48: The Second Wedding

As Aella entered the hotel, she couldn’t take her eyes off the view of the sea.

“Do you like the sea that much?”

“Ah… It’s just so beautiful.”

“Ella.”

“?”

Kael stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, causing Aella’s face to flush red.

“I told you, you can speak casually with me.”

“Ah, I’m still… This feels more comfortable. I’m sorry, Kael.”

When his lips lightly brushed her forehead, Aella’s face turned even redder as she met Kael’s smiling gaze.

“K-Kael…”

“You’re lovely, my Ella.”

“Ah, ahhh!”

“Gotcha!”

“Kyah?! Ka-Kael?!”

Kael carried the flustered Aella into the room and laid her down on the bed.

“Ka-Kael… I…”

“You’ve had a hard time traveling by carriage for four days, so let’s get some good rest today and enjoy our honeymoon starting tomorrow.”

“Th-that sounds good.”

When Kael lay down beside her with a faint smile, Aella turned to face him.

“Ella, I’m so happy right now.”

“…”

“It’s shameless of me, isn’t it? After all the pain I put you through.”

Aella gently stroked Kael’s left cheek as he spoke with a trembling voice.

“Ella.”

“Let’s not think about the past anymore. Let’s only think about the happy moments ahead. Just those, Kael. Okay?”

“Yes, let’s do that. Let’s think only of our happy future. I’ll… I’ll do better, Ella.”

As Kael spoke while holding her wrist, Aella smiled softly and accepted his approaching lips.

Just as their hearts and bodies were heating up from the pleasant kiss, their stomachs growled in unison. The loud sound made them look at each other, and simultaneously, laughter erupted from both of them.

“Hahaha!”

“Hahaha.”

After laughing heartily, Kael sat up first and held out his hand to Aella, helping her up.

“Shall we fill our stomachs first?”

“Sounds good.”

Kael got off the bed and extended his hand to Aella. Linking arms, the couple walked outside and wandered around until they entered a restaurant bustling with people.

Kael handed Aella the menu and told her to choose whatever she wanted to eat.

“Aren’t you going to pick something, Kael?”

After Aella made her choice and handed the menu to the waiter, she asked Kael.

“Whatever you want to eat is what I want to eat.”

“…You’re unbelievable.”

“Haha. Oh, should we buy a bottle of wine to drink when we get back?”

“That sounds nice.”

“It’s nice because you’re smiling, Ella.”

“And I’m happy because you’re smiling, Kael.”

The two smiled at each other, and when the food arrived, they enjoyed feeding each other and finished their meal happily.

“Kael, look over there. They’re selling cotton candy.”

“Do you want some?”

“Yes!”

Seeing Aella’s pure, childlike smile was enough to make Kael feel overwhelmingly happy.

‘This is what happiness feels like…’

Kael closed his eyes tightly, recalling the times he had hurt Aella in the name of revenge. He clenched his teeth.

‘I won’t make any more foolish mistakes.’

“Two cotton candies, please.”

“Here you go.”

“Here, Ella.”

“Thank you, Kael.”

Watching Aella happily nibble on her cotton candy with both hands brought an unshakable smile to Kael’s face.

“Kael? Why are you just watching instead of eating?”

“Just seeing you enjoy it makes me feel full.”

“Pfft! That sounds like something a parent would say to their child.”

“Hahaha. Does it?”

Aella chuckled softly and broke off a piece of her cotton candy, feeding it to Kael.

“How is it? Sweet, right?”

“Yeah. Maybe it’s sweeter because you fed it to me.”

“Kael, you’re so…”

Blushing, Aella looked away, and Kael also fed her a piece of his cotton candy.

“Kael’s cotton candy tastes sweeter.”

“Really? Then I’ll make it even sweeter for you.”

“Huh? Ah!”

“How is it? Sweeter?”

Aella glanced at the cotton candy she had dropped and then at Kael.

“Wh-what’s this, Kael?! You made me drop my cotton candy before I could even eat much of it! What a waste!”

“Haha. I’m sorry, Ella. Here, take mine. I’m already full.”

“Hmm…”

Kael couldn’t help but feel like he was back in his childhood as he watched Aella pout.

“Ella.”

“Yes, Kael?”

“Even if we can’t have children, I’ll be fine with that.”

“…”

“When your memories return, we could… adopt from an orphanage… Ella?”

Kael stopped mid-sentence as Aella suddenly stood in front of him, blocking his way.

“I want to have one.”

“…”

“I want to have your child, Kael.”

“Ella, I’m sorry… for what I did back then…”

Kael lowered his head like a sinner, but Aella stepped closer, cupped his cheek, and kissed him on tiptoe.

“Ella…”

“You know, Kael, I think… even things that seem impossible can become possible someday. I remember hearing somewhere that strong faith can create miracles.”

“Ella, I love this about you. You’ve been like this since we were young. Whenever I hesitated or felt discouraged, you stood by my side and lifted my spirits. That’s why I came to love you even more, truly and deeply. Now and forever.”

“Kael.”

Aella leaned into Kael’s gentle embrace and closed her eyes.

“Yes, Ella. If we pray to the gods and sincerely wish for it, I believe they will bless us with a child. I’ll believe it, just as you do.”

“Thank you, Kael. I love you so much.”

“And I love you even more.”

