Chapter 89: WITHERED ROSE

The girl held a pair of scissors in her hand, the very scissors that the Gardener usually used to tend the flowers.

Petals still clung faintly to the blades.

“Da Jie? Did Nori do a good job? All the flowers in this garden are Nori’s own creations!” The little girl’s laughter was sharp and bright, yet the woman beside her showed no reproach only a look of approval.

“All the beautiful flowers have been torn apart, a complete mess, petals scattered everywhere. So pitiful! But it’s really fun!”

“As long as Nori is happy, that’s what matters.”

The Gardener knew he could say nothing. He did not have that kind of standing.

He crouched down, his fingertips lightly brushing over the ravaged flowers. The petals were so fragile, each one like a shard breaking off his heart.

His pain was sharp as a knife, but all he could do was watch helplessly. As he watched, his eyes began to sting.

“Mr. Gardener, I’ll leave the cleanup here to you,” Moria said softly, gently stroking Nori’s back as she turned her gaze to the Gardener.

“You’ve done very well. The little princess had a lot of fun.”

The Gardener lowered his head.

“Oh, and plant some other flowers in the flowerbed next time. The little princess will want to come out and play again.”

“….…”

The two figures, one large, one small, faded into the distance, and the Gardener heard his own low groan escape him.

At the far end of the path stood an exquisitely crafted wooden pavilion.

“Speaking of which, Nori, you’ve been spending less time in your room lately.”

Moria looked at Nori with a doting smile.

“Doo! That’s because my favorite sister is back!” Nori’s innocent, radiant smile lit up her face as she stepped inside the pavilion, leaning on the railing.

“I want to play by my sister’s side every day!”

“Of course. Are you studying properly?” Moria’s expression remained gentle, though her tone held a trace of helplessness.

“You only ever want to play. I can’t always be here with you.”

“Studying is so boring! Nori just wants to wear pretty dresses and be happy every day! Nori is a princess of Ansels, after all!”

Nori’s face shone with joy, her eyes sparkling with delight. She moved with light, almost flying steps, bounding to Moria’s side.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a warm, dazzling halo over her lively figure.

“Look, Moria sister!” Nori’s voice was clear and sweet, tinged with pride and anticipation. She spun lightly around Moria, her new long vest swirling like a blooming flower.

Nori happily twirled ahead, showing off the long vest she had changed into today.

The vest gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight, glittering with a charming radiance. The buttons were decorated with precious gemstones, and the butterfly knot was embroidered with gold thread by a renowned craftsman, resembling a golden butterfly about to take flight.

“How is it? Does it look like a princess’s outfit?” Her face was flushed with excitement.

“It does. Nori looks absolutely adorable. Everyone will love you.”

Moria praised gently, one hand resting lightly near her lips.

“Then Nori wants to buy more and more clothes!” Nori shouted happily. “Will sister always be like this?”

“Of course,” Moria said with a flattering smile, though a flicker of sorrow briefly crossed her eyes before she quickly hid it.

“Nori is the brightest princess, and she will always be like this.”

The sun gradually set. Because there was still work left unfinished, Moria waved goodbye to Nori and rose to head back toward the Castle.

Halfway down the path, a maid walking in the opposite direction passed by. The two made brief eye contact. A few traces of urgency showed on the maid’s face, but her expression quickly shifted to one of respect the natural reaction cultivated by long training under the Castle Attendant Training System.

She subtly stepped aside with a smooth yet courteous motion and did not stop, instead heading straight toward where Nori was.

Nori stood quietly at the edge of the devastated flowerbed. Around her lay scattered petals, trampled and broken.

The tips of her polished shoes pressed deeply into a lifeless petal, crushing it into the soil or grinding it to bits.

The sunset stretched her shadow long and thin, forming a sharp contrast with the ruined scene around her.

Nori’s expression was blank. The maid’s approach barely elicited any response—only when she realized that the maid was heading straight for her did she slowly lift her head.

“Nori No, Princess Nori.”

Marentia came running over, breathless, her dark hair falling around her face as she looked up at Nori.

The garden was quiet; even the wind had ceased. In the distance, faint sounds of cawing could be heard, barely audible and elusive.

“Caw… caw…”

Marentia quickly recognized the voice it was the Gardener’s from inside the Castle. Although she had no idea where he was hiding, his voice was startlingly clear in the stillness.

She glanced toward the source of the sound, then looked at Nori, whose expression had darkened.

“Nori? What did you just do…”

“Nori destroyed all of Mr. Gardener’s proud creations.”

Nori softly tapped the tips of her shoes, her face now void of the earlier pride she had shown in front of Moria.

“Why would you do that? Poor Mr. Gardener…” Marentia spat out in disgust.

“I heard from other maids in the Castle that Mr. Gardener’s father spent his whole life trying to cultivate the Evening Glow rose. He never succeeded until he passed away… These flowers are the fruit of two generations’ labor.”

“Nori doesn’t understand. They’re just flowers.”

Marentia fell silent. The Blood Clan were known for their cold nature, often unable to comprehend human emotions this was something she already knew.

And the little girl before her was the most willful and unruly of the three princesses, utterly lacking in any semblance of empathy.

“But even Nori’s willfulness has its limits, right?” She bent slightly and grabbed Nori’s hand.

“Last time it was broken plates and vases, and now she’s ruined Mr. Gardener’s flowers. Isn’t that going too far…”

At this, Nori stopped abruptly. She halted the destruction of the petals beneath her feet.

The eyes that had held a trace of cruelty just moments ago now fixed fiercely on Marentia.

Time seemed to freeze at that instant. The air around them was so silent all that could be heard was their faint breathing.

Nori reversed the grip of her hand and clenched Marentia’s fingers tightly.

“Tia,” she said, her eyes blazing bright red as she stared straight at Marentia.

“Why does Moria always target and watch over Sista, but dote only on Nori? Tia, don’t you understand that by now?”