The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 92

Yuliana realized for the first time that time could pass so quickly. And she, who had never seen a child grow up, never dreamed that she would regret each day so bitterly.

The baby, who was so small that she felt she could never let go of her, grew rapidly with each passing day. It was hard to believe that just a few months ago, this child had been inside Yuliana’s belly.

Before she knew it, the air had turned cool again. As the warm breeze died down and the tips of the leaves began to turn color, Makari Castle returned to its calm and quiet atmosphere. This autumn was definitely different from the previous ones.

What filled the castle was not external tension or the signs of war, but a quiet and solid affection.

Yuliana sat by the window where the morning sunlight streamed in softly, with Shuria on her lap. The baby, who had been no bigger than the palm of her hand, now had chubby cheeks, and her eyes, full of life, often stared up at Yuliana. When the baby reached out her hand, Yuliana would smile and take it, and Shuria would giggle and reach out again.

Watching the scene from behind, Santia realized that he had come to take that peace for granted. When he first held the baby in his arms, he was unfamiliar and afraid, only cautiously touching her fingertips, but now he could comfortably hold Shuria in his arms and put her on his lap.

He wore a light coat instead of armor, and he always hung his sword high out of the baby’s reach. Above all, he now willingly obeyed Yuliana’s words that he should always wash his hands and use fragrance before being around the baby.

“Shuria’s hair has grown a lot,” Yuliana said, stroking the baby’s hair. The fluffy golden hair sparkled lightly in the light, and Yuliana happily combed the small head. Shuria made a small sound as if responding to the words.

“Kyaung.”

Santia raised his head.

“Huh? Shuria?”

Yuliana was also surprised and looked down at the baby. Did she really react when she called her name just now?

“Shuria. Our daughter, Shuria?”

“Uwaang, kya.”

The baby made a sound while looking into Yuliana’s eyes. The two burst into laughter at the same time.

“Does she understand her name?” Yuliana asked, and Santia nodded, looking at the baby with admiration.

“I’m sure she does.”

Yuliana took the small hand and kissed it carefully. Santia also put his hand on the baby’s head and murmured quietly.

“She’s growing, really.”

After that day, the two began to talk to the baby more often. The name ‘Shuria’ was repeated countless times, and the baby smiled a little more and reacted a little more to the sound.

Every day was a series of surprises. The day she first rolled over, the day she first kicked her feet and tried to crawl down from Yuliana’s lap. Some days, she would fall asleep holding Santia’s finger tightly.

Autumn grew deeper, and red and yellow leaves piled up beyond the windows of Makari Castle. The weather turned cool, but the castle was still filled with warm air. It was no longer a castle made only of swords and shields.

Now, it was clearly becoming a home. Yuliana was once again realizing how precious this change in Makari Castle was to her.

Thinking of the winter when she had collapsed in this quiet castle, the warmth she felt now seemed like a miracle. And at the center of that miracle was the baby.

In the time they spent with the baby, the two fell into deeper love and deeper stability every day. And one day, Yuliana took Santia’s hand and said quietly.

“Seeing this child like this, I realize it again.”

“What?”

“How good a person you are.”

Santia stared at Yuliana and replied.

“Rather, I am relieved that I can raise this child with you by your side, no matter what kind of person I am.”

After a brief silence, the two looked down at the baby at the same time. Shuria was sleeping quietly. Now, a life with this child had become the most natural life.

And Yuliana suddenly thought.

‘Now, before winter comes, I should take this child to the capital for the first time.’

“I will see my father in a year.”

Yuliana sat by the window and closed her eyes lightly. Soft autumn light streamed over her head, and the garden outside the window was now full of yellowing leaves. In her arms, her little daughter Shuria was sleeping quietly, breathing evenly.

Her unusually fine eyelashes were long and drooping, looking like white petals.

Santia sat in the chair opposite her. His hand followed the map on the bookshelf, tracing the route, but his gaze remained on Yuliana and the baby.

“Are you troubled?” His low voice asked cautiously, and Yuliana opened her eyes.

“I’m just thinking a lot. It was only a year ago that I returned to Makari, and back then, I couldn’t have imagined that the three of us would be together like this.”

Her voice was calm, but the emotions within it were deep. She suddenly remembered the moment last year around this time when she was sitting in the carriage, soaked to her underwear in the autumn rain, with her eyes closed. At that time, Yuliana was on the verge of emotional collapse, and Santia was soaking with her, unable to say anything by her side.

“All of this feels like a dream.”

“I feel the same way.”

Santia smiled slightly. The smile was mixed with certainty, relief, and a hint of joy. He reached out to Shuria and carefully stroked her hair. The grown golden hair wrapped softly around his fingertips.

The work that the scholars of Makari had accomplished in the meantime was amazing. They had succeeded in compressing and refining the sacred stone into a very small jewel, and the first practical application of this was Shuria’s necklace. The pendant, which felt so light that it seemed to have no weight at all, hung on a thin silver thread, slightly away from Shuria’s neck so that it would not touch her.

“Thanks to this pendant, we don’t have to worry anymore,” Yuliana said. “Even if her energy is disturbed or if something is felt, it can protect the baby.”

Santia nodded silently. His gaze shifted from the pendant to Yuliana’s eyes.

“This little thing may save us one day.”

Yuliana laughed.

“That shouldn’t happen.”

Meanwhile, the castle was busily preparing for winter. But this winter was a little different. A trip to the capital was planned, and it was the first time the three of them would be moving together.

It was not planned by Yuliana herself, but the temporary stay in the capital had been requested by the royal family, and at the same time, her role as a saint could not be ignored.

The servants were quite embarrassed by the journey with the baby. The luggage, which at first seemed to require only a few blankets and spare clothes, soon began to snowball. Heat packs for warmth, moisture-proof sachets, herbal tea for babies, emergency medicine, and washed baby bottles and formula. One luggage cart was not enough.

When Yuliana tried to pack herself, Vanessa protested.

“Princess, please don’t move a step and just give orders. We’ll take care of the rest.”

In the end, the way they rode in the carriage also needed to be adjusted several times. The inside of the carriage was completely remodeled so that Shuria could lie down comfortably, and the front seats were removed and cushions were piled up so that both of them would not leave her side.

“Why all this fuss?” Santia said grumbling, but his eyes were full of satisfaction.

Vanessa and some of the maids decided to ride in a separate carriage in the back. In this way, everyone’s efforts were added together and everything was planned, and they were ready to leave in a few days. One early morning, Santia got into the carriage and looked down at his daughter for a long time before speaking softly.

“Your first outing will be to the capital. Our daughter.”

Yuliana smiled beside him and held his hand tightly. It was a very blue and clear autumn day.

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