Chapter 106
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107.
Perhaps the jest had been a touch too bold, for Julian's face flushed crimson in an instant, as though a sweet potato had been roasted to perfection.
With utmost solemnity, Julian fumbled to open his mouth.
"Rebecca. If you truly wish for that, then I...."
"I'm sorry. I was only teasing. Don't wear such a grave expression. I know well that you have no desire for an heir. I would never dream of forcing something you despise."
"I wonder if you yourself realize what an absolutely dreadful jester you are."
Julian cast a sidelong glance at Rebecca. As the broad-shouldered man fixed her with those fresh, earnest eyes, laughter spilled forth unbidden.
Rebecca found him utterly endearing in that moment.
"We've arrived!"
At the coachman's announcement, Rebecca drew back the curtain and peered outside.
The anticipation that had kindled in her eyes swiftly gave way to disappointment.
"Julian, this place is...."
"Balaria Coast. Your first honeymoon destination, and the last you shall ever need."
Julian smiled broadly.
A honeymoon destination with Zeppelin? There was no reason to seek this place, even within his own domain.
Rather, only unpleasant memories surfaced.
Rebecca gazed at him blankly, utterly unable to fathom what lay beneath his words.
* * *
Julian and Rebecca strolled along the desolate Coastal Shore.
The gentle murmur of waves was pleasant to the ear, yet the sordid memories entwined with this place cast a shadow over the moment.
Walking in silence, Julian suddenly positioned himself before Rebecca.
"Wait. From here on, close your eyes."
"Close my eyes?"
"No, rather—I suspect you'll open them along the way. I shall cover them myself."
Julian moved behind Rebecca and placed his hand over her eyes.
His slightly tense hand warmed the delicate skin around her eyes.
Though she deemed it childish, walking with her vision obscured was not entirely unpleasant.
Despite her lingering discomfort with the place, her heart quickened as she imagined what he had prepared.
Moreover, she found herself pleased by the warmth of his breath brushing against her ear as they walked in close proximity.
"You may open your eyes now."
The autumn sea breeze was biting cold.
Julian withdrew his hand from before her eyes and draped the jacket he wore across her shoulders.
Unaware that the garment had settled upon her, Rebecca covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes sparkling with wonder.
"Good heavens...."
Palm trees lined the Coastal Shore in a graceful procession.
Luminous mana stones hung from the palms in profusion, evoking the image of fireflies suspended from branches.
And beyond the orderly row of trees, low estates with whitewashed walls and azure roofs stretched in elegant succession.
Originally, Balaria Coast had served as a retreat for nobility, with villas of various houses claiming the vista.
The diversity of character was commendable, though the overall effect had appeared somewhat haphazard.
Yet now, Balaria Coast displayed uniform dwellings interspersed with exotic flora found only in distant lands, evoking an otherworldly charm.
"How are palm trees growing here? The climate shouldn't support them."
"You gave me a gift, remember?"
"Don't tell me Eustaf did this... He's truly remarkable."
"No, what's remarkable is that you recognized his talent."
As Rebecca surveyed the Coastal Shore thoughtfully, a question occurred to her, and she asked carefully.
"Surely you didn't rebuild everything from scratch... What happened to the original villa?"
"I bought them all out and had them demolished."
Julian traced a line with his finger from the beginning of the coast to its end.
"Every last bit from here to there."
Julian was grinning with childlike pride, as if showing off a precious toy.
Rebecca regarded him with some concern.
She thought worrying about his finances was pointless, yet she still wanted to confirm things.
Though it was merely a contractual marriage, she was now officially the lady of House of Johannes.
She didn't want to live as a hollow figurehead wife, knowing nothing of household management, the way she had been as the wife of the Earl of Devonshire.
From what she'd observed beside him all this time, Julian had a tendency toward considerable extravagance.
The way he dispensed those expensive magic stones so freely was one thing, but the wedding itself had involved unexpectedly enormous expenditures, causing Rebecca to break into a cold sweat.
Rebecca carefully chose her words so as not to upset Julian before finally speaking.
"Is there a reason you've developed it all like this?"
If he gave some hollow excuse about it being for fun or for a honeymoon, she was prepared to educate him on financial responsibility.
But Julian's answer proved surprisingly sound.
"I wanted to lighten the purses of the nobility a bit."
"What?"
"The nobles who come here to visit only use the food and goods they bring packed from their own villas. Well, since this is a remote place with nothing but the sea to see, I suppose it's understandable. But if things continued that way, it would do nothing for the local economy. It would just be noisy and pointless."
"So?"
"Instead, I decided to redevelop this entire area into such a beautiful place that nobles couldn't resist coming back. I collect rental fees, and if I establish some decent commercial districts and restaurants nearby, the nobility will eagerly spend their money without hesitation."
It was unexpected. Given how he always seemed indifferent to worldly matters, she never would have dreamed he possessed such shrewd business acumen.
As Rebecca blinked in surprise, Julian suddenly took her hand.
When warmth radiated from his palm, Rebecca's face flushed crimson.
