Chapter 158

"Oh... yes, welcome."

I pointed Avinox to the sofa first.

But I couldn't take my eyes off the halo that flashed.

As if conscious of my gaze, Avinox asked with a slight blush.

"Today, do I look weird?"

"Yes? No, you're cool."

"Well... that's a relief."

Avinox smiled shyly.

"Do you have any other plans besides meeting me today, Sir Avinox?"

"Well, it's not like that. It's just... I like the weather."

He dressed up like that because the weather was nice?

It's obvious did you woke up in the morning, take a bath, and trimmed your hair neatly?

"Oh, because the weather is nice?"

"Yes... It's a nice day, haha."

Knowing that it was a clumsy answer, Avinox smiled, scratching his cheek.

But he looked so pretty when he was shy.

I stared blankly at Avinox for a few seconds.

"...Lady Florentia?"

Until Avinox smiled awkwardly at me.

Perez and Avinox are all so pretty that I'm in trouble.

"Hmm."

I managed to come to my senses and put the tea and refreshments I had prepared down in front of Avinox.

The tea leaves were flower tea made by Larane herself a while ago.

I don't know the exact name, but it was the tea I enjoy drinking these days because it smells good.

Avinox grinned at the fragrant aroma of warm tea water rising from the glass.

“Ah, it’s Ephilia flower tea. It smells really good.”

"Is it possible to distinguish only by scent?"

I asked in surprise.

"Yes, the Eastern part of the country has developed a tea culture more than the central part of the Empire, and recently we've been studying a variety of tea leaves."

"For tea... study?

"The person I mentioned the other day likes tea very much."

Avinox replied, touching the circumference of the round teacup with his fingertips.

She like tea, also she likes books.

When I called to Lombardy's mansion, Avinox came dressed most extravagantly.

I clapped my hands as if I had just remembered.

"Come to think of it, may I ask how it's been since then? I'm curious because I gave you advice."

"Oh, that's..."

Avinox answered with a dry cough as if to suppress the smile that kept leaking.1

“I confessed my heart according to Lady Florentia's advice.”

"Did she accept it?"

Avinox nodded instead of answering.

"Did I do anything? That's what Sir Avinox, who took courage, did it."

Hmm.

That's what it means.

I looked at Avinox with thin eyes for a moment and then brought out the subject.

"The reason I asked you to meet me today is that I have a few questions, Sir Avinox."

"Yes, feel free to ask me anything, Lady Florentia."

Avinox, who has become very familiar to me since work in the North, smiled with a distinctive cheerful smile.

"What's the East like?"

"Well, that's a tough question."

Avinox touched his smooth chin, thinking for a moment and opening his mouth.

"Eastern is... a warm place."

Avinox's face, who said so, loosened.

"The wind from the far sea, the white sand heated by the sun, and the people are warm and friendly."

Even Avinox's shaped lips were warm.

"You know what? Most of the big cities on the East Coast paint their buildings white. Because it's cool on that side. And eastern people enjoy wearing dark and colorful clothes, and if you look down at the narrow alleys entangled like spider webs from high places, it's like you're looking at a picture."

"Wow, that sounds beautiful."

"Yeah, a lot of course. Oh, there's another one."

Avinox said in an excited voice.

"There is a tradition of people playing music on the coast when it's time for people who went out to sea early in the morning to return. It was so that the ship that had left far could hear the sound and come to the house."

"Ah..."

"So at sunset, there's music everywhere. That's why people from the East can play one or two instruments."

As I listened to Avinox's story, I became more and more convinced that the business plan set by me and Clerivan was right.

"It sounds like a beautiful place. But why hasn't such a good place been well known so far? I think it's a perfect destination."

Avinox replied with a wry smile.

“Maybe it’s because it’s too far away. It's a three-week trip by carriage. If we go back and forth that way, even healthy people will get sick.”

"What if it's a one-way, not a round trip? Will it be okay to travel around?"

"Sure, it cuts the trip in half.”

Avinox added, nodding his head a lot.

"It would be great if there was a way to replace a tough carriage trip."

"As expected, right?"

I responded to Avinox and handed him an envelope containing a package of documents I had prepared.

"What is this...?"

Avinox looked at me with his eyes wide open.

"It's a brief description of the new business that Pellet Corporation is currently working on. I prepared it in advance because I thought it could help Luman. I wanted to meet you for a while to give you this."

Avinox looked at me for a moment and pulled out the papers and started reading them.

