Chapter 1

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 2. Single-Minded Devotion is Another Word for Obsession (1)

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Edelaine Bertrand was the fiancée chosen by their families.

The Bertrand family was one of the most prestigious houses in the Greenwinter Empire, so this engagement had been the talk of the town from the very start.

It was only natural that people would be drawn to the union of two noble families, each of which would have made waves on their own.

The imperial family, in particular, had welcomed the match with open arms.

The Bertrands held lands rich in soil, minerals, and resources, and they were shrewd merchants always expanding their enterprises.

The imperial family had long suspected they might harbor disloyal thoughts, given their vast wealth.

Before this engagement, there had even been talks of marrying into the imperial family, but the Bertrand couple had refused with every excuse in the book. Instead, they had proposed a union with the Blancards.

Duke Blancard was the emperor's brother-in-law, after all, so it still tied them to the throne in the end.

Shane had understood the full situation from the moment the engagement was set, back when he was just ten.

So, who his fiancée turned out to be hardly mattered. He held no expectations even for their monthly tea times.

"That's your fiancée?"

"...Yeah. His name's Shane."

"He's so pretty..."

Edelaine was a peculiar child.

She's definitely four years younger than me.

She'd bring up topics that seemed too advanced for a kid her age, offering surprisingly mature insights—only to act like, "Oh right, I'm just a child!" and play dumb right after. It was amusing.

He knew she was sneaking peeks at his face while pretending to look elsewhere.

He found it rather rude, but that was it.

Shane wasn't one to take much interest in anything.

He'd been born with everything he could ever want, blessed with talents far beyond others, so nothing felt challenging.

Being around people was no different from being alone. He never needed anyone's help anyway, so there were no issues.

Boring.

A world that sparked no emotion was dull and monotonous.

Edelaine became special about a year after their engagement was formalized.

His mother, who had been frail since giving birth to him, finally passed away.

The duchess, born a princess and married into a great house, had never been able to bring herself to love the child she bore.

"Those blue eyes staring at me... they look just like a reptile's. It's creepy."

"Shane's still just a child!"

"He doesn't act like one! Do you think that's normal?"

"..."

"Please don't bring him near me. He gives me chills."

Even so, Shane thought it was harsh for words spoken about one's own flesh and blood.

But it wasn't anything new.

Grown-ups often couldn't hide their unease around children who acted beyond their years.

If asked whether he loved his mother, Shane couldn't answer. Which meant he had no grounds to condemn her for failing to love her own child.

His mother had always been someone looking down at him from a few steps away. He didn't even know who she really was. They'd barely exchanged words.

He acknowledged that she'd given birth to him, but that was all.

So when she died, he hadn't felt particularly sad. He put on a suitably somber face because he knew it looked good to others and kept trouble at bay.

Edelaine attended the funeral with her parents.

The little girl stayed quiet through the formal condolences, but the moment they were alone, she burst into tears.

And she threw her arms around Shane's neck.

"You're still so young... poor thing..."

"Uh, yeah?"

"You don't have to pretend to be grown-up anymore. It's okay to cry."

He hadn't cried only because no tears came, but Edelaine wept thick tears as if her parents had died.

Shane gently pried her off and said,

"Edelaine, calm down."

"Huh?"

"I'm fine. Really."

Shane gave a faint smile.

"See? I'm smiling."

She often spaced out staring at his face, so this was his attempt to soothe her.

But Edelaine only wailed even louder.

"Why are you comforting me?!"

"Huh?"

"You little fake genius— you've grown up way too fast, waaah!"

"That's not true..."

"Why won't anyone hug you? Come here, you idiot. You're just a kid..."

"You're younger than me..."

Edelaine hugged his neck again amid her sobs. Shane had to bend down as she was so small, but for some reason, he felt like laughing.

He knew she treated him like a baby sometimes, but this was the first time anyone had done it so openly since he was born.

She's so tiny.

His shoulder was already soaked. As he patted her back, Shane had the absurd thought that if she kept crying, she'd run out of water in that little body.

How can she cry so hard?

He himself hadn't shed a tear over losing his mother, let alone felt grief.

Edelaine's small, hot hand gripped his tightly.