Every time Aella saw Kael’s smile, her heart swelled with joy. Hand in hand, they strolled through the market, where Kael gifted her a beautiful hair accessory.

“Kael.”

“Yeah?”

“This is a gift for you.”

“A brooch?”

“When I saw this peridot, it reminded me of you.”

“Ella…”

“Ka-Kael?”

Kael suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist, causing Aella to blush in surprise.

“I think your memories will return soon.”

“My memories?”

“Yes. Whenever you gave me gifts, they always had peridots in them.”

“Oh.”

“It’s also my birthstone.”

“Ah!”

Realizing this, Aella nodded enthusiastically, and Kael’s smile deepened as he found her even more adorable.

“Kael…”

“Ella, will you pin it on me yourself?”

Kael bent slightly forward, and Aella smiled as she pinned the brooch onto his chest.

“How does it look? Does it suit me?”

“Very much.”

“Ella, give me the hair accessory. I’ll put it on you.”

“Can you do it?”

“Of course. I used to put hairpins on you all the time when we were kids.”

“Haha, I see.”

Aella handed him the hair accessory and tilted her head slightly. Kael carefully pinned it to her hair, then gently cupped her flushed cheeks and smiled.

“The hairpin shines even brighter because of you, Ella.”

“Haha, Kael, you’re too much.”

“I mean it.”

“Alright. Oh, look over there. It looks like there’s a performance. Let’s go watch it!”

Following Aella’s lead, Kael arrived at a fountain surrounded by people. There, a man played the violin while a woman sang with a beautiful voice.

“What a stunning voice. And the violin… they’re a perfect match.”

Aella clasped her hands together and watched the performance in awe. Kael, however, couldn’t take his eyes off her until the performance ended.

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Yes. It was amazing. Those two were incredible.”

“What about them?”

“They played the violin and sang in front of so many people. If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed… Oh, Kael, can you play any instruments?”

“I can play the piano. I used to play it for you all the time.”

“I’d love to hear it.”

Kael stopped walking and looked at Aella, holding her hands tightly.

“I’ll play it for you as much as you want when we get back, Ella.”

“That makes me so happy, Kael. Yawn~ Oh, sorry…”

“Haha, no need to apologize. Ella, let’s head back. But before that…”

Kael bought a bottle of mild wine they both enjoyed and returned to their room.

“Shall we wash up, have a drink, and then sleep?”

“Sounds good.”

“We’re a married couple, so… should we wash together?”

“What?!”

“If you’re too shy…”

“It’s okay, Kael. I’m shy, but if it’s with you, I’d like to.”

“Ella.”

Kael entered the bathroom with Aella, marveling at her beauty. When their eyes met, her face turned even redder.

“Kael…”

Her flushed face was so irresistibly endearing that Kael couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Ella.”

“Kyah! Ka-Kael!”

As Kael embraced her, their bare skin touched, and Aella felt dizzy, overwhelmed by the sensations.

“Kael…”

“Can you hear it, Ella? My heartbeat.”

“Yes…”

“Our hearts are beating together.”

With her eyes closed, Aella could feel both of their hearts racing.

“Ella.”

“…Kael.”

When Aella looked up, she saw Kael’s face, just as flushed as hers.

‘He’s so lovely.’

The way he looked at her filled her with so much love that a smile spread across her face.

“If you allow me, Ella, I want to lose myself in you tonight.”

“I want that too, Kael.”

“Really?”

Instead of answering, Aella smiled, and Kael pulled her close, kissing her deeply while holding her tightly.

“I’m so happy. Ella, I love you.”

“Kael…”

Aella felt as though she were drunk on love, even before touching the wine.

After bathing, the couple drank wine on the bed, their intimate mood growing warmer. Eventually, they lay down, and Kael couldn’t hide his excitement as he admired Aella’s beauty. That night, Aella felt the overflowing love of her husband as they embraced each other passionately.

—

The day to return home finally arrived. When Kael greeted Aella in the morning, he noticed something different in her teary, affectionate gaze.

“Ella… Did your memories return?”

“Yes… Kael. I remember everything, even how you came to the Middle Realm for me… and meeting my mother, grandfather, and the duke and duchess there.”

“Ella!”

“Kael.”

The two held each other tightly, unwilling to let go. After a long embrace, they walked hand in hand to the beach, gazing at the beautiful sea.

“Ella, next time, let’s come here as three.”

“As three?”

“Yes, with our child.”

“Yes, Kael.”

Kael kissed Aella’s smiling lips, and during the carriage ride back to the capital, he held her hand firmly.

When they arrived at the estate after four days, Aella broke into a sweat comforting Kina, who wept with joy upon hearing that her memories had returned.

That evening, Aella had her second wedding with Kael.

Wearing the wedding dress her husband had prepared just for her, Aella shyly smiled at Kael’s comment that her beauty was blinding.

“My beloved Ella, we’ll be together forever.”

“Yes, Kael. From now on, we’ll always be together.”

The couple exchanged rings and sealed their eternal love with a long kiss. Watching the now-complete duke and duchess, tears quietly flowed from the eyes of those present.

“Sniff… My lady… Sniff…”

“Kina.”

Resting her head on Ian’s shoulder, Kina clasped her hands together.

“Thank you… Thank you so much, dear gods.”