Adrian.
His blood turned cold the moment he heard such a name.
Llewellyn looked at Rosenia with a stiff expression on his face.
Her cheeks were tinged with a subtle pink, similar to her hair color, while her slightly thick golden eyelashes fluttered and her small lips curled. It was extremely beautiful and endearing. To the point where he wanted to swallow her all at once.
And rather, those pretty lips, and that defenseless face, Rosenia had uttered another man’s name other than his.
Though, needlessly to say it was her brother’s name. That fact didn’t matter to Llewellyn.
What he cared about was the fact that he wasn’t the most important person in her subconscious.
It was her brother, Adrian Hill.
“…”
A cold smile formed over Llewellyn’s pale lips.
Llewellyn wasn’t there as Rosenia grew up. It was Adrian Hill. Such a fact irritated him greatly. He wanted to learn everything about her as soon as possible.
And if possible, Llewellyn wanted to take Adrian’s place in her heart.
‘I want to fill her heart with only me. From her beginning, to her end, everything. By my side, I want it all.’
A familiar pain dug into his heart. He looked at Rosenia with a troubled look.
Rosenia was sound asleep with an angelic face. Completely unaware of the dangerous thoughts passing through Llewellyn who was looking at her right now.
‘My lovely Rosenia.’
The more Rosenia looked apprehensive to him, the more he wanted her. He wanted to embrace her tightly and go deep inside her warm heart.
Llewellyn thought he had captured her heart. However, looking at her sleeping face, he was overcome with a sense of doubt.
It wasn’t just a physical relationship that Llewellyn wanted. He never had such a childish idea in the first place. He wanted all of her. He wanted her heart and soul for as long as she lives.
Llewellyn wondered when this desire, an illness called love, had settled deep within his heart.
Thinking about it, Llewellyn recalled it all started quite a long time ago. Long before the banquet that was held at the royal palace four years ago.
Llewellyn remembered it was the early summer, when lilacs bloomed beautifully and sweetly at his Duchy.
Turning thirteen, on that very day, Llewellyn, the always upright and faultless boy, attempted to break free because of an impulse.
The young Duke was well known for his upright and straightforward nature.
Everyone praised him wherever he went. Llewellyn Rasiane. An orphan who lost his parents and grew up alone as soon as he saw the light of the world. People were empathetic to his situation.
“A birthday gift from Count Andrico, your grace.”
“…”
So, when the date of his birthday, May 25th, was approaching, all the gifts and letters that came in were of those that expressed sympathy.
Llewellyn, feeling a little annoyed, accepted the letter and read it silently. It was courtesy to accept and read the letters from other high ranking nobles.
The letter, as usual, was filled with praises for the remarkable achievements of the young Duke Rasiane and his impeccable upright character. There was also mention of his appearance growing more dazzling as he grew older.
And with a very aristocratic style of writing, as to not to offend, it ended with a good word of concern for the young Duke.
The letters Llewellyn received were usually like this. The nobles, who had been close to the late Duke and Duchess of Rasiane, had no idea how to help the young Llewellyn even though they felt sorry for him.
Although he knew they meant well, Llewellyn was frankly fed up with it all. Still, he would always reply out of courtesy.
“Here, the letter.”
Llewellyn, who neatly wrote back to Count Andrico without a single mistake in his letter, sealed the letter and handed it to the butler.
The butler received the letter in a polite manner as usual and then drew back quietly.
Once the butler left and all the servants were sent away, only the sound of Llewellyn’s breathing could be heard in the study room. It was a peaceful silence.
Llewellyn found the familiar silence comfortable amidst his annoyance.
Having never shown such emotions, people only thought of him as a very good-hearted and quiet child.
However, it wasn’t true. Only Llewellyn knew that he wasn’t like that at all.
‘I’m fed up with it.’
Llewellyn was fed up with his birthday celebrations and gifts. He was fed up with the annual grand banquet and the church service that was held afterwards for his late parents. He was fed up with everyone thinking that he might be feeling a sense of guilt for his parents’ death.
The sense of guilt for causing his parent’s death. That kind of guilt.
‘It’s all nonsense.’
Although Llewellyn did his best to respect and thank his late parents, having never even seen their faces, he found it hard to have any affection towards them.
The parents who left him early were strangers to him. Regardless, people wanted to believe that he is a loving and kind boy who misses his parents, one that he had never even seen. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. It was just their delusion.
‘This May 25th, they’ll look at me with pity again.’
With no one around, Llewellyn’s smile twisted into one that he had never shown in public.
In truth, rather than prepare for the banquet and services, Llewellyn wanted to travel somewhere on May 25th. He thought that would free him from all this tiresome things.
‘However, that’s wishful thinking.’
Llewellyn would always have such thoughts out of habit, but like the whispers of a snake, doubts arose one after the other.
‘Is it really wishful thinking?’
“…”
Llewellyn sat back in his study chair, dreaming of breaking free one day.
A beautiful beach, sparkling sea waves, the glaring sun, a garden somewhere filled with flowers other than lilacs.
Llewellyn wanted to go to the place of his dreams.
But Llewellyn knew it was completely insane. If he disappears, the castle will be turned upside down.
Even if Llewellyn left a letter behind, there would be suspicions that he was kidnapped by the opposing political parties. Knowing such risks, he still wanted to run away.
Llewellyn wanted to leave this tedious and mundane life so he can experience a sense of freedom for the first time.
To taste freedom, Llewellyn had to do something that he dared not do and act impulsive.
Llewellyn wanted to take the risk.
‘In any case, even if I’m gone for a few days, everything will be fine once I return. I’ll come back as soon as I’m done enjoying my quick break. There’s still time until May 25th, so being away for three days is okay.’
Llewellyn thought no one would dare to blame him, the Duke Rasiane, for being bored and running away anyway. After all, he was the master of this castle, the surrounding territory, and everyone who served him.
‘I’m going to do it.’
At thirteen, Llewellyn Rasiane rose to his feet, led by an impulse for the first time in his life. Far from being afraid, his heart was pounding with anticipation after he decided to break free.
Llewellyn quickly and stealthily finished all the preparations. Then, leaving a single letter behind, he left his Duchy.
An hour later, the castle of Duke Rasiane was overturned.
Llewellyn had disguised himself.
Even outside his castle, quite a few people would recognize him, so he couldn’t walk around without a disguise.
‘My retainers must be stamping their feet in the castle right now. Sorry, but I have no intention of revealing my whereabouts.’
Keeping all traces thoroughly hidden, Llewellyn planned to spend his perfect three days.
For that reason, the image of Llewellyn Rasiane was now of a girl in a neat dress with curly long hair tied in a ribbon. Naturally, the hair was a wig.
Llewellyn felt a little awkward trying to look like a girl at first, but was able to calm himself after adjusting. He even thought it was funny.
Having broken free, Llewellyn laughed in amazement at how much fun it was.
‘Sometimes it’s okay to act reckless.’
Only
Llewellyn was now south of the Rasiane’s territory, at Ives Station. He had used a set of movement magic to fly straight to Ives. It was the best way to not get caught.
Standing on the station platform, Llewellyn got on a train that had just arrived. His body moved without knowing where the train was headed.
Sitting in an uncomfortable seat and experiencing it for the first time, his head tilted and he dozed off.
The train stopped at the last stop about three or four hours later.
Llewellyn got off the train, trying not to think about such experience again.
The train was truly fast since it was powered by magic. It had taken him all the way to the southern border.
Llewellyn slowly walked out of the station, brooding over a sudden problem.
This area was controlled by the Hill family.
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