"I don't believe in miracles" I murmured. "Only in hard work. But... if there's any chance at all, even the smallest one... I want to find it"
He took a step closer. Now we were almost at the same level, and I felt his presence like a thickened shadow.
"She had many chances to abuse your position, didn't she?" he whispered. "But she didn't"
I lifted my eyes to meet his. He knew. Maybe he always had.
"Evelyn is a good woman" I said. "Strong, despite her illness. Kind, even with every reason not to be. She's more... she's more than any of those noble families could ever understand"
"And that's why you grow orchids in the dead?"
I hesitated before answering. Then I nodded.
"If that's the path to saving her, yes"
He stayed silent.
Later, when I asked the vice-director about any hope, I saw something strange in his face — a look filled with nostalgia and sorrow.
"I looked into it. I even asked help from some old friends... but it's too late" He paused, voice low. "I liked her too. But the poison has already reached the marrow. If this were ancient times, maybe... but now, in this era, we have no means"
I knew it. Deep down, I always did. But hearing it spoken aloud... destroyed me inside.
"I understand" I murmured, trying not to show too much. But my voice wavered. And the silence between us spoke louder than any words.
He looked at what I had been doing — the garden, the coffins, the roots. The irony was cruel. While Evelyn weakened day by day… I grew stronger.
"You know, in our culture, the Ghost Orchid holds deep meaning" he began, his voice low, almost as if speaking to himself. "We used to receive them from our grandparents. It was a symbol of union. A connection that transcended time, the body, the soul"
I understood what he meant. And he realized I did.
"You'll only go through this once... so don't worry too much about what this old man says" he smiled tiredly. "Keep going"
I nodded. He looked at the open coffins, the twisted black roots spreading like malignant veins.
"Do you see this?" His voice sounded low, almost reverent. "Distorted. Cruel. Evil. The orchid reflects the soul of whoever was consumed. It's like looking inside them. Regrets, desires, pain… everything transforms into a link. A bridge between them and you"
I turned my gaze back to the garden, staring at those twisted plants.
I saw pain. Suffering. Regret. Hatred.
It wasn't life.
It was an irrational, endless darkness.
"Once you consume the sap..." he started, his voice low and heavy with meaning. "you change. Forever. Your soul intertwines with nature. You break your natural seals and become one of us. An eternal bond. In life… or in death"
The first drops of rain fell. They ran down my face, soaked into my clothes. The torch flames began to die out, one by one, but we remained standing there.
"Thank you" I said, my voice low, full of gratitude.
"I've been through something similar" he replied with a lighter tone, almost like advice. "You still have much to live. Don't lose yourself in emotions, don't let them control you, but learn from them. Use the pain to grow"
There was a strange comfort in those words, a faint glimmer of hope.
"Would you like some tea?" I asked, thinking of Evelyn. "She makes excellent tea"
"I'd love to" he replied, a subtle smile forming on his lips.
We walked together, side by side, toward the castle. The rain poured harder… but inside, I felt something warmer rising amidst all the darkness.
I hadn't thought much about Victoria's problems recently. My mind was consumed by something far more urgent — Evelyn's fragile health. As much as I tried to avoid it, I couldn't stop feeling that constant pain, different from the old suffering — it was a new, unshakable kind of pain. All I wanted now was to give her whatever happy moments I could.
We sent nothing to the noble court — no gifts, no attempts at blackmail or bribery. Gifts were never something we took seriously, and although they weren't forbidden, we decided not to give in. The situation ended up being somewhat amusing.
While the Spring House spent fortunes in donations trying to please the nobles of the court, we of the Udrak House remained idle, not lifting a finger.
In the end, even the dumbest among them realized this was just a tactic to buy time. Four entire months gained without spending a single penny.
Since there was no obligation, none of the local nobles dared to appear and demand their debts. After all, the court was supposed to be fair and 'impartial'
The result was predictable.
"You have been found guilty" my father placed the letter on the table.
I simply muttered 'Oh, how tragic' with an indifferent voice, still focused on gently stroking Evelyn's soft hair as she slept, her head resting on my lap.
"And now? What am I condemned to?" I asked, without taking my eyes off her.
My father took a deep breath before answering:
"The court sentenced you to take responsibility"
"And if I refuse?" My voice hardened.
"Well, we'll be at war with the Violet House" he replied, serious.
As I considered everything, Evelyn opened her eyes, yawned, and adjusted her vest, greeting my father with a tired smile.
"Can't we settle this with a duel?" she asked, trying to remain optimistic.
"Another waste of time" he answered firmly.
"For them, yes. For us, it's necessary time" I said, more to myself than anyone else. "You said you wanted the chance to prove your strength"
My father reflected on that for a moment.
Indeed, after losing an arm, the nobles began underestimating him, whispering behind his back that he was retired, that I was just a shield to protect him. But the truth was, despite the difficulties, his sword skills had undergone an incredible transformation.
I felt confident.
Still, my weakness caused problems. The barbarian tribes, for example, remained silent. If I were already a combat master, they would have acted immediately. But since the only combat master in our family was still my father — a crippled man labeled as 'weak' — they saw no reason to act seriously.
"Well... kill two birds with one stone" my father murmured with that proud air he always carried. He might have lost an arm, but he hadn't lost his dignity. He was a man, through and through.
"Berta, pick my swordsman outfit and help me dress" he requested, nose held high as if preparing to stand before a divine court.
Evelyn chuckled softly beside me.
"You're quite annoying when you want to be..." she said, with that tired half-smile. "But this will buy us more time"
"Three months, at most" I replied. "The news of our 'gifts' will reach the Spring House soon. I'd even like to see the leader's face when they discover we gave nothing. We might gain more time if they weren't behind this, but unfortunately, the world isn't fair"
She hesitated for a moment, her eyes fixed on some spot on the floor. When she finally spoke, her voice was low, almost reluctant to sound too anxious:
"Hey... I want to go to the farm"
"My mother's?" I asked, slightly frowning.
"Yes" she bit her lip before meeting my gaze. "Do you mind if we go check it out?"
That caught me off guard. Evelyn rarely asked for anything. Always discreet, always trying not to bother. That's why I couldn't help but smile — a genuine one, the kind that appears when you realize someone truly trusted you.
"Of course... but why now?"
She looked away, as if trying to organize a thought even she didn't fully understand.
"I can't really explain..." she said after a few seconds. "It's just... sometimes I get this strange urge to go back there. Like something is still out of place. Like I left something behind. Something I need to resolve, even if I don't know what"
"That's fine. We'll go tomorrow" I promised without hesitation.
"Thank you" she said softly. "I know you're busy with your studies... and with those plants"
"I'm in a calmer phase now" I replied. "It doesn't require much attention anymore. Just weekly maintenance. At this point, it's mostly a matter of time... and the right resources"
"Resources"... she knew exactly what I meant, but didn't mention it. She didn't need to. They were sacrifices. Flesh and blood to feed the roots of what grew beneath the earth.
The process was slow, and I wasn't in a rush. Still... I wanted a few days off. Not just to breathe, but to remember why I was doing all of this.
Evelyn was my Answers.