‘I’ll think about it. If that’s what you want.’

…… he said, and then he really just thought about it.

For three seasons, Edric didn’t change his mind.

He made a few trips to the capital in between, but always returned before dinner, showing no signs of a change of heart.

Crown Prince Lucius came to persuade him more than ten times.

When he realized he could no longer convince Edric, he decided to target his son, Jade.

“Jade. Don’t you want to live in the capital? There are many toys there, and much more fun things to do than here.”

“I’m fine, Your Highness.”

But Jade didn’t fall for the Crown Prince’s temptation. The child, with his explosively increased language skills over the past few months, gently but firmly rejected Lucius’s offer.

“My father said that a person should know when to be content. I’m just fine right now.”

Melly could read in Lucius’s eyes at that moment what he wanted to say.

‘Like father, like son.’

But Lucius didn’t give up and continued to visit, showing surprisingly persistent determination, and his daughter Gloria joined in as well.

Gloria, the princess who visited Edric with her father, fell in love with Jade at first sight and begged her father to let them marry.

Jade, who didn’t quite understand what marriage was yet, just thought he would have a friend to play with forever, so he agreed, and Lucius, with sparkling eyes, actively tried to push for an engagement between the two.

He was certain that even the stubborn Edric would have no choice but to get involved in imperial affairs if they were tied by family relations.

But.

“The children’s futures are too bright to be tied down by an engagement.”

Edric was as merciless to the daughter as he was to her father.

To Melly, it seemed he liked Gloria, but was against it because of the child’s father.

Anyway, even though Lucius mobilized Gloria to persuade Edric, he didn’t change his mind.

So Melly also gave up at some point.

Then, just as it was about to be a year since the two reunited, he suddenly asked.

“If I say we should go to the capital, will you go?”

It was surprising, as she had given up thinking that he must really have no lingering attachments by now.

“Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

“Just. It seems like a good timing now.”

He said lightly, shrugging his shoulders.

‘Was this man always the type to act on a whim like this?’

Although she was puzzled by this unfamiliar side of him, she didn’t dislike the proposal itself.

As he said, the timing was perfect.

As it was, Jade’s curiosity for learning was growing day by day, and she felt the limitations of educating the child with just home tutors.

The child wanted to go to school. He wanted to enter the academy early like his father, compete with his peers, and gain a sense of achievement in that environment.

The Tea House Jade was now bustling with customers who came purely to enjoy tea, not just Melly ‘Pelton’. Among those customers were some from the capital’s social circles.

When ladies who wouldn’t visit unless it was a high-end tea house like Lumière came and had a satisfying time, Melly felt proud.

‘It’s a shame there’s no tea house this delicious in the capital. Please consider opening a branch in the capital, madam.’

The ladies’ suggestion was something Melly had thought about before. As a form of life where she could live side by side with Edric.

The plan that had only remained as a possibility until now because he hadn’t made up his mind was about to become a reality in an instant.

Melly readily agreed.

“Alright, I’ll prepare.”

As it happened, Mia, who had been diligently helping at the tea house, was about to quit.

Thanks to her faithful work, she had saved enough money to get a small shop, but in the meantime, the real estate prices in this village had risen so much that Mia had to open her shop in another remote area.

She and her children were very sad to leave the neighborhood they had grown fond of.

But this way, Mia wouldn’t have to leave the neighborhood she loved. Melly would pass on this place and her know-how to her without any cost.

Tea House Jade.

As long as she maintained that precious name that had allowed her to stand on her own.

The luggage cart departed with the luggage.

Melly, Edric, and Jade took time to take a last look at the place that had been their home for the past year.

With each step they took, the thrilling and bewildering moments of their first day living together in this house began to vividly resurface in Melly’s mind.

The sight of Jade running around excitedly all day as soon as they arrived, as if he had never seen such a spacious house before, with Mrs. Louisa following behind with a worried face.

The image of Edric and her going through each room, exchanging opinions on how to arrange the furniture, where to place decorations, and what rugs to put on the floor.

The refreshing moment when they finally finished tidying up and all stuck their faces out the window to feel the evening breeze.

All those sleeping memories were now awakening and running around here and there as vivid afterimages.

It made Melly feel empty, as if there was a hole in her chest through which the wind was passing.

