TFLMLD 74

Chapter 74

The Returning Macaron

Looking into Eve’s teary eyes, I felt as though I might start crying myself, so I turned my gaze away and instead held her hand. Her tears fell fast and heavy onto our joined hands.

“Please, Eve.”

After a long while, Eve finally lifted her swollen face and looked at me.

“All I’ve ever done is receive from you, Madam… If you leave like this, what am I supposed to do?”

“How can you say you’ve only received? Do you know how much strength you’ve given me just by being here?”

After some time, Eve finally managed to stifle her tears. She pressed them back and forced a small smile onto her lips.

“Don’t worry about here. I’ll handle everything just fine.”

“…Thank you.”

“But you must come back. You absolutely must.”

I couldn’t bring myself to answer that. Because I knew I couldn’t.

After sending Eve away, I fidgeted with a magic device that I hadn’t even wound, restless at heart. When I finally tore my eyes away from it, I noticed a letter left by the carrier bird. Breaking the seal, his neat handwriting filled my vision.

“So the Empire’s victory is nearly at hand?”

That morning, the Imperial newspaper had reported that the army was still in a standoff. Some journalists even claimed they were trapped in a dilemma, and I had worried… But since Macaron himself was confident, I felt reassured that things weren’t truly dire.

The thought of leaving Macaron, who had tried so many new things because of me, made my chest ache. Yet I did not regret it. This was my way of loving him.

With a tight throat, I read the final lines of his letter: “There are things I must tell you, but I will say them only when we meet.”

A confession, surely. Yet I would likely never hear it.

I spent hours lost in thoughts of Macaron before shaking my head and forcing myself back to work. There was still much to put in order before I left, and if I didn’t keep busy, only sorrow filled my mind.

I worked without rest—organizing the children’s allowances, planning Coral and Kai’s academy schedules, finalizing the servants’ payroll and postings. Recently, sleep had eluded me, and having idle time felt even heavier than exhaustion.

So I worked through the night again. Before I knew it, dawn had broken.

Warming myself at the stove against the winter chill left me overheated, so I stepped out into the garden. The icy air cut into my chest, and the bitter emptiness became a part of me.

As I wandered, I thought only of Macaron—the paths we had walked, the words he had spoken, his whispers of love, the times he lay resting his head in my lap, the trees whose shade sheltered us.

He was everywhere. Every season, every moment was colored by Macaron.

Now snow lay thick on the great tree that once swayed with the soft spring breeze. Its blossoms of frost seemed to tell me: You cannot go back to the past you knew. The day you must leave him is near.

My knees buckled under the weight of that truth, and tears spilled endlessly as I leaned against the railing.

When the sun rose again over Craide, new tidings came with the morning.

“The Kingdom of Mitnut has surrendered under the Empire’s pressure…”

My heart dropped.

Already? It has only been a month… how…?

Disbelieving, I reread the headline over and over before reading on.

“Mitnut had long been a thorn that could not be removed. Previous battles had failed due to terrain disadvantage. But this battle ended differently. At the center of victory was the brilliant strategy of His Highness Macaron…”

My hands trembled around the paper.

And then it all struck me at once.

Macaron is alive. He is coming back.

I had expected this day, but not so soon. The news was so sudden it left me dazed.

Only when flags celebrating victory were hung across the domain did the truth sink in—the war was over. The sight filled me with joy, yet also left my chest hollow, as though a hole had been carved in my heart.

It only meant my departure would come sooner. But the emotions were overwhelming.

Since Mitnut had surrendered the previous week, Macaron could return as early as tomorrow, or at latest next week. If I was to leave before he returned, I had to hurry.

Thankfully, I had already arranged the household matters. All that remained was to finish packing.

When I arrived here, I had only a few things. Why did I now have so much?

Sorting through them, I realized just how much Macaron had given me. For a moment I thought of leaving it all behind, but no—erasing every trace was my last duty.

