Proofreader: M_W Miss Fierce

Leo really thought that it would only be his parents leaving, but contrary to his thoughts, his fiancée, Elizabeth, was also going to leave as she still needs to take care of a lot of things back at the Snow Noble Household. She was the future Heir of the Snow Noble Household, so she, unfortunately, can't remain by Leo's side forever. But when they're predestined marriage finally comes, then it would be the day when they can finally be together forever.

Sitting on a flower garden somewhere in the hill nearby the Heart manor, Leo and Elizabeth were talking with each other to say their farewell.

"Do you really need to go?" Leo asked while showing a sad look on his face.

"Yes... It's my father's order." Elizabeth replied. She actually doesn't want to leave Leo's side, because she feels like it's much fun to stay by his side compared to becoming the future Matriarch of the Snow Noble Household. But unfortunately, it was her Fate to become a Matriarch from the moment she was born as Patriarch Vincent Snow's daughter.

"How about you stay with me for a few more days..." Leo can't help himself from suggesting.

"We have already requested that for many times. You should know already that because of all those requests the next time we could see each other would be 13 years later." Elizabeth shook her head. To be honest, she was supposedly going to return to the Snow Noble Household the same day Leo's parents had left, but because she wanted to be by Leo's side until he finally became happy again, she persuaded her father to stay with him a lot of times. With her father's character, of course, he agreed every time she requested, but when she asked for the 13th time, her father finally decided to refuse her. An addition of 13 days was the maximum limit of her request because their agreement for her request to be granted was a day more with Leo would be in exchanged for 1 year not seeing him. At first, she felt that this was unfair because 1 day in exchange for 1 year is nothing comparable. It's like in exchange for 1 coin she needs to lose 365 coins. But in the end, seeing Leo always being sad after his parents left, she finally agreed with her father's deal.

What Elizabeth doesn't know yet was, because of her action today, it resulted in Leo's assumption in the future of her being the person behind his older brother Reinhart's death becoming more solid. In Leo's mind at that time, if Elizabeth was really his fiancée and also wanted to be his fiancée, then why didn't she visited him all those years?

"That is just so unfair, right? You should be spending your days as a child in peace and fun!" Leo said, which was the same thought as what his older brother Reinhart used to say to him.

Hearing Leo's words, Elizabeth laughed weakly before saying, "My life is not like yours. I don't have an older brother that is always there to protect me and keep me away from harm. I only have my father, mother, and also you. On the other hand, the people in the Snow Noble Household are only either thinking of helping me to become the future Matriarch of the Snow Noble Household or pulling me down to the ground and step on me..."

"Then how about this, I'll replace you and become the Patriarch of the Snow Noble Household instead? Let me be like my older brother in your life!" Leo said while holding Elizabeth's hand tightly, showing his determination. He quickly added, "My older brother always tells me that my potential as a Mage is higher compared to everyone else, including him. So defeating those people that wanted to pull you down and step on you should be easy for me!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Elizabeth laughed loudly after hearing Leo's words before explaining, "Unless your family name is Snow, then you won't have the rights to compete for the Patriarch position. Just forget it, it's not like we can't meet again in the future, right? My father also says that, when the day of our marriage comes, it will then be the day when we finally have a say on the days we want to be together."

"You really sounded like my parents and older brother. Always thinking about the future than the present." Leo expresses while letting out a long sigh of resignation. Since it was like that, then what else could he say? Elizabeth was also correct that they still have a long time ahead of them. When that day of their marriage finally comes, the next day after that they can finally choose to eat ice cream all day, read a lot of books together for a whole month, and go to different places in an entire year. To exchange 13 years for a lifetime, hmmm... seems not to be that bad of a deal at all.

"You...!" Elizabeth pointed her finger at Leo in irritation.

Seeing Elizabeth's reaction, Leo let out a laugh before saying, "You definitely don't know this, but my older brother has heard from a reliable source that when I finally reached 10 years old, you and your family will come to the Heart Noble Household and officially announce our marriage. So, I guess we would be seeing each other again when that time comes, not 13 years later!"

Elizabeth's eyes immediately twinkled brightly before saying, "Is that true?!"

"Of course, my brother's source is really reliable, so you don't have to worry about its authenticity." Leo nodded his head.

"Then... did I just get scammed by my father? No, it should be. Did I just scammed my father?" Elizabeth can't help herself from asking.

"It's pretty much like that, hahaha!" Leo laughed again. But suddenly, half a second later, he turned serious before grabbing both Elizabeth's hand and looked straight into her eyes, and finally saying, "Until then, promise me that you will only choose me, okay? And in return, I'll promise you that we will become husband and wife. You will become my treasure and my most beautiful flower in this entire flower garden!"

Whoooosh!

Suddenly, a strong wind gushed through the entire flower garden, causing those flowers that can't hold on tight to their stem or the ground to fly up in the air, making the entire place like a beautiful scenery of dancing flowers.

Leo and Elizabeth were in the middle of these dancing flowers, looking at each other with deep affection within their eyes.

Slowly, a white rose drifted towards Leo. He quickly noticed this, hence he put his hand up in the air and grabbed the end of the rose's stem, to avoid the thorns, and right after he gave the white rose to Elizabeth while saying, "This white rose is like the color of snow, and thus it would be the perfect proof of my promise to you!"

"Did you just express to me that you won't bother being wounded by the rose's thorns just to reach me? Oh, you..." Elizabeth said while giggling and blushing.

Seeing this, Leo shook his head and instead explained, "You are correct with the latter words about me reaching you, but you're mistaken in the part that I will allow myself to be wounded by rose's thorns." He pointed using his lips at his hand holding the white rose before continuing, "See that, I'm holding the edge of the white rose, where no thorns are located, showing to you that although I will reach you, I will not do it in a troublesome way as letting myself be wounded."

Elizabeth's romantic mood was immediately shattered into pieces right after hearing Leo's unromantic explanation. Everything could have been perfectly alright if only this guy shut his mouth and let her believe those flowery words. There was nothing wrong with letting her, a little girl, believe those words written in fairy tales, right? But it seems like not everyone thinks that way!

Along with Elizabeth's shattered fantasies were the dancing flowers falling to the ground, seemingly like they are perfectly reflecting the current atmosphere.

Without any warning, both Leo's cheeks were immediately pinched by Elizabeth.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouchhh! What did I do, wrongggg!" Leo immediately exclaimed painfully.

"You destroyed my really perfect fantasies!" Elizabeth replied, showing her annoyance and irritation to Leo's action, "Even if you just shut your mouth and not reply, no one would definitely believe that you're actually a mute!"

"I..." Leo finally understood why Elizabeth was irritated and annoyed. It was obvious that due to his words, this little girl's romantic fantasies were shattered into pieces. But he obviously can't be blamed for that, since he's born this way and not like those romantic males of fairy tales.

"I can explain!" Leo quickly tried defending himself. But unfortunately, it was useless as Elizabeth only replied with her pinch becoming even more painful.

Of course, Elizabeth would not let Leo explain. Why? Would his explanation be able to piece together her already shattered perfect romantic fantasies? Of course, no, and it can never be pieced together anymore because the pieces were as tiny as grains of rice.

In Leo's mind, he can't help but remember his mother's words, "Woman is indeed the epitome of trouble!"