RVMPT Chapter 113

Chapter 113 

Once again, it felt silly that she had asked for a whole week to think. In truth, she had made up her mind during the night.

She had gone to bed, but sleep never came. Every time she closed her eyes, Harold’s voice echoed in her ears.

“I love you, Diana.”

The trembling at the end of his words when he confessed love, the warmth in his eyes, the way his gentle smile made her whole body tingle—all of it hit her stronger the more she remembered it.

Even hiding under the blanket or burying her face in the pillow didn’t help. Her heart kept pounding, her body burning with heat, and she couldn’t sleep at all.

Eventually, she gave up on sleeping and sat up. She wanted to cool off outside, but Harold was holding her hand in his sleep, so she didn’t want to disturb him. Instead, she rested her chin on her knees and stared out the snowy window, sorting through her thoughts.

That quiet moment made her feelings even clearer.

She realized it wasn’t just that she had gotten used to physical affection during his treatments.

Why she enjoyed being around him, why she felt nervous around him, why she couldn’t stop thinking about him—
It all pointed to one simple truth.

“I’m in love with Harold.”

As the morning sun rose, she finally reached that answer and ended all her confusion.

After that, she slept deeply for the first time in a while. Even the strange dreams that had haunted her for days didn’t return.

When she woke up feeling refreshed, she realized those dreams—usually about her embarrassing childhood—probably came from her fear that maybe Harold didn’t love her the way she thought.

Maybe, now that she was sure, they wouldn’t come back again.

***

“Diana, why are you staring at me like that?”

“I was just thinking about yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

Harold tilted his head slightly. Then he went, “Ah,” and smiled.

His almond-shaped eyes curved gently, and his large hand cupped her cheek.

“I love you, Diana.”

He whispered sweetly and gave her a soft kiss. Smirking, he asked in a low voice,

“Was that what you were thinking about?”

Diana smiled shyly, thinking how he always caught her off guard.

“Hmm, maybe. It’s a secret.”

“Hm. So you were thinking of something else.”

“Maybe I was. Maybe not. Harold, do you know the name of this flower?”

She playfully pointed at a purple bell-shaped flower.

“That’s campanula.”

“And that one?”

She pointed at fluffy pink blossoms that looked like cotton candy.

“That’s astilbe.”

“You know the one next to it too, right?”

“That’s jasmine and delphinium.”

He answered them all easily.

Of course he knew. When he gave her a look as if asking “why the quiz,” she slowly asked,

“Harold, do you know what the flowers mean too? If you get them all right, I’ll give you a present.”

“Then I better get them right—I’m very curious about this gift.”

Harold looked at the first flower she pointed at—campanula.

“Campanula means warm love, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

He then looked at the pink astilbe and kissed her curly hair.

“Astilbe means the mystery of love and romance, or charming love.”

“Right. What about jasmine?”

“Jasmine means the joy of love. And also, you are mine.”

He added that it was one of his personal favorites.

Diana smiled, thinking that sounded just like Harold.

“And the purple delphinium?”

“Delphinium means I will make you happy. The purple kind also means love.”

Their eyes met in the air, soft smiles shared between them.

“Diana, what’s the gift? I really hope it’s what I’m thinking.”

“The gift is—”

Smooch.

Diana stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. It was light and sweet.

Harold gave a crooked smile.

“Was that it? I’m not complaining, but it’s not enough.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist, and the mood shifted—like he might lift her up and claim the whole “gift” right then and there.

But this time, Diana wasn’t flustered. She grinned and played along.

“Oh please, like that’s all. I’m not stingy, Harold.”

“So I can expect more?”

“Of course. That was just the gift wrap.”

She tapped her lips playfully and winked at him.

“A gift wrap only I get to open, huh?”

“Maybe yes, maybe no. Anyway—let’s go sit over there.”

Diana gently tugged Harold toward a bench in front of the central fountain.

Harold followed her without complaint. They sat together on the bench.

From inside the glass greenhouse, the snowfall outside was perfectly visible.

Diana looked up, thinking how nice it would be to watch the stars here on a clear night.

Then she turned back to Harold.

“You said all the flowers here are mine, right?”

“Yes. They’re all yours.”

Diana gazed at the garden full of flowers with romantic meanings and then looked back at Harold.

“Then what if I give those flowers back to you, Harold?”

“That depends on what you mean. I don’t suppose you’re returning them.”

He followed her gaze around the garden, smiling knowingly.

“Why don’t you explain a little more, Diana?”

The two leaned closer. Their hands brushed, then intertwined naturally.

She placed her free hand on Harold’s cheek.

Her heart fluttered again, just like yesterday. The warm greenhouse air felt even warmer.

She gently stroked his cheek and looked up at him, just inches away.

“Harold.”

She had thought hard about how to say this.

But in the end, she realized being honest and direct was best. Nothing hits the heart more clearly than simple words.

“Me too. I love—”

Just as she was about to say “I love you,” a loud horn suddenly echoed through the air.

“…What’s that sound?”

“….”

Diana looked around in surprise, while Harold’s face turned serious and his eyes narrowed.

“Looks like I’ll have to hear the rest later.”

He stood up quickly and started walking. Diana hurried after him.

Then she froze at the sight beyond the glass windows.

The 1st Imperial Knights, wearing golden uniforms with the royal emblem, surrounded the entrance to the greenhouse.

Why is the royal guard here?

Before she could recover from the shock, one of the knights opened the door without permission.

The captain of the knights entered first, smirking at Harold.

“Duke, were you hiding here like a rat?”

Other knights followed, surrounding Harold and Diana. Their hands hovered over their swords, ready to draw at any second.

“Captain, I suggest you watch your words. Are the royal knights threatening the head of House Baisen and his wife?”

Harold shielded Diana and glared coldly at the captain.

The captain raised his voice boldly.

“This isn’t a threat. It’s an official action. We received a report that the Duke is preparing to rebel.”