| Chapter 8: The Edelweiss Blooms Again

A Few 2a7cfc0b4b Weeks Laterea0e4d48cc0d9c82

“…So, sister, you promise to take me to the garden next time, right? I want to see if the Edelweiss really bloomed, just like you said.”17b7e566c82cfc43

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“I promise, Sophia. But only if 634cccc028 you eat properly dee41dca7a and take care eeb7282b12 of yourself. Got it? You need 5e32ae2049 to get 330e02c0a6 stronger so d2dcc77a20 we can e6b29140c4 take walks c432bb8469 together.”0f6817e6b8d91930

Natasha smiled softly, stroking 3e5114628f Sophia’s hair as she 1e15d43590 spoke.3869d08c4949b46d

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Since the day 93d74e9dab Natasha handed over 8bb2dbe05f their mother’s necklace—something 88aac57268 she’d barely managed 4ab2a6106f to obtain—Sophia had 6a37577efc shown visible signs 9005d5a32c of recovery.367baf949ab3d503

The sadness and 329e17ac1f resentment toward the 890cb963a3 mother she never 3d22703348 had the chance 102eac4a04 to love, coupled 257a57160d with her fragile 32a12c1dae and bedridden state, 71f97a5e76 seemed to ease 002a7e5a51 as she held fd427b99a7 and caressed the 585ff2f18d necklace.37c919503282380e

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The story of the 739313c142 ‘Edelweiss blooming between the 782adcea84 rocks,’ told to inspire 78b297d7d0 hope, had lit a dd0d9a5fa4 spark in Sophia’s eyes. It was the first c21ee8a2d4 time Sophia had ever 07b58b161c shown such enthusiasm, and b7183e4826 Natasha’s heart ached at 85920d3fba the sight.1feaa2b6840d71ef

How wonderful 9b3a585c54 it would 6d7f779762 be if 1296655201 Sophia’s health 72892d9f0e improved enough 9592800dcb for them 642c7dc24f to walk a871f58a75 in the 27a5240a84 garden together.b119b0c4275cebeb

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Driven by that hope, e59dfbc461 Natasha went to check e5069ec06b the spot in the 8ec2f6dad8 garden where she’d claimed 3f847216bb the Edelweiss had bloomed. Her steps 92644860e7 came to 4de8171e8e an abrupt ad5440ec66 halt.ed1f02456aacb66f

“…It’s not here.”699bef8cebb09850

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Her chest tightened 1ee441dad8 with a heavy bb638c496b thud.b8a233862f371c1f

“Really? How could 28745306a4 Edelweiss, which 3d67e7996e only grows a5d2089967 in alpine 4cf848a977 regions, bloom 0898b3f0a3 in the 9b44d84d23 garden’s rocky e398e62bed crevice? It’s so fascinating, 2f93f7c07b sister.”340a63297f5de3bb

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“Isn’t it? See, Sophia? Nothing is impossible. You too will 5a92f04f8c rise again, just 4a3a0f67fc like that Edelweiss af8d8a34f9 that stood tall c31bc31731 and bloomed.”f290c2fafeb2cd84

Sophia’s shining 38f4d6f6ee eyes, filled 0362226656 with hope, 6bc11fcbbb were unforgettable. She had fought 731cf28ffb so hard to a316d69ab6 reclaim her will a5755c9bb6 to live. What should she 77ef08d374 do now?834dc31c4d797b1a

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“Milady, are you 88926b7944 alright?”8593022e5c575840

The maid, a331cede09 Renna, rushed 94094a3de5 to steady 276f5fb87d Natasha as d60fdea6e3 she stumbled.89927fba8e0956b1

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* * *a83eb5c5badb6a8e

“I don’t a7ad15aa09 get it. What’s so special about 194b40df56 a flower blooming between 3dc5178805 rocks that could shock d184babe18 a noble lady like 7d0579fe01 that? Honestly, I’ll never understand e893426f05 how sensitive these aristocrats 2c26a0ab6f are.”95cf8c50d512daf4

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Rita, a 430bde7efa laundry maid e364ae0073 gossiping with e11f8ee60a Alexei, shrugged a435c3534a her shoulders.af22290a5645b7dc

