The Rose Caged in the Conservatory - Chapter 16

Annerose’s eyes stopped unconsciously on Iver’s broad shoulders and chest.

“Then what about things like hair color, or build? Personality?”

“Hmm.”

Why was he being so bothersome today?

Annerose was about to keep her mouth shut, but her eyes met Iver’s. His expression seemed to be pleading for her answer.

Annerose decided that even a simple answer would do if it meant escaping this line of questioning.

“Silver hair…”

The moment she casually opened her mouth, Kyle’s face flashed through her mind — and the gentle smile he used to give her.

Just as she was about to speak again, she caught the look in Iver’s wavering eyes. There was an awkward smile tugging at the corner of his lips, which only made her more conscious of him.

‘It’s not as though Iver knows what Kyle looks like. It doesn’t matter.’

Annerose took a breath and began to speak.

“…I’ll be honest. I like someone who looks a little older than me. Someone I feel like I could lean on. He doesn’t have to be particularly dependable, either. It’s fine if he looks gentle and delicate. But I’d still like him to have a pretty face. I’d want him to think only of me, too. And I like long hair. Silver hair especially. I guess that just means that I like pretty men.”

Every time Annerose described her ideal type, Iver’s expression grew darker.

The moment she finished speaking, even the awkward smile disappeared from his lips, replaced by a small sigh.

Seeing Iver’s expression and behavior, so different from usual, stirred something deep inside Annerose.

“…Why? You don’t like my answer? I told you my ideal type just like you asked. Or did you have a specific answer you wanted to hear?”

“Yes. Actually, I did. But…”

“I don’t know what answer you were expecting, but if you already had one in mind and wanted me to tailor my answer to it, isn’t that a little arrogant?”

“…It just seems like you like someone completely opposite to me, Annerose.”

“Then why did you even ask me this? I told you I like you, didn’t I?”

Annerose spoke quickly, hoping to end this meaningless conversation as soon as possible. But when Iver’s expression turned sad, she became flustered and reached out without thinking.

She could never bring herself to stay angry when he looked as though he might cry at any moment.

Annerose sighed softly and took Iver’s cheek in her hand, gently soothing him.

“Why are you so curious about my ideal type?”

“…I was just curious. I wondered what kind of person Annerose would like this time. But I suppose your tastes haven’t changed.”

“What are you talking about? An ideal type is just an ideal type. It doesn’t mean I don’t like you. It’s simply a matter of preference. I like you, too. You’re perfect in every way anyone could see. Anyone would fall for you, even if it weren’t me. So have some confidence in yourself. Don’t try to change yourself to suit me.”

“If you like long hair, should I grow mine out?”

“…You’re handsome, so I’m sure anything would suit you. Now, shall we talk about something else?”

Annerose intended to end the conversation by making some tea. She turned around, preparing to leave the spot, but Iver’s words stopped her in her tracks.

“…The person you described as your ideal type… Is he perhaps what Kyle looked like?”

For a moment, Annerose stopped breathing. She placed a hand over her chest and took a moment to collect her thoughts.

Iver surely didn’t know what Kyle looked like.

Should she say no? But what if he’d seen a portrait?

She couldn’t bring herself to turn around. What expression was Iver wearing right now?

The moment Kyle’s name left Iver’s lips, Annerose could only fall silent. She could feel the deep jealousy Iver harbored toward Kyle.

But Kyle no longer existed in this world. He had been a human being who lived in a different era from Iver.

He was the wrong person to be jealous of.

To soothe that jealousy, that anger, Annerose had to speak again.

“…I’m not specifically talking about Kyle. I like kind people. Someone who smiles at me often and wants to know more about me. Someone like that. Age doesn’t matter. It’s not as though I’m in a position to worry about things like that anymore, am I? It’s not as though I can fall in love at this point. It’s all pointless.”

Every time she spoke about her ideal type, a dull ache tightened around her heart.

The more she spoke, the more she realized that the ‘ideal type’ she was describing was, in fact, Kyle.

The lover she could never forget, no matter how hard she tried.

He didn’t need any status. She simply wanted someone who could sit beside her and talk about roses and plants, someone she could take walks with, someone she could travel with.

Someone like that…

“…It sounds like you’re talking about Kyle.”

“I was just… Anyway, you don’t even know Kyle!”

“How could I not? His name is one I hear from your lips all the time.”

“……”

“Is thinking about him love? Or is it guilt?”

“……”

Annerose couldn’t answer.

If she dared to measure the depth of this feeling, it was probably closer to guilt.

When she was forced to face her own emotions, her lips began to tremble. Clutching her own arm tightly, Annerose spoke in a shaking voice.

“…Why are you so curious about Kyle? He’s been dead for a very long time. You must be busy enough with imperial affairs, so don’t waste your time on something pointless.”

“Yes, that’s true. It’s just…”

Iver briefly held his breath. He seemed about to say something, but only moved his lips uncertainly. His uncharacteristically hesitant behavior left Annerose unable to take her eyes off his lips.

Iver walked closer to her, took Annerose’s hand, and whispered.

“…I just became curious while studying history.”

After a brief silence, the answer that came from Iver’s lips was perfectly unassuming. Yet the moment Annerose heard it, she bit down hard on her lip.

Studying history.

Each word felt as though it were digging into her heart.

Because the Costeria family had destroyed the Macaras Dynasty, Kyle’s family.