(204) Things I hoped for (3)
The situation on the Western Lord's side was also not good.
The defenses of the Eastern Capital were much stronger than imagined, so the troops of Paganus King Brussels could not even approach the ramparts.
The soldiers of the East not only defended thoroughly but also took advantage of opportunities to come out of the city walls and steal or burn Paganus's provisions and horses. As a result, Paganus's King and soldiers went berserk and often made mistakes, and these mistakes on the battlefield led to heavy losses.
It happened in an instant that thousands of soldiers were reduced by half.
Just as Western Lord sensed the ominous signs of war and was contemplating whether to hastily withdraw, a massive roar rang out from behind him.
Western Lord and Paganus King Brussels turned around in delight, thinking that the allied forces they were supposed to join had arrived. However, the flag that caught their eye was a white flag bearing the blue tiger symbolizing the House of White.
Brussels, filled with rage and prepared to die, charged at the Eastern Lord, but the Western Lord hurriedly rode his horse away from the battlefield amidst the chaos.
The place Western Lord headed was the Empire, not the Allies.
It was to occupy the ruined and empty imperial palace, but the throne in the palace, which had been restored albeit simply, was already occupied by its rightful owner.
It was Crown Prince David Blenwitt, who had escaped through the underground passage with the Empress and others when the Imperial Palace collapsed. And standing beside David was Theodore White, his blue eyes shining brightly.
Theodore, who was heading to the Eastern Territory with Cyrus to find Ariana, received a message from a messenger sent by the Eastern Lord stating that Ariana had been safely recovered and was being protected, so he immediately turned his horse around and headed back to the Empire.
It was because he predicted that if the Western Lord were to survive, he would undoubtedly come to the Empire. Theodore's prediction proved correct.
Lord Rodian of the West begged for his life from his one and only rival, whom he had never once been able to defeat. Whispering sweet words with his deceitful tongue, he said he would help in gaining the world.
Theodore, who had been silently listening to the story of their long-standing feud, smiled bitterly and drew his sword.
“Rodian, isn’t it time you let go of your greed?”
There was no mercy.
Western Lord, consumed by the greed to rule the world during his lifetime and who ruthlessly used and abandoned even his own family, was beheaded without ever holding a handful of the world in his hands.
As Western Lord breathed his last, the East had also annihilated the attacking Paganus and was preparing for the ensuing war.
Since there was no place for Ariana in that war, she returned to Chase Castle with Carradine. All the way to Chase Castle in a carriage surrounded by knights, Carradine shed tears as she looked at Ariana's wounds.
It was fascinating and heartwarming to see her Grandmother, who had been as fierce as a biting wind when facing Paganus, tear up over a few wounds on her. So, Ariana held her Grandmother's hand tightly with her healthy hand and spoke several times.
“It’s okay, Grandma. I really am fine. I’m so relieved that you are safe. Really.”
The winds of war had not even reached Elles City, the capital of the Eastern Territory. Unlike the noisy border regions caused by Paganus, the capital maintained its daily life quietly and peacefully.
However, Ariana could sense the strange tension flowing from outside. If the flames of war were to reach here, the people of the capital would not hesitate to take up their swords.
'It will be different this time. Unlike before, the reputations of the Eastern Lord and the Eastern haven't hit rock bottom due to the false rumors spread by the Western Lord.'
Langsty was waiting for them at the entrance of Chase Castle.
Langster's expression was enigmatic as he watched Ariana step out of the stopped carriage. As Ariana approached, Langster looked down at her with eyes filled with mixed emotions, then silently embraced her.
Her uncle's breath ringing in her ears was rough, and his hand stroking her back was trembling uncontrollably. Langster did not shed tears, but the trembling conveyed his sorrow completely.
"You worked hard."
Langster spoke in a suppressed voice.
"You worked hard, my baby.
Ariana almost burst into tears."
She wonders why they keep calling me "our baby." It is truly awkward every time she calls that. Because it makes her happy, because it brings tears to her eyes. It is extremely uncomfortable.
“You’d better go inside and rest. I’ve called the doctor, so get treated. To think a girl has a wound on her face... My brother will cry every time he sees it.”
