The Search for the Duchess’s Husband Chapter 117

“……!”

 

The Empress’s eyes, which had been sunken the entire time, widened for the first time. As if she hadn’t expected it at all.

 

The empress awkwardly accepted the rose.

 

Descending the stairs, Artia distributed the flowers to the women, one by one. The women giggled like little girls as they carefully plucked the flowers and shared them with their companions.

 

It was a scene unseen in the decades of banquets that followed the plucking of the Ethereals.

 

No one was sad. No one was envious.

 

They just smiled, gracefully, defiantly, proudly, shyly.

 

Even Killian, who was sitting on the dais looking at Artia surrounded by people, raised his eyebrows.

 

It was a smile so sweet that it would have swooned anyone who saw him at this moment.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The banquet was a joyous affair.

 

Toward the end of the banquet, Marigold, her face flushed with alcohol, exclaimed.

 

“It’s a special day for my Tia to become an Ethereal, and it’s a shame to end it like this! Let’s go to my house and play all night!”

 

She was ready to throw a party, even if it meant using up all the alcohol and food in the manor.

 

But Artia declined her gracious offer.

 

“It’s late and we’re all tired, so I’ll invite you formally another time.”

 

Marigold scowled, but she couldn’t be bothered any longer. Her husband, Count Golgus, swept her up in a sweeping gesture and carried her away in his carriage.

 

Dahlia shook her head in frustration, Freesia blushed like a girl with an “Oh my,” and Artia clapped her hands with a twinkle in her eye.

 

After greeting her friends, she arrived home to find the workers who had gotten the news had decorated the mansion with flowers and were waiting for her.

 

“Congratulations, master!”

 

Artia beamed, holding a bouquet larger than my body.

 

“Thank you all.”

 

Their greetings didn’t end with words.

 

“I’m giving all the workers the day off to celebrate. Have fun, everyone.”

 

The workers let out oohs and aahs. Their voices were so loud it could have shaken the mansion.

 

Only Vivi remained expressionless.

 

‘I prefer to be with my master…’

 

Vivi said, following Artia into the room. 

 

“Shall I prepare a bath?”

 

“No, I’ll do it in a bit.”

 

‘She always washes up immediately after going out, is she tired?’

 

Vivi nodded and said, “Of course.”

 

“Okay, just let me know when you need me.”

 

After Vivi left, Artia sat at her vanity and looked in the mirror.

 

She’d been at the ballroom for hours, but thanks to the touch-up makeup she’d applied along the way, she was in good shape. Still, she straightened her hair one more time and reapplied lipstick.

 

As she stared at herself in the mirror to see what else she could touch up, she heard a noise behind her. 

 

Artia whipped her head around.

 

Killian stood by the window.

 

Artia smiled brightly.

 

“Welcome, Your Grace.”

 

“You’re smiling even though I’m not Butterfly?” Killian said, trying not to show his childlike excitement.

 

“You always act like a startled rabbit, and today you’re acting like you knew I was coming.”

 

“Yeah, I knew.”

 

“……!”

 

“You’ve been here every time something big has happened to me.”

 

Killian glared at Artia, who smiled innocently.

 

Despite being in the same room for the entire banquet, they hadn’t exchanged a single word.

 

Because Artia had wanted it that way.

 

Only now, alone, could Killian say what he’d wanted to say all along.

 

“Congratulations.”

 

Today, Artia had received more congratulations than she’d ever received in her life. And his greeting was blunt, devoid of a bright smile or any hint of excitement. Nevertheless…

 

‘Why is my heart beating so fast?’

 

A flushed Artia thought, and then took something from the table.

 

It was a gold rose, glittering with gold. Artia held it out to Killian.

 

“I give one to each of my close friends as a gift, and since you are one of my dearest friends, I thought I’d give you one too…”

 

Artia swallowed hard as she watched Killian’s face, unreadable.

 

Gold roses symbolized a beautiful woman. Would he be surprised to receive such a flower? 

Would he be embarrassed?

 

Would he be unimpressed, seeing it every day at the palace?

 

But Artia was wrong. Killian looked at her with eyes that were slightly enlarged.

 

As if he had just received an unexpected gift.

 

“…….”

 

Killian’s hand gently touched Artia’s mesmerized hand. Killian’s eyes widened as he lifted the gold rose to his lips.

 

“I am honored.”

 

His eyes, fierce as a beast of prey, shone brighter than the golden rose.

 

Artia stared, then pressed a hand to her chest in panic.

 

Her heart was beating so hard she thought it would give him away.

 

Then she heard Killian’s voice in her ear.

 

“I would like to give you a congratulatory gift, too, but what would you like?”

 

Artia was not surprised. Nor did she say no.

 

She just rolled her eyes, as if she’d been expecting it, and opened her mouth.

 

“I’d like…”

 

 

A moment later, Artia was on top of a giant black panther.

 

Artia’s gift wasn’t something as blatant as “I want to ride on a black panther!”

 

Still, it happened because Killian said it was the easiest way to give a gift.

 

“What if I fall off?”

 

The black panther replied to Artia’s nagging fear.

 

“You won’t fall.”

 

“What if people see you?”

 

“They won’t.”

 

“No matter what you think, I…”

 

“We’re going.”

 

The black panther moved.

 

It moved with such speed that Artia’s hair stood on end, but the ride was so uneventful that her fears were moot. It was more comfortable than the carriage.

 

‘How can they run so fast,’ she thought, ‘is this magic?’

 

Before she knew it, she was in front of the imperial palace. The sight of the palace’s towering walls sent a shiver down her spine.

 

“Your Majesty, it’s much safer to return to your original form now and enter the palace officially…”

 

Swoosh—

 

With the sound of the wind, the black panther flew up. Soaring as if gravity had vanished, the black panther leaped over the walls of the imperial palace.

 

It landed so quietly that it barely made a sound, and Artia asked in amazement.

 

“How did you do that? Did you fly?”

 

“Something like that.”

 

With that, the panther, who had made no bones about his eye-popping feat, took off running through the darkness again, and soon found himself in a small garden deep within the palace.

 

It was a dark night with no birdsong, but the place was bright as if lit by dozens of lanterns.

 

The golden rose, the palace’s treasure, was in full bloom.

 

Artia’s mouth dropped open at the dreamlike sight.

 

A few hours earlier, Artia had said she wanted to receive a gift…

 

“I want to see a garden of golden roses.”

 

“Is it… too much to ask?” said Artia to Killian, who immediately realized.

 

“You could ask for the whole garden.”

 

For a moment, Artia’s eyes burned greedily, but she quickly regained her composure and shook her head.

 

“Show me once, and that will be enough.”

 

The Gold Rose Garden was rumored to be a treasure of the Imperial Palace, but few had ever seen it in its full glory. It was strictly off-limits to anyone outside the imperial family.

 

This made her all the more curious to see the space.

 

“Beautiful…”

 

Artia wandered through the gardens; her eyes wide with wonder. Killian, who had returned to his normal form, walked alongside her, matching her slow pace.