Prologue
It was a feast night to celebrate a victory.
The nobles could not easily take their eyes off in the man standing in uniform on one side of the banquet hall.
The short, tidy hair was glossy black, broad shoulders, slim physique and long limbs, making the black navy uniform a great match.
There were numerous medals and commendations on the man’s left chest, which made the nobles unable to approach him easily.
It may be because of the cold and dangerous atmosphere of a man who has passed countless lives and deaths on the battlefield.
At that time, the other man who had been watching him for a long time finally spoke to him as if he had run out of patience.
“Why don’t you stand there and have some social conversations with people?”
“I will.”
“But you’re not saying you’ll do it right now.”
Edwards glanced at the entrance of the banquet hall, listening half-heartedly to his aide’s nagging.
But the waiters rarely showed up.
Edwards asked the aide a question he had already asked several times.
“Have you heard anything from the Duke yet?”
“Your Highness sent me a letter as soon as he arrived at the palace, and I’m sure it’s still there by now. Please wait a little longer.”
The aide comforted Edward as if he were used to his boss’ impatience.
“So when did you send it?”
“Ten days ago.”
“It’s been ten days since you sent a letter?”
“Yes, I explained it yesterday. I didn’t want to tell you this, sir, but please… Can’t you just calm down a little bit?”
Lieutenant Weihern was about to cry. I didn’t dare tell the hero who led the war against Iota to shut up.
‘What’s wrong with a man who’s been so cold on the battlefield?’
Despite Weihern’s agony and anxiety, Edward was hardly calm.
He was exhausted from the week-long victory banquet.
The emperor wanted to take Edward to show off wherever the nobles gathered, and he, who had led the soldiers on the battlefield, fully understood the emperor’s mind.
However, he no longer wanted to fit in with the emperor’s political display.
Wherever he went, the greedy eyes of the nobles followed and the subtle eyes of the nobles were tiring for him who had a fiancee.
“Please stay here for a moment. I’ll bring you champagne.”
Edward couldn’t resist the aide’s trick of trying to appease his boss with alcohol.
As time went by, his throat was burning and his nerves were sensitive, so he thought he would feel better if he drank alone.
Then, the entrance to the banquet hall became noisy, and a woman dressed in an elegant dress and wearing a white veil walked into the banquet hall.
Edward’s eyes naturally turned to her as people looked curious.
“….”
For a moment, the noise around seemed to disappear.
She was a beautiful woman to be admired at a glance.
The waist-length red hair was coveted, and the small face and long neck were elegant and beautiful.
The slender waist and thin wrist gave off the charm of a mature woman.
But whether she knew what people were looking at, she looked around in a cluttered gesture, uncomfortable with the banquet.
Every time she moved, bright red hair shook in the air.
‘…Hmm?’
In an instant, Edward’s gaze faded.
The small white face and winding red hair were strangely familiar to his eyes.
But the silhouette of the woman seemed too mature to belong to the woman he knew.
‘Who is she?’
At that very moment, the woman rolled up the veil, as if to guess Edward’s question.
“….!”
When the eyes resembling a deep blue greenery were revealed under the long eyelashes, elasticity and admiration burst out at the same time.
Edward stared at her deeply. He, who felt like his own body moved unconscious, called his fiance’s name with a confused look.
“Yelodia?”
As if to hear the voice, Yelodia looked back at Edward and suddenly her eyes widened.
“Ed…!”
She darted her lips and shut them again. Then she stared blankly at Edward.
The midsummer heat swept into the imperial palace, and Edward’s neck was covered with sweat.
But he didn’t feel any heat.
“Yelodia.”
“……long time no see, Count Adrian.”
Yelodia bowed to greet, clutching her rich creamy dress skirt. The rosy cheeks looked like flower water would come out if you touched them.
Edward gazed at her flushed cheeks, her eyes as big as it would pour, her nose and thick lips, one by one.
The young fiancee, who has had a cute and loving charm over the past two years of absence, was already in full bloom.
Edward slowly approached Yelodia, suppressed by his unknowingly longing and impatience.
“….”
Yelodia was looking up at Edward while breathing heavily. Elegant and long eyelashes shook.
Edward’s chest tightened when he noticed a small little unease in her eyes.
“Are you uncomfortable with me?”
“…It’s not like that.”
Yelodia was speechless. Edward was staring intently at her lips. As if he wanted to kiss her.
It’s been a reunion I’ve imagined for the past two years, but I didn’t expect it to be like this.
During the war, Edward transformed into a more mature and attractive man.
The uniform, which was tailored to fit his body, revealed his hardly trained body, and his deep dark blue eyes looked sharp like a well-dressed sword.
He politely held out her right hand and asked her.
“Then will you give me your hand… Just like before.”
“….”
Yelodia gulped her dry saliva and slowly held out her left hand.
Finally Edward took her by the hand.
“Ah…”
The people’s murmur has intensified again.
Edward kissed on her engagement ring as if in worship.
Her heart thumped.
“I missed you.”
Edward whispered softly and looked up at her.
She swallowed her breath as his clear dark blue eyes under his long eyelashes turned toward her.
Without realizing it, a dark light grew in his eyes.
“I missed you, Yedi. For the past two years, every single day.”
“….!”
Yelodia stopped breathing. Edward also kisses the back of her slender hands and wrists.
The touch of his lips against her wrist was burning, and her fingers trembled.
Suddenly Yelodia wanted to hide somewhere.
She wanted to escape from this strange and embarrassing feeling.
Edward grasped her hand as if to look her in the eye. Like he will never gonna let go again.
