Chapter 15

Episode 15: Definition of Love

Before making a rational decision, my body moved first. I left Kailos standing in disbelief and ran as hard as I could to the emperor’s carriage in the distance.

Tak, Tak, Tak, Tak.

I could get out of here if I ride that. All I need to do is ride that.

Tak, Tak, Tak, Tak, Tak.

“Stop Chloe!”

Knights, who I didn’t know where they appeared from, at Kailos’ cry blocked me.

“Get out of my way!”

I shouted fiercely and pushed the sword that blocked me. The knights freaked out at that time because could get hurt.

“Be careful, Lady Garnet. If you do something wrong…….”

“Chloe!”

I felt the strong force that embraced my body. At the same time, the strong smell of blood filled the tip of my nose.

He was trying to protect me, but the tip of the pointed sword scratched his forearm. The blood that ran down his sleeve soaked even the hem of my robe.

“Your Highness! Are you okay?”

“Your Highness!”

The knights dropped the sword and approached him. In a chaotic situation, I could see the emperor’s carriage leaving in the distance.

“Are you okay, Chloe?”

He asked me in a voice full of worries. I didn’t give any answer.

Doubts became increasingly certain. Kailos has changed, and I’ve changed, too.

“Chloe, did you…….”

Kailos talked to me as if to ask me something.

From the moment the doubt became certain, I knew what Kailos was trying to say. Because I also had the same question.

Only him and I have changed in the unchanging time, Maybe he also went back in time with me.

A nonsensical delusion? There was no delusion so absurd as Kailos’ love for me.

Of course, a question remains here as well. Going back in time didn’t make him fall in love with me all of a sudden, so all the affection he shows me now will be a lie.

Perhaps it was a lie that appeared to complete me, who was a ‘failure,’ or something new happened after I died like that. But as I do not know the future after death, I could not figure out why.

After thinking a lot, I had a headache. I put down my spoon and got up first.

“Why don’t you eat more?”

“I don’t have an appetite.”

“But…”

“I’ll go first.”

Kailos did not scold me for my rude behavior. I was convinced by small actions and words, but I needed confirmation, not conviction.

The easiest way was to ask him if he had gone back in time, but it wasn’t a very good way.

Then I will not only reveal my secrets, but if my assumptions are wrong, I will be treated like a crazy woman. Of course, there’s no way he could only answer me with the truth.

Perhaps it’s the same reason why he can’t ask me, hastily and only hesitates.

After leaving him, I locked the door and walked to the window. I opened the window and the cold night air rushed in. There was not a single moonlight in the dark night sky.

If my convictions become true, what should I do then? I didn’t care if he trampled on my heart and deceived me.

But one thing is, Estelle……. I could never forgive him for taking my child.

When I lowered my gaze to the rustling sound and looked down, I saw a human figure. It looked particularly familiar even under the dark sky. It was a sparkling platinum blonde that I saw during the day, although it was gray because there was no light now.

Lord Enoch France was looking up at me under the window.

“Lord France?”

After staring at me for a long time, he took a step back, flinching as if he had finally come to his senses at the sound of my voice. He then immediately bowed, his head and greeted me.

“Good night, Lady Chloe Garnet.”

“Yes, good night.”

We exchanged cliche greetings, but none of us seemed to think of this night as a “good night.” An awkward silence flowed between us, who had nothing else to share.

Lord Enoch France, the knight of the Grand Duke Ludwig, that the ladies of the capital love so much. All of a sudden, I realized that his face was very handsome.

Back in time, no matter how many people around me praised Lord France for his beautiful appearance, couldn’t hear it because I only saw Kailos.

Lord Enoch France, along with the Emperor, was a man who made me feel very strange.

I didn’t mix my body with him like the Emperor, but I don’t know why he makes me feel that way. I haven’t even exchanged words with him more than a few times.

T’ll help you.’

The last appearance of him reaching out to me with a serious look, as always, and being dragged by soldiers for helping me, remained a very dark afterimage to me.

“What did you say to Enoch that day?’

Since then, I have never seen Lord France, but only once did Kailos bring up the story of Lord France.

‘Did you seduce Enoch, Chloe? Like you did to my younger brother?’

