17 - Valentina's Paradise
But he had crossed the line. If things continued like this, even if someone overheard the conversation and dragged him away for plotting treason, he would have nothing to say in his defense.
It was her mistake to have been swayed by her emotions and given him a clumsy opening. She had to correct it. Valentina steeled her heart and opened her mouth.
“Listen carefully, and understand how you differ from Edgar.”
Valentina whispered slowly, calmly, and coldly.
“I am no longer the young girl in the portrait.”
“……”
“I am the daughter of the Florida Grand Ducal Family. I also consider physical elements to be very important in love and marriage. You are just a callow, milk-smelling boy.”
“……!”
“I do not feel you as a man. Therefore, I reject all your proposals.”
As if struck by lightning, his movements stopped. It was as if all the life had suddenly drained out of him.
He staggered and leaned against the hallway wall. His body slid down to the floor, and he squatted there, covering his flushed face with both hands.
But after a long while, when he raised his head, his eyes were eerily shining. It was as if anger had completely overwhelmed his shame.
He stood up, raised his arms, and shouted in an exaggerated voice like a clown.
“Oh, you threw out all sorts of bait, saying I was attractive to a milk-smelling brat, that we could even get married, that we could have children, and now what is this spite? Of course, I was a fool to get excited by those words and say things I shouldn’t have.”
“……”
“Surely you weren’t really curious about the political views of that brat, or perhaps you wanted to compare them to your uncle’s wonderful answers? I should have offered something more magnificent than the stars in the night sky and the seawater! Ah, you needed something to laugh about alone at night? I am very honored to bring a smile to Dominella.”
He bowed with an exaggerated gesture, sneering.
“As you said, I am a ‘milk-smelling brat,’ so I don’t know what’s most important in married life. So, instead of me, I hope you will be happy for ten thousand years with someone who knows what that is.”
I shouldn’t have said that.
Valentina regretted it. But it wasn’t appropriate to apologize. Above all, she didn’t want to face his outburst and the sincerity within it a second time.
“……”
After a moment, he raised his head and returned to his calm and polite demeanor.
“Thank you for your precious time today. It was enjoyable.”
Valentina was once again taken aback by the sudden farewell. She couldn’t end the meeting in such a mess. But Edeled seemed to have no intention of talking any further.
“The meal is over, and I have taken up too much of a busy person’s time. I apologize for not being able to escort you to your room as I am not feeling well. Please go safely.”
He smiled and began to walk towards the guest room where he was staying. Valentina hurriedly grabbed him.
“Edeled! Wait!”
He stopped in front of the door. Valentina stopped as well. But her mind was a mess, and she didn’t know what to say. He spoke in a calm voice, his back still turned.
“It’s really okay. I sat down and had a meal with the fiancée I had wanted to meet for ten years, and we even talked. It’s so much happier and better to meet and talk in person than to talk to the empty air for ten thousand years while looking at a worn-out portrait. I am satisfied now.”
Valentina looked at his back with a confused expression.
A worn-out portrait. A fiancée he had wanted to meet for ten years.
Of course, those words weren’t welcome or pleasing. But she could fully understand that for an unfortunate nobleman who had grown up locked in a tower, the existence he had believed to be his fiancée had become the sole pillar of his life and his will to survive. Valentina stammered and opened her mouth.
“…I, I’m sorry about saying to burn… destroy the portrait. I didn’t know it was so precious to you. I was careless. I sincerely apologize.”
Edeled blinked for a moment and then smiled gently.
“Don’t apologize. You shouldn’t apologize so carelessly. A ruler’s apology can become shackles later.”
Now the sharp thorns had disappeared from his voice, and it was calm, and the fire had subsided from his eyes, and it was quiet. He said as he entered the room.
“The portrait is fine. Ever since I stole it from my father’s library, I have never taken it off my person, and I never will.”
The moment she tried to understand the meaning of those words, she saw him closing the door. As his back disappeared from her sight, it felt as if something snapped in her head with a ting. She hurriedly grabbed the doorknob as it was closing.
“What are you doing!”
Valentina followed him into the room and picked up the fidgeting puppy at her feet.
“Valentina! Valent… Ah!”
The scream-like shout was suddenly cut off as if with a knife. Valentina realized that he was very embarrassed to have called her name.
No, is that my name? Is it me he called….
The room was filled with an eerie silence. She felt dizzy and her breathing became increasingly rapid. It felt like she could hear a loud noise from her heart.
“Dominella! Put that child down. Why, why are you doing this!”
Valentina struggled to regain her clear consciousness.
I owe you a debt.
I have to take responsibility and repay you for what Edgar and I did to you….
“Edeled, I should give this puppy a name.”
Edeled’s eyes widened. Valentina continued.
“Unlike you, I need to have a proper name to call if I am to give my heart and keep someone by my side.”
“……”
Valentina was confused as to whether this was the right direction. She had only taken one step, but it already felt like the ground was shaking violently.
Edeled alternated between looking at Valentina and the struggling puppy in her arms, blinking slowly.
“I see…. Thank you, Your Highness.”
He slowly lowered his head and said in a rough voice.
“First… I would like to greet the child first.”
When Valentina nodded, he carefully approached and gently stroked the dog in her arms. As if sensing a sudden farewell, the puppy began to thrash wildly. Bark, bark, woof, woof! Valentina tightened her arms to hold onto the slipping body.
“It’s okay. It’s okay.”
Edeled kissed and stroked the dog until it stopped thrashing. Woof, woof, woof, the barking gradually began to sound like crying.
Subdued sunlight caressed the two of them. Valentina felt as if she were trapped in a giant iron cauldron with him. In this space, time didn’t flow but seemed to slowly pool.
He was standing close enough that their bodies were touching. She could smell the faint scent of perfume that seemed to have been carefully applied, and a faint scent of sweat at the same time. Through the loosely flowing black hair, she could clearly see the half-lowered eyelids and the trembling of his long, dark eyelashes.
The inside of the cauldron was slowly heating up. Edeled gently pressed his cheek against the puppy, which was struggling fiercely in her arms. Valentina barely suppressed the urge to stroke his head, which was lowered in front of her chest. The sudden impulse was more violent than she had expected.
Thump!
“Grand Duchess! Your Highness, were you here! …Ah!”
At that moment, Ricardo burst into the room without permission and stopped in surprise. Edeled stepped back, and Valentina glared at Ricardo and snapped.
“I hope your business is important enough that I won’t punish your rudeness. What is it?”
“I apologize, Your Highness. Knights from Nebulosa and Petronia have arrived at the gate!”
“Already?”
Valentina took a deep breath.
“They arrived earlier than expected. …I thought it would take another three or four days.”
She felt more embarrassed than pleased. She could guess how hastily Edgar had hurried along the road. She didn’t know if he was in a hurry to finalize the marriage or if he was more eager to dispose of Edeled.
“Confirm their identities and guide them to the banquet hall. I will prepare and go out to greet them as well.”
Ricardo ran out, and she turned around. She could see Edeled standing there with a face as white as a sheet of paper.
“I’ll excuse myself then. Or, would you like to come with me to greet them?”
“You are saying very kind words.”
Edeled began to laugh hysterically.
“Shouldn’t the meeting of a loving couple come before the meeting of a hunter and its prey? I won’t disturb you, so please relieve the longing you’ve had for four years first.”
Valentina sighed and opened her mouth.
“Edeled, I….”
“Edeled.”
He repeated his name as if to cut off her words. When Valentina frowned, he raised his head stiffly and pointed to the puppy in her arms.
“I think the name of this child should be Edeled.”
