The Lady With The Green Hand Admired By The Dhampir Prince's Of The Neighbouring Country - Chapter 27
Chapter 27: Visiting the Graves
“Roger! Nick!”
Eva, who had visited the rose garden with Annie, was so delighted to see the familiar figures of the two that she ran towards them.
“My lady!”
“Milady!”
The two hurried over to her, and they rejoiced in their reunion.
“Have you both been well?”
“Yes, we’ve been well. We’re relieved to see that you are also in good health, my lady.”
“Thank you, Roger. A lot has happened, but… I’ve been getting by.”
“I’m so glad you’re back, milady. It’s a relief to see you safe.”
“Thank you, Nick, for taking care of the rose garden.”
“You’ll be going to Master Klaus’s grave later, right? I’ll prepare some flowers.”
With that, Nick hurried off.
Roger laughed and said, “He’s just shy. We’ve heard about the incident caused by the former lord. It must have been difficult for you, Lady Eva. We’re truly glad to see you safe and sound.”
Eva nodded sincerely, comforted by Roger’s kind gaze.
“But it feels so empty. What was the point of my parents’ deaths?”
“We can’t bring back the dead, but you, Lady Eva, are still alive. Please stay strong and live on.”
“Roger, I’m going to the Dacian empire.”
“You’ve made a brave decision. Nick and I will take care of the rose garden, so don’t worry. Ever since you went to the capital, Nick has thrown himself into his work as a gardener. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect for your return. Just between us, I think he’ll make a great gardener.”
Roger’s words, accompanied by a sly smile, lightened Eva’s heart a little.
“Hey, Roger. Lord Lucas told me to try my hand at the rose garden in the Dacian palace. Do you think I can manage to make the roses bloom and grow without you?”
“Haha, you’ll be fine. You have the experience here, and I’ve passed all my knowledge to you.”
“It reassures me to hear you say that, Roger.”
“If it makes you feel at ease, I’ll say it as many times as you need.”
“Thank you. I’ll never forget your words, ‘Observe carefully and listen to the flowers.'”
“Shall we look around the rose garden until Nick returns?”
“Yes, I’ve missed this rose garden so much.”
Eva smiled warmly as she linked arms with Roger.
“Eva.”
A familiar, soothingly low voice reached her ears.
“Lord Lucas!”
As Eva, Roger, and Annie were touring the rose garden, Lucas appeared. He had changed clothes, now wearing a neat black shirt and black pants, enhancing his handsome features and making Eva’s heart race.
“I want to pay my respects to Eva’s parents. Will you guide me?”
“Are you coming with me, Lord Lucas? I’m so happy. Thank you.”
Just then, Nick returned with a bouquet of flowers for the graves.
“Annie, my men will be arriving soon. Among them is a female knight named Greta. Please have her help Eva with her luggage.”
Lucas spoke to Annie as he took Eva’s hand and accepted the bouquet from Nick with his other hand. With Annie and the others watching warmly, Eva, her cheeks slightly flushed, led Lucas to her parents’ graves.
Eva placed the bouquet that Nick had prepared on her parents’ graves and spoke to them.
“Father, Mother, I’ve safely returned here. It’s all thanks to Lord Lucas standing beside me. He also uncovered the truth about your carriage accident. And I witnessed Uncle’s execution in the capital. Aunt will spend her days atoning for her sins. I still don’t know if this outcome was the right one.”
──I still can’t accept it.
The truth was revealed, but all it showed was that there was no need for her parents to be killed. The emptiness in her heart remained.
Standing quietly beside her, Lucas tightened his grip on Eva’s hand.
“I’m going to the Dacian Empire with Lord Lucas. I’ll visit your family, Mother. I’ll meet Grandma and Grandpa. Please watch over me so I can meet them safely.”
“Lord Klaus, Lady Elizabeth, I am Lucas, the second prince of the Dacian empire. Please allow me to take your precious Eva to Dacian. I promise to protect her at all costs.”
Surprised, Eva looked up at Lucas beside her. He was staring earnestly at her parents’ graves.
──Mother, I’m going to Dacian with such a kind man as Lord Lucas. I know I must keep my composure, but sometimes I’m afraid I’ll misunderstand. I wanted to talk to you about things like this… Consult with you…
In her heart, Eva spoke to her mother.
Holding hands with Lucas, tears streaming down her face, Eva gazed intently at her parents’ graves.
“Thank you for coming here with me.”
When Eva turned to Lucas, who had been silently waiting, he gently wiped away the tears from her cheek with his free hand.
“…I forgot my handkerchief.”
