A funeral in the rain
"Ellie, do you know why I keep you by my side?"
Kiern's voice, which seemed sweet and distorted somewhere, reached my ears.
He is kind and aristocratic to everyone, but he doesn't give his side easily, and he used to show his raw feelings in front of Elizabeth.
"Why do you keep him by your side?"
I tried to keep my voice from trembling, but when he treated me carelessly, I felt the blood seep out all over my body, so it wasn't easy to control.
He must have sensed her agitation and, with a flick of his finger, motioned for her to come closer.
Elizabeth's gaze naturally went to Kierne's elongated fingers. He had a cigar in his hand.
White cigar smoke rose around him. The upright boy who didn't do well with cigars has now become a man familiar with cigars.
And the fact that it was her mother who did it like that made her heartbroken.
As Elizabeth knelt, he grabbed her chin and blew smoke into her face.
Acrid smoke stung his nose, but he did not close his eyes. I just silently stared at her sadness.
Kiern's blue eyes took on a cloudy light. Dry eyes that no longer shine with intelligence and are not moist with sadness. Kiern gently stroked Elizabeth's cheek and said.
“You don't know yet. Ellie is more naive than you think.
“… … .”
"No. You can't be naive when that woman's blood is shed. So, are you doing it on purpose? Because you covet the position of duchess like your mother?"
"kiern."
"Who said you can call me by my name?"
The friendly voice took a moment to cool down. Elizabeth was frustrated that they couldn't even call each other by name anymore.
When she closed her mouth, he leaned closer. The blue eyes were close enough to eat.
Elizabeth had always been afraid of those eyes. It was definitely the color she loved the most, but now it was the color that hurt the most.
His clenched cheek pressed against her, and the pain rushed, but she couldn't protest. As he said, she is his daughter. As long as the blood of the woman she hated the most flowed through me, she couldn't even resist it.
"sick."
"Don't pretend to be naive. If so, it's creepy."
“… … .”
“Don't get me wrong. It is not because you are pitiful or because I love you that I took care of you that you were abandoned even by such a woman.”
Kiern said, pressing her fingertips to Elizabeth's red lips. His eyes were as deep and dark as a lake in the night and they seemed empty.
“It's just simple revenge. Just like your mother ruined my mother's life, I'm going to tear your life to pieces."
With those words, his fingers raked the inside of her mouth. When the cold fingertips touched her tongue, her body, already accustomed to his touch, warmed easily.
Elizabeth was disgusted with her body and tried to keep her mouth shut, but it only intensified her irritation.
It took a while for the young duke's fingertips to stamp on Elizabeth's mouth. Clear liquid gurgled into Elizabeth's impatient eyes. Kiern said, frowning and crying.
"Do not Cry. You don't even deserve to cry."
“… … .”
“Just fall at my feet like now and pay for your mother's sins for the rest of your life. Because that's the only way you'll be forgiven."
After that, Kiern swallowed Elizabeth's lips. It was a merciless kiss, but even that was sweet, and she hated it to the point that she couldn't take it.
The bitter smell of the cigarette mixed with his body odor made me dizzy.
After the day everything was revealed. He did not hesitate to break and crush it.
Appearing in the form of a benevolent lord, it clawed and tore at her body and mind like a sweet assassin. Blindly, like someone who lives only for their misfortune.
Elizabeth was frustrated by the fact that she was nothing but pain to him.
Kiern, who was my everything, my first love, and my only friend in my teens, was no more.
Just a careless woman who has been reduced to a ruthless master and his lover.
Isabel endured and endured.
And when it got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. Elizabeth had to flee. Because she knew that an innocent life was growing inside her womb.
* * *
The day the Duchess died, Elizabeth felt that Kierne's world had come crashing down.
There was not a single clear day during the funeral. It rained continuously as if a hole had been drilled in the sky. I had the illusion that it was like the sky was crying for Kiern.
It was his mother's grief when Kierne was only 18 years old. During the entire funeral, there was not a trace of sadness on his face.
