In the Rose Garden
IT WAS SUMMER, yet the season was still young enough that the breeze was cool and light. Albert asked me if I would like to go out somewhere. Luckily, I had nothing planned for my next day off. I gladly accepted.
The morning of that day, I was waiting by the door to the institute when I saw Albert heading toward me, riding a horse.
The fact that he’s coming by horse must mean that wherever he’s taking me is close by. Will we be going for a stroll through the palace grounds like usual?
Different possibilities drifted through my head as he finally reached me.
“Morning.”
“Good morning. Will we be going by horse today?”
“Yup. Climb on.”
I took his outstretched hand and got on the saddle in front of him. He immediately spurred the horse into a gallop.
Based on the direction we’re going, I doubt we’re heading into the city. Besides, if we were going there, he would’ve shown up in a carriage. That’s how we’ve always done it before.
“Where are we heading?” I asked out of curiosity.
“The palace gardens,” he answered simply.
“Ooh.”
However, that wasn’t really a straightforward answer. The palace gardens were as huge as you’d expect them to be at a palace. Hedges divided them into multiple sections, none of which were the same. I had been to the sections closest to the institute, but there were several I had yet to see. Since we were on horseback, I assumed we must be heading to one that was some distance away—one that I had never been to before.
I swayed back and forth on the horse for about twenty minutes before we arrived at our destination. Albert helped me off to the ground.
The hedges nearby were tall, and I couldn’t tell what lay beyond them. I followed after Albert toward the break in the hedge, anticipation building within my chest.
“Wow!” I couldn’t help but cry out in admiration when I finally caught sight of the garden beyond the hedges: it was awash in multicolored roses in full bloom.
“The roses that bloom this time of year are famous for their beauty. I heard that now was the best time to see them.”
“They really are gorgeous. Thank you for bringing me here today.” I smiled at him.
He smiled back. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Albert escorted me into the garden, and we chatted along the way. The occasional breeze carried an extraordinary fragrance. The roses grown here weren’t only pretty to look at, they smelled heavenly too.
I bet if I could extract some oil from these roses, I could use it as an ingredient for some good skincare products, I thought as Albert stopped us in front of a white rose.
“Something the matter?” I asked him.
“No.” That was all he said. He hesitated, looking between me and the rose for a moment before taking out a small knife. He cut the stem of the rose he had been looking at and then inserted it into my hair, just above my ear.
“Huh?” I was so taken by surprise that I didn’t know what to say.
Albert chuckled sheepishly. “It looks as nice in your hair as I imagined.”
His words brought a warmth to my cheeks.
Augh. Saying something like that and looking all cute while he does it is against the rules!
I was left speechless, which made Albert smile all the more.
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