Seeking for Your Forgiveness

er.
There was still something that he couldn’t quite understand.

 

“According to the maid, Mrs.
Schneider left it there.”

“……Marianne?”

 

Kristoff lifted one of his eyebrows at the unexpected answer.
He stared intently at the purple flowers, as if it was Marianne.

 

Right before she disappeared completely, she left the flowers for him.
What’s the reason?

 

Marianne couldn’t have done it for no reason.
There must have been a purpose for this.
The problem was that he didn’t know what it was.

 

Tsk.

 

Kristoff clicked his tongue and had a frustrated expression.
He clicked his tongue again after realizing it had been a very long time since he felt this ambiguous feeling.

 

It felt as if a big wall was suddenly placed in front of him when he walked through the smooth path, it was as if the world had prepared this for him.
No matter how much he stepped up, he couldn’t see what was beyond the wall.

 

The moment when the light of despair dawned on his shining eyes.

 

Kristoff, who didn’t take his eyes off the purple flowers for a while, slowly lifted his head.
His voice came out rough.

 

“Martin.
What are these flowers called?”

“……I’ll call the gardener.”

 

Martin was bewildered by the unexpected question, but he skillfully managed his emotion.
He left the office again and returned in no time with the gardener.

 

Peter seemed very nervous upon the sudden call of his master.
He dropped his head while rubbing the hat in his hand.

 

“Peter, what’s the name of the flowers on the desk?”

 

Martin hurriedly asked on behalf of Kristoff before the man ran out of patience.
Peter looked at both of them alternately before walking to the front of the desk.

 

He replied confidently, as if there was nothing he could be afraid of.

 

“It’s snapdragon flowers.”

 

“Snapdragon?”

 

“Yes, the flower’s resistant to the cold climate, so it’s largely planted for ornamental purposes.
Colors not only purple, but there are also red, white, yellow…….”

 

“Enough.”

 

“Pardon……? Oh, understood.”

 

Peter, who was trying to show off his knowledge, paused and shut up.
He was worried that the snapdragon flowers on the desk would freeze to death because of Kristoff’s cold tone.

 

“You may go out.”

 

Peter nodded again with a relieved expression after hearing what Martin said.
Kristoff, who was lost in his thoughts and didn’t even notice the opening and closing of the door, suddenly rose from his seat.

 

He headed straight to the first floor.
He opened the door of the study room, and the room surrounded by bookcases came into sight.
Thousands of books were stacked densely in the high bookshelves that seemed to reach all the way up to the ceiling.

 

He was certain to have seen the book somewhere inside this room.

 

Kristoff clicked his tongue anxiously and scanned each book.
If he were to guess it right, he would find out what message Marianne left for him soon enough.

 

His irritated gaze moved quickly.
However, the book he was looking for was missing.
Once again clicking his tongue, he eventually stopped in his place.

 

“……”

 

Kristoff, who swallowed through his dry mouth, slowly reached out.
One book came to his hand in no time.
The book was something he wouldn’t normally look for.

 

Flower Dictionary.

 

He’d heard that the ladies gave flowers as gifts and as a way to secretly exchange messages through flower languages.

 

He couldn’t do anything.
How would they use it while keeping their mouth shut? He also remembered making a joke about it, “Do they use it only to gossip about others?”

 

Mrs.
Schneider, who was at the center of society, couldn’t have known that.
No, she might also give meaningful flowers as gifts from time to time to others.

 

A bouquet of flowers as congratulatory celebration for families, a bouquet of flowers as a sign of consolation for families who had a funeral.
Sometimes, even a bouquet of flowers that had a meaning of friendship.

 

He wondered about the message Marianne left to him.
What would it be?

 

Kristoff turned the pages of the book impatiently. Flap flap, the paper fluttered constantly.

 

Did she leave a hint about her whereabouts? Or is it a desperate request to look for her?

 

Kristoff’s movement stopped for a moment.
He finally found the flower meaning of the snapdragons.
The motionless Kristoff swallowed wryly before reading the letter with trembling eyes.

 

At the same time, his face was wiped of any expression.
As if he was caught off guard.

 

Kristoff carelessly lifted one of his hands to rub his chin.
He swept down his chin continuously like someone who was at a loss.

 

His eyes moved slowly.
They remained at the meaning of the snapdragon flowers again.

 

“Pride.”

 

That was her last message to Kristoff.
It was neither a request to find her nor a hint of her whereabouts.
It was only two letters, ‘Pride’.

 

Kristoff’s eyes, which were filled with hope, lost their light.

 

***

 

The cart moved past just under the window.
The rattling noise woke her up at dawn.
People who had a longer day than anyone else were already busy from the early hours.

 

She heard the dog barking in the distance.
When it barked, all the nearby dogs began to bark as well.
Marianne’s morning was a commotion, too.

 

The mansion where she lived was always quiet.
There was no noise that woke her up because the ruckus of the town couldn’t reach her residence.

 

She stood up leisurely, dressed up with the help of the maids, and chose a dress for the day.
After enjoying the meal that was so quiet even the dropping needle would be heard, she saw Kristoff off.
That was her morning routine.

 

“Well, what should I wear?”

 

Marianne looked into her closet and was facing a dilemma.

 

There were only five outfits hung in the closet, which was incomparably less than the amount of clothes inside her closet in the mansion.

 

They were purchased with money she borrowed from Marquis Schneider.