Episode 4. It was my first kiss!
“Why, because you are the woman who poisoned her husband?”
Adele turned around in surprise. It was a rumor that everyone in the country already knew. But she didn't want Christine to know. She wanted to remain the girl in his memories from long ago. But that would be impossible, right?
“I don’t care. Whether you really poisoned your husband or were falsely accused.”
Christine said with a dull expression.
Adele turned around in surprise. It was a rumor that everyone in the country already knew. But she didn't want Christine to know. She wanted to remain the girl in his memories from long ago. But that would be impossible, right?
“I don’t care. Whether you really poisoned your husband or were falsely accused.”
Christine said with a dull expression.
"Chris..."
“That means your reputation can’t affect mine right now.”
At that moment, Adele didn’t realize how arrogant Christine’s eyes were. As if s
he had been born a noble aristocrat. He seemed to be someone of such great status that she could not dare approach him.
Christine, the son of a miner. A boy who had no mother to look after him and who wandered around the village with a hungry face. That memory seemed to be Adele’s own delusion.
“But you... How did you become a noble?”
Adele asked cautiously.
“Because I brought glory to the Emperor.”
He answered arrogantly, emptied his teacup in one gulp, and changed the subject.
“But is this all there is to hospitality?”
"Uh?"
“Surely you’re not telling me to just drink this bitter water?”
“That’s expensive black tea...”
“It’s been 10 years since we last met, so you’re not going to treat me to a meal or anything?”
“Who came all of a sudden? There’s nothing to eat right now...”
“Don’t worry, I can eat anything. I’m starving to death because I haven’t had a proper meal.”
“You couldn’t even eat because you were so busy.”
Adele's expression quickly became worried when he said he was hungry. That woman had been like that for a long time. She was the only one who had ever worried about him when he was hungry. Thanks to that, Christine had once thought it was okay to risk everything. That was the case.
“I didn’t have time to eat because I was so busy listening to the Emperor’s chatter. It was a kind of torture disguised as an invitation to dinner.”
Christine shook her head with a look of horror.
“Then just wait a moment. I’ll look for anything.”
“Thank you, Adele, you are the only one.”
As he smiled narrowly, silver eyelashes shone above his blue-gray eyes. Adele had always been weak to his smile. It was the kind of eyes that made her want to help him, as if she were possessed. Maybe Christine knew that, too. Maybe that was why he was using it so well. But Adele decided to make one thing clear before she went into the kitchen.
“But let me make this clear! That wasn’t a kiss that day. And I definitely didn’t initiate it!”
Then, without Christine being able to refute her, she quickly went into the kitchen and closed the door.
Bam!
She was more persistent than he had thought.
***
After closing the door, Adele sank into the chair in front of the table.
"Ha..."
She took a deep breath that she had been holding in.
'What the heck. Chris...'
"Ha..."
She took a deep breath that she had been holding in.
'What the heck. Chris...'
It was so confusing.
'I tried to forget everything and live.'
Her life in the mining town, her departure from him, her memories of her mother... She tried to bury them as if they were from a distant past life. She tried to remember that everything was beautiful, happy, and loving... Because no one had ever been able to point out her distorted memories until now.
But then he suddenly appeared. And on top of that, he was a dangerous man, not the pretty boy in her memories. Every time she felt his gaze, his breathing, his scent, Adele’s heart raced. Just being together made it hard for her to breathe. Just a moment ago, when their lips almost touched, her heart felt like it was going to burst out. After that, she didn’t know how nervous she had been, thinking that he might hear her heart beating.
"It's crazy...!"
Adele denied her feelings by slapping her head. Yes, it was just that it was nice to see him after such a long time, and it was awkward and made her breathless. It would be natural for anyone to feel their heart pounding when their lips were so close that they almost touched.
'Yes, that's it. How could I have so shamelessly... to him?'
***
“It’s warm.”
Looking around the empty living room, Christine muttered to himself. The fireplace in front of him was blazing red with flames. But it wasn’t just because of that. It was a shabby, old, narrow house. But it felt familiar to him. The long, narrow windows were draped with embroidered linen curtains, and the console was covered with hand-knit lace. Candles and small picture frames were cute on the mantelpiece, and green plants grew beautifully in every corner, even in winter. It was ridiculous, but the flowers he had brought seemed to fit in. It was like the house he had lived in a long time ago. The place where the sweet and savory smell of bread and cookies permeated everywhere.
