Edited by: bafflinghaze
The moment he came out from behind his gardenias, Sutton saw a well-dressed customer standing at the door with a blindfolded man behind him.
The customer’s hair was neat and inky black, reminding him of raven feathers taking flight.
There was an odd appearance of uncertainty on his face while he stared at Sutton, but it quickly receded to one of interest when his gaze fell on the flowers in his arms.
Sutton smiled sheepishly.
“Please hold on. I just need to put these down first.”
He gently laid down the flowers on a countertop and patted his hand on his apron, ridding it of pollen.
“How can I help you?”
He turned back to the customer and found himself meeting vermillion eyes shining prominently in the natural light of the store, akin to spider lilies.
The eyes creased and Sutton was stunned.
Like budding petals, the youth’s face opened into a little smile, the initial frost he saw on his face thawing like spring after the bitter winter cold. His lips parted to form words, but Sutton didn’t hear him, his mind in a daze.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
The pumping of his blood thrummed in his chest, weaving through his bloodstream and spreading from his heart. He found himself falling into a state of calamity.
Sutton had never seen a customer wear such fine clothes before. The youth exuded a cold elegance capable of drawing someone in, yet keeping them at a distance.
He didn’t fit with the backdrop of his humble shop.
The youth wasn’t devastatingly beautiful or handsome, but the ambiguity surrounding him when he smiled had Sutton’s ears flushing red.
“Ehem,”
Oh, yes. How could he forget the man standing behind the well-dressed customer?
He was an unusual sight, himself.
Blindfolded and perfectly postured. There was a subservient around him despite his charming smile.
If Sutton hadn’t known any better, it’s almost as he was in front of a noble and his servant.
But that can’t be possible, right…?
“Um, excuse me…”
“Huh?”
The customer titled his head in confusion.
It took Sutton an embarrassingly awkward moment to realize he was speaking to him.
“I’m so very sorry!” he quickly bowed his head in apology, “Can you say that again?”
Whether or not the youth actually came from nobility couldn’t be one-hundred percent certain, but Sutton always prided on his professionalism.
Oogling a customer in broad daylight right in his face is not professionalism!
The customer shook his head gently and let loose another smile as if he found Sutton to be an object of amusement, “No worries. I can see that you’re busy.”
For a moment, Sutton couldn’t breathe.
He heard the youth’s voice clearly.
Too cute! Way too cute!
The customer sounded like an aristocrat, but his accent was so soft and airy. Sutton wasn’t familiar with this type of accent and he’d had customers from the Hangul Kingdom during the yearly delegation festival. Perhaps he was a bourgeoisie?
Focus, Sutton! He’s still a customer!
Wiping his hands on his apron nervously, Sutton somehow found a way to form words.
“How can I help you today, Sir?”
The customer looked around for a moment and Sutton became anxious.
What if he didn’t like the plants in his shop?
Would he leave if didn’t think the flowers were up to par?
No! His pa’s flowers have always been placed in the annual Midsummer Pollen Competition. Their selections were both extensive and well-cared for. What was there not to like?
“I am visiting my mother. Do you have anything appropriate for a tombstone?”
Well, that killed the mood in an instant.
Sutton was a romantic. That should have been made clear from his overly descriptive observation of his customer and internal monologue. He inherited it from his Pa.
In his head, he could already see the story playing out.
A tragic and good-looking youth from a noble house who’d lost his mother when he was young had snuck out of his manor to buy flowers for her grave. Unwilling to be recognized by his cold father’s guards, he tried to dress low-key and only brought his most trusted servant with him.
How sad.
Sutton immediately felt immense sympathy.
He could relate.
Kind of.
But without the noble stuff and the guards and the servants and the cold father…
“We have a large selection of memorial flowers you can look at. Oh! These would look nice on the tombstones.”
Sutton brought the customer over to the funeral flowers located behind the store.
Standing in front of the selection, he asked, “Where is your mother buried?”
“St. Achilles.”
Ah. Then white will complement the scenery.
“It’s beautiful there. I’m sure she is at peace.”
The customer answered him with another small smile, “I really hope she is.”
Taking a pair of plant sheers, Sutton headed for the white flower section.
