I’ve Decided to Let You Go - Chapter 57

“Ugh… ah…!”

The boy had pulled the blanket over his entire body, and it was hard to breathe. Through the narrow gap in the covers, something warm and metallic splashed across his face. His vision turned red, and pain followed immediately after.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

But the boy couldn’t move. He couldn’t even cry out. He bit down on his lip over and over, trying to stifle the groans rising in his throat.

Long after the knights had left, and once the thirst and hunger became unbearable, the boy finally crawled out of the wardrobe.

At seven years old, death was still a vague concept to him. He might have understood the word, but he had no idea what it truly meant.

As if denying the truth, he shook his family’s bodies and called out to them again and again.

“Mother, Father, Brother, Sister… please, someone answer me.”

It wasn’t until he saw insects crawling over their glassy eyes, until he smelled the overwhelming stench, that he realized what he was holding weren’t people anymore. They were corpses.

And that was when he finally understood what death really meant.

Shocked, he stumbled away and ran from the room. He ran through the halls of the mansion. Normally, the servants would have stopped him, telling him not to run. But now, as he passed down the long corridors, no one was there to stop him.

Something told him the front gate was dangerous. He turned and ran into the forest instead. Snow had already begun to fall, and his feet sank into it, but he didn’t stop.

Where should I go? Where can I go to survive?

He kept asking himself as he ran through the quiet, snowy night. When his feet had gone numb and he could barely feel anything, he arrived in a village near the harbor.

People were gathered, reading newspapers. An old man, reading closely, sighed and shook his head.

“What could a great noble family possibly have lacked that they would commit treason? It’s a tragedy.”

He clicked his tongue and threw the newspaper into a trash bin.

The boy, hearing his family’s name, rushed over and pulled the newspaper out of the bin. He read the headline, and his heart sank.

The front page of the kingdom’s most well-known newspaper reported the downfall of his family—accused of treason.

“Treason? That can’t be right.”

His small hands trembled as he clutched the paper. His cracked voice rose in protest.

Treason was evil. His tutor had taught him that betraying the crown was as sinful as defying the gods. His family, who had always believed in honor and virtue, could never have done something so disgraceful.

There had to be a mistake. Someone must have framed them.

Among the docked ships, he saw one bearing a crest he recognized. He snuck into a large wooden crate, which was later loaded onto a ship. For three days, he survived on scraps of spoiled food, hiding in the cargo hold.

When the ship finally arrived, it was at the heart of the Letius Empire.

He ran straight to the imperial palace. Pushing past the palace guards, he made it through the main gates, sprinting as fast as his legs would carry him.

Trying to find the audience chamber, he was stopped by a wall of imperial knights. They were tall and heavily armored, like immovable walls. The boy was too small and too weak to get past them.

Instead of being thrown out, he was unexpectedly brought before the Emperor himself. He was forced to kneel like a criminal while the knights spoke to the man on the throne.

“This boy broke into the palace. He won’t give his name, and we can’t confirm his identity. Should we send him to the dungeon? Or beat him and send him back where he came from?”

It was a terrifying moment. Pressed under the weight of the knights, the boy could hardly breathe. He sobbed from the pain and looked up.

The Emperor looked down at him with cold, unfeeling eyes. In that icy gaze, the boy saw what was coming. He saw that everything he had believed in was gone.

“Please… Your Majesty, I’m begging you. I need your help.”

He cried out in desperation. He couldn’t die here. He had to live. He had to survive, to clear his family’s name, to prove they had been innocent.

Even if it meant becoming the Emperor’s loyal servant, he would do it. If that was the only way, he would accept it.

Mmm…

Natasha shifted in her sleep. Her neck and back ached. Whatever she was resting on was hard and uncomfortable.

Did the Marquis of Veliaché really give her such a stiff pillow? She could’ve sworn it was soft and plush.

But what her head lay on now was firm—almost too firm. In fact, it even felt sharp in places.

Turning her head slightly, she began to feel something strange.

Maybe what was under Natasha’s head wasn’t a pillow at all, but someone’s leg. And maybe, that leg belonged to her husband, the man she resented more than anyone.