"There's more to see. Come with me."
At his promise of more to show her, Rebecca followed eagerly wherever his hand led, her heart racing with anticipation.
It felt like returning to childhood, unwrapping multiple birthday gifts one after another.
"Do you remember where this is?"
Julian had brought Rebecca to the highest point of elevation in the vicinity.
The villa built there was closer to a mansion than a villa.
The overall impression of the villa, with its charming arched roof, resembled the surrounding buildings.
But it differed greatly in that it possessed a spacious garden found nowhere else, complete with a private swimming pool.
Before the grand gate, elegantly decorated with climbing roses, several servants stood ready to greet the duke and duchess.
"Allow us to show you around."
Julian proudly opened the gate.
"This is where we'll be staying."
Seeing Rebecca standing there in bewilderment, Julian's lips curved upward in a subtle smile.
"Do you know what this villa is called?"
"What?"
"Becky."
"What?"
"It's my wedding gift to you. You're free to come here and rest whenever you wish, without needing my permission. And as you said, even if we part ways someday, this place will always be yours. Your sanctuary, if you will. I've already completed all the legal procedures."
Rebecca's eyes widened as she alternated her gaze between the resplendent villa and Julian.
So this expensive villa was entirely hers.
The dream of homeownership that I had struggled so hard to achieve in my previous life had been realized in a single moment.
"But I don't have a gift prepared for you in return...."
Overwhelmed by such a generous gift, Rebecca laughed awkwardly.
Julian responded to her words with nothing but a smile, then led her into the villa.
He handed his luggage to the servants and immediately guided Rebecca to the Garden.
The moment they arrived at the Garden, a circular pergola built high like an observation platform immediately caught their eye.
Inside the pergola, warm milk and simple refreshments had been prepared in advance.
"The view is most beautiful when you stand here."
Julian stirred cocoa powder into warm milk and handed it to Rebecca as he spoke.
As the mug warmed her hands, the chill that had gripped them began to ease.
Rebecca sipped the cocoa and listened to the sound of waves crashing against the Cliff.
Though darkness obscured the view, the scenery was indeed as lovely as he had said.
But this place was familiar to me. The bitter memories made her grow somewhat melancholy.
Rebecca raised her blue eyes and asked him with a hint of reproach.
"This is where the Earl of Devonshire's villa used to stand, isn't it? The site of my dreadful honeymoon and where Alicia held her wedding ceremony. Why would you bring me to such an unpleasant place?"
'Would that boy Julian graciously accept a bride with blemishes?'
Though I dismissed Zeppelin's words as nonsense, they tormented me relentlessly throughout the journey here.
Could it be that Julian secretly thought of me as defiled by Zeppelin as well?
Was that why he brought me to this disagreeable place to make that fact known?
Needless worries swelled within me.
As Rebecca's expression grew serious, Julian gently embraced her from behind.
He rested his chin atop her head and spoke softly.
"I hated that you remembered this place with such darkness."
At his words, Rebecca's hands, which had been anxiously fidgeting with the mug, stilled.
"This place was where I found solace. I wanted you to smile in the place I love most."
Julian released his embrace and stepped before her, meeting her gaze directly.
Golden eyes like afternoon sunlight gazed tenderly into blue eyes that held the chill of the night sea.
"For the next week, I'll do everything in my power to make you happy. So when you think of this place, I hope you'll remember only joyful moments. I know it will be difficult, but forget the terrible past that happened here. I want to cover it with the memories I'll give you."
A cold wind swept across them, and the cocoa had grown lukewarm, yet Rebecca felt no chill.
His tone, his breath, his every gesture radiated such warmth.
Julian hesitated for a moment, then placed a kiss upon Rebecca's forehead.
Rebecca answered his kiss with a gentle smile.
Julian found himself momentarily entranced by her smile before he spoke.
"You said you had no gift to give me, didn't you? This—this is precisely the wedding gift I desire. Rebecca, please remember Balaria as a beautiful place."
"I already do."
And it was true. The remnants of her past that lingered here had been consumed by the flames of Julian, reduced to ash.
Within a week, whenever Rebecca heard the name Balaria, she found herself thinking of Julian's warm, luminous eyes.
* * *
The dreamlike week passed in a heartbeat.
Julian truly spared no effort in delighting Rebecca.
He showed her every treasure Balaria had to offer without reservation.
If one day was spent in relentless sightseeing, the next would invariably find them sprawled lazily throughout the opulent Villa.
Rebecca felt as though she had returned to her childhood days of frequent travels with Theo.
They laughed often, ate abundantly, and shared countless kisses.
"It's time we each returned to our own rooms now."
Even after their passionate kisses, Rebecca would sharply send Julian back to his quarters.
Each time, Julian would find himself gazing dazedly at her flushed, crimson lips.
He wondered how she possessed the strength to stop.
The Runaway Countess Returns
E-book Publication
January 12, 2022
Author
Long night sky
Publisher
Desert fox
Published by
Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.
Submission Received
naver.me/54VzzLSn
Blog
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@wjt_fennecfox
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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