Ariana was no longer a child, but her family still treated her like one. Langster wouldn't let Ariana go, even though he suggested they go inside and rest.
“Langster, at this rate, the sun will set.”
Only after being scolded by Grandmother did the eldest uncle release Ariana.
The chief chamberlain and the chief maid turned pale at the sight of Ariana and kept repeating, “Oh dear, what shall we do about our Princess? Our Princess, how can she be so hurt?” Meanwhile, Uriel, the attending doctor, kept sighing, saying, “Oh my, how can our Princess get hurt so often?”
Surrounded by an outpouring of excessive affection and worry as soon as she returned home, Ariana went to bed early after receiving treatment and finishing a simple meal.
Lying on the cozy bed, she habitually fumbled around looking for the teddy bear, but the light green teddy bear she had taken to the Empire was not here.
'When will everyone be back?'
A few days ago, Ariana heard news from the Empire.
The news was that Isaac had returned to the Empire, treated the seriously injured, and would soon be heading to the Eastern Territory. Judging by the fact that no other details were mentioned, it seemed there were no major issues, but it was difficult to let go of her anxiety until she personally confirmed that everyone was safe.
Ariana couldn't sleep, so she tossed and turned and called out of habit.
"Shini."
No matter how softly she called, Shini always answered. Her heart felt empty, longing for the answer that never came back.
"Cyrus."
She spoke another name she missed.
Cyrus.
She had this foolish belief that he would respond whenever and wherever she called him.
'It's been like that from the start.'
From the moment he began living this life, and from the moment he planned to escape the Bronte family, Cyrus always appeared at the moment of need to help Ariana.
At that time, they thought they were using each other. They pretended not to notice the feelings silently blossoming between them, claiming that they were merely taking what was necessary for their goals without any ulterior motives.
And so, both he and Ariana had to take the long way around. Not knowing, or rather, knowing, that the wind was blowing through their empty hearts, they walked and walked that long, lonely path until they finally came to acknowledge their own hearts.
However, because she resented him for causing her so much heartache, Ariana did not fully reveal these feelings.
'No, it’s not that I didn’t show it. It’s that I couldn’t show it.'
Having never received or given love, Ariana did not know how to express it. Sometimes, whenever she saw him, she did not know how to convey the overwhelming emotions she felt.
She now knows that the belief that Cyrus would appear in moments of crisis, the loneliness and wounds caused by him, and the laughter that flowed during the conversations they shared—it was all love.
It was only now, after receiving help from her grandfather when she was at a loss, being saved by her father when she was on the verge of death, and receiving the tears of her uncles and the worry of her grandmother, that Ariana realized.
That I am a loved child, too.
My baby.
That she is a child worthy of being called that.
And so, Ariana also fully acknowledged her own feelings.
I love Cyrus. And.
“I miss you, Cyrus.”
"Really?"
“Yeah, what... Hak!”
Hearing an answer she shouldn't have heard, Ariana sprang out of bed, swallowing a shrill breath. Cyrus, who had arrived at some point, was sitting outside the bedroom window with a faint smile.
“Sei?”
“That’s nice being called that.”
“Uh, how...?”
Cyrus gazed intently at Ariana, who was blinking her eyes in embarrassment. After exchanging silent thoughts for a while, Cyrus tapped on the window and spoke.
"Can I come in?"
Only then did Ariana get out of bed and open the window. Cyrus, who had rushed inside, hugged Ariana tightly.
The scent of the wind and the forest tickled the tip of Ariana's nose. Strangely, her heart felt warm at the slightly chilly air.
Ariana also raised both arms and hugged Cyrus around the waist.
The two held each other in their arms for a while, sharing their longing.
"I missed you so much I ran here without even breathing."
“I thought you had gone to the North...”
"Andrei is over there, so there's nothing to worry about."
Since Cyrus said there was nothing to worry about, she decided not to worry.
"Let me see your face."
Cyrus took a step back and cupped Ariana's cheeks with both hands. He frowned when he saw the long scar on Ariana's cheek.
“Who did this?”
“What if someone did that?”