After Alexei had saved e6806c37a0 her from being harassed 77e37a20b1 by a knight, Rita 54cf9f468d often sought him out, 623e6297be smuggling treats like baskets 00fd36737c of pastries.aae4e8da8c009f4c

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“Get lost. You’re in the way.”c597b774db183a5d

Alexei’s tone a5133ef0b9 was as 1046ae125c blunt as 4e5aa9854e ever.8c388c34058ef343

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But Rita, undeterred by b84e753323 his curt manner, had d4e92e4a98 figured out that Alexei fee302fdce wasn’t the type to a4c7789ad2 harm women. She had grown used b001ee3503 to his silence and 3757b3f4bf now treated it as 564dfa4b9c an opportunity to admire 9fa73418ba his striking features unabashedly.4773cb3aecc62f56

“Flowers blooming 1cb2007b32 in rocks, 1ec7edef93 you say?”e3471f7ad04a293a

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For the aaec6c6d36 first time, 09ee9e76f5 Alexei reacted 08b556a3ff to Rita’s 5ba4b4695f chatter.12be889bfd7ef400

“Yeah! I’m close with one of the lady’s maids, so I heard about it…”fc3860b350206558

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Rita puffed up bb75413132 with pride, dragging bb8be888e3 out her explanation.
“Not going d1be0f3856 to talk? Fine, I’ll leave.”81cecb581fa73299

As Alexei a2dc57cdb5 pretended to a69597c407 get up 92c9d7c3ab from the 618eaabf2c fence he fc51312bc3 was perched 2229cbf9c7 on, Rita fa6126328e waved her 0c4be918e9 hands frantically.d1535fe9e36f1ee2

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“No, no! I’ll tell you! Hold on. It’s a white flower. The name is… uh… something hard to pronounce… Edel… something?”9314c3c823b9c573

“What now?”02ded2fc3554ed8c

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Alexei’s sculpted brow furrowed 5e9b65b4c9 as Rita paused again.e99c93031b758597

“I really can’t remember! It was such a difficult name. Edel…bess? Something like that. Apparently, she promised to show it to Miss Sophia. I mean, why all the fuss over a flower? People like us would leap out of bed for a simple pie. Right, Alexei? Want a bite?”0b28597d5280e59a

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Rita, delighted by ee2868f65a Alexei’s rare response, cf16365be7 beamed and offered 4b860e32e6 him a pie. But Alexei ignored 2ca0c8078d it, muttering to 54c62fc099 himself.e12ad1593cfb00ec

“…Edelweiss.”53d7023b6bf91d66

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“Huh? What? Oh, right! That’s the name! How’d you know? You’re not just handsome, 26c51fcc7c you’re smart too! I might f6e1e21694 fall for 54d1d5c1ce you all 8910ae00b0 over again.”a7f6d3ad9ee8100f

Rita fluttered her lashes 7f26c269b7 and smiled sweetly, but 3a2191b3bb Alexei didn’t even blink d820679b99 as he leapt off 7e4007f640 the fence.e2f95109604b765d

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“Where are 44d34c8623 you going, b64829e0f2 Alexei? Aren’t you going dae6e574bd to share the b30fcbe5d9 pie?”a2aa0b9b7f8cc948

“Eat it yourself.”80b18976a51ac52e

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Without looking back, b9a44855e9 Alexei disappeared into 88bbff18c4 the barracks.32dea1ea33b969ec

“Oh, so thoughtful of 93bf4aa7d6 you to leave it 076d2ee942 for me? I’ll leave it 87f0ca1abb at the door, f41aea2ae7 so eat it f176b11e8c when you’re hungry, 67ba8671bc okay?”cf0cc6cc938e170f

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Rita trailed 46779f7540 after him, 6cbf0b856f speaking to 0cb2653dbc the closed 10c2067ef7 door.21d397103b2a7c54

* * *f2b66fcae176dd9a

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A Week Laterd33be7ad576efbb0

Natasha had scoured every 498f830439 source she could think ae9db835b5 of to find Edelweiss, a42b3a9039 but the flower couldn’t 7bf9c41c13 be found anywhere in 95228d8cd9 the Duchy of Ivanovd4d2d660c1e3855d