“White carnations are popular flowers for remembrance. Would you like an arrangement of those?”
He took out the pot of white carnation and showed it to the customer.
The boy looked at it for a moment, appearing contemplative.
“Can you also add white roses and larkspurs?” He suddenly asked.
Purity and Beautiful Spirit.
Sutton understood the language of flowers, and most likely, the youth knew it as well.
His mother must have been a wonderful woman.
“Of course!” He nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll get the bouquet ready for you right away.”
He picked up a few of each of the boy’s requested flowers and went to arrange them behind the store counter.
“Other than bouquets, we also sell lots of other plant-related products. We have a nursery in the back if you want to grow anything in the future. And seeds, of course. My Pa worked hard on that nursery since he loves flowers so much. It brings him joy when people decide they want to take home one of his sprouts.”
“Are all the flowers here grown by your father?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Each and every one of them. He’s got a green thumb that would have made Ma jealous. A little late now, but he’s working on making this shop her dream come true if she were still here.” Sutton smiled, albeit a bit tightly.
“Is it just you and your father, then?” The customer asked.
“Mm,” Sutton nodded, trying to focus on making the most beautiful bouquet in his life while chatting with an equally beautiful customer. And his servant, of course. Can’t forget the blindfolded guy.
“Ma died back when I was a baby. I don’t really remember her, but according to Pa, that winter was very harsh and she fell ill.”
The customer gave a sad smile and looked at the flowers on the counter. “I guess the two of us have something in common, then.”
Sutton’s hand froze.
What else could he say besides responding with, “I guess we do.”
—
Neo watched as Sutton wrapped the bouquet together with a ribbon and some paper before handing it to him.
“That will be five coppers.”
It took exactly five seconds for Neo to realize he hadn’t brought any money with him.
How embarrassing!
But…
He looked at the bouquet in his arms.
He couldn’t tell Sutton to return the flowers. The boy had already cut them off the stems!
Maybe Clark was right. He should have gone out and socialized more. Maybe then, he wouldn’t find himself in such an embarrassing situation!
For a near forty-year-old man trapped inside his sixteen-year-old body, he was still a failure of an adult.
Who the hell would forget to bring money when out in public?
A silver coin was tossed onto the counter.
“Please, keep the change,”
Behind him, Rainier stood with a small coin purse.
The emblem of the Odum Family was embroidered in the center.
Oh, thank the gods!
While Neo fought back the urge to sigh in relief, Sutton’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“But this is too much!” He protested, trying to return the coin.
Neo instinctively stepped back.
He underestimated how far Rainier was standing because he bumped into the servant.
The man peered down at him, blindfold meeting his gaze inquisitively.
“Sorry…” he apologized, taking note of the servant side-stepping a few paces so that they were at a more appropriate distance.
Feeling like he’d broken more than enough social taboos for the day, Neo turned to Sutton and offered an awkward smile.
“It’s a tip. You were good company and helped me make a wonderful bouquet for my mother.”
Sutton stared at him, uneasiness clear in his eyes.
However, he gave up and put the coin away.
“If you say so,”
Neo brought the flowers to his chest and gently held them like a precious treasure.
He bowed his head toward Sutton.
“Thank you very much for your service.”
“Ah,” hastily, Sutton returned the gesture, “Yes, thank you for coming. I do hope you visit again, Sir…”
Neo inclined his head. “You can call me Neo, Sir Graham,”
Sutton showed a shy smile, “Sutton’s fine. Sir Graham’s my Pa.”
Neo responded in kind, “Alright. Thank you, Sutton. I’ll be sure to visit again.”
Sutton watched as the youth left with his servant.
Once he disappeared out of the shop, he finally fell to his knees behind the counter, covering his face as he did so.
The flush he had tried so hard to mask finally surfaced on his face.
He lit up like a tomato as he smiled helplessly.
—
Neo was back inside the carriage with the bouquet still in his arms. He gazed down at the arrangement of white roses, carnations, and larkspur, and let out a wry giggle at the irony.
Mummy may have been a whore, one of the best whores of the red light district, and in no way was she as pure as a virgin, but…
He cradled the flowers closer.
