‘I never knew I would come to experience such enjoyment like this.’

Even when I had a whole country in my hands to play with, I never felt such pleasure. Why is the change in one person so enjoyable?

For a moment, I thought about paying attention to others like Ael. But no matter how much I thought about it, it seemed no one would give me as much pleasure as Ael.

Ael, who had briefly turned her head to hide her sulking expression, after a little while, seemed to want to look out the window again and quietly cast her gaze through the curtains.

“How much longer until we arrive?”

“If we go straight like this, it will take about 1 more hour. But there is a place we need to stop by briefly, so it will take a bit longer.”

“A place we need to stop by?”

As Ael’s eyes widened as if hearing this for the first time, Kalon tilted his head as if wondering if she really didn’t know.

“Didn’t Ino tell you?”

“Ino didn’t say much. I just reviewed more copies of the old documents sent by the Count’s family…”

“That Ino.”

As he frowned, Ael tensed up. What is it? Is there some other important matter left?

“Where do we need to stop? Is there someone we need to meet?”

Seeing the joy of travel disappear in an instant, Kalon shook his head.

“We’re not meeting anyone. I’m sure Ino thought it wasn’t very important and didn’t mention it. The place we’re stopping is the land we’re trying to purchase this time. We don’t have to go, but since it’s on the way, I thought it would be good to stop by.”

Ael nodded at his words.

The Ash Company found out that the reason the Count was selling the land was for his five children under him.

Basically, the eldest son inherits most of the property and titles, but the Count seemed to have deep affection for all his children and wanted the younger ones to live comfortably as well.

Then there was no choice but to sell the territory.

Since he couldn’t sell the central territory that supported the title of Count, he had to clear out the peripheral land that generated relatively less tax.

That alone wouldn’t amount to much money. But as luck would have it, there were people who needed that land and were willing to pay several times more than the average market price.

‘That’s the Ash Company.’

Though selling for money, he probably didn’t want to sell the inherited territory if possible. Then…

‘He’d want to sell to someone who would cherish their land.’

If so, seeing that land directly would allow for a more pleasant conversation with the Count and his wife.

The carriage that had been running for a long time stopped.

“From here, we have to get off and walk. The carriage can’t go up.”

He got off first and then extended his hand into the carriage.

Having practiced many times, Ael naturally took his hand and exited the carriage.

But before her feet touched the ground, the horse fidgeted, causing the carriage to shake a little. Because of that, Ael’s body also shook and lost balance.

Just as she thought she was about to fall, Kalon wrapped one arm around Ael’s waist and lifted her so lightly, carefully setting her down on the ground.

It happened so quickly and naturally that Ael only realized what had happened after her feet touched the ground.

“Are you alright?”

“Huh? Yes!”

“If you’re tired from riding in the carriage for so long, please tell me. It’s better not to overdo it. If it’s hard to walk…”

If it’s hard? Would he just tell her to wait in the carriage? As Ael was about to shake her head, he calmly said,

“Shall I carry you on my back?”

“No!”

Ael backed away in shock.

But the hand holding her waist didn’t loosen its grip easily. It wasn’t gripping roughly. But it also couldn’t be easily undone.

Ael eventually tried to remove his hand holding her with her own hand.

But how could a person have such strong finger strength?

Far from removing it, she was merely fiddling with his fingers.

“Please let go of my hand.”

“Why? We practiced often at the company.”

“We don’t need to be like this right now.”

“When else should I help my fiancée like this if not when she’s about to fall?”

She’s not even your real fiancée.

She could have said that and pushed him away, but Ael couldn’t bring herself to utter those words. Because she liked the time spent like this, even if it was pretense.

It’s not that she particularly wanted Kyle’s affection and the constantly touching body heat.

She wasn’t brazen enough to want something so grand and personal.

It’s just that in her imagination of traveling far away, he was always by her side, so she thought that if this engagement were real, that imagination could become real too.

But no matter how good it feels, imagination is nothing more than an illusion.

So Ael had to catch her mind that kept trying to float up and tie it down to the ground of reality many times.

But despite her efforts, every time Kyle acted like this, her carefully caught reason flew back into the sky.

Below her neck became hot. Thinking her face would soon turn red too, Ael bowed her head deeply.

“Do you dislike it that much?”

Only then did his voice, which had become a little more serious, convey worry.

The arm that seemed like it would hold on tightly forever suddenly lost its strength like a lie.

When his hand was about to let go and pull away, Ael reached out and grabbed his retreating hand.

“If, if you’re going to hold on, just holding hands is fine.”

“…”

Because she had her head bowed, Ael didn’t see. What kind of smile appeared on his face.

“Alright. Then let’s go up.”

A large hand grasped Ael’s hand and then pushed in between her fingers.

Kyle seemed to interlock their fingers firmly with his slightly cool hand so they wouldn’t come undone, then strode forward, leading Ael.

Thanks to that, Ael climbed the sloping hill path very easily.

For a long time, they climbed the grassy hill.

At their feet, summer wildflowers in full bloom carpeted the ground, and green grasshoppers startled by human presence jumped here and there.

Occasionally, small brown-furred creatures would scurry by.

Marveling at these small wonders, Ael entrusted her body to the hand that kept holding onto her.

Finally, when they reached the top of the hill, he turned his body and extended his other hand as well.

Ael stretched out her remaining hand without hesitation. As if it was natural to entrust herself to him like this.

However, because he was facing away from the sun, Kalon’s face was not visible. She wondered if she might be too heavy and he was struggling.

Contrary to such worries, Ael’s body was pulled up to the hilltop as lightly as a doll by his two hands. And at that moment when she stood at the peak.

“Oh my…!”

Ael was completely captivated by the scenery spread out below her.

What unfolded beyond the hill was a coastal hilly area.

A place where gentle green hills seemed to stretch endlessly. But one end of those hills was made up of sheer cliffs.

The exposed hillside was a dazzling white color, and below it, deep-colored seawater crashed in large waves, creating blue spray.

Short grasses grew on top of the hills, and here and there flocks of sheep wandered around, leisurely grazing on that grass.

Above the sheep’s heads, seabirds slowly circled in large arcs.

While Ael was repeatedly exclaiming in admiration at the pastoral scene bordering the sea, there was a small roof peeking out between the trees of a small forest a little way off.

“Who lives in that house?”

“Long ago, a scholar from some academy built it to observe the sea. I hear it’s empty now. It could probably be fixed up for someone to live in, but apparently no one particularly wanted that place.”

Ael tried to gauge the distance from where she was to that house. It seemed like a distance that could be covered in about 20 minutes of walking.

“Um…”

“Do you want to go see it?”

He asked first, as if knowing what she was going to say.

“If it won’t be a problem for our schedule.”

“If we walk a little faster, it won’t be a problem. We left early to prepare for any situation.”

“Then let’s go!”

This time, Ael took the lead.

There was no longer any need to hold another’s hand since it wasn’t a hill anymore, but the two still didn’t let go of their clasped hands.

The path they took was a continuation of the same scenery as before.

To the right was the deep blue sea that seemed to stretch endlessly, to the left was a sea of gentle hills.

There was a well-trodden path on one side, perhaps where people managing the sheep flocks passed by, and the two walked along that path.

There wasn’t much conversation. All they shared was pleasantly warm sunshine and somewhat strong sea breezes.

And the cries of sheep and seabirds.

Amidst the peaceful sounds, Ael continued to hold his hand and walk.