Chapter 107
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Yuls found it impossible to agree with Adi’s assessment. Survival for a woman on her own was no minor feat; the world was rife with peril, and securing a livelihood would have been a grueling struggle. In a purely physical sense, the Grimaldi estate might have actually been the more secure option.
However, remaining there would have surely eroded her spirit until nothing remained. Yuls flexed his fingers, a sudden chill washing over his skin. A sharp, stinging sensation prickled his palms and fingers—the sort of restless agitation that precedes a breaking point. He analyzed this internal storm and quickly identified its source.
It was pure, unadulterated loathing.
His fury toward the Grimaldi line was becoming impossible to suppress. Had he followed his impulses, he would have dragged Spencer Grimaldi from his home that very moment and ended him.
“During my years in the service, I noticed something interesting. Is it not common for those of lower birth to work as Pages?”
Adi’s voice cut through his dark fantasies of violence. Yuls immediately forced his grim thoughts aside to listen.
“I once met a Page from a common family who was letting his hair grow. It was a golden shade that reached clear to his waist. Since I had never encountered such a thing among the knights, I set manners aside and asked him about his reasons.”
“Is long hair considered an oddity?”
Yuls countered. He felt a sudden flash of self-consciousness about his own thick locks. He wondered if she found his appearance distasteful or if she preferred a more traditional, masculine crop. Men usually kept their hair short for practical reasons, and he worried his own length might seem effeminate to her.
Just as he was contemplating a trip to the barber, Adi shook her head.
“It isn’t that it’s strange. It is simply that soldiers and Pages usually keep their faces clean and their hair short so their helmets fit properly during a campaign. Seeing it long is quite rare. Mine has actually grown a bit much; I should probably have it cut soon.”
“Don’t,” Yuls replied. “I will personally ensure that no war occurs.”
“With all due respect, Your Excellency, such things are rarely decided by a single man’s decree.”
“Even if conflict arises, you won’t be on the front lines. Your place will be in the most secure location possible, observing from a distance.”
“……”
“I am not questioning your capability, Guard. My only concern is your well-being. If you truly insist on entering the fray… I will provide a dedicated sorcerer and the entire Escort Knight Division to shield you.”
Adi opened her mouth to remind him that she was already a member of that very division, but she sensed the logic would be lost on him. As the conversation hit a lull, Yuls felt a pang of regret. He worried his protective outburst had soured the atmosphere. Seeking to mend the mood, he redirected the talk.
“Tell me more about that Page. Why was he growing out his blonde hair?”
“He told me it was a valuable commodity.”
“He sold it?”
“Indeed. Apparently, blonde tresses command a high price. Noble families use them for wig-making. The value increases with the length, shine, and lightness of the color. He had been growing and selling it since he was a young boy, and the profit from a single cutting could sustain his family for six months—even with three brothers to feed.”
Yuls had no idea what a wig cost, as he had never required one, but they were common enough among the aristocracy of both genders. They were invariably blonde. He found the obsession with the color trivial; to him, the shade was irrelevant.
“I left my own hair in Adrian’s resting place.”
To Yuls, she was Adrina, and that was all that mattered.
“The memory made me wonder. If I had simply fled earlier and survived on what the forest provided, selling my hair whenever coin ran low…”
“You would have been branded a Witch,” Yuls interrupted.
“A woman living in isolation in the woods would have been an easy target for such a lie. They would have used it as an excuse to eliminate you.”
“If that had happened, I suppose I would have blamed my tainted heritage. After all, my kin were the ones leading those very persecutions.”
A wave of nauseating frustration hit Yuls. He couldn’t fathom why she would shoulder the guilt of her family’s sins. Even if the Grimaldis were the architects of those hunts, Adrina had gained nothing but suffering from their actions.
“Listen to me.”
That wretched family had discarded her like refuse, claiming she was a vessel for a curse.
“I am relieved your realization came late.”
They had conditioned her to accept every hardship with a stoic face, leaving her unable to even process her own pain.
“At least you woke up to the truth while I am here to shield you.”
Yuls stopped abruptly, his expression tightening. Adi tilted her head, noting his sudden tension. “Is there a problem?” she asked. Yuls pressed a palm to his brow, looking like a man who had just realized he’d stepped out of bounds.
