MPGF 14

Chapter 14: I am Five Years

A few hours earlier.

From the early morning, Osen was full of complaints.

“Why do you keep smiling since yesterday?”

Since returning from the count’s manor, Hertian’s behavior had become strange.

When Hertian wasn’t speaking, he would stare off somewhere and let out small smiles.

No doubt, he must be happy thinking about marrying Anette.

Knowing he wanted to be asked, Osen asked anyway.

“Anette says I’m precious to her.”

Hearing yesterday that Cassian considered him very precious, the contents of the letters he had painstakingly written, saving time even from sleep, flashed through his mind.

“Congratulations.”

Osen even applauded the happy Hertian.

Then suddenly he became curious.

“I can’t imagine how you were before you met the lady.”

Hertian had always been accompanied by letters since their first meeting.

“My old self?”

At that question, Hertian stopped walking and tried to recall a day five years ago.

Soon, his red lips parted.

“I don’t even remember when that was anymore.”

He didn’t want to dwell on the past.

Back then, Hertian had no family to return to, and enemies surrounded him. To protect himself, he grasped his sword with fragile hands and spent lonely nights embracing fear. Only after meeting Anette did his previously colorless life begin to brighten.

“It was a useless question, Osen.”

Osen’s eyes blurred as he watched his master acting sentimental.

“To be happy, you have to know your precious other. When will Your Excellency reveal your identity?”

Hertian had a lot of worries too.

What if Cassian, his close friend, found out it was him?

What if the marriage was canceled?

Anette only requested marriage because she needed a refuge.

But if he revealed his identity now, gentle Anette would feel guilty for using her friend as a means.

‘I didn’t even realize I was completely smitten.’

Still, it wasn’t the right time to suddenly confess to Anette.

“I will reveal it.”

Hertian smiled as if he was pleased.

“After Anette has used me up to the limit. It won’t be too late to reveal it then.”

He answered like that and moved on.

The salon was bustling with first-time customers. When Hertian entered, all the staff snapped to attention.

“Your Highness, Archduke Blandice, welcome.”

Then a woman in splendid attire appeared.

“Your Highness, it’s an honor to have you visit. I’m Madame Luanna.”

The salon run by Luanna was one of the most expensive and used the finest materials in the capital.

“As requested, we have prepared wedding dresses in advance this way.”

Especially, wearing Luanna’s wedding dress symbolized wealth and was every woman’s dream.

“Get me the most expensive one here.”

His answer was straightforward.

“Wait, Commander… no, Your Highness.”

Osen, who was precariously guarding his master, sighed at the response and stopped him.

“You should see the dresses first.”

“They say women like the most expensive ones, right?”

“Who says that?”

“Max.”

At Hertian’s answer, Osen thought of the knights who had never met a woman and shook his head.

“Expensive doesn’t always mean better. Look at all the dresses Madame prepared first.”

Madame smiled at Osen and naturally guided the Archduke to a special client room.

“I’d have been upset if you just left. Here, sit down and take your time, Your Highness.”

As Hertian sat on the sofa, Madame and the salon staff brought dress after dress, each on slender mannequins.

Maybe because of the fancy lighting in the room, the dresses sparkled like a galaxy before his eyes.

“Indeed. The skill is exceptional.”

Osen admired first. But to Hertian, they all looked about the same.

“They’re all luxurious and pretty. But what’s the difference?”

More jewels or fewer?

That was all Hertian could sense. Osen looked at him like he expected this.

“Your Highness, you still have a long way to go to understand a woman’s heart.”

“They say you just buy them all at times like this.”

“Who says that?”

“Max.”

“You should erase Max’s words from your mind. That’s advice.”

Hertian frowned deeply, staring hard at the dresses. But that wouldn’t help him find an answer.

“Just buy them all. Let Anette choose what she wants.”

He confidently pulled out a blank check. But even that was stopped by Osen.

“Then what do you want me to do?”

Osen carefully collected the check and calmly persuaded Hertian.

“Imagine. Picture the lady of Leamberia wearing that dress.”

“Anette…?”

At her name, Hertian’s face grew serious.

“Yes. The first dress. How do you think she would look wearing it?”

Her name was like a spell.

Hertian easily pictured Anette wearing that first dress as if hypnotized.

“Anette has smooth shoulders, so an open-shoulder dress like that would certainly be beautiful. I like that it has many jewels on the chest. But showing not only the shoulders but also the waistline would be exposing her to the eyes of other men, and I don’t want that.”

That was what he said, though he didn’t know the first thing about dresses. But applying Anette, he gave a more meticulous answer than the designer.

“Exactly. You have to look carefully at every detail.”

Hertian smiled proudly and looked over several dresses alternately.

“You’re useful after all.”

“I might not know much, but I’m sharp on this stuff. I have four older sisters.”

Osen wasn’t very experienced in love either, but going to salons was a daily routine with his sisters, so choosing dresses was a piece of cake.

