Epilogue 1

A thick blanket was draped over Ellen’s tired shoulders as she slept. Lennox tucked the blanket carefully to keep the cold air out, then kissed Ellen lightly on the cheek. He brushed her tangled hair and smiled faintly. After dressing, Lennox quietly left the room so as not to wake Ellen.

Lennox stepped into the garden. Dawn was just beginning to break. The chilly morning air filled and emptied his lungs. The untended garden was empty and lonely. Lennox’s gaze turned to the tall tree in the garden. The tree where he and Ellen had always ended up talking. Whenever something sad happened, as if by promise, they met under that tree to give and receive comfort. The tree that remembered all of Ellen and Lennox’s stories, and witnessed the end of the Valère Earldom.

“You’re the only thing that never changes.”

As Lennox stroked the tree’s bark, he heard the mansion’s front gate open. Turning, he saw a carriage and, beside it, Karan and several knights riding in.

“Stop.”

Karan raised his arm, and the carriage slowly stopped. He dismounted and bowed respectfully, and Lennox nodded lightly.

“The child?”

“We came back as safely as possible, as you ordered, so we’re late.”

“Good.”

When Lennox looked toward the carriage, Karan cleared his throat and said,

“But…”

“……?”

“The child is really cute. She didn’t fuss at all the whole way, ate well, played well, and was so lovable. I’d have no wish left if I had a daughter like that.”

Karan blushed, remembering Innis clinging to his leg and laughing. At first, he hadn’t understood why he had to take care of a child, but his complaints quickly melted away. The child’s bright black eyes and cheerful smile were irresistibly adorable. Karan almost started to grin, but at Lennox’s glance, he cleared his throat and gestured.

The carriage door opened, and Emma stepped out, holding sleeping Innis. When Emma saw Lennox, she turned pale and bowed her head. Lennox reached out to Emma, who had always served Ellen since Laura’s death.

“Give me the child.”

“But…”

Emma nervously clung to Innis, glancing around. She couldn’t forget the image of Lennox raising his sword toward Innis. After hesitating, Emma carefully handed the sleeping Innis to Lennox, sensing no threat from him now. Lennox adjusted his hold on Innis and said,

“Ellen is in that room.”

“…….”

“When she wakes up, bring her a warm meal and water to wash with.”

“What?”

“Just like before, just as you’ve always done, take care of Ellen.”

Lennox looked down at little Innis, sleeping soundly. She was still the child between Baron Dermann and Ellen, so he didn’t like her much. But Ellen had fiercely protected the child, even bowing her head to the floor for her sake, so Lennox decided not to hate her. He carried the child away.

“Mama?”

Perhaps because the embrace felt different, the child blinked awake. Lennox’s mouth tightened as he met the child’s gaze. Instead of looking sleepy, the child tilted her head and stared up at Lennox.

“Papa?”

“…….”

Lennox wondered why the child confused him with Baron Dermann, whom she didn’t resemble at all. He knelt and set her down. The tiny child stood firmly, staring up at Lennox. He stroked her thick red hair and spoke softly.

“Mom is still sleeping. Should we take a walk together so we don’t wake her?”

“With Papa?”

Lennox wanted to tell her he wasn’t her father. But looking into her clear, innocent eyes, he didn’t want to say it. In fact, if Ellen’s daughter didn’t think of Baron Dermann as her father, Lennox was relieved. He hid his mean thoughts and smiled. The child grinned and hugged Lennox’s arm tightly.

“Yes, Papa.”

The child, forgetting that Lennox was the one who had threatened her, nestled into his arms without hesitation. Lennox wrapped her in his coat to keep her warm and walked slowly. The warmth of the child in his arms felt so lovely, Lennox thought unconsciously.

* * *

When the sun was high in the window, Ellen woke up. The fireplace, which had been out when she slept, was now lit.

“Lennox?”

Ellen called his name softly, still sleepy, and sat up. As the blanket slid down her smooth skin, she quickly grabbed it to cover herself.

“My Lady. Are you awake?”

“Emma?”

“You woke up at the perfect time. I was worried the soup would get cold. The wash water is still warm, too.”

