How long did she walk west after leaving the Eastern Annex following Gawin’s guide?
The three of them sauntered across the mansion at the speed of Min-ha, who was wearing high heels. They eventually stopped in a place where the bright moon was shining in the sky.
Surrounded by white birch trees, the inside was completely invisible, and the door carved with white birch wood was still secured with a padlock.
Gawin unlocked the lock with a fast hand and walked all the way ahead before looking back at the two of them.
With a hoarse voice as he happily talked between Min-ha and Seth, who didn’t say anything to each other.
“Here you go, Madam.”
“Thank you.”
“From now on, you can look around the garden following the guidance of the Master.”
“…Oh. Sir Gawin won’t go in with us?”
“Haha, how can I be caught in between you two?”
“Yes?”
“Take a walk together just the two of you today. I will guard the entrance.”
After having a brief conversation with Min-ha as she responded to his words, Gawinh politely opened the door and urged her to go inside.
Then, with a blunt face, he approached Seth, who was looking at the back of the door while he was standing in the seat next to Min-ha, and said to him.
“You have to deliver it well, Master.”
“….”
“What kind of expression is that? I know very well that even in the Joaquin Castle, you always thought of your wife, knowingly or not.”
“…I’ve never done that.”
“Never did that? Sir Lancelot and I all know this. That’s why I deliberately made excuses like this to create an opportunity for you.”
“….”
“Of course, I don’t mean to say that you should try to get along with your wife again unconditionally. Though even if you break up, wouldn’t it be better not to leave any regrets?”
“…Gawin.”
“The truth is, we all know that it was for the Master to expel your wife whenever you wanted. I can tell from the fact that you insisted on signing the divorce papers. …Of course, there must have been some who wanted to make sure of the divorce proceedings, but wasn’t it because you wanted to see the woman who was obsessed with money and vanity rather than the Master until the end, and to shake off all the lingering regrets, even a little?”
“Even back then and now, I don’t have any regrets…”
“Of course, if the lingering feelings at that time were about the ‘fake family’ that was barely achieved after a lot of hard work, it seemed a little different now.”
“….”
“Ah. What am I supposed to do when I have to explain the feelings of the Master? Find out more about this for yourself. So, please have a good time.”
When Gawin had finished speaking, he pushed his master’s back into the garden and closed the door.
‘Anyway, if you don’t push them like this, you’re going to be in trouble because of the master who won’t make progress forever.’
With that thought in mind, Gawain took a seat in front of the garden door before making a pillow with his arms, and leaning it against the door.
As he listened to the still quiet sound inside the garden door, he shut his eyes.
“…Oh, my gosh, it’s so pretty.”
Meanwhile, Min-ha, who came into the garden as if being pushed by Gawin, exclaimed in admiration at the scenery of the secret garden that caught her eye.
With the arrival of spring, colorful flowers were planted in the garden according to each color, the height of the stem, and the size of the petals and leaves. So, it was even more beautiful to be able to see the numerous flowers that bloomed beautifully each at a glance.
Moreover, the small pond in the center of the secret garden and the white pavilion made of birch above it were in harmony with the moonlight that gently illuminated the world and the beautiful flowers around it.
Concluding with the name ‘secret garden,’ Min-ha walked to the place where the flowers were blooming, admiring the beautiful scenery that she didn’t want to share with others.
“Agh…!”
However, he could not walk for a long time and had to stop.
‘Was it because I walked too long in shoes, or is it because I’ve gotten used to wearing comfortable shoes for a while…?’
Her right heel, which had been throbbing for a while as she had been hurt, now even stung. So, Min-ha was wriggling her uncomfortable feet.
“…Are the clothes you’re wearing that uncomfortable?”
Even though she wanted to take it off right now, she couldn’t.
As Min-ha was embarrassed by herself, Seth suddenly spoke while he approached her. At that, she glanced back at him in surprise.
