FMTA 05

Chapter 05

Killian is kind.

And he is the man who will soon promise to stay by my side for the rest of my life.

So I trust him.

‘Everything Killian does must be for me.’

Yuse thought about it again and again, and made up her mind.

There must be a reason behind everything he does for her.

The letters they exchanged were still clear in her heart.

[No matter what happens, please don’t worry too much. From now on, I will always be by your side.

So I hope you won’t forget. Whatever actions I may take in the future, in the end, my true heart will always wish for Yuse’s happiness.]

Before her birthday this year—

When Yuse said she was nervous about going alone to the Empire, Killian had promised he would always stay by her side.

He said he would always be on her side.

He said that no matter what he did, his true intention would always be for her.

And Yuse believed that promise more than anything.

“……”

But the words agreeing to his conditions did not come out easily.

Why were there conditions between two people who would soon become husband and wife?

And the office was Killian’s space—did that mean she was not allowed to enter it?

Still, no matter how much she thought about it, Yuse knew she would never be able to argue with Killian.

“Yuse?”

Seeing her hesitate for a long time, Killian called her name again.

For the first time, he took both of her hands as she avoided his gaze.

“There’s no need to think strangely about it. I’m only worried that you might enter my office and end up in a difficult situation.”

“Ah…!”

“The office contains many important documents. Only I and my aide are allowed to enter. If even one document were to go missing, something unimaginable could happen.”

“Like… what?”

“First, we would have to turn the entire estate upside down to find it.”

His voice became slightly firm.

“Ah….”

“Of course, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable here in any way. You haven’t forgotten, have you? Everything I do is for you.”

His tone softened again.

At that, Yuse finally lifted her green eyes to meet his.

The gloom in her eyes disappeared, replaced by fresh brightness.

As if she had just realized something, she answered in an excited voice.

“Yes! Of course.”

“I’m glad. I always think about you, Yuse.”

As she smiled, Killian slowly raised the corners of his lips as well.

“I’m simply grateful that you understand my sincerity.”

“No, I’m the one who should apologize for not understanding you right away!”

Yuse shook her head quickly and smiled brightly.

Killian nodded calmly, then turned his head and naturally let go of the hands he had been holding.

“By the way, do you like this place?”

This time, Yuse answered quickly.

“Yes, I really like it.”

Killian let out a low laugh.

“Good. And Yuse, you may come here whenever you want.”

“Really?”

“Of course. It’s a gift for you, Yuse, who has finally stepped into the Siarekatte ducal estate.”

Every word he said made Yuse’s heart tremble.

“Oh, and as I’ve said before, there is a guest staying in the annex, so please be careful.”

Killian’s expression turned serious again as he repeated the warning about the annex.

Since she had heard it before, Yuse simply nodded in silent agreement.

Still, who could the guest be that required such caution?

The more he warned her, the more curious she became.

But she believed there must be a reason why Killian had not introduced her.

“Alright, Yuse. The wind is getting cold. Shall we head back?”

Killian looked satisfied.

He stood up and once again held out his hand to her.

“Yes!”

As always, Yuse answered neatly and placed her hand in his.

The guest staying in the annex loved books.

And after discovering the garden in the estate, they had come to like it as well.

So reading in the garden was only natural.

After all, combining two things you love brings great joy.

That day, too, the guest was quietly reading in a corner of the garden filled with thick trees.

“How do you like it?”

Suddenly, Killian’s voice was heard.

The guest thought that Killian’s strange hobby had now spread even to the ducal estate and was about to move away quickly.

But moving suddenly might make noise and risk being discovered.

‘Damn. Then I’ll stay hidden a little longer and quietly look for a chance to leave.’

The guest sighed and turned their eyes back to the book.

However, the next name they heard made it impossible to focus on the words any longer.

“Yuse.”

For a moment, the guest thought they had misheard.

‘Yuse?’

They repeated the name in their mind.

At first, they thought it couldn’t be.

But no matter how much they thought about it, the name ‘Yuse’ was not common.

The guest closed the book and stood up.

They wanted to hear more clearly.

But before they could confirm anything, the two had already left.

“Damn.”

The guest let out a quiet sigh.

Yet one certainty settled strongly in their chest.

Like catching a leaf drifting in the wind, they softly whispered her name.

“…Yuse.”

Even though it had been so long since they last said it, they could not forget that name.

“Yuse Lil Kranz. I can’t believe I’m seeing you here again.”

A small smile slowly appeared—mixed with longing.

With Killian’s guidance, Yuse returned to her room.

She did not feel that much time had passed.

Still, Beila had been waiting for her.

“Beila!”

“My lady.”

Beila’s slightly stiff expression softened when she saw Yuse.

“There was no trouble during your walk, so there’s no need to worry.”

Killian once again proved to Beila that he meant no harm and lightly kissed Yuse’s hand.

“Then I will leave you to rest. If you need anything, you may tell Frederick. It will reach my ears immediately.”

“Yes!”

Yuse nodded several times at his repeated reassurance, smiling brightly.

Even as he walked away, she could not take her eyes off him.

Beila, watching her, finally spoke.

“…Your lips might tear from smiling so much, my lady.”

“Lips don’t tear that easily.”

Yuse answered with a laugh, finally looking away from Killian.

“Are you really that happy? Truly?”

Beila had always wondered.

Could someone blindly love a person they had only exchanged letters with?

She herself knew she never could.

How could you give your whole heart to someone whose face you had never even seen?

But her mistress was different.

She loved Duke Killian more than anyone, longed for him, and was completely devoted.

That made Beila even more curious.

Of course, it could have been an unpleasant question.

But Yuse smiled warmly like sunlight and answered gently.

“Why do I like Killian? Because he is gentle, kind, and he looks only at me.”

Beila was searching for words to respond kindly.

But Yuse continued.

“I’ve been alone for a long time, haven’t I?”

“…Yes.”

Beila nodded, not expecting Yuse to bring it up first.

“When Father said the world was dangerous and that I had to stay inside, I wanted to go out. But I couldn’t go against him.”

“…Yes.”

It was true.

Yuse had spent most of her life inside the lord’s castle.

After her mother died, her father, Liam, kept her even more protected.

He was afraid of losing her.

In that suffocating life, the only one who reached out to Yuse was Killian.

He told her what life outside was like.

What desserts were popular these days and how they tasted.

He answered all the questions she was curious about and comforted her fears with kind words.

“Killian is the one who taught me about the world. He’s also the only person Father allowed. That’s why I can never let Killian go.”

Yuse’s green eyes shone more brightly and firmly than ever.

Her words were sincere.

Beila could only sigh.

A person can never forget the one who expanded their world.

For a moment, an unpleasant thought crossed Beila’s mind.