Adele and her mother, who had always greeted him when he went there with his hungry stomach, felt like they had come back to that house after ten years. It seemed as if Adele’s mother, wearing an apron, would show up at any moment with a steaming pie. At such times, Adele threatened to not even look at Pie until he finished his writing studies. Hia father, who happened to come to pick up Christine, pretended to take his side and said that he was stupid like him, so she should teach him gently.
Damn it...!
He thought they could live together as a family. It was such a short-lived happiness. Even so, he must have missed the house where Adele lived for a long time. Even though it was all a useless past now.
“This is a portrait of the Marchioness of Oswald.”
“This is a portrait of the Marchioness of Oswald.”
***
He was about to attend the year-end banquet. The Emperor, who had called him, handed him a small portrait. A woman with long black hair and green eyes. The woman in the portrait was beautiful and elegant enough to catch the eye, even though she was dressed simply. However, there was another reason why Christine was so absorbed in the portrait.
“Is this woman really the widow of the dead Marquis?”
“Yeah, do you know anyone by any chance?”
Christine had been living on the battlefield until recently. He only had a noble title and had no friendships with other nobles or interest in the noble world. Perhaps he did it on purpose to break his feelings for Adele.
“I don’t know her that well. She was the daughter of the person who took care of me when I was young.”
“That’s good. Then let’s attend this banquet and get to know each other again.”
“What is the reason?”
“That woman might have the dead Marquis’s documents.”
“The Marquis’s documents?”
“It’s just a blank document. It had my signature on it. It disappeared after the Marquis died, and I’ve been unable to find it no matter how hard I searched.”
Christine did not believe the Emperor's words. It had been eight years since Marquis Oswald died. And yet, he was still looking for a blank document? It was clearly a very important document to the Emperor.
“Let’s come closer and find out.”
As Christine was leaving after saying his greetings, the Emperor added meaningfully.
“It’s fine to be friends, but we shouldn’t do anything that will upset April.”
“...”
“Oh, was my order too complicated?”
“Depending on how you think about it.”
The Emperor laughed heartily, then suddenly lowered his voice to a serious tone.
“You’re already like family to me. You know that, right?”
The Emperor had long been hinting that he had been considering Christine as his bride-in-law. He wanted to use April as bait to make him his sure-fire man. Of course, she was not an attractive bait to Christine.
“Your Majesty is my lord.”
Every time, he would get away with an ambiguous answer like this.
“Is this woman really the widow of the dead Marquis?”
“Yeah, do you know anyone by any chance?”
Christine had been living on the battlefield until recently. He only had a noble title and had no friendships with other nobles or interest in the noble world. Perhaps he did it on purpose to break his feelings for Adele.
“I don’t know her that well. She was the daughter of the person who took care of me when I was young.”
“That’s good. Then let’s attend this banquet and get to know each other again.”
“What is the reason?”
“That woman might have the dead Marquis’s documents.”
“The Marquis’s documents?”
“It’s just a blank document. It had my signature on it. It disappeared after the Marquis died, and I’ve been unable to find it no matter how hard I searched.”
Christine did not believe the Emperor's words. It had been eight years since Marquis Oswald died. And yet, he was still looking for a blank document? It was clearly a very important document to the Emperor.
“Let’s come closer and find out.”
As Christine was leaving after saying his greetings, the Emperor added meaningfully.
“It’s fine to be friends, but we shouldn’t do anything that will upset April.”
“...”
“Oh, was my order too complicated?”
“Depending on how you think about it.”
The Emperor laughed heartily, then suddenly lowered his voice to a serious tone.
“You’re already like family to me. You know that, right?”
The Emperor had long been hinting that he had been considering Christine as his bride-in-law. He wanted to use April as bait to make him his sure-fire man. Of course, she was not an attractive bait to Christine.
“Your Majesty is my lord.”
Every time, he would get away with an ambiguous answer like this.
***
Adele came out of the kitchen wearing an apron.
“Dinner is ready, Chris.”
But he had no answer.
"Chris..."
Adele, who was approaching, stopped and sighed softly. He was asleep. He was leaning back against the sofa with his arms crossed. His long legs were on the table, and he was sleeping very comfortably as if he were at home. Adele sat down under the sofa where he was sleeping and watched him quietly.
'Your sleeping posture is the same as before.'
He had grown much taller, his physique had become more solid, and even his voice had changed, but his sleeping face still had the face of a young boy from long ago. A boy who had not yet reached puberty by the age of 17. Most children his age had grown almost like adults. But Christine was almost as tall as Adele, who was a year older. But no one could tease him.