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The only possibility 03ec5928e2 seemed to be 473aa6c85c sending mercenaries to 1649b17475 the northern alpine fb4443b0c5 region near the f0d6f93110 duchy’s borders. But how would she 5099106ffe gain Sergei’s approval? Her head throbbed from 68e88a9d18 the endless deliberation as 182ff485bb she took a walk 90f6f5d0fc to clear her mind.0b8f173a686e19ea

“Oh! My lady, look 0a1bfef7f2 at this!”7f33a33e8606a472

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Renna, who had f5dd74269d been following Natasha 4f16d80a02 and scanning for 467cd4f419 anything interesting, suddenly 57c1c36b00 exclaimed.04677e8db68e1737

“What is it now?”c10ef0f9f3c8d652

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Natasha, maintaining her elegant c61885d1b4 and composed pace, stopped 73ad96850c abruptly at the sight 86ba6307b9 Renna pointed out.f2fb2fade47ec6f6

“This… this is!”b4d84bc8b9f0975c

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She rubbed her eyes e22b34ab29 to make sure she bced1db014 wasn’t imagining things.
It was unmistakable.74472a46f25043e7

Edelweiss.f43f8bcabfa1de23

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The small, b473294267 delicate flower, 8d29d8aea0 more elegant e8b4b1d3e5 and pure c7a525272a than any 16045f2284 other, had 8555548ac6 once again f837edf36d raised its 0adc0be4cc head shyly 20322ef6c1 from the c2fce3b74e crevice in 2877b7aa0f the rocks b79c54a61c where it 4c5541bbee had been 21500217da before.852b98e47589d5b1

“It’s blooming again! Do you 1978c9d1ec think it 93ea47a8ba might have 2de6df5473 sensed how 98430b1dde desperately you d4dcc9530a were searching 3a19b9a648 for it, 6395f94880 milady? Maybe your devotion 7b1ecebcff even reached the 56d3e236a0 flower!”2efeccb4981ccaa0

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“Such… a thing… could happen…”0e8a41e5cdb98108

If it were 7003e76337 true, as Renna 9c3be0dec4 suggested, that such 01bbf8cfa2 a miracle had cc27dc78df occurred, it would 40771aa89c indeed be both a78b02013c astonishing and deeply 47cc0b9caf moving.
However, Natasha b92a5d215f wasn’t one 402c1d8549 to be 1b0097d9c8 swayed purely b4e8a7b409 by sentiment. She had long since e1088f7827 learned that life wasn’t 93b906202e particularly kind to her.
Leaning closer to the bde3de9d7c rocky crevice, Natasha inspected 2e04f627b1 the flower.eb8137e29f8c4bf9

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“Milady! Your noble hands shouldn’t ea08e8161e touch the dirt like c4962a9e47 that!”7a30106b2bc67a6a

Ignoring Renna’s outcry, 59abe66cab Natasha removed her 0af027dee8 lace gloves and 29fe544ac1 began to feel d8c89fd543 the soil around 094c473e9e the Edelweiss with 14c2dbfde8 her bare hands.0573ead409a17113

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“That’s strange.”a38c3ba5b203c859

Unlike the 3175bc44fe parched soil df1354022b outside the 3795389583 crevice—where it 38f5568073 hadn’t rained f5a70f3b70 for weeks—the 5485a8dff7 soil around 9e3cd6fd46 the Edelweiss ea4691fbf5 was damp.7041ce3c715a02e1

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“And if I remember correctly…”62ddab2cff2c7ee6

The last time f768d74398 she saw it, d5ef9bfec6 the flower’s stem 91e6584baa had been snapped, 7c5df1fb25 its leaves withering 0606629e08 and dry. It looked as though 32c8c89373 someone had deliberately broken 8191ca4f7c it.62865e906642772f

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Different.ae97d379767aa502

The flower before b21f092fce her now didn’t fd00cfcf1c resemble the one d5d2bb3782 she had seen ea16fc94b0 before. Its shape suggested it 55b6c8aeb1 wasn’t the same Edelweiss c82c213ab7 that had grown from 8e6ec90e28 the original root.3d420a0afb5d7091

