OPDPS 155

“…Yes

“…Yes.”

At the Empress’s command, Aeryl reflexively stepped forward, quickly walking past her to push open the iron gate.

It had been left untouched for so long that the hinges groaned with a loud, metallic screech. As the gate creaked open, the Empress’s voice echoed faintly behind him.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t love you properly.”

Aeryl stepped outside and had just let go of the gate when he fully registered what she had said.

“…What did you say?”

He turned back, but now that he was outside, the darkness inside the waterway was too deep—he couldn’t see anything.

He couldn’t tell if the Empress was still standing there or if she had already turned back.

He stared into the tunnel for a moment, then slowly turned and began to walk away.

Just as the Empress had said—what could be done now? The past cannot be changed.

Though he was in the woods, the bright moonlight kept any fear at bay. With each step, he grew more certain this was the right path.

‘He’s calling me.’

He could feel the Grand Duke’s pheromones. In response, Aeryl released his own in a soft, welcoming wave. Without even minding the rough, uneven ground, he began to run with reckless speed.

The winter scent grew stronger—and at the end of it stood the Grand Duke. He, too, had picked up on Aeryl’s scent and was rushing toward him.

They didn’t hesitate. They ran straight into each other’s arms.

Aeryl pressed his forehead against the Grand Duke’s chest, and the Grand Duke slowly stroked his hair.

“Hiello…”

Suddenly, Aeryl was overwhelmed with the urge to cry. His mind was flooded with memories.

Living alone in his maternal family’s estate, yearning for his parents.

Entering the palace, feeling awkward and disappointed, which only fueled his rebellion.

Trying to fit in, even while feeling like an outsider.

All those emotions—every wound, every moment that dimmed the light in his heart—rose and sank like tides.

He had endured everything in silence until now. But he didn’t need to hold it in anymore. The Grand Duke would accept anything.

Tears burst from Aeryl’s eyes.

The Grand Duke wasn’t surprised. He only held Aeryl tighter and whispered softly into his ear:

“It’s alright now, Aeryl. I’m here.”

Like a child, Aeryl clung to him. He had left everything behind.

For the first time, it truly felt like he had said goodbye to the life he had lived as a prince.

***

The Grand Duke and his companions waited patiently until Aeryl’s sobs had subsided, then headed to the merchant’s estate.

Along the way, they had to wrestle the Grand Duke down—literally—when he finally got a good look at Aeryl’s bruised face and immediately tried to storm back into the palace with his sword drawn.

Aeryl, feeling the throbbing pain in his swollen cheek from the Emperor’s strike, healed himself with magic as soon as he got into the carriage. The skin quickly cooled, and the mark vanished.

But the Grand Duke continued to gently stroke the spot with his fingertips, kissing it over and over.

It made Aeryl feel truly cherished—and so he quietly leaned into his arms and allowed himself to be comforted.

Once they reached the estate, they had a meal and rested briefly before getting back in the carriage.

They didn’t know what complications might arise, and the sooner they crossed into the Grand Duchy’s northern lands, the better.

“I’m sorry. You must’ve gone through so much,” the Grand Duke murmured with guilt, as if everything were his fault.

“I just want to get out of the capital as soon as possible,” Aeryl replied.

It wasn’t to soothe him—it was the truth.

His arms, shoulders, and body ached from having been restrained, but the only thing that would bring him peace was leaving the capital behind.

Since everything had already been prepared in advance, they were able to move quickly and escape the capital before dawn.

Travel continued without pause. They were retracing the route he’d once taken with Dervan—but this time, everything was different.

They switched to a much finer carriage once they were far enough from the capital, which made the journey far more comfortable. But more than that, Aeryl was now treated entirely differently.

The Grand Duke stayed close, always making sure Aeryl had enough to eat and drink. If he showed even the slightest fatigue, they stopped the carriage to rest.

When resting wasn’t possible, the Grand Duke let him lie with his head in his lap or held him gently in his arms, soothing him like a child.

Despite the physical exhaustion, Aeryl was at peace, cradled in the Grand Duke’s affection.

At one point, while Aeryl was lying with his head on the Grand Duke’s thigh, being fed slices of fruit, the Grand Duke suddenly made a troubled face and asked:

“But… shouldn’t we stop using formal speech now?”

“Excuse me? You started it—why did you suddenly switch to honorifics? Oh… I see.”

