Chapter 24

“I die here without doing anything, I die in my father’s hands, but it’s the same for me.”

If there’s even one hope, if there’s even a little force that won’t let her die, she’ll hold on to it and drag on.

Pride doesn’t matter in the face of death. It is also a privilege of a living person.

All she had left was one thing, desperation.

“…… Have you finished talking to Sir Gray?”

“Father, there are talks of engagement, but it isn’t official yet? I’m fickle, everyone knows, so don’t be hasty.”

“Mary, I still don’t want you to be engaged to Lord Gray.”

Her father looked at her with a worried look. Even if she is such a stubborn daughter, she must be a child.

Mary, who resembles her mother, is the only daughter of the Emperor.

‘You were still receiving a lot of love.’

Regardless of the form of love or in any way, she was loved. Guilt came again. He tried to avoid his father’s gaze and smiled faintly.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be hurt by anyone.”

“Do you believe Archduke Arthur can save you?”

“I don’t trust him. But that’s all I have, so I’m just deceiving my mind and eyes.”

“What brought the maids together as soon as you arrived.”

Of course, she expected it to hear about it. She smiled broadly without any malice on her face.

“I was just curious. I get jealous a lot, right?”

“…Mary.”

“Then, can I leave now? Because I’m not feeling well.”

“You should do that.”

Carl followed his father’s wink. She could feel Carl’s gaze behind her without saying anything.

As if to resent her, no, he was clearly drawn with an entangled expression of anxiety and complexity.

“Carl, why do you like me?”

“……That’s not fair.”

His expression of denial looked painful. He must be resentful of her asking him. His eyes sank as if blaming himself for asking why he couldn’t even spit it out.

Even though his hands, who were anxious about her falling, were showing everything about how he had a certain distance behind her and how he felt, she asked him a cruel question.

“Carl, leave this place.”

“Princess Mary Anastasia.”

“Get away from me.”

She can’t give him happiness, so get out of this boring place and find happiness. Carl, she wanted him to take off his shackles and spread a bright smile on his face.

Standing in front of the door, she couldn’t look back.

Carl’s hand, holding her fingertips narrowly, was shaking, so she didn’t dare to face Carl, who would be crying with his head buried in her back.

“So don’t hold me in your heart anymore.”

“I’ll just keep it to myself. I won’t reveal it to others or want the heart of the Princess.”

“Carl.”

With such a distorted face, don’t talk in a submerged voice. Her heart is down enough, so let’s not get tired anymore.

This may be her selfishness. Even though she knew his mind, she had to choose Arthur. Because he will be able to give her the life she wants.

Arthur was a person who would only be sad up to that point even if she died.

She’s not Mary anyway, so to Arthur, she was just one of the countless Mary. It doesn’t matter to him who she is. But Carl is different.

“……please let me see it from the side, no, from the far end. It’s okay to just see the back for the rest of your life, so please don’t push me away.”

Maybe if she met Arthur and didn’t hear his story, she might have fallen in love with this child.

But she said cruel things to Carl again. It cuts through his heart and engraves a bigger wound again.

“Oh, okay. It’s been a long time since I hugged you, right?”

“…….”

“Today will be the last day to hug you. This will be the end of the relationship with me and you.”

Turning around, she put her hand around Carl’s neck and kissed his lips. Little by little, she stroked his lips and waited for his mouth to open.

Carl’s face was captured in her eyes without closing her eyes. Tears flowed endlessly from Carl’s eyes. His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her away.

“It’s the last goodbye gift I can give you, won’t you regret it?”

Without answering the question, Carl put her hand on his heart and asked.

“Princess, can you hear me?”

She heard it. She could feel his heartbeat, on her fingertips clearly.

His heart, which was beating harder than ever, seemed to show that it was alive.

“To love, to have someone in your heart is not that simple, nor can you finish it at once.”

“…….”

“Meet someone who will make your heartbeat, or feel alive.”

Carl carefully steps back from her and smiled brightly with a tearful look.

“If you just remember me because there is someone who loved you, even a guilty feeling about me in the corner of your heart..….”

She gave Carl a sincere smile for the first time. Her heart contains a small heart for him, who will be the first and last.

“That’s enough for me.”

***