Chapter 9

Ah, what should I call this obsession—

****

It was the time when the buds of spring were just beginning to sprout.

On a day when the warm sunlight of spring enveloped the surroundings, the moment finally arrived—

Inside the grounds of the Moon Palace. On a peaceful afternoon, Glen moved through the neatly planted shrubs and flowers. Knowing that this was a botanical garden where medicinal herbs and precious plants were cultivated, Glen walked along the gravel path, careful not to damage the plants. Having just finished training, he had taken off his overcoat of the knight's uniform. Even without the black uniform, which was already too hot from the training, he walked with his shirt unbuttoned, not particularly concerned about his appearance. After passing through the botanical garden and proceeding further down a secluded path, the silence among the trees grew even deeper. At the end of this path, he found a small building with a full glass facade.

Glen opened the glass door gently with his large hand. At that moment, he felt a warm breeze caress his cheeks. Then, before his eyes spread a paradise of plants. Overwhelmed by the scene, Glen opened his eyes wide. Plants of various sizes, lush leaves, and blooming flowers. Some had just sprouted, while others had already shed their leaves. Not only those planted in the ground, but also vines hanging from the ceiling and plants floating in glass globes filled with water. The place, where plants were lined up in a narrow space, was a small greenhouse—a beautiful botanical garden.

In the midst of the plants, which should have been silent, a steady rhythm of "snap, snap" echoed through the greenhouse. Glen, hearing the sound—probably the sound of pruning shears used to trim the plants—slowly and quietly approached the direction where someone must be.

(There she is...)

In front of a low shrub, a person stood.

The person, wearing a dark blue outfit, was cutting the leaves of a small tree with a pair of white, slender hands. With each "snap, snap," the hem of the dark blue, well-tailored outfit, embroidered with intricate silver patterns, swayed. The outfit, which only magicians were allowed to wear, was a robe.

The magician—she was the one he sought, the female magician.

The small clue he had obtained led him to the senior magician, "Lunamoon."

Now, he couldn't see the face of the female magician. The magician, who was working, had her back to Glen, and he could only see her silhouette, which made him anxious.

Look at me,

Show your face,

Are you,

Are you the woman I saw under the moon that night—?

Unable to suppress his eagerness, words spilled out of Glen's mouth without his control.

"Hey, are you 'Lunamoon'?"

The woman, her shoulders trembling, turned around sharply.

With that movement, her long, dark gray braid, tied in a large plait, swayed gently.

The woman standing there was beautiful.

Porcelain-like fair skin, a tall, straight nose, and lustrous lips. Most of all, what caught the eye were her cool, gem-like purple eyes.

Glen caught his breath.

(Ah, finally, I found you)

Joy welled up in his chest. The rapid heartbeat, the overwhelming sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, and the exhilaration. Trying not to let her realize his feelings, he clenched his hands. Finally, he found her.

The magician "Lunamoon" was the one he had seen under the moon that night.

Unlike that night, this time he would firmly etch the woman, now exposed to the sunlight, into his memory.

The woman slowly opened her mouth. A pleasant, soothing voice reached Glen's ears.

"What is it...?"

The woman's expression, which had been one of surprise, quickly turned to one of caution. Glen, asked by the woman in front of him, regretted his rash action for the first time.

(I messed up!)

He had called out impulsively.

Feeling anxious and frustrated by only seeing her back, he ended up speaking. Initially, he only intended to confirm if the senior magician "Lunamoon" was the person he was looking for. He had planned to act cautiously, but before he knew it, the words had spilled out of his mouth.

To the woman, he must have appeared as a suspicious man who suddenly appeared. There was no way she wouldn't be cautious. Glen had no intention of harming her, but she couldn't know that. He needed to talk to her to avoid any misunderstandings, but when asked what he wanted, Glen hesitated to respond.

I want to confirm if you are the female magician I saw under the moon that night,

I want to see your face,

I have been looking for you,

I want to meet you...

But, he was hesitant to express these thoughts clearly.

These words seemed like—

(They sound like the words of a man in love...)

No, that's not it.

He was just curious, that's all. He had been somewhat concerned, that's all.

But, he found it difficult to express these thoughts straightforwardly. Should he say it, or not? His gaze wandered, and he hesitated to speak. From an outsider's perspective, he must have looked like a suspicious person full of ulterior motives. Realizing this, Glen scratched his head, trying to gather his thoughts.

(Alright, I've decided! I won't say it!)

Of course, he couldn't say something as embarrassing as "I want to meet you..." It would be awkward to explain why, and he wouldn't be able to answer if asked. So, he decided not to be honest.

