One Day, My Fiancé Brought His First Love Along - Chapter 126

“Can’t you stop now?!”

“This devil! A real, real devil!”

“I feel like I can’t even breathe anymore. Will I live to see the sunrise tomorrow?”

As the knights approached the starting line with five laps still remaining, they could no longer hold back their cries.

“I still haven’t come to my senses. Should I add five more laps?”

Aileen smiled more sweetly than ever at the six knights who had just staggered past her, their faces still stricken with disbelief.

“No, no!”

“I’m going crazy from this energy I’m feeling!”

Aileen turned away, watching as the knights ran off with faces that had completely changed.

“Then I’ll leave work first.”

“Please return safely, Vice-Captain!”

Sure enough, as soon as she left, he’d run off and do whatever he pleased. She chuckled quietly and stepped out of the Khan Knights’ training grounds.

I strolled leisurely toward the fountain, where the paths of the three knights’ training fields met. Aileen was sitting quietly at the edge, gazing in the direction of the training grounds.

After the Great Purge and the backlash against the reconciliation with the northern barbarians had settled somewhat, Aileen and Carlisle often walked home together after work.

Whoever finished first would wait at the fountain, and the other would naturally come along. The waiting never felt long. It was a quiet routine they had grown to cherish.

“Aileen.”

Before she realized it, Carlisle had come closer from afar, casting a soft shadow over her.

A gentle voice carried to Aileen’s ears on the cool breeze. She stretched out both arms toward the warmth in front of her.

“Wake me up.”

“Gladly.”

Instead of taking her hand to pull her up, Carlisle leaned down and wrapped his arms around her waist. His soft hair brushed against her left cheek and the nape of her neck.

He lifted Aileen as if to carry her, and when she stood on her own two feet, he remained still for a moment. He buried his face in the curve of her neck and took a deep breath.

The wind ruffled her hair. Only then did he let go.

“Shall we go?”

“Mm.”

It was a quiet, comforting routine—one Aileen had longed for. And so had Carlisle.

As we returned to the Revart mansion by carriage, Sarah—who still held a grudge against Carlisle—came out to greet us.

“You’re here, my lady! And Count Avergue. Everyone’s waiting for you—they haven’t eaten yet.”

Carlisle flinched slightly at Sarah’s words.

“Let’s go quickly, Aileen.”

He spoke with urgency, his expression tense.

He still found it difficult to face the Duke and Duchess of Revart—especially the Duke. The pain he had once caused Aileen remained vividly in everyone’s memory.

He had never known his own parents, so he couldn’t fully grasp their emotions. But he understood just how much Aileen feared the Duke and Duchess.

Even if she forgave him, he would always bear the weight of his sins. And he was determined to atone for them with his own hands.

As I finished getting ready and entered the dining room, I saw the three members of the Revart family, who had arrived earlier and were sipping tea. Carlisle, wearing a somewhat stiff expression, pulled out Aileen’s chair for her, then took his seat.

“Sorry I’m late.”

“It’s alright. It’s just that both men returned home early today—it’s been a while.”

The Duchess of Revart smiled warmly at Carlisle, who lowered his head in apology.

“Shall we talk while we eat?”

“Do you have something to say?”

Instead of responding to Aileen, who had asked with wide eyes, the Duchess turned her attention to the food the servants were setting down.

“Eat first, Aileen.”

“Yeah. Why are you so eager? Anyway, who do you take after?”

“Who do you think you resemble, Ashite?”

“…It’s me, Mother.”

“Alright. Eat first.”

The Duke, who had been watching the situation unfold as the Duchess smiled gently, coughed loudly and shoved a large piece of meat into his mouth.

Everyone who had been watching quietly began to eat as well. The atmosphere settled, and the only sounds left were the soft clinks of cutlery and chewing. Finally, the Duchess spoke.

“You two, when do you plan to set a date?”

Carlisle’s hands, which had been steadily slicing meat, suddenly stopped.

“I think now would be a good time. Some of the complications have been resolved, and you won’t be as busy for a while.”

After Carlisle proposed, Aileen had been sharing updates with her mother. The Duchess had said she’d handle the arrangements—they just needed to decide on a date. Yet, until now, both Aileen and Carlisle had remained quiet.

There was only one reason: the empire and the world still hadn’t found peace.

But now that the winds of unrest had begun to calm, the Duchess’s words meant they could no longer delay.

“Hmm. Alright. What do you think, Carlisle?”

Aileen turned her head toward him. A soft voice escaped Carlisle’s lips. His expression, to anyone watching, seemed frozen.

“I… like it.”

How could I hate it? It’s the wedding I’ve longed for.

I wanted to get married as soon as I could, but I held back. I couldn’t be happy while the empire was in chaos. And I couldn’t go against Aileen when she said it didn’t feel right.

