Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

Picking flowers in the courtyard and changing the decorations in the castle.

This is my afternoon routine. According to what Lady Ryuu-Ryuu told me, it is the custom among the high nobility for the lady herself to arrange flowers like this and entertain guests.

I’m still not even officially engaged yet, and since there are no guests expected now, I don’t really have to do it. But this is practice. I have almost no experience with flower arrangement. The world of flowers is deep—considering the appearance, color harmony, scent compatibility, and the meaning of flowers suited to the occasion. While being taught by Johan, it’s difficult but fun, and I continue at my own pace.

However... today felt a little different.

“This is the ‘face’ of the vase, so place the largest perfect bloom here.”

“Y-yes... like this?”

“Ah, that’s good. On the other hand, this one with the most vivid color will serve as an accent, so deliberately place it to the side.”

“I-I see...”

I nodded while arranging the flowers as instructed. I managed to do it as told, but I was so focused I couldn’t think about anything else. Peering at my face with a smile was not the usual Johan, but the lord of Granado Castle, Count Cyrus.

By the way, beside him was a beautiful flower arrangement as a sample. It was something Lord Cyrus himself had made earlier at an incredible speed.

To my surprise, Lord Cyrus was very skilled at decorating with flowers.

“The branches for decoration can be thin, but it still takes strength to cut them. Be careful not to cut yourself with the scissors.”

“Yes... okay!”

With determination, I snipped. Oh no, I cut it shorter than I intended. As I panicked, Lord Cyrus gently smiled and said it was fine. Picking up the branch himself, he placed it into the vase.

“Do this, then add another branch to balance it out. See? Done. Well done.”

“Thank you. I’m glad it turned out well. Thank you for teaching me.”

“You’re welcome.”

He then tucked a single white flower into my hair. Ahhh!

Lunch was in the dining hall. In this kingdom, where dinner is taken lightly, lunch is the most lavish and longest meal. But Lord Cyrus didn’t sit; he kept going back and forth between the table and the kitchen, serving me.

“Today’s main dish is beef stewed in red wine. You can have yogurt sauce on the side if you like.”

“Y-yes. It looks delicious...”

“What would you like to drink? This is a surprisingly sweet wine; rosé or sparkling wine, berry flavors go well with it.”

I shook my head vigorously. I’ve never even tried alcohol before, and in this situation, I’d probably faint!

If I clearly refuse, Lord Cyrus never insists.

“Oh, you’re not used to drinking, right? For non-alcoholic, we have grapefruit juice; if you’re eating bread, there’s fresh lemon and mint water.”

I chose the latter, and he quickly fetched it from the kitchen. He poured it into my glass and sat down beside me.

The maid who served me—or rather, my attendant—apparently returned to being Lord Cyrus, the lord of the castle, during meals. The moment he sat, Wolfgang, who had been standing by, rushed over and tilted a wine bottle into his glass. Rosé sparkling, I suppose?

“That’s a beautiful color,” I said, struggling to keep the conversation going during the meal.

Lord Cyrus looked very pleased.

“Ah, I’ve been drinking this a lot lately.”

“Is it that good?”

“The taste is not bad, but I like the color. A vibrant scarlet that shines yet remains transparent... it’s the same color as your hair.”

...Ahhh!

After lunch, we went to the castle library. This was another of my regular haunts whenever I had free time. The collection in Granado Castle, once a border fortress, was simply overwhelming. From the floor to far above the ceiling, it was filled with books.

I found the book I wanted on a high shelf and reached for it.

“Okay, here goes...”

I am taller than the average man, but still couldn’t reach. I was about to give up and get a step stool when a man’s hand rested on my shoulder.