I Became My Son's First Love - Chapter 60

After finishing her makeup, Lina, who had been standing behind, lowered her head and responded, “Yes, he has arrived.”

“Good. Let’s go down.”

With Dane now present to accompany Eve to the duchy, everything was prepared.

‘I’m not sure if I can really call this preparation.’

Receiving greetings from the servants as she descended, Eve lifted her head toward the man who stopped in front of her. Dane, with his hair stylishly slicked back, smiled smoothly at her.

“Hello, Dane.”

“You’re as stunning as ever today.”

Grasping the hem of her dress, Eve bent her knees slightly to respond to the compliment. She then took Dane’s hand and climbed into the carriage.

With Anna riding in another carriage with her luggage, the two could converse freely. As soon as the carriage set off, Eve asked Dane, “Do I look alright? I’m asking about my expression.”

Dane seemed ready to shower her with praise for her appearance, but when Eve added the clarification, he nodded slightly.

“Yes, your expression looks good today.”

“That’s a relief.”

Dane gazed at her with a somber face. “I replied to Aeshath’s letter after receiving your message. However, she declined to meet today. Instead, she suggested we join her for tomorrow’s schedule.”

“So, Aeshath will ask if I’m alright with it.”

“Yes, just act as you usually do. As long as you don’t reveal that you know something, there won’t be any trouble.”

Eve couldn’t help but chuckle at Dane’s impossible advice. “That might be difficult.”

“Eve.”

Dane frowned with concern, and Eve shrugged in response. “Alright. But I will still try to gauge Aeshath.”

“…It would be better if I could be with you.”

“It’s fine. I just hope this will be over soon so I can return to my hometown.”

Dane gave her a bitter smile at her words.

“You’re quieter than usual. Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I don’t have the nerve to ask you to stay in the capital after getting you involved in this mess.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. I wasn’t planning on staying anyway.”

“We can discuss that again once this is all over.”

Eve chuckled softly. After that, the inside of the carriage fell silent, but the mood wasn’t heavy, thanks to their earlier conversation. It was only when they were close to the duchy’s mansion that Dane spoke again.

“I’m truly sorry.”

“It’s not something you need to apologize for.”

“Well, maybe not. But apologizing makes me feel better. And take this.”

“This is…”

Eve’s eyes widened as she looked at the small bottle Dane handed her.

“You don’t know how to use a sword, so I figured this would be more helpful than a dagger. It’s easy to hide, too.”

It was the last bottle of holy water. Eve shook her head, but Dane insisted, forcing the small bottle into her hand.

“It might not be much, but at least let me give you something to protect yourself.”

Eve had no choice but to accept the bottle.

Moments later, the carriage came to a stop. The one to greet them was Aeshath.

“At least it’s Aeshath.”

Should she be relieved that it wasn’t Azazel? With these complicated thoughts in mind, Eve opened the door to see Aeshath, her platinum-blonde hair elegantly styled, smiling as she greeted her in a comfortable outfit.

“Hello.”

Eve hid her true feelings and smiled back as Aeshath approached. Dane had already stepped out of the carriage and offered his hand to help Eve down. After she took his hand and stepped out, Dane greeted Aeshath.

“The Duchess herself has come to greet us.”

“You’re an important guest, so I had to greet you myself.”

Aeshath naturally pulled Eve closer to her. “I was going to send a carriage, but I heard you’d be bringing her yourself, so I didn’t. Our coachman was disappointed.”

Aeshath joked playfully. “You’ve done enough. Now, you should be on your way.”

Dane chuckled and asked, “Is that all the thanks I get for my trouble?”

Aeshath nudged him, her tone teasing. “Yes, now be on your way.”

“So harsh. Well, today’s not the only day, I suppose.”

After a brief, meaningful glance with Aeshath, Dane turned to Eve to say goodbye. “Eve, I hope you have a pleasant time.”

His casual words were accompanied by a tense look in his eyes.

Eve smiled calmly in response. “Thank you for escorting me here.”

