The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 15

Two days after Yulania lost consciousness, the bleeding stopped, and she was finally able to get out of bed. Supported by Maya, she strolled around the bedroom.

Having faced a major event right after meeting her, Maya quickly adapted to serving Yulania in just a few days.

“Slowly, slowly.”

“I think I can stand on my own. Would you open the door for me?”

Focused solely on steadying herself, she finally looked out the window after a long time and saw it was snowing. The way the white snow fell slowly was quite beautiful.

Yulania felt a surge of emotion and was about to approach the window.

“The wind is cold, Princess.”

“It’s alright. It’s been a long time since I’ve had fresh air.”

“Just for a moment!”

At her insistence, Maya hesitated briefly before quickly draping a shawl over her and throwing the door wide open.

“Ah…”

The rush of cold air made Yulania’s eyes widen. Considering her condition, they had been meticulously heating the room, so the temperature difference was stark.

Somehow, it felt like she was breathing properly for the first time in a while. Yulania stepped out onto the balcony and reached out her hand to the falling snow. Large snowflakes landed directly on her palm.

‘Were snowflakes always this beautiful?’

Yulania watched the snowflake slowly lose its shape and melt in her palm.

“Oh my, Princess! You’ll catch a cold! You can’t touch the snow with your bare hands!”

Maya, who never imagined she would touch the cold ice with her bare hands, was horrified and tried to stop her. But Yulania nonchalantly held up her palm.

“Why? It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

“Please go inside quickly. I’ll get you gloves if you want to play in the snow!”

Maya couldn’t bring herself to push her away, so she hovered around her, fidgeting. Yulania, looking at the small and round Maya scurrying about anxiously, was reminded of a squirrel she had seen once.

“Pfft.”

“Huh?”

As she watched her, she felt a tickle at the corner of her mouth, and a laugh burst out.

Yulania was surprised herself and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. It was the first time she had laughed out loud like this since she was a child, as far as she could remember.

Maya, who had never seen her mistress smile in the few days she had served her, was also surprised and stood there with wide eyes. She had always thought her mistress was beautiful, but seeing her smile made her look completely different.

“You look so cute, no, so beautiful when you smile like that!”

It was hard to tell who was cute. Yulania watched the bouncy Maya and composed herself with a gentle smile.

She was rather indifferent to compliments about her appearance. After all, it was something she had heard from everyone her entire life, so it was just like a greeting. But today, Maya’s words felt a little pleasing.

Yulania looked up at the hazy sky, thinking that the beautifully falling snowflakes and Maya’s heart blended well together.

Only then did Maya regain her senses and urged her again. The tips of Yulania’s fingers were turning red.

“Oh dear, this is no time for this. Let’s go inside now.”

“Alright.”

However, the lightly tickling emotions didn’t last long.

Yulania was having a hard time realizing that she had lost a child. Since she didn’t have any memories of carrying it, it was inevitable that she wouldn’t feel a big difference even after losing it. But if you asked if she was completely indifferent, that wasn’t the case either.

As her thoughts continued, her gaze naturally turned to her lower abdomen. The flat stomach where a child had come and gone without her knowing. It was a big deal, but for her, it was just a lingering abdominal pain. As she gently placed her hand on it, Maya asked in surprise.

“Does your stomach hurt? Oh no, you need to stay warm!”

Yulania gave her a reassuring smile before Maya could make a bigger fuss. Only then relieved, Maya continued to nag softly, adjusting the shawl on her shoulders that had slipped a little.

“Huh?”

At that moment, a black shape caught her eye at the edge of her all-white vision. She turned her body back outside.

How long had he been watching? Before Yulania could fully turn her head, she met Santi’s eyes as he stood among the bare trees in the garden. Then, she suddenly remembered what she had been doing just a moment ago.

“Ah…”

Did he see her wearing indoor clothes, touching the snow, and bouncing around? She suddenly felt embarrassed and her cheeks flushed, so she subtly averted her gaze. Then, Maya, who was next to her, hurriedly urged her.

“Princess, Princess. I think the Duke is saying something!”

