IYAMD 176

IYAMD 176

“Is it really okay to go back like this?”

Marsilia had been watching Jaha’s expression all morning. It saddened him to see that something Jaha had been eager to do had turned into such a futile attempt.

However, Jaha, surprisingly, seemed to have brushed it off quickly and nodded casually.

“Have you given up on finding a head Lady-in-waiting?”

“We’ll try someone else. We can start by gathering the ladies we met before. It’s fine, right? Do I need a head lady-in-waiting?”

“It’s someone who oversees the general management of the palace. It’s better to have one. The actual duties can be delegated to Malek for now, but the maids might feel uncomfortable.”

“Well, if we don’t have one, we’ll manage somehow. If there’s no teeth, they say you have to chew with your gums.”

“Is that an Eastern continent saying?”

“Ah, yeah. It is.”

The two were now crossing the estate after leaving Count Amarante’s residence.

They had decided to return the way they came, aiming for Jaha’s estate as their destination. Since they had expedited their schedule by a few days, they expected to rest for about three days before returning.

“What are you thinking, wanting to relax at a time like this?”

Of course, Jaha had outright ignored him.

As they crossed the forest, Jaha climbed up a tall tree branch, saying he would observe the size of the wolves. The winter leaves had fallen, leaving behind bare branches beneath his feet. Jaha surveyed the surroundings broadly.

His eyes, shining even more golden than usual, indicated that he was using his inner energy for something.

After scanning a far distance, Jaha came down and mounted his horse, saying,

“The wolf population is more than I expected. It looks like over a hundred.”

“You can see all of that?”

“Ah. I raise my inner energy to enhance my vision. I can see quite far.”

He held the reins tighter, saying the number [stolen content]would likely be even higher, considering the wolves that remained in their dens.

“How many knights does the Count have?”

“About twenty.”

“The city guards might be numerous, but they don’t seem very strong. Do you think they can handle it?”

He started his horse again and continued talking. At Jaha’s urging, Ventus raised his front leg slightly and then shot off like an arrow.

“I’ll have to send word to the Dandelion Knights for support. The forest is larger than I thought, so it’d be better to have more people.”

Marsilia quietly smiled as he leisurely followed Jaha. Ventus, who had been running hard and creating distance, soon had his stride narrowed by Cecilia, who caught up with large steps. It felt like sparks were flying from the eyes of the two horses.

Without even prompting, the horses increased their speed and swiftly exited the forest. Soon, Ventus, with lower stamina, began showing signs of exhaustion as he sweated, like bubbles.

“Jaha, I think Ventus is getting tired. Should we rest for a bit?”

“Already?”

Jaha asked with a naive look, to which Marsilia broke into a wide smile.

Every time he saw the clumsy side of the normally sharp man, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Marsilia had grown up handling horses as a knight, unlike Jaha, who was still unfamiliar with them. His physical condition was excellent, so there was no issue with riding, but he still struggled with adjusting speed and sensing the horse’s mood.

“Let’s rest and eat for a bit.”

They dismounted and found a creek not far off. After unwrapping a bundle prepared by the Amarante household, they found two large sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, along with cheese and a small bottle of wine for sipping.

Though the winter weather was chilly, it felt relatively mild compared to the capital. Both of them had the ability to regulate their body temperature, so they weren’t particularly affected by the cold.

Yet, there were moments when they felt a shiver from the cool air, and Jaha would instinctively reach out for warmth, like now.

Even though the wine they drank with their meal warmed their blood, Marsilia still felt a chill.

When he was about to turn his head toward Jaha, Jaha subtly scooted closer to him.

“Cold?”

“A little.”

By moving closer, Marsilia was now able to sit right against Jaha. He opened his cloak to wrap Jaha’s shoulders, and Jaha, matching the movement, leaned into him with a giggle.

“Sometimes, you know, there are moments when we don’t have to speak, and we just understand each other. Do you know that?”

Jaha, now so close that their cheeks nearly touched, nodded.

“There are times when I feel like I can understand exactly what you’re thinking, just from your eyes.”

“What about now?”

Marsilia stared at Jaha’s face, and the man cleared his throat before his eyes sparkled.

“Isn’t it cold?”

Marsilia couldn’t suppress his sigh. He didn’t need to know what he was thinking.

