24: While I Can

“Ella.”

Aella, who had been staring blankly at Kael standing before her, was startled by his low voice. When she looked up, she saw Kael gazing down at her with a sullen expression.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“Kael…”

“Sigh, I know. I know I’m being childish right now. But I can’t help it. It’s because I love you so much.”

The soft voice that penetrated her ears and the warmth of his hand gently stroking her cheek made Aella tense up. If she didn’t, she felt like she might cry or lose strength in her legs.

“Ella, are you… disappointed in me?”

Kael’s face looked as though he might cry at any moment. Seeing this, Aella smiled warmly and shook her head.

“Kael, you’re so adorable.”

“A-Adorable?!”

“Really. How could I possibly look at another man when I have someone like you?”

“Ah, Ella!”

As Aella was pulled into Kael’s broad embrace, his arms tightened around her so much that it felt like she might lose her breath. Held in his strong embrace, Aella felt a fleeting wish that time would stop right there.

But she quickly calmed herself. She knew better than anyone how futile such a wish was.

“Ka-Kael… I can’t breathe.”

“Oh! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Ella! Are you okay?”

“Pfft, I’m fine.”

Kael couldn’t take his eyes off Aella as she covered her mouth and laughed. Then, he noticed the gazes directed toward them.

‘I need to show them that Ella is my wife.’

He knew it was childish, but Kael felt the need to make it clear to those young, vigorous wolves. He needed to show them that the woman standing before him was his woman and his wife.

To make it undeniable, Kael cupped Aella’s slightly flushed cheeks with both hands, leaned in, and kissed her deeply before pulling away.

“Ka… Kael.”

Aella’s trembling eyes met his, and her small face turned visibly red.

‘She’s so lovely. She’s unbelievably lovely. My Ella.’

Looking at her, Kael felt an overwhelming urge to embrace her again and share even deeper affection.

‘I’m losing my mind! What’s wrong with me? Am I possessed by a demon? I feel like such an impure fool!’

Aella was startled by Kael’s sudden action of hitting his own head.

“Kael! Stop that! What are you doing?”

“Ella…”

“Are you doing this because of a headache?”

When Kael met Aella’s worried gaze, a thought crossed his mind.

‘Ella and I are married. And we’ve loved each other deeply since childhood. So… having a marital relationship is…’

As he imagined sharing a night with the beautiful and lovely Aella, Kael’s face turned bright red.

“Kael, your face! Your forehead is burning. Since when has this been happening?”

“I-I’m not sick!”

“What?”

“I’m not sick, Ella. I’m… I’m not sick at all…”

“Then…”

Aella trailed off, and so did Kael. He couldn’t bring himself to speak his true feelings, and a deep sigh escaped his lips.

“Kael…”

Her gaze remained filled with concern. Kael, who had occasionally felt hurt by how Aella avoided him at home, was glad to see how much she cared for him now. Yet, he felt stifled by his inability to be honest.

‘Why is Kael acting like this? He says he’s not sick, but his face is red. Huh? It’s noisy inside. Oh!’

The emperor, empress, crown prince, and his fiancée, the princess, came into view.

“Kael, let’s go inside.”

“Ah!”

Aella grabbed Kael’s hand and led him inside. As they entered, Kael’s face flushed. Then, his eyes locked with Crown Prince Julius, and his brow furrowed slightly.

‘For some reason, just seeing that crown prince irritates me… But more than that…’

What annoyed Kael the most was the crown prince’s gaze, which was fixed on his wife standing beside him.

‘Come to think of it…’

Kael recalled overhearing the maids gossiping while he was working at the palace.

[Don’t you think Princess Roden is so pitiful?]

[Exactly. To be engaged to the crown prince, who’s hopelessly stuck in unrequited love…]

[But I heard that the princess is friends with Duchess Hormons.]

[What?! Really?]

[Yes! That’s why the nobles call her the ‘foolish princess.’]

[Poor princess. Ignored by the crown prince and mocked by the nobles… She must want to return to Roden so badly.]

[Well, it’s not like she can leave whenever she wants. She probably wants to go back more than anyone.]

[Still! The crown prince is so pathetic. He still can’t let go of his first love, who’s now Duchess Hormons.]

The thought of the crown prince harboring unrequited love for his wife, Aella, disgusted Kael. Did the crown prince have no pride as the empire’s heir?

Kael, who found the crown prince’s gaze unpleasant, greeted him while casually placing a hand on Aella’s shoulder, pulling her closer.

At that moment, the crown prince’s eyebrows twitched.

‘The foolish one isn’t Princess Roden—it’s this crown prince. Aella is a married woman.’

Kael’s gaze toward the crown prince was filled with disdain. Noticing Kael’s stare, the crown prince openly displayed his displeasure. In response, Kael wrapped an arm around Aella’s waist and locked eyes with him.