"This is..."

Eyes with subtle colors like sunlight in the deep sea shook wildly.

"You said that before. The East wants no more isolation. Wouldn't there be a better chance?"

"Certainly..."

Avinox raised his head and asked me.

"I knew you were close to Clerivan Pellet, but how about this manual..."

It was reasonable doubt.

I answered as I had prepared in advance.

“It’s a business that I’ve been working on a bit. However, you will have to contact the Pellet Corporation for details. Of course, Mr. Clerivan already knows that I am delivering this manual to Sir Avinox.”

"Oh, thank you. Thank you, Lady Florentia!"

Avinox greeted me with twinkling eyes as if he were moved.

"That's not much of a conversation... Would you like to walk with me for a while? It's a nice day."

"Yes!"

Avinox said, nodding passionately without any doubt.

Out of my house, we walked slowly.

The occasional employees of the mansion looked at me and Avinox with curious eyes.

I deliberately made a big turn around the mansion along the busy road.

Avinox held the briefcase I gave him in his hands and told me a story about the East.

"It's not the territory of the Luman, but if you go a little further up the North Coast, you'll find Gitterwell. Its emerald beach is also very famous in the East!"

"Oh, it's Tiliana Gitterwell's estate."

"Yes, it is. You remember Tiliana!"

"Of course, thanks to her, I was able to make my debut. Until a few years ago, we exchanged letters from time to time..."

"Actually, Tiliana is a little weak. She was seriously ill three years ago. Of course, she's much better now!"

"I'm glad to hear that."

Having talked like that, I came to my destination.

It was Larane's greenhouse, located in a secluded area behind the annex.

Looking from afar, Larane was concentrating and taking care of the flowers planted in the pot.

Even today, she was a beautiful woman who couldn't give in to the flowers she cared for.

"And there's a lot of delicious food in our Luman estate..."

Avinox was excitedly telling the Eastern story without even realizing where we had arrived.

Perhaps hearing Avinox's voice, I could see Larane raising her head.

Clang!

Surprised Larane missed the pot.

"Huh?"

Avinox, who stopped talking, also looked at Larane with wide-open eyes.

Avinox stopped there, rubbed his eyes a couple of times, and immediately ran towards Larane's side when he realized that Larane was real.

Then he took Larane's hand and looked here and there and asked loudly.

"Larane, are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"Yes, I'm fine..."

Larane's face turned red without being able to pull out his hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

After realizing what he had done, Avinox quickly pulled out and stepped back.

Of course, his face was no less red than Larane's.

"So that's what happened."

Ever since I heard about Avinox's favorite woman in Ivan, I thought she was similar to Larane.1

I really thought she was Larane.

"I, I'll clean this up. Please go over there!"

"Oh, no! I..."

"No, you'll hurt your hand! I'll do it!"

Now, they were stepping on each other to get rid of the broken flower pot.

Larane and Avinox, who are coloring their shy faces red, looked very pretty.1

I watched such two people from afar.

"You two suit well."

Larane is a flower-like person who grown in a greenhouse with a vengeance.

Avinox could be the sunshine for such Larane.

I don't want to see Larane wither alone in a lonely place like in my previous life.

Okay.

East would be better for Larane.

In a place where the warm wind and music blow, wouldn't Larane be able to bloom without worry?

"I read the book you lent me last time, Sir Avinox."

"I'm glad you liked it!"

I watched the two for a while and came back quietly.

It was to provide a cozy space for the two of them.

A little while ago, I purposely took Avinox and went around the mansion.

People will think Avinox came to Lombardy to meet me.

And taking Avinox to the Larane's greenhouse is what I can do for Larane now.

As I was alone again walking in the garden, I felt strange for some reason.

Larane and Avinox.

On second thought, it's totally unexpected, but they're a very good couple.

And I'll have to ask Larane later.

"What kind of bastard dares to talk about marriage with Larane.”

Whether it's the same person from the previous life or another person.

Just thinking about it makes me angry.

Viese, you bastard.

Just try to marry Larane to a weirdo again in this lifetime.2

Just in time, I stepped on the stone stuck on the tip of my foot.

That way, it's not much, but I feel a little better.

I walked slowly back to my house.

Thinking about how many times I should invite Avinox to the mansion.

And I found a man standing at the door of my house.

"Hi, Tia."

It was Perez who made a private visit with a box of cakes from Caramel Avenue in one hand.