Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 12 Preview

Time flowed indifferently. The man always sat in that spot, gazing at the hut. On a dark, blizzard-ridden night, the man, who had been staring out motionless, suddenly stood up. A faint light shone from the hut. He didn’t even think to grab his coat before rushing outside. He stumbled several times in the deep snow, but his gaze was fixed only on the desolate place hidden by darkness and blizzard.

Snow, now indistinguishable in color, piled on his once deep brown hair. The man didn’t care that his expensive clothes and shoes were soaked with snow. When he frantically reached the hut and flung open the door, it was filled only with dust and desolation. He had clearly seen a light. A faint but persistent light that wouldn’t extinguish even in the blizzard, a light just like him. But the hut was merely shrouded in dark silence.

Unable to believe it, he called out the name he had repeated countless times between words he couldn’t utter. But nothing could break the suffocating silence except the roar of the bone-chilling blizzard.

With heavy steps, the man came out and looked at the cold stone buried in the snow, only its tip visible.

Ah.

Realizing belatedly, he impatiently ran his hand through his cold, damp hair. He stared at the tombstone until the sensation in his extremities vanished, submerged in snow up to his calves.

That was the man’s first delusion.

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When he opened his eyes, he felt tears streaming down his face. He seemed to have had a very difficult dream. A ridiculous dream, where he couldn’t even struggle in an unimaginable hell, slowly collapsing, miserable and painful, consumed by madness.

“Damn it. What is this sudden feeling?”

His solar plexus still ached, so he roughly rubbed his eyes with his palm and got up. Looking around, he noticed unfamiliar, luxurious interior decor. This was the count’s guest room.

Sitting on the bed, he rubbed his damp face again. Was it because he had slept in an unfamiliar place? He wasn’t usually that sensitive, but he felt strange. Though the room was empty, he was embarrassed that an adult alpha had cried over a mere nightmare, so he quickly threw off the sheets and got down.

He took a few deep breaths, ran his hand through his hair, which was fluttering in the pre-dawn breeze, and cast his gaze far away. From this second floor, he could see the rose garden not far off.

The sun hadn’t risen yet, so it was bluish, but when he first entered this room, its splendid grandeur had left him speechless. He could already smell the roses from here. He wasn’t particularly interested in flowers, but he did feel a little anticipation for that rose garden. Perhaps because it was a place that would give him new opportunities. He glanced at it again for no reason, and far off, between a row of trees, he saw a shabby building.

‘A shed? Or the gardener’s hut?’

In any case, it didn’t suit the splendid rose garden at all. A count’s family this wealthy would have numerous servants, and quarters or workshops for them scattered throughout the garden were natural. But they wouldn’t build them so visibly. It was usually concealed for aesthetic reasons, but that was none of Kloff’s concern. This mansion belonged to the Teiwind Count, so it was his problem to solve. Perhaps it was intentionally left that way due to the peculiar tastes of the count, as rumored.

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The giant trees reminded him of his hometown nestled in the dense northern forests. He had barely visited since coming to study abroad. He took a deep breath, shaking off the remaining irritation. There was nothing to smile about anyway, so he continued walking with a serious expression when someone appeared from the other side.

Slightly shorter than him, with delicate features, he appeared to be an alpha, yet he had a strange, sensual aura. His refined and elegant gait, combined with his handsome appearance, suited him well. He then spotted Kloff and stopped abruptly, looking very surprised. Even from a considerable distance, Kloff noticed his deep blue eyes trembling.

What is it? There’s no one else around.

He couldn’t understand why the man was so startled, as if he had seen a ghost, just by looking at him. Then, a gentle breeze blew his hair into his eyes, making him frown as he swept his hair back.

When he faced the man again, his expression had changed. The surprise from a moment ago had vanished, replaced by the faint smile characteristic of a noble. He was clearly an upper-class individual born and raised in the city. He walked with an elegant, light step, as if carried by the wind, and kindly began to point the way without being asked, “The rose garden is over there.” His words and actions were a little arrogant and rude, but they suited him so naturally that Kloff couldn’t even argue.

As he walked along the path, following the man without the usual polite small talk common in unfamiliar encounters, he felt a strange sensation. He had definitely never seen this person before. Quickly reviewing his short life, he found no instance of ever being involved with such a refined-looking city noble. But why did he feel so familiar?

“I am Kloff Bendyke.”

When Kloff extended his hand for a handshake, only then did the man look directly up at him. He wore a slightly awkward, blank expression, which soon smoothed into a polished smile. Then he extended a hand as white as his face and took Kloff’s.

“Aeroc Teiwind.”

