I Will End My 10-Year Unrequited Love - Chapter 2
Left alone, Elia stared blankly at the rain pouring outside the window and murmured to herself.
“I want to go out.”
The raindrops splashed wildly against the glass, but they never reached Elia’s body that was standing inside. It felt strange, as if she could touch them with just a reach of her hand, yet they remained out of grasp.
If people found out, it would be trouble, if her father heard, she wouldn’t even be able to step outside. Elia thought this, but she couldn’t deny the strange, thrilling feeling stirring in her chest.
Elia stood on tiptoe and unlocked the window latch. She then gently applied some pressure to the window and, with a small gap opening, the wind and sound rushed in. The window creaked open fully.
“Ugh…!”
The gust of wind made Elia stagger, but she took a step forward, walking toward the balcony. Though she had stepped outside, the massive roof above the mansion shielded her from the rain.
“The smell of rain…”
Elia inhaled deeply, the scent of rain almost reaching her nose. It wasn’t the artificial fragrance vibrating inside the mansion, but a sharp, earthy scent that reminded her of nature.
This time, Elia wanted to feel the rain directly. As she was about to take another step, she froze in place.
“Huh?”
Someone stood alone in front of the main gate. How long had they been there? The figure, soaked through with rain, was barely hidden by a dark robe that barely covered their small body.
Who could that be? Why are they standing like that?
As Elia leaned forward slightly, peeking outside, the person lifted their head.
“…”
Their piercing blue eyes met Elia’s. The sharp gaze felt like shards of glass, and Elia’s entire body froze in place.
For a long while, they simply stared at each other, until half-exposed lips in the robe moved.
“…Elia, Elia Reiffers.”
“…!”
Elia instinctively took a step back. They had definitely called her name. Who was that person? How did they know her name? Elia’s small body began to tremble uncontrollably.
“Miss!”
Denia came running, screaming, and immediately scooped Elia up, who had been frozen in place. The sound of the glass window slamming shut echoed, and the sharp, piercing smell of rain faded away.
“Miss! Are you alright? My goodness, why is your body so cold?”
Denia hugged Elia tightly with her shoulders shaking with worry. Elia, feeling her vision darken, suddenly remembered the things that seemed to have disappeared, as if they were all a lie.
The damp smell of rain, the fog, the cold wind. And those blue eyes…
* * *
As the monsoon receded and the sky cleared, many things happened.
Elia’s father, Duke Reiffers, returned to the estate, and Nanny Denia was kicked out of the Duke’s estate. The 4th-floor window was now completely sealed. Empress Loran Hestia had been deposed and imprisoned in the tower.
Two more springs passed. Elia became accustomed to sleeping alone without Nanny, and she never went up to the 4th floor again. The deposed Empress’s existence, along with those piercing blue eyes, faded from Elia’s memory.
Time rushed forward, swallowing everything in its path toward that day.
* * *
The people’s attention at that gathering was not really on the Emperor, but rather on something else. Today, for the first time, the Empire’s second prince, Cyrone Edelward, was finally going to make a formal appearance. He had never been seen in society or at any other imperial events before.
However, he was already the most famous figure in the Empire. He was soon to be appointed the next crown prince, and eventually, he would ascend to the throne, succeeding the Emperor.
But what captured people’s attention even more than that was the rumor that he was an incredibly beautiful young man.
He’s got this mysterious golden hair. Some say it’s like the gods themselves incarnated into the world. After all, the deposed Empress was a great beauty. They say he looks just like her.
Rumors about the mysterious second prince of the Empire, Cyrone, who was set to become the next crown prince, spread like wildfire. The rumors reached Elia’s ears, but she didn’t believe them. After all, rumors always grew larger as they passed from mouth to mouth.
But Elia’s skepticism was quickly shattered on that very day.
In a good mood, the Emperor soon became quite tipsy. The glass of red wine in his hand swirled as he spoke.
“Today, I will officially introduce someone to my guests.”
Finally! The people’s eyes lit up with excitement. The ladies, eager to meet the subject of the great rumors, didn’t mind the effort. They had spent months avoiding sunlight to protect their skin, and traveled across the country to find the best artisans to craft jewelry and dresses just for this moment.
Their eyes as they filled with anticipation, were now fixed on the stage.
“Cyrone.”
The Emperor looked toward the back of the banquet hall. At that moment, the breath of everyone in the golden hall became still.
Feeling awkward as the sudden silence filled the room, Elia grabbed onto Duchess Estine Reiffers’ hand and widened her eyes in surprise.
