# 28
“...I regret it. For saying those things. For acting that way. I will never do it again. I will never disappoint you again.”
Revan pleaded sincerely. He begged her to forgive him, and promised not to hurt her again.
“I will apologize to Shevlin properly... and I will be a good father from now on.”
His eyes, red and filled with tears, reflected his sincerity.
"I know this won't erase my sins. But I will do my best."
Helen bit her lip when she heard Revan's apology.
“Helen. Just this once… Can’t you forgive me? Please.”
To deny that she was affected would be a lie.
'He says he won't do it again, and that he'll be a good father to Shevlin...'
As she listened to Revan's plea, Helen had a flashback to the past.
‘…How did we get this far?
It wasn't long after that. Only a few months.
It wasn't long before their happy family fell apart.
Shevlin, who did not find it difficult to talk to others.
Revan, who was kind to Shevlin.
Between them, she had once achieved a perfect family.
Was it the will of the gods telling her not to forget that day and move on?
The illusion soon dissipated.
The day he doubted the identity of Shevlin's daughter.
The day he left her alone to be with another woman.
The day he kept secrets and didn't answer when asked if he loved the princess.
The day Shevlin tripped down the stairs, and the day he laughed when she asked for a divorce.
All these scenes overlapped in her mind.
‘This must be a signal not to repeat the past… to protect Shevlin. 'Take it easy, Helen.'
Helen took a deep breath.
Then she told him how she was living and what Chevlin's situation was.
“Chevlin can’t talk to anyone but me.”
"What do you mean?"
“She was almost poisoned recently.”
Revan's face convulsed in shock when he heard these words.
This could not be avoided.
Even now, just thinking about that moment makes Helen's heart ache.
“You made us so miserable, and now you say you're sorry? What's the point? It's already like this...”
She wanted to make him suffer more.
“...Listen carefully.”
“Helen...I...this...”
“I was the one who asked for a divorce, but you were the one who abandoned me and Chevlin first.”
While she was in pain because of Revan,
...As much as Chevlin cried alone, she wanted him to feel the same pain and suffering.
Just as Chevlin cried alone, she wanted him to feel the same pain and suffering.
“If we hadn't started in the first place, I wouldn't have been left alone, and you wouldn't have to apologize.”
“…….”
“But then Shevlyn wouldn't have been born, so I wouldn't even think about it.”
Helen hid her weary heart as she thought of Shevlin.
“I have so much love for my daughter. So, I can’t forgive you.”
“…….”
“Revan, it's over. Really… let's stop here.”
And with that, Helen never shook hands with Revan again.
While she was saying goodbye to him, Helen thought about many things.
Would she have been less miserable if she had not loved Revan?
'Did we have to remain Shevlin's parents without having to share hurt feelings?'
No. She no longer knows. She didn't want to know.
The knot of feelings in her heart was too great to be measured.
She was too exhausted to have any conversation with Revan or tolerate his monogamous feelings.
She didn't love Revan anymore.
Today he confirmed that to her.
“I wish you a hard life.”
“…Helen, don’t go.”
Without any hesitation, Helen passed by Revan.
She was grateful for the veil, because it hid her tears from him.
Aachen was not in a good mood even before the ceremony began.
He had recently learned that his mother, Empress Caliosa, had given the Ifrit Tear as a wedding gift.
“I should not have let the Empress handle the gift exchange.”
Giving Helen the necklace that the Crown Princess was wearing meant that he would be restored to the position of Crown Prince.
Aachen had no desire to become crown prince again.
Even now, as the independent Grand Duke of Belizet, Count Tiara was wary of him.
If he were to become crown prince again, it would only intensify the conflict.
Aachen did not want to drag Helen into political battles.
There was always the risk of her getting hurt in the process.
But it was too late to take back what was given to her.
While he was thinking about what to do, the door opened and Helen entered.
Seeing her approaching in her wedding dress, gently pulling her veil, left him speechless.
God, Helen, with an Everett tear around her neck, looked so beautiful.
Although her face was covered by the veil, her slim figure could not be hidden.
'She's still very thin.'
As they walked together towards the altar, he felt stares.
'Is there something on my face?'
He wondered what was on her mind.
It was the only time he wished he could read other people's minds.
Even if he took off his gloves, he wouldn't be able to tell her true feelings.
Despite the many touches they had exchanged during their night together, he couldn't understand her.
A special person. For Aachen, it was Helen.