“You’re still far from understanding my heart.”

“Then do you know what I’m thinking?”

Jaha asked with a glint of challenge in his eyes. Marsilia simply said what he was thinking.

“You want to kiss me, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t.”

Though Jaha denied it, he didn’t resist as Marsilia moved closer. After the kiss, he didn’t act shy, and his response seemed more like a reaction of “I’m okay with it now.”

Should I be happy that you’ve gotten used to it, or should I be sad that you desire me less than I do? Every time Marsilia saw this side of him, he still found himself trapped in complicated emotions.

It wasn’t because he doubted his love, but because it was a feeling that inevitably arose as a human being.

“It was a thought I had after seeing the Amarante estate, but now I feel like I want to care for and improve the Dandelion estate a little more.”

“The city area was quite beautiful. It was neat.”

“Yeah. In my estate, people live a bit sparsely, so it felt unorganized. I thought it would be good to add something to the empty spaces near the residential areas.”

“Make small gardens. Plan the budget so it can be managed directly from the estate.”

“Should I? It might be difficult for now.”

The Dandelion estate was already overwhelmed with the amount of work piling up due to the academy alone.

“I want to hire more people. Right now, it’s tough because a few people are handling everything.”

Marsilia quietly watched the man, who was talking about his future aspirations.

Jaha, who had once said he wished there were ten more people like Serez, raised an eyebrow when he saw Marsilia become silent.

His expression seemed to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m happy to see you taking the Empire more seriously.”

Jaha, wearing a look of disdain, snorted.

“What’s precious to you is also precious to me. Besides, this is for our twins. I want to create a country where they can live more comfortably.”

Marsilia quietly smiled at his response.

Indeed, this man’s thoughts and his bold actions were just like his father’s.

He had once hoped that after having children, maternal instincts would arise, and that he might not stay by his side. Now he felt foolish for ever thinking that.

But even if he had become foolish, it was fine. Every time he saw him bright-eyed, learning something new, or when his face lit up with enthusiasm, he felt like he had the world in his hands.

“Jaha, do you remember?”

“What?”

“I told you I was ready to accept it if you were my fate.”

When he first heard those words, he had been happy but also couldn’t fully understand what he meant by accepting fate. However, the important thing was that he had now decided to be his life companion, so he didn’t mind.

But as time passed, he felt like he could somewhat understand his words.

Unlike him, who had believed since childhood that he had a fated partner, the other had to learn everything from scratch, so he must have needed to prepare his heart to accept it.

And every time he witnessed the changes he showed visit our siteafterward, Marsilia was moved again, remembering his resolve.

He now realized that he had been foolish or lacking, never even considering how far this man’s immense vision might extend.

Instead of just asking him to stay by his side, he was talking about embracing and nurturing the entire Empire.

How could he not love a man like this?

For a moment, the voice of the goddess, who had chosen his companion so carefully, seemed to pass by his mind.

Her words, “I still love you,” echoed briefly in his ears.

Was that so? Was choosing Jaha really the best choice after all?

“Why?”

“I think I understand now why it was necessary to prepare and make up my mind.”

He had to think about accepting everything Marsilia had from the beginning, which is why he had to consider it so carefully.

“It was because I didn’t want to marry a man.”

“…Jaha, sometimes when you keep quiet, you’re the most lovable.”

At times, when he broke the mood, he felt so irritated that he wanted to pinch his cheek. But instead of pinching his cheek, Marsilia kissed him.

He needed to calm him down before his eyes, which seemed ready to glare, turned fierce.

Leaving a soft kiss, Marsilia whispered as he rubbed his nose against his.

“I’m glad you’re my fate.”

So, no matter what kind of person you are, I love you.

Marsilia whispered gently into Jaha’s ear like a breeze.

His neck twitched slightly as hid breath tickled his earlobe. After a moment, he relaxed, and quietly smiled, turning his head toward Marsilia.

“You’re being a little too sentimental.”

“Every moment with you feels new to me.”

When he kissed the back of his hand, he scowled and pushed his hand away. But if he tried again, he would probably give in, pretending to be unwilling.

Marsilia knew this, so he was ready to tease him as much as he wanted. With his nature, he would even love these little annoying traits of his.

<End of “If You Are My Destiny” (Extra 2)>