Chapter 105

Listening to Chase’s story, Judith suddenly recalled memories of her late father from her childhood.  

Of course, since he had passed away when she was very young, even his face and voice had become faint in her memory.  

However, she clearly remembered how much her father had cherished her.  

Despite being busy with work, he would make her a wonderful breakfast on holidays, or take her to town to buy toys or her favorite snacks.  

Judith used to complain to him for being away from home every day, but looking back now, she realized that it must not have been easy for him to leave his young daughter behind to go to work.  

‘I shouldn’t have whined about him staying home back then.’  

In hindsight, everything was filled with regret.  

As Judith dwelled on her past memories, she suddenly recalled a trip she had taken with her father.  

Come to think of it, her experience seemed very similar to Chase’s situation.  

“Now that I think about it, I also went to the sea with my father when I was very young. It was my birthday, and Madame Fedelian gave him a few days off, saying it was okay to take a break. So, we spent a wonderful time dipping our feet in the sea and eating fish together.”  

Judith started speaking cheerfully but trailed off at the end.  

“But that ended up being my last trip with my father. After that, he was involved in a carriage accident and passed away suddenly.”  

When her father first passed away, it felt as though she had lost the entire world. The pain and hardship were so unbearable that she thought she’d never be happy again.  

But as time went on, she found herself able to return to a normal life, and moments of joy occasionally came her way.  

Looking at Chase, Judith thought that she had finally found the strength to live again.  

“…I see. Actually, my happiest memories are from the time I spent here. Back at the Earl’s residence, my mother and I always had to be mindful of the Countess’s mood.”  

Just like Judith, who had endured pain in her childhood, Chase also carried indelible scars.  

“That’s why I decided early on to become a great knight and gain independence. I thought I’d be happy as long as I could escape my father’s shadow. But…”  

As they shared their stories, Judith and Chase realized they had many similarities.  

Perhaps that was why they understood and empathized with each other’s empty spaces so well.  

The saying that people are drawn to others who share their pain seemed to be true.  

On the surface, Chase and Judith appeared to have no connection, but perhaps it was their shared sense of loss that brought them together.  

At that moment, Chase, who had been deep in thought, finally spoke.  

“Judith, once the house is fully set up and the engagement ceremony is over, would it be alright if I visited your father’s grave?”  

“…My father’s?”  

“Yes, I’d like to express my gratitude for allowing me to meet someone as wonderful as you.”  

“But my father’s grave is quite far from here.”  

Chase shook his head as if it wasn’t an issue.  

“We have plenty of time, so we can take our time getting there. I want to thank him for bringing you into this world and show him my commitment to making you happy for the rest of your life.”  

Judith, touched by Chase’s words, nodded cautiously.  

“Alright. Once we’re free, let’s visit my father’s grave together.”  

The two of them sat on the sofa, holding hands for a long time, basking in the afternoon sunlight.  

They both thought that the future they would share together would be as warm as this sunlight.  

***

During the winter vacation leading up to graduation, Judith had originally planned to take a well-deserved break.  

She had never truly rested during previous vacations, as she was always under pressure to maintain good grades and spent her breaks studying instead of relaxing.  

However, even now that vacation had begun, Judith still couldn’t find time to rest. There were just too many things she needed to take care of.  

First, she had to accompany Professor Karel to an academic conference and prepare teaching materials for next year’s students in her spare time.  

That wasn’t all. She also had to visit the house she would share with Chase, checking on the progress of the renovations.  

The once barren and desolate garden had been neatly trimmed by a gardener.  

Evergreens were planted to add liveliness, and the overgrown branches were pruned to give the garden a much tidier appearance.  

Inside the mansion, broken windows and even the window frames were replaced, and workers were hired to repair all the damaged areas.  

As a result, the house, which had once seemed like an abandoned ruin, gradually regained its original charm and began to exude a cozy, homey atmosphere.  

“Hmm…”  

Judith walked around the house, inspecting the newly renovated bathroom and kitchen and checking for anything else that might still be missing.  