"I'm okay. My mother and I weren't close anyway..."

"..."

"Maybe that's why no tears come. I'm not even sad."

"That's not it, Shane..."

Edelaine sniffled as she spoke.

"You just don't know how to express your feelings. You're too smart and grown-up for that."

She cupped his cheeks with her small hands, pressed her forehead to his, and said it like she was imprinting the words.

"Don't be alone, Shane."

"Huh?"

"You can't treat being alone like it's normal. I'll be with you, so if you're lonely, say you're lonely. If you're sad, say you're sad. There's no shame in it."

"It's not shameful..."

Her palms on his cheeks were hot. Body heat could be this warm. Someone else's warmth. The embrace of arms holding tight...

Her teary eyes, so close, seemed dazzling somehow.

Shane slowly closed and opened his eyes.

She's pretty.

Like the world opening up, like color flooding a black-and-white scene.

The same sight looked entirely different.

As Shane stared blankly, Edelaine started shedding tears again.

Shane let his young fiancée comfort him.

In truth, he still wasn't sad about his mother's death.

But the hand embracing and stroking his head made his heart tremble.

It felt good.

Finding someone beautiful was a strange thing.

Objectively, Edelaine was cute, no doubt—but until now, that fact hadn't stirred anything in him.

She hasn't changed at all.

The days when he'd thought her unremarkable felt like a lie.

Once he saw her beauty, everything about Edelaine caught his eye.

And once it did, it all seemed beautiful—irresistibly so.

Her dainty hands were cute, her well-shaped nails adorable, her pouting lips lovely, even the cookie crumb on her chin endearing.

Am I losing it...?

Did crumbs need to be lovable too?

If anyone else had one on their lip, it'd look pathetic, not sweet. But Edelaine was different.

Only Edelaine.

I'm glad Edelaine's my fiancée.

Gratitude welled up for his family who arranged it and the emperor who approved.

Shane visited Edelaine often.

Spring: flower viewing. Summer: vacation at the villa. Fall: harvest festival. Winter: snowball fights.

She grumbled whenever he called, but she'd usually relent if he smiled prettily. Eating cookies or sipping tea while eyeing him made it clear she saw him as a spectacle.

Still, it was fine.

Shane was amazed and fascinated by how much he was coming to like her.

His feelings grew like a living thing.

Solely toward Edelaine.

This radiant, lovely child is mine.

A kid who warmed to people easily, hid a lot, was emotional yet honest.

Just her bright green eyes full of fondness and her beaming cheeks were enough to make Shane happy.

Wanting someone's affection was a first, and this blind, boundless liking was unfamiliar—but not bad.

Is this what they call first love?

He could hardly believe it himself, but nothing else explained the feeling if not love.

Then one day.

"Let's break off the engagement."

"What?"

"Break it off, Shane. Yeah, that's for the best."

Edelaine declared it, her face drained of color.

She looked at him like he'd become something horrific.

Like everyone else did.

His young fiancée changed completely from that day on.

*

Afterward, Edelaine avoided Shane completely.

Shane clung relentlessly.

"If I've done something wrong, please just tell me, Edelaine."

"There's nothing like that."

Edelaine refused to explain.

At some point, she started acting like someone about to leave far away. She wouldn't even let her family near, insisting on being alone.

Even though she told me not to be alone.

Even though she said she'd stay with me.

"Shane, you have to be honest with your feelings. Got it?"

"Got it."

"If someone you love shows up, grab them without a second thought."

I've never once thought of letting you go. Don't worry.

Edelaine even urged him to stray. But Shane's heart didn't waver.

Break off the engagement? In your dreams.

She was still the only one who moved him. Everything else was meaningless.

Even if she hated him, he'd never let her go.

"I... can't see..."

If she hadn't died, never.

"If this keeps up, I'll never forgive you. No, I don't want this..."

"Shane..."

My one color.

My emotions.

Everything lovely.

"Forget me if you want—no, you have to forget. Okay? For my sake, be happy..."

I can't forget.

How could I ever forget you?

"Goodbye..."

When that pale, slender arm fell limp, Shane's world shattered too.

Do you know the despair, ecstasy, and bitter betrayal I felt when I realized it was all a vile lie?