Duke Amerigo over the emperor. Cade took a deep breath and walked with Abella through the secret shadows. Time would pass quickly if they shared small stories and listened to it all day.

It was around the time when the moon that had illuminated them was about to tilt.

“Now you have to go to sleep.”

“A little bit more. Aren’t you sad?”

Cade asked in a sullen voice.

“That’s too bad. I’m sorry.....”

Cade pulled Abella. Cade hid Abella behind a large tree. Cade placed his hand on top of her and lowered his head.

“Lies. I’m the only one who gets frustrated every time.”

Abella smiled briefly and wrapped her hand around Cade’s neck. Surprisingly, Cade had a childish side to himself. This may be Cade’s true face. His nature curled up in worn out emotions.

Abella liked this brightness.

Abella whispered as she pressed her lips to Cade’s, who was bewildered.

“You really think so?”

“A-Abella!”

Abella plunged her tongue between Cade’s hoarse lips. As if Abella was about to rip Cade out of his mind, she sucked at him. Cade sighed and let a moan out into Abella’s mouth.

“Does it still look like I’m sorry?” Abella asked, panting. As Cade frowned at her, he pulled Abella’s waist towards him.

“Abella.....” Cade called her name.

He rested his forehead on Abella’s neck, restless, with a face about to collapse at any moment. Abella held Cade, who was holding her and hugging her without saying a word.

“I love you.”

“Yes.”

Cade bit Abella’s neck. It was his retaliation for brutally not returning an answer. Abella burst out laughing as she whispered to Cade.

“I love you, too.”

Now she never hid her feelings or her love. It was because she now knew that the time that had passed would never return. Abella chose Cade, and she intended to take responsibility for the choices she made for the rest of her life.

She would love him and cherish him.

“Next year, I will be able to clear your name. After that, I wouldn’t have to have a secret love affair like this.”

Cade clenched his teeth and shuddered. His hand roamed Abella’s back.

“Ah. Next year.... Next year my nephew will be born. Would it be really cute?”

“Abella!”

“Okay, I got it. I am looking forward to next year too.” Abella murmured in a happy voice. Next year, she would be able to meet her lovely guardian angel again. The thought of meeting her cute nephew made her excited again.

Everything was going smoothly, as Abella had hoped.

Ah.

Lorelia left. A place where she has neither the position of the Duchess nor the pressure around her. She didn’t look back at Abella until the end of her departure. She was concerned for Carlo and hinted at pity at the Duke, but she did not look back at Abella.

Maybe that was a Lorelia-style consideration. Abella had become a little more free. Lorelia left without revealing her destination. She would never come back.

‘I don’t know if I should have done that in the first place.’

When Abella gave out the bitterness, she hid it deeply. Lorelia wore the guise of a Duchess, and had been tempering herself endlessly. The arrogant elders in Amerigo would never have accepted her. As if they were still rejecting and insulting Abella.

“Abella, what are you thinking?” Cade asked.

“That I want to be with you.” Abella replied calmly.

Cade bit Abella’s lips, as if knowing that it wasn’t. “For real!”

“Because if you lie, you will get a mark. What are you thinking about? Maybe another man?”

“I’m too overwhelmed by you.”

Abella kissed Cade once more.

*

The long-awaited child was born.

The baby born to Carlo and his wife got the same name again. Abella remembered the loveliness of this child. He reached out his little hand and opened his little mouth, saying with affection, ‘Auntie, I’ll protect you! I’m your guardian angel!’

Abella tickled the child’s plump cheeks with her fingers.

“Uunngg.. .”

Perhaps this child, who used to spit words more mature than his age, was also a person with memories. Thanks to the foolish Abella, even this little child had to bear the burden. Bright eyes resembling Carlo followed Abella’s fingertips.

Laughter erupts as the child moves to reach out and grab her hand.

Abella called out the child’s name.

“Simon. Simon Amerigo.”

This time, it will be possible to pass on a brilliant future to Simon. This time, Abella will protect this child and Amerigo.