Meanwhile, time was returning to the moment when Gardenia Daehsin left the banquet hall.
Unlike the banquet hall which was full of people, the balcony was quiet. Occasionally someone would enter here, but as soon as they saw Gardenia, they would leave, embarrassed and apologising for disturbing them. In the glowing moonlight, the youngest daughter of the Supreme Astrologer looked beautiful.
The wind kept the curtains on the terrace at bay. The girl was beautiful; in the candlelight one would have thought she was an angel who had come down from heaven. A ringing voice like a nightingale singing, shiny brown hair and green eyes like nature itself. She was dazzlingly beautiful, and the girl was often compared to a nameless flower grown in a flowerbed.
No, this young lady was even more beautiful than a flower.
Gardenia was wearing a simple but very elegant blue dress, which only further emphasised her innocence and beauty.
Everyone was busy having fun in the ballroom, so hardly anyone was out on the quiet terrace at this time. Gardenia took this opportunity to have some privacy and get her thoughts in order. In the midst of the noisy banquet, she wanted some quiet time. Besides, the view of the Imperial Palace grounds from here was truly breathtaking.
However, Gardenia had promised her older sister that she wouldn't be away for too long, so she fussed when it was time for her to return. Gardenia didn't want to make her sister worry about her.
— Um... Excuse me?
The girl pulled back the curtain, and was a little surprised to suddenly find that the servant who had escorted her here had disappeared. On the other hand, Gardenia also remembered that she hadn't originally asked him specifically to wait for her. So it was also her fault.
'What should I do now?'
This situation left the girl at a loss.
After hesitating for a bit, Gardenia decided that instead of waiting for the other servants to arrive, she could return to the banquet hall on her own. There was nothing difficult about that, was there?
After all, even though this wasn't her first visit to the palace, Gardenia was still not well versed in its layout.
Because the imperial palace was so large, it was difficult to navigate.
Nevertheless, Gardenia decided that she could handle it.
The girl picked up the hem of her elegant dress and left the terrace. She walked down the corridor of the palace, which was now unusually quiet due to the fact that all the guests and servants were in the banquet hall. At the same time, Gardenia was also trying to remember the route her servant had taken earlier.
'Ah, come to think of it, we seem to have come out from over there...'
The youngest daughter of the head of the order intended to change the direction of travel, but she was wearing high-heeled shoes that she wasn't too comfortable in. At the same moment, the girl bumped into something, or someone, as she was about to turn around in the other direction.
— Ah!
A piercing female scream rang out in the middle of the corridor. It was an accident that Gardenia was completely unprepared for. For a moment, she even forgot how to breathe. The increasing pain made her frown. Annoyingly, it looked like she had hurt her ankle.
— Oh, sorry, ' deciding that she had apparently bumped into some of the guests, Gardenia hurriedly apologised.
'.....'
However, no reply followed.
What is it?
Eyes wide open and mouth ajar, Gardenia Daehsin, who was rubbing her leg, blinked and slowly raised her head.
'...Ouch.'
She met the woman's gaze. When Gardenia looked at her perplexed, the woman also slowly lowered her gaze. Gardenia blinked rapidly without even realising it. It was because the presence of the person she was facing was overwhelming.
'...'
Her silver hair was long and resembled jewelled threads. She was tall and had broad shoulders like the knights, but had a more gaunt appearance than them. This woman was completely unlike any of the noble people Gardenia had encountered before. And right now, she was confused.
'Who is she?' — was the question that first involuntarily matured in her mind. The colour of this woman's hair involuntarily reminded Gardenia of the imperial family. Therefore, she was puzzled even more.
Gardenia's surprised eyes looked straight in her direction, and this woman silently looked at her. Her golden eyes that resembled molten gold did not reflect any emotion. They could be called bottomless. They were eyes that looked inside the other person.
In the silence that fell in the corridor at that moment, Gardenia held her breath under that gaze.
The woman looked at her impassively from top to bottom, then looked away. At this moment, the youngest daughter of the Daehsin family even forgot about the pain in her leg that she had recently experienced, and felt her palms sweat.
Finally, after a long pause, the girl's voice was able to break through.
— I beg your pardon... — she said in a voice as thin as a mosquito's squeak, 'But can you help me? I think I've hurt my ankle.
After a hesitation, Gardenia held out her trembling gloved hand. She expected the woman to immediately take hold of it to help her stand up. But instead...
— Did she? What exactly do you want me to do now? — A hoarse sound escaped from her throat.
'.....'
After that question, Gardenia stared at her stupidly.
She didn't even realise what she was talking about or what was happening now.
The woman still maintained an impassive expression and looked down at Gardenia.
She didn't answer her or extend her hand. In this situation, Gardenia thought that it was as if she was like a ghost that didn't exist.
'Why am I so worried?'
As the silence dragged on, her confusion increased exponentially.
What is this situation?
— Isn't... Aren't you going to help me? — The girl asked confusedly.