“I'll kill him. Cut his flesh into tiny pieces, piece by piece, and make him suffer for a very long time before dying.”
"That’s a really sweet thing to say, but you don’t have to. Victoria is already being punished enough."
Victoria was imprisoned in the dungeon of Chase Castle.
The dungeon at Chase Castle was not as grueling as the dungeons at Rosen Castle or the Imperial Palace, but that alone would be terrible enough for Victoria.
From now on, Ariana planned to dress up nicely every day, go down to the prison, and visit Victoria once. She planned to repeat the same thing day after day so that Victoria would suffer as she compared their circumstances over and over again.
"Yeah, if you say so, then I suppose that's how it is."
Cyrus carefully lifted Ariana's right wrist and examined the wound at the tip of her finger. Although Ariana was the one who was injured, Cyrus looked as if he were the one who was hurt.
"My father and Uncle Fellowes saved me."
“Yeah, I heard. It would have been nice if I had saved you. But it would have been better for you if they had saved you.”
“I called him Dad. Like a little kid.”
Cyrus smiled faintly.
"You did well. It must have been cute."
Ariana blushed and lowered her gaze.
"When they saw my wound there, the two of them made a huge fuss, as if they were the ones who had been hurt."
“It’s understandable. Such pretty fingers have been ruined.”
“You’re the same way, Sei. You’re frowning just like them, as if you’re the one who’s hurt.”
“I was thinking it would have been better if I were the one getting hurt.”
“Then I think my heart would ache.”
"That is your problem."
"Oh my, I had heard rumors that the Lord of North was heartless, but seeing him in person, he is excessively heartless."
Cyrus chuckled softly, then held Ariana's chin between his thumb and index finger and gently lifted it.
"Then, have you never heard of a saying like this?"
Cyrus's lips gently met Ariana's. As they shared a slow and careful kiss, Cyrus whispered.
“The ruler of North is passionate when it comes to his woman.”
That was really the case.
His lips were cold, but the breath that came over her was hot. That heat melted her worries, and Ariana forgot everything for a moment, surrendering her whole body to him.
The situation on the Western Lord's side was also not good.
The defenses of the Eastern Capital were much stronger than imagined, so the troops of Paganus King Brussels could not even approach the ramparts.
The soldiers of the East not only defended thoroughly but also took advantage of opportunities to come out of the city walls and steal or burn Paganus's provisions and horses. As a result, Paganus's King and soldiers went berserk and often made mistakes, and these mistakes on the battlefield led to heavy losses.
It happened in an instant that thousands of soldiers were reduced by half.
Just as Western Lord sensed the ominous signs of war and was contemplating whether to hastily withdraw, a massive roar rang out from behind him.
Western Lord and Paganus King Brussels turned around in delight, thinking that the allied forces they were supposed to join had arrived. However, the flag that caught their eye was a white flag bearing the blue tiger symbolizing the House of White.
Brussels, filled with rage and prepared to die, charged at the Eastern Lord, but the Western Lord hurriedly rode his horse away from the battlefield amidst the chaos.
The place Western Lord headed was the Empire, not the Allies.
It was to occupy the ruined and empty imperial palace, but the throne in the palace, which had been restored albeit simply, was already occupied by its rightful owner.
It was Crown Prince David Blenwitt, who had escaped through the underground passage with the Empress and others when the Imperial Palace collapsed. And standing beside David was Theodore White, his blue eyes shining brightly.
Theodore, who was heading to the Eastern Territory with Cyrus to find Ariana, received a message from a messenger sent by the Eastern Lord stating that Ariana had been safely recovered and was being protected, so he immediately turned his horse around and headed back to the Empire.
It was because he predicted that if the Western Lord were to survive, he would undoubtedly come to the Empire. Theodore's prediction proved correct.
Lord Rodian of the West begged for his life from his one and only rival, whom he had never once been able to defeat. Whispering sweet words with his deceitful tongue, he said he would help in gaining the world.
Theodore, who had been silently listening to the story of their long-standing feud, smiled bitterly and drew his sword.
“Rodian, isn’t it time you let go of your greed?”
There was no mercy.
