It’s the same color… as my Mother’s hair… Gaizel was momentarily stunned.

Spotting Gaizel, the girl suddenly concealed her hair with both hands. Gaizel, unable to understand her sudden course of action, slowly tilted his head.

“Why are you hiding your hair?”

“B, because, my hair, is ugly… it’s different from my sisters’ and the everyone else’s hair…”

‘Ugly’? When pertaining to her hair color, Gaizel was at a loss when trying to comprehend the meaning of her words.

Lustrous silky hair—even now, it shined brightly as it basked under the sun.

Even though it’s of the same color of my mother’s hair… Gaizel became a little irate.

“That’s not true. Your hair is beautiful.”

Gaizel regretted the hint of frustration in his tone.

Despite so, the girl only stared at Gaizel without blinking. She didn’t appear shocked. A little relieved at the development, Gaizel fell into the corner of the bush.

Since he realized he had gotten lost, he had been running without stopping.

The soles of his feet, and also his knees, were hurting. Perhaps noticing his exhaustion, the girl peered into Gaizel’s face.

Perhaps she was suspicious of the person who suddenly appeared there.

“Leave this place right away. I want to be left alone.”

Was she the master of that garden?

Wouldn’t that mean she was part of the royal family? Didn’t she mention something about her sisters?

The Royal Family of Lacie only has princesses, Gaizel vaguely thought—could she be one of the princesses of Lacie?

Sisters, huh…

Gaizel himself had older brothers—half-brothers, to be precise, and they hated Gaizel.

She must be cherished by her parents and sisters… such a thought caused Gaizel’s heart to be enshrouded by loneliness.

Mother… why did you have to die…

Gaizel’s heart finally acknowledged it.

I’m now all alone… no one will ever say, ‘I love you,’ to me anymore…

When his mother was there, she would always embrace him—said that she loved him.

‘I love you.’

But that mother of his was no more.

She was nowhere in that world.

Even though she was the reason for Gaizel’s strength—Gaizel’s self-confidence—

—now said reason had perished.

His desperation made him feel as if there was a large hole in the middle of his heart.

However, even though he felt crushed by the wave of emotions, not a single tear fell from Gaizel’s eyes.

That was when Gaizel realized it wasn’t that he didn’t cry—he couldn’t.

I… have I even lost my own humanity?

The girl proceeded to crouch down next to such a Gaizel.

Gaizel’s strange appearance, neither crying nor screaming, only blankly staring at the ground—didn’t it faze her at all?

The moment Gaizel turned away, she chimed in.

“U, umm…”

“…?”

“Would I suffice?”

“What?”

The girl replied with a shy, but gentle look.

“In exchange, I’ll be the one who loves you instead.”

“…”

“So, don’t cry—”—the girl hugged Gaizel.

Her words held too much of an impact for Gaizel. All the words which were accumulated in his heart—everything become pure white.

Why, even though I myself couldn’t express it—

—how did you manage to understand?

He didn’t shed tears.

How could that girl realize his sorrow?

The girl had a powerful, but also warm, soft, and comfortable embrace—

—for the first time, Gaizel shed tears.

Overflowing, he unleashed his emotions—one more, two more—as if his wire had been severed.

That day, Gaizel cried before someone for the first time.

In the arms of a girl younger than him—but he had long forgotten the concept of shame—all he did was cry. When he had trouble breathing, or when he was sobbing, the girl would pat his back hard.

—how long did they stay like that?

After Gaizel had cried until it felt like his tears had dried up, he seemed to have fallen asleep there.

When Gaizel slowly awoken, the girl who hugged him before was also tired. Leaning against Gaizel, she had also falen into a peaceful slumber.

—You stayed with me…

He let the girl rest and covered her with his jacket. Looking at the the girl’s peaceful countenance, Gaizel made a decision. He took a lock of her silver hair, and kissed it as if praying—

—it’s my turn to protect her.

A girl who had bestowed him warmth, even though he was merely a stranger to her.

He wanted to repay that gratitude someday.

If someone dared bully her, he would get rid of said bully.

If she was in trouble, he would help her.

No matter what, he shall fight for that girl.

—…and if she cried, he would then embrace her.

Just like what she did to him that day.

…Even if I decided so, the current me is not good enough, so what should I do?

Gaizel’s father, Dilph, was battling against kingdoms across the continent.

Lacie was a distant kingdom, but who knew when or how his devil’s hand would reach that place.

In a war, that girl might lose her parents, and end up like Gaizel. That girl might get hurt, and most of all, who would wish for their homeland to be invaded and then taken over?

…A world, without war…

At that time, Gaizel couldn’t immediately figure how to accomplish that.

The guard soldier who finally arrived allowed Gaizel to safely return to his own residence.

After moving to the local duke’s mansion, Gaizel immediately investigated the Royal Family of Lacie. At that time, he didn’t ask for her name, but according to the rumors, it seemed that she wasn’t the eldest amongst her siblings.

Which means… as I thought, she’s Tistye… Tistye Lacie?

Even though she was the youngest princess, something was certainly odd. She was never involved in social events, and basically treated like an inexistent princess.

He wanted to meet her again somehow, but since neither Gaizel nor her were royalty, it wasn’t easy to arrange a meeting.

Gaizel had no choice but to keep working hard until the perfect time came. He studied tactics, mastered martial arts, and continued to live in rural areas until he became a respectable young man.

A few days after receiving the news of his father’s collapse, Gaizel heard the fated news.

Tistye Lacie, you are currently in Verscia…!

Gaizel, with a sword in his grip, charged into the battlefield where his two brothers were. His only companion was a single horse.

The boy who wanted to be strong, grew up to be clumsy at expressing his feelings—

—however, he would fulfil that promise.

Even if that girl had forgotten about him.

(End)

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***T/N: 

Gaizel had no choice but to keep working hard until the perfect time came. He studied tactics, mastered martial arts, and continued to live in rural areas until he became a respectable young man.

YOU SEE THAT CN AUTHORS?!?! WHEN A GOOD MALE LEAD FALL IN LOVE HE FUCKIN TAKE COURSES TO BE A respectable young man, NOT PLANT CCTVS ALL OVER HER ROOM, STALK HER 24/7, AND BASICALLY USE YOUR AUTHORITY TO DICTATE HER ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!

And Gaizel is so good at being a respectable young man. *French Chef kiss.

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