It's Too Late for Regrets - Chapter 12.0

From the day after they came back from their half-day outing, it kept raining. The large pit in front of the mansion filled up with rainwater.

The next day, after it rained all night, when she looked out the window, Ines saw a faint rainbow stretched across the sparkling surface of the water.

It looked like someone had thrown priceless jewels into the lake. The sunlight reflected off the water, making it shine brightly.

‘…It’s beautiful.’

She couldn’t deny it. Even though it was man-made and not more beautiful than the sea she saw in the coastal city of Apael, it was still an amazing view.

Ines couldn’t take her eyes off the lake in front of the mansion until the sun slowly rose high into the eastern sky.

Time passed quickly. After late spring, the season returned when just standing under the sun made your skin feel hot.

It had already been a month since Ines stayed at the Grand Duke’s mansion. She had received the priest’s blessing at La Celia Cathedral more than four times.

Normally, that fact would have been passed to Rayan through a spy. But thanks to Edgar’s help, it stayed a secret.

So naturally, the fear she had toward Rayan started to slowly fade, little by little.

At some point, Ines no longer avoided his careful kisses.

Of course, even then, he only briefly touched her eyelids, the tip of her nose, her cheeks, or the corners of her lips before pulling away.

Compared to the last month, when just seeing him made her tremble, this was a big change.

Also, when he carefully suggested going out, she rarely said no.

After having lunch with the child, they would take a walk along the riverbank or climb a tower with a view of the capital.

Today, they had come out to look at summer flowers to decorate the mansion.

Rayan told them to send the dozens of sunflowers Ines picked back to the mansion. These days, he liked how the mansion was being decorated with colorful seasonal flowers instead of the usual boring roses.

Caesar held one sunflower tightly and reached his arms toward him.

“Daddy…”

“Are your legs tired?”

“Yes…”

Rayan gently picked up Caesar and turned toward Ines.

“Ines, Caesar is tired. Let’s go ba—”

“Go ahead first. I have somewhere to go.”

“What?”

At her words, his expression clearly changed. The faint smile disappeared, and his eyes sharpened.

“…Where?”

“The cathedral. It rained last week, so I couldn’t go for a few days. I told you yesterday I would go soon.”

“You didn’t say it would be today.”

His tone as he asked again was persistent.

“Who are you going with? Are you going alone?”

There was no reason to lie, so Ines answered honestly.

“I have a prior appointment on Wednesday. I thought it’d be nice to also see His Majesty while I’m there.”

“…Edgar?”

“Yes.”

“No—”

Rayan almost said “No” without thinking, but quickly closed his mouth.

But by then, the obsession he had been holding back—thanks to Ines treating him kindly for a while—started to show itself again.

He wanted to go back to the mansion with her, but at the same time, he didn’t want to interrupt whatever she was doing.

As he hesitated without replying, Ines took a step closer.

“…?”

Surprised, he lifted his head—and something warm touched his lips. The moment he felt it, all the inappropriate thoughts in his mind stopped.

Ines stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

His heart began to race like it was about to burst.

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