IBTHM Chapter 7

"Miss!"

Before Abel's hand could reach me, Ann swiftly caught me, sparing me the mortification of collapsing directly in front of him.

"My—My Lady. Are you all right?"

I managed to nod at Abel's worried expression, but my gaze remained glued to the flower crown sprawled on the ground.

What is that, exactly?

Is that really a handmade gift from Abel—not just anyone, but Abel—meant specifically for me?

Made with those small, chubby hands that haven't even finished growing yet?

"Ah..."

"My Lady!"

My head swam again and my body swayed once more.

I didn't want to act like a paper doll, but Aisha Esclife's body—the one I'd died and come back to life in—was considerably more fragile than my previous life's, vulnerable not only to external shocks but also to mental blows.

As expected, aside from the advantage of being beautiful, this was truly a useless sunfish of a body.

Fangirling requires stamina too, but this is just...

At any rate, I had no time to rage at my delicate constitution.

Even if I died right this instant, I would enter my coffin with that flower crown jammed onto my head.

"As... as I thought... it's too shabby a gift for My Lady, isn't it?"

Perhaps sensing my intense stare fixed on the fallen flower crown, Abel spoke with embarrassment.

"I'll... I'll think of a better gift. This one..."

"No!"

I grabbed Abel's hand as he tried to snatch up the flower crown and flee.

"...My Lady?"

"I."

Worried that Abel might bolt like he did at our first meeting if he misunderstood, I quickly snatched the flower crown from his grasp.

And then I said:

"I really... love flowers."

Oh, honestly it's not the flowers I love, Abel—it's that if you're the one giving it to me, I'd happily chew and swallow even month-old food waste.

Unable to voice such stalker-like declarations, I kept my mouth firmly shut, and Abel smiled.

"R-really?"

"Yes."

"That's a relief. I... I was worried you might not like it..."

"Me? Young Master, I would accept anything you—"

"Miss."

My mouth, which had started babbling before Abel who kept misunderstanding, was fortunately stopped by Ann.

My clever, perceptive friend Ann urgently caught my eye and mouthed silently:

'Work. Face.'

Right. Work face.

Even with a heart that could turn five aerial somersaults from loving Abel so much, I needed to calm my inner self to serenity.

Openly displaying my favor toward Abel was still premature timing-wise.

After a long breath to settle my heart, I forcibly restrained my face muscles that wanted to move of their own accord and said:

"I like it very much. Thank you. I'll treasure it."

"Ah! Thank you, My Lady!"

Abel's red eyes curved into crescents as he broke into a huge smile.

At that sight, I found myself staring blankly, completely captivated.

What on earth could make Abel so happy?

Surely not just because I said I liked the flower crown he made? That I thanked him? That I accepted it?

"I, I, I... My Lady!"

"...Yes."

With flushed cheeks, Abel hesitated for a long moment before speaking.

"If it's all right with you, may I... pl-place it on you...?"

What? This flower crown? Not satisfied with just the reverse gifting, he's going to bestow a gracious blessing upon this humble fan as well?

While I stood frozen in shock, Ann interjected.

"Of course, Young Master! Here, quickly!"

Ann plucked the flower crown from my trembling hands and passed it to Abel.

Feeling dazed, I bent my knees slightly and immediately found myself at eye level with Abel.

Abel hesitated, then very carefully placed the flower crown atop my head.

"Wow..."

With a small exclamation, Abel—who had been staring at me quietly—broke into a beaming smile.

Of course, I just stood there in a daze for a good while, my mind completely stolen by that gracious smile.

"You're... you're so pretty. Just like a fairy."

At that romantic compliment that hammered the final nail into my hazy consciousness—

"Oh my, Miss!"

"My—My Lady...!"

—the strength finally drained from my legs and I collapsed with a thud.

It was the moment I was reborn as a truly perfect successful fan, one who could die right now with no regrets.

At that very hour, Hades sat facing his vassal—the wealthy Count Gaspel, who had arrived at the crack of dawn—raising his voice.

"You're making such unilateral decisions about the marriage matters of the great Ruvermonte ducal house?"

Count Gaspel, who ruled a large territory in the central-northern region, was Ruvermonte's principal vassal, and his wife was Agatha Gaspel, Hades's older sister with whom he had a significant age gap.

Count Gaspel was a man who opposed every single move Hades made as a duke who'd inherited the title at a young age.

Even after several years, Hades never grew accustomed to it—just hearing the Gaspel family name was enough to give him fits—but there was a reason he couldn't simply ignore the count.

Even if it weren't his eldest daughter's marital home, the Gaspel count's family had served as Ruvermonte vassals for several generations already.

Thus among the various vassals, Count Mason Gaspel's position within Ruvermonte couldn't help but be substantial.

Hades spoke indifferently.

"If I don't marry, that's a problem; if I do marry, that's also a problem. What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Does Your Grace truly not understand what the problem is?"

"What's the problem?"

