Now that she had actually come all the way to the Grand Duke’s residence, it really hit her just how crazy what she was doing was.
‘But if I don’t get the five million mint, my life from here on won’t be any better than living in prison.’
Since the female lead had already died and escaping the novel had become unlikely, the money was desperately important to Cynthia, who still had a mountain of debt left to pay.
“We’ve arrived, miss.”
“Huh? Already?”
At the maid’s voice from across from her, Cynthia, who had been lost in thought, suddenly lifted her head. Outside the window, the Romanov mansion was slowly coming into view.
The carriage she was in passed through the central road of the estate, circling the fountain in the garden.
The large fountain at the very center scattered clear water along with a beautiful melody, and the neatly maintained gardens between the paths glowed with fresh greenery.
‘Wow… this mansion is exactly how I imagined it….’
Cynthia couldn’t take her eyes off the window, silently admiring everything.
At last, the carriage came to a stop at the entrance of the mansion. Without realizing it, Cynthia pulled her hat down a little deeper.
After a short wait, one of the servants standing outside approached and opened the carriage door.
“Welcome, Lady Elizabeth.”
Next to the servant who opened the door, she saw the Grand Duke Teshion Romanov standing, leaning on a cane decorated with intricate purple jewels.
He raised his free hand and held it out to her. Even though he couldn’t see, his gesture was clean and without hesitation.
“My lady, thank you for accepting the invitation.”
“Not at all. It’s nice to see you again, Your Grace.”
Cynthia took his hand and stepped down from the carriage, then looked around the grand garden.
“The garden is truly beautiful.”
“There is still some time before dinner. Would you like to take a look around?”
“Would that be alright?”
Cynthia turned to him as she asked.
He nodded politely with a small smile.
“I’ll guide you myself. This way…”
Teshion offered his arm.
Understanding the gesture immediately, Cynthia gently looped her arm through his.
“Oh! Thank you.”
He naturally turned and led her toward the garden. It seemed he had hosted many guests before—his movements were smooth and flawless.
Every so often, he tapped the road lightly with the cane in his other hand to gauge direction.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t have asked to look around the garden….’
Cynthia glanced up at him nervously as she walked beside him.
At that moment, she noticed a fist-sized stone lying in the middle of the path.
‘If we keep going like this, the Grand Duke might kick it….’
And if that happened, he might get startled.
For a moment, Cynthia wondered how she could naturally guide him around it, then decided to just go with it.
Three seconds to the stone… two… one…
Now!
Cynthia quickly stretched out her foot and kicked the stone off to the side.
It was a precise move—hitting only the target stone without touching the Grand Duke at all.
‘Phew!’
She thought it was fast enough that he wouldn’t notice.
Just then, she heard a soft, breathy chuckle beside her.
Turning her head in confusion, she saw the Grand Duke smiling slightly, as if amused.
“Huh?”
As Cynthia made a confused sound, Teshion spoke, still smiling.
“Ah, my apologies. Your action was a bit unexpected…”
“Yes…?”
“You just kicked away the stone on the path, didn’t you?”
“Ah… yes, I did….”
“I didn’t see it myself, but your considerate action was so quick and cute that I couldn’t help but react.”
Teshion replied in a gentle voice, his smile still lingering.
Even without sight, he had sharp and sensitive awareness of his surroundings.
‘Was he always this smiley of a character?’
Feeling oddly shy, Cynthia lowered her head and just looked around at the tall trees in the garden.
L-let’s just focus on the garden…
Then, she spotted a small arched bridge between them.
“Oh? There’s a bridge over there!”
As Cynthia exclaimed, having finally found something to say, Teshion’s relaxed expression stiffened slightly.
“Ah…”
“Can we go over there? There’s even a pond!”
Not noticing his reaction, Cynthia asked again.
“Well…”
After hesitating for a moment, Teshion nodded.
He led her toward a sparkling pond reflecting the sunlight at one side of the garden. Then he stepped onto the arched bridge crossing over it.
Excited, Cynthia unconsciously tightened her grip on his arm.
As they crossed the beautiful bridge, a small hill of flowers in full bloom came into view—blue and white flowers everywhere.
“Wow…!”
Cynthia let out an amazed gasp.
The short blue flowers and the taller white ones swayed gently in the soft breeze.
They leaned together in one direction, then slowly rose again, like waves on a lake.
“This place feels like… a lake!”
“…That’s exactly what my mother used to say.”
“Huh?”
“She used to visit this place often.”
Teshion’s calm, closed-eyed expression darkened slightly.
Cynthia quietly looked up at him.
‘Teshion’s mother… ended her life because she couldn’t bear her unhappy marriage.’
Knowing that, Cynthia couldn’t bring herself to look at him directly.
Unable to find the right words, she slowly turned her gaze back to the flowers.
“…Does it still feel like an abyss?”
His voice came again from beside her.
“My mother always said this flower field was like a deep, blue abyss. She said that if you sat here quietly, it felt like falling into a deep lake and never being able to come back out.”
His tone was calm, but it carried loneliness and emptiness.
Cynthia imagined Teshion as a child. Perhaps before he completely lost his sight, he had stood beside his mother and seen this place as a dark, cold lake.
She let go of his arm and gently took his hand instead.
Then she guided him to crouch down together.
“My lady, what are you doing—”
“Here, try touching it yourself.”
Cynthia gently pulled his hand toward the blue and white flowers.
The soft, delicate petals bent under his touch.
“How is it?”
she asked.
After a brief pause, Teshion moved his hand a little more, feeling the petals, then spoke.
“…It tickles.”
“Does it feel unpleasant?”
“No… rather, it feels… lighter, and warm….”
At his uncertain answer, Cynthia smiled.
“Right? Right now, this flower field feels light and warm. It’s soft and pleasant. When I said it felt like a lake, I didn’t mean a dark abyss. Instead, imagine a sparkling surface reflecting bright sunlight.”
At her explanation, Teshion drew his brows together, thinking deeply.
It looked like he was trying to recall the image of a bright lake he might have seen long ago.
“A place so beautiful it dazzles your eyes, and just looking at it fills your heart completely… That’s the kind of lake this place reminds me of.”
“…Is this place… beautiful?”
“Yes, very much! It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, even compared to any other garden!”
Teshion’s expression was still complicated.
Perhaps until now, this place had always been the darkest and coldest space for him.
“So this place… was bright, warm… and beautiful.”
At last, after being lost in his memories for a long time, he spoke.
Without thinking, Cynthia held his hand tightly and nodded firmly.
Even though she knew he couldn’t see it, she still wanted to do it.
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