The Engagement of the Baron of Flowers and the Withered Tree Lady. - Chapter 32

The Engagement of the Baron of Flowers and the Withered Tree Lady.

Chapter 32: The Withered Tree Lady and the Gentlemen of the Special Forces

“Hey, I should have asked earlier, but can you dance other dances besides this waltz?”

“Well, sort of. After coming to the earl’s house, my father arranged for a private tutor to come. Although everyone didn’t seem pleased, they must have thought it would be bad if my father found out. So they didn’t interfere. How about the baron?”

“The baron?”

When Romand raised an eyebrow playfully, Julia shyly spoke in a small voice.

“I’m still not used to calling you Lord Romand, and it feels a bit embarrassing. Calling you Baron feels more comfortable, like before. Is that okay?”

“Well, it’s fine. I also feel shy when you call me Lord Romand.”

“And calling you ‘you’ is also embarrassing. But maybe it’s better than calling you ‘thou’…”

“Understood. Then let’s go with ‘you.’ Sorry for the lack of consistency.”

“No, it’s okay…”

They looked at each other and chuckled. Onlookers narrowed their eyes at their intimate behavior, especially the older crowd, while many young women glared at them intensely, and young men locked onto them like predators.

…As I expected…

As Crown Prince had worried, Rufie and Robert, who had been guarding the happy couple from a slight distance, sighed in exasperation within their hearts.

“I’ve managed to learn the basics of dancing, but honestly, I’m not particularly fond of it. Dealing with the dance instructor and all the complications that come with it… Well, dancing with Julia is enjoyable, so next time, I’d like us to practice together before dancing. I don’t want to embarrass myself, you know.”

“So true. I don’t think I can handle any more dancing today either. I’m not used to wearing heels, so it seems like pushing it any further would be too much.”

As Julia replied, she couldn’t help but imagine Romand’s bewildered expression while reluctantly dancing with the dance instructor, causing her to chuckle.

After completing their first dance as a bare minimum, they quickly moved to a table before anyone could approach them. Then, Romand was approached by a man.

“Romand, I didn’t know you could dance. I was surprised since I’ve never seen you dance before. And you seem skilled, too, as if you’re used to it.”

“Thank you, Viscount Hassan. I can dance at an average level, though it’s not my specialty. However, I made a promise to dance the real first dance with my fiancée.”

“Oh, I see. So the young lady by your side is your fiancée, huh?”

“Yes, allow me to introduce her. This is Miss Julia of the Woodcliff’s Earl’s family, my fiancée. Julia, this is Lord Rings of the Hassan Viscount’s family, a colleague from the special forces (Green Spirit User).”

The sudden casual tone surprised Julia and Viscount Hassan, but soon they both burst into laughter.

“Nice to meet you, Lord Hassan. I am Julia of the Woodcliff Earl’s family. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Julia gracefully performed a flowing curtsy.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Julia of the Woodcliff Earl’s family. I am Ringutz Hassan. I engage in forestry at the northern border and occasionally serve as a member of the special forces (Green Spirit User).”

Viscount Hassan began by speaking in a small voice, as if not wanting others to hear. Then he continued in a normal tone.

“By the way, it’s the first time I’ve heard that the Woodcliff Earl has such a young lady. How did you become acquainted with the debutante flower baron? You’re the newest member of the special forces (Green Spirit User), right?”

He uttered the words with a mysterious tone, but it seemed more like teasing rather than contempt or sarcasm.

“She has been a childhood friend and my first love. So, I pleaded desperately with the Earl to approve our marriage.”

The young viscount, with straight brown hair tied back and a refined face, appeared to be in his early thirties. Despite his slender figure, he had a sturdy physique, perhaps due to his regular mountain hiking.

“Childhood friends, you say?”

The viscount wore a curious expression, which was understandable. Until this day, no one would have known of her existence… Julia thought to herself.

“Yes. She was born with a weak constitution, so she lived in a recuperation facility near my territory. We happened to meet there.”

Romand casually explained according to the scenario written by the Woodcliff Earl.

In truth, Julia was not a frail child at all. She used to run around the grasslands, wanting to ride on reluctant large dogs and donkeys. Blushing deeply, she involuntarily looked down.