In spirit, she was the best mother anyone could possibly ask for. Her body was tarnished, but her heart was not. She was a wonderful existence and beloved by many.
Besides, he thought, rather indignantly, it was not like all she sold was sex. The brothel house she worked at catered to the nobility. You would have had to be very rich to even see a glimpse of skin.
The industry may be looked down upon, but it was still considered a profession. Mummy had been educated. She was intelligent and refined and a favorite of the Lotus Garden. No one was allowed to touch her unless they were willing to sell a limb or two.
It was obvious one would need a lot of money to even have her sing.
Neo snorted at the thought.
Yeah. He was a son of a whore, alright.
But his mummy was beautiful and loved him and tried.
Not many people in this world could say the same.
“Young Master, we are here.”
The carriage came to a stop in front of a gate. Beyond that were the burial grounds.
St. Achilles Cemetery was beautiful this time of year. The flower trees were blooming and people would come to visit their loved ones while admiring the scenery alongside the spirits of the dead.
The area was private and gated shut. Only those with specific identifications could enter.
Neo hadn’t brought the necessary paperwork, but the Odum Emblem in the coin purse Rainier took with him should help him get inside.
Was he pulling a status move so soon after waking up in this world?
Perhaps.
Did he feel strange, knowing how well he was able to reintegrate into this lifetime so quickly?
Yes.
But Neo was done stalling. His mummy was just beyond the gate.
The carriage stopped on the side of the road, a few feet from the entrance.
The attendants guarding the cemetery took notice.
Neo ignored the bewildering stares and had Rainier help him out of the carriage.
The man smiled like the perfect servant and asked, “Would Young Master prefer me to stay behind?”
Neo shook his head, but then realized the other couldn’t see the head shake.
Or could he?
You know, he never figured out how that worked with Rainier. It was obvious that the blindfold wasn’t see-through…
“No. You can come with me. I need you to show them the coin purse.”
Rainier obeyed, “As you wish, Young Master.”
The master and servant pair headed for the entrance.
The attendants there looked at them with suspicion.
Neo didn’t really fault them for that.
Rainier was wearing a blindfold and he hadn’t been to this place since he buried his mother back when he was seven.
Both of them looked like shady strangers trying to break in.
“Can we have your names?”
Rainier brought out the coin purse and flashed them the Odum symbol stitched onto it.
“Nazareth Everette Odum,” Neo stated his name, “I’m here to visit Alouysia Webbers. It should be listed that she’s my mother.”
The attendants checked the coin purse for authenticity.
They still looked skeptical after they confirmed its validity. Finally, one of them asked, “Do you have anything more specific to prove your identity?”
Neo thought for a moment. How could he… Oh!
“Do you accept information about the cause of death? I can tell you about her profession. It was documented when we performed the burial ceremony.”
The attendants seemed to ease slightly, seeing as he was willing to compromise rather than throw a fit. They both nodded. One of them brought out Alouysia’s information from the back of the gate.
Neo begins listing out the information, in near verbatim.
“Alouyisa Webber. Age twenty-seven at the time of death. Cause of death was illness. She worked at the Lotus Garden Brothel House when she was still alive. She has a son out of wedlock with the Duke of Odum.”
The attendant nodded along as each piece of information was listed out.
Until they reached the last part.
“Your… Your Grace!” A fearful look appeared on their faces. The two of them began to lower their heads, performing a deep bow.
What bad luck it was to encounter the infamous bastard son of the Odum Family!
Nazareth Everette Odum.
They had assumed it was a joke.
No one really recognized the eldest Odum since he was so rarely seen in public.
According to the rumors, he’s made people disappear for offending him.
And his mother was buried in St. Achilles?!
The two attendants wanted to resign on the spot!
Neo watched as the two gatekeepers trembled in front of him.
He found himself at a loss.
“There’s really no need for that. Can I go in now?”
The attendants looked like they wanted to run away.
The moment Neo said those words, they hurriedly opened the gate and rushed him and Rainier inside.
—
Well, that was a very strange ordeal. Neo couldn’t tell if it was the deja vu kicking in. Had people always been so frightened of him in the past?
He silently vowed to make up for it. It was likely that his hands had already dipped themselves in blood at this age.