Now that the truth of his identity was out, there was no need to speak to Aeryl as an subordinate anymore.

In fact, the Grand Duke should be using honorifics with him.

But even after the revelation, everything had happened so fast that neither of them had given it much thought, and they had just kept talking as before.

Aeryl sat up straight, suddenly serious.

“Hmm. Well, I’ve given up being a prince, and you’re the Grand Duke, so… maybe I don’t need to use honorifics either?”

“Then how long are you planning to keep using them? And I told you—stop calling me Your Grace.”

The Grand Duke bumped his forehead against Aeryl’s, looking a bit sulky.

“It’s just a habit at this point.”

“Then start unlearning it. From now on, practice.”

“Haha, alright!”

Time flew by as they bantered like that, and before they knew it, they had arrived in a region where the cold winds blew and snowflakes fluttered in the air.

The Grand Duke helped Aeryl into a thicker coat, lined with fur. Around then, a new worry took root in Aeryl’s mind.

“The Grand Duchy is right ahead… should I dye my hair again? Glasses! I don’t even have my glasses!”

“Everyone already knows you’re the prince.”

“They do? Ahh… I figured they might, but I was still hoping. So they really all know…”

Aeryl clutched his head in despair.

“It’s my fault. When you disappeared, I completely lost my composure…”

The Grand Duke looked sheepish.

“What did you do? No, wait—don’t tell me.”

“Mm. I’d rather not. It’s an embarrassing memory.”

Apparently, even the perfect Grand Duke had a moment he wanted to forget.

“What do I do? They probably hate me already just for being a royal, and now that I’ve lied too… this is the worst.”

“It’s alright. Who could possibly hate you?”

“You might think that, Hiello, but not everyone’s like you.”

The Grand Duke held him gently, trying to comfort him, but on this matter, Aeryl found no comfort.

Just imagining what others would think of him sent his mind into a spiral of dread.

Strangers didn’t matter—but people who had known him as the physician Aeryl, those he’d gotten along with—just imagining how betrayed they felt when they found out his identity made him dizzy.

He knew he had made the choice, and he’d do his best to make up for it—but that didn’t mean others’ feelings would go the way he wanted.

And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that wasn’t the only issue.

“Most people don’t even know about us… They’ll be shocked, right?”

“…”

“Oh no—if I marry you, that makes me the Grand Duchess!”

“That’s right.”

“Will they even accept me as Grand Duchess? What if someone like Rynello or Lady Merel strongly objects?”

“Aeryl. You don’t need to worry. Everyone will welcome you with joy. There’s no reason for any opposition.”

The Grand Duke tried to soothe him again, but Aeryl couldn’t believe it—not fully.

The closer they got to the north, the more unstable his emotions became.

By the time they reached the outermost part of the Grand Duke’s castle —the first gate that even encompassed the town—his anxiety was at its peak.

It didn’t help that, thanks to the Grand Duke’s apparently dramatic display, the whole town already knew he was bringing Aeryl back.

The carriage paused briefly before the gates, then, accompanied by the announcement of the Grand Duke’s return, began to move slowly into the town.

“Hold me.”

Aeryl nestled into the Grand Duke’s arms and took a deep breath. The Grand Duke looked down at him fondly and kissed the top of his golden head.

“Shall I open the curtain?”

He held the edge of the curtain that covered the carriage window.

“Wait.”

Aeryl placed a hand over his heart, exhaled deeply, and then lifted his chin with resolve.

“Open it. Just a little… just a peek…!”

But instead of obeying, the Grand Duke swept the curtain fully aside with a flourish. The window opened wide, revealing everything outside.

“Oh?”

Aeryl blinked in surprise. Along both sides of the road stood snow sculptures—some shaped like cute animals, others like shields or spears.

Then came sculptures shaped like letters. When lined up, they spelled out a message:

Welcome back!

At the end of the message stood a large crowd, packed shoulder to shoulder in the street. They all bowed deeply toward the Grand Duke’s carriage.

One person even spotted Aeryl inside, took off their hat, and bent forward in an especially deep bow.

Aeryl was overwhelmed. His eyes stung with emotion, but he fought it back and smiled brightly.

One local happened to catch a glimpse of that smile and gasped, struck speechless.

“See? I told you—they’re all happy to welcome you.”

“…But I haven’t even done anything.”

“You saved one lonely Grand Duke from dying alone, didn’t you?”