He’s too far away to hear, isn’t he? But Santi wasn’t the type to raise his voice to talk to her. Yulania looked at him again, puzzled.

As their eyes met again, he pointed down with his index finger and moved his lips.

‘Walk. Book.’

Yulania doubted if she had understood correctly. She couldn’t remember when they had last taken a walk alone. If she wasn’t mistaken, they had only taken a private walk without any obligations a handful of times.

When she remained still, Santi seemed to think that she hadn’t understood, so he formed the words even more clearly.

‘Walk, Book.’

And as if asking her intentions, his head tilted to the side. Yulania’s lips relaxed at the unexpectedly cute sight. She smiled naturally and nodded her head several times.

With Maya’s help, Yulania changed into simple outdoor clothes and immediately went down to the garden. She slowly walked towards the garden, supported by Maya, looking for Santi. Her neck didn’t turn well because of the scarf that Maya had wrapped around her tightly.

Just as she was feeling embarrassed because she couldn’t see black anywhere, a voice came from behind.

“Why did you come out so early?”

At the same time, a heavy weight was added to her shoulders. Santi had brought a large blanket and wrapped it around her. Naturally, he took over the support, and Maya stepped back.

“I’m already wearing a lot.”

“Not enough for me.”

“…It’s heavy.”

As she said a word as if complaining, the weight disappeared from her shoulders at once. Santi draped the blanket over his own shoulders and wrapped his arm around Yulania’s waist, sharing his warmth.

Feeling the warmth of his body, she glanced up at him. He also looked down at her with an indifferent face. As if asking if this was better.

“…”

“…”

In the chilling winter garden, the only two people with warmth in them faced each other with a hand’s breadth between them. And the two men and women blushed on both cheeks and lowered their gazes without either of them doing it first.

“Let’s walk.”

Santi, looking ahead, took Yulania’s arm with his other hand and led her in a slow walk.

She suppressed the anxiety that was trying to rise from within with the warm temperature.

The vague anxiety soon materialized when a knight caused a commotion with news.

Yulania was sitting by the window overlooking the outer castle, waiting for the news that the knights who had gone on a simple patrol would be returning soon. The scene of the servants, their noses red from the cold air, busily moving about was peaceful.

As she followed their movements with her eyes, she felt that their steps were getting faster, and then the everyday scene was shattered at once. Yulania, who had never expected to see such a bloody sight, was startled and jumped up from her seat.

“Princess!”

Maya, who was watching over her from the side, hurriedly supported her at the sudden movement.

“So much blood…! What happened…!”

“Goodness, Princess, let’s go inside first.”

Three knights covered in blood entered the inner castle, supporting one knight who was limping particularly badly. Maya glanced at the knights and led the shocked and faltering Yulania inside to a warmer place.

“Eek! What’s going on!”

The atmosphere in the castle became chaotic in an instant. Servants rushed out with medical supplies, and the knights who were waiting in the castle murmured as they assessed the situation.

“A serious injury at this time.”

“I’m starting to fear the coming winter…”

In fact, such injuries were commonplace for the knights of the harsh northern territory of Macari. When large expeditions went out, there were often life-threatening injuries.

But the problem was the timing of the injury.

It was late autumn. Although it was snowing in Macari, winter had not yet arrived.

Demons only awaken in the very cold winter. Until the full winter comes, only small fries occasionally appear. Even that was rare.

Soon, Santi, with a cold, hardened face, came to find Yulania. And, as expected, after a brief explanation that the situation was not normal, he calmly informed her.

“I think I need to go myself. I’ll be back in three days.”

“Come back safely.”

Perhaps it was because she had a premonition the moment, she saw the blood-soaked knight. Yulania answered calmly. It was also something that couldn’t be avoided since she was in the territory.

“I’ll be back soon, so take good care of yourself.”

But although it was a sight she saw every day, she felt an urge to hold him back today. An anxiety that he might never return was slowly rising.

‘No. There are no demons he can’t stop.’

Yulania desperately suppressed the absurd imagination and turned away.

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