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Chapter 19
“It’s not that I’m saying you’re weak…”
Kylian trailed off, taken aback by Eloise’s unusually strong reaction.
“Let’s keep it simple. We’ll try it, but I’ll be watching — don’t push yourself too hard.”
After a brief pause, the Grand Duke spoke to Eloise. Normally, he would have stopped her too, but since the usually reserved girl — who rarely voiced her opinions — was so determined this time, he wanted to respect her wish.
“Yes!”
“Then let’s start by running five laps around the training ground.”
The moment he finished speaking, Eloise immediately started running, and Kylian hurried after her in alarm.
“If you get tired, tell me right away, okay?”
“I’m fine! What if I end up doing better than you?”
The sound of wind brushing past her ears and the cool air on her face made Eloise’s heart race with exhilaration.
“Well, that’d be great if you did…”
“Hurry up! I’m going first!”
“Eloise!”
Kylian’s anxious voice followed from behind as she sprinted ahead.
“Haa… haa…”
Her breathing grew heavier, but Eloise ignored it and kept running. Her legs raced swiftly around the training field — and just like that, all the pent-up anxiety she had suppressed began to bubble up inside her.
‘What can I even do here?’
Riena and the Grand Duke were both strong and capable. Kylian was steadily walking forward, overcoming his trauma. But she? She was a weak, powerless orphan still shackled by her fears.
‘I have to do well. Otherwise… they might throw me out of here.’
She shook her head violently to drive away the thought. No, that’s not true! But still…
Kylian, who had naturally become someone always by her side.
Riena, who held her tightly with warmth.
The Grand Duke, who smiled gently while watching over her.
They were all such good people.
‘It’s too much. I don’t deserve this. If I stay like this, I’ll lose the right to be here.’
By the time she completed her fourth lap, her legs grew heavy and wobbled — and then she suddenly collapsed to the ground.
“Huh?”
As her strength gave out and she fell, both Kylian and the Grand Duke ran to her in panic.
“Eloise!”
“My dear!”
I can’t get stuck resting in bed again! Eloise hurriedly waved her hands as she jumped to her feet.
“I’m fine! I just twisted my ankle for a second!”
“Let’s go back to your room, now!”
Kylian grabbed her hand, trying to lead her away.
“But I can still do more!”
Eloise stood her ground, refusing to move an inch.
“Why don’t you take a little break?”
Unable to stubbornly argue with the Grand Duke the way she did with Kylian, Eloise drooped her shoulders and fell silent.
“Ah…”
Seeing how visibly disappointed she looked, the Grand Duke quickly tried to comfort her.
“It’s not that you’re not good at this… Oh! Look over there.”
He pointed toward someone, and Eloise turned to see. A sharp-featured man wearing glasses was slowly approaching.
“I need to hear my aide’s report. Why don’t you rest for a bit in the meantime?”
“Yes, all right.”
Nodding, Eloise sat down in the shade with Kylian, stretching her tired body.
“What is it?”
The Grand Duke, still keeping his eyes on the children, sighed in relief before turning to the aide.
“I came to report that the matter you mentioned earlier has been resolved.”
“I see. Time’s flown by. Let’s go over it.”
The aide bowed respectfully, glancing around the training ground.
“I was looking for the Knight Commander too, but he’s not here.”
“I’ve been here since morning, but I haven’t seen him either.”
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? He’s probably out slaughtering monsters again.”
The aide adjusted his glasses with his finger, sounding as though he expected nothing less. The Grand Duke gave him a sharp look, aware the children could hear.
“Kane, mind your words.”
“My apologies, Your Grace.”
At that name, Eloise froze.
Wait… who did he just say? Kane? Could it be… Kane Wesley?
Blue hair that shimmered like seawater — and eyes the color of frozen silver. Just one look was enough for Eloise to recognize him.
Kane Wesley, the aide of the tyrant Kylian. In the original novel, he had eagerly supported Kylian’s massacres. He was, in fact, even more notorious than Kylian himself — cold, detached, and terrifying in his cruelty.
But… this is strange. He feels different from the original.
His tone and gaze were still icy, but his atmosphere wasn’t dark or lifeless as she remembered. Maybe it was because this was long before the events of the novel? Both Kylian and Kane felt… softer somehow. The original story might have been a tragedy, but now everything felt more like a quiet family tale.
“What are you thinking about?”
Eloise flinched at Kylian’s voice. She couldn’t exactly tell him she’d been thinking about a “tragic novel or a family slice-of-life,” so she changed the subject.
“Oh, nothing much. Just… that story you told me the other day, about the Grand Duke.”
Since then, Kylian had opened up to her, sharing more and more of himself — as if there was nothing he wanted to hide.
“The one where your uncle used to be the crown prince?”
“Yeah.”
Come to think of it, when Eloise had met Emily and that man, they’d said Kylian was the only heir to the Empire.
“But if the Grand Duke was once the crown prince, doesn’t that mean you’re not the only heir?”
“Well… it’s a bit complicated. When the title of crown prince passed from my uncle to my father, something happened.”
Kylian’s eyes drifted to the Grand Duke’s dark hair, and his voice dropped.
“My uncle used to have blond hair and blue eyes.”
“Did he dye it?”
Eloise tilted her head, confused — this didn’t sound related to succession at all.
“No. Apparently, some people who go through extreme shock or face near-death experiences have their hair turn black and their eyes red — even if they’re not from the Reston line.”
Kylian’s face darkened as he continued.
“It was like that for my uncle. He loved my aunt dearly, but she died while pregnant. After that, when he was pressured to remarry, everything fell apart.”
Eloise could easily guess what came next — she’d seen enough pain caused by forced remarriages in her own life, and Kylian had suffered from it too.
“They told him to marry my mother… no, the woman who died giving birth to me.”
Kylian gave a bitter smile.
“And to make it worse, rumors were spreading that her family — and even the Emperor — were involved in my aunt’s death. So my uncle… drank poison.”
“Poison?”
“A toxic herb that causes infertility. He drank it on purpose, and then renounced his title as crown prince. The Emperor flew into a rage and exiled him to the battlefield.”
“I see…”
The Emperor’s duty wasn’t just to rule well, but to ensure an heir for the Empire’s stability. A barren duke could never fulfill that role — and thus was cast aside.
‘So the Grand Duke and Kylian both suffered under the weight of power…’
Seeing Eloise’s saddened face, Kylian smiled softly, as if to say she didn’t need to feel sorry.
“That’s not the face I wanted you to make. You know, right now… I’m really happy.”
He said it with a bright grin, as though trying to chase away her gloom.
“Half a year ago, after that incident, I was in so much pain — and when I was sent to my mother’s family, the nobles all fought over me, calling me the sole heir. It was exhausting.”
“…”
“And then, the Reston Grand Duke gave up his title to my uncle because of all that mess. I felt horrible. Like everyone was suffering because of me.”
He looked up at the sky for a moment, then turned back to her with gentle eyes.
“But if going through all that pain was the price for meeting you… if that was fate, then I think it was all worth it.”
“There’s no such thing. If that’s fate, then I’ll break it — I’ll find you before you ever have to suffer.”
“Then we’ll end up crossing paths, huh? Because I’ll be the one to find you first.”
At Eloise’s firm words, Kylian laughed brightly.
And just then — a gust of sand rose, scattering across the space between them.