Other people would already know that Gardenia Daehsin was a precious person just by looking at her. Even people who didn't know that couldn't be at ease if it was their fault that a person was knocked down.
But the silver-haired woman looked straight ahead with indifferent eyes, as if asking if a dog was barking, and then slowly turned around to continue walking forwards.
— All of this... doesn't matter.
And that was all she said.
The woman did indeed walk away, leaving the young lady behind to fend for herself in such a situation. Gardenia Daehsin stared after her confusedly, unable to comprehend what exactly had just happened.
And most of all, she didn't understand the sound of her beating heart that kept ringing in her ears.
***
After the banquet was over, Gardenia Daehsin returned safely to the palace that had been provided to the members of the Astrological Order. Liana, who had stayed by her side the whole time, helped the girl onto the bed and stood worriedly by her side.
— Even if you say you're fine, but I'll still have the doctor check you out tomorrow morning, ' she stated.
'...'
Seeing the serious expression on her sister's face, Gardenia realised in advance that there was no way to change her mind, and only sighed quietly.
— Yes, good.
— How are you feeling now? — Liana asked, 'Should I stay here and be with you?
Gardenia pressed her lips together. She didn't want to disturb her kind-hearted sister, who had already wasted a lot of her time on her, deprived of the opportunity to enjoy the banquet on her own.
— No, I'm really fine. Please go back to your room. Wasn't Lady Katrina feeling unwell too? She must be waiting for you now.
A bright smile appeared on the girl's lips.
However, the young head of the order looked as if she didn't even want to even think about returning to their shared marital quarters. The expression on her face unknowingly became a frown.
— Bad? — She asked sarcastically, 'It wouldn't have happened if she hadn't had too much to drink.
Liana Daehsin never shared her personal family problems with anyone, and even Gardenia remained unaware of many things. Nevertheless, even from the outside, she could clearly see how strained their relationship was. So she stepped in and didn't ask unnecessary questions now.
Gardenia once again said:
— I'm fine, so please don't worry about me.
Liana, who still had a concerned expression on her face, nevertheless sighed and accepted it.
— Good. Then rest,'' she uttered and released her hand.
— Yes, you too, sister, ' a smile flashed across Gardenia's beautiful face.
The young head held her gaze for a moment longer before leaving the room. Soon after, Gardenia's personal maid entered the chambers of the Supreme Astrologer's youngest daughter to take care of her mistress. She was going to give her a light massage to stretch her muscles.
Irene's personal maid was the person Gardenia usually interacted with the most besides her sister. So after pondering for a bit, she soon parted her lips, addressing the servant:
— Irene, something happened in the palace today that caught my interest.
— ...your interest? — The maid interjected.
— 'I happened to meet a woman who turned out to be the Lord of the North, ' Gardenia continued, 'Tell me, isn't that an amazing coincidence?
The hand of the maid who was massaging her leg trembled:
— Lord of... of Severa?
— Yes, it was her. It just so happened that we met by chance in the corridor... At first, I didn't even immediately recognise it was her.
Irene had a look of extreme alarm on her face.
— Oh, my God, lady! Did you really see her? You're all right, aren't you? Are-- Your ankle, too.
Realising what her maid was getting at, Gardenia hastened to object.
— Oh, no. I hurt myself. It wasn't her fault.
— Really?
— Yes... She really didn't hurt me.
Hearing about what happened during their brief encounter in the corridor of the imperial palace, Irene's face turned deathly pale.
— Lady, please stay away from... Lord North.
— А?
— For the sake of your well-being. I beg you, please don't do this from now on. You'd better just leave at once.
Gardenia bit her lip:
— You're saying that... Because of the legend?
The maid hesitated.
— It is, but I don't think it's just because of her unfavourable natal chart... — The woman hesitated, struggling for words, 'What I'm saying is that doing business with the North is extremely dangerous right now. Especially their lord. It is said that wherever it passes, blood is sure to be shed. So. a noble lady like you should definitely not have to deal with such murderers!
Gardenia's eyebrows furrowed.
— She's a murderer...?
'But I wasn't thinking of anything like that, was I? I just...'
The Daehsin family's youngest daughter's gaze unconsciously returned to her maid, and she noticed how much the woman was disturbed that Gardenia had brought up the subject at all. So, in the end, she decided to let it go so as not to continue to worry her even more.
The girl kept quiet and stopped her musings regarding the cursed daughter of the emperor. However, that wasn't enough.
Irene also took a promise from her that if Gardenia ever happened to meet Lord North again, she would definitely turn around and get out of there. Gardenia had to promise that she would do just that. Though... The girl wasn't quite sure of her own words.
Gardenia sighed and covered her eyelids.
For some reason, her state of mind was a little different than usual right now. While the maid massaged Gardenia's leg, the Mistress' thoughts continued to revolve around Lord Severus and their unintentional encounter in the corridor.
In fact, there were many things that bothered the girl about it. But most of all she was troubled by one strange circumstance that concerned Gardenia herself directly.
Namely.
...Why did her heart continue to beat so fast?