Emma naturally called Ellen ‘My Lady’ as she brought out a change of clothes. Luckily, there were still some of Ellen’s old clothes in the wardrobe. As Emma approached with the clothes, Ellen stared at her in surprise.

“Emma, why are you here? Where’s Innis?”

A flash of anxiety crossed Ellen’s eyes. When leaving Baron Dermann’s mansion, Emma had left separately with little Innis. Lennox had said they’d already left this mansion, so why was she here now?

“We arrived at the mansion early this morning.”

“This morning?”

“Yes. The Aryan Empire knights took the best route for Innis, gave lots of breaks, so it took a long time to get here.”

“Innis? Where is she now?”

“Sir Lennon is with her.”

“What?”

Emma soaked a towel in warm water and wiped Ellen’s face as she spoke.

“Sir Lennon took Innis with him since you were sleeping. She’ll be back soon for breakfast.”

“Emma, help me change.”

“Yes, of course. What about breakfast?”

“Later.”

Ellen quickly got out of bed and changed. After fixing herself at the same old vanity, she stepped out to find knights and soldiers watching her. But they didn’t block her way; instead, they moved aside. In the garden, she heard Innis’s laughter. Following the sound, she saw two figures under a tree.

Her lover, who had whispered love all night, sat comfortably under the tree, one knee raised, watching their beloved daughter laugh and play with a foxtail grass.

“…….”

Ellen watched them from a distance. Innis tilted her head and giggled. She bounced and waved the foxtail; when she stumbled, Lennox caught her. Innis clung to Lennox’s arm, laughing brightly, and a smile appeared on Lennox’s lips too.

Innis sat on Lennox’s knee, grabbed his hand with her tiny fingers, and played with it. Lennox quietly let her play with his hand. As Innis counted his fingers, she looked up and smiled.

“Papa.”

“…….”

When Innis called him Papa, Ellen’s eyes began to tremble.

“Hm?”

Lennox didn’t deny the word. Instead, he met Innis’s eyes and answered. Innis giggled again. Ellen’s vision blurred with tears. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, remembering when Innis first started to speak.

Back then, Ellen had lain beside Innis, who fussed to avoid sleep, gently patting her and singing lullabies.

“Innis.”

“Ma-?”

“Papa is a man with wonderful red eyes.”

“Pa-?”

“Yes, Papa.”

“Pa- paa?”

“Yes, Papa. Our Innis’s daddy.”

Ellen closed her eyes. She had tried to erase him, but sometimes he would suddenly come to mind. Maybe it was because her emotions had stirred late at night. For the first time, Ellen had taught Innis the word ‘Papa,’ which she’d never used before. To Ellen, ‘father’ was never a welcome word, but she hoped it would be different for Innis. Even if Innis forgot the word by tomorrow, Ellen wanted her to know: her daddy was a wonderful man.

After that, Ellen never used the word ‘father’ in front of Innis. But apparently, Innis remembered. That a man with red eyes was her daddy.

Ellen moved her numb legs slowly, approaching. Lennox turned his head toward Ellen at her presence. Seeing Ellen’s red eyes, Lennox’s expression hardened. Ellen smiled at him, truly happy.

“Mama!”

Now able to run, Innis dashed into Ellen’s arms, and Ellen hugged her tightly. She nuzzled Innis’s shoulder, and the child laughed brightly.

“Innis, have you been well?”

“Mama. Mama.”

Ellen pulled Innis back and looked into her eyes. As Innis stared, her face turned to tears.

“Mama.”

Innis burst into tears, burying her face in Ellen’s arms. She kicked her little feet and clung tightly to Ellen’s clothes, sobbing bitterly. The long journey to Leodell had been hard, even for a cheerful four-year-old. Ellen held Innis close, gently patting her back and swallowing her own tears. She didn’t want Innis to see her cry.

“…….”

Lennox, watching from a distance, couldn’t bring himself to approach. After a long bout of crying, Innis sniffled, and Ellen stroked her back.

“Innis, you still need to sleep, right? Sleep, sleep.”

“Ma…”

With Ellen’s gentle touch, Innis soon fell asleep, and Ellen’s gaze turned to Lennox.