The three of them moved to the glass greenhouse in the garden.
As soon as Rosenta sat at the tea table, he stepped in and introduced the other two to one another to ease the awkwardness.
"Lady, Vivian Marigold of the Marigold Marquisate, and Prince Aphra Cardia."
After this brief introduction, Vivian apologized to Aphra politely.
"Nice to meet you; I was rude earlier."
"Oh, no. Anyone can make a mistake."
As he said that, Aphra crossed his arms into an ‘X’ shape and placed them on his chest.
Vivian glanced at Aphra and turned her head.
She seemed uninterested.
Then she asked Rosenta a question as though Aphra’s presence was irrelevant.
"How was Silva?”
Will it be difficult for them to get along?
‘You two have similar hobbies and I was hoping you would get along well. That's too bad.
However, Rosenta did not express this regret.
He answered calmly, "It was a beautiful place, lush with green."
"Wow. Does Silva really build their homes out of wood?"
"There are some residences where the tree itself a home is. The castle of the Duke of Cardia, for example."
While answering, he quietly slipped a bag on the table.
It was the bag that someone brought earlier.
"What is this?"
Vivian looked at Rosenta and tilted her head as if she was wondering what this was.
"Gift."
"Gift?"
"I bought it when I stopped by a village. I wish I had brought something more special. I'm sorry."
"Ah...…. Thank you very, very much! I’m happier to receive this more than any other gift, Rosen."
Her jewel-like red eyes curved beautifully.
Her curly hair in the wind, paired with Vivian's smile, painted a lovely picture.
As if Rosenta wasn’t the only one who thought that, Aphra was staring at Vivian in fascination.
"What's the gift?"
Vivian's cheeks turned red, and she opened the box with a look of anticipation.
Earrings, necklaces, and rings.
Each had a different shape and color, but it was packed beautifully like a set.
"Wow. It's so pretty…….”
"Thank God. I'm I listened to the prince.”
"Prince?"
After hearing Rosenta, Vivian stared at Aphra with wide eyes.
Aphra dropped his head as if the gaze focused on him was burdensome.
"I received help because the prince is highly skilled in accessorizing.”
"Oh, in accessorizing?"
Vivian’s eyes sparkled brightly because she loved shopping.
"I heard that men in Silva are very interested in adorning themselves. That's why they're so pretty!"
Aphra's face turned red at Vivian's admiration.
Vivian, who was looking at Aphra blankly, soon shook her head and asked something.
It was more like a one-sided bombardment of questions.
"How old are you?”
"Oh, I...… I'm eighteen."
"Hmm. Do you have an older sister?"
"I have one older sister."
"As expected."
"What?"
Vivian did not respond to Aphra's response. She was busy thinking about something while making a serious expression.
Then, after a long time, she lifted her head triumphantly.
"Since friends are similar, do you want to be my brother? I’ve always wanted to have a puppy-like younger brother since my brothers are older…….”
Rosenta was nervous.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.
‘Rather than a puppy-like younger brother, I wonder if she’s not looking for a puppy.’
For a moment, he thought about stopping Vivian's proposal but didn't.
There's no way anyone would answer 'yes' to such a ridiculous suggestion.
"Great!"
Ah, there was such a person…….
***
The two hit it off.
It was also very noisy and hectic, so it suited them well.
At first, they talked about new products from a designer that Rosenta had never heard of.
Now, Vivian was cheering as she watched Aphra demonstrate his powers.
"Oh! That's amazing. One more time!"
"Oh. What do you mean...…. It's not that great compared to my mother or sister…….”
Aphra seemed embarrassed but didn't hate the praise.
He continued to show his abilities while scratching the back of his head with a flushed face.
The plants in the greenhouse were so dense that they were all in full bloom, so much so that they did not match the season.
‘I won't be able to use a garden after today.’
Rosenta shook his head quietly.
"No matter how you look at it, it's like an owner holding the dog's leash."
Watching Vivian and Aphra, Rosenta kept suppressing his laughter.
Vivian must have heard his murmur and suppressed laughter.
Vivian, who was actively shooting around the garden, stopped moving.
She asked him with her head tilted, "Huh? What?"
He lifted his cup with a slight shrug.
He pretended to drink tea and just laughed. As though he’d never made a sound.
Fortunately, Vivian's curiosity toward him quickly faded.
It was because she was fascinated by the purple flowers Aphra had made bloom.
"Rosen! Look at this!"
He approached Vivian at the sound of her calling. The flower Vivian pointed to was purple lavender.
Rosenta picked the lavender.
"Vivian."
And he handed it to Vivian.
The figure of Vivian embracing purple lavender was like a picture in a fairy tale.
