The Song of Flowers - Chapter 3: The Heir of the Great Family (2)

Mel came rushing in with an excited expression.

“Miss, Sir Coe is here to see you. He wishes to meet with you.”

Adele initially thought it was Kelvin. She casually told Mel to let him in, but when Alan appeared, she was taken by surprise.

As Mel placed the tea down and left, she thought to herself, “The young miss sure knows some important people.”

There were many rumors about Adele among the servants. One of them was that she was a princess from a fallen kingdom on the continent. While she didn’t relay all the gossip to Adele, Mel found that particular rumor not entirely impossible.

After a brief exchange of formalities, Alan quickly got to the point.

“I apologize for coming to you unannounced, but I have an important matter to ask your help with, Miss.”

“Of course, please go ahead. If there’s anything I can do, I’ll be glad to assist.”

“We need to host an important guest, and I was hoping they could stay in the southern tower for a short while.”

Adele’s hand trembled as she set down her teacup. She had a strong suspicion of who this guest might be.

“What kind of help can I offer? I think there’s been some misunderstanding; the southern tower isn’t under my authority. I can’t grant such permissions.”

“It’s not about authority. We just want to ensure that the guest’s presence remains confidential for the time being. I thought you could help us with that.”

Confidential? Why?

“When you say ‘for the time being,’ how long do you mean?”

“A few days.”

Adele began piecing things together based on what she knew.

The decision of succession lay solely with the head of the family, and if the head wasn’t able to designate an heir, things became complicated. Someone like Malone would certainly not welcome the appearance of a true heir, as it would strip him of the significant power he could wield if the position remained vacant.

If there’s anyone who wouldn’t be happy about the appearance of an heir… it would be Lord Brody, Adele thought.

She had learned firsthand how the absence of a strong leader affected the castle. In just a few months, the once-stable Lebas estate had begun to falter. During her grandmother’s healthier days, no servant would dare bully another to the point of forcing them to leave. Even Malone’s inappropriate advances earlier would never have happened if her grandmother were still in control.

He cannot be allowed to take over. He’ll ruin everything Grandmother built.

“You’ll need someone to serve this guest, right?” Adele said, deciding she would support Alan’s efforts. Whoever her grandmother’s heir was, they would be far better than Malone.

“Yes, we need someone discreet.”

“There’s a kitchen maid who cannot speak. She could handle simple tasks like preparing meals and cleaning.”

Mel’s constant chatter had proven useful after all, as Adele recalled the girl in question.

“She’s frail, so she wouldn’t be able to do more demanding tasks like helping with bathing, but she should manage basic chores.”

“That will be sufficient. The guest isn’t difficult to please.”

“I’ll ask Matilda, the head housekeeper, to send her to the southern tower.”

Alan hesitated for a moment, and Adele noticed.

“How about this?” she suggested. “I’ll have my maid fetch her under the pretense that the housekeeper requested her assistance. The maid isn’t involved in any critical tasks, so if Matilda is said to have sent for her, no one will question it. I can also send word to Matilda later, through my maid, to make sure everything runs smoothly. My maid happens to be the housekeeper’s niece.”

“That’s perfect. Thank you, Miss.”

Alan’s typically stern expression softened into a smile, exceeding his expectations.

“If I could know the guest’s gender and rough age, it would help in preparing appropriately. Men and women often require different items.”

Adele posed the question as if it were purely practical, hiding her curiosity.

“He’s a young man.”

Adele couldn’t help the small smile threatening to form as she sipped her tea.

So it’s her grandson. I wonder if he’s around my age or older?

“Is this someone I’m not supposed to know about?”

Feigning ignorance, Adele asked the question, though she already had a strong suspicion.

“You’ll meet him soon enough. For now, please pretend you don’t know. I ask for your discretion.”

After leaving Adele’s chambers, Alan headed back to report to Luther in his office. As he walked along the castle walls, he paused for a moment and looked back, his thoughts lingering.

‘Never grows older…’

There were very few people who knew about the young girl under the lord’s care. Adele rarely left the depths of the castle, and her presence was mostly shrouded in rumors. Only a select few had ever actually seen her in person.

But recently, many of the vassals had seen Adele, sparking increased curiosity about her.

