As If I've Never Loved (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 14
It took nearly two days by carriage from Longfield to Brighton, the capital of the Kingdom of Wellington.
To reach Chatham, one had to travel yet another hour without pause.
“My luggage is light—I’ll go alone. I don’t wish to draw attention.”
Ansel closed the carriage door without waiting for a reply. Though the day was slightly overcast, the season being what it was, the sunlight remained strikingly bright.
Watching the warm golden rays glide across the fountain’s azure surface somehow lifted his spirits, as if by magic.
It was truly ironic—this tiresome journey had never once felt weary when taken in the opposite direction.
Or rather, to be precise…
“Sir Ansel?”
As he quietly approached the grand gates of the Royal Wellington Military Academy, a sentry stationed there stepped forward and saluted.
Though Ansel had once served as Cadet Regimental Commander, he was still merely a cadet; yet the sentry’s demeanor was exceedingly respectful.
It was the courtesy owed to an honored knight of the realm and heir to a distinguished military family.
“I scarcely dared hope—so it really is you, Sir Ansel.”
The man couldn’t take his eyes off Ansel, who stood before him not in cadet uniform but in formal attire.
Ansel Blaine, he realized anew, was the epitome of nobility.
His gait, his gaze—even his very breath—spoke of it.
Among all who had passed through these gates—nobles, even royals—few men possessed such exquisite dignity.
Ansel accepted the greeting with practiced ease. His finely chiseled face remained perfectly composed.
“What brings you here, sir? Have you come to watch the match?”
Impossible. He held no interest in watching sweaty men tangle in the dirt on a summer day like this.
Besides, it was clearly not summer break.
‘Does he never tire of this?’
At that moment, a sudden burst of raucous shouting furrowed Ansel’s brow.
Ansel asked dryly,
“Is there a match?”
“Yes. A friendly cricket match against Clifton College.”
“I see.”
His reply was brief, making it clear he hadn’t asked out of curiosity.
A white-gloved hand slowly swept back his hair in a clean, effortless motion, then rested lightly on his slender waist—narrow even for his broad shoulders.
“I suppose I should hope Chatham wins. Good day.”
With that dispassionate farewell and a slight nod of his chin, Ansel turned toward the academy gates.
Before his eyes lay a landscape he’d known for two full years.
The majestic spires still pierced the sky as ever, flanked by dormitories, lecture halls, and training grounds circling the wide central courtyard.
It was obvious without even looking—the source of the noise was the field behind the dormitories.
Having come only to collect his personal belongings, Ansel had no intention of heading that way, and now his resolve hardened further as he stepped inside the dormitory building.
“Oh! Well, if it isn’t Ansel?”
More precisely—he attempted to enter, but a sweaty, grinning cadet dashed over and seized his arm, thwarting his effort.
Oscar Haynes. Ansel’s classmate.
“Haynes.”
“Weren’t you supposed to be at Lord Longfield’s? What are you doing here? Huh? Did you come to cheer for the match today?”
Oscar never missed a chance to join any commotion—and always tried his hardest to drag Ansel Blaine into it.
Even he, however, was nearing the end of his two-year cadet life, with graduation scheduled for the end of July.
Though Ansel had never once called him by his first name, Oscar persisted in trailing after him like a loyal friend.
Ansel found him irritating, yet admitted—if only to himself—that Oscar’s presence had made time pass more swiftly, for which he was somewhat grateful.
Still.
“It’s as noisy as ever.”
“Have you ever considered that you might be the one who’s too quiet? A man born a soldier to his bones, yet with no desire to become an officer—frankly, it grieves me! It’s a national loss!”
“Then why are you here during leave?”
“Why, of course to cheer them on! We must flatten Clifton’s nose!”
Oscar raised his uninjured arm triumphantly, eyes gleaming. He looked utterly foolish.
Wouldn’t Chatham’s honor be at risk if they let such a man graduate?
Though perhaps it was fortunate he wasn’t so foolish as to insist on playing despite his injured arm.
Without a word, Ansel shook his head and stepped into the building. That was quite enough interruption.
“Oh, but I heard the most astonishing news today.”
Yet Oscar stopped Ansel once more.
And this time, it wasn’t something he could brush off lightly.
“Is it true you’re getting married next month?”
“……”
He’d intended to inform society only after the ceremony.
Even if some indiscreet servant from his household had let slip word of the engagement, he’d hoped the news wouldn’t spread across the capital until after the wedding—
After he’d vanished entirely from the city, retreating to a quiet rose garden.
So that neither insult nor praise—none of the capital’s sordid gossip—would ever reach her.
“What’s that look for? Don’t tell me you’re planning to disappear without a sound…”
“Where did you hear that?”
Ansel’s voice, rarely edged with anger, made Oscar flinch.
“Lady Bianca told me! She stopped by this morning—asked if you were coming.”
“You should know I’m at my grandfather’s.”
