Chapter: 161
I stared blankly at the hawthorn plant. Normally, it was just an object I didn’t pay much attention to, something that felt more like background rather than a focal point, but today, for some reason, it really caught my eye.
No, honestly, I knew exactly why. I was painfully aware of the reason for my distraction.
“It feels empty without it around. It’s something I’m used to seeing in the club room.”
Hearing those words echoing in my mind, I couldn’t help but bite my lip. Maybe I had visited too often, causing oppa to miss the plant more than me.
Should I reduce my visits? But then again, as the princess said, chances for me to be alone with oppa will be hard to come by again. What’s the right choice here?
“Louise, what’s on your mind?”
My endless loop of thoughts was shattered by Ainter’s voice.
“I was just looking at the hawthorn.”
I flinched for a moment but answered nonchalantly. I really had been looking at the hawthorn, but explaining why would be too embarrassing.
At my response, Ainter’s gaze shifted to the hawthorn as well.
“It looks lifeless. Maybe it’s missing its owner.”
I nodded absentmindedly as he murmured sadly. Whether it was really missing its owner or just our imagination, the hawthorn did seem less vibrant than usual.
Of course, we hadn’t left it unattended just because oppa was absent. We had been taking good care of it, especially since it was a gift from Irina—
Irina…
I almost bit my lip again. If it had been a gift from me to oppa, I wouldn’t be feeling this way. The thought of him cherishing someone else’s gift complicated my emotions.
I know this feeling is bizarre. Oppa has every right to receive and treasure gifts from others.
Then why was it bothering me so much? Logically, it made no sense. Yet, my instincts were blaring alarms.
“Gifts…”
I had given oppa many gifts too. The problem was all those gifts were consumables that disappeared after being used. A tangible gift, like this hawthorn, definitely leaves a stronger impression.
Sure, I should give him something that lasts, something that reminds him of me every time he sees it.
“Would oppa like it if I gave him flowers?”
I first asked Erich about this. It wouldn’t be weird for Irina, who’s in the gardening club, to give a plant as a gift, but it felt awkward for me.
Plus, should I really add another plant to the ones he was already taking care of? It might be acceptable if he enjoyed gardening, but if he felt obligated to take care of the gift, it could easily become a burden.
“To oppa?”
Erich stroked his chin with a completely blank expression, as if he had never even considered the idea.
“Well, I’m not sure.”
His response was disappointing. Come to think of it, Erich used to have an awkward relationship with oppa.
“He doesn’t have particular preferences.”
“Or maybe you just don’t know them?”
Lather chimed in, echoing my thoughts.
Is there really a person without preferences? If he likes something, he surely must have dislikes as well.
“It’s true. He tends to accept whatever he’s given, right from childhood.”
Erich uttered these words defensively, yet I remained unconvinced.
Sure, oppa wasn’t the type to express his feelings openly. Even those close to him would have trouble understanding his emotions, let alone Erich, who shared an awkward rapport with him.
Reading my skepticism, Erich extended his explanation. He claimed that oppa kept every gift he received and never threw anything away unless it was broken—he’d never rejected anything either!
“Oppa dedicates his life to training and doesn’t care about anything else.”
“True. He must have focused intensely to reach his level of skill.”
Based on Erich’s words, Rutis nodded as if it all made sense to him.
Is that really the case? Did he devote himself entirely to training, leaving no time to cultivate personal tastes?
Despite their earlier awkwardness, it made more sense hearing it confirmed by both Erich and Rutis.
“That’s just too much.”
I felt an unexpected ache in my heart for a totally different reason. How could he have struggled since childhood?
“He’s not picky, so pretty much anything you give him should be fine. It seems like he finds satisfaction in just receiving a gift.”
“…That’s a relief.”
At least I managed to find something positive to hang onto.
*
Worried I’d get bored, people outside the academy began to contact me.
But really, someone should draft a law to confiscate communication tools from those under house arrest. Seriously, how dare a prisoner try to maintain social contact while banned from duty!
“Is your probation manageable?”
Upon reflection, it really seems necessary, if only to protect my precious mental health.
“Why are you asking me that when you have more experience than I do?”
“Well, you’re the first one to face probation at the academy.”
“Damn it.”
Even amidst my despairing curse, the minister chuckled heartily, as if it were refreshing to hear.
This was the world I found myself in. My direct superior, who I had been working with for four years, found my suffering amusing rather than sympathetic.
That’s why I do the same. If I received something, it’s only proper to give back in return. Through the exchange of gifts, relationships flourish.
“Even if history forgets my name, yours will endure.”
I struggled to come up with a rebuttal against the minister’s ribbing remark. Sure, he might be remembered as one of several Treasury Ministers, but I’ve got enough reasons to be written in the history books.
Apparently, they say that when a person is forgotten, they essentially die. At this rate, I could just become immortal—which is a terrifying thought in itself.
