Chapter 60

Startled, I turned my gaze to Mariabel, who said, "I'm sorry," with tears in her eyes.

"I just had to meet the two of you, I really wanted to..."

From the beginning, she must have lied, saying she would be away until tomorrow, to bring Lord Zain and me to this place today.

Even so, I couldn't possibly blame Mariabel, who was shedding large tears. Even if it was against her will, I felt responsible for her tears, and the guilt was almost crushing me.

"I want to be with Lady Grace and Brother Zain forever and ever..."

Hearing this from Mariabel, whom I love like a sister, my heart couldn't help but be moved. Lord Zain also had a pained expression on his face, reacting to Mariabel's words.

– Why do I have to make such faces for the people I care about?

This unanswerable question gnawed at my heart.

"I'm sorry, I'll go back to my room. Please try to convey your feelings to each other, even a little."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Mariabel forced a smile and hurriedly left the hall. I could feel that she truly cared for us.

"..."

"..."

A heavy silence hung between Lord Zain and me, but he was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry about Mariabel. I really didn't know you were coming."

"No... I'm the one who's sorry."

"Can we talk for a moment?"

I nodded, and Lord Zain came over and quietly sat down next to me.

Lord Zain was sitting further away than usual, and the different distance made me feel a bit uneasy.

I wondered if it was because he had been involved with Charlotte and had a change of heart, as I waited for his next words.

"Let me ask you again, why do you want to break up with me?"

His sudden, direct question made me flinch. Still, I tried to maintain my composure and looked back at Lord Zain.

"It's because I don't love you anymore. If we stay together in this state, neither of us will be happy."

Mariabel will surely be in pain now, but it will only be temporary. Once time passes and Charlotte becomes Lord Zain's lover, she will be treated better than anyone else.

It's better to avoid being swayed by emotion and causing a war that would take many lives. I didn't want to die either.

Clasping my hands tightly, I lifted my face. Just as I was about to tell him once more that I really wanted to break up,

"Because I really don't love you anymore –"

I found myself pinned down on the sofa, with Lord Zain's perfectly chiseled face right in front of me.

My arms were held firmly by his large hands, and I couldn't move.

"W-Why..."

"Grace."

Just hearing my name made my heart race uncontrollably. It seemed that Lord Zain could sense this, as he raised the corners of his mouth in a bemused smile.

"You're blushing so much and aware of me, yet you say you don't love me anymore?"

"..."

"You're really a terrible liar."

His fingers intertwined with mine, like lovers. My heart leaped again, enveloped by his much larger palm.

I had held hands with Ranhardt many times, but my heart had never raced like this.

"How can I keep you by my side? How can I make you stay quietly next to me?"

"Why do you... why do you have to go this far..."

His intense gaze and the tight grip on my hand made it impossible for me to move even a finger.

In response to my almost inaudible question, Lord Zain narrowed his eyes sadly and looked at me.

"Who knows? I don't know either. I've never loved anyone else, and I don't understand the reasons anymore."

But he continued,

"If I give up on you here, I will definitely regret it for the rest of my life."

Hearing that, I was so moved that I felt like crying.

– The protagonist of my favorite novel, kind, handsome, devoted, and perfect. While reading the novel with great enthusiasm, I often thought that I wanted to be loved by such a wonderful person someday.

It was impossible not to be happy that such a person I admired liked me so straightforwardly.

If I could take Lord Zain's hand and say that I wanted to be with him from now on, how happy I would be, I couldn't help but think.

"I..."

The resolve I had built up with all my might began to waver.

But in the end, a small sense of responsibility as Grace – as a character in this story – prevailed.

I took a small breath, exhaled, and lifted my face.

"Let's take a break for three months, shall we?"

"For what purpose?"

"For both of us."

Even if I couldn't break up immediately, I thought it was necessary for me to distance myself and for Lord Zain to turn his attention to Charlotte.

Most of all, I needed to distance myself from Lord Zain. I was afraid of being completely bound by him.

Though I didn't expect him to accept it, I looked up at him pleadingly, "Please."

Lord Zain looked down at me with an unreadable expression, but eventually spoke.

"Alright."

"Huh?"

"If that's what you want."

He said that, let go of my hand, and got up.

I hadn't expected my half-hearted proposal to be accepted so easily, and even though I was the one who suggested it, I was still taken aback.

There was no doubt that the old Lord Zain would not have nodded at this point. His actions were completely opposite to his words, and I couldn't understand his feelings.

Even though it was the outcome I had hoped for, I pretended not to notice the pain in my heart and got up as well.

"I won't contact you anymore, and I won't call out to you even if I see you. Is that okay?"

"...Yes."

"Alright, I'll see you to the door. Shall we go?"

Lord Zain stood up from the sofa and offered his right hand. But after I stood up, he immediately let go of my hand.

From then on, we didn't exchange any more words.