“If you’re feeling too regretful, tell me now. I’ll arrange to keep this place as a villa instead of handing it over to someone else.”

While the child was playing echo games alone in the next room, Edric said as he pulled her into his arms.

But Melly shook her head.

“No. Don’t do that.”

She didn’t want to add this place to the many villas of the Pelton ducal family. She thought it would be a waste.

“I’ll just bury it as a precious memory.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Edric asked.

“Of course.”

Melly added with a comfortable smile.

“We need to know how to empty to be able to fill as well.”

She would fill the regret with anticipation for a new life.

The Pelton ducal residence.

With the expectation of starting a new life in the place that was once pain for her.

“Mom! Dad! Can you hear my voice−?”

The child’s voice echoed from the next room.

“Yes, we can hear you well.”

Edric answered with a voice mixed with laughter.

Melly and Edric left the room hand in hand.

Outside the house, a car was waiting.

Louisa had already gone up to the capital with Oz, who had come down to help with the luggage arrangement.

So now only the three of them needed to get in the car.

They thought no one would come to see them off since they had taken time to say goodbye to each villager one by one the day before. But Elsa and Leon, along with a few regular customers from Melly’s tea house, came to see her off.

Melly hugged each of them once more and said goodbye again.

“Thank you for everything. Really… thank you so much.”

Their voices were mixed with tears as well.

“We should be the ones thanking you. For making delicious tea. For giving us a comfortable place to rest.”

“Live well.”

“Don’t forget us.”

The teardrops in their eyes were as transparent as dew sparkling on leaves after rain.

Feeling the warm emotion spreading through every corner of her body through her blood vessels, Melly gave her final greeting to everyone.

“Thank you, everyone. I’m truly grateful.”

Edric quietly approached her side, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and said.

“It’s time to go now.”

He said this because it seemed they might not be able to leave today at this rate.

Jade had already gotten in the car and was sticking his head out the window, waving to people.

Melly got in the car, and as Edric followed and closed the door, a chapter of her life closed.

Now she had to leave behind the life, relationships, and precious things she had cultivated for the past year or so, and move towards a new life.

For a life that would make both of them happy. No, all three of them happy. Not just for herself, not just for Edric.

The car wheels slowly increased speed, crushing the gravel with a crunch.

Receiving the regretful send-off from the people, their car departed towards the capital.

After about two hours of driving, a familiar sight came into view.

They had reached the fields adjacent to the capital.

Haystacks were piled up here and there in the fields where the harvest had ended.

Fallen leaves hung precariously on tree branches, swaying, and children were playing by the river, grabbing sand and stones.

The surface of the river created a sparkling reflection as it caught the midday sunlight.

Looking at that scene, Melly smiled quietly.

It seemed so desolate when she left the capital, but it had changed to be so peaceful over the four years.

“This place has changed a lot.”

Melly said, keeping her gaze fixed outside the window. Then Edric squeezed her hand tightly and replied.

“That’s not true. This place is the same. What’s changed is you.”

“…”

“Because your heart is at ease, this place looks peaceful too.”

At those words, Melly turned to him and said.

“I know that too.”

The car finally crossed the capital’s city gate.

Then, the car that had been running excitedly until then slowed down. It was because there were many more cars around. In the past, 8 out of 10 vehicles on the street were carriages and 2 were cars, but now it was half and half. Cars had become commonplace in everyday life in that time.

That’s how the times were changing.

While Melly marveled at the more convenient world, she felt somewhat bitter.

In the rapidly flowing stream of time, it seemed forever impossible to regain something once lost.

For example, childhood memories. Or dreams and wishes.

“…”

It was then.

The road the car had just turned onto was different from the road she remembered leading to the ducal residence. Had a new road been built in the meantime?

“Why are we going this way?”

Melly asked with wide eyes, and Edric said.

“There’s somewhere I want to go with you.”

“Where is that?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

He just said that and gently stroked Jade’s fine blonde hair as he slept leaning against him.

‘Where on earth are we going?’

Melly was curious, but thinking she would find out anyway, she didn’t ask again.

As she thought, their car stopped at the side of a smooth road about ten minutes later.

“Dad, where is this?”

Jade, who had just woken up, asked while rubbing his eyes. Edric answered as he held his son in his arms and got out of the open car door.

“The place mom likes the most.”