The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and she opened her eyes in a panic.

The first thing she saw was the wide stone wall of the cave. Then she remembered. Because the carriage had stopped running, they had spent the night here instead of returning to the Veliaché estate.

That realization confirmed her suspicion. Glancing down, Natasha saw a sturdy leg beneath her and shot upright in surprise.

“I’m sorry, I must have been too tired…”

Maybe her reaction was a bit too dramatic, because she could feel his eyes staring at her. Looking flustered, Sieghart blinked at her, and Natasha offered a late apology.

“Good morning, Natasha.”

“…Yes, good morning.”

Sieghart greeted her with a calm, unbothered tone. Natasha, hiding her embarrassment, replied with as much composure as she could.

After a quick wash and minimal preparations, the two headed down to the village, where their coachman was waiting. He had returned during the night and was already there with the carriage.

“Shall I take you to the Veliaché estate as planned?”

“Yes. How long will it take?”

“There’s heavy fog this morning, so it might take a little longer than usual. I expect we’ll arrive in about two hours.”

Sieghart nodded, paid the fare, and gently guided Natasha into the carriage.

“It should take around two hours. You probably didn’t sleep well last night, so you should try to get some rest.”

“Ah, alright.”

She gave a small nod and leaned toward the window. Though she wasn’t really sleepy, she closed her eyes and pretended to rest.

Suddenly, the dream she had the night before came back to her.

Her family had appeared in it. But unlike how they usually haunted her dreams, they didn’t have terrifying or grotesque faces. Instead, they looked as they once did—kind, warm, and smiling. They had welcomed her gently.

Just like Reon had, they comforted her. Their voices were soft and filled with sorrow, as though they knew they would not return. And in that dream, they forgave her.

Maybe that dream was why her body had felt so light when she woke. It felt like the start of a good day.

Two hours later, they arrived at the estate. After unpacking and freshening up quickly, the two stepped out again. It was their final day in the duchy, and though they were both a little tired, they had decided not to waste a moment of it.

Today was their wedding anniversary.

They walked slowly along a path where flowers were in full bloom, then made their way to the restaurant they had reserved for lunch.

The place was known as the most expensive and most sought-after restaurant in the duchy. True to its reputation, the dishes were exquisite, and the gentle piano music playing in the background made the experience even more enjoyable.

After the meal, they headed to the opera Sieghart had arranged in advance. A world-famous opera singer was touring nearby countries, and they had managed to get lucky—seats in the premium section, the best in the venue.

The singer’s refined pronunciation and deep, rich voice moved the audience deeply. It truly felt like listening to something from the heavens. Fully immersed, Natasha clapped along with everyone else at the end, rising to her feet for a standing ovation.

The opera lasted well over three hours. By the time it ended, the sun had begun to set. Enchanted by the glowing twilight, the two strolled together to a nearby fountain in the main square.

A small crowd had gathered there.

Children were laughing and playing, their cheerful voices echoing through the square. An amateur band was setting up nearby, looking a little shy at first, but their energy changed the moment they began to play. The waltz that followed wasn’t perfect, but it was sincere and full of warmth. Nearby, couples danced slowly to the music, smiling at each other as they moved.

It wasn’t luxurious or glamorous. In fact, it was almost too simple, and that was what made it beautiful.

While Natasha quietly watched the scene, Sieghart, who had been standing next to her the whole time, leaned in and said he would step away for a moment.

Some time passed. Then, the children who had been playing nearby suddenly gasped and ran off toward someone. They gathered around the figure, whispering and giggling among themselves.

“Wow!”

“What is it?”

“I think he’s giving it to someone he likes!”

The man surrounded by curious children looked completely caught off guard. Their voices and hands made him visibly flustered. When he finally straightened up, his tall figure and broad shoulders stood out clearly.

“…Sieghart?”

It was him. The same Sieghart who had just said he’d be right back.

He walked toward her slowly, still trailed by the excited children, until he stopped right in front of her.

In his hands was a huge bouquet of flowers—so large it nearly covered his entire upper body.

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