Chapter 38: Heilon (2)
Wherever the words “flower viewing” were mentioned, there seemed to be a crowd. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
‘There are a lot of people.’
I looked out of the carriage window blankly. The roadside was filled with people, and petals were falling from above. Although I felt like I was looking at the crowd rather than the flowers, it was objectively quite pretty. The capital’s warmer climate, unlike Heilon’s, meant that the clothes here were lighter. The skirts of the girls holding their lovers’ hands fluttered beautifully.
“Where is Lady Fiona’s hometown?”
“It’s the capital.”
Celine’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh my… Then it’s not your first time at the flower festival.”
The Flower Festival was one of the capital’s main events. It was understandable that Celine was a bit surprised to bring me out for a tour now. However, it was a bit embarrassing that, despite the capital being my hometown, I was experiencing it as a tourist.
“That’s not true. I only lived in the capital when I was young, so I don’t remember much.” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I had possessed Fiona’s body when she was twelve years old, and I left the capital when she was thirteen. So I had stayed in the capital for only about a year. However, during that time, I was mostly confined to the Green Mansion. As a result, I was mentally more familiar with Heilon.
“By the way, are we going into that crowd?”
Celine smiled gently at my question. “No, there are other places where noble people can enjoy flower viewing. We’re on our way there now.”
Of course, nobles wouldn’t want to mingle with commoners in that way.
A few minutes after Celine’s explanation, the carriage stopped at a well-maintained park. Fresh grass spread widely, and benches with elegant designs were scattered around. Flowering trees were planted in strategic spots, and pale pink petals fluttered in the air. Colorful flowers bloomed in circular bushes. People sat on wide mats on the ground under sunshades. Most of the people here were ladies from wealthy families, accompanied by their maids. I occasionally saw couples holding hands. It was a peaceful sight. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
It was hard to believe that monsters could attack the capital city amidst such harmony. After all, the noble maidens and their maids here likely had never even seen the shadow of a monster. The outer areas were more prone to monster attacks, while the Heilon territory, adjacent to the mountain range where monsters lived, was an unusual case.
“My lady, would you like some food?”
I turned my head and saw that Celine and the other maids had laid out the mat on the grass and finished setting everything up.
“Huh? No, I’ll eat later.”
“Is that so?”
I laughed softly. “If you’re hungry, you can eat first. I’m going to take a look around.”
“Are you going alone?” Celine glanced at the maids behind her. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
It seemed she was considering assigning a maid to accompany me.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to follow me. I want everyone to have a good time.”
“But…”
I waved my hand lightly. Somehow, I felt like a genuine rich lady with a maid trying to keep up with me.
I then walked through the park, feeling a bit awkward. There were certainly fewer people here compared to the main road I had seen earlier. This was simply a more relaxed crowd “having fun.”
I glanced curiously at the girls passing by in groups of three or five. Everyone looked genuinely happy. The oddly peaceful sight, so different from Heilon, made me somewhat dazed. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
‘What am I doing?’
This was a thought I’d had from time to time since I arrived. I felt like a boat floating aimlessly on a river. When I had free time like this, my mind would wander, contemplating the unreality of this world—the world I created, the characters living in it, and the events that were meant to unfold.
‘Is that a good thing?’
Once, I had trembled at the unbearable cruelty of the world I’d created. However, what was different from reality was that this world would eventually have a happy ending. Even so, when I didn’t see the characters, it did feel like the world in the book. Although I had written this novel, I had only touched a few parts of the whole world directly. I had only interacted with the events involving those around me, dealing mainly with the major settings and key characters. I think the number of characters I paid a lot of attention to was roughly ten. Watching them move sometimes felt like watching a movie in real-time right before my eyes. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Eeuuhh…” As I was lost in these trivial thoughts, something happened that gave me a little shock—I bumped into someone.
Normally, I would never have made such a mistake.
“Hey, are you okay?” the person I bumped into asked politely.
“I’m fine… Wait, no, I’m sorry.” I should be the one apologizing since I bumped into someone who was standing still.
When I slightly raised my head while rubbing my forehead, I saw a man with a polite expression. He looked to be in his early to mid-twenties, with an exquisite demeanor that matched his luxurious, well-groomed clothes. He seemed to have a high status just from his appearance. Also… his face was quite striking. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
I was taken aback when our eyes met.
Dark red hair and golden eyes. What a beautiful combination.
Of course, being surprised didn’t just mean admiring someone’s appearance. Especially since this was a fictional world. In other words, it wasn’t simply a matter of saying “wow, so handsome” when encountering a good-looking person. In storytelling, the formula often was “unusual appearance = lead character.” And judging by the glow in his eyes, this man was likely one of the main characters. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
‘Red hair and golden eyes…’
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