Diego's tattoos, previously hidden beneath his uniform, were now exposed in the intense sunlight, creating a striking image. His imposing figure, combined with the tattoos, added an extra layer of intimidation to his presence. Anyone who didn't know him would likely instinctively back away if they encountered him on the street.
But it wasn't just Diego; all of Cesare's knights exuded an air of inaccessibility. Having spent their lives as soldiers, they were formidable figures whom ordinary people wouldn't know how to deal with easily.
Eileen would have been frightened too, if she hadn't known them since childhood. This familiarity, however, allowed her to see the kindness hidden beneath their tough exteriors.
She smiled back at Diego, who winked at her playfully.
Unable to resist his gesture, Eileen let out a soft laugh. Diego, who was beaming with pride at his own grace, quickly resumed a more serious expression. Cesare, observing the interaction, gave a small smile before returning to his conversation with Diego.
Turning her attention to her father, Eileen noticed that his expression had become even more somber. He silently wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. Eileen hesitated before speaking:
— Are you working on the farm?
Unlike before, when he reacted rudely, the father remained silent. Faced with the silence, she insisted:
— How did you end up there? Did someone recommend you for the job?
Once again, there was no response. Although concern for her father should have been her primary focus, another fear began to surface.
'So, the house is empty now?'
Without anyone to look after it, the property would soon deteriorate. Eileen's thoughts drifted to the orange trees in the garden, rare and precious, a gift from Cesare. She decided that, as soon as she returned to the Archduke's residence, she would ask Sonio to find a caretaker for the house as soon as possible.
Her concern for the house turned once more to her father, who still hadn't answered her questions. Trying to break the tension, she commented softly:
I'm glad to see you seem well.
Ugh.
He grumbled disdainfully. Eileen didn't understand the reason for the mockery; after all, he really did seem healthier. Perhaps it was the new lifestyle. He no longer spent his days lying down or drunk. His once flushed and swollen face was now more naturally rosy, the dark circles under his eyes had disappeared, and his gaze was more focused.
'Maybe working on a farm isn't so bad after all...'
He kept the thought to himself, knowing the comment would only irritate him. Just as he was about to speak again, his father murmured something:
You have no idea, do you?
He wasn't looking at her, but at Cesare, when he spoke.
— It's always been like this. They kept you in a garden of flowers, making sure you knew nothing about the real world.
Even under the midday sun, her gaze remained fixed on Cesare, before slowly returning to Eileen. With a mixture of frustration and bitterness, she added:
— Your mother was the same. Why are you two so obsessed, no, so bewitched, by a man like him?
He looked at Eileen as if she were the most unfortunate creature in the world. And, with a click of his tongue, he concluded with an unexpected sentence:
Working on the farm is better than dying.
And he fell silent again. Eileen considered reprimanding him for using the Archduchess's name for his own benefit, but she decided against it. Arguing would only bring more contempt.
Eileen kept her gaze fixed on her own feet, while her father occasionally let out bitter laughs. The silence between the two seemed to stretch on, until Eileen realized that Cesare and Diego's conversation was coming to an end.
Diego's furrowed brow indicated that the discussion hadn't been easy. Frustrated, he ran a hand roughly through his hair, but, noticing Eileen's gaze, forced a smile.
Looking at Diego's smile, Eileen felt her father's words pierce her heart.
"It's always been like this. They kept you in a flower garden, making sure you knew nothing about the real world."
Cesare, Diego, the other knights, even Sonio, they all hid things from Eileen. But she understood that there was always a reason behind it. Everything was done for her, to protect her.
Her gaze fell upon the ring on her finger, a tangible symbol of childhood dreams. And yet, sometimes she felt it strangely distant.
Although Cesare wished to spare her the truth, Eileen sensed that he was waiting for the day when she herself would discover it.
She noticed the petals scattered at her feet, fallen from the nearby tree, and gently brushed one away with her shoe.
It had always been this way. Whenever she was alone in the palace, Cesare would take her to the garden. There, Eileen would spend hours enchanted by the plants, unaware that she was actually just waiting for him.
From the moment Cesare discovered Eileen's love for plants, he never forgot. He remembered details she herself had forgotten, ensuring that all her needs, whether she was aware of them or not, were met.
Eileen had grown accustomed to Cesare's attention since childhood. She found nothing strange about it, although she knew that, in the eyes of others, there was something peculiar about that bond.
Even now, without fully understanding the reality that surrounded her, she accepted everything, convinced that it was for her own good.
An average person might have realized something was wrong the moment they noticed an anomaly in their wedding ring or anything else.
But Eileen couldn't doubt Cesare. Raised within his protective embrace, she had never learned to distrust or fear the man. Her entire world existed within the walls he had erected around her, and outside of them, she simply didn't know how to exist.
While these thoughts consumed her, the conversation between Cesare and Diego came to an end. Eileen pushed away her complicated thoughts. Diego offered a respectful greeting and spoke.
— I will accompany the baron back, my lady.
— Mr. Diego.
Without thinking, Eileen called him. Diego stopped, curious about what she had to say, but Eileen herself wasn't sure.
— … Be careful on your way. And thank you for today.
In the end, he only managed a polite farewell. Diego smiled, perhaps finding his words timid, but bowed again before walking away. His father followed him reluctantly, with the expression of someone marching to their death.
Alone with Cesare, Eileen hesitated before asking:
Was it you who sent my father to the farm?
She knew her father would never have gone willingly. Someone had forced him—and there was only one person capable of doing that.
Cesare confirmed bluntly:
Do you want me to bring it back?
She should have demanded his release immediately, but the words got stuck in her throat.
Ultimately, Cesare only cared about a baron of such low rank because he was her father.
It was easy to understand why Cesare wanted to remove him from the family, to prevent his father from exploiting the Archduchess's name for his own gain.
'Maybe he should stay there a little longer… Who knows, it might even help him stop drinking.'
Although it was a thought she quickly dismissed, Cesare seemed to read it and said it for her:
— It seems the baron has adapted well to life in the countryside. Even the cattle have grown fond of him.
Cesare's words, though spoken with a veneer of logic, seemed almost absurd, as if he were saying it would be cruel to deprive the cattle of their new companion.
To be continued…