How to Tame That Gentle Hero - Chapter 9.8

The rain that had been pouring down like a downpour had stopped, and the sun was now revealing itself.

Resena headed toward the entrance and stepped outside.

The sparkling sunlight slowly dried the raindrops that had pooled on the fresh greenery, and the verdant fragrance tickled her nose.

“He’s coming over there.”

“Yes. Indeed.”

With her father, mother, and Renard at the imperial palace, she was the only one to lead the greeting for him. Leaving the maids behind, she quietly watched as the splendid imperial carriage approached the entrance.

“Resena.”

A tall, handsome young man, reaching 190cm in height, elegantly stepped out of the carriage.

His silver hair shining vividly under the sunlight was as pure as pristine snow. The handsome young man with a perfect physique filled with muscle and surreally beautiful features approached Resena.

Soon, he beautifully curved the corners of his eyes while looking at Resena. The blue eyes sparkling through his white hair seemed to resemble Vernas, making Resena hesitate momentarily.

“Welcome, Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“Resena. I missed you.”

Whether knowing her thoughts or not, Eldis spoke in an affectionate voice and took Resena’s hand.

The kiss that naturally followed on the back of her hand was so hot that Resena trembled for a moment. Perhaps sensing her agitation, Eldis looked up at her languidly and slowly released her hand.

“Here, I brought a gift too.”

The gift Eldis presented was a bouquet of fresh blue roses with a letter tucked between them. The rose fragrance was unique and intense, just like before. Resena embraced the bouquet and smiled brightly.

“Thank you….. May I open the letter now?”

At that, he laughed clearly.

“Haha. I’d prefer it if you read it when I’m not around. It’s filled with embarrassing words and my heartfelt emotions, so I’d feel shy if you read it right in front of me.”

Resena felt a smile naturally bloom at his words. His honesty seemed to slightly shift the direction of her heart that had been pointing only toward Vernas. Resena slowly lowered her head and deeply inhaled the fragrance emanating from the blue roses.

The scent filled her lungs softly, revealing Eldis’s affectionate side. After thoroughly enjoying the sweet yet subtle rose fragrance, which felt almost like sharing a kiss with the flowers, Resena approached him with an even gentler attitude than before.

The warm midday sunlight settled thickly above them.

“Thank you for the gift, Your Highness. Shall we go? I’ll escort you to the drawing room.”

“Hmm….. But, Resena. How about talking in the greenhouse at the Dukes’ mansion today? There’s a greenhouse in the imperial palace, too, but Renard was boasting about how pretty the newly built greenhouse at the Duke’s mansion is.”

She chuckled at those words. Oh, Renard, boasting about such things. Come to think of it, learning that a greenhouse had been built was something she was discovering for the first time in this life, throughout all her past lives. Standing beside Eldis, she spoke sweetly.

“Then, I’ll escort you to the greenhouse. Luna, could you lead the way?”

“Yes. Understood, my lady.”

After going through several regressions, she was finally standing here. Resena followed behind Luna, momentarily lost in reminiscence.

They walked with rustling steps on the grass. Though there were paved walkways here and there, the construction itself seemed incomplete, as there were quite a few areas where grass had grown.

But even that seemed to delight Eldis, who walked with a faint smile.

After walking for about 10 minutes.

Resena could see the surfaces of the glass greenhouse reflecting the bright sunlight. Like a small sun, the greenhouse sparkled brilliantly.

“Truly a spectacular sight. The one in the imperial palace is arch-shaped, but it seems the greenhouse at the Arnasus mansion has a roof shape that scatters light more. Resena. How is it? Do you like it?”

“Since this is the first time I’ve seen it… Just from the outside, I like it. But I’ll need to go inside to see what it’s like.”

“Huhu. Since it was made by the Arnasus family, I imagine it houses rare plants from all over the empire. In my opinion, I think you’ll be quite pleased with it. I’m looking forward to it too.”

Resena stole a glance at Eldis beside her. His smiling face was truly at the pinnacle of beauty, like a pale moon appearing after the clouds have cleared.

Because of this, Resena unconsciously lowered her eyes. It was inevitable that her heart began to flutter. Having realized that any woman in the empire would have to accept if Eldis were to court her, she somehow felt sorry toward Vernas.

“Please come in.”

“Yes. Luna.”

“……”

Resena followed behind Eldis as they stepped inside. Rarely seen flowers bloomed brightly, entwining along the glass walls of the greenhouse like ivy. Some flowers climbed up trees… Other flowers grew straight up like sunflowers, as if to boast their beauty, fully blooming to directly receive the sunlight.

“A wonderful place. Truly worthy of the Arnasus family’s glass greenhouse.”

With an elegant smile across his face, Eldis reached out to a green flower. As he lowered his head to savor the fragrance while caressing the petals, his blue eyes visible between his gently lowered white eyelashes rippled softly.

Resena also stood beside him and picked another green flower. As she brought the flower close, the rippling melody of fragrance delicately resonated in her heart. It was inevitable that her eyes would gently close. Resena quietly inhaled the fragrance while tightly embracing the blue rose bouquet she had received.

“Luna. Take this to my bedroom.”

“Yes. Understood, my lady.”

As Luna disappeared with the blue rose bouquet, the maids set up tea and refreshments on the table in the center of the greenhouse. Among the various refreshments arranged on the 3-tier tray was quiche.

After fully inhaling the fragrance, Resena opened her eyes. Eldis was looking down at her with an affectionate face. Feeling somehow embarrassed by that sweet gaze, Resena averted her eyes from Eldis. Then Eldis smiled slightly, grasped Resena’s hair, and gently kissed the end of it.

“Resena seems to get embarrassed easily. So pretty. I want to ask you to show this side only to me.”

“Eldis…….”

“Yes. Call me by my name like that. When we’re not with others, I’m just a man named Eldis to you. Look at me directly, Resena.”

His pupils rippled deep blue like a blue tidal wave. Unable to fully receive his passionate gaze, she closed her eyes, and he smiled languidly.

“Resena. Shall we tour the entire greenhouse? It would be a waste to only see the entrance when the greenhouse is so magnificent. Would you allow me to escort you as we walk through this greenhouse together?”

“……Of course. Eldis. Shall we go then?”

“Yes. Thank you for allowing me.”

Eldis looked down at Resena, who had placed her hand on his firm arm, and slowly began walking. Because he matched his stride to her small steps, it was comfortable for Resena to walk. Because of this, she kept noticing Eldis walking majestically as they looked around the trees.

Ah, truly, Eldis was a beautiful person. From his sharp nose bridge like a blade, deep eye sockets, to his vivid blue eyes shining like the summer sea, and even the firmness of the arm where her hand rested. Not a single aspect deviated from the proportions of beauty.

‘Such beautiful lips…….’

Moreover, the shape of his reddish lips was so pretty that it somehow aroused a desire to kiss them. But her courage wasn’t great enough to kiss Eldis. Yet with Vernas, she had kissed him without hesitation. Resena merely blushed her cheeks red and shifted her gaze back to the trees.

‘How cute.’

But Eldis, who had noticed Resena’s gaze, laughed inwardly. When she had been with Vernas, she had approached him without hesitation. But when with Eldis, it seemed she found approaching him burdensome.

‘However, that doesn’t mean I intend to force anything from my side.’

He intended to give her time to naturally observe him. Eldis filled his vision with the sight of Resena admiring the flowers. Resena, tucking her black hair behind her ear and reaching for the flowers, was truly lovable.