Chapter 37 (1/2)

To Satisfy Your Desires

Stella bit her fingernails. She belatedly checked her broken nails and got annoyed.

“Trim it well…….”

Stella said as she called in an employee to get her nails trimmed again. In the meantime, she licked her lips anxiously after hearing that Karhan was meeting with Lilia.

She wasn’t relieved even when the Duchess of Evantheon said she would handle it… Until the engagement ceremony was held, it could be overturned at any time. She was even more anxious because the opponent was Lilia Bloden, who had a similar upbringing to her.

“As expected, I should warn the girl.”

Stella had a temperament that once she made a decision, she had to take action right away. When the employee finished trimming her nails, Stella got up from her seat.

“Let’s go to the Bloden mansion.”

Stella, who was in a hurry to head out, got into the carriage and headed for the Bloden mansion. How long was it going to run? Then, the wagon stopped.

“This is the entrance to the Blodon mansion.”

Guards stood in front of the huge gate. She hadn’t expressed her intentions for a visit in advance, so they didn’t open the gate. Rather, the guards seemed  suspicious when they saw a carriage stamped with the seal of the Delotta family.

“Tell Lilia Bloden. Stella Delotta is here.”

When Stella shouted proudly, one of the guards said.

“I’ll announce your arrival. Please wait a moment.”

“It could take a while,” the guard said. Stella waited in the carriage. After a long time, Stella, whose patience had reached its limit, burst into anger.

“Are you sure they went to ask for permission?”

When Stella burst out on purpose, the remaining guards said,

“They took a shortcut, so please wait a little longer.”

“Is there any shortcut to going inside?”

Stella got off the wagon and tried to argue. At that time, a guard came running on a horse from far away.

“They want you to enter.”

The solid gate smoothly opened. Finally, the carriage from the Delotta family entered the site of the Bloden mansion. The wagon ran along a line of large trees on both sides. It was neat, but toned down for a garden.

“There’s nothing much.”

Stella said, filled with pride, commenting that her garden is better. Everyone praised Bloden’s mansion for its excellent presentation, but rumors seemed to have been inflated.

After moving forward for a long time, she could see an arched entrance made of wooden vines and white marble. Lena, the maid who followed Stella, said with a very surprised face when she saw the sign,

“……It looks like a garden from here.”

Stella forgot that she was in the carriage and jumped up.

“Are you crazy?”

Asking what she had just seen, Stella turned her face towards the window. The scenery outside the window was endless. Well-groomed shrubs were arranged at a certain height.

All kinds of flowers bloomed in harmony on all sides, and waterways were placed parallel to each side of the road. Fountains located at regular intervals were enormous. It was the size and shape of a central plaza, not a general mansion.

When she lifted her eyes, she saw a huge dome made of glass. It was a greenhouse garden known as ‘The End of Luxury’. Stella’s house also owned one, but it wasn’t that big.

“Stop for a second.”

Stella, who was staring at the garden blankly, shouted. Stella, telling them not to follow her because she would take a quick look, then got off the wagon and started walking in the garden.

Stella was briefly mesmerized by the beautiful scenery. She seemed to have entered a painting. So far, she had thought that Delotta’s mansion was the best aside from the Imperial Palace. However, the Bloden mansion completely destroyed Stella’s assumption.

Stella, who was looking around in a hurry, walked deeper and deeper. She couldn’t stand Lilia Bloden being superior to her. ‘If I wasn’t superior, I thought I would be relieved if we were at least similar. For now, I’ll keep my eyes open and make the Delotta mansion the same,’ Stella thought.

“I hired a new gardener and yet… What flower is that?”

Stella saw the nameless flower.  The crimson petals with slightly curled ends fluttered in the wind. She really liked the unknown flower that resembled the color of her eyes. Besides, it was so fragrant that she seemed to like it better than the perfume she was wearing.

Stella picked the flower without worrying. She took out a handkerchief, wrapped the flower, and put them in her bag. She was going to show the gardener the flowers and ask him to change the garden. Stella, who was looking around the garden for a long time, suddenly thought she had come too far.

“…..Where am I?”

The direction could not be determined because there were flowers and trees everywhere. Stella began to look around.

“Is there anyone there?!”

Stella shouted into the air.

“Lena!!!”

But no answer came back. Stella tightly bit her lips. As she did this, she realized she had ended up in distress in someone else’s garden.  She had no choice but to walk blindly. Anyway, in the end, it was inside the mansion, so she thought a road would appear as she walked.

She walked and walked for a long time. It was hot and her feet were sore because of her shoes, and she was unable to walk anymore. Stella fell half way down on the spot and got annoyed.

“Why did you build such a big house…!”

The opponent of resentment was Lilia Bloden. Now, while she was at a loss for what to do, a firecracker broke out in the air.

Not too far away, a red light scattered with a popping sound. When she got up and walked toward it, there was a wagon without a lid. She thought that she had lived.

“Are you lost?”

The man who was driving the wagon saw Stella and asked her first. Stella’s pride was hurt, but she desperately needed help more than anyone else.

“Yes.”

“Get in.”

Stella, who got on the wagon, found a person sitting opposite her. Stella asked a woman dressed as an employee.

“Fireworks just went off. What are they?”