NIYTR 21

Chapter 21

Severed Ties

Edelweiss handed the blue rose to Damian without difficulty.

So far, blooming the blue rose hadn’t caused her any harm.

Just then—

“Her Highness, Princess Charlotte—”

The head maid came rushing in with urgent news: Princess Charlotte had woken from her sleep and was having another seizure.

“Please go to her quickly, Your Highness.”

“Forgive me for not seeing you out.”

“It’s all right.”

Damian hurriedly left the drawing room, and Edelweiss exited Calliope Palace on her own.

It’s a good thing I brought the blue rose today.

The sudden chaos in the palace left no room to see Princess Charlotte’s face again.

I hope she’ll be okay…

Edelweiss was thinking she should bring something the princess might like next time when a familiar presence approached from the end of the corridor.

A man with fiery red hair like the sun and golden eyes shimmering with sunlight walked toward her from the opposite side.

…Adolph?

The man she once dreamed of marrying.

The man who had once been everything to her.

And the same man who broke off their engagement with a letter the moment she became infertile.

Edelweiss had loved Adolph deeply.

She had wanted to bear his children, to raise them together.

She had dreamed of standing by the future emperor’s side as a wise empress.

Now, meeting him again after all that time, it felt awkward and unfamiliar.

There was so much she wanted to ask him, tangled in a rush of conflicting emotions that clogged her throat.

Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, the pressure so tight it felt hard to breathe.

It was nothing now. Nothing had happened yet.

‘I should never have believed him when he said he’d love me forever.’

So even if she asked him now whether he had truly loved her, it would be meaningless.

Ezoic

She was simply grateful for a fate-given chance that hadn’t even begun.

Adolph was holding a rabbit doll adorned with a red ruby.

‘A gift for Princess Charlotte?’

Judging from the direction he came from, it reminded her how fond he’d been of the princess.

But had he truly cared for her?

Now that she knew Adolph’s true nature—how he threw away anything that became useless—his kindness seemed suspect.

Even when he heard of her death, he probably hadn’t grieved, only found it troublesome.

When rumors spread that she’d jumped to her death out of despair after being dumped, there was no way Adolph’s name hadn’t come up.

Seeing him now brought back the pain of infertility, and the letter that had informed her of their broken engagement due to her inability to produce an heir.

Rosemary’s mocking voice—saying she’d waited for this moment—overlapped with the memory and stung her heart.

Her body, perfectly fine when blooming the blue rose, now felt as though it was being torn apart just from facing Adolph.

“…..Who are you?”

Adolph’s eyes, empty like ash, suddenly brightened.

Like light pouring in, the hollowness vanished from his gaze, and Edelweiss had once loved that look dearly.

“Edelweiss Oberlin Blossomweaver of House Blossomweaver. It is an honor to meet you, Prince Adolph Rejenoel.”

Edelweiss offered only the briefest of formal greetings.

“Aren’t you the lady of House Stern…?”

Adolph asked cautiously, puzzled as to why she introduced herself as ‘Blossomweaver’ and not ‘Stern.’

“I was adopted into House Blossomweaver. I’ve severed ties with Stern. You don’t need to call me ‘lady’ anymore.”

“Ah… I-I didn’t know. My apologies. Lady—no, Lady Blossomweaver, what brings you to the palace…”

Why was he stammering and acting so awkward?

‘Even this must be an act.’

Looking back, she had twisted her ankle the day they met, and he had personally treated it.

His touch had been clumsy, but she liked it more for that.

Even though the palace doctor offered multiple times to take over, Adolph had insisted.

‘Back then, I really thought he was just a pure and kind person.’

But of course, he was just currying favor with the Stern heiress to build a solid support base and become Crown Prince.

Not a single thing Adolph did was sincere.

Compared to him, someone like Damian—who acted without calculation—was better.

“I came on an errand for the family and was just leaving. If there’s nothing more, may I take my leave, Prince Adolph?”

Ezoic

“Ah—

“…I’ve kept you too long. I apologize. Please return safely, Lady Blossomweaver.”

Adolph awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

‘Lady Blossomweaver.’

Now that he didn’t call her by her old pet name, Edelweiss offered the farewell she couldn’t bring herself to say out loud.

‘Goodbye, Adolph.’

Edelweiss turned a corner, out of his line of sight, and stayed there for a while.

‘Don’t hold on to regrets.’

It was nothing more than a severed tie, a past that had to be let go.

After calming her chaotic emotions, Edelweiss returned to the Blossomweaver mansion.

“You’re back, Lady Edelweiss.”

“Anna? Why are you out here?”

As soon as she entered the front hall, Anna was waiting for her.

“My lady, the Lord said you should go straight to his room upon your return.”

“..Alright. Oh, Anna—could you get the items from the coachman outside?”

“Yes, my lady.”

After confirming Anna had gone to the coachman, Edelweiss resumed walking.

All the way to the Marquis Blossomweaver’s room, her nerves were on edge.

Normally, he was gentle—he even protected her when the marquis scolded her.

But when she had truly done something wrong, he would always call her to his room to lecture her.

‘Should I tell Uncle that the marriage is because of the blue rose?’

Unlike the marquis, who had similar abilities and accepted a reasonable explanation, he disliked both Damien and the use of powers.

If she said it was a condition of her ability, he would surely oppose it vehemently.

Swallowing dryly, Edelweiss reached the Marquis Consort’s room.

“Edel? Come in.”

At her knock, a flat tone gave permission—one that clearly betrayed displeasure.

The Marquis of Blossomweaver stood by the window, wide open, taking deep breaths of cold air.

“Uncle, it’s chilly out.”

When Edelweiss stepped forward to close the window, he waved her off.

“I need to cool down—I’m overheated. Leave it.”

“…Alright.”

Edelweiss couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes, instead staring down at the carpet.

“No, wait. You catch cold easily—it’ll linger. I’ll close it.”

He shut the window and conjured a breeze with his hand to cool his face.

“You’re always like this. Trying to soften my heart so I won’t scold you. You know that, don’t you?”

Ezoic

“If I upset you, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have accepted the proposal without telling you first. You must’ve been… really shocked?”

“I almost fell backward in disbelief.”

“…”

“So, are you planning to go through with the engagement? Edel, you need to think this through carefully. I’ve told you before—

Ezoic

That Prince Damien, he’s got a bad character.”

“…”

“Marriage! Marriage? Marriage, you little rascal. I thought you’d grown up a bit, but no—you just saved it all up to hit me with at once.”

Edelweiss understood his concern and opposition.

But it was too late to undo it now.

‘Damien is the best card I have to bring Rosemary to ruin.’

As she pressed her lips together, the Marquis Consort paced the room in long strides.

“I almost preferred when you got into small trouble every day as a child.”

Ezoic

“…Uncle.”

“Like the time I banned sweets and you threw yourself on the floor begging me to bake you peach tart. Can’t you stick to harmless trouble like that?”

“…”

“Fine, fine! What parent wins against their child? Violet clearly has no intention of stopping you, and you’re just as stubborn. Talking is pointless—only wears out my mouth.”

Suddenly, fear crept in.

What if he was disappointed in her?

What if that made him care for her less?

“…Uncle, I’m sorry for letting you down.”

“It’s not disappointment—it’s worry, Edel.”

“…”

“No matter what you do, I’m always on your side. Do you really think I’d ever be disappointed in you?”