Thus, Hertian seemed to be picking a wedding dress smoothly.

Until he saw the letter from Count Leamberia refusing the marriage.

Current situation

Hertian, who had rescued Anette from the ship, was engulfed in great anger.

Just a day ago, they were discussing marriage, and now he received a notice saying it was impossible, and to top it off, she was dating another guy?

Hertian’s mind flipped when he heard Anette was dating another noble.

He only thought about seeing her immediately. Even if she told him she wanted to break off the marriage herself, he wouldn’t accept it without meeting her face to face.

But when he finally met Anette, she was unconscious and covered in blood.

He felt his mind spin.

“How did Anette end up alone by the lake? And in this condition?”

“The ship’s caretaker said the lady suddenly boarded the ship alone and hid. Since it’s a magic ship, once a person boards and enough time passes, it automatically departs.”

At Osen’s answer, Hertian’s sharp gaze turned toward Edward.

‘Because of this fool.’

He was angry that already fragile Anette had collapsed.

“You’re the one who caused this.”

“No! I only waited because the lady said she was washing her hands. Suddenly, she boarded the ship alone…”

“Nonsense. Bringing her to the lake in the first place was the mistake.”

“Yes?”

Edward, who was bowing his head and making excuses, finally looked up.

“Didn’t you know Anette had an accident when she was young and nearly drowned?”

Hertian questioned sharply. Edward’s eyes filled with panic gave the answer.

“Th-that’s…”

“Well, it was probably just a political marriage, so you didn’t care.”

Edward’s face darkened rapidly.

“No, no!”

“Get lost. Anette won’t marry you anyway.”

A cold voice echoed in the room. The frozen atmosphere seemed unlikely to thaw soon.

“No, no! I must see the lady and apologize personally. I will.”

Edward pleaded to Hertian with trembling lips, trying to steady his legs.

“Just until the lady wakes up…”

“I said get lost.”

But it was hard to approach Anette, as Hertian’s aura stood protectively in front of her like a barrier.

Edward, thinking he might never see Anette again, grew desperate.

“Your Highness, this isn’t your concern. I don’t know where you stand, but I thank you for saving the lady. Still, this is between me and the lady.”

Frustrated, he shouted at the Archduke, unaware of fear.

Hertian’s brows furrowed.

First, worried the sleeping Anette might wake.

Second, annoyed that this pest kept clinging to her.

Finally—

“Between you two? That’s not a thing. Not now, not ever.”

Edward opened his lips to argue but shut them tight like a clam. He wanted to protest but chewed on his words. The Archduke’s voice was filled with anger as if ready to rip his neck like a beast.

“Enough. Leave. Don’t show up in front of Anette again.”

At Hertian’s sharp command, Edward nervously replied while biting his nails.

“Today’s meeting was requested by the Count…”

“So you want to meet again?”

“Well, if the Count arranges it, I will meet anytime.”

Hertian’s hardened expression finally broke. If this were a battlefield, that gaze could tear a man apart.

“Did you grow up so spoiled you don’t understand polite words?”

“….”

“Do you need to see blood to understand properly?”

A deadly chill filled the room. Osen, silently watching the pitiful Edward who couldn’t even straighten his shoulders under Hertian’s aura, stepped forward. He thought Edward might need hospitalization if this continued.

“Oh dear, poor thing.”

He patted Edward’s back a few times to get him out safely.

“Leave the lady to us and go home now.”

Then he subtly pushed Edward out, giving him a quiet chance to escape.

“Huff. What did I do wrong!”

Unexpectedly, Edward burst into tears, overwhelmed with sorrow despite the polite comfort.

“Why do they all tell me to give up on the lady? The Prince, the Archduke…”

“Sir, please calm down first.”

“The Count permitted it, but why does everyone treat me like this?!”

Osen thought he had caused trouble and stepped back.

“What, want to look even worse?”

Hertian tilted his head. Edward had nothing to lose now. Knowing if he got kicked out, he’d never see Anette again.

“The lady—no, Anette—isn’t just a political marriage candidate to me.”

Hertian hesitated whether to kick Edward standing his ground but stopped seeing him collapse like a heap. Clear tears fell from Edward’s eyes.

“…Sobbing. Anette is my first love…”

“….”

“And I’ve been loving her unrequitedly for three years…”

This was not the story to tell the Archduke for the first time. He hadn’t expected to tell it crying either. But it was better than going back.

“Give up.”

But Hertian cruelly said coldly without a shred of pity.

Edward’s tear-soaked face twisted even more painfully.

“Give up… can feelings just be given up on so easily? If only I could…”

“Five years.”

Hertian looked down silently and cut off his words.

“What…? What do you mean five years?”

Edward, puzzled by the Archduke’s sudden words, lifted his bowed head.

“You had three years, but I had five.”

Five years of unrequited love.

Understanding the meaning, Edward blinked. Osen shook his head as if to say, ‘I can’t believe my master confessed.’

“Get lost, rookie.”