His memories couldn’t be trusted either, despite having one that is near eidetic. He repressed some of the greater traumas, mostly because it was the only way he could separate himself from Nazareth.
In order to reach his full potential, he knew he had to unshackle himself from the chains weighing him down.
Neo and Rainier awkwardly walked along the footpath that led through the cemetery.
Looking around at the rows of gravestones scattered through the burial site, he felt lost. None of these belonged to his mummy.
The feeling of dread built up in his stomach.
What if he remembered wrong and his mummy was actually buried somewhere else? Or did he bury her at all? Why was it suddenly so hard to remember? He had seen them lower her casket. Right?
“Is that her, Young Master?”
Before the anxiety could overtake him, Rainier’s voice shook him from his fears.
He turned to the servant and saw he was pointing at a small hill a short distance away. He had no idea how Rainier was able to pinpoint the hill, given he was blindfolded, but he knew the man was a very capable servant, blindfolded or not.
Atop the hill, a marble tombstone sat in the center of a dandelion field.
And just like that, the memory he placed in a neat little box sprang out like a music box.
He was only seven when he visited her for the first and final time. The ceremony was short. His father had bought the hill since it had one of the best views and commissioned a tombstone to be made, personalized with some kind of quote, proclaiming her to be a loving mother.
The hill had been an empty thing. There were flower trees and green grass, but no flowers grew from the ground.
He had snuck in several dandelion puffs growing from a filthy crack on the ground and scattered them around the tombstone for hours on end, planting them in neat little rows until Gareth came to bring him back to the manor.
He hadn’t visited after the funeral. In that lifetime, he refused to see her, too busy struggling to make his mark in Noble Society. He didn’t know the dandelions would bloom; wasn’t aware that his childish whims would bore any fruit.
Now, they covered the hill in yellow gold.
As he stepped closer, Neo noticed the obvious attempts at weeding the dandelions. In some areas, one could clearly see the way the soil had been uprooted.
This wasn’t surprising, seeing as dandelions were considered weeds. Ironically, they were quite resilient.
Neo was proud to see his mummy had one of the nicest looking hills in the cemetery, special and filled with sunny yellow flowers.
Was she… was she at peace?
Tightening his hold on the bouquet, Neo hadn’t noticed tears welling up in his eyes. He pursed, trying to keep the noise at the back of his throat from reaching the surface. He didn’t want to alert Rainier of his teary state.
He was a blubbering mess when he cried.
“That’s her,”
He told Rainier, voice hoarse as he felt a little lightheaded.
Rainier remained quiet for a few seconds.
Neo couldn’t help but think the two of them were strangely awkward when they weren’t playing their roles.
“Rainier, can you give us a moment?”
“Of course, Young Master.”
Rainier retreated to the very edge of the dandelion hill.
Neo climbed the hill toward the tombstone.
He laid down the bouquet and kneeled on one leg.
The incense pot in front of the headstone lit up, becoming aware of a visitor’s presence.
He put a hand on his chest and bowed his head.
He smiled.
“Hello, Mummy,”
The flame in the incense pot licked the edge.
It might be a sign that she was listening.
Plop.
The first teardrop fell from his face.
Like a cycle, the child returned to the parent after a long and haggard journey home. At long last, they met again.
He wiped his tears away with his thumb, and couldn’t help laugh at the state he was brought to by the sight of her grave
“You wouldn’t believe the adventure I just had,” he sighed, “last time I saw you I was seven, but you know, mummy, I didn’t visit you anymore after that.”
He wished he had, but knowing himself in the past, it was unlikely he would have ever lowered his pride to visit his mother.
He had been self-conscious of his bastard-hood, paranoid someone would use his mother’s identity against him.
“I died before I graduated from school. If you were watching over me those last few years, then I guess you must be disappointed. I died and was reborn in a different world and I learned so much, Mummy. There is so much more out there than this life,”
He became Neo Overland, the adopted son of an elderly couple, a well-known medical researcher in the field of medicine and science, useful, good, decent.
“I’m sorry, Mummy. I know it took you time to think of my name, but your naming senses have always been atrocious,” Neo admitted with a helpless smile. “I came back after working myself too hard. Who knew I could be so careless? I’m sure you would have beaten me with a slipper,”
He laughed a little and wiped some more tears away.
