CHAPTER46……………..
. I Will Love Only You, Forever
Riding with Milli seated in front of him, William felt endlessly thrilled and happy.
Her body swayed in rhythm with Vivi’s gallop, and each time she brushed lightly against him, the soft sensation drove him insane.
He wanted nothing more than to pull her close and press his lips to hers, but since that night she had seemed to avoid him. He could not figure out what had gone wrong, nor what mistake he might have made.
That night, Milli had not rejected him.
When William had been gravely injured and brought back to Fritan Castle, Milli tended to other wounded men but cared for him with special devotion. He cherished it so much that being wounded on the battlefield almost seemed worth it.
But when fever and violent seizures struck, and the palace physician said his right arm might need to be amputated, even as consciousness faded, despair swallowed him whole. For a knight, losing an arm was the same as losing his head.
A more dreadful thought arose.
“Would Milli still love me if I had no right arm?”
Too weak even to speak, he thought perhaps he should refuse amputation and simply die.
But then, a miracle. Who knew Queen Lea wielded such immense healing power? She healed not only William but also every knight grievously wounded in battle.
“You may all return home. Sir William, however, will need one more check-up tomorrow morning. If all is well, you too may be released.”
The physicians carefully examined every patient, releasing all but William. The doctors’ faces shone with joy at the vanishing of what had seemed an endless overnight duty.
Left alone in the wide reception hall that had served as a temporary infirmary, William grew restless.
“Damn, tonight I miss her all the more.”
Afraid his yearning might drive him to madness, he swallowed the medicine prescribed by the physician and tried to sleep early.
But soon he sensed someone’s stealthy footsteps approaching his bed.
Though half-dazed from the drug, he managed to catch the hand reaching toward his head.
“Ow!! Sir William, that hurts.”
The tearful, reproachful face looking down at him was unmistakably Milli. Shaking his head, he struggled to focus his blurred vision.
“Am I… seeing things?”
“You’re not.”
“It’s really you, Milli?”
Caught by the hand he gripped, she shyly nodded.
“They say you wept before Her Majesty, begging her to save me?”
“Uh… that…”
William looked at the slender wrist he held.
“Why did you do that?”
“…”
“Why do I see such worry in your eyes?”
“…”
“Why does my heart feel like it will burst whenever I look at you?”
At his murmured questions, Milli’s face flushed crimson, and she stared in shock.
His grip on her wrist loosened, his hand rising to cradle her cheek. When she didn’t pull away, William, as though entranced, lifted himself and pressed his lips to hers.
At that moment, Milli’s arms wrapped around his neck. The two of them remained together on his bed until dawn.
Even now, riding with Milli, William’s mind swirled with memories of that burning night.
Until then, he had feared nothing in the world except Miklok. But now, he feared Milli—feared that she might keep turning away from him forever.
He spurred Vivi onward, bringing her to Fritan’s grandest sight: Lake Yurion, vast and glittering under the afternoon sun.
When they reached the quiet lakeshore, they dismounted. Facing Milli, who stood awkwardly before him, William took both her hands in his.
“Milli, marry me.”
“What?”
Her eyes widened at the sudden proposal.
“I know I’m not gentle, and I lack eloquence… but I want to marry you.”
“But… I’m just a commoner.”
“So what…?”
Her words startled him, until he remembered she came from the Harlan Empire. Unlike in Fritan, where noble-commoner marriages sometimes happened, Harlan was a rigid class society. Her unease made sense.
“Don’t worry, Milli. No one in Fritan would condemn us for marrying.”
He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.
“And I’m just a knight myself. As the second son of a count, my brother will inherit the title anyway.”
After William’s great victory against the Dark Dragon last year, Miklok had tried to grant him a marquisate. William, uninterested in titles, had declined out of sheer annoyance.
“Maybe next time, if I do something bigger, he can just make me a duke.”
“Hah! So you had such ambition after all?” Miklok had laughed at his joke.
Looking now at Milli’s anxious face, William felt deeply grateful he hadn’t accepted.
Still holding her hands, he dropped to one knee and drew a small ring from his pocket.
“Milli, I will love only you, forever. Please, marry me.”