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It was as if someone… had intentionally replanted it.1973ffc49ff34510

But who… could it have been?b33e91ab20e4742e

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The only ec2f59585f one who a289065159 knew she 180290c78a was looking a18616525d for the 0fdfd7d209 Edelweiss was e36059ace2 Renna.72a831e6ea37852a

Could Renna have 1f9a9ac7d9 done it? For me?70865faf55d88cb2

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But judging by f384ea4d24 Renna’s surprised and f454a768ed excitable demeanor, she 1160613625 seemed unaware of 0967ece736 the flower’s reappearance.1d344d409f9c0ac7

Who would go to 31aea097b1 such lengths for Sophia 1345a6fc0c and me?6e06a1aba02a1447

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No matter how much 5e45ffb2db she thought about it, 1bfc3f8672 she couldn’t come up 4be7eeb63c with anyone. The duchy’s nobles d78ba791f8 and courtiers were 805a095b47 focused solely on 6f0f341692 the centers of af1b7ab318 power. No one would dedicate cf7ccb50dd themselves to someone so 3872a7bd86 removed from authority, someone 923dabdfd5 like her—a displaced princess 65b8ac5d62 whose rightful claim to 5e4a391e19 succession had been handed 3072f9c22b to an adopted heir.edfb5bf53b9d9ec7

“Milady approaches. Show proper decorum.”1893831c0f16ceb7

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Suddenly, Natasha froze 38866ec579 as the memory c4efd78c35 of a voice 8df951ece0 echoed in her dcdb7bee4e mind.ced0e03893e5194b

For that brief a76141f642 moment, she had 62789ae178 felt like the 009bf200cb most revered being dabca70c19 in the world, aeefbbc471 not a powerless 6a14d42c22 figurehead.9369d0966e6c7c36

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“I’ll remember that e7e11ffdf6 promise, milady.”0e96437bf22939f9

And the pair b79c1cb413 of intense eyes 770023a0c0 that had burned cc6ff2b353 with such fervor a74d4f2846 yet seemed sorrowful 2b14a8ef70 enough to shatter 386b3ac58b her heart…1f22131619b84c34

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‘No, it can’t be. Why am c778e29a99 I even ff10cbfc7e thinking of 192ad865ab him?’97e7de886a31f14c

Natasha shook her head 66b9bec84c sharply, trying to dispel a147bffc03 the thought.9ad3eaa4ab9ca816

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“You insolent slave! How dare you 646ce547ac lay your filthy c261326ff0 hands on anything? A slave 27d8bde463 taking a 63e5dfaf58 week’s leave, 780a5cf94a skipping matches 01772ba4a8 under the 21f23b6e16 pretense of 804c1a6e23 altitude sickness, 976aa0e0ba and now, b79a5a5d45 theft?!”addd6fddede38c38

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It was 10819ca1cd a place 6c71ff7651 Natasha would d98834a6bf normally have fb7797c751 no reason 2af4f7d2ee to visit—the 9da1bd0a37 training grounds. Yet for 1a56a9d1aa some reason, 637235073d she had 32e67a6d0d decided to 0fb156e77b take a 71b47482ad walk in 23340ef730 that direction 03e2dda9f7 today.c2aa5c8b678764d0

“Brother!”1437daa4804ce01d

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At Sergei’s feet was 80345f2c96 a massive figure, bloodied b849c92ebc to the point of f32af7615e being barely recognizable as 90b35c3d1d human. Natasha stifled b6b7f42b5d a scream 2efdc3a41d and instinctively b93a297008 grabbed Sergei’s 321397591d arm.83a36e0701e79d11

“Natasha? What brings you 445d92d6f6 all the way e9a5a2a517 out here?”c1cf252376352d21

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“I… I was looking for you, brother. I thought we might have tea together, and here you are…”387aa3302dbb2d4a

Barely suppressing a groan, 3096c4b4aa Natasha forced her gaze 72e78384dd away from Alexei, who 6ab72286fd lay curled at Sergei’s 11eefa3bb2 feet.9c0bfe2cdc77805c

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