Side Story.5

The next morning.

In the end, Agnes had been tormented for a long time last night and fell asleep almost as if fainting.

“Mmm…”

Blink. Blink.

As she awoke and slowly opened her eyes, Kallion’s well-sculpted face greeted her.

Kallion, sleeping soundly with his eyes closed, looked like a perfect statue, so much so that one might believe it.

Agnes gazed at Kallion with satisfaction.

‘Whose husband is this handsome, really.’

No matter how many times she looked, she never got tired of it.

A sharp yet weighty jawline.

A high but not overwhelming nose bridge.

Smooth eyes and a well-shaped forehead.

Just examining each feature, one by one, was happiness for Agnes.

Her gaze, as she examined Kallion carefully, stopped at the corner of his lips.

His moderately thin lips made his face even more perfect. Without realizing it, Agnes raised her hand and gently touched Kallion’s lips with her finger.

The moment that soft sensation touched her fingertip—

“Should I stay like this a bit longer?”

A hot breath curled around her fingertip.

“Oh, you were awake?”

Agnes opened her eyes wide like a startled rabbit, as if she hadn’t expected it.

“You keep staring at my face like that. Do you like it that much?”

My face.

Agnes knew very well what the omitted object was.

Even the things she had done last night, and the way she had just admired him absentmindedly, had been caught, so she couldn’t deny it.

No, there was no need to deny it anyway.

“Yeah, I like it so much.”

Because he was her husband.

No one would think it wrong to say she liked her own husband.

Agnes answered confidently and smiled bashfully.

“Oh? R-really?”

Kallion’s ears turned slightly red at the direct confession he received right in front of him.

He had teased her so slyly just a moment ago, but now that he actually heard the answer, he became embarrassed.

He hadn’t expected to hear such a direct confession.

Still, he was happy.

“Agnes.”

“Yeah?”

He called her, and Agnes, looking at him with honest eyes, responded right away. He found her lovely.

‘It’s best to tell her now.’

If he kept hiding it, she would surely feel hurt.

“Agnes, I’m thinking of quitting.”

“Huh? Quitting what?”

“The border defense.”

Agnes’s eyes widened as if she’d heard something shocking.

“What?!”

“With so many long deployments, I can’t see you.”

Quitting border defense meant disobeying the Emperor’s orders.

That was the same as quitting being a knight.

Agnes was speechless.

She did feel sad when he was often away from the mansion, but she worried about what would happen if he quit the path he had devoted his life to.

It was difficult to imagine Kallion as anything but a knight.

“No, but still…!”

“What, do you not like an unemployed husband?”

Kallion glanced at Agnes with a look of disappointment. His lips pouted, and his sulky face made Agnes’s heart tingle.

“Of course not! You already work hard every day just by being handsome…, oops.”

Agnes’s answer came out reflexively and stopped. She hadn’t meant to say her thoughts out loud!

So embarrassing.

Agnes’s ears turned red in an instant.

“Really? I’m happy you think so.”

Kallion’s eyes curved in delight.

Now, with even her face flushed red, Agnes barely managed to clear her throat and change the subject.

“A-hem. Are you really okay with it?”

Agnes was happy that Kallion said he’d quit for her, but she also felt uneasy.

In truth, Agnes had practically shared in Kallion’s life as a knight, and it would be a lie to say those times weren’t hard.

Sometimes he’d be away from the mansion for up to a month.

But the path Kallion had walked so far was that of a knight.

She didn’t want to suddenly make him stop and take a different road just because of her.

No matter how close they were as a married couple, in his life, Kallion came before herself.

That’s why Agnes decided she would respect whatever Kallion wanted.

If he truly meant to quit the knight order, she could accept it.

After all, she could work if needed.

She could trust and support whatever choice he made.

“If that’s what you want…”

But Agnes’s answer was cut off.

Kallion grinned mischievously and poked Agnes’s forehead with his index finger.

“I’m not saying I’ll quit the knight order.”

“What? You startled me.”

Agnes pouted and tapped Kallion’s broad chest lightly with both hands.

Then, feeling a bit curious, she paused and looked up to meet Kallion’s gaze.

“Then how? Did His Majesty allow it?”

All of those actions looked so lovely to Kallion.

Looking at Agnes with eyes full of affection, Kallion recalled the background of why he had to take charge of the border region, even if it meant being separated from his beloved wife.

“The truth is…”

His deal with the Emperor.

“To allow marriage with a commoner?”

“Yes, in exchange for whatever you wish.”

Back in his academy days.

Kallion had overcome their difference in status and succeeded in marrying Agnes.

It was known that this was thanks to the imperial special law that ‘everyone is equal within the academy.’

Of course, that was true.

But that wasn’t all.

Even with the imperial special law, without the Imperial Family’s permission, it could be nullified at any time.

So, as Young Earl, Kallion had requested an audience with the Emperor.

He had begged for permission to marry.

No one knew that Young Earl Kallion had made a deal with the Emperor.

Not even Agnes.

“If you join the Imperial Knight Order and take charge of border defense.”

At the time, the Emperor was troubled by various issues near the border.

Kallion’s skills were unmatched. Moreover, he was the heir to the Bishuern Earl’s family.

In the Emperor’s eyes, Kallion was the perfect man for border defense.

Especially since border defense is not something the Emperor could entrust to just anyone.

It required outstanding ability to handle the many troubles in the border region.

And trust that, in this critical area bordering another country, he would never harbor rebellious thoughts.

It had to be someone with all of these qualities.

Moreover, compared to a position in the palace, border defense required being away constantly.

It was a post that no one preferred.

Noble knights who led the order all avoided border defense, so even the Emperor felt awkward about assigning it.

“The term will be three years after you become commander.”

“I’ll do it.”

Normally, border defense was rotated every year, so three years was a long time.

For the Emperor, having Kallion take charge of the border for a while was a great relief.

With this, even if a similar case arose, the Emperor would have an excuse, so it was only to his advantage.

And now, finally, the promised three years were over.

If Agnes had learned this first, she would surely have felt uncomfortable.

So, now that the promise was fulfilled, Kallion revealed the secret that made their marriage possible.

“The three years I promised His Majesty the Emperor are almost over.”

He would no longer have to leave the mansion and leave her alone.

He wanted to reassure her. That he would never leave her lonely again. And he didn’t want any more secrets.

Kallion hugged Agnes tightly and whispered.

“Trust me. I won’t leave your side anymore.”

“Kallion, I didn’t know anything…”

Agnes had no idea.

She never even dreamed there was such a story.

That Kallion had made such a promise with His Majesty for their marriage.

She felt sorry.

She had made him bear it all while she knew nothing.

For not noticing, for not sharing the burden.

But she didn’t want to say she was sorry.

That wasn’t what Kallion wanted.

Agnes reached out and hugged Kallion tightly.

Then, in a voice full of sincerity, she expressed her feelings.

“Thank you.”

If not for Kallion’s efforts, the two of them might not be together now.

For Agnes, who couldn’t live without Kallion, that would have been too sad.

So she was grateful to Kallion.

Kallion, too, surely wanted to hear her genuine feelings.

“I love you, Kallion.”

How could she not love this man?

Kallion, who loved her so much.

“Yeah, I love you. Forever.”

His smiling face was dazzling. Just being with him made Agnes feel like she couldn’t help but smile.

Her husband was truly wonderful.

Agnes was convinced once again.

Her husband was always better in person than through any magic device.

It was a bit of a shame for all the magic devices she had developed, but it seemed best to stop stalking for now.

Because the real Kallion would always be by her side.

Forever.

-Extra: It Is Legal to Be a Fan of the Young Earl. The End-