She replied, somewhat embarrassed by the appearance of him, who narrowed his brow slightly as he gazed at her.
“Oh, no. The clothes are… It’s been a while, so I’m getting used to it, though my shoes must have peeled off because it’s been a while since I wore them.”
“Really?”
“…Yes. haha.”
“Then, why not take it off?”
“Yes? Is that okay?”
“You hurt your foot, so you shouldn’t keep wearing it.”
“…Can I really take it off?”
“Yes.”
Min-ha asked again and again if she really could, but Seth answered consistently.
‘Well, then.’
Without hesitation, she took off her shoes and stepped on the garden with her bare feet and the soft grass gently wrapped around her feet.
Min-ha said to Seth as she rolled over the grass with her feet, as if the shackle that was tightening her feet and ankles fell.
“It’s more comfortable. I should have taken it off earlier.”
“…I know. I also wondered why you were asking permission from me to do that.”
“Well, I was afraid that if I took off my shoes without saying a word, it would be polite, and I might offend you or something like that…”
“…Old aristocrats with stiff heads might question that, but I’m not the type of person to stick to the law enough to force you to wear shoes because you’re uncomfortable.”
“R, really?”
“Yes. Besides, if you were caught up in such a thing, I wouldn’t have left you walking around in the clothes worn by maids. I would probably have told you to dress up like you are now.”
“…So, were you dissatisfied with my appearance like that?”
“No. Rather, it wasn’t bad because you looked more lively and brighter than you, who was just flashy before.”
Min-ha was embarrassed because there were no thorns at all in Seth’s words today. He kept drinking wine during dinner earlier, so she wondered if it may be because he was drunk. However, to be drunk, Seth’s face reflected in the moonlight still looked perfectly fine.
She then opened her mouth shyly, avoiding Seth’s gaze.
“…Oh, haha. What’s wrong with you today? You’re making me a little shy.”
“Is that so?”
“…Yes.”
“….”
“….”
Nevertheless, at Min-ha’s remark, secretly asking why he was doing this, Seth only lightly nodded.
‘…After all, this person is probably drunk.’
She was sure there would be a sarcastic response back. Although it was a long silence came between Min-ha, who stared at him with such thoughts, and Seth, who had only gazed at her face for a while instead.
In the meantime, it was Seth who avoided his gaze first.
He spoke as he lowered his head and peered at Min-ha’s feet.
“But, isn’t it uncomfortable to step on the grass? Would you like me to bring the shoes you always wear? Or, would you like me to take my shoes off?”
“Oh, no. It’s been a while since I stepped on grass and dirt, so it’s comfortable. Besides, my heels are still sore, so whatever I wear is going to get hurt, anyway.”
“…I see.”
“Yes.”
“Then, why don’t you lift your injured ankle for a moment?”
“Yes?”
“Hurry.”
‘What on earth is he trying to do…?’
Bewildered, Min-ha looked at him when she was told to raise her ankle like that.
However, even in her curious gaze, Seth’s expression remained unmoved. Rather, at the prompting with his eyes, she eventually bent her knee and lifted her right ankle. Looking at his face, it seemed like he would be waiting all day until she did so.
As she did that, Seth bent over and took his hand to her right ankle.
Min-ha screamed in surprise when Seth’s hand, large enough to cover her entire ankle, touched her.
“Wha, what are you doing?!”
“…Hold on.”
“Oh, no…”
Despite her scream, Seth carefully inspected her ankle. He promptly took a handkerchief from his arms and wrapped it around Min-ha’s right ankle. She knew immediately what the handkerchief was.
It was a handkerchief embroidered with bluebirds that she had made before he left for the expedition.
‘…I thought he threw it away.’
Under the moonlight, the handkerchief was not dirty in the slightest, nor did it look worn out.
With a blank face, Min-ha gazed at Seth wrapping a handkerchief around her ankle, taking off one of his shoes, and putting it under her right foot.