The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 63

The Makari Castle lobby still held the morning’s chilly air. Within it, a spot radiated a particularly warm aura, where Santia and Yulania stood. Yulania, wrapped in a soft cloak, looked up at him. The horses were ready to depart, and the knights were already waiting outside. However, Santia couldn’t bring himself to move.

“Haa, Yulania.”

Santia sighed softly and quietly embraced her, without hesitation or concern for onlookers. Enfolded in his broad, sturdy arms, Yulania felt a slight shortness of breath. It was an embrace that conveyed a heavy affection, like a burden, but not an unpleasant one.

He rested his head on her shoulder as if he had found someone to lean on, and remained still. His forehead lightly touched her neck, as if his heart would break just by standing there.

“How can I leave you behind?”

His voice was surprisingly low and earnest. Yulania smiled pleasantly and let out a small breath. However, she began to grow conscious of the gazes accumulating on the lobby floor. Servants passing by turned their heads, unsure where to look. Even Alban, standing by the door, cleared his throat.

“The servants are all watching. How long are you going to do this?”

Yulania said quietly, but Santia replied with a face that completely disregarded them.

“What does it matter?”

“Is the Duke and Duchess’s reputation no longer important?”

“I don’t know. It only exists when you’re here.”

Yulania was momentarily speechless at those words. Her cheeks flushed red, and a slight smile spread around her eyes. She realized how much this man had changed lately. Could it be that people’s words and actions change so much just from the certainty of being loved?

“Santi, let go for a moment.”

She whispered carefully, but he didn’t let go. He held her silently, even embracing her more tightly.

“Huh? Just a moment.”

Only after speaking again and gently requesting it once more did Santia reluctantly release her. But his expression immediately turned sulky, like a child with something he didn’t like.

Yulania smiled softly and took a step forward. Then, she carefully raised both hands, cupping a small, round sacred stone taken from within her cloak.

“Santi, look at this.”

Her voice was low but confident.

The sacred stone began to glow brighter in her hands. At first, a soft yellow light flowed between her fingers, and the light pulsed at regular intervals, as if breathing. After a moment, she closed her eyes and breathed quietly, and as if waiting for this, the sacred stone drew a large ring of light.

The middle of the lobby was bathed in golden light. The light, which spread out in a circle around her, soon grew larger, and its radiance became so bright and rich that it touched the ceiling of the lobby.

It was no longer a faint and wavering light like before. Now her sacred stone was stable and warm, like her heart.

Santia watched the scene silently. A completely different dignity was contained within her small hands.

“I’m good now.”

Yulania slowly turned to him. Light flickered in her eyes.

“I might be able to protect you too, you know?”

Santi’s Adam’s apple moved up and down. He wanted to say something, but the right words didn’t come to mind. He simply stared at her in silence.

“So don’t worry and go quickly.”

Yulania took a step closer and held his hand tightly.

“I’ll take good care of our baby.”

Santia nodded slowly. His eyes were filled with emotion, regret, and an unhidden affection.

“.I’ll be back soon.”

Finally, he replied softly. His voice was slightly hoarse, but his words were sincere.

Yulania smiled softly and released his hand. At that moment, the servants automatically turned away and cleared the way. As Alban quietly opened the door, as if preparing for a silent send-off, Santia looked at her one last time. His eyes clearly said it all.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

Santi’s voice was dry, as if the words were not coming from his own mouth. He straightened his long coat and adjusted the reins, his movements neat and tidy, but his face clearly showed the lingering attachment he was forcibly suppressing.

Yulania watched him quietly, clutching her skirt. She felt a desire to say something welling up in her throat, but when she opened her mouth, all she could manage was this:

“I’ll see you off outside.”

However, as soon as Santia heard those words, he shook his head and approached Yulania. His fingertips gently wrapped around her wrist.

“No. If I see you, it will be harder to leave.”

His voice was low and precarious, as if trembling. Santi’s eyes, which met hers for a moment, were filled with deep regret, unlike his composed appearance. Yulania simply smiled softly and placed her hand on the back of his hand.

“Okay.”

Yulania stood in the lobby and watched Santia slowly turn around. Even as he looked back and waved until the very end, Yulania did not move. She knew all too well how much he hesitated, how foolishly he delayed his steps.

As Santia left through the door and the sound of hooves faded away, the air inside the lobby quickly turned cold. Yulania stood there silently for a while, then slowly raised her hand and stroked her lower abdomen.

“Your father seems like he’ll be kind.”

She whispered softly and smiled. Her husband, who would usually have snickered beside her or said curtly, “I already know that,” was not there, and only her voice remained in the lobby.

With quiet steps, Yulania re-entered the building. As she passed through the short hallway and headed towards her room, Mireya, who was coming towards her, noticed her and greeted her with a soft smile.

“Did he leave safely?”

Yulania nodded and replied calmly.

“Thanks to you.”

“He’ll be back safely. He’s that kind of person.”

Mireya naturally matched her pace and walked with Yulania. There was a brief silence between them, and the quiet air of the hallway flowed along with their breaths.

Then, Mireya suddenly spoke out of the blue.

“I’m starting to think that Sir Santia isn’t really my type.”

Yulania stopped walking for a moment, turned to her, and narrowed her eyes. She wondered what this meant, but it wasn’t worth getting serious. She lightly wrapped her hand around her lower abdomen and retorted in her usual playful tone.

“Oh my, isn’t that good for me?”

Mireya raised the corners of her lips slightly, as if teasing.

“But you know, someone who used to look so cool to me somehow looks a little, pitiful these days.”

“Pitiful?”

“Yes. In a way, he’s kind of cute too. Like a child trying not to cry.”

At those words, Yulania almost burst out laughing, but she forced herself to keep her mouth shut. There was a sense of sincerity in Mireya’s gaze as she said that. It seemed like a playful remark, but the Santia she saw clearly held deep affection, and a desire for that affection to somehow reach Yulania.

“Santia is that kind of person. He saves his words, his actions are clumsy, but his heart always moves first.”

Yulania said quietly, and Mireya nodded in agreement.

“I thought so.”

The two walked side by side again. Sunlight streamed in through the window, and Yulania’s white dress fluttered lightly among the long shadows.

‘Come back safely, Santia.’

She said once more in her heart.

That evening, Yulania sat alone at her desk, writing something on a piece of paper. The sentences were too short to be called a letter, and too emotionally charged to be called a diary. Before she knew it, she was looking at the window where the sacred stone was placed, and she slowly reached out her hand.

As if responding to her touch, the sacred stone emitted a small, soft light. She felt that even though he was not by her side now, this warm light connected him and her.

‘I’ll be fine without you. But please come back soon, as soon as possible.’

She thought so and quietly closed her eyes. His warm arms that she couldn’t let go of in the lobby, the hand he carefully waved, and the eyes that looked only at her as he left were still vivid in her mind.

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