He imagined he was a bit flushed from crying, his eyes likely an awful sight with the way it swelled whenever he cried. Snot poured out of his nose in a dribbling mess.
He was well aware he was an ugly crier, which was why he had brought a handkerchief to wipe up the tears and snot.
“Ah, Mummy, I really miss you,” he croaked out, voice cracking when he called her.
“I promise I’ll do better this time, okay? I’ll repent for my crimes and make sure not to hurt anyone anymore, okay? I will help as many people as I can so I won’t disappoint you again… okay?”
The flames flickered.
Neo wiped his face, cleaning it as best as he could, and stood up.
He put his hand on his chest once more and performed a low bow, trying to smile past the rising tears in his eyes.
“Take care, Mummy. I’ll see you next time.”
He turned away and began walking down the hill.
The fire in the incense pot remained alight.
Between the lines of life and death, in a realm only few can see, a faint silhouette of a beautiful blonde woman with vermillion eyes sat upon the gravestone with a charming smile on her face.
Her eyes crinkled into crescents as she watched her son leave.
At last, her son had come home.
—
Rainier sensed the Young Master approaching.
“Are we leaving, Young Master?”
He heard him hum out an answer.
The Young Master bent down to pick up a dandelion puff.
“Rainier, can you take off your blindfold for a moment?”
There was a distinctive pause between them. The atmosphere shifted.
But…
“As you wish, Young Master.”
Rainier untied the blindfold. His eyes opened up and he gazed down at the other.
The Young Master looked like a mess.
He saw the boy smile at him, very subtle and demure, and then noticed the yellow flowers surrounding them. Miss Alouysia’s burial ground was quite nice.
The Young Master held a dandelion puff in his hand and was looking at him intently.
The servant raised a well-groomed brow.
“This is…” He wasn’t sure what to make of it.
The Young Master’s next words, however, cemented him to the ground.
“I’m going to remove those marks.”
The sudden declaration was abrupt. Rainier was caught off-guard before the words settled in.
His emotions began to fluctuate.
He felt anger, at first, but it gradually turned to scorn. In the end, he chose to be amused because what else could he do?
To this Scummy Troublemaker, he was nothing but a mere servant, thus, Rainier delivered a dazzling smile on cue. “Then, I shall wait for the day Young Master fulfills his promise.”
“Yes. Please wait for me.”
The youth nodded, almost childishly, and turned away. He held up the dandelion puff.
A multitude of dandelion seeds flew into the air and disappeared amongst the sea of yellow flowers.
Rainier watched as they scattered, unburdened by the world as they freely scattered.
The Young Master turned around with the brightest smile he had ever seen on his face.
“Let’s go back, Rainier.”
Rainier could only conclude one thing during this venture.
This Young Master of his was starting to become more and more interesting.
—
The ride back home was silent, but not uncomfortable.
Neo sighed, closing his eyes.
It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since he died.
He had forgotten how stressful it was to live in this world.
His sins continued to grow and fester. At age sixteen, his actions turned for the worse, but it didn’t mean he hadn’t already accumulated a body count.
Whether it was inadvertently or accidentally, Nazareth had killed people who got in the way of his schemes long before Sutton entered the Academy.
It was all to compete with that little brother of his.
But the way to happiness was no longer a title or status to him.
He didn’t find them to be appealing anymore after two lifetimes.
Happiness could only be gained through trial and error, and he’d learned that in his last life. Enjoying life as it was with those he had chosen to love may be the epitome of what happiness was and that was what he desired most.
He opened his eyes, his gaze falling to the window where the sun shined bright.
It was early spring, he reminded himself.
This time, he’d take a step back. He won’t fight anymore or scheme or kill. He won’t allow the blood of innocence to stain the ground of the Noble Academy.
He would live for himself and do what he wanted.
Perhaps he’d go back into medicine again, maybe grow his own herbal garden and do some research. Possibly build a greenhouse since pharmaceutical science was so lacking in this world.
He was no longer restrained by expectations.
The world wasn’t limited to the aristocracy.
He’d tasted freedom and happiness once.
