Chapter 66

Chase’s face, shrouded in shadow, was so dark that it was impossible to guess what he was thinking.

Even when Judith called out to him, he remained silent for a long time. Then, after a moment, he spoke in a quiet voice.  

“……Why are you sitting here like this?”  

It was only then that Judith remembered she was still crouched on the ground. Feeling awkward, she answered in a sheepish tone.  

“My legs hurt a little.”  

As she brushed herself off and stood up, she kept her head bowed low, not wanting him to see her disheveled face.  

Of all the times to run into someone, it had to be Chase, and in this way.  

It was a terrible day from start to finish.  

Then, suddenly, she wondered why Chase, who should have been at the dormitory, was out here.  

Was he such a training fanatic that he came out late at night to practice swordsmanship?  

But contrary to her expectations, there wasn’t a single sword at his waist, where one was usually strapped.  

Judging by his casual clothes, he seemed to have just stepped out of the dormitory for a short while.  

“Why are you here?”  

Her voice came out sharper than she intended.  

Worried that she might have upset him, she cautiously raised her head, only to see Chase staring at her with a furrowed brow.  

“……I was looking for you.”  

“……For me? Why?”  

When Judith asked, puzzled, Chase studied her face for a moment before answering.  

“I was worried… that you might be crying again.”  

She wanted to ask what he meant, but as soon as she heard those words, the emotions she had been holding back surged up, making it impossible to speak.  

Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill, so Judith quickly bowed her head.  

How had Chase known to find me at this moment? And why was he saying such things to me?  

Judith couldn’t understand why he was worrying about her in this situation.  

What was so good about an ex-fiancée who had abandoned him to attend a party with another man that he would go out of his way to find me?  

Regardless, she didn’t want to cause him any unnecessary concern.  

She needed to say that nothing had happened, but the words stuck in her throat, refusing to come out.  

Seeing her silence, Chase’s gaze darkened.  

“Something happened, right?”  

“…….”  

“Was it because of him?”  

His tone was low, but it was clear he was holding back anger. Judith quickly responded.  

“It’s not like that! Axel didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just…”  

It’s my fault for foolishly expecting something and misunderstanding everything on my own.  

She needed to say something to calm Chase down, but the thought of it made her want to cry again, and she couldn’t continue.  

At this rate, she felt like she’d start sobbing again. In fact, tears were already welling uncontrollably in her eyes.  

Chase’s arms extended toward her. He pulled her into his embrace, shielding her from the prying eyes of others.  

As he awkwardly patted her on the back, he spoke.  

“Just cry. When it’s this hard, it’s better to let it out.”  

Hearing those words, she couldn’t bring herself to push him away. While countless thoughts clashed in her mind, Chase continued in a soothing tone.  

“It’s okay. You can cry as much as you want. I told you, didn’t I? You can use me however you need.”  

She shouldn’t do this. She shouldn’t rely on Chase now, not after everything.  

But contrary to her thoughts, his words brought her comfort, and the tears began to flow freely.  

In the end, Judith buried her face in his chest and cried like a child.  

It felt as if an endless well of tears had been hidden inside her, now spilling out uncontrollably.  

Perhaps she had always wanted to let herself cry like this, to pour out all the emotions that had built up in her heart.  

Chase didn’t ask why she was crying. He must have been curious, but he avoided questioning her, seemingly to spare her any discomfort.  

And for that, she was grateful. She appreciated how he silently offered his embrace, how he asked for nothing in return and simply told her to lean on him.  

Even though she had tried to act indifferent, this was the day she had decided to let go of all her feelings for Axel.  

While it felt liberating, as if she had shed a long-held burden, it was also painful and exhausting.  

So how could she not be glad that he had appeared to comfort her in this moment?  

After crying for a long time, Judith finally steadied her breathing.  

As Chase had said, crying once had made her feel much better.  

Her eyes ached as if they might fall out, but before addressing that, she felt the need to apologize for causing a scene.  

Judith gathered herself and opened her mouth.  