“What good is it to live long?”
If I keep living long, it only benefits the royal family. Ah, I’d be fine with aging if early retirement were feasible. If only that could happen.
“I hope you can also be remembered alongside me. When your probation comes up, I’ll suggest it to His Majesty.”
“Don’t play with me.”
I spoke sincerely, but the minister cut me off firmly.
Really, how rude!
After that, conversations bounced back and forth about feelings of confinement, and how I might soon experience the same thing, until the minister quietly mentioned.
“The 2nd Manager has returned today.”
That seemed to be the crux of the conversation.
“Did he receive treatment?”
“Just a single eye can be treated quickly. Besides, since he got hurt on assignment, he was prioritized for recovery.”
Hearing that the injuries were acknowledged and taken care of gave me some relief. Sometimes, when too many got injured, they’d have to live with their wounds for weeks.
“Where does that manager get into fights all the time?”
“You’ve gone through your share of brawls too. It’s only natural for subordinates to resemble their superiors.”
So does that mean I’m bound to become like you?
Such a grotesque thought, spoken so casually.
“And it was a scenario where he couldn’t avoid it.”
“Did he stumble into a dungeon or something?”
“If only that were the case, then at least it would have been amusing.”
The minister sighed softly, irritably raking a hand through his hair.
Why was he acting so anxious? It felt like ages since I witnessed him this annoyed.
“He encountered the Chauzid tribe.”
“Excuse me?”
Damn it! Why are those bastards showing up now?
It was a name I hadn’t heard in a long time, and certainly not one I wanted to.
They were one of Kagan’s lackeys during the Northern War.
On top of that, their entire tribe was notorious for their exceptional archery skills. The chief was one of the Ten Thousand Warriors, a tribe specifically bred for battle. No wonder the 2nd Manager got beaten.
“Are they still around?”
Despite the considerable threat they posed, they were one of the tribes the empire had decimated. They had high loyalty to Kagan, with most of the adult men participating in the war. We wiped them out in the last battle.
“Are they still alive?”
“We can’t be sure. It’s purely speculative based on the 2nd Manager’s testimony. It could have been any similar tribe.”
The minister trailed off, evidently displeased.
The northern nomads had clear distinguishing traits by tribe. If it was based on testimony, then the chance of it being the Chauzid tribe was significantly high.
This was driving me insane. The idea that Kagan’s lineage remained was already problematic, and now the possibility of the Chauzid tribe still being out there?
“There could be more.”
There’s a saying—it’s foolish to worry over events that haven’t occurred. Yet, the reality of Kagan’s lineage survival was now a fact.
Just because something occurred once doesn’t guarantee it will occur again. However, with Kagan’s lineage emerging, the existence of the Chauzid tribe had also been confirmed. If things continued like this, the occurrence of three or four more instances could not be dismissed.
At the thought of Kagan’s forces, my mind spun. He was asserting a level of control nearly comparable to Genghis Khan, leading a deadly force almost unbreakable. Even if just half his forces were alive, it would be nothing short of disaster.
“I’m telling you this so you’re aware. Don’t complain later about hearing it from someone else and questioning why I didn’t inform you.”
“Understood.”
Had I learned about this from anyone other than the minister, I would’ve felt disappointed.
*
My thoughts were jumbled, but I made an effort to remain calm. There wasn’t much I could do since I was under probation anyway. Worry and resentment toward the North felt like a passive skill inherent to imperial civil servants—others would handle that fine.
“I brought what you asked for.”
Additionally, I couldn’t let Louise see me anxious, could I?
She didn’t even complain about the sudden hawthorn delivery task. I was grateful—truly, I was.
“What’s this?”
I glanced at the hawthorn in Louise’s left hand and the pot in her right. Why on earth did I end up with a free gift? I was pretty sure I only ordered one!
“It’s a gift from me!”
Louise declared with a bright smile.
“Well, if it’s a gift, there’s nothing to be done about it.”
It’s only common courtesy to gratefully accept gifts.
“Thank you. I’ll take good care of it.”
Since I was already tending the hawthorn, adding a flower wouldn’t be an issue. In fact, it’d brighten up the mood perfectly.
“I picked it carefully because you said you felt empty.”
“Our club leader is the best!”
Quite honestly, I reckon we wouldn’t need laws if everyone in the world had the kindness of Marghetta and Louise.
*
Spotting oppa’s jubilant expression filled me with pride.
I genuinely believed selecting lilies was a brilliant choice on my part.
As I had told oppa, I picked it with great care and from the heart.
“I even checked the meaning of the flowers.”
In my opinion, the meaning behind it was just as significant as its outward beauty, so I researched each one thoroughly. I chose lilies right away since their significance resonated with me.
And during that process, I also learned the meaning behind the hawthorn.
“Irina…”
As Irina crossed my mind, my thoughts turned icy.
An unexpected twist lay closer to me than I anticipated.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.