Western Lord, consumed by the greed to rule the world during his lifetime and who ruthlessly used and abandoned even his own family, was beheaded without ever holding a handful of the world in his hands.
As Western Lord breathed his last, the East had also annihilated the attacking Paganus and was preparing for the ensuing war.
Since there was no place for Ariana in that war, she returned to Chase Castle with Carradine. All the way to Chase Castle in a carriage surrounded by knights, Carradine shed tears as she looked at Ariana's wounds.
It was fascinating and heartwarming to see her Grandmother, who had been as fierce as a biting wind when facing Paganus, tear up over a few wounds on her. So, Ariana held her Grandmother's hand tightly with her healthy hand and spoke several times.
“It’s okay, Grandma. I really am fine. I’m so relieved that you are safe. Really.”
The winds of war had not even reached Elles City, the capital of the Eastern Territory. Unlike the noisy border regions caused by Paganus, the capital maintained its daily life quietly and peacefully.
However, Ariana could sense the strange tension flowing from outside. If the flames of war were to reach here, the people of the capital would not hesitate to take up their swords.
'It will be different this time. Unlike before, the reputations of the Eastern Lord and the Eastern haven't hit rock bottom due to the false rumors spread by the Western Lord.'
Langsty was waiting for them at the entrance of Chase Castle.
Langster's expression was enigmatic as he watched Ariana step out of the stopped carriage. As Ariana approached, Langster looked down at her with eyes filled with mixed emotions, then silently embraced her.
Her uncle's breath ringing in her ears was rough, and his hand stroking her back was trembling uncontrollably. Langster did not shed tears, but the trembling conveyed his sorrow completely.
"You worked hard."
Langster spoke in a suppressed voice.
"You worked hard, my baby.
Ariana almost burst into tears."
She wonders why they keep calling me "our baby." It is truly awkward every time she calls that. Because it makes her happy, because it brings tears to her eyes. It is extremely uncomfortable.
“You’d better go inside and rest. I’ve called the doctor, so get treated. To think a girl has a wound on her face... My brother will cry every time he sees it.”
Ariana was no longer a child, but her family still treated her like one. Langster wouldn't let Ariana go, even though he suggested they go inside and rest.
“Langster, at this rate, the sun will set.”
Only after being scolded by Grandmother did the eldest uncle release Ariana.
The chief chamberlain and the chief maid turned pale at the sight of Ariana and kept repeating, “Oh dear, what shall we do about our Princess? Our Princess, how can she be so hurt?” Meanwhile, Uriel, the attending doctor, kept sighing, saying, “Oh my, how can our Princess get hurt so often?”
Surrounded by an outpouring of excessive affection and worry as soon as she returned home, Ariana went to bed early after receiving treatment and finishing a simple meal.
Lying on the cozy bed, she habitually fumbled around looking for the teddy bear, but the light green teddy bear she had taken to the Empire was not here.
'When will everyone be back?'
A few days ago, Ariana heard news from the Empire.
The news was that Isaac had returned to the Empire, treated the seriously injured, and would soon be heading to the Eastern Territory. Judging by the fact that no other details were mentioned, it seemed there were no major issues, but it was difficult to let go of her anxiety until she personally confirmed that everyone was safe.
Ariana couldn't sleep, so she tossed and turned and called out of habit.
"Shini."
No matter how softly she called, Shini always answered. Her heart felt empty, longing for the answer that never came back.
"Cyrus."
She spoke another name she missed.
Cyrus.
She had this foolish belief that he would respond whenever and wherever she called him.
'It's been like that from the start.'
From the moment he began living this life, and from the moment he planned to escape the Bronte family, Cyrus always appeared at the moment of need to help Ariana.
At that time, they thought they were using each other. They pretended not to notice the feelings silently blossoming between them, claiming that they were merely taking what was necessary for their goals without any ulterior motives.
And so, both he and Ariana had to take the long way around. Not knowing, or rather, knowing, that the wind was blowing through their empty hearts, they walked and walked that long, lonely path until they finally came to acknowledge their own hearts.
However, because she resented him for causing her so much heartache, Ariana did not fully reveal these feelings.