However, since he had initiated the conversation, he couldn't avoid responding to the woman's question.

As he pondered what to do, his gaze fell on a tree beside her. The tree she had been pruning earlier. A tree with lush green leaves and many small red fruits. This was it! Glen met her gaze and tried to bluff.

"...Those fruits."

"Huh?" The woman's voice expressed confusion, but she quickly realized he was referring to the red fruits beside her. "These?" she asked, gently placing her white hand on them. The red fruits, without a single blemish, were fresh and vibrant.

"Um... Is there something wrong with them?"

"...They look delicious."

As soon as he spoke, Glen immediately regretted his words. At the time, he thought it was the best bluff, but after saying it, he realized it was a mistake. Haste makes waste, indeed.

(This makes me sound like a glutton!)

A wave of embarrassment welled up inside him. It was shameful to desire someone else's garden fruits. If he was hungry, he should go to the palace's cafeteria. For instance, the cafeteria of the Sun Palace, designed for knights who were always physically active, was open 24/7 to cater to the always hungry men. He didn't know if the woman in front of him knew this, but by saying "They look delicious," he was essentially declaring his greed. Fearfully, Glen turned his gaze back to the woman.

She slowly blinked her purple eyes several times.

Then, she slightly lowered the corners of her eyes.

For some reason, her cautious expression towards Glen had disappeared. At that moment, she must have believed his words, thinking, "Oh, he's just hungry, poor thing," and let her guard down. Glen, however, was unaware of this.

"I'm sorry, but you cannot eat these fruits," the woman said, gently directing her gaze to the red fruit. She explained that this tree, called a Ruko, had small, delicious-looking fruits that were not edible but could be boiled to make ointments for wounds. Then, she looked at Glen. Glen's black eyes met her purple ones.

"But, would you like some tea?"

She offered a small smile.

Tilting her head slightly, narrowing her gem-like purple eyes, and offering a small smile.

This change was very subtle and fleeting.

Seeing her smile, Glen's eyes widened.

(You can smile like that...)

He recalled the expression he had seen under the moonlight that night.

Sad, lonely, as if giving up on something, worrying about everything.

But, when she smiled, how different it was...

Why was he drawn to her, unable to look away?

Why did he feel so calm and peaceful?

Why did his heart feel restless?

Why did he wish she would smile more?

****

Nodding in response to the invitation for tea, Glen followed Lunamoon. The place she led him to was at the far end of the greenhouse. The area he stepped into was a small, open space surrounded by plants. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, brightly illuminating the area. In the center was a small table and a small chair. On the table were a few books, and on the chair were a cushion with a calm pattern and a coat-like garment quietly placed. The tranquil atmosphere of the place easily suggested it was Lunamoon's resting area.

Glen, offered a chair, sat down honestly. As he watched Lunamoon's actions, she was putting away the books on the table and handling the coat on the chair. Thinking she might be moving the coat to another place, Glen noticed her trying to put it on and couldn't help but call out.

"Why are you wearing a coat in the greenhouse?"

"...This is my formal attire," Lunamoon replied.

Hearing this, Glen recalled, "That's right..." The senior magician "Lunamoon" always wore a deep coat, rarely showing her face. The first time he saw her, even in the darkness of the night, she had her face and figure completely hidden under a deep coat.

Perhaps she doesn't want her face to be seen—

Why?

Why?

He didn't know the reason for hiding. But, he had already seen her face. It seemed pointless to hide it now. It felt like a waste, and he couldn't help but speak.

"Isn't it better without the coat? Isn't it hard to move in it?"

"...Yes, but..."

"We're having tea together, right? It's better to see each other's faces, isn't it?"

Indeed, they were having tea together. It was better to see each other's expressions while having tea. As he said this, Lunamoon hesitated. A feeling of not wanting to lose here arose, and he stared at her intently, with a sharp gaze that people often described as wolf-like. Thanks to this, Lunamoon flinched at Glen's words. As he continued to stare, she reluctantly nodded and put the coat aside, starting to prepare the tea.

(Quite skilled...)

Lunamoon's tea-making was smooth and efficient. She must often make tea herself, and she must enjoy it, he thought. Before he knew it, Lunamoon was in front of him, and he was surprised inside.

When he heard the soft voice, "Here you are," a cup of tea with an elegant pattern was offered to him. The steam from the tea carried a pleasant aroma, tickling his nose. Confirming that Lunamoon had taken the seat opposite him, Glen averted his gaze and lifted the cup with his rough hands, taking a sip.

To be honest,

He couldn