Dane departed in the carriage he had arrived in. As she watched the carriage fade into the distance, her heart began to pound. At least she wasn’t entering the situation completely unprepared, which offered her some small comfort. Eve rolled the small vial inside her sleeve, steeling her resolve once again.

Chapter 6: Choices

As the carriage disappeared from view, Aeshath led Eve inside the mansion.

“Today, I’m thinking of inviting you to my garden. You might call it another gallery.”

A garden? Could it be the Seratine’s famous garden?

Eve had never visited it herself, but she knew it well. In fact, it was a place so renowned that few among the empire’s nobility were unaware of it. Those who had visited the Seratin’s garden all praised it as something out of this world, yet fewer than ten people had ever been invited to see it.

“Your garden?”

Aeshath smiled at Eve’s question. “You’ve heard of it?”

“I’ve heard about it, yes.”

So it really was that garden. This gesture of goodwill continued to grow. Perhaps Eve could finally trust her?

“If you know about the garden, then this will make things easier. I must apologize, but servants are not allowed in. If it’s alright with you, your maid can go ahead and settle your belongings in your room, and then take a break.”

It seemed the rumors were true—no one, not even the duchy’s butler, could enter Aeshath’s garden unless they were personally chosen by her. But that meant Eve wouldn’t be able to check for memory gaps after leaving the garden.

Faced with the scenario she had anticipated, Eve slowly nodded. Aside from Anna, she had already prepared her own measures to protect her memories. She could only trust in those now.

The path to the garden was connected to the main building, and the long corridor was filled with nothing but the sound of their footsteps.

As Eve glanced around, Aeshath smiled and said, “It’s quiet, isn’t it? It’s a place I retreat to when I want to rest, so I don’t like many people coming and going.”

“Yes, I’ve heard.”

“Please understand. The plants are delicate, and just a little disturbance can cause them to lose their vitality. But don’t worry, there are still a few staff members around.”

At the end of the path stood a large door. Aeshath, escorting Eve, led her inside.

“Oh…”

Eve barely registered the sound of the door closing behind her as she stood in awe of her surroundings. The tall, straight trees and exotic flowers were the first things to catch her eye. The fresh air filling her lungs felt like it belonged to an entirely different world than the corridor they had just walked through. The deeper they ventured into the garden, the more unfamiliar the scenery became.

Even as Aeshath guided her, Eve couldn’t take her eyes off the plants. The trees, shaped like clouds, and the vividly colored, unusual flowers caught her attention. The crisp, refreshing scent of the grass seemed to fill her with energy. The garden felt like something out of a fairy tale, or perhaps a myth.

“It’s my pride and joy, my treasure. It’s a bit unusual, isn’t it?”

Aeshath’s voice brought Eve back to reality.

“It’s strange, but incredibly beautiful. Almost mystical.”

But it wasn’t just the garden that felt otherworldly. Aeshath, too, seemed different. Her usual playful, lively demeanor had given way to something more refined and serene in this mysterious space. Her presence, which normally radiated outward, now felt more subdued, like a faded masterpiece. For the first time, Aeshath felt distant, like someone from a far-off world.

She pointed to a tree. “Those trees were brought here from a forest at the edge of the continent. You won’t find them anywhere else in the empire.”

The tall, cloud-like trees had caught Eve’s eye from the moment she entered. Aeshath chatted cheerfully, comparing the trees to cotton candy and listing the names and effects of the brilliantly colored flowers scattered throughout the garden.

Everything in the garden was different—the climate in which the plants had grown, their origins, their meanings, their colors, and their properties. The only thing they had in common was that Aeshath had liked them. After a leisurely tour, they sat down for tea in the garden.

‘What a strange place.’

The garden and Aeshath both felt disconnected from reality. As Eve raised her teacup, the steam curling above it, Aeshath asked, her face flushed with excitement, “Is the tea at the right temperature?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

Aeshath smiled contentedly and looked around. “As I mentioned earlier, most of the plants here didn’t originate in the empire, so it took a lot of effort to cultivate them. That’s why I’m so proud of this garden.”