CH 67

“Francis that jerk promised me not to kill Herace in the first place. He promised me not to touch her! But what did he do? To him! He sent that precious, pretty child to that filthy illegitimate son?”

Even if she were to be arrested for insulting the Emperor right away, Ulysses held no fear and spouted curses on the Emperor. Charles managed to catch his mother, who was screaming and throwing a fit, and settled her down on the bed. Ulysses caught her son by the collar while breathing heavily and floundering her arms and legs.

“Charles, take Herace and run away right now. Leave the Empire! You don’t have to come here, so take her to another country! And never set foot on Anais. You two live happily ever after, okay?”

Even when she was first brought here, she didn’t show such a desperate expression. Charles, who never saw his mother losing her composure said, held back tears.

“Mother, I can’t do that. Herace is already…….”

The voice full of tears was filled with grief.

He also wanted to be by her side more than anyone else, so that he could forever care for her. He wanted to close his eyes looking at her face and see her after opening his eyes for the first time in the morning. He also wanted to spend his days under her loving care. A hot tear fell from Charles’ eyes.

“……She married Brother. Brother will make her happy.”

“Argh! No! No! Argh!”

As soon as Charles finished speaking, Ulysses screamed and struggled again. And just in time, they heard the sound of the lock opening, and the knight came in.

“Time’s up. Come on out.”

The knight kept his calm face even when he saw Ulysses running wild like a maniac. He gestured at the back, and two women suddenly entered the room. They pushed Charles away and pressed the arms and legs of Duchess Ulysses. Charles nodded at the knight, who was urging him to leave the room to wait a moment and got close to his mother again, who was overpowered by two women.

“Mother, I won’t be able to see you for a while. But I’ll definitely come back, Mom. So please…….”

“Oh, my God. It’s Daphne! Daphne! Argh!”

Despite her son’s farewell, Ulysses was busy looking at the ceiling and crying with her eyes open. When the knight urged him again, Charles looked at his mother with sad eyes and kissed her forehead.

“……take care of yourself.”

***

“Go abroad for a few years. When things are sorted out and words about Ulysses die down, I’ll call you back.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Poor child.”

“…….”

“I can’t forgive your mother. That illegitimate child is different from Edward.… Tsk! But you, poor Charles. Poor thing.”

“…….”

“Ezekiel… …I would have relieved you of your burden if it weren’t for the Duke’s request. What could I do? That’s how things turned out.”

“…….”

“Leave as soon as possible. Travel and go around. You’ll forget everything when you see the vast world.”

Charles, who met the Emperor, visited Serpence Castle for the last time before leaving Anais. To see Herace. To see his ex-fiancée, who is now his brother’s wife, one last time.

‘I’d rather she be happy with Brother. If she was with me, I might have hated it.’

Just in time, Ezekiel had left the castle for subjugation. Charles looked at the fewer knights and soldiers than usual, and entered the castle but then came out familiarly. And after a few days of hesitation, he finally called out Herace.

“Herace.”

“I’m sorry, Charles. I’m so sorry. It’s…….”

However, as soon as he saw Herace apologising, Charles regretted his choice. The Herace he had last seen in the glass greenhouse remained the same. The friendly blue eyes and the red lips that always took his breath away were still beautiful. Charles hated this emotion, and hated himself more.

‘She still looks just as pretty as I remember. I should have been disappointed in myself. Why am I still…….’

The capital was still warm, but the north was as cold as his heart. Charles stared at Herace and deliberately turned his head away and rolled his eyes. The snow was piling up outside. He managed to opened his mouth as he looked at Herace reflected on the greenhouse glass wall.

“Things have come to this, but I understand you. I would have done the same if I were you, Herace.”

Herace’s eyes widened for a moment and filled with unshed tears. Charles turned his head and approached her as tears dripped down her face. Then he spoke in a brighter voice than before as if comforting her.

“He’s a good man. Unlike me, Brother has the power to protect you. So, Herace, you don’t have to feel guilty about me.”

“Charles…”

Don’t cry. Charles said in a small voice, but Herace began to cry, calling his name. Don’t be so sad. Charles slowly raised his arms while looking at Herace’s trembling eyelashes and tight lips. Then he held her small body in his arms and began to comfort her.

“Don’t cry, Herace. What should I do if you cry? I’m gonna be a pathetic guy who makes a woman cry.”

“I… I, Charles, I…….”

