EEA Chapter 31

Clint had thought that since they were both men, when Cyril came, the two of them could comfortably drink together. However, the atmosphere was not like that at all. Cyril said he didn't want to leave the castle empty for long, so he would just check the castle walls and military management, teach Clint how to manage the territory, and leave for Yuliana at dawn the next day.

I can really tell whose older brother he is...

Standing on the castle wall, Cyril gave Clint the necklace he had requested and asked,

"Why is an item from the Rishers family at Yuliana Castle?"

Clint answered as he received the necklace,

"After Captain Ron passed away, I thought everything I had should be sent to your lordship's family. Since he saved my life and passed away."

"......"

"It was originally an item I inherited to give to my wife when I had one. But since Ailea really became my wife, I made this request knowing it was rude."

"How interesting."

"I'll send Lady Sophie other jewelry of sufficient value."

"That child has no interest in jewelry at all. If you're going to send something, please send a good sword."

Clint nodded that he would. Cyril continued,

"You said Ailea's illness seems to be a curse, right?"

"Yes."

"If you need help, please let us know anytime. If there are those who attack our family, we're always ready to counterattack."

"...You seemed to dislike me."

"Yes, honestly, I don't particularly like you. But this is for Ailea's sake."

At Cyril's firm words, Clint flinched.

"That's... right..."

"I'm grateful that you seem to cherish my younger sister."

Just as Clint was finally about to straighten up at his praise, Cyril's nagging immediately followed.

"But from what I heard from Ailea, I think you need to become a bit more sincere."

"Yes, I understand, Captain..."

About to respond "Captain sir" to Cyril's nagging, Clint rubbed his face vigorously with his hands. He resembled Ron too much, so the words came out wrong. Cyril smiled and said,

"I often hear that I resemble my father."

"You really do resemble him. Well, when I look at my wife sometimes, Captain Ron comes to mind. Though my wife is much prettier, of course."

As Clint spoke smoothly, Cyril smiled.

"Ailea always only sent us letters saying she was doing well since she was young. They were filled with how much the Crown Prince loved her and how much she loved him."

"......"

"I was young then too, so I believed it as it was, but when I thought about it after growing up a bit, it was strange. When I asked what parties were like, she couldn't give detailed explanations and only said they were splendid and fun. When I asked how the Crown Prince treated her well, she only used expressions like he was considerate and smiled well."

"......"

"Even after I learned that all of that was lies, I was so exhausted just from guarding Yuliana Castle that I couldn't do anything for her. Then from two years ago, I finally had some breathing room and asked if I could visit, but Ailea said it would make her uncomfortable if I came to the Imperial Castle, so I shouldn't come. She said to only come for the wedding. I think that's around when she contracted the illness."

When Cyril first saw Ailea's condition when she came out to greet him, he felt like his vision was going dark, but he had pretended to be fine because he was afraid Ailea would be surprised if he reacted strongly. Now that he knew Ailea had received no love at all at the Imperial Castle, he felt like his blood was flowing backward.

He took a deep breath and said to Clint,

"But... the content changed a lot after she got married. She started writing a lot of detailed content about what she did and what was good about it."

"......"

"She looked truly happy. Especially when she first said she received a proposal... Wow, after seeing that letter, I wanted so badly to see that child's smiling face."

"......"

"For the first time, it said let's meet soon."

He smiled brightly, recalling the happiness of that time. Clint asked,

"May I read the letter?"

"I brought it anyway, so you can keep it. I've read it so much that I've memorized it all."

Cyril handed the letter to Clint.

The two men's conversation ended there, and afterward, they only talked about work-related matters. When Clint tried to escape with jokes because he was bored, Cyril would nag him, and somehow Clint couldn't move.

Since Ailea said she wanted to talk more with Cyril, Clint stepped aside so the two could have a conversation and returned to his room.

Clint plopped down on the bed and began reading Ailea's letter.

'To my beloved Brother Cyril,

Brother, I received a proposal today. Sounds unbelievable, right?

I think I'll probably break off my engagement with the Crown Prince and marry Captain Clint Rishers. Fate has decided it that way. Do you remember when we were young, father would sometimes say when I cried that he'd marry me to that troublemaker in the knight order? Words really do come true. If father were alive, wouldn't I have met this man earlier?

Until now, I don't think I really knew what love was. I entered the Imperial Castle too young.

But now, I feel like I'm gradually learning what love is.