However, Viscount Hassan, who was rather timid and introverted himself, thought of her as a timid and shy girl with delicate health. Although she had a healthy complexion and vitality, she appeared quite slender.

“Please call me Ringutz, Miss Julia of the Woodcliff Earl.”

“Well then, please call me Julia as well.”

“Ringutz is actually longer and harder to pronounce than Hassan, Ritz senpai.”

Romand chuckled, and Viscount Hassan smirked and said,

“I don’t mind being called by a nickname, but I thought you might not like it… Is it okay?”

Then voices started to chime in from around them.

“In that case, call me Niko, Miss Julia!”

“I’m Blue!”

“I’m Mac!”

“And I’m Ferl!”

Julia and Romand were surrounded by many young men and women who wanted to talk to them, but four gentlemen made their way through the crowd and approached Julia and her group.

And at that moment, a thin moss-green curtain covered the area around their table like a dome.

“Huh?”

Julia couldn’t help but exclaim as she looked around, and the gentleman who introduced himself as Mac earlier nodded as if understanding.

“So, you can see this defense shield after all. That means you’re one of us, our comrade.”

“That’s right, Captain Maximilian. Didn’t you see the coronation ceremony earlier?”

With an exasperated tone, Viscount Hassan asked, and the gentleman known as Mac or Maximilian replied.

“Since Ferl-kun and I were guarding with our backs to the stage, we didn’t notice.”

“I saw it. The flower crown lit up, and the roses bloomed instantly. See!”

As the gentleman nicknamed Blue looked at Julia’s flower crown, Mac, also known as Maximilian, and Ferl growled in agreement.

These four gentlemen, like Viscount Hassan, were members of the special forces (Green Spirit Users) and were companions of Romand, who protects the royal capital’s forest.

The one who erected the defense shield to ensure others couldn’t hear their conversation was Mac, also known as Marquess Maximilian Sandbeck. They were a family that had been the guardians of the royal capital’s forest for generations.

And he was the captain of the First Special Forces, to which Romand was assigned.

He seemed to be in his late thirties, a handsome man with blond hair and green eyes, and as expected of his prestigious background, he had a gentle and refined demeanor.

As for Blue, also known as Count Brooklyn Gasser, he was a young man in his mid-twenties with dark green curly hair, and he had a friendly and amiable face.

He also seemed to have a wide-ranging farm business and jokingly mentioned that they were rivals with the Plant Baron family. Although they didn’t cultivate flowers, they mainly grew grains.

And then there was Ferl-kun, also known as Fermeel Larson, the son of a baron and the same age as Romand, at nineteen.

His family mainly engaged in dairy farming.

It was said that their horse breeding and training skills were the best in the country and that they were the official suppliers to the Royal Knights.

“Um, aren’t your wives here today?”

Julia asked with a bit of hesitation. Since she had the opportunity to meet the members of the special forces (Green Spirit Users), she thought it would be nice to get acquainted with their wives and learn about the mindset of being a wife.

Then, Marquess Sandbeck seemed to understand Julia’s thoughts and answered with a kind smile.

“Unfortunately, we are here for work today, so our wives are not present. Besides, our wives are not aware of their husbands’ special missions. However, since our families have always been involved in agricultural work, we have had connections for a long time.

As we became close as families, our wives started to complain and vent about their busy husbands’ absences, and now they have regular tea parties. So, I think you’ll receive an invitation soon as well.”

“Is that true? I would be delighted to receive an invitation. I’ve never had the opportunity for socializing, so I would greatly appreciate any guidance you could provide.”

Julia, who had been nervous all along, let out a sigh of relief and smiled. The gentlemen couldn’t help but feel a warmth in their hearts at her lovely expression.

However, at the same time, they couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of concern and sympathy. They wondered if such an innocent, naive, and frail girl could navigate through the world of those formidable and experienced women.

These gentlemen would soon come to learn more about the true nature of Julia.

Indeed, while she may not have a deep understanding of aristocratic society, she knew far more about the world in a broader sense than they did.

She knew about the cruelty and abuse she had endured from her conniving aunt and fake cousins.

She may appear thin due to not being provided with proper meals, but she was by no means frail or weak.