Prologue

Prologue

I’ve never seen a man cry so bitterly in my life. The man kneeled with his back to the sun and placed his hand on his chest, clenching his teeth. He choked on his tears as if he didn’t care about the dignity of an aristocrat. He was sadder than anyone else to the extent that someone could easily misunderstand him as an immediate family member.

Maybe from someone else’s perspective, it could be too much for a friend’s funeral, but there was a justification for his appearance. It was because the friend who lost his life was trying to protect himself in the war.

A distorted face, dishevelled clothes, and dazzling dark hair in the sunlight. As soon as tears fell from his eyes and soaked the meadow, I realized. His eyes contain something (tears) that should not be there.

Oh, I’ll be yielding to that man for the rest of my life.

It made me guess that the emotions I felt in my life for the first time were not instantaneous, but for eternity.

Even if that person’s heart is directed towards others.

It is cruel to oneself to hope for and endure an unrequited love. Foolishly, I was so cruel to myself. Even caring for myself was the next best thing, thinking of him was the best.

I lived in the hope that his heart would turn to me, waiting and longing for his love, not realizing how useless the love I begged for was.

If you think about it, it was really stupid. Did I have to continue this love until I lost myself? It was a lot of responsibility for the courage that came from illusion and ignorance.

Kyle Herace. The man I married and the war hero. A young man who brought a family of nothing but titles into the empire’s big name.

I haven’t forgotten that day, two years ago, when I first saw Kyle. Still.

Like a visual spectacle.

“Aelle.” 1

At Kyle’s gentle call, I was finally out of the reverie. I didn’t know what happened, but it seemed like I was crying all of a sudden.

I saw Kyle’s hand was outstretched where I had inadvertently turned my eyes, so I wiped the tears off the back of my hands. If I didn’t do that, I thought his hand would reach me.

As I turned my face from Kyle’s hand, he was at a loss and moved his hand away.

How funny. I was deceived by your fickle kindness and harboured vain hopes.

“Your Grace.”

Kyle opened his eyes wide and was astonished when the distancing title came out of my mouth. Kyle’s eyes quivered for a moment, and he clenched his fist and moved his head down. The emotion that crossed his grey eyes was ironically a feeling of guilt.

Why? Now that I’m finally able to realize my plight and live a new life.

I countered his pretentious eyes with indifferent ones.

“Aelle, that day… …”

“Don’t Explain.”

“I’m not curious.”

Kyle, who rarely lost his composure, looked broken. I see that you too can make such a face because of me. I didn’t have any lingering feelings for him, but I felt a little satisfied.

On the other hand, his eyes were filled with sadness, which almost made me laugh out loud.

No matter what, what could be so sad about letting go now? I glared at him for his hypocritical attitude.

“Don’t get me wrong, your grace.”

“Aelle.”

“The reason I cry is not because of you, nor because of the child.”

“I’m crying because I feel sorry for what I’ve been doing for the last few years.”

So.

‘Please marry me, Your Grace.’

“Please divorce me, Your Grace.”

I don’t have any more regrets.

Originally the name is supposed to be Ael according to NU, but using Aelle felt better}