In the brief pause as he awaited her answer, his heart thundered as if it would leap from his chest. If she shyly nodded, he was ready to kiss her at once.
“I’m sorry, Sir William.”
But her response shattered his hope.
“I cannot accept your proposal.”
Her face looked on the verge of tears, but her voice was firm.
The heart that had been pounding to burst sank heavily to the ground.
“Your Majesty, do you understand the difference between these two budgets?”
“The one on the right is the general budget—for winter snow removal, heating, and food aid. The one on the left is an emergency fund for disasters, correct?”
“Exactly.”
Duke Zenon looked at me with a satisfied smile, like a kind teacher proud of an excellent student.
It struck me anew that such a man could faithfully serve fussy Mik, endure the labyrinth of court intrigue, and remain the steadfast second-in-command.
“Why do you look at me so?”
“Oh, forgive me. I was just wondering which is real—you, as I see you now, or the version I hear in rumors.”
At my honest words, he smiled faintly.
“You mean the saying: ‘Like king, like chancellor’?”
“Oh! You’ve heard it too!”
He chuckled softly.
“And did you believe the gossip that Prince Miklok is a bloodthirsty vampire?”
“Of course not.”
“Exactly. Then forget the gossip about me as well.”
His playful grin made me laugh aloud.
“The duchess must be blessed indeed, having such a capable, kind, and witty husband.”
“Please, tell my wife Daisy that directly. Just keep it secret from Prince Miklok.”
“Why?”
“A jealous king might cut down his poor chancellor with a single stroke, merely because the queen praised him.”
“Surely not!”
I waved my hand dismissively, though the way he raised his brows made me doubt. When Mik lost his temper, truly nothing could be guaranteed.
Seeing my hesitation, the duke’s eyes twinkled, and we both burst into laughter at the same time.
Just then, a waiting attendant knocked.
“The Malau envoy requests an audience with Her Majesty and the Chancellor.”
“What is it?”
“They say their return schedule has been decided.”
Oh! At last the Malau delegation, who had lingered in Fritan Castle for no clear reason, were preparing to return home. Delight spread across my face.
“Shall we meet them together?”
When I nodded, the duke gathered the papers, and the envoy was admitted to the reception room.
In strode a tall, striking man with long platinum hair—identical in color to mine. He was the one always faithfully at Princess Shine’s side. His name was… Julmon?
“Sir Julmon, you’ve set a return date?”
“Yes. Thanks to your hospitality, we have been well cared for. We depart for home the morning after tomorrow.”
I struggled to hide my smile, offering my most gracious expression.
He presented a small box.
“A token of thanks for treating Princess Shine. That day we were too shaken to properly express our gratitude.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have…”
The unexpected gift startled me. I considered refusing, but judging by its light weight, it was nothing burdensome.
“Thank you. I’ll accept it.”
“I hope Prince Miklok will also be pleased.”
What? It wasn’t for me? Curious, I opened my mouth, but Julmon revealed his true purpose.
“In fact, I requested this audience with a petition.”
“A petition?”
“Tomorrow night, our last evening in Fritan, we wish to hold a small salon party at the West Palace annex.”
“A salon party?” The unfamiliar term puzzled me.
“It’s a simple gathering, like a tea party with few guests—but with wine and light snacks instead of tea.”
“But isn’t tomorrow too soon?”
“There is no need to worry. We would be honored if Prince Miklok, Your Majesty, and the Duke and Duchess Zenon would attend.”
Even the duke’s eyes widened at this.
“My wife and I as well?”
“Would it be inconvenient?”
“I will consult with Prince Miklok. If nothing pressing arises, we shall attend.”
“Then we shall see you tomorrow night.”
Julmon’s smile was dazzling, as though he had won a prize. He bowed and departed.
“It doesn’t seem like a simple party, does it?”
The duke nodded in agreement.
What scheme was this? They clearly weren’t leaving without making some final move.
“If I say I will go, Prince Miklok won’t object. So you had better hurry and let your wife know.”
Rising swiftly, I saw the duke watching me in confusion.
“The party is tomorrow night! The duchess hasn’t time to prepare a dress.”
Only then did realization dawn on him. With a start, he leapt to his feet.
