WLTIS | CHAPTER 66

~CHAPTER 66~

Honestly, today Harbih had wanted to do this the moment he saw Lincia at the front gate.

Her clothes were dirty from walking through the snow.

That was the only reason he had restrained his desire.

Lincia tapped Harbih’s chest as if she couldn’t catch her breath.

Though he still felt unsatisfied, Harbih finally lifted his lips.

Her face flushed as she looked up at him.

She looked harmless and innocent.

“W-What are you doing?”

“Did you dislike it?”

That’s not it.

Lincia turned her head slightly and murmured.

Because of the moonlight, the saliva glistening at the corner of her lips was clearly visible.

When Harbih raised his hand and brushed her lips, she flinched and stepped back.

The rug beneath her foot slipped, and her body tilted.

Harbih tightened his arm around her waist.

He knew she was in his arms, but for a brief moment, he thought she was about to fall.

“Are you all right?”

“N-No, my legs just gave out…”

“Then we should only kiss on the bed from now on.”

Harbih carefully carried Lincia to the bed.

After seating her on it, he sat on the chair beside.

“There’s something I wish to say.”

The man who said he had something to tell her didn’t speak for a while.

Now that their bodies were apart and the warmth had faded, reason began to return.

What is he hesitating to say?

Is it about leaving the Grand Duchy for so long this time?

Or was his reason for leaving in the first place related to Julius—no, to Durand?

Seeing that he couldn’t easily open his mouth, Lincia cautiously spoke first.

“Is it something difficult to tell me? I mean…”

“No.”

He answered quickly, cutting her off before she could finish.

After a brief hesitation, Harbih took out a small box from his coat.

The velvet wrapping told Lincia immediately what it was.

He was about to give her a ring.

With a soft click, the hinges opened.

Inside the box, resting on black silk, were two rings.

Without prongs, one ring held a large diamond at its center, surrounded by smaller gems set closely along the curved band.

Each time it caught the light, it shimmered brilliantly.

The other was a platinum ring with a small violet gem.

Though Lincia had seen countless jewels, she had never seen one of such deep purple before.

Its glow was unusual, and its cut was so intricate it was hard to count the facets.

“It’s a rare stone—only a few exist in the world. I wanted to give you one that resembled your eyes.”

It looked as if he had spent a lot of effort preparing it.

It was impossible to tell when he had begun.

“I wanted to make something elegant for you to wear every day, but since you hold a brush often, I thought something thinner would be better.”

He spoke softly as he slid the ring onto her finger.

Lincia felt everything happening as if it were a dream.

It was clearly happening to her, yet it didn’t feel real—almost as if it were someone else’s story.

“When summer comes to the Grand Duchy, I’d like us to hold the wedding.”

Lincia blinked rapidly.

What is he saying right now?

It was shocking enough that he suddenly gave her a ring, but now, a wedding?

“…Why a wedding?”

Harbih’s calm reply reminded her of what he had once said.

“…We won’t have a wedding.”

Lincia didn’t know much about politics, but she wasn’t foolish enough to ignore what a wedding in the Grand Duchy would signify.

She hadn’t felt insulted when he said he wouldn’t hold one, because she understood.

She had accepted that she could never replace what Harbih had lost.

If a wedding were to take place, it would look as though the Grand Duchy had accepted her as payment for aiding the rebellion.

When her face darkened, Harbih clasped her hand tightly.

“This is something you need.”

She agreed with him.

If she wanted to settle properly in Cassius with Durand blood in her veins, she needed Harbih’s support.

A wedding would help her gain what she lacked.

But even though she knew this in her head, she couldn’t bring herself to agree aloud.

“It will bring harm to you.”

She knew the reason they couldn’t hold a wedding lay with her, yet she tried to turn it around as if refusing for his sake.

As she gently withdrew her hand from his, he spoke.

“Something troubles you, doesn’t it?”

“…”

“Tell me. I’ll take care of it before summer.”

Lincia’s lips parted slightly.

“No one will be happy about this wedding.”

“Are you not, either?”

Lincia quietly shook her head.

She wanted the wedding too—if only she could.

But there are things in this world that can’t be overcome by feelings alone.

She knew that.

Wasn’t that why Harbih had refused to have even his smiling face painted for a portrait?

He must have felt the same.

Can love alone really overcome all that now?

She knew his biggest reason for wanting to fix things, even belatedly, was his desire to live with her.

But Lincia had seen how hardship changes people.

Hadn’t she herself learned to let go of some of her feelings for him over time?

And the obstacles before them now were far too great—so great that even she couldn’t see what lay beyond them.

After a pause, Lincia spoke.

“I… honestly don’t know.”

“Please, tell me.”

“Think about it carefully. Our problem isn’t something you can solve by effort alone.”

She stopped him before he could argue.

“The people of the Grand Duchy will never trust or like someone from Durand. No matter how much time passes, that won’t change.”

Even if her treatment had improved, and people no longer showed her open hostility…

“Sir Shane, please step aside.”

The knights of Cassius had once tried to protect her, as though shielding the Grand Duchess from a stranger.

Even though she had never harmed anyone.

Those feelings didn’t fade with time alone.

“Improving relations with the Imperial family will solve that in time.”

“Do you really think so? And how will you improve things with the Imperial family? The Emperor…”

…wants my child.

She bit her lip before the words could escape.

She couldn’t bring herself to tell him about the child.

She trusted that Harbih would never do anything to harm her, but she couldn’t believe he would protect the child too.

He still didn’t believe he was the father, nor did he even consider the possibility.

If he ever learns that Julius wants the child, he might hand it over to the Emperor himself.

If that’s what it takes to protect the Grand Duchy—and me.