Charles’ hands moved incessantly. The hands that stroked Herace’s black hair and patted on the back were friendly.

“Shhh. Don’t cry, Herace. Will you smile at me please?”

Herace barely raised the corners of her mouth to the voice ringing in her ears. Charles playfully tapped Herace’s lips and raised his thumb to wipe her wet eyes.

“As expected, you look better with a smile. When you cry, your eyes droop down. You don’t look good with tears.”

In Charles’ eyes, Herace would be beautiful no matter what expression she had. But Charles didn’t want her to cry. Since he was young, he has seen Herace shed tears too many times. So when she cried, his heart was always numb and unbearable.

“Now, look here. I’ll clean it up for you.”

“It’s all right, Charles…….”

Charles gently grabbed Herace’s face as a habit. But Herace shook her head and stepped back. Regret poured in when she avoided him but couldn’t say anything either.

When Herace shook her head, Charles faltered for a moment and immediately held his hand back. It was based on the judgment that if he did more than this, he would appear to Herace as a burden. But as soon as he took his hands back, Herace, who was stepping back, lost her balance and her body tilted aside.

“Ah?”

“Herace!”

Charles, who ran to her with a jump, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him. His face was full of relief as he let out a small sigh.

“Herace, I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but your body is too weak. So, how did you come here?….”

“My body is fine, it’s just that the floor was uneven. Did you forget? I used to run much better than you, Charles.”

The scene of childhood together came to mind in the two’s. On the green grass, they would run barefoot, regardless of the nagging.

“I lost on purpose. Because I was a gentleman and you were a lady.”

“Lie!”

Forgetting that she cried, Herace laughed out loud at the pleasant memory. And at that moment, Charles’ kind face hardened. He glanced at the smile on Herace’s face and pulled away. Surprised, Herace looked up at Charles.

“……I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for saying this to you, Herace…… I can’t stand it without telling you. Because this will be the last time.”

The man’s voice was mingled with tears. Herace blinked and opened her eyes wide when she saw the tears in Charles’ eyes.

“Charles…”

As they grew up together, she rarely saw Charles crying. The only time he cried she remembered was when she accepted his proposal.

“Herace, I love you so much. I’ve always loved you.”

Confessions similar to those in the marriage proposal followed. However, even the similar words were completely different from then. Charles, who was crying with expectations and happiness at that time, was full of resignation and sadness now.

“Charles, I’m….”

Herace took a step back from Charles with her mouth straightened. She couldn’t accept his heart. She already had someone else.

“……I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for you, but I can’t accept your heart. I… I love my husband, Ezekiel.”

Herace said firmly, shaking her head. Her face was full of pain. She gulped seeing Charles crying and continued her cruel words calmly.

“I’m telling you now, Charles, but you must have known that beforehand. I’ve actually been…….”

“Stop.”

Charles, unable to resist, raised his hand. Slowly raising his head, he approached her as he looked at Herace’s eyes with a wet face. He smothered the frown on her face with a gentle touch as he said.

“I know what you mean. So stop it, Herace.”

“I’m, I’m sorry. Charles, I’m sorry…….”

Herace, who was biting her lips, couldn’t resist and burst into tears again. She intentionally tried to spit out cold words, but when she saw Charles’ face, all she could say was sorry. When she cried again, Charles patted her back again. However, it was clear that the touch felt less familiar than before.

“……actually I’m leaving Anais soon. I came here today to say goodbye.”

As Herace’s cry subsided to some extent, Charles announced the purpose of today’s visit with a calm face. Herace asked in a trembling voice, though she had guessed from the moment she entered the greenhouse that he had come to say goodbye.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know yet. After I leave Anais, I’m going to travel to the South and get on a boat. I’m going to take the first boat that I see. I’ll see where it takes me.”

“But you have to decide the destination. If anything happens…….”

Herace looked worried at the unplanned remark. Then Charles bent down, adjusted his height with her, and said in a light voice.

“Don’t look like that. Traveling was one of my dreams. I’ve never been anywhere but the North or the capital……. Wherever I go, I’ll buy you a lot of souvenirs when I come back. What do you think? You’re looking forward to it, right?”

“Yes……”

Herace replied reluctantly. Charles was surprised to see her small hands awkwardly pressing on her stomach while tucking her hair. He alternately looked at Herace’s face and stomach with a look of surprise.

“Herace, do you happen to…….”