“That was a clumsy thing to say. I momentarily forgot that you are the one tasked with my protection, Guard.”
“That is true. It is a blessing you found your strength before the truth came out. And I am glad the timing allowed me to be the one at your side to help.”
Yuls felt a cold shiver. If Count Grimaldi hadn’t approached the throne to confess his family’s transgressions, Yuls would have spent the rest of his life believing she was dead. The mere thought of that reality was paralyzing.
If he had lost her forever, what would he have become? He tried to imagine a path forward, but his mind was a void. It was clear that without her, he would have abandoned all restraint and sanity.
“I have never been a man of faith, but in this specific instance, I feel a debt of gratitude to the divine,” Yuls admitted. Adi remained silent. Yuls didn’t elaborate, letting the weight of the sentiment hang between them.
The quiet that followed should have been heavy, yet Adi found it surprisingly soothing. She felt a deep internal calm. Even without speech, simply occupying the same air as him brought a strange sense of fulfillment. Yuls seemed equally content to let the silence linger.
It was a novel experience—feeling this connected to another person without the need for strategy, games, or the ring of steel. She didn’t want to break the spell of this tranquility, so she remained still.
The remnants of their meal were taken away, replaced by tea and light sweets. Yuls sipped his drink with practiced ease. Adi, who had never developed a taste for tea, felt a bit out of step. She mimicked his movements, lifting the delicate porcelain with extreme care, as if the thin walls might shatter in her grip.
They sat in the breeze, sharing the quiet. Just as Adi felt herself fully relaxing into the moment, she saw Joel approaching. Her posture immediately stiffened, a change Yuls caught instantly.
Joel reached them and bowed to the Duke before leaning in to murmur to Dimitri. After a brief exchange, Dimitri turned to his master.
“Forgive the intrusion, Your Excellency, but Viscount Macauliffe is requesting an audience this evening.”
“Macauliffe again?”
“Yes. He sent word expressing deep regret for the previous cancellation and is insistent on meeting. He mentioned the recent report as well. His messenger is in the Drawing room now, hoping you might agree to discuss the specifics over a formal dinner.”
Yuls bristled at the timing. His instinct was to refuse, but his status demanded certain obligations. During a Council gathering, these political maneuvers were his primary responsibility.
“It seems our time is up for today,” Yuls announced. Adi started to rise, but he placed a gentle hand on her head, keeping her in her seat. He ran his fingers through her hair, a lingering, thoughtful touch.
“It truly is beautiful.”
He thought of her story—hair that could support a family for months. To a commoner, it was a fortune. But to him?
The comparison was insulting.
“If it were up to me, I would trade its weight in pure gold.”
Adi’s breath hitched. The statement was sudden and lacked any logical lead-in, yet she felt a flush of heat creep up her neck. She couldn’t blame the summer sun for this particular warmth.
Yuls stepped away with a quiet laugh, signaling Joel to follow while telling Dimitri to stay behind. Dimitri caught the silent command immediately.
As Yuls walked away with a final wish for her to rest, Adi leaned back, watching him go. The dappled sunlight through the leaves felt incredibly peaceful, yet there was a strange fluttering in her chest—like something small and alive was trapped there.
It wasn’t a bad feeling; it was grounding and warm. As she tried to name the sensation, a shadow blocked the sun.
“Guard Adrina Grimaldi.”
Dimitri was standing over her, wearing a smile that felt hauntingly familiar.
“It is time for your lessons in decorum.”
Adi moved to get up, but Dimitri gestured for her to stay put. She sat back awkwardly under his intense scrutiny. He had clearly been taking mental notes of her every move during the meal. The silence grew heavy with her mounting anxiety.
“Today’s curriculum will focus on formal dining and the art of high-society conversation,” Dimitri said. As he spoke, servants swapped the table settings for fresh, empty plates and silver. Dimitri took the seat opposite her.
“I refuse to let anyone look down on you, regardless of the company. Because of that, I intend to be quite demanding today.”
Adi sighed inwardly. Guarding the Duke was a much simpler task than this.