"I'll select and submit several families befitting Ruvermonte's status. Stop being stubborn now, and withdraw that absurd announcement about granting succession rights to that bastard child."

"Count."

Hades's eyes grew cold.

"I told you clearly that I have no intention of reversing my decision regarding Abel."

"Then does Your Grace truly intend to form ties with some obscure minor noble family, install a bastard of unknown bloodline, and disgrace Ruvermonte's name? I thought Your Grace was simply going through a phase of youthful impetuousness."

"I've always been serious. You're the one who didn't listen to a word I said."

Hades muttered dismissively, his tone firm, and it seemed conversation would be impossible.

Mason suppressed his anger and said,

"My wife should arrive tomorrow evening."

At those words, Hades's face crumpled like a wrinkled sheet of paper.

"You'll need to prepare for the succession ceremony, won't you? It's time to begin the young master's education that we've been discussing. Since my wife was always meant to oversee it..."

Countess Gaspel—Agatha, Hades's older sister with a twenty-year age gap—was a haughty and typical aristocrat.

Since the previous Duchess of Ruvermonte had died shortly after giving birth to Hades, he had been raised almost like a son by his older sister Agatha.

In the Ruvermonte ducal house where heirs were scarce, Agatha had been thoroughly educated as the successor until Hades was born.

Her affection and obsession toward her natal family were extraordinary.

She was the biggest reason why Hades, even after inheriting the duchy, still wasn't entirely free.

In other words, Countess Agatha Gaspel was the sole weakness of Hades Ruvermonte, who feared nothing else.

"That Baroness Esclife whom Your Grace supposedly loves so much that you pushed forward the marriage without consulting any vassals is currently staying at the duchy, so the timing is perfect. My wife will be curious as well. She should meet Your Grace's lifelong partner in person—the one she raised almost like a son."

Mason smiled with satisfaction, knowing Hades's weakness very well.

While Hades ground his teeth facing the snake-like Mason, the door burst open.

Both men's heads turned. It was Abel.

This time too, realizing there was a guest—and moreover, that the guest was Count Gaspel, who sent chilling, sharp glances that froze him in place every time they met—Abel froze solid.

After giving Abel one cold, sweeping glance, Mason rose to his feet.

"I'll see you again tomorrow, Your Grace."

Mason bowed and left the room.

Abel, who had been forced to gauge Mason's reactions in secret without Hades knowing, turned pale and trembled, unable to even greet him properly.

As Mason passed Abel, he muttered in a quiet voice only Abel could hear:

"Ill-mannered and stupid."

Click.

The sound of the door closing behind Abel felt cold.

"Abel."

At the vivid malice that momentarily stung his eyes, Abel quickly composed his expression at Hades's gentle voice.

"Father, I made another mistake. I've grown too accustomed to bursting into your room... I'll truly be careful from now on."

"Mm... Well, learning something new is good, but this time you came at exactly the right moment. If I'd exchanged words with that old man for a few more minutes, my lifespan would've shortened by ten years."

Looking tired, Hades rubbed between his brows, approached with a weak smile, and scooped Abel up into his arms.

"Did you visit Lady Esclife?"

"Ah, yes!"

Color immediately returned to Abel's previously gloomy expression.

Hades was surprised by the expression that was much brighter than expected.

"Did she like your gift?"

"So much! So, so much!"

How unexpected.

Hades had thought Aisha would act shy and aloof with others like noble young ladies her age typically did.

"That's fortunate. What gift did you give her? A bouquet of flowers?"

"I thought it would suit My Lady, so I made a flower crown. It was my first time making one, so it was really shabby, but My Lady liked it so much!"

"...Really?"

"Yes! My Lady, and Ann—ah! Ann is the maid who came with My Lady from Esclife. Ann was just as kind as My Lady. We went on a walk together..."

"What? You two went on a walk together?!"

"No, no. The three of us, with Ann."

"Oh, right."

"Since coming here, My Lady always takes walks near the annex with Ann during the day. Didn't you know, Father?"

"Oh..."

How did you know?

...He almost asked, but Hades stopped himself and listened to Abel's continued chattering.

Abel and Aisha seemed to have grown quite close.

More so than himself, who had only met her to discuss marriage matters with barely any other interaction.

Hades felt awkwardly embarrassed and could only nod along to Abel's words.

"You don't know how many times My Lady said 'I really love it' during the walk. That's why I was really happy too."

"What did she say she loved?"

"Um... the flowers, I suppose? She touched the flower crown I put on her head once every minute. I never imagined My Lady would like it that much. I thought she might just be pretending to like it so I wouldn't feel bad..."

Abel recalled Aisha with reddened cheeks, then buried his face in Hades's neck with embarrassment, rubbing against him.

Throughout their walk together, she had cherished the flower crown atop her head with a flushed face.

It was worth the effort of painstakingly picking and weaving the flowers. Abel murmured happily:

"She really... seemed to love flowers."