“Well, someone from your household must have told her. She probably came just in case, what with the friendly match today—and against Clifton, no less.”
What utter farce.
Whether the opponent was Clifton or the royal family, he held no interest whatsoever in such matches.
Ansel sighed heavily, his gaze drifting toward the ceiling.
“She said you never even replied to the match schedule, let alone declined—so she turned back right away? By the way, when did you return? If you’re not planning to come back down, why not join us for the hunt next week?”
Bianca Talbot, daughter of a duke, had attended the same private school and university as Ansel.
Their families naturally maintained a comfortably close relationship, and since coming of age, Bianca had taken to visiting Viscount Monmouth’s estate at every opportunity, claiming she was keeping the Viscountess company.
She must have learned from his stepmother that he was in the capital—
And of his engagement as well.
Ansel suddenly felt weary.
“Sir Ansel? Didn’t you hear me?”
“I heard. Be quiet.”
Pressing his throbbing temples, Ansel strode briskly forward.
He hadn’t planned to linger long anyway, but now he decided he must leave even sooner.
Behind him, Oscar’s heavy footsteps thudded loudly down the corridor.
“By the way, she said something quite interesting.”
Ansel was already standing before the storage cabinet at the corridor’s end.
Pulling out a key, he unlocked the innermost compartment, revealing a box of belongings—
A neatly folded uniform, some books, writing implements—simple items.
“She claimed your whole marriage is just a show—a scheme to escape your family. She said you’ll call off the engagement the moment this sham ends.”
“She said that?”
Ha. Ansel gave a cold, derisive laugh. His family was his world, his origin.
Only fools would willingly abandon their own house. Even his polite deference toward his stepmother—who’d taken his late mother’s place without ever showing her dislike—stemmed from that same principle.
After all, it was by the Viscount of Monmouth’s own choice that she’d become his wife and mistress of House Blaine.
By an unshakable principle.
He knew it was his stepmother who’d told Bianca such things—and that she did so because she refused to accept him.
Yet Ansel lifted the box with an impassive expression.
“She also said your fiancée comes from some insignificant commoner family.”
His throat tightened at those words, but he offered no reply.
“You’ve never once shown interest in any marriage proposal before. You didn’t even bat an eye at the famed Lady Talbot! Who would believe such a marriage is real? Everyone will assume you’ll return to the capital once the play ends.”
For a soldier, he certainly talked too much. Ansel clicked his tongue softly, checked his pocket watch, and headed for the exit.
“Ansel!”
“Haynes.”
At the deafening shout, Ansel stopped abruptly. His next words were low and deep.
“I’ve only come to pack what’s left—I’ll head back as soon as I’m done. I doubt I’ll return to the capital again.”
Unless she wished it.
“…You’re really leaving the capital? Because of this marriage? You’re joking, right?”
“I’ll attend the graduation. If you’ve more to say, wait until then.”
“Ansel!”
His dazed classmate followed him all the way to the carriage, clearly bursting with questions.
“Longfield? There’s nothing there! Visiting the old man every summer was always a chore for you! Why didn’t you say a word about this marriage until now? Is the girl really some nobody commoner? If that’s truly the case…”
The waiting servant opened the carriage door. Without even glancing at Oscar, Ansel murmured quietly,
“Return to the field.”
“Could she really be more beautiful than Lady Bianca? Did you fall for her at first sight while attending to your grandfather?”
“Ha. Let’s go.”
Ansel closed his eyes wearily, sinking into the seat as he gave the order. The door shut, and the carriage wheels began to roll slowly forward.
Outside, the commotion continued—but it didn’t matter. It would quiet down soon enough.
“I’m just genuinely curious! What’s her name, really?”
[This is the timeline separator]“Eloise.”
Late at night, as Eloise sat perched on her bed gazing out at the shadowed landscape beyond the window, a tentative voice reached her ears.
Turning, she saw Sarah standing there, holding a small candlestick.
‘Could it be because the wedding draws near?’
Sarah had always been beautiful, but tonight she seemed especially so.
Her sparkling eyes held the entire blue summer night sky, and the golden ripples cast by the candlelight upon her angelically soft cheeks looked almost sacred.
“I was just about to put out the light…”
In that instant, Eloise sensed her sister had realized something.
The thought struck her next—perhaps Sarah had known all along.
After all, sisters were bound together in ways words couldn’t capture.
“Is there something you’d like to tell me?”
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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Chapter Comments (1)
Inline Comments (53)
Archibald’s face, when she looked down at him, was faintly flushed for some reas
He likes her! I had my dubts, but not now.
Let’s see how the story develops.
“And I’d prefer it if we didn’t see each other after the wedding.”
What a fucking asshole Ansel is!! 😬🤣 How could Eloise have feelings for him?
Since childhood, Bianca had never hesitated to openly declare what she wanted.
That’s ok… But she’s soooo annoying and desperate 😒🤨
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Where is the 100 and 101 chapters 💔💔💔😭😭😭 why it is not here