Rather, I thought that it would be more beneficial to Lord France’s image if Kailos regarded it that way, so I didn’t answer anything. I didn’t know it would make him even more angry. (T/N: here she means, it would be beneficial for lord France if Kailos thought he got seduced by Chloe and helped, coz if he comes to know if he helped her purely coz of goodwill it will cause a great threat since he is Kailos’ Knight, and yes ofc it was a wrong decision she made

“It’s very unpleasant, I didn’t know you would rebel this much.’

Saying that, he threw my body down on the bed, he was violent. Even the false kindness could not hide his violence. Having lost everything, I had no choice but to endure his violence.

I don’t know what happened to Lord France after that, It was just the last time because Kailos no longer told me the story of Lord France.

“I heard there was a commotion.”

A commotion? Oh, that’s right. I felt like he was talking about running out to ride the emperor’s carriage, in the process, Kailos was injured. Naturally, the castle turned upside down.

“Did you get hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

Recalling the memory of the day, I suddenly found something strange.

“Why wasn’t Lord France there?”

Although he was a commoner, Kailos had great confidence in Lord France’s outstanding skills. To the extent that he even made a fake surname and tried to incorporate him into aristocratic society.

So wherever he went, Lord France was always with him, and all the secrets of the duke were organized at the tip of Lord France’s sword.

But what made Lord France leave his side?

Is it because Lord France helps me in the future? But it was a little far in the future, and Kailos still needs Lord France.

Lord France smiled faintly at me instead of answering, When he smiled, surprisingly, I had an illusion that the air around him warmed up.

Seeing that faint smile, I thought, ‘why did you help me? Even abandoning his trust.’

I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t.

The next day, because of Kailos, who came in the morning, my mood went down drastically.

He used to be busy without even having time to talk to me for a while in the past, but now he came to me and didn’t say anything and just stared at my face,

Looking at the rougher eyes than usual, I don’t think he slept properly last night. I hated myself for noticing his condition immediately just by glancing once.

“What do you want to say?”

I couldn’t stand his gaze and asked, avoiding his gaze first.

He said in a very upset voice….”Chloe, we see each other only when we have something to say.”

“Wasn’t it?”

“I just came because I missed you.”

“You’ve never done that before.”

I replied back reluctantly. The slurred tone of a girl going through late puberty was not even good for me to hear. But instead of scolding me, Kailos approached with a smile.

“I should come to see you more often in the future so that you can get used to it.”

The eyes that folded smoothly were incredibly beautiful. It was an eye smile that he often makes when he bets on other noble ladies, a “duke named temptation.” The moment I found it, my expression cooled down even colder.

“If you have anything to order, do it.”

In the garden I cared for while waiting for him, he held another woman in his arms and smiled with his eyes.

At that time, I felt guilty just by bearing the feeling of love on him, so I had to swallow the bitter sensation inside.

Was it since then? Whenever I saw his smiling face, was happy and at the same time, my heart ached.

“Order? What do you mean?”

“You were just trying to seduce me. Isn’t it because you have something to gain from me?”

“Wait a minute.”

With a very embarrassed face, he chose to breathe for a while. Kailos pressed his temples hard as if he had a headache.

“Seduce…don’t say that, it’s very wrong. I love you now and I want to win your heart somehow. But what you added at the end is a little unfair.”

“But my uncle said,”

“Kailos, you were supposed to call my name.”

“…It resembles the smile that Mr. Kailos often makes to other young girls.”

“That’s….”

Kailos was about to say something more. It was very satisfying to see him rub his face with a stuffy look.

Now I admit it. That I, who has traveled back in time, wished for Kailos’ misfortune. Is this what hate is? Suddenly, I remembered a long time ago, when I learned I loved him.

“There’s someone, I keep looking for that person’s eyes, and thinking about that person makes me feel better. But sometimes my chest is stuffy and sometimes I cry.’

‘Thats love.

When I was young, he answered me in a calm tone without even looking at me.

“You must be in love with that person.’

“Love…?!

As I tilted my head, he turned the pages and looked back at me.

“It’s not necessarily what you need, but it’s okay to try it once. Just don’t get too love-sick.’

“Yes, I’ll try.’

He smiled only then as he saw me nodding with a determined look. My heart was itchy by the soft touch of petting the top of my head.

“Love is the desire for the other person to be happy. If there’s anything he wants, it’s love to help somehow, even at the expense of themselves.’