As the ceremony began, Aachen immediately answered the high priest's question whether he would respect and love her.
He wanted to respect Helen.
He was always determined to love her.
No matter what happened, he was confident that he could love her.
So he promised himself to always respect and love her.
By exchanging vows, they became husband and wife. Now he could truly call Helen his wife.
This alone made him happy. He could not remember a happier day than this day.
Although he initially suggested a simple ceremony due to Belzeit's weather, he felt it was insufficient.
Aachen decided to hold a lavish formal wedding.
While he was tying the knot and kissing her hand, Helen's ex-husband entered.
Why is he here...?'
He felt anxious.
Seeing him calling her by her nickname made Aachen nervous.
Taking a deep breath, he feared that Helen still had feelings for her ex-husband.
'It wasn't long after the divorce; Of course, some feelings will remain.'
He suppressed his anxious feelings, then suddenly burst out laughing.
Helen pushed her ex-husband away with a stern look.
“The Crown Princess mentioned...”
It occurred to him that this unwanted guest might be the one causing the problem.
The ex-husband, who spoiled the party, still considers Helen his wife.
He even asked her if they could start over.
How I struggled to be with Helen again...'
Everything about it made him angry.
Not wanting to show his immature side to Helen, Aachen gave her a warning.
However, the ex-husband recklessly insisted.
Since no one witnessed the ceremony, no rumors would spread.
Aachen didn't want to put Helen in an embarrassing situation.
Just as he was about to ignore the whole situation, he felt a twinge of pain when Helen asked him to step aside for a moment.
He tried to look as calm as possible, but he didn't want to leave them alone.
His feet didn't move, but how could he refuse when Helen asked him to step aside?
He hesitantly headed toward the carriage.
A maid was waiting in front of the carriage.
"…You?"
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Elisha Dion, offering my services to Grand Duke Belzeit. May Freya’s blessing be with the Grand Duke.”
The maid bowed slowly.
“Ah, the Grand Duchess’ maid.”
It turns out that she is Helen's personal maid.
Aachen blushed to hear her refer to Helene as “the Grand Duchess.”
There was no need to worry.
Helen was now Grand Duchess Belzeit.
No matter what anyone says, she is his wife.
Not her ex-husband's wife.
“…The Grand Duchess will arrive shortly.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
As he entered the carriage, Aachen saw a young girl sitting.
Her pink hair is curly in waves, the color of cotton candy.
“…..?”
The girl was surprised by his appearance, and fiddled with a pearl-shaped hairpin.
‘Ah, she must be the Grand Duchess’s daughter.’
Aachen sat as far away as possible so as not to startle the little girl.
Then he spoke in the kindest tone he could.
“Hello. Nice to meet you. I’m Aachen.”
“……!”
The girl tried to respond, but she couldn't, so she shrank in frustration.
“Her Highness Princess Shevlin, the only daughter of the Grand Duchess, Your Highness. The Princess is very shy...”
Elisha intervened to explain who the child was.
She said the girl was shy, but Aachen quickly realized that.
'Is she mute?'
Since she suffered from mutism as a child, he could easily understand this.
"It must be very frustrating for her. I hope she doesn't stress herself too much."
During his childhood, he suffered from the pain of not being able to speak.
Although his mind suggested to him that he could speak, he did not utter a word.
Emperor Kaliosa rebuked him for his incontinence.
Count Tiara mocked him, asking how he could inherit the throne.
Violet and Bianca played together without him, finding him unresponsive.
Seeing the little girl struggling to speak reminded him of himself.
[I'm sorry.]
He read the little girl's lips.
“Why are you apologizing...?”
There was no reason for her to apologize.
He suspected that many people had given her strange looks before, which worried him.
"There's no need to apologise, princess. Don't despair. You'll be able to speak one day."
"……"
"Me too."
His words, despite their simplicity, seemed to comfort her, and she smiled brightly.
Sometimes, a magician can sense other people's emotions.
The subtle feeling that crept into him was pure pink and beautiful.
He wondered what her voice would be like.
‘Even her smile resembles that of the Grand Duchess. What a wonderful smile!'
At that moment, Aachen would not have realized.
How deeply he loved Shevlin, as he loved Helen.
How he will eagerly await the day when Shevlin speaks.
‘ First impressions are very important. I hope I left a good impression. I hope my appearance isn't off-putting.
Now, the priority is to build a strong relationship.