“Sorry, I’ve been such a bother—”  

“There’s no need to apologize. In fact, this is what I wanted.”  

As soon as Chase confirmed that she had stopped crying, he carefully lifted her chin.  

With his index finger, he gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. As her vision cleared, she could see his serious expression more clearly.  

“I just want to be someone who can support you.”  

“…….”  

“So if something hard happens, just lean on me.”  

At his kind words, Judith bit her lip. No matter how she thought about it, he was far too good for her.  

How could she have harbored such selfish thoughts about someone as kind as Chase? To think she had considered using him to distance herself from Axel…  

Just as she felt tears threatening to rise again, the clouds in the night sky parted, and soft moonlight shone between them.  

At the same time, she noticed the round wet patch on Chase’s chest.  

The sight made her embarrassment wash away her tears instantly.  

Feeling awkward, Judith rummaged through her bag and pulled out a handkerchief.  

“……Your clothes are all wet because of me. Here, at least use this to wipe it off.”  

When Chase glanced down at his shirt and saw the wet spot, his ears turned red. But he quickly shrugged it off as if it were nothing.  

“It’s fine. It’s hot anyway, so it actually feels nice and cool.”  

His response was so typical of him that Judith couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.  

As she put the handkerchief back into her bag, she hesitated before speaking again.  

“I don’t know how to put this… but Chase, thank you for today. And I’m sorry. Even though you’re doing all this, I can’t return your feelings…”  

When her words trailed off, Chase shook his head and replied.  

“I never expected that from the start.”  

“……Even so.”  

“And who knows? If I keep staying by your side, maybe one day you’ll come to like me too.”  

He finished with a sly smile.  

Judith found it hard to respond, so she remained silent. Seeing this, Chase continued.  

“So don’t feel guilty about anything. After all, you agreed to this engagement to distance yourself from Axel in the first place.”  

His words weren’t wrong, so Judith nodded absentmindedly.  

How did Chase know that?  

As if reading her thoughts, Chase added.  

“You’re nothing if not diligent… I figured that once you decided on this engagement, you’d stick to it out of principle.”  

Chase seemed to understand her better than she had expected. But there was still one lingering question.  

“But…”  

What if, despite all your efforts, I never come to love you?  

Judith wanted to ask, but the thought seemed too cruel, so she hesitated.  

Even so, Chase seemed to pick up on her thoughts.  

“Just give me a chance. I’ll do my best to make you forget about Axel, so watch me and decide.”  

That’s all I ask.  

His tone was confident, but his expression seemed to gauge her reaction carefully.  

It was unusual to see Chase, who was always so self-assured, looking uncertain.  

The realization made her chest ache.  

“……No.”  

She couldn’t make such a selfish promise. It was a situation where only Chase would end up hurt.  

If there was one thing she had learned from her relationship with Axel, it was that she needed to respond sincerely to someone’s genuine feelings.  

For the first time, Judith felt certain about what she needed to do for Chase.  

“Don’t say that, Chase. You’re my fiancé.”  

“……?”  

As Chase’s eyes widened, Judith smiled bitterly.  

“So I’ll also take responsibility for maintaining our relationship. I promise to stay by your side until the day you decide you don’t want me anymore.”  

Hearing her words, Chase’s expression twisted slightly. His lips twitched as if he were mulling over her statement, and then he asked a question.  

“But I don’t think I’ll ever stop liking you.”  

At that, Judith let out a small laugh.  

“Does that bother you?”  

“……Ahem, no, it’s not a bad proposal.”  

Chase’s attitude shifted instantly, and a much more relaxed smile appeared on his face.  

It was strange. Watching him, the tightness in her chest and the frustration in her mind seemed to melt away.  

I’ve relied on you from beginning to end.  

It’s strange. I didn’t know much about you before, and I wasn’t even interested.  

But in this short time, I’ve grown so attached to you.  

Even though it was a decision made without much thought, I’m so glad I chose you as my fiancé out of everyone.  

For the first time, Judith felt that way.