This time, he’d find his happiness again.
—
Step 5. Meet the love of your younger brother’s life at a flower shop and go visit your mother’s grave.
Hmmm, which one is the ML? Rainier or Sutton? Or are there even more candidates? (ー_ーゞ
Well, I prefer Rainier for now uwu
I think it might be Sutton
+1
+2
I wouldn’t mind if both of them are….
Ahem… It’s a nobles society you know.. Ahem… 😅
ooh (⊙ˍ⊙) i mean, its possible
Nope I think Sutton and Rainier is just a normal side characters. I mean y’all know there’s a great introduction when a MC arrived( ╹▽╹ )
I think Sutton was the commoner who was mentioned as his younger brothers love (probably he’s the uke I guess)
kinda hoping its Sutton, he’s cute~
Why is the butler never the ml, a devoted and loyal guy who’s head over heels for you!? Like how does that not sound so appealing XD
I really liked this chapter (ღˇᴗˇ) thank you 💛💛💛
Did he just casually steal the love of is brother’s life… Without knowing it?
Oh boy, this is gonna be wild! Thanks for the wholesome chapter ❤️
I think he did 🤣
+1 I think he did. I just hope it’s not a Harem and even his brother falls for him.
Didn’t consider the harem route… But it would be interesting to see just how’d that work out
Who’s crying?!?!? Oh, it’s me.. o(╥﹏╥)o
+1 me too
crap, same here. i couldn’t stop sobbing. oh how i wish i could hug neo at this very moment
I’m sad about Neo’d past yet hopeful for Neo’s future.
Thanks for the chapter <3
I AM SO SAD BUT HAPPY
Es tan triste, pero hay esa esperanza de cambio, ojalá pueda disfrutar de esta tercera vida un poco más, que intentar expiar los pecados es bueno; pero no a causa de imponerse grilletes y la culpa lo consuma, hasta ahora todo hermoso.
En una noción aparte espero que el Ml no sea ni Reiner ni Sutton, no los puedo ver con ninguno.
Gracias por el capitulo.
( ˘ ³˘)♥ I’ll be with you every step of the way into your new like Neo
Oh my, poor Duque, continuing his lineage is gonna be hard, if only his daughter isn’t a homo can this household bloodline keep going, kkkkkkkkk
Thanks for the chapter!
Honestly speaking, the best way for Neo to repent for his crimes is for to just fucking die!
No amount of repentance will ever make up for the lives lost or the crimes committed!
If repentance worked, we won’t need prisons!
I cannot fucking read this story. Dropped.
didnt he die already? lol chill
That’s called taking the easy way out. Also, if you have nothing kind to say, please say nothing. The author worked hard to produce this story, the least you could do is give some constructive criticism before taking your leave, rather than be rude about it.
And author, I personally love how you wrote Neo! It would take probably his entire life to repent for his mistakes but I’m eager and keen to see him happy and at peace by the end of this story.
😊
I liked that his mother was actually there, in another form
Ah.. Him visiting his mother’s grave always gets to me TvT
Tysm again for another great chapter 🙏
I kinda feel like Rainer’s the ML, having to undo your mistakes and gain the trust and forgiveness of someone you’ve already wronged seems more romantic? Technically, Sutton hasn’t been hurt yet sooo idk
Oh dear, the grave visit scene had me in tears. Ah, Neo, we shall both cry big far ugly tears together 😭
On another topic. Could Sutton be the ML? But isn’t he Aura’s lover in their past life? That blush though, someone might be having a little crush on our family’s MC. Ooooo drama!
😍
I love how he acknowledge his wrong doing wholeheartedly, face what he did and try to do better. That’s beautiful
Really.. how can Rainer distinguish between the colours while blindfolded ??? I guess he knows magic.. 🤔
Is… is he going to build a harem. First, Sutton was called the love of his brother’s life yet Sutton flushed at his appearance a while ago. Rainier, his butler, said the most typical ML line ever: “Interesting,” and I therefore conclude that there are signs of another dense MC ‘unknowingly’ making a harem. Just kidding (。・ω・。)
Thank you for the chapter (￣▽￣* )
Atm I’m riding on Rainier’s boat