Edric no longer hid his desire. He showed a side of himself that was unfamiliar—only in front of her.

When night fell, his tenderness turned into persistence.

He observed her every reaction, wanting to know everything about her.

Though he would sometimes laugh, finding Yuis adorable when she got shy, he would soon return to drawing out her desires.

And then they would bathe together. When she became too limp to even wash herself, he would take her out, dry her off with his own hands, and hold her again.

That was the time Yuis found most embarrassing. And yet, it seemed to be the time he enjoyed the most.

The heat that began at the nape of her neck had spread, engulfing Yuis entirely in an instant.

Such indecent thoughts in the middle of the day.

Telling herself she shouldn’t be like this, she tightened her grip on the teacup.

At that moment, the steady sound of footsteps echoed—and with it, a familiar, cool scent.

“Yuis.”
“Edric!”

Overcome with joy, she jumped up and hurried over to him.

Edric gently lifted her into his arms.

“I thought you were coming tomorrow?”

“It wrapped up earlier than expected.”

Yuis still found it difficult to be apart from Edric. She could still clearly picture him lying there, powerless.

And she knew—Edric must have hurried through his work as fast as possible to return to her.

“Welcome back. You’ve worked hard.”

Edric answered with a brief kiss.

“I missed you, Edric.”

At her honest confession, a deep smile curved his lips. Yuis returned the smile, filled with happiness. For the love who had come back to her, safe and sound.

***

It was that evening when Edric told her he might have to leave for Hetar.

“…What?”

“I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

During the time she had nursed him back to health, Yuis had mentioned wanting to go to Hetar again. She had said it, thinking it would never be possible.

This coming summer, she had wanted to go to Hetar with him—and in winter, to the Brechen estate together.

“I have to go for postwar arrangements. But once I return, let’s go to Hetar together.”

At those words, a warm glow spread through a corner of her heart.

Edric never treated anything she said lightly. If it was something she wanted, he would give it to her—no matter what it was.

He didn’t make all the decisions alone anymore, either.
Now, little by little, he was letting Yuis in.

About his parents. About the day he lost their child.

“Father must have struggled all his life. He was never meant to be a soldier in the first place.”

Edric spoke quietly, holding her in his arms. As if telling someone else’s story.

“But even so, he said he was happy. I couldn’t understand it at the time.”

Yuis slipped from his embrace and wrapped her arms around him instead.

“Mother took her own life in the bathtub. I was the one who found her first. Something felt off that day.”

She tightened her hold on him. She wanted to embrace the Edric of that time. To cradle his wounds.

“From the day Father died, Mother shut herself away. She didn’t do anything—just stayed locked in her room. But that evening, out of nowhere, she came out and said she wanted to have dinner with me. She told me I could do anything I wanted. She asked me to try and understand her someday. And then she said… that Ian—my father—wouldn’t have been able to live without her.”

Yuis couldn’t say a word. If she tried to speak, she felt she would cry before the words could even leave her mouth.

“So… I thought I would never be able to have a family of my own.”

Edric buried himself deep into Yuis’s embrace. The way he curled into her arms looked almost ridiculous, but none of that mattered.

“The child, too… I thought it was just a matter of fulfilling my responsibilities and duties. That the relationship would end with that. I’m sorry for hurting you.”

Even now, thinking of the child made his heart ache.

Their little one had come to such clumsy parents—only to leave having known nothing but pain and tears.

It was something he would never forget. And something he didn’t want to forget.

Yuis pressed her lips to his forehead.

Edric accepted her kiss, giving himself entirely to her.

“We’re a family.”
“Yeah.”

“Edric, I’ll love you a lot.”

When he lifted his head and looked at her, Edric was disheveled. A side of him only Yuis was allowed to see. A man showing emotions only for her.

“So we’ll be happy.”

She understood his heart now. They had taken a long, winding road to get here, but she could finally see it. Every action he made was filled with love for her.

“Because you love me a lot too, right?”

The two of them would continue their clumsy love. Neither Yuis nor Edric truly knew what it meant to love properly.

Even if they didn’t know. Even if they took the long road again when a shorter one was right there it wouldn’t matter.

Because they’d walk it together. With love in their hearts.

“…Yeah, I love you.”

Edric cupped Yuis’s cheek and pressed his lips against hers. Their hot breaths mingled, and the kiss meant to comfort and heal—lingered long between them.

When their lips finally parted for a moment, Edric spoke once more.

“I love you, Yuis.”

Forever.

***

Morning came on the day of Edric’s departure.

Yuis carefully adjusted his tie herself, then planted a soft kiss on his lips.

In that moment, Edric wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.

“I’ll be back soon, so think about everything you want to do.”

“You’ll do everything I ask?”

Edric nodded without hesitation.

Spring was now in full bloom. Would the roses begin to blossom by the time Edric returned?

“This year, I decided to fill the mansion garden with yellow roses. Once you’re back, I want to walk through it with you.”

Edric looked at Yuis and gave a low, warm laugh.

“Alright, let’s do that.”

With all preparations complete, Edric extended his hand toward Yuis. Without hesitation, she placed her hand atop his. Holding her hand tightly in his, Edric—who now had to leave alone—gazed at it for a while.

As Yuis tilted her head slightly in curiosity, Edric lowered his gaze.

Bending deeply, he bowed his head and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

Ah…

It was a strange and curious feeling, as though all the moments they had shared—countless embraces, countless kisses—had evaporated into the air.

A sharp tingle traveled from the back of her hand and seeped through her entire body.

Even her cheeks, growing gradually warmer, felt the touch of his lips.

“…Just go already.”

At her reaction, Edric let out a low laugh again.

He kissed her reddened cheeks several more times before finally turning to leave.

Before boarding the carriage, Edric offered her a soft smile and one last farewell.

“I’ll be back.”

“Come back safely. I’ll be waiting.”

Nodding once, Edric climbed into the carriage.

Yuis watched until the carriage became a mere speck in the distance and vanished completely from view—only then did she return to the mansion.

“Miles.”
“Yes, my lady.”

“Could you prepare a Hetar travel catalog for me?”
“Yes, my lady. I’ll get it ready.”
“Thank you.”

Yuis had many things to do as well.

She wanted to show him everything they hadn’t been able to do last year.

She wanted to experience the warmth and beauty of the world together with him.

And she wanted to live like that with him—forever.

And now, she knew.

That it would happen.

With a radiant smile blooming across her face, Yuis took a step forward and walked on.