Ah. Somehow, he had expected it. Not that he knew he was a count, but that such a distinguished name would be mentioned.

“Thank you for guiding me.”

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He worked late in the office. Recently, new clients had increased, and there were several urgent documents to process. Investment proposals to review had also piled up. He was about to handle a few more and go home when a visitor arrived late at night.

“Who is it, at this late hour?”

His attire was inappropriate for receiving clients, but the person seeking his office at this hour was hardly being polite either. In fact, it was fortunate that he didn’t immediately shout for them to leave. His secretary had already gone home, so Kloff had to open the door to the office, which bore the nameplate “Bendyke,” himself. It hadn’t taken him that long to open the door, but the incessant pounding, as if to break the door down, filled Kloff with irritation, and he snapped before the door was fully open.

“Are you in your right mind at this hour?”

“Ah, you were here after all.”

Standing in the dark hallway, dressed in a dark suit, was surprisingly the young blond count.

Kloff, surprised by his unexpected appearance, leaned his arm on the doorframe and stared blankly as the count asked with a slightly stiff, awkward smile.

“Do you have a moment?”

“What brings you here?”

Aeroc candidly revealed the purpose of his visit.

“I made an investment recently and lost money. It wasn’t a very big loss, but everyone kept urging me to meet you, so I had no choice but to come.”

“Losing enough money to buy ten ordinary houses in the Eastern Gem Mine and calling it ‘not a big loss.’ Indeed, the Teiwind family is remarkable.”

“…You knew?”

The count’s smile became a little awkward. Kloff leaned back against the chair, continuing his words.

“Rumors spread quickly in this industry.”

“Then we can get straight to the point. About an investment agent…”

“I’m not taking any more clients. My current client list is already saturated, and I certainly won’t take on troublesome clients who fall for flimsy investments that are practically scams.”

Kloff rested his elbows on the armrests, propped his chin on his hand, and looked up at him with a crooked smile. Aeroc, seemingly offended, pressed his lips together, then pulled a stiff letter from inside his well-tailored jacket, which accentuated his physique.

“What is this?”

“A recommendation letter.”

He took it and opened it. It wasn’t long.

It’s me.

Sign the contract without complaint. It’s all for your own good.

Derbyshire

That damned old man. Kloff clenched his teeth. A little force in his fingertips crumpled the expensive handmade paper. Seeing this, Aeroc frowned slightly in disapproval, then immediately smiled again.

“I have no desire to contract with a barbarian like you either. But refusing Viscount Derbyshire’s recommendation would be impolite.”

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“Did you get dumped?”

The words that blurted out sounded sarcastic even to his own ears. As a secretly flustered Kloff hardened his expression, Aeroc lowered the hands that had been rubbing his eyes and curved his lips into a smile. Turning his head slightly, he looked at Kloff only with the corners of his eyes and said with slightly trembling lips.

“I can get hurt too.”

He couldn’t understand the unexpected answer at all.

What is it? Did he really get dumped, or is something else going on?

Kloff said nothing, only gazing at the wet blue eyes. He couldn’t tear his gaze away. The shock was immense. No matter how much Aeroc wiped away his tears, they kept welling up, soon spreading across his face and dampening the back of his hands. Had he loved someone so much, and been dumped so badly, that he would cry like this? That arrogant noble, crying so piteously.

“If you’ve been hurt, wouldn’t it be better not to wander around late at night, steeped in an omega’s scent to the point of appearing as one? If a passing alpha mistakes you and gets involved, it won’t just end in embarrassment.”

Aeroc, whose tears hadn’t even dried, laughed again and retorted, “As long as it’s not you.”

He hadn’t meant it maliciously, but Kloff truly felt like he was losing his reason. He was already getting excited, and now with the vulgar scent that made his head ache, he almost lost control for a moment. He clenched his fists tightly. His bandaged hands hurt so much that it seemed to bring him back to his senses.

“It’s none of my business anyway, whether you’re an alpha or an omega. You can be as promiscuous with your body as you want. However, I hope you choose someone with smaller expenses.”

He finally managed to say what he had been meaning to say for a while. It was agonizing to look at him any longer. Why did he have to be an alpha? Kloff clenched his teeth and glared at the man. At that moment, the subsiding tears flowed again.

“What? Did you really get dumped?”

As Kloff sneered with a furrowed brow, Aeroc wiped away his tears again with his already damp hands. And without a retort, he turned away from Kloff and tried to leave. Perhaps it was his way of protesting the sneer, but he deliberately bumped Kloff’s shoulder as he passed, finally making the last thin shred of Kloff’s self-control vanish.

Kloff snatched the wrist of the man who had walked a few steps away.

“Hey!”