Epilogue.1

Her gaze, fixed on the unfamiliar ceiling pattern, shifted to the side.  

Enoch, who had been clinging to her and trying all sorts of things earlier, was now fast asleep, breathing softly.  

It had been half a year and a few days since they got married.  

One year since she moved into the Marquisate Mansion.  

Four months since Enoch officially inherited his title, making her the Marchioness of the Meyer Marquisate.  

Though quite some time had passed, Hazel still hadn’t fully come to terms with the fact that this place was now her home.  

‘I guess I’ve been too busy.’  

She still didn’t know where everything in the mansion was.  

The mansion was far larger than the Hoover Earldom, but more importantly, she hadn’t had the time to explore it.  

It made sense. From the moment she gained the right to manage the Marquisate’s wealth, she had delegated all household affairs to the butler and head maid, focusing entirely on establishing the Scholarship Foundation.  

“…Was I too extreme?”  

She felt a twinge of guilt for neglecting her duties as the Marchioness of the Meyer Marquisate.  

Even during their honeymoon phase, when most couples would spend every waking moment together, Hazel had rushed off after her Academy work to meet with people involved in the foundation.  

Her urgency came from thinking about all the people like Louizette, those who lacked the courage to pursue their dreams and had to let them go.  

Since it involved large sums of money, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down, and Enoch had been considerate enough not to interfere.  

He could have pouted, complained about her neglect, or tried to distract her with suggestive antics, but he didn’t.  

‘Hazel, don’t you think you should rest today?’  

‘I’ll rest after I finish this. It won’t take long, so don’t worry.’  

Though he seemed like he had more to say, Enoch had held back his words.  

She had promised it wouldn’t take long, but that day, too, she only went to bed after the moon was high in the sky.  

Lately, Hazel herself had begun to realize that she needed a break.  

She would fall asleep without realizing it or spend hours yawning and letting time slip away meaninglessly, weighed down by accumulated fatigue.  

‘I thought I could handle both, but maybe I underestimated it. I thought the Marquisate’s power and wealth would make everything possible.’  

She had learned that there were far more obstacles than she had anticipated, even with the Marquisate’s influence.  

There were unnecessary delays due to customs and subtle power struggles she hadn’t expected.  

Despite having lived a considerable amount of time, she was reminded of how much she still didn’t know about the world.  

She felt grateful for Enoch, who stayed by her side without complaint.  

He must have been doing his best to endure it, keeping his promise to grant her every wish.  

After his one-year term at the Academy ended, Enoch had immediately returned to the Knights’ Order, where he was just as busy.  

He had to focus on taking over the work that had piled up during his absence. A single mistake in handling information could lead to disastrous consequences.  

They had been so busy that they hadn’t even gone on a proper honeymoon, so it was only natural that Enoch might feel some unspoken disappointment.  

“There’s no way he wouldn’t feel that way with his personality.”  

“Hmm? What did you just say? Do you want water? Or do you need the bathroom?”  

Even though she had confirmed that he was deeply asleep, Enoch somehow heard her voice and immediately raised his head.  

Hazel brushed her hand over his still-drowsy face and replied, 

“It’s nothing. Go back to sleep.”  

Enoch buried his face into her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. Then, he began pressing kisses all over her face.  

“Hazel.”  

“You’re tired. Go to sleep.”  

“Hazel.”  

His voice, trailing off like a sleepy mumble, carried a soft, affectionate tone.  

As his lips clung to her persistently, Hazel buried her face into his chest.  

“Why do you keep calling me?”  

Feeling embarrassed, she replied curtly, but Enoch’s muffled laughter ruffled her hair.  

“Because I like you. That’s why.”  

The steady rhythm of his heartbeat resonated through her forehead, making her fingertips tingle. Hazel squeezed her eyes shut and responded, “I get it, so go to sleep. You’re tired.”  

Perhaps realizing she was deliberately changing the subject, Enoch tightened his arms around her waist and let out a low chuckle.  

Not long after, he fell back asleep. Hazel quietly observed him as he lay nestled in her embrace.  

He had always been flawless from head to toe, but for some reason, he seemed even more radiant after their marriage.  

His skin practically glowed, so much so that anyone who saw him might wonder if he had been taking some kind of miracle tonic.  

Playfully, Hazel pressed her finger against his cheek, and Enoch murmured her name softly in his sleep.  

The warmth of his body, the steady beat of his heart—it was enough to blur Hazel’s sharp gaze.  

Her eyelids, which had been fluttering faintly, finally closed.  

Should I take a break for a few days?  

Yes, a vacation at that villa with the beautiful scenery sounds perfect.  

Just resting in a quiet place with no one around, doing absolutely nothing.  

Eating when hungry, napping when drowsy, and taking a bath in the afternoon.  

First, I’ll submit my leave request tomorrow…  

Hazel, her thoughts drifting to the Crown Prince as she planned to send him a letter about her vacation, closed her eyes completely.  

“I like you too.”  

With the answer Enoch had always wanted to hear.  

* * *

“I’m taking a week off starting today.”  

At the sudden announcement, Enoch blinked blankly, looking like a fool. Hazel pointed at him and continued, 

“That goes for you too. You don’t have to go to work for the next week. I already spoke to His Highness the Crown Prince and arranged your leave.”  

Enoch, who had been preparing to leave for work after a light breakfast, looked utterly confused.  

“You didn’t tell me anything about this.”  

“I asked His Highness not to tell you.”  

“Why?”  

“Because it’s more fun this way. What? You don’t like it?”  

Hazel tilted her head slightly as she asked, and Enoch immediately jumped to his feet.  

“Of course I like it!”  

His voice was so loud that even the maid clearing the table flinched in surprise.  

Hazel stood up from her seat and approached him. Enoch, who had already begun imagining all the things they could do during their week off, swallowed nervously as he looked at her expectantly.  

Watching him, Hazel said, 

“You don’t have a choice. You have to do what I say.”  

“What if I refuse?”  

Enoch muttered a small protest. Hazel stared directly at him and replied, 

“Then you’ll spend the vacation alone.”  

His shoulders flinched instantly. Hazel smirked.  

“Didn’t you say you liked being bossed around?”  

To be precise, he had said he liked being teased. Whispering softly enough for only him to hear, Hazel brushed past him.  

Enoch, looking as though he’d been struck on the back of the head, quickly turned and chased after her.  

“Wait, what do you mean by that? Can I look forward to it?”  

“I don’t know what you’re imagining, but do whatever you want.”  

The faint unease in his eyes vanished, replaced by a bright, blooming smile. Hazel glanced at him briefly before fixing her gaze forward.  

It wasn’t about trying to take control of their relationship.  

She was simply trying to figure out how to handle the situation she had recklessly created without much thought.