“Even my mother has asked me about her,” Alan thought.

Of course, Alan had curtly replied that he didn’t know much. His mother, seemingly frustrated by her son’s stoicism after so many years, had retaliated by piling matchmaking books on his desk as a form of subtle revenge.

Alan had seen Adele a few times by chance while visiting the lord. Over the years, she hadn’t changed in appearance, a strange fact he hadn’t given much thought to. It wasn’t his business.

“Time moves forward, even if she doesn’t age,” he mused.

His recent conversation with Adele had been the first long exchange they’d ever had. During their talk, Alan had felt like he was speaking to someone at his own level, a fully mature adult, despite her youthful appearance. Yet, it hadn’t seemed odd to him at the time.

“What will happen as time continues to pass?” he wondered. “If she remains a child on the outside while growing old inside, that divide could become a real problem.”

When Alan reported to Luther, the older man was pleased.

“So there will be no issues for the time being with housing him?”

“Yes. However, Miss Adele… I’ve greeted her a few times while she was with the lord.”

Alan recalled seeing Adele with the lord, who had always treated her like a child. He had even heard her joyful, innocent laughter echoing from outside the lord’s office. Just last year, he had seen the lord reading a book to Adele while she sat on her lap.

“But today, when we spoke…”

“Was there a problem?” Luther asked.

“It wasn’t a problem, exactly… but her quick judgment surprised me.”

“Yes, she’s sharp and thoughtful,” Luther replied.

“Does the lord not know that?” Alan asked, sensing something more behind Adele’s relationship with the lord.

Luther chuckled, understanding Alan’s confusion.

“To the lord, Adele is like a daughter. To a parent, a child is always young. And with her unchanged appearance, the lord sees her as a fragile, helpless girl. Adele, knowing this, acts the part and indulges the lord’s affections.”

“So Adele’s demeanor changes depending on whether she’s with the lord or others?”

Luther smiled as he watched Alan’s puzzled expression.

“I owe Adele a great deal of gratitude. She brought a lot of joy to the lord’s life.”

For Shima, who had lived a life of solitude, Adele had been a gift.

“But I thought you knew Adele well.”

“Me?” Alan asked, surprised.

“You’re the one who suggested seeking her help. And your brother visits the southern tower frequently. Didn’t you know that?”

“Kelvin? Why would he go to the southern tower?”

Luther clicked his tongue.

“Isn’t Kelvin Adele’s only friend?”

Alan was speechless. He hadn’t known. It wasn’t that he and his brother were distant; they simply didn’t talk much about personal matters. Their father had been the same, and both brothers had inherited his taciturn nature. It was so bad that their mother used to joke about mold growing in their mouths from lack of use.

“Alan, Adele could have been your sister.”

“What?” Alan blinked, taken aback.

“Yes, the lord once asked me and your father if we’d consider taking Adele as an adopted daughter. It wasn’t something the lord could do herself.”

“Ah…” Alan recalled the rules of the Lebas family. According to the family’s laws, formal adoption wasn’t allowed. Shima had chosen to act as Adele’s guardian instead of adopting her for this reason.

“Why didn’t it happen?”

Alan imagined how his mother would have reacted. She had always said her two sons were boring and would have been thrilled to have a daughter to dote on.

“As with many things in life, it never came to pass. The matter simply faded away.”

Shima had delayed the decision, and when she learned that Adele didn’t age, she couldn’t bear to let her go. While Shima claimed it was for Adele’s sake, it had been a selfish choice, something Luther recognized but chose to overlook. The idea of adopting Adele had quietly disappeared from any discussions.

“Alan, I’ll need you to check in on the young master frequently. It’s an important task, but I trust you’ll handle it.”

“It’s my duty. It’s no trouble at all,” Alan replied.

Luther nodded, satisfied with Alan’s response.

***

Her heart raced, keeping her from sleep. Adele lay in bed, tossing and turning for a while before sitting up abruptly. All day, her mind had been consumed by one thought.

“What kind of person could he be?” The curiosity was unbearable. If Patty could talk, she would have likely bombarded her with endless questions.

“Would he look like Grandma? No, he’s a man, so he must resemble Uncle Paul.”