Kiern did not cry during the entire funeral and calmly received condolences from all who came to pay their respects. He just made it seem like he wasn't sad.
Originally, he didn't show his emotions, so the mourners would leave sticking out their tongues. It was because she felt so cold that she didn't cry even at times like this.
But Elizabeth knew. That he was so sad that he couldn't even cry.
It is difficult to accept the reality that has arrived, so it is difficult to sit still because it is like a stone.
In fact, it is a body that will break into pieces at the slightest touch.
"kiern."
Elizabeth was still holding Kiern's hand. It was something I did because I wanted to ease some of his grief.
“The lady must have gone to a good place. Because he was a good person."
The reality of being able to offer only a cliché of comfort hurt my heart, but I was honest. Elizabeth wished with all her heart that the duchess had gone to heaven.
At that moment, Kiern looked at her with a beautiful white face.
His blue eyes gave off a depressing feeling, like the color of a gloomy sky. Sadness filled the walls that had never lost their light.
It was visible to Elizabeth and invisible to the others.
People only knew him from the outside, so they didn't know the frustration swirling in his eyes.
"I guess so."
It was a flat voice, but somehow high-pitched and cold.
An answer with a bit of arsenic. Unrefined, unrefined emotions flowed, and Elizabeth, puzzled, looked at him.
But was that also an illusion? He smiled softly and whispered softly.
"Thank you for your concern."
She was relieved that her voice was as graceful as ever. Deep down, he was nervous, so he couldn't take his eyes off him.
Kierne loved her mother, the duchess, more than anyone. Not only did she prepare the roses she liked all year for her weak mother and put them in a vase, but she always went to bed after checking if she was okay.
There were so many minor illnesses that it was a daily routine to take good care of them. In particular, he was always worried about the Duchess, who was coming down with a bad cold at the end of the season.
Instead, his father, the Duke of Agafel, was indifferent. Although he spared no financial support for his wife, he was not the type to shower affection.
So, the duchess spent a lot of time alone. And as she spent that time with Kiern, she poured all her love into him.
The Duchess loved Kiern without reservation, and he loved his mother, too.
Elizabeth liked Kiern's kindness. I secretly admired his kindness.
In fact, from the first time she met him, she couldn't help but fall in love. It was because he had never seen such a beautiful and chivalrous person in his life.
Her refined demeanor and way of speaking, as if she were a noble by birth, often gave the illusion that she was from a different world.
Even then, when she suddenly discovered even a trivial habit of his, Elizabeth would feel as good as discovering a jewel.
It had been quite some time since Kiern's dark blue hair had stained her heart like ink and she couldn't seem to erase it.
Elizabeth wanted to comfort him. Although his mother passed away, I wanted to let him know that there are still people who love him.
So I plucked up my courage and gave strength to the hand that held it.
“Kiern, don't be so sad. I'll be with you for a long time until the part about the duchess. Promise."
Not even dreaming that the promise would be accepted by him.
* * *
Four years before the Duchess's death, Elizabeth came to stay at Argafell Castle.
Elisabeth, then 14 years old, was feeling the sadness of her first separation due to the sudden death of her father.
But the harsh world did not allow her to be sad.
It was because his father, Baron Lua, passed away and the debt increased greatly.
His widowed mother, Stella, was not a woman who could live off the baron's meager legacy.
Although she worked as a lady-in-waiting to a great aristocrat, she couldn't control her expenses, which had already grown, and it was because she was a stranger in household chores.
He was always in a hurry because he didn't have a son to inherit the title and it became a family in name only.
At that time, Elizabeth was young and there was nothing she could do except comfort her crying mother.
Stella, who had gone half crazy like this, was able to stand up again with the help of Duchess Agafel, who was her friend and mistress.
It was thanks to the duchess, who found out about the plight of the mother and daughter, and saw to it that they both stayed in the dukedom.
The Duchess is very kind. It would have been better if he had been healthy.
