Since the conversation that day, Simon has begun to take the initiative.

Every day, he would bring flowers to Maria, carefully selecting the best bloom from the garden himself. After meals, he would invite her for walks in the garden, and when the mood struck, sometimes even preparing small gifts to win her favor.

It was a textbook approach for noblemen courting ladies of the time.

However, this was nothing new to Maria. During her studies, she had seen countless courtship methods.

Moreover, the gifts Simon prepared were always luxurious jewelry, which seemed to be the norm among the upper echelons of society. They believed that the more precious the...