was instead inspecting the herbs.

‘See here, the tip of this leaf is split into three parts, which means it is a poisonous weed. But it isn’t entirely poison, if you grind and boil it properly, it can still be used as a medicine. The type of medicine this produces is something that men know very well.’

Raising her chin, the princess scanned Noah’s body, fiddling with the poisonous weeds as if she wanted to use it. Instead of answering, he approached her while keeping his eye on the herbs and smiled.

At the sight of his enthralling smile, the princess blushed.

Noah slowly turned his head, and finally, his gaze landed on her. ‘I didn’t know you would be this useful.’

‘What?’

‘Bring the carrier pigeon here.’

Carrier pigeon? The princess widened her eyes as Noah started to roll the herbs inside a paper. He tied it to the pigeon’s legs and threw the bird out the door, then he turned his head to look at her.

‘Get on the cargo ship tomorrow and get out of here.’

The herbs weren’t for me?! The princess bit her lip and clenched her fists. Enraged, she rushed out the tent, holding a piece of paper that she snatched from the table.

As she started ripping it, but paused as she saw the Maktus family’s mark on it.

Then she began unfolding the paper;

「Noah, I’m sorry for sending you a letter during the war for a trivial matter. Your sister-in-law has a fever and is suffering from severe body aches. It is a fever that women commonly suffer from, but her condition is more serious than usual. Doctors who have examined her say that it is a chronic disease.

I am aware that the mountain you are in now is a one that full of medicinal herbs. It quite impetuous of me, knowing that you are busy with your own matters, but please…

Help me. 」

Noah Maktus sending herbs for his sister-in-law? During a war? It’s not like she’ll die from the disease! Do they have a close relationship? But my brother said that they were no better than strangers. As the princess frowned, a knight cautiously approached from behind.

Frustrated, she glowered at him, ‘What do you want.’

The knight stammered, ‘Ah-uhm… The commander said that you were of no use, so he told you to go to the kitchen and help sort out the herbs as payment for your stay here.’ He immediately bowed his head in panic, ‘I’m so sorry, Your Highness! I am only conveying his message!’

Ha! Noah Maktus! The princess clenched her fist. I will never forget this humiliation!

Then a cunning glint flashed through her eyes, she grinned.

Noah Maktus, I will make you fall for me but—

“—to do that, I must first remove this obstacle.”

Princess Janice recalled the past as she stared at the vacated seat of Adele, the wife of the man of her desires.

***

Inside the glass garden, the green leaves glistened underneath the gentle sunlight. As the rays dazzled his eyes, he bowed his head. He saw the soft grass carpeted beneath his feet, and the dahlias in full bloom on either side accentuated the place to make it even more enchanting.

It wasn’t as glamorous as the princess’s garden, but it was a garden that puts the mind at ease.

Adele was looking around the garden when began to feel hot and started fanning herself with her hands. Seeing this, the emperor spoke with a soft voice

“Milady, are you all right? Should we move someplace else?”

“Ah, there is no need. I’ll be alright if I take off my coat. Anyways, the garden is so beautiful.” She truly found it so. It was charming and had its own unique appeal that wasn’t too dazzling, which perfectly suited her taste.

But it seems the emperor wasn’t of the same mind. “There isn’t much to see.”

Adele bent down and glanced at a dahlia near her. “I don’t think so. The flowers blossoming in its fullest are so pretty, and the grass is so soft I could perhaps use it a pillow.” She smiled, “It isn’t too fancy nor too dull, the perfect balance. I like it this way.”

When the red flowers were in full bloom, nothing else could be prettier.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a dahlia. They only bloom in my hometown.” She said in a melancholic tone.

“Ah, yes. Now that you mention it, I recall that you hail from the southern region?”

The southern region was Adele’s hometown. It was ten days away from the capital and it is characterized by an abundant display of natural plants and different varieties of food. This was due to the surrounding mountain ranges and wide fields where they source out the supplies.

“Yes. In my hometown, dahlias always bloomed in the fields during early fall. There were times where I would call my family to have them send me the flowers because I missed them so much. He also liked—”

Adele stopped abruptly as she remembered Enon who also liked dahlias.

The emperor had a perceptive eye. “I should’ve sent dahlias to the funeral.”

In Astria, it was a tradition to send white or red flowers to funerals. The emperor who had sent white peonies answered with a bitter look on his face, but Adele waved her hand.

“It is fine. Enon would have also been delighted by the peonies.” She let out a smile, but it seemed a little unnatural.

“Again, I am sorry about what happened to Enon.”

“It is not Your Majesty’s fault.”

“Take a seat first.”