A Reversal of Unrequited Love - Chapter 64

They rode side by side through the forest where acacia petals fluttered. Since they were not yet engaged, two court knights followed them slowly from behind.

Hyacinth quietly increased her speed. Ethan also quietly sped up to follow her. As she often enjoyed horseback riding with her cousins on weekends, the horse remembered the path and ran on its own without much guidance. Holding the reins loosely, Hyacinth glanced to the side.

White petals were fluttering like snow above Ethan’s head.

The familiar path felt strangely new, and Hyacinth took a small breath.

The path felt different because her companion had changed. Reflecting on this peculiar feeling, Hyacinth realized that she was indeed at a turning point. This acacia-scented path was the one she always traveled with her family, and unless fate played a trick on her, Ethan Erentis would become her new family.

The spring sunlight tickled the cheeks of the young man who had shed his boyishness. The breeze carrying the petals dropped a few on his silver hair. It was a dreamy scene that seemed to show the mystery of fairies. If court painters saw this, they would likely want to capture it on canvas. Hyacinth took in the scene for a long time.

Ethan’s face was expressionless, but Hyacinth knew. She could tell that he had relaxed a bit and was lazily at ease.

Looking back, in her previous life, and perhaps until this very moment, she had never seen Ethan Erentis truly relaxed. While he might have appeared laid-back, he was never ‘comfortably’ relaxed.

Before their gazes could meet—and before Ethan could tense up again—Hyacinth looked straight ahead.

The forest path was coming to an end.

Instead of heading back right away, they spent time in a meadow filled with wildflowers.

They let the horses graze freely and walked side by side. They hopped over a babbling brook and sat on a wooden fence. Whenever Hyacinth lost her balance, Ethan would swiftly catch her.

They talked about truly trivial matters. Hyacinth mostly spoke, and Ethan listened calmly. Most of the conversations were insignificant, but he didn’t mind at all and listened willingly.

So, Hyacinth talked about small anecdotes from Tyche’s social circles and Cory’s little, cute mischiefs. When she complained that Cory had torn up all her cushions, Ethan chuckled. When she lamented that she had forbidden treats as a punishment, yet Cory had eaten them all, Ethan laughed even more, making Hyacinth pout sulkily. To console her, Ethan made two clover rings and put them on her fingers.

Hyacinth was utterly satisfied with the rings made from the prettiest clovers.

As the sun began to set in the west, Ethan stood up first.

They had to return to Tyche before dusk enveloped the land.

Ethan extended a helping hand to Hyacinth, signaling her to get up. Holding his kind hand, Hyacinth rose and walked through the twilight to find the horses that were busily grazing.

Ethan walked beside her, matching her pace. Though his steps were heavier, their strides were the same.

Hyacinth glanced sideways to check the positions of the two royal knights. They were following at a distance where their voices couldn’t be heard.

“Ethan.”

“Yes.”

It might have been because of the comfort of spending the whole day together, or perhaps a sudden impulse. Various emotions swirling inside her pushed the question out.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“As many as you like.”

“……Is it okay that I have red hair?”

Ethan hesitated in his steps. Hyacinth also stopped but couldn’t bring herself to turn and face him. Only after he gently tapped her finger did she hesitantly look up at him.

“Hyacinth, have I ever made you feel hurt?”

“No.”

“Have I ever been too much or too little?”

“No, not at all. Never. Really. It’s just that for our marriage to succeed this time……”

Hyacinth carefully chose her words.

“There are certain aspects we must address. While we both know that you love me……”

“……”

“At the same time, don’t I resemble your nightmare?”

“You do not.”

Ethan refuted coldly and firmly. Hyacinth widened her eyes and then smiled faintly.

“That’s a relief, but…… Ethan, I want to have a bit more confidence in our future.”

“……”

“I don’t mind if our love started from guilt. What matters to me is whether that love is strong enough to overcome your wounds.”

As expected, his answer didn’t come quickly. If he had answered quickly, she would have doubted its sincerity. Ethan Erentis’s gray eyes began to scrutinize her face and hair.

Following his gaze, his hand reached out. Hyacinth silently watched as Ethan stroked her hair.

Time flowed quickly or slowly.

In that flow, silence pooled. The red light emanating from the west enveloped them, momentarily freezing them in place. It made her already red hair appear even redder.