Prince Roylin is also a good person, but I'm going to try living with this man. He's a wonderful man. He's mischievous like you, brother, but warm. When I asked him to marry me first, he said proposals should be made by men and knelt before me.

In that moment, the emotion I felt when he asked me to marry him - I'll never be able to fully convey it to you, brother. How can I express that happy feeling...

Brother Cyril, what I believed was happiness until now has become nothing compared to the emotion I feel now. I'm truly a lucky person.

I got so excited that I only talked about myself. I'll write again soon.

My family that I miss so much, I'll invite you when I go to Excalize. I hope you'll come see me soon.

May my happiness today reach all the way to Yuliana Castle.'

After reading the letter, Clint was speechless for a while. He headed to the room he had given to Cyril. As he was waiting in front of that door, Ailea, who had finished talking with Cyril, came outside. She discovered Clint and asked with a surprised expression,

"What are you doing here?"

"I can't sleep well."

"Really? Brother kept trying to send me away saying he was tired."

Ailea said with a pout. When he brought her to her room and let her in, the cat jumped down and approached Ailea. Ailea picked up Blue and asked Clint,

"If you can't sleep, would you like a cup of tea?"

"No, go to bed early. You're not feeling well either."

Then silence fell for a moment. Ailea averted her gaze. Being alone together reminded her of the previous night's lovemaking. As if knowing her feelings, Clint also looked toward the window and said,

"You should have rested today."

"Ah..."

Ailea nodded.

"That's right."

At her answer, Clint smiled embarrassedly, and Ailea also laughed as if it had been a joke. It became quiet again, and Blue, perhaps uncomfortable with the atmosphere, jumped out of Ailea's arms. On the nightstand in her room lay the blue ribbon Clint had used when he proposed.

Clint looked at Ailea and asked,

"Why did your heart change after marrying me?"

"Pardon?"

"From what I heard earlier, it seems your family had been worried because you said you wouldn't meet them. They were very happy to receive a letter saying let's meet soon."

"......"

"Even though your illness hasn't particularly improved, why did your heart change?"

At that question, Ailea made a troubled expression.

If my family knew that I had been cast out to an outer castle with such blotchy skin, how heartbroken would they be? Those spots that are ugly even to my own eyes - how much would they hurt their hearts?

She had originally thought she would die before even reaching her twentieth birthday. Then she met Clint, and so she didn't die.

Ailea answered,

"Because my heart became at ease."

"......"

"When I think about living with you from now on, somehow my heart became at ease."

When Ailea was with him, her heart truly became at ease.

Even when she feared how her husband might regard her disfigured body, in Clint's presence—where he looked at her without prejudice—she simply became what she had always been: an ordinary person. One human being, one woman.

She continued, "I've decided to live for a very long time. I'm going to live until I become a very old grandmother. So I thought I shouldn't avoid my family anymore. I can't go my whole life until I'm old without seeing my family even once. That's why I changed my mind. That's why I was so happy when you first suggested inviting my family."

"......"

"But you see, even with this body, I want to appear happy to my family."

Ailea smiled with her eyes and said playfully,

"I'm sorry, but I can absolutely never divorce you. No matter what happens. Even if you fall deeply in love with someone else."

"......"

"I want to appear happy, so I can't divorce you. I'm sorry."

'But now, I feel like I'm gradually learning what love is.'

That's what was written in Ailea's letter. Clint truly wanted to know the feeling she had experienced then.

What emotion did she, who had been lying about love since she was very young, feel in that moment?

Clint hoped that Ailea would become someone who could describe love more brilliantly and vividly. That became his wish at this moment.

Usually, Ailea would speak seriously and Clint would make mischievous jokes.

But now it was the opposite. Ailea had joked, and Clint spoke with a serious face without the slightest smile.

"About divorce - I won't be the first to bring it up."

At his words, Ailea's eyes widened slightly. He continued,

"I'm also at ease during the time I spend with you."

"......"

"And the love I've had until now wasn't that intense."

Clint looked at her with deep eyes.

"Well, I don't think I'd lose you over such trivial emotions."

Clint didn't realize he was declaring Ailea more precious than any love he'd known before. He remained oblivious to how she was becoming irreplaceable within him. He, who had never taken romance seriously, simply didn't notice.

But Ailea, who was listening, was different.

She understood his words exactly as they were.

However, she thought it was probably one of the sweet words that womanizing man always said.

She shouldn't be curious about emotions like love. She shouldn't want him. Even as she made up her mind like that.

When she was with him, Ailea kept becoming curious about love and wanting to know about him.

Constantly.

She wanted to love.