“Thank you for being so considerate,” Eva said with a soft laugh.
Seeing her smile, Lucas looked relieved and smiled in return.
“I asked my brother about the stone in your mother’s necklace.”
He continued, his expression slightly clouded. “I thought he might know something since he’s older than me. But my brother didn’t know either. The Rodon family, your mother’s family, is renowned for their skill in cultivating roses and plants. That pendant might be related to the abilities of the Rodon family.”
Eva took out the pendant from around her neck and gazed at the garnet’s red glow.
“It might be connected to the Rodon family. I’ll ask my grandparents when I meet them.”
Back at the mansion, Arthur introduced a new butler to the two of them.
“My name is Marcel. I will be serving as the butler for the House of Stahl. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“I am Lucas Dacian. My brother and the children affected by the incident will arrive here tomorrow. You’ll be busy, but I appreciate your cooperation.”
“Understood. Your Highness’s men also arrived a short while ago,” Marcel said, showing a tense expression in front of the royal from a neighboring country.
“My name is Eva. Please take care of Lord Arthur and Lady Lily.”
“I am a relative of Lady Lily. Because of that connection, I was chosen for this role. When Lord Klaus and Lady Elizabeth visited the village where I lived, they taught us how to improve our farming methods. Since then, the village’s harvest has increased significantly. Neither I nor the villagers have ever forgotten our gratitude to them. It is an immense honor to work here.”
“I’m very pleased to hear that,” Eva replied, filled with pride as she realized how the seeds her parents had sown were bearing fruit.
When Eva returned to her room, Greta and Annie seemed to have hit it off, chatting happily as they unpacked.
“Greta! I’m so glad you could come!”
“Lady Eva, how was the journey on horseback?”
“Greta lent me riding clothes, which was a great help. Thank you. And I must say, Greta, you look absolutely stunning in your knight’s uniform.”
The knight’s outfit fit Greta perfectly, highlighting her tall, lean figure.
“Truly impressive. You look so cool,” Annie said admiringly.
“Thank you. I do like the maid’s uniform, but I’m more accustomed to this attire,” Greta replied, smiling happily.
“How was your time alone with Lord Lucas?”
Seeing that Lucas was not around, Greta asked with a mischievous grin.
“He was very considerate.”
“Did the atmosphere get a bit romantic?”
“Romantic… he was just as kind as always,” Eva replied, her face heating up as she remembered how Lucas had let her lean on him and held her close to keep her from getting tired.
“Um… when you say Lord Lucas is kind, that’s only towards you, Lady Eva. He’s usually expressionless, hard to read, and quite stern. He’s a strict and intimidating superior during training.”
“By the way, who exactly is Lord Lucas?” Annie asked, reminding Eva that she hadn’t yet explained Lucas’s status to her.
Is it alright to tell her? Eva hesitated, but Greta quickly revealed the truth.
“He’s the second prince of the Dacian empire and the commander of the knights.”
Annie’s face instantly turned pale with shock.
“What?! What should I do… I didn’t realize he was such an important person…”
“Don’t worry. Lord Lucas doesn’t care much about status.”
“So… does that mean Lord Lucas isn’t human?” Annie asked Greta hesitantly.
“That’s right,” Greta replied calmly.
“And I’m a beastman.”
Seeing Annie’s wide-eyed surprise, Greta smiled warmly and added, “I’m a leopard.”
“Tomorrow, the children who were kidnapped and held captive will be coming here. They are beastmen. Their appearance might be different and seem intimidating, but their hearts and bodies have been hurt just the same and need healing. I believe Lord Lucas has already informed Lord Arthur, but it would be wonderful if someone without prejudice could take care of them,” Greta explained.
Annie immediately responded, “Yes! I’ll do it! I’ve read many stories about the Dacian empire and its various races. Hearing that you’re a beastman surprised me because I’ve always wanted to meet non-human races… I was so excited and surprised. This country is quite isolated, and we rarely get to meet people from neighboring nations.”
Her ears turning red, Annie spoke earnestly, “Actually, there are many other servants here who admire the Dacian empire. Can I invite them to help too?”
“I’ll help as well,” Eva added.
Hearing that many of the servants were open-minded towards other races made Eva happy. Perhaps the change in leadership to Arthur had improved the atmosphere.
“That’s reassuring to hear,” Greta said, beaming at Annie’s response.
“Let’s go talk to Lady Lily and plan things out. Greta, could you teach us more about beastmen so we don’t make any mistakes tomorrow?” Eva suggested.
Annie dashed out to call Lily, eager to start preparing.