After saying that, Stella took Elizabeth's hand and put on an excited expression. He seemed a little excited to be able to live in a duchy known for its beauty.
Elizabeth saw it as a mother's way of dealing with pain. I thought it was lucky that I hadn't lost my husband so suddenly.
So, he was afraid to leave the mansion full of his father's traces and go to the unknown castle of Agafel, but he did not show it.
I just thought it would be nice if my mom could get on with her life.
The castle of Argafell, which he came to with such an uneasy mind, was even more beautiful than he thought, and the duchess in front of him was a woman with a more elegant atmosphere than that.
"You are Stella's daughter."
"My name is Elizabeth Lua, ma'am."
“I also have a son like you. I'm sure they'll be good friends like Stella and me. I'm a bit blunt, but I hope you'll talk to me next to me."
The Duchess was a woman with a clear and pure soul. He was also the owner of a warm heart that did not show condescension even after bringing up an insignificant mother and daughter.
She seemed as merciful as a goddess who saved them from being left on the street. And her son, Kierne, was the most beautiful man Elizabeth had ever seen.
"mother."
“Ah, you just arrived. Kirn, come say hi to Elizabeth. This is the boy who will stay in our castle from now on.”
The Duchess introduced Kiern, who had just arrived, to Elizabeth.
"Wow."
As soon as Elizabeth saw it, she immediately exclaimed.
Agafel's unique black hair is as black as obsidian and resembles a bluish night. And the star-filled blue eyes were enough to immediately grab attention.
Kierne regarded Elizabeth with a measured gaze. After a while, they greeted each other with a short bow, but it was so chivalrous that Elizabeth was busy wiping her hands on the hem of her dress because her palms were sweaty.
“I heard a lot from my mother. This is Kiern Agafel.
“This is Elizabeth Luna. Bocchan, you can lower your words.”
Since she came as the daughter of a bridesmaid, she was no different from a bridesmaid.
Judging from the Duchess's words, she would be living next door to the Duke, so it was only natural that he would treat her badly.
But Kierne didn't. He said, lifting his lips gently.
“My mother told me to treat her as an example of a close friend, but I can't do that. If you want to let it go, you have to let it go."
"Oh."
"Is that so, Lady Lua?"
For the first time in her life, Elizabeth felt like a noblewoman.
I had never seen a great aristocrat treat the young lady from a Korean-American baron family with such kindness.
Even if they had the same aristocratic rank, it was because the baronial family could not be included in the aristocratic axis.
Kiern was the heir to the ducal family, so he was away from her.
So seeing him treat her with respect like a young lady from a noble family like this made Elizabeth feel unfamiliar and excited.
"If the young master wants it."
Call me Kierne.
"Oh."
"You can call me Kirn."
There was a hint of mischief in her eyes, which were folded down like crescents. The fact that he spoke subtly seemed like a shock to his tidy appearance.
I even heard a little anticipation that maybe he could have a bit of blue in his heart like her.
Embarrassed by that, Elizabeth's face turned red. she said gibberish.
“So Kirn is also Ellie. Call me Ellie, me.
When I got into engineering school late because I was uncomfortable with informal language, Kiern smiled and said.
"Yes I will. Ellie, let's feel comfortable talking to each other."
Elizabeth just nodded and fanned her hands without making eye contact with him.
The duchess looked at him gently, and Stella looked at him with satisfaction.
That was their first meeting with her, and the day Elizabeth fell in love with Kiern at first sight.
Unfortunately, his heart couldn't fully reach it. It was rightly said that it shattered before even touching it.
His heart, which was like a calm wave, was torn and torn, but he had no right to protest.
I had no choice but to apologize for turning into a crippled body unable to get out of the cage on my own.
Elizabeth felt that she had to be willing to bear her mother's sins, her own sins that she did not know about, and that she knew too late but it was too late.
As much as she loved Kierne, she couldn't abandon her master, who was beautiful but scarred.