But finally—

“Then I assume you both agree. Let’s begin preparing. When do you think would be a good date?”

“Ahem. Isn’t this a little too fast, Ashite?”

The Duke of Revart, who had been silently listening, finally spoke.

“When is it too fast, Railroad?”

“Uh… um… six months?”

“I was thinking of doing it a month later.”

“That won’t do, Ashite! That’s way too fast!”

“I’ve waited long enough. I can’t delay it any further.”

“Then let’s make it three months. Three!”

The Duchess turned her head away from the Duke, whose face had flushed red, and smiled gracefully.

“Let’s settle on two months. What do you think?”

No one could bring themselves to object.

Wedding preparations began under the careful guidance of the Duchess.

There was so much to take care of from start to finish. She even selected the people to whom invitations would be sent. But Aileen was secretly happy that she didn’t have to lift a finger.

The days passed normally—until Aileen met her best friend Retta for the first time in ages. She had been eager to share the good news in person.

“Oh my goodness, are you really getting married now? Seriously—congratulations, Aileen!”

“Thank you, Retta.”

Retta had been sick for a while after giving birth, but she was as cheerful as ever now. Aileen felt grateful. She blushed slightly at Retta’s heartfelt congratulations—Retta, who always made her feel at ease.

“Then you must be super busy now, right?”

Retta clapped her hands in excitement, her eyes sparkling as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“No… not really…?”

“Huh…?”

Retta’s face flushed with a mix of confusion and disbelief as she watched Aileen widen her eyes and tilt her head slightly.

“How can you not be busy…?”

“Because my mother is handling all the preparations.”

“That’s true, but still! Aside from that—aren’t you doing anything?”

“Yeah. What else is there for me to do?”

Staring at Aileen’s innocent expression, Retta clutched her chest as if dying from frustration.

“No, Aileen. Just look at yourself. Aren’t you getting any self-care? You still don’t care about things like accessories or skin care.”

“Do I really have to? I roll around the training grounds every day. That’s probably why I look like this.”

“Even so! It doesn’t matter how good your skin is naturally—just look at yourself. Can’t you see those dark circles under your eyes? You look lifeless, completely lifeless!”

“Uh…?”

“Are you even sleeping properly? You look exhausted. I’m genuinely worried about your health.”

Why is she suddenly saying all this…?

“It’s your once-in-a-lifetime wedding. You’re the main character that day. Don’t you want to look your brightest and most beautiful? Normally, people go through all sorts of prep just to be presentable. They handle everything themselves, even if it’s stressful.”

Yeah… when she puts it that way, it kind of makes sense.

It had been the same for Retta when she got engaged to Carlisle. Before breaking off the engagement, she had spent her days resting and getting massages. She was so excited, wanting to be the most radiant bride.

“Of course, you don’t have to if you really don’t want to. It’s all about personal satisfaction in the end. But you know how it is—nobles love to gossip. I was already desperate to be on good terms with you and Count Avergue. But since you won’t even give me a chance, there are plenty of others who’ve taken my hand instead.”

Yeah. There were quite a few.

After the massive purge of the noble faction tied to Hessiden, countless people had begun sending letters every day, desperate to get in line.

And while it annoyed him, Carlisle knew that rejecting all of them outright could spark resentment among the nobles.

But he didn’t care. That social circle no longer suited him. He’d chosen a new path as a reporter, and he had no regrets about it.

But still—talking about anything besides wedding stuff… yeah, that might get a bit annoying too.

“I know you’re a knight, my proud friend. Whether you’re interested in jewelry or not doesn’t matter. I just think it’s natural to want to look your best on a special day—so you can remember it fondly.”

“……”

“I’m only saying this because I care about your health. Why not take a break for once? Go get a little care and a massage before the wedding.”

It wasn’t persuasion—it was persistence. Aileen, who had remained quietly listening, finally blinked as if waking up.

“I happen to know a place. It’s quiet and private—nobody bothers you there. Their service is top-notch, so it’s hard to get a reservation.”

That ended the conversation. Aileen accepted the recommendation Retta offered.

To be honest, I had been feeling worn out recently. My whole body was tired. For the first time in a while, I was finally able to breathe again. I used to be so busy I’d just grab dinner outside before heading home. But when Retta told me I looked tired, something inside me wavered.

She must’ve done the same back then too. But now, buried in her knightly duties and the aftermath of everything, she must have forgotten.

But… should I tell Carlisle I’m getting managed?

It felt kind of embarrassing. As if I was suddenly trying to look nice just because I was excited for the wedding.

No, well. It’s not entirely wrong, but…

After much thought, Aileen decided to keep it a secret from Carlisle, Not knowing what kind of ripple it might cause.

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