How much would he grieve, knowing I had left? I prayed he would cry less and smile more, even as I erased every memory we had shared.

At last, I packed the winding magic device and left my letter on the table. I had rewritten it dozens of times, its words pressed deep with finality. By the time he read it, I would already be gone.

Leaving the room with bitter thoughts, I walked down the long, empty hallway bathed in shards of sunlight.

The Craide estate was peaceful, indifferent to the turmoil in my heart.

I passed through the eastern annex and reached Coral’s room. The dreamcatcher swayed above her pink door, a gift from Macaron. Ever since, she had been free of nightmares.

Please, let it filter me out too.

Even knowing it was selfish, I prayed again and again.

Carefully opening the door, birdsong covered the faint creak of hinges. Coral lay asleep in soft morning light, as always.

My beautiful daughter, whom I could never tire of. The thought that I would never see her like this again made tears stream down my cheeks.

I remembered the day we first arrived—Coral begging me not to abandon her, me clutching her tight in the carriage, crying together. I had promised never to leave her… and now I was breaking that promise.

I wiped my tears quickly. When the dreamcatcher’s feathers rustled in the wind, I held my breath, fearing she would wake. Gently I pulled the blanket up around her and brushed her hair tenderly.

Mommy will be far away, but I’ll pray for you every day. Only see good things. Be happy, my daughter.

I hated myself for spilling such irresponsible thoughts in tears.

Forcing myself to look away, I shut her door softly against the wind.

Crossing the corridors again, my steps grew heavier. In the western annex, I opened the blue door of Kai’s room. He slept soundlessly, his face so beautiful I couldn’t look away.

The child who never accepted me.

If I was only going to leave, I should have let things be. Instead, I had given him false hopes I could never fulfill. The guilt was unbearable.

I tore my gaze away and forced myself toward the front gate.

Click. The last door closed.

Goodbye, Craide.

The cold wind scraped across my cheek as I stepped outside. A carriage I had arranged in advance waited beyond the garden gate. Soon the household would wake to begin its busy day.

I didn’t dare look back. Afraid I’d falter, I climbed straight into the carriage. Only after it moved did I finally glance back.

The manor grew smaller, then dwindled to a speck. Even then, it didn’t feel final—part of me thought I could return anytime.

We passed through familiar Craide lands until the carriage entered a dark, barren road. Only then did it truly hit me. I could never return.

My heart crashed to the ground, and tears clouded my vision like mist.

In the conquered valleys, Mitnut’s banners had fallen, replaced by waves of Imperial flags—an undeniable victory.

The Empire had a tradition of remaining in conquered lands to celebrate, meant to reward and relieve weary soldiers. But the way it was done was often shameful: by taking local women as spoils.

Macaron, however, ordered his men straight to the hot springs to rest. He had long vowed never to allow such filth.

Besides, his mind was already elsewhere—from start to finish, fixed only on the Craide estate. More precisely, on Calypse. His retainers knew this well.

Some nobles grumbled in regret, but none dared oppose Macaron’s command.

The Imperial army marched past Mitnut’s borders and was welcomed by their people on the road to the palace. The crowds’ eyes shone with admiration, their voices unified in chants of Macaron’s name.

It was as if they sought to atone for once hiding and refusing to acknowledge the achievements of the “monster” prince. Their cheers were more brilliant than ever, the air filled with drifting petals and music from street bands.

Evelyn, eager to flaunt her closeness to Macaron, urged her horse up beside his, making sure all could see.

Whispers quickly spread as she wished.

“I hear the Refler family greatly aided the war effort this time.”

“Indeed. Perhaps Lady Evelyn will be our next empress, hoho.”

Evelyn smiled with satisfaction at the way things unfolded.

But Macaron’s eyes betrayed nothing of love. Toward Evelyn especially, he didn’t spare so much as a glance. One might even doubt he knew she was beside him at all.

Some noticed, of course.

“Strange… Doesn’t it look more like unrequited love to you?”

“Now that you mention it, it does to me too.”