Adele climbed out of bed, stepped into the drawing-room, and peeked down the hallway. The room next to hers belonged to Mel.

Although servants had their own quarters, Adele had always shared her room near the maid’s. It was Sima’s way of ensuring that Adele was well looked after.

Sonya sometimes came in at dawn to check on Adele’s sleep. But Mel, who never woke once asleep, was different. Even if Adele left her bedroom now, no one would notice until the next morning.

The guest room was on a higher floor than hers, deep within the southern tower, with windows facing the garden.

“If they had asked me, I would’ve recommended the room next to the hallway.”

Adele had explored the southern tower in her youth and knew its layout well. The room she had in mind was more spacious, with a wide balcony.

Once past her bedroom, Adele started running lightly. Finally, she arrived at the guest’s door, catching her breath from excitement.

She hesitated before grabbing the doorknob.

Rooms in the southern tower generally shared a similar layout. Upon entering the door from the hallway, one would step into the sitting room. From there, doors connected to the bedroom, bathroom, and utility room. Depending on the room’s size, there could be one to three bedrooms.

The sitting room was dark. When Adele closed the door, the room plunged into complete darkness. Her excitement began to fade, replaced by regret.

“What am I even doing?”

A faint light slipped through the crack under the door to the bedroom. It must be the bedroom, she thought. Adele found herself torn between reason and impulse. Seeing the light made it harder to just leave.

She moved toward the light but bumped into a table.

“Ouch, why is there a table here?”

The sound echoed in the silence. What if someone in the bedroom heard it and came out? She waited, but it remained quiet. Adele stood still, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. Once she could make out the room’s layout, she carefully moved to the bedroom door.

She knocked gently on the door. No answer. She knocked again, a little harder this time. Still no response.

“Is he asleep? Should I just peek inside? No, I can’t just enter someone’s bedroom without permission. That’s absolutely unladylike, especially at this hour.”

She held the doorknob, then yanked it down, startled as the door slid open.

Adele cautiously stepped one foot inside, peering into the room. It wasn’t very bright, but she could make out the room’s interior. She took a few more steps.

Standing near the door, she craned her neck to look deeper inside, but the bed was shrouded in darkness.

Suddenly, there was a “clack” sound behind her. Adele flinched and turned.

“When did…”

A person was standing so close behind her that she could’ve touched them if she reached out. All she could see were two hands gripping a sword hilt and scabbard. The noise she had just heard was the sword being sheathed.

Slowly, Adele lifted her gaze. She had to look up quite a bit.

“He’s tall.”

The man towering above her looked down, his shadowed eyes narrowing as if to ask, “Who are you?”

“Ah…”

She knew instantly. The violet eyes, just like her grandmother’s.

“It’s real.”

This man was indeed her grandmother’s grandson.

Relief washed over her, followed by a surge of sorrow. She envied him, but she also resented him. He was the true family of her grandmother.

“I wanted… to be the real one, too…”

A jumble of emotions overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.

Ron looked uncomfortably at the small visitor who had begun to cry.

He hadn’t been able to sleep, either. It was his first night in this unfamiliar place, and with so much uncertainty, who could sleep?

He had mapped out all the potential entry points and, with the light dimmed, leaned against the door leading to the drawing room, planning to stay awake through the night.

When he heard a noise from the sitting room, he opened his eyes. Quietly, he picked up his sword and stood.

After dinner, he had rearranged the furniture in the sitting room. A small trick, but it would throw off anyone who knew the original layout.

“An assassin on the first night?”

It wouldn’t be surprising. He was the outsider, after all, and surely not everyone welcomed his presence.

“Probably one or two,” he thought. Given the reputation of the grand estate, its security wouldn’t be lax enough for a larger attack. He intended to end it swiftly.

The sound of knocking puzzled him. After the second knock, he wondered if perhaps it wasn’t an intruder.

Even though he hadn’t answered, the door opened, his gaze turning cold.

But the small head that poked through the door made him stop just before he reached out to grab it.

It was only a little girl. She didn’t seem to be there to cause him harm. As he watched her, she simply kept glancing around the room.

Deliberately, he made a noise as he sheathed his sword. His intention not to startle her backfired, as the girl immediately burst into tears.

“I didn’t mean to scare her…”