“Your Grace, may I have this dance?”

“With pleasure.”

Aella’s shy smile filled Kael’s vision, lifting his spirits.

Kael led Aella to the center of the ballroom, holding her hand and placing his other hand on her waist.

“Kael, we’ve danced at every ball each year.”

“Have we?”

Instead of answering, Aella gave him a soft smile. Just seeing her smile made Kael’s heart race. As the music played, he began to move in step with her.

‘Ella, your movements are so graceful. Your long lashes… those soft, tender lips…’

“Ah!”

“?!”

Kael, whose gaze had been fixed on Aella’s lips, accidentally stepped on her foot.

“Ella! I’m so sorry.”

“Pfft, it’s fine.”

“Fine? But…”

“When we were younger, you used to step on my feet often.”

Kael, embarrassed and blushing, looked adorable to Aella. He reminded her of the boy he used to be. On the day of their first dance, Kael had been so nervous at the ball that he kept stepping on her feet, even though he had practiced perfectly before.

The memory of Kael apologizing with a tearful expression every time he stepped on her foot made Aella smile.

‘Ella is smiling. Ah…’

As Kael gazed at Aella’s radiant smile, he felt the unpleasant stares of the young noblemen in the room.

‘I’ll never let anyone take Ella from me.’

As the dance neared its end, Kael, childish as it might seem, resolved to never let anyone else have his wife.

“Ugh.”

“Kael?!”

Kael clutched his head with both hands and staggered. Aella quickly supported him, and Kael allowed himself to lean on her. Hearing the disappointed sighs of the noblemen behind him, Kael smirked victoriously as he sat down.

“I’ll call for the royal physician, so wait here for a moment.”

“Ella, I think I’ll feel better soon. So please stay with me. Don’t go anywhere.”

Kael held her hand tightly with both of his, looking at her like a child who didn’t want to be separated from his mother. Aella couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Ella…”

“Pfft, sorry. You’re just too adorable, Kael.”

“Ella.”

“Yes?”

“From now on, only smile in front of me. Don’t smile in front of other men.”

“Ah…”

“I know it’s childish, but I can’t help it. I’m sorry for being such a pathetic husband…”

Feeling the soft touch of Aella’s hand on his cheek and the warmth of her lips on his forehead, Kael froze.

‘Without realizing it, I…!’

Aella, shocked by her impulsive action, stiffened. She couldn’t take back what she had done. As Kael stared at her in surprise, Aella didn’t know what to say.

‘I should apologize.’

“Kael, I’m so—”

Before she could finish, Kael pulled her into a tight embrace.

Thump, thump, thump, thump—!

‘Kael’s heart is beating so fast… like crashing waves.’

“Ella.”

“Kael…”

“I’m happy.”

“…”

“Every time you avoided my gaze or acted awkwardly around me, I thought you were forcing yourself to match my feelings. But now I know. I can’t help but know. Ella, you love me too.”

It was true. Aella had always looked only at Kael Hormons. They might have started as childhood friends, but as she grew older, Aella began to see him as a man. She had dreamed of becoming his wife and building a happy life together.

She had waited for that day, but when she turned twenty, she was faced with a cruel reality.

Kael, who had once been affectionate, had married her—the daughter of his father’s enemy—to make her pay for her father’s sins.

Kael had wanted to drain her dry, believing she was the beloved daughter of the greedy Count Blueanz.

But the truth was, Aella wasn’t the cherished daughter of Count Blueanz, a fact unknown to Kael and everyone else.

Kael, who had been consumed by resentment and anger toward the count, had now forgotten all of that. He held Aella, the daughter of his enemy, and whispered words of love. His joy at his own actions made Aella’s heart feel heavy.

Yet, at the same time, she felt happy to be in his arms, and every one of his actions brought her immense joy.

“Ella.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for becoming my wife. Truly.”

“Kael…”

“I love you, Ella.”

As the daughter of a count, Aella had often dreamed of hearing those words from Kael. As his childhood friend, she had spent years by his side, hoping for the day he would say, “I love you.”

Her longing had been so intense that it even appeared in her dreams. Waking up from those dreams left her feeling empty, but her mood remained good.

Now, hearing the words she had always wanted directly from Kael, Aella couldn’t hold back her tears.

Perhaps it was because she hadn’t expected to hear them in her lifetime.

“E-Ella?! Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?”

Aella, holding Kael’s shoulders, smiled brightly.

“Ella…”

“I love you too, Kael.”

As Aella smiled with her teeth showing, Kael joined her in laughter.

‘While I can… I’ll tell you every day, Kael.’

Feeling the warmth of Kael’s hands as he wiped away her tears, Aella closed her eyes.