Chapter 55
Thus, when she saw the gardens of Rostislav, she admired not only the gardener’s landscaping skills but also his cultivation abilities.
Perhaps her sincerity was communicated.
Josip realized Yekaterina possessed knowledge comparable to any skilled gardener and, unlike his usual gruff demeanor, he let his guard down.
This allowed Yekaterina to understand why Josip had been so harsh towards others.
In reality, Josip was very self-conscious about his strong dialect, which made him avoid speaking in the standard language to not get mocked, though Yekaterina thought being teased for a dialect was unnecessary. Probably, there were those who ridiculed him for it.
“Miss, look at this. Isn’t this sprout just beautiful? It’s my treasure, I’m showing it especially to you.”
“It looks like a species that’s hard to sprout, really beautiful. Where will you plant this?”
“Towards that side, there’s a back door. Made a spot there.”
“A back door?”
“Yes. Made for the staff to use. You probably won’t need it.”
“I see. I’d like to see where you plan to plant it.”
“Sure, I’ll show you! Follow me!”
Thus, with Josip’s help, Yekaterina learned the back door was always unlocked from the inside, including information about the guard shifts near the door.
Her second target was the stables.
The Rostislav residence always had several horses ready for the knights, which was a stroke of luck for Yekaterina.
‘It should take just over an hour to reach the imperial hunting grounds by horse.’
Securing transportation was her biggest concern, so being able to borrow a horse was fortunate, especially since Yekaterina was very familiar with horseback riding.
“Oh, Miss! This place is smelly and dirty, not for someone like you! What brings you here?”
“I like animals. I don’t mind the dirt. There are quite a few horses, aren’t there?”
“Well, yes. The knights might need them, after all. Thanks to the quiet days, these fellows are all full of energy, haha.”
“Then, let me ride one for a walk, to give them a bit of exercise.”
“What? No, that won’t do! These are military horses, not suitable for you.”
“But if someone holds the reins for me, it should be fine. The horses seem frustrated too.”
When Yekaterina insisted on taking the horses for a walk for their sake, the stablekeeper reluctantly agreed.
“This one’s been particularly restless with its excess energy. If you take it for a ride, it would surely enjoy it.”
Everything was going according to plan.
‘If this horse feels constrained even in this stable, it should manage the run to the imperial hunting grounds.’
Asking if the horses felt cramped paid off.
Of course, Yekaterina had a good eye for horses, but the stablekeeper was the real expert here. Thanks to him, she managed to get the best horse without lifting a finger.
Yet, even the best horse needs to be accustomed to handling.
Yekaterina made sure to bond with the horse by riding it daily under the pretext of being a novice.
“If you’re not used to riding, it’s natural to find it fascinating! I understand, Miss.”
Fortunately, the stablekeeper’s son was easily deceived by such a simple lie, allowing Yekaterina to ride without arousing suspicion.
Her departure day was set for the day after Rostislav’s troops left.
‘There will be some time to regroup with the other forces, so I have a day’s leeway.’
But delaying any longer would render all her efforts pointless.
Thus, on the fourth day after the imperial messenger’s visit and a day after Vasily had left, Yekaterina packed her belongings.
Her ‘belongings’ consisted of a pouch of sugar cubes she had sneakily prepared during tea time, a water flask. And a thick robe that could be used as a blanket.
She had to dress properly when entering the woods, but thanks to Leonid inviting merchants, clothing was the least of her concerns.
With her preparations complete and Leonid’s steady breathing filling the bedroom.
Yekaterina looked down at the sleeping figure, turning her back on the dawn. This could well be her last time in Rostislav, so she wanted to keep his image in her memory one last time.
In the silence, the echoes of their conversation before sleep lingered in her mind. Including Leonid’s smile just before the candles went out.
A gaze that met her every turn of her head. His voice. The shadows cast upon his indifferent face. Those eyes that watched her even in the darkness.
Leonid always looked at Yekaterina as if she was a piece of ice plucked from boiling water.
His persistent gaze always carried an air of incomprehension.
‘Surely, he’ll look at me with those eyes again once he realizes I’ve left.’
As if he’s encountered a being completely beyond his understanding.
She doesn’t blame him. Yekaterina often felt similarly towards Leonid.
That’s why when she heard that he too, had lost his parents, she inadvertently asked.
What was your loss like?
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