Reminiscent of a lush rose, Ethan admired the scene for a long time.

“You may think I’m pathetic.”

“I swear I don’t.”

“……Before I speak frankly, let me correct one thing: my love didn’t start from guilt. That doesn’t mean guilt played no part in my actions towards you.”

“……”

“I never liked red hair. In my previous life, I didn’t just avoid it; I hated it. I don’t deny that. But guilt stripped away the prejudice and hatred born from those negative emotions.”

Ethan thought that without such a powerful emotion as guilt, it would have been hard to shed those prejudices and hatred. Of course, the most fundamental issue was himself, who harbored such hatred over a mere hair color.

Retracing his past self, Ethan felt self-deprecating. Even if Hyacinth didn’t think he was pathetic, he considered himself so. He would likely continue to do so for the rest of his life.

“I liked you from the beginning. From the moment you scolded me for disappearing without a word, I couldn’t take my eyes off you. But I couldn’t understand myself, so I tried to hate and ignore you even more.”

“……”

“I thought liking you would be unfair to my younger self.”

He thought it would be wrong to love a red-haired woman out of pity for that poor, pitiful child. An utterly baseless and wretched logic.

“Therefore, Hyacinth, it would be more accurate to say that it is a love acknowledged through guilt rather than a love that began with guilt. Is that a sufficient answer?”

“Even if you like me now… does it not hurt your younger self?”

“If I don’t like you, I feel like I might go crazy right now.”

Hyacinth’s eyes widened and then broke into a clear smile. Reaching out her long, elegant arms toward him, Ethan lifted her up in a swift motion. Hyacinth, who was held like a child, smiled contentedly.

“Thank you for being honest, Ethan. Actually, I’ve always wanted to ask you.”

“Is that so?”

“Ultimately, if we get married, we will have to see each other for the rest of our lives… No matter what wrongs you have done to me, I didn’t want to become someone who would gnaw at you. I didn’t want to allow that.”

Ethan, still holding Hyacinth, approached the horse. The horse, sensing their presence, merely perked its ears without making any significant movement. After helping the lady onto the saddle, Ethan tilted his head back to look up at her.

Her red hair cascaded down like a waterfall. A pale hand reached out to caress his cheek. Ethan gently clasped that hand and, as was his habit, checked the tips of her fingers.

Perfectly intact and beautiful.

In the red-tinted time gifted by the sunset, he quietly confessed.

“Red is beautiful, Hyacinth.”

“Is it?”

“I was the one who hated it. You gave that colorback to me. Even if you doubt my feelings for you, don’t deny the meaning you hold for me.”

“…Yes.”

“There’s no woman as intense as you in my life.”

Nodding in understanding, Hyacinth suddenly widened her eyes and then glared at him with narrowed eyes.

“Of course, I must be the only one.”

“You are the only one.”

“Good.”

Her sulky expression transformed into a loving one in an instant.

Ethan couldn’t take his eyes off the woman who was as fickle as spring and as lively as summer. He simply let her touch his face.

“Ethan, don’t you have anything to ask me?”

“…”

“You can ask me anything.”

…There is something.

Why do you accept me even after experiencing such things?

But his lady was always braver than he was, so Ethan couldn’t voice his question.

Hyacinth had once told him that even a love that began from guilt was okay. He, too, was grateful for the kindness that started from pity.

However.

He couldn’t predict how Hyacinth would react to that question. Even though he thought it might be better for her to leave him and go to another man, just imagining that situation…

Ethan ended up clenching his teeth. His throat bobbed, revealing his selfishness.

“Ethan?”

“His Majesty is hosting a jousting tournament. Could you be my lady at that time?”

“Of course. Were you planning to ask another lady if not me?”

“No, I just wanted to formally ask you at least once.”

He held the hand that was caressing his cheek and kissed the smooth back of it.

Hyacinth, who had been pretending to be upset, smiled with her eyes curved into a gentle arc. Ethan, as if enchanted, whispered to the eyes forming a smooth curve.

“I hope you won’t become another knight’s lady.”

“…”

“Of course, it’s beyond my control…”

“I won’t.”

Ethan looked up at her intently,

“I won’t.”

Hyacinth affirmed once more.

Unable to hold back, Ethan tightly embraced Hyacinth’s knees. Practically laying his head on her lap.