'No, it’s not that I didn’t show it. It’s that I couldn’t show it.'
Having never received or given love, Ariana did not know how to express it. Sometimes, whenever she saw him, she did not know how to convey the overwhelming emotions she felt.
She now knows that the belief that Cyrus would appear in moments of crisis, the loneliness and wounds caused by him, and the laughter that flowed during the conversations they shared—it was all love.
It was only now, after receiving help from her grandfather when she was at a loss, being saved by her father when she was on the verge of death, and receiving the tears of her uncles and the worry of her grandmother, that Ariana realized.
That I am a loved child, too.
My baby.
That she is a child worthy of being called that.
And so, Ariana also fully acknowledged her own feelings.
I love Cyrus. And.
“I miss you, Cyrus.”
"Really?"
“Yeah, what... Hak!”
Hearing an answer she shouldn't have heard, Ariana sprang out of bed, swallowing a shrill breath. Cyrus, who had arrived at some point, was sitting outside the bedroom window with a faint smile.
“Sei?”
“That’s nice being called that.”
“Uh, how...?”
Cyrus gazed intently at Ariana, who was blinking her eyes in embarrassment. After exchanging silent thoughts for a while, Cyrus tapped on the window and spoke.
"Can I come in?"
Only then did Ariana get out of bed and open the window. Cyrus, who had rushed inside, hugged Ariana tightly.
The scent of the wind and the forest tickled the tip of Ariana's nose. Strangely, her heart felt warm at the slightly chilly air.
Ariana also raised both arms and hugged Cyrus around the waist.
The two held each other in their arms for a while, sharing their longing.
"I missed you so much I ran here without even breathing."
“I thought you had gone to the North...”
"Andrei is over there, so there's nothing to worry about."
Since Cyrus said there was nothing to worry about, she decided not to worry.
"Let me see your face."
Cyrus took a step back and cupped Ariana's cheeks with both hands. He frowned when he saw the long scar on Ariana's cheek.
“Who did this?”
“What if someone did that?”
“I'll kill him. Cut his flesh into tiny pieces, piece by piece, and make him suffer for a very long time before dying.”
"That’s a really sweet thing to say, but you don’t have to. Victoria is already being punished enough."
Victoria was imprisoned in the dungeon of Chase Castle.
The dungeon at Chase Castle was not as grueling as the dungeons at Rosen Castle or the Imperial Palace, but that alone would be terrible enough for Victoria.
From now on, Ariana planned to dress up nicely every day, go down to the prison, and visit Victoria once. She planned to repeat the same thing day after day so that Victoria would suffer as she compared their circumstances over and over again.
"Yeah, if you say so, then I suppose that's how it is."
Cyrus carefully lifted Ariana's right wrist and examined the wound at the tip of her finger. Although Ariana was the one who was injured, Cyrus looked as if he were the one who was hurt.
"My father and Uncle Fellowes saved me."
“Yeah, I heard. It would have been nice if I had saved you. But it would have been better for you if they had saved you.”
“I called him Dad. Like a little kid.”
Cyrus smiled faintly.
"You did well. It must have been cute."
Ariana blushed and lowered her gaze.
"When they saw my wound there, the two of them made a huge fuss, as if they were the ones who had been hurt."
“It’s understandable. Such pretty fingers have been ruined.”
“You’re the same way, Sei. You’re frowning just like them, as if you’re the one who’s hurt.”
“I was thinking it would have been better if I were the one getting hurt.”
“Then I think my heart would ache.”
"That is your problem."
"Oh my, I had heard rumors that the Lord of North was heartless, but seeing him in person, he is excessively heartless."
Cyrus chuckled softly, then held Ariana's chin between his thumb and index finger and gently lifted it.
"Then, have you never heard of a saying like this?"
Cyrus's lips gently met Ariana's. As they shared a slow and careful kiss, Cyrus whispered.
“The ruler of North is passionate when it comes to his woman.”
That was really the case.
His lips were cold, but the breath that came over her was hot. That heat melted her worries, and Ariana forgot everything for a moment, surrendering her whole body to him.
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