I Only Need the Duke's Child — Chapter 18

SO HER LATE MAJESTY, THE EMPRESS, ARRANGED THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN YOU TWO?

YES. HERDIN SEEMED LIKE AN ORDINARY CHILD BACK THEN, EVEN IF HE WAS FRIGHTENING.

TO THINK A BOND FROM CHILDHOOD COULD BLOSSOM INTO MARRIAGE. WHAT A ROMANTIC STORY.

DO YOU THINK SO?

OF COURSE. IT IS THE SORT OF STORY EVERY GIRL DREAMS OF AT LEAST ONCE.

AND THE OTHER PARTY IS HIS GRACE, NO LESS...

OF COURSE, IT WAS YOUR LOVE THAT COMPLETED THE ROMANCE, YOUR GRACE.

MY LOVE?

YES. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HELD ON TO THAT MEMORY, AFTER ALL, YOUR GRACE.

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER MEMORIES FROM THE NEW YEAR'S FESTIVAL, YET YOU REMEMBER IT MOSTLY THROUGH HIS GRACE, DO YOU NOT?

YOU MUST LOVE HIS GRACE VERY MUCH, YOUR GRACE.

IN TRUTH...

MY MEMORIES GO A LITTLE FURTHER THAN THAT.

YOUNG LORD DELMARQUE... NO, I MEAN HIS GRACE.

WASN'T HE RIGHT THERE WHEN THE LATE DUKE TOOK HIS OWN LIFE?

HEAVENS! POOR CHILD.

IT IS A WONDER HE HAS MANAGED TO STAY SANE.

IT IS IMPRESSIVE, BUT IN A WAY...

FOR A CHILD, IT MAKES HIM SEEM RATHER COLD-HEARTED.

THEY WOULD NOT HAVE DARED SAY A WORD IF HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS WERE HERE...!

UNFORTUNATELY, HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS HAD BEEN UNWELL THAT DAY AND HAD GONE BACK EARLY,

AND NO ONE IN THE BANQUET HALL STOOD WITH HERDIN.

DO NOT GO NEAR HIM.

WHAT WILL YOU DO IF HE SUDDENLY RUNS WILD LIKE HIS FATHER AND TRIES TO KILL EVERYONE?

Oh, my Lady.

COME TO THINK OF IT, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT COUNT BERMING?

MY, WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?

E-EXCUSE ME...

ARE YOU AL-

GET LOST!

ARE YOU ALRIGHT?

YOU LOOKED UNWELL.

I ONLY WANTED TO RUB YOUR BACK...

DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME TELL YOU TO GET LOST?

I SAID GET LOST IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE.

HONESTLY, HERDIN WAS NEVER AN AFFECTIONATE CHILD.

HE CARRIES MANY WOUNDS IN HIS HEART, SO HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE.

HERDIN CERTAINLY WAS NOT FRIENDLY, AND HE HARDLY SEEMED LIKE A GOOD PERSON, EITHER.

BUT...

HE WAS NOT A BAD PERSON EITHER.

THE BLUE EYES BEHIND THOSE HARSH WORDS LOOKED PAINFULLY LONELY...

DON'T GO!

PLEASE WAIT HERE FOR A MOMENT!

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK! REALLY, JUST A MOMENT!

DOESN'T SHE KNOW PRINCESSES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO RUN...?

FOUND IT...!

...WHY HAVE YOU COME BACK?

I'LL LEND YOU THESE.

THEY'RE RABBIT FUR EARMUFFS. IF YOU WEAR THEM, YOU WON'T HEAR MUCH.

THESE EARMUFFS WILL KEEP HIM FROM HEARING PEOPLE WHISPER.

IT'S WINTER, SO NO ONE WILL THINK IT'S STRANGE IF HE WEARS THEM AROUND.

THEY'RE MY FAVORITE.

AND THEY'RE WARM AND REALLY SOFT TOO.

IT ALWAYS MAKES ME FEEL BETTER WHEN I TOUCH THEM!

THIS SHOULD MAKE THE DUKE FEEL A LITTLE BETTER, RIGHT?

YOUR HIGHNESS! ARE YOU HERE?

Um..

DON'T WORRY.

EVERYONE WILL ONLY REMEMBER HOW IMPRESSIVE YOUR GRACE LOOKED.

I'LL KEEP WHAT HAPPENED TODAY A SECRET.

THAT NIGHT, BEFORE I FELL ASLEEP, I MADE A WISH AS I ALWAYS DID.

HOW COULD YOU SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR LIKE THAT? I THOUGHT SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAD HAPPENED TO YOU.

I'M SORRY.

GOODNESS, WHY ARE YOU SWEATING SO MUCH?

PLEASE LET MOTHER LOVE ME.

PLEASE LET MOTHER AND HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS BECOME CLOSE.

AND...

I MAY NOT LIKE "THAT PERSON" FOR STEALING HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS'S ATTENTION, BUT...

PLEASE LET THE DUKE OF DELMARQUE BE HAPPY TOO.

YOU MUST LOVE HIS GRACE VERY MUCH, YOUR GRACE.

YES, I "DID" LOVE HIM ONCE.

PERHAPS, AS AGNES SAID, I HAD BEEN DRAWN TO HIM SINCE THAT NEW YEAR'S FESTIVAL.

BUT NOT ANYMORE.

I LOVED THOSE DAYS.

A HAPPY MOMENT CAN SOMETIMES BECOME THE STRENGTH THAT KEEPS ONE LIVING FOR A LIFETIME.

I HOPE THIS YEAR'S NEW YEAR'S FESTIVAL GIVES YOU A MEMORY LIKE THAT AS WELL, YOUR GRACE.

A MEMORY?

IN THE END, IT IS ONLY A NEW YEAR I HAVE ALREADY LIVED THROUGH.

THERE WILL NOT BE ANYTHING NEW.

COME TO THINK OF IT...

WHAT HAPPENED AT THIS YEAR'S NEW YEAR'S FESTIVAL AGAIN?