In addition to the harmony of colors, Vivian's loveliness felt even brighter.
Rosenta shared his appreciation for Vivian without hiding it.
"It suits you very well."
"Uh...….”
Vivian hugged the flowers he gave her and buried her face in them.
Although her face was not visible, Vivian's ears were turning red.
“……Thank you."
"Really Vivian. They suit you."
Vivian lifted her head up at his words. Her bright red eyes trembled as they looked at him.
After looking at each other for a moment, Vivian hurriedly turned her eyes.
"Vivian?"
‘Did I make a mistake?’
He placed his hand carefully on Vivian's blushed cheeks.
"If I hurt your feelings, please...….”
"It's not like that! After traveling somewhere new...… You've learned a strange skill!"
After lowering his hand from Vivian's cheek, he took a step back.
"Strange technique?"
‘What did I do?’
As Rosenta looked at Vivian in confusion, she snorted loudly.
"Hmph! Your skinship is strange...….”
"Strange?"
“……It's sticky! And I feel like the contact is even more intimate than before…….”
‘It’s sticky? How do you measure that?’
‘Compared to Enoch, this is not even on the same plane...….’
Did Enoch infect him?
While he was briefly distracted by remembering Enoch, Vivian approached the tea table.
She’d packed her bag and present that Rosenta had put on the chair.
"I must go now.”
"Already?"
Vivian had a sense of urgency as if something had suddenly come to mind.
"By now, it's time for Lysander to pick me up."
"Lysander?"
When he heard an unexpected name, Rosenta’s eyes widened.
"As in Lysander Marigold?"
"Yes, he’s been home for a few days.”
Vivian stopped talking and looked outside where the sun was setting.
Then she shouted in haste.
"I really have to go. Before he makes a fuss."
Vivian ran out in a hurry, reluctantly.
Vivian, who reached the front door of the greenhouse, suddenly stopped running.
"Ah! Rosen."
Then she called Rosenta and turned around slowly.
She was holding the lavender he’d given her in one hand and the bag containing her gift in the other.
"Thank you for this."
***
Aphra ran out of the greenhouse to follow Vivian as soon as she left it.
This was because Duke Estella asked him to see her off safely.
And there was another more personal reason.
It was to meet Vivian, see her off, and make an appointment to go shopping.
Enthusiastic for one reason or another, Aphra eagerly headed for the main gate.
Vivian soon appeared.
"Viv-...….”
Aphra tried to call Vivian but ended up closing his mouth.
It was because of the man's eyes staring at him as if to kill him.
Similar to Aphra, he had a lean build. In addition, he had pink hair like Vivian’s.
Perhaps because of that, he appeared fragile, but his eyes were full of life.
"What's up with that guy?”
Even his mouth was rough.
Aphra, who was timid, trembled like a petrified stone on the spot.
Then Vivian clicked her tongue and kicked the man hard in the shin.
"Ugh!"
"Enough with that vulgar behavior. I told you not to act this way, didn’t I?"
"I don't like it. I was finally going to spend time with my sister after a long time……. tsk."
Vivian's second brother, Lysander, stood with his back to Aphra.
He even treated him like a dog.
"You’re not allowed to have a dog, especially a dog like that...…. I'm sure I’ve told you not to hang out with just anyone."
"What does it matter to you?”
"My only sister is next to that peacock...…. Argh!"
"Don't curse Rosen!"
Vivian's eyes grew fierce. Undeterred, Lysander's eyes also gradually turned sharp.
The brother and sister started a battle of wills.
In the meantime, Aphra was at his wits' end.
"I...….”
"You shut up, dog."
At Lysander's words, Aphra kept his mouth shut tight.
Then Vivian said, "It's all right. Don't worry about him and tell me what you want to say.”
"Oh, stop fighting...….”
Aphra's mouth, which had barely opened, was closed again.
"I thought I told you to shut up."
"Say it!"
"Shut it!"
"Say it!"
Was he just being used as part of a fight between siblings?
At that moment, Aphra recalled his younger siblings whom he had left behind in Silva.
Ten and twelve. His two younger brothers fought like this...….
‘I wonder if they’re getting along well now that I’m gone.’
"Oh, my God!"
Then Aphra quickly came to his senses at Vivian's cries.
Vivian hit her chest in irritation and shouted in frustration, "That's enough. I don't want to talk to my stubborn brother anymore! I'll just go home."
"Yes. Good thought."
Lysander laughed happily even though his sister openly cursed him.
Vivian climbed into the carriage herself and stuck her tongue out at Lysander.
But Lysander casually climbed into the carriage and muttered.
"You're still cute."
‘Is that cute?’
Aphra became confused as to whether the capital's "cute" meant something different from Silva’s.