Chapter 15

“Sure.”

Fortunately, she was accustomed to sudden changes, so she was adept in hiding her astonishment

‘I’m sure he’s shifting to the good side.’

The spark of hope was lit within her. Previously, she had a survival rate of less than 1%, but now, the odds seemed to have risen to 10%.

‘There’s definitely a room for rehabilitation.’

But there isn’t much time left before it’s time for her to go to another empire to find the gem spirit and the dwarf. Everything had to be done by then.

She slowly closed her eyes and breathed. Desian, who still has his eyes on her whispered in a low voice, “Citrina.”

“Yes?”

“I read that there are many ways for humans to express their emotions.”

For a man that was always described as having no emotion in the book and always wore a mask, spouted the word emotion from his mouth.

And now, she couldn’t keep her mouth closed. It was wide open in astonishment. It’s amazing, really. She didn’t expect such a blessing.

“Yes, you’re right. Emotions.”

Desian stared at her. Citrina was slightly nervous.

“Tell me. I’m curious. Why do I feel weird?”

That there is a tinge of blue in his daily life of black and white.

Her eyes, again, caught sight of Desian’s face. Maybe a bit hazy, and also a little bit lazy, it was still his familiar expressionless face. But there was a slight smile hanging at the side of his lips, proving that she wasn’t daydreaming.

“I’ll tell you anytime you want.”

‘It’s essential to show sympathy and concern if i’m going to rehabilitated Desian. I’m surprised he asked earlier than expected…’

“Then tomorrow, I’ll see you in the garden pavilion.”

After hearing that, she thought it seemed like a little date. If this was a date request, isn’t his way of asking a bit too cliche? She won’t take that into account, she thought.

After lunch she was worried about the barley tea she brought from the baron house. She was soon lost in thought.

The meal with Aron and Desian went fine. Their conversation also ended in the best possible direction.

It was thanks to the cooperation of Desian and his friendly attitude towards Cetrina, who regained her original disposition, and their conversation ended in a courteous manner.

‘So the meeting place is on the cabana in the garden at midday.’ (separate cabin in the form of a small booth)

Understood.

In conclusion, Desian and Citrina decided to meet the next day in the garden. At the very place where they first met.

Sipping the sweet drink she found, she was again lost in thought.

‘I can’t say I have completely changed the original storyline but it looked optimistic.’

Today, Desian listened to her story and suggestion in a more relaxed manner than expected..

The situation would be unimaginable if this was the original plot. Her body would have already been a corpse if she just spoke useless words to him.

Recalling what happened today, she strengthened her will.

His actions went beyond her expectations today.

…Tomorrow she’ll be going to the garden to meet him, preparing herself to face embarrassing consequences.

***

On the appointed day to meet Desian. Before opening the garden gate, she decided to check her dress for the last time. Instead of her original cotton dress, today she wore a slightly better white dress. She also wore a hat in order to hide a part of her face.

This is the from the house of duke that was brought by the head butler. Heled, with his robotic hands.

‘This is Elena’s favorite style.’

She knows Elena’s taste in fashion better than her own. Elena’s taste is as lovely as her.

And…

The family lavishly spends money on her because she’s the family’s princess. So she intentionally didn’t wear the same style of clothes as her.

She once again gently fixed her dress and its elegant frills.

Just like how one changes her tastes and changes her clothes, one can change the future as well.

She opened at the gate to the garden.

‘Did he come here earlier than me?’

When she arrived, it was already past the appointed time.

Although no one took care of the garden for the past few days, it was still beautiful. Well, it’s a little inappropriate to call it unkempt because even the bushes beside the pathway were still totally the same as before.

‘I left the book.’

She previously left it on the chair next to the tree where she was sitting then. She decided to put back the book later.

‘Let’s first meet him in the cabana.’

Unaware that her dress was touching the ground, she recalled the details of their appointment.

Her eyes roamed the area but the only thing she saw was the sight of bushes.

No, it’s not the bushes.

Is it because of the hot weather of summer? Is that why *mist* evaporates from on the ground?

The background of the lake was like seeing a mirage in a fantasy. Everything was so beautiful, like the fountain of fairies.

She didn’t see the cabana when she first met Desian. It was a place she only heard from passing servants. Really, it was more beautiful than she thought.

Walking onto the hidden path behind the bushes, only then did she see Desian.

‘Found you.’

He stood before the spring. His back on her like that day. Citrina stepped forward and walked towards him.

‘Now, let’s talk to him.’

It feels like a deja vu of their first meeting.

All she needs to do is gather a bit of her courage and talk to him. She opened her mouth to call him out, but.

“Citrina.”

He turned and looked at her before striding towards her.

“Desian.”

“Yes. I’ll escort you.”

He showed a smile just like yesterday. She felt a little weird. It was a smile different from Aron’s. Kind and gentle but it’s as if it’s hiding a secret…

Wait. She came to her senses as if cold water was poured onto her. Being lost in thought because of his smile.

‘How does he know how to escort someone?’

Oh. Citrina forgot the existence of Tuloji. Tuloji tried to make Desian a perfect and alluring gentleman, but also a murderer of happiness and feelings. Perhaps his escorting skills is thanks to Tuloji’s intervention.

In the book that she read in her previous life, Tuloji’s plan succeeded, however now, Citrina was planning to make him ‘human’.

“Yes. I like it.”

They went inside the small cabana next to the lake. Everything was quiet. There was a table with a classic design made out of rattan placed on the center.

Likewise, two chairs made out of rattan as well, were facing each other with the table in between.

“Sit down, Citrina.”

“Yes.” Following Desian’s words, she sat down on one of the rattan chairs, and the two faced each other.

As she comfortably sat there, she went straight to the point and asked, “Desian.”

“Yes?”

There was no emotion on his face. She then realized that she was all alone with the villain of the novel. She can feel the dryness in her mouth as she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

in order to bring forth emotion from him, she needs to draw happy memories for him.

“Did you have a good day?”

“I don’t know.”

Well that’s a frank answer, she thought.

“Well, it feels nice when I bask myself under the sun while reading my favorite book. Sometimes I unknowingly smile by myself. How about you?”

With the way her curious gaze looks at him, his lips curved slightly.

“… These days I feel.”

“Yes?”

“Good.” (t/n: the word used here is “좋아요.”(johayo) which can also mean, I like you. I believe, even peeps who know a little bit of korean, know. *especially people who love watching k-drama*ehem*)

When he says it like that it sounds like he’s confessing to her. There was a little delay on what he said he felt, it may be because it’s still difficult to describe his emotion in detail.

So she just nodded and smiled.

“That’s a good thing.”

Desian’s gaze was still on her.

‘At this pace, I think he’ll turn into a good person soon.’

He smiled, which wasn’t lazy but a pleasant one, and his answer was sincere with regards to his feelings. Citrina’s heart was filled with hope.

It was then…

A strange noise came from the lake.

*chapak chapak*

It was loud enough to annoy everyone who heard it.

Strange.

The sound didn’t come from the water when the wind blew. She has a strong feeling that there was something in the water.

‘What is it? A ghost? Corpse? Or a person?’ Her mind was filled with several thoughts.

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