I took a bite of the cookie Flora had brought.
The cookie was soft, not hard, and crumbled delicately in my mouth.
At the same time, a sweet flavor spread out.
It wasn’t a special flavor, but even its mediocrity wasn’t bad.
No, that was enough.
I was satisfied with the fact that this cookie had come to me through Flora’s hands.
A faint smile spread across my lips.
As I tasted the cookie, meaningless thoughts crossed my mind.
Did Flora use magic to knead it?
How did she control the temperature of the oven?
Such trivial things suddenly made me curious.
I felt like I could eat dirt if it was something Flora had made for me.
Flora quietly watched me eat the cookie and then asked.
“Do you like it, Peridot?”
Her voice was sweet and gentle as always.
It was a simple question, but it contained her affection for me.
She nodded and answered briefly.
“It’s delicious.”
She was sincere.
The taste wasn’t just because of the sweetness.
The fact that Flora had taken the time for me was conveyed in its entirety.
The cookies that contained her touch and heart had a meaning beyond simple food.
Flora’s very presence was the best seasoning to me.
Flora seemed to be greatly delighted by my answer.
Her purple eyes glowed softly, and her cheeks were flushed with a soft blush.
I loved that sight so much that I reached out and gently cupped her cheek.
The touch of her skin, cold yet warm, was transmitted to my palm.
Her warmth and trembling seemed to seep into me.
“Flora.”
I called her name quietly.
My voice trembled slightly, but she didn’t seem to notice it.
No, even if she had, she probably thought it was okay.
Flora was someone who didn’t hide her love for me.
She was always by my side, revealing her feelings even when I didn’t want her to.
I looked at her and quietly thought to myself.
My understander.
The only person in this world who completely understood me.
The fact that she was by my side sometimes felt so unreal.
As if I was in a dream.
But at this moment, it was definitely real.
I thought to myself as I swallowed the cookie.
The fact that her presence filled my world.
“Peridot..?”
Flora’s lips trembled slightly.
She repeated my name quietly, as if it were a spell.
The emotion contained in that one word was so clear that I felt a deep resonance just from her voice.
I didn’t stop gently stroking my cheek.
I couldn’t suppress the emotions boiling up from deep inside my heart.
I wanted to know her closer, deeper.
Everything about her, even her breathing.
I slowly leaned in and kissed her forehead.
I could vaguely sense the sweet scent of cookies from her.
In that brief moment when our foreheads touched, the warmth we shared seemed to embrace the silence of the world.
We stayed in silence for a moment, feeling each other’s breath without saying a word.
I looked out the window while eating tea and cookies on the table.
The scenery with warm sunlight shining down was tranquil.
I could feel the warmth of the teacup on my fingertips and the sweet scent of roses wafted faintly.
I wished that this peaceful time with Flora could continue forever.
As I put down the empty teacup, a clear sound echoed in the room.
Flora took out her glasses.
She carefully put on her white horn-rimmed glasses, like a priest preparing for a ceremony.
The inside of the glasses had a delicate pattern engraved on them, and they began to glow softly with a blue light.
She gestured quietly.
It was a small gesture, but I couldn’t help but know its meaning.
It was a familiar ritual, even if I didn’t know how many times I had done it.
I unbuttoned my collar without hesitation.
My top fell down my shoulders, and the cold air touched my bare skin.
Flora’s white hand carefully landed on my exposed chest.
A soft, warm magic flowed into the spot where the dragon heart had settled.
The magic flowed delicately through my blood vessels like a stream, but soon a heavy, sharp pain pierced my chest.
I tried hard not to show it, but this pain could never get used to it.
I frowned and twitched my eyebrows without realizing it.
It was a very subtle movement, but Flora didn’t miss it.
“Peridot, are you sick..?”
Flora’s voice was filled with worry.
I felt the warmth of her concern for me alone, so I placed my hand on top of hers.
My warm body temperature seeped into the back of her cold hand.
“It’s okay.”
It really was okay.
I was used to this kind of physical pain, and I could endure it just by having Flora by my side.
In fact, I loved even the moments when she worried about me.
“But…”
Flora still had an anxious expression.
