Saving the Two of Us Before the Fall (A Villainess Regression Fantasy)

11. Appropriate Words

Osriel felt more relaxed in her presence after her kind gesture that day. Ariadne could only hope that the words she offered to him after that would make him strong to stand against those kinds of people. She later learned the name of those kids, Galen was Osriel's cousin, while the two kids were his second cousins—the lanky one was Marken, and the short one was Linno. She could not help but sigh when her maid, Arissa, told her about it. How can their parents let them have that kind of rotten personality? She hoped never to encounter those three for the rest of their stay in the palace.

Ariadne glanced behind her and saw Osriel with a baffled expression as they were near the entrance to the palace library.

"So, what are we doing again here in the library?" Osriel asked behind her. "You told me we are doing something fun?"

"That's right, so that's why we are doing something that the two of us might enjoy," she said.

Osriel stopped following her and said, "but today is my free day, and I may do anything, and reading books is not on the list."

Ariadne had almost gasped at what Osriel said; it was something that the Osriel she knew would not say. She knew him as someone fond of books, especially if the subject was economics and politics.

"Why don't we just play outside? Are you not tired of being alone in this library?" He said as he glanced toward the towering shelves of books.

Ariadne thought about it. Perhaps his studies are really ludicrous for him to desire a break.

"If that's what His Grace wanted, then we should go outside."

When Ariadne said it, Osriel's face brightened in excitement. He turned and sprinted in the hallway. For a moment, Ariadne was lost on what she should do. If Osriel hadn't looked back to shout at her, she would not have even thought of chasing after him.

Thankfully, I decided to dress lightly this day. She thought as Osriel got further and further away from her. Why does a kid like him have such a long stride?!

Outside, a cold breeze welcomed the two of them. But since their body was already warm from running, it did little to make them shiver. Osriel only stopped running when they reached the marble fountain at the center of the garden. Both had labored breaths, mist forming every time they exhaled the air in their lungs.

Ariadne wasn't sure where the young duke would bring her, but it might be the most intimate thing that he might share with her in this life. Perhaps a secret place, a tree that he grew himself, or a bed of flowers that he planted. But no matter how small it was, this would still be part of her progress toward her goal.

They finally stopped when they reached the large pond before her. The pond was 30 meters in length and 15 meters in width; it had an irregular side that slowly eroded in time. Legends said that this pond was part of Aladriel's experiment to create a portal to Genia Eljare, or the Land of Sinners, for him to recover the soul of her dead wife.

The path there was not cobbled but instead made of dirt. Bushes with flowers of different colors were blooming close to the pond. There were also patches of tulips among the shrubs of wild grass and flowers. Towering trees with thick foliage of red and orange leaves surrounded the pond, which made the place resemble a clearing in the middle of the forest.

In the breathtaking scenery before her, something caught Ariadne's attention; it was the white Gazebo that stood on the western area of the pond.

The duke crouched on the edge of the pond and stared intently at the water's calm surface. Ariadne had wondered what the duke was looking for. She planned to follow what he did, but midway through crouching, she felt eyes behind her. Ariadne stopped and turned only to see the silent and empty garden. Did my instinct just fail me? Or I am just too stressed to imagine things that weren't there.