FMTA 02

Chapter 02

Through the open carriage window, she saw a man’s face.

Black hair gently moving in the fresh breeze.

Mysterious red eyes, as if they had gathered the light of the sunset. Pale white skin.

“At last, I meet you.”

When he spoke, a sweet voice flowed out.

This man had to be Killian.

He had to be.

“My fiancée.”

Yes.

Yuse wanted to stand up at once and take his hand, but she also knew that would not be proper.

She lightly bit her cherry-like lips to hold back the urge and took a breath.

Seeing him up close, his appearance was truly unmatched.

‘He said… my fiancée.’

To calm her restless heart, Yuse repeated his words in her mind.

Fiancée. His fiancée.

Killian’s fiancée.

She felt her cheeks growing warm.

Before she could even say anything herself, it felt as if their relationship had already been clearly defined.

“Are you all right?”

She had forgotten to answer and was only staring at his face when Killian asked again with a gentle smile.

No… looking closer, his brows were slightly drawn together, as if he was worried.

“You must be very tired after such a long journey. Shall we go inside?”

“Ah… y-yes.”

His long, pale hand stretched out toward her.

As if enchanted by something, Yuse kept her eyes fixed on his face and took his hand without resistance.

They could have ridden the carriage all the way to the main gate of the ducal estate, but he deliberately stopped it at the front gate and led her out.

Beila was about to say something, but Yuse quickly shook her head to stop her.

If this was Killian’s way of slowly growing closer, Yuse was more than willing to follow it.

As soon as she stepped down, the servants who had come with Killian lined up in a row and bowed their heads.

After greeting them, they began walking toward the main building.

Along the path, beautiful flowers were in full bloom.

Their sweet fragrance filled the air and lifted her mood.

More than anything, she was happy just to be walking beside Killian.

“In our letters, I spoke to you comfortably. But now that I see you in person, it feels difficult to call you that way. Still… may I dare to call you Yuse?”

After they had been walking together for a while, Killian suddenly spoke.

“…Yes, of course.”

Yuse tried her best to steady her trembling voice as she answered.

She had never known that speaking face to face like this could make her so nervous.

“Then, Yuse.”

Killian smiled beautifully.

How could every look and gesture of his seem so graceful?

She knew she was completely blinded by love, but she did not try to deny it.

Because she liked Killian.

Because he was so kind.

Yuse smiled softly.

“This is the main building.”

Even though he could have sent someone else to guide her, Killian personally held her hand and led her all the way there.

The pleasant breeze brushing her cheeks and the warmth of his hand made her want to treasure that very moment.

‘He really is kind.’

She thought it again and again.

If kindness were a person, it would surely be Killian.

Even though they had only exchanged letters before, he treated her with warmth and courtesy, as if they had known each other for a long time.

“Are you tired?”

“No… I-I mean, what should I call you?”

Yuse gathered her heart again before asking.

“I would like you to call me by my name as well, Yuse.”

He allowed her to use his name.

It made her feel even closer to him.

“The reason I came out to welcome you myself is because the roses along the path from the gate to the main building have bloomed so beautifully. I wanted to show them to you in person.”

Killian continued.

Now that she thought about it, he had mentioned roses in one of his recent letters.

[The roses at the Siarekatte estate have bloomed beautifully. When we meet one day, I would like to show them to you.]

…So that was what he meant.

Yuse’s cheeks turned red again, like the roses.

“There is currently a guest staying in the annex, so I will prepare a room for you in the main building. Is that all right? If it makes you uncomfortable—”

“No, no! It’s perfectly fine.”

“Haha. Very well.”

“I… I like it too, Killian.”

His laughter melted gently into her ears.

It felt even better than reading his letters—seeing him, speaking with him, touching him like this.

Her heart was too full to be contained by just the single word love.

“Then once again, Yuse, welcome to the Siarekatte estate.”

When they finally reached the main building, Killian smiled again.

Yuse almost felt like bowing in gratitude to the guest staying in the annex.

If not for that guest, she might have been placed in the annex and waited endlessly until the engagement ceremony to see him again.

“I look forward to everything, Killian.”

And so, Yuse finally entered the Siarekatte estate.

Her hand was still held in Killian’s.

Yuse had secretly hoped that Killian would guide her around the estate as well, but he was a busy man who held the title of duke.

Originally, he had planned to guide her himself, but something urgent came up, and they had to part halfway.

So now, Yuse was walking around the estate with Frederick, the butler of the Siarekatte family.

“The history of this place is deep,”

Frederick said in a stiff, emotionless voice.

“The noble bloodline of the Siarekatte family has continued from ancient times until now! No one can ignore it! Priceless history and its traces remain right here!”

“I-I see.”

Watching Frederick passionately explain the greatness of the Siarekatte family, Yuse forced a small smile.

Even though she liked talking with people, someone who spoke so one-sidedly and intensely was a little difficult for her to handle.

“And as the fiancée of the Siarekatte family, Lady Krantz, you are granted the right to freely walk around here!”

“Ah… yes.”

“But you look pale. Are you feeling unwell?”

Since Yuse had only been nodding and smiling faintly, Frederick misunderstood.

“My lady seems very tired after the long journey. Would you like to rest in your room for a while?”

Before Yuse could answer, Beila spoke first.

She had clearly been waiting for the chance to interrupt and escape from Frederick as well.

Yuse also wanted to escape, so she decided to let Frederick misunderstand her condition.

“I may be a little tired. Could you guide me to my room?”

“I will show you to the prepared room.”

Frederick nodded seriously and led her to a large room on the second floor.

By coincidence, Yuse’s room was on the same floor as Killian’s office. According to Frederick, it had once been used by the former Duchess.

‘The former Duchess’s room… So my place here had already been prepared.’

Yuse tried hard to suppress the smile rising on her lips.

Just by having a space here, it felt like she was leaving her mark on the estate.

It was completely different from her life in the duchy, where she had been kept inside under the name of protection.

Now she felt as if she had been given her own free and complete space.

“Do you like it?”

Beila asked with a small snort, noticing her expression.

“Yes. I love it. Beila, I’m already starting to like this place!”

The room was filled with the familiar fruity scent she always noticed in Killian’s letters, giving her a cozy feeling.

And most of all, this was where Killian was.

The man who had only existed through letters until now—her fiancé—was here.

That alone made her happy.

“You must be tired. It would be best to rest.”

Beila gently led her toward the bed.

But Yuse, filled with excitement, only looked around the room with sparkling eyes.

“Beila, look at this room. If they prepared something like this just for me, I want to go outside right now and explore the estate with Killian!”

“No. You traveled a long time. Your body must be tired.”

“I’m not…”

“Please rest.”

Even though Yuse insisted she was not tired at all, Beila continued to recommend rest.

She was worried that the change of environment would exhaust Yuse, who had always stayed within her father’s castle.

“I’m really fine…”

“Forgive me, but you do not look well. You’re not planning to meet Duke Killian in that condition, are you?”

“R-Really? Ugh… all right! I’ll sleep and wake up!”

Seeing that Yuse would not listen, Beila brought up Killian’s name.

Killian.

It was always a magic word to Yuse.

‘She must truly like him.’

Beila glanced at the now obedient Yuse and thought again.

Yuse had been carefully protected from everything unfamiliar as the only daughter of the lord.

Beila had expected her to struggle to adapt—but that did not seem to be the case.

“You must be tired too, Beila. Go and rest.”

Yuse mumbled with her eyes still closed.

“I’ll leave after you fall asleep, my lady. Please sleep.”

“Mm…”

Yuse murmured softly at Beila’s voice.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.