Chapter 124
“Are you always awake this late?”
Agnes shook her head gently.
“If that were the case, you would have caught me long ago.”
By the time Linart arrived near the mansion, night had already fallen. It was late enough that most of the servants, except for a few, would have been asleep, and he intended to go up to his room.
Passing through the main hall, he encountered the housekeeper bustling along with a tray holding a single teacup. Hearing that Agnes was still awake, he had gone straight to the study.
Looking around the warm, fragrant study, Linart met Agnes’ gaze. He quietly studied her bloodshot eyes, then glanced at the teacup placed on the table.
‘Drinking lavender tea, which is supposed to be good for sleep, at this hour…’
“When did you start suffering from insomnia, Mother?”
“There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just that I’ve had more worries than usual lately.”
Linart’s expression darkened as he guessed that one of those worries was him.
“…Since when have you known my heart?”
“I pay far more attention to you than you think. Daisy, you, whenever you behave differently than usual, I notice, and naturally, I come to understand.”
Agnes finished speaking with a gentle smile. It was the same kind smile as always, but Linart could not bring himself to smile back.
“From today, I have stopped serving as Lady Rosevelia’s guard. So there is no need to seek a marriage arrangement. I will not enter a political marriage.”
“Linart, the way I pressured you—”
“I know. You wanted me to realize my own heart, right?”
“Yes. I thought that if you truly knew your heart… knowing that you liked Miss Winters, you would never have volunteered to guard her.”
Linart lowered his gaze. As Agnes said, if he had been fully aware of his feelings, he would never have stepped forward as her guard.
‘I thought this feeling wasn’t love, that it was admiration as a knight…’
He had tried to convince himself of that, perhaps to avoid truly looking into it. Maybe it was a defense mechanism within him, a way to stay by her side even if only under false pretenses.
“I did not want you to stop guarding Miss Winters.”
Linart tilted his head, confused, before cautiously speaking.
“Then… you only did it to make me realize my feelings? You didn’t want me to give up these impious feelings?”
“Linart, you’ve experienced it yourself—you know that giving your heart to someone doesn’t happen by your own will. It flows in before you even realize it, and only afterward do you understand that you’ve given your heart.”
“….”
What was the reason he had grown fond of Rosevelia? Linart could not even guess the exact moment. He had been gradually drawn in without realizing it… and by the time he became aware of her, it was already too late.
“Linart.”
“She will soon become Crown Princess, and I will withdraw my feelings. Don’t worry—I can control this part of myself.”
“Do you really think that’s what I was worried about? If you stay by Miss Winters’ side without understanding your own heart, later… something much greater—”
Agnes stopped speaking, but Linart seemed to understand what she did not say.
He had convinced himself it wasn’t love, that it was admiration. Emptying his heart while standing by her side had been impossible from the start.
How could one properly empty a heart full of lies?
If he remained by her side without realizing his feelings, eventually the emotions swelling within him would hit like an avalanche—and the backlash might have been even greater.
“I have wished for your happiness since the moment you, such a small existence, were born into this world. Therefore, I will never force you into something you do not want.”
“….”
“The feeling of liking someone is precious and valuable. Even if the feelings are unreturned, never diminish their worth yourself.”
Linart felt his heart shake like a candle flickering in the wind. In his eyes, it seemed dangerously close to spreading, and he could no longer just watch.
“I will completely withdraw these feelings.”
A cold wind rose inside him.
“Yes, that is for you to decide. Your heart belongs to you alone.”
“Rose, have you had dinner?”
Despite his gentle voice, his hands removed me decisively. I had been leaning comfortably against him but was suddenly moved back a couple of steps, blinking up at him.
“I ate on the way here…”
“You must be tired from the long journey. I’ll have warm water ready in the bath for you.”
Ah, right. I had spent the whole day traveling by carriage.
I quickly sniffed my clothes. Ian looked at me, eyes wide.
“Rose? What are you doing?”
“I showered at the inn, but it’s been some time. I wondered if I smelled bad.”
Ian raised his eyebrow, clearly confused. Then, realizing the reason behind my actions, he smiled wryly.
“You don’t smell bad. The reason I moved you back…”
“Then what was it? You said you wanted to see me, but pushed me away immediately. And then suddenly told me to shower…”
He chuckled softly, partially covering his face.
“I didn’t move you for that reason.”
“Then?”
He pursed his lips, as if uncertain how to answer, and reached for me. When I carefully leaned into him, he embraced my waist fully, smiling faintly.
It was then that I felt something unusual amidst his warmth. I looked up at him, startled.
Had there been a reason for this? Since when had he grown so…?
He let out a low laugh, like a sigh, as if he had noticed my surprise, and lightly pinched my nose, as if scolding me.
“I was trying to consider your comfort. You must be tired today…”
“I’m not tired at all.”
His lips curved into a playful smile over my face. Despite the softness of his eyes, they burned with intensity.
“Are you confident you won’t regret saying that?”
“Now that you say it, I might feel a little regret… I’ll go wash up first. Just wait a little—no, just a little longer.”
Despite my urgent voice, his hands around my back didn’t move. Then he pulled my nape close and kissed me deeply, exhaling hot breath. Goosebumps ran along my neck.
“This won’t do, Rose.”
Before I could ask what he meant, he kissed me again. Moments later, catching his breath, he lifted me effortlessly.
I instinctively hugged his neck tightly, and he made a low groan as he hastened toward the room.
“Wait, I need to shower first…”
“I already did.”
“But I haven’t yet.”
He let out a faint laugh and pressed his lips to my forehead.
“It doesn’t matter.”
The air in the room felt slightly cooler than the office, clearing my mind. I had come to the palace, not the mansion where Melissa waited, to tell him everything—the curse, the fact that I wasn’t from this world, everything.
This wasn’t the time for hesitation.
Our steps stopped by the bed. I glanced down and hugged his neck tighter, signaling my unwillingness to go to the bed.
“Ian, I have something I must tell you.”
“Does it have to be now?”
I had thought about this during the carriage ride, imagining how he might react. I considered countless scenarios, even ones where revealing everything might change our situation.
“Yes. Now seems the right time.”
Turning, Ian gently set me on the sofa at the center of his room and sat next to me. My hands clenched tightly as tension washed over me.
Then, a large hand parted my hair and brushed my cheek. Grabbing my left hand, he began kissing each knuckle.
His lips lingered persistently on the fourth finger. Seeing the ring there, I looked up at his left hand.
Seeing the identical ring on the same finger, the fear I had been suppressing surged.
Would it be alright to reveal everything? Would things stay the same?
‘Ian, why do you like me?’
I had asked him.
‘If you weren’t like this… if you were different from what I know…’
‘Rose, even with the curse, you told me you were the same person I knew. That gave me a reason to live.’
How could he not love me? That’s what he had said.
‘No matter what you look like, I would recognize and fall in love with you.’
I closed my eyes tightly and grabbed his sleeve.
“…I found a way to break the curse.”
The movement of his lips on my hand stopped abruptly.
“A way?”
“I found a way to break the curse that afflicts the royal family.”
When no answer came, I opened my eyes slightly. Ian looked at me, clearly not understanding.
“What do you mean? How…?”
“You said the curse was placed by a god called ‘Fortuna,’ who serves the Bellire Kingdom, right?”
“….”
“Fortuna is the one who brought me here as well.”