Adele, who was approaching, stopped and sighed softly. He was asleep. He was leaning back against the sofa with his arms crossed. His long legs were on the table, and he was sleeping very comfortably as if he were at home. Adele sat down under the sofa where he was sleeping and watched him quietly.
'Your sleeping posture is the same as before.'
He had grown much taller, his physique had become more solid, and even his voice had changed, but his sleeping face still had the face of a young boy from long ago. A boy who had not yet reached puberty by the age of 17. Most children his age had grown almost like adults. But Christine was almost as tall as Adele, who was a year older. But no one could tease him.
Christine was prettier than a girl, but no one had ever won a fight with him. He was quick-moving, and his slender body was strong. When you watched him fight, sometimes he seemed like a ferocious beast. Then, in the end, he became a hero on the battlefield. And then he transformed into this wonderful figure. A man, not a boy...
Adele, who was watching him sleepily, quickly turned her head away, afraid that she would be overcome by a strange feeling. She added more firewood to the fireplace, which was dimly burning. When Tanya came back, she was sure to cry because there was not enough firewood. Because they didn’t use the second floor at all in the winter to save firewood. But even if it was a little cold for a while, she wanted him to sleep in a warm place.
Crackle. Crackle...
The sound of the embers crackling could be heard quietly. The snowfall was getting thicker, and the day was getting darker.
***
It snowed a lot that day. Christine, who had just turned 17, had recently started working in the mine. Adele was anxious to bring him lunch. She was too late because she was helping out with the backlog of orders at her mother’s bakery. So she decided to take a shortcut and cross Lake Garden. It was the end of winter, so the ice had melted, but she couldn’t see it because of the accumulated snow. It was when she was about halfway to the lake. The moment she took a step, the ground beneath her feet crumbled like a biscuit, and she sank. The lake in midwinter sucked her in like a swamp.
“Adele!”
Christine, who happened to be there to meet her, jumped into the water. That was the last thing she saw. When she came to, she was on land. Christine was lying next to her, soaking wet, pale, and corpse-like. And she wasn't breathing.
“Chris! Chris! Open your eyes!”
Adel, startled, shook him frantically. When he still didn't wake up, she frantically gave him artificial respiration. Fortunately, he finally breathed. At that moment, Adel burst into tears. She collapsed like a child and cried loudly.
“Ugh!”
“Why are you crying?”
Christine looked at her in disbelief. She was always the one who acted like an older sister and acted like an adult.
“Adele!”
Christine, who happened to be there to meet her, jumped into the water. That was the last thing she saw. When she came to, she was on land. Christine was lying next to her, soaking wet, pale, and corpse-like. And she wasn't breathing.
“Chris! Chris! Open your eyes!”
Adel, startled, shook him frantically. When he still didn't wake up, she frantically gave him artificial respiration. Fortunately, he finally breathed. At that moment, Adel burst into tears. She collapsed like a child and cried loudly.
“Ugh!”
“Why are you crying?”
Christine looked at her in disbelief. She was always the one who acted like an older sister and acted like an adult.
“Ugh! Ugh! I thought you were really going to die! Ugh!”
“I’m okay. I’m fine like this...”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Adele, who was sobbing with her shoulders shaking, had a red nose covered with tears and snot. Christine's eyes widened as if he found the sight funny, and he wiped her face with his hand.
“Yeah, it’s okay.”
“What’s wrong? Your lips are blue.”
“I’m okay. I’m fine like this...”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Adele, who was sobbing with her shoulders shaking, had a red nose covered with tears and snot. Christine's eyes widened as if he found the sight funny, and he wiped her face with his hand.
“Yeah, it’s okay.”
“What’s wrong? Your lips are blue.”
“Adele, your lips are bluer.”
“Ugh... I’m so cold, I think I’m going to die.”
“Ugh... I’m so cold, I think I’m going to die.”
Adele hugged herself tightly, shivering.
"Me too."
Christine hugged Adele like that. Maybe because it was so cold, or because she felt relieved, Adele hugged him tightly too. They were both shivering from the cold. But the body temperature touching each other was so hot. It felt like the deep emotions that had sunk deep down were melting away. It clouded their head like floating debris. They couldn’t think straight. And so naturally... They held each other’s lips and licked each other’s frozen skin. A kiss that was more passionate because it was clumsy, and more instinctive because it was pure. Yes, it was definitely a kiss.
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