She wanted to make me a little more comfortable.
She devoted herself to research day and night to relieve my pain.
She searched through ancient magic books, obtained rare herbs, and experimented with them,
and poured endless effort into me.
I stared into her purple eyes.
Inside them were a mixture of blind obsession and sincere affection for me.
“Flora.”
I called her name again.
As if she understood, Flora waved her hand in the air, reciting the spell.
A faint wave of magic rippled through her fingers.
The magical weaving unfolding from her fingertips was so exquisite and beautiful.
Like a painter painting on canvas, she was completely focused on me.
After the long magical experiment was over, Flora took off her glasses, and put the notebook in her bosom as if she were handling a precious object.
Her eyes were slightly tired, but she was still full of affection for me.
A thin drop of sweat formed on her cheek, and her breathing was slightly tinged with guidance.
“Peridot, that’s all for today.”
I gently caressed her cheek.
I could feel her dedication and effort in the cold touch.
“Thank you for your hard work, Flora.”
My voice was also cracked.
I was grateful for her efforts, but there was darkness in a corner of my heart.
The horrible memories of the experiments I had experienced at the Duke’s house suddenly came to mind.
“I need to take a bath.”
I slowly headed to the bathroom, leaning on my cane.
I hoped the warmth of the hot water would comfort me even a little.
My fingertips were trembling.
I tried to do it alone, but in the end, I had no choice but to give up, watching the towel fall to the floor with a thud.
“Flora.”
I called her name as calmly as I could.
She had just been by my side, so there was no way she wouldn’t have heard me call her.
Soon, there was a soft knock, and the door opened carefully.
“Peridot, what’s wrong?”
At her always gentle voice, I tried to smile and pretend that I was okay.
“My hands were shaking… I dropped the towel.”
I was a little embarrassed because my small voice sounded like an excuse, but Flora picked up the dropped towel without saying anything.
The moment our hands brushed against each other, warmth spread through my trembling fingertips.
“I’ll help you.”
I no longer resisted her words.
Flora’s hands were gentle and careful, but she never hesitated.
Every time her fingertips touched my skin as she took off my clothes, a subtle shiver ran through my body.
Strangely, I felt more relieved than embarrassed.
As I soaked my body in the warm water, my stiff muscles seemed to slowly relax.
Flora gently stroked my wet hair.
The bathroom was filled with a faint floral scent, and the warm water, soap,
and Flora’s presence seemed to surround me.
I naturally closed my eyes.
A quiet peace came over me.
I felt like the sharp memories of the past and the pain of the present were fading away.
Only Flora and the warmth she had created remained in me.
“Thank you, Flora.”
My voice was quiet, but sincere.
Flora smiled deeply and warmly instead of answering.
That smile alone was enough.
It was more comforting than any words.
The bubbles tickled my body in the bathtub.
The scent of the aroma oil tickled my nose, and whenever Flora’s hands gently dug through my wet hair, I felt lethargic.
It was an extremely private peace, as if we were the only two people left in the world.
Flora picked up a large towel and began to wipe my body.
The way her hands wrapped around my shoulders and gently brushed my back was so comfortable, so I closed my eyes and surrendered my body to her touch.
Tap, tap, even the cold sensation of the water droplets touching my skin felt strangely pleasant.
Strangely, the dragon heart that had been shaking violently was now calm like a gentle wave.
“It’s done, Peridot.”
Flora’s voice rang in my ear like a sweet whisper.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw myself reflected in the mirror.
A pale face under my wet hair.
A pursed mouth and expressionless eyes.
I didn’t like this familiar yet unfamiliar face, but…
“You’re beautiful.”
I didn’t hate this face that she told me was pretty.
I smiled in the mirror.
Something felt strange, even though it had the same face as me, I could clearly tell it was someone else.
I put my hand on my cheek to check, but I could tell that I wasn’t smiling.
I closed my eyes for a moment and looked at myself in the mirror again.
I was standing there with a blank expression.
It was my familiar appearance.
“What’s wrong, Peridot?”
“No. I must have hallucinated.”
Maybe it was because of the fatigue from facing the nightmare of the past, but my eyes felt a little heavy.