The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 64

As soon as Santiago left, Yulania embarked on the work she had been contemplating.

It was something Santiago had only permitted after assigning Diego and Mireya as close-range bodyguards, following Beehan.

Yulania could sense from their gazes and attitudes that she was no longer seen as merely a fragile being. She was now the lady of Makari, and soon to be a mother carrying a new life. And she was now accepting herself as someone who should soothe the soul of this land.

“Are you all ready?”

Her voice was gentle but unwavering. Yulania was seated on a dais in a small hall within Makari Castle. Unlike the large hall used mainly for events, this cozy space had a soft carpet laid beneath, creating an even more gentle atmosphere.

The hall was filled with soft sunlight. The spring light that squeezed through the windows fell on the floor, sparkling like gold dust. The walls were adorned with neat decorations, and the clean, elegant style that Santiago always emphasized was alive, making the space reverent for today’s event.

Yulania took one last deep breath and commanded.

“Let them in.”

As the door opened, one of the people lined up outside entered. He was a young man who looked to be about the same age as Santiago. He stepped onto the carpet with a very hesitant demeanor. As if it were a space he couldn’t dare approach easily, the man’s footsteps were cautious.

“Ah, P-Princess! I hope you survived the winter safely! It’s a blessing that you’re alive!”

After giving a greeting in a form she had never heard before, the man bowed his head to the floor as if burying it. At his innocent appearance, Yulania smiled and playfully spoke.

“A blessing just for being alive? That’s a first.”

Her eyes held a warm playfulness along with genuine delight. It was the kind of smile that easily made people feel elated.

Mireya whispered that it was a common greeting among the commoners in the northern region. The man who had given the greeting blushed and stared blankly up at her. He was probably seeing Yulania this close for the first time. He knew in his head that she was the Duchess and a woman called a saint, but the woman before him was surprisingly gentle and down-to-earth.

“Ah!”

“Please, rise.”

At Yulania’s words, the young man hesitated before carefully standing up. When his eyes met hers, his cheeks flushed red again.

It was an audience she had prepared to distribute honey and salt to the people of the territory, as a sign of acknowledging their hard work in enduring the harsh winter. Yulania was motivated by thinking of Santiago, who sincerely cared for the territory. Now that she thought of it as the land where she and her child would live as a family, her heart deepened even more. So, it was an event she devised to connect with the people of the territory. When the news was announced in the territory, quite a few people applied and came up to the castle.

Each and every one of these encounters was unfamiliar and new to Yulania. But she was not afraid. Although she hadn’t had many opportunities, she actually quite enjoyed meeting people and having conversations.

“It’s alright to make eye contact. Did you bring the holy stone?”

The innocent young man nodded and fumbled in his arms to take out a small holy stone. Alban, who was waiting to assist, took it and brought it to Yulania. Yulania immediately took it and infused it with light. The golden light that spread from her hand enveloped the small, rough holy stone. The holy stone shone as if warmly lighting a fire for a moment, and the eyes of those watching were filled with clear reverence.

“This it’s like life is breathing.”

The young man whispered in a trembling voice, marveling and bowing again with even more sincerity. Yulania nodded and said.

“Yes. May it be of help to your lives.”

What she said was not just a simple blessing, but a wish filled with sincerity.

At that moment, the young man rummaged through his arms and took out a small cloth wrapping. Inside were a few shyly blooming wildflowers and a handmade ornament. It was a simple ornament with an uncut crystal fragment hanging from a rough metal ring.

“It’s nothing much. I brought it to repay the Princess even a little, but…”

The young man hesitated, embarrassed and unsure of what to do, even as he took it out. Yulania gestured to Alban to receive it.

“Thank you. I feel like I’ve received something very precious.”

The young man bowed again, pressing his forehead to the floor. He left without saying anything more. His shoulders seemed a little lighter somehow.

Yulania sat there, gently stroking the ornament with her finger. The metal was still lukewarm.

“It’s pretty.”

She murmured to herself and smiled. Perhaps each of these interactions added to the feeling of raising a child in this land.

The next person to enter was an old woman who moved slowly, her back bent. The weight of her age could be felt just from her movements. One step, then another. The holy stone she held tightly in both hands had already faded as much as it could, and was wrapped in old rags. The old woman insisted on standing before Yulania on her own feet until the end.

“Princess, I just wanted to see your face once. They said the true owner of Makari Castle has come.”

It was almost a whisper, but the hall was quiet as if holding its breath, and everyone listened to the small voice. Yulania was about to get up, but Mireya stopped her, so she sat back down and reached out her hand with a gentle smile.

“Welcome. You’ve had a long journey.”

At those words, the old woman moved her lips and nodded several times. As she struggled to kneel, Alban stopped her at Yulania’s instruction.

A small, soft chair was immediately brought from the edge of the hall. The old woman’s eyes were red as she bowed deeply to Yulania.

“Seeing the Princess with my own eyes. I just feel relieved. It feels like this is really our land now.”

At those words, Yulania suddenly felt her eyes sting. It felt like her chest was so full that she couldn’t say anything. The reality that these people, who had been threatened by demons throughout the winter and had to confirm each other’s safety without even knowing each other’s faces, had come all the way to the castle to welcome her like this, finally felt real to her now.

“I have nothing to give with these hands, I just brought this one thing.”

The old woman untied a small bundle tied to her side and handed it to Yulania. Inside the carefully prepared indigo cloth was a hand-knitted scarf. The scarf, which felt rough but neat, was folded thinly and carefully, and a small embroidered knot was tied at the end.

“If you ever have a daughter, please wrap it around her neck. It’s made in the traditional way that has been passed down in Makari since ancient times.”

Yulania silently held it in both hands. Her heart was tingling. It felt like the weight of the years that one person had put into this piece of cloth had fallen directly into her palms.

“Thank you. I will cherish it.”

At those words, the old woman wiped her eyes, and the maids in the room silently watched the scene before turning their heads. They say that emotions flow more deeply when there are no words.

After that, people continued to come in. Each and every one of them was cautious and uncomfortable in front of Yulania, but they all left with light steps. They were happy just to have her infuse power into the holy stone, and they came with the intention of giving her even something small.

Someone brought a small jar of raisins, someone brought herbs they had dried themselves, and others brought woodworking crafts that they had carefully crafted, even if they seemed useless. That heart spread like a gentle wave in Yulania’s heart.

And after about twenty people had passed, a maid quietly approached and whispered in her ear.

“Princess, it’s her turn now.”

Yulania’s eyes sparkled and she brightened up.

“Ah! Let her in quickly.”

It was someone she had been sincerely waiting for or to be more precise, it was the one person who had made her plan this audience from the very beginning.

The door opened again, and a woman with an even more labored gait slowly entered. A beautiful smile spread across Yulania’s lips.

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