New curtains were hung on the windows, and every weekend, she and Chase went to town to pick out furniture for the house.  

Perhaps it was thanks to the aesthetic sense Judith had developed during her childhood at the Fedelian estate.  

By the time they had furnished the house, the interior of the mansion looked quite impressive.  

“This should do, don’t you think?”  

Judith, looking satisfied, turned to Chase.  

“Let’s see.”  

He scanned the interior of the mansion, which they had decorated together, with a delighted expression.  

“This is good enough to move in right away. We can bring our things over as soon as vacation ends.”  

Chase also seemed very pleased with the results of their efforts to make the house feel like home.  

Judith showed Chase the guest room as a final touch and asked for his opinion.  

“What do you think? This should be good enough to host guests, right?”  

Chase answered nonchalantly.  

“As long as there’s a bed to sleep on, it’s fine. No need to fuss over it.”  

“But I want the people who visit our home to feel comfortable and well-rested.”  

“This is more than enough, so don’t worry, Judith. Besides, it’ll be a while before we invite anyone over.”  

Judith smiled shyly, agreeing with him. At that moment, Chase seemed to remember something and spoke up.  

“Oh, by the way, Father has already hired a few staff members. It’s better to have someone manage the place to keep it clean until we move in.”  

“Alright, you can handle that part. I’m fine with whatever you decide.”  

Chase nodded a few times and then pointed to the terrace with his finger.  

“By the way, why don’t we take a break now? How about something to eat? We’ve been busy running around all day and even skipped lunch.”  

As he spoke, Chase held up a bag of food they had bought earlier in town.  

Although the food had gone cold after sitting for a while, the delicious aroma wafting through the air was enough to whet their appetites.  

However, Judith pretended not to notice the food Chase offered.  

“No, I’m fine. You enjoy it yourself.”  

“Why? Aren’t you hungry? You haven’t eaten dinner either.”  

Of course, she was hungry. She was even worried that her stomach might growl loudly enough to be heard through her thick clothing.  

But Judith simply shook her head.  

After all, the engagement ceremony was just a few days away. Though the ceremony would be very simple, more like a celebratory dinner than a formal event…  

The guest list was small, limited to Madame Fedelian, the Cardandy family, and a few close acquaintances of Chase and Judith.  

The problem, however, was the dress Madame Fedelian had gifted her.  

Having acted as Judith’s guardian in place of her late parents, Madame Fedelian had taken it upon herself to play the same role for the engagement ceremony.  

Perhaps because of that, she had commissioned Judith’s dress from a very famous boutique in the capital as an engagement gift.  

Judith couldn’t refuse the thoughtful gesture, and the dress was undeniably beautiful. But the thought of wearing it in front of others made her a bit nervous.  

“Don’t worry. No matter what you wear, you’ll look beautiful.”  

“I hope so.”  

Judith let out a deep sigh at Chase’s words.  

“Lately, with all the delicious food I’ve been eating while out with you, I feel like I’ve gained some weight…”  

***

Time flew by, and the day of the engagement ceremony finally arrived.  

The ceremony was held simply at the Cardandy estate. Before the party began, Judith was overjoyed to see her friends who had traveled from far away to attend.  

“Rodesha, Rodein! Oh my, I’m so happy you both came together.”  

The Roziena siblings arrived wearing matching outfits in a bright navy color, looking like a perfect pair.  

As soon as Rodesha saw Judith, she hugged her tightly and said,  

“Judith, it’s been so long since the end of term. Wow, that dress is gorgeous. It suits you so well.”  

When she stepped back, Rodein also complimented Judith’s attire and handed her a gift.  

“Oh, right. It’s small, but here’s a little engagement gift.”  

“You didn’t have to bring anything. Thank you, I’ll treasure it.”  

“Where’s Senior Chase?”  

“I think he’s in the garden talking with the Earl. The ceremony will be held there, so you can head over.”  

Although Rodein and Chase often seemed at odds, it appeared that Rodein was eager to catch up and talk with him after a long time apart.