A Practical Guide to Ending a One-Sided Love - Chapter 7

“You’ve kept the rosary well. That you returned safely, I’m truly glad…”

Just as expected, Leila’s moist gaze was wandering around his neck. Bjorn felt somewhat awkward. The thought that the person who had given him the item he had cherished for five whole years was her made him feel oddly uncomfortable as it came back to him.

“Yes, well. I have you to thank for it.”

Was she here to ask for this back now that the holy war was over? Yet Leila simply looked at him in silence for a long while.

Because of that, Bjorn grew even more curious about why she had come to see him. No, he grew uneasy.

Five years ago, Leila had been particularly persistent and tenacious even among the group that followed him around. Even so, Bjorn had never imagined that she would reappear now, five years since then, and he could not help but feel considerably flustered.

Struggling to hide his agitation, he unconsciously swept his gaze over the woman’s hand holding the parasol. It was bare, without a wedding ring, or even a small decorative ring. Moreover, judging by the fact that she still introduced herself with the Bailey surname, she seemed not to be married yet.

But did that make any sense?

As far as Bjorn knew, she was the same age as him. That meant that even when he had left, Leila had already been twenty three, well past adulthood. And now, five years later…

Considering the Principality’s custom of marrying around twenty, it was far too old to still remain unmarried. Old enough that her age alone would be considered a flaw, making it difficult to find a proper match.

Of course, Bjorn himself was in a similar position, but he had no intention of marrying anyway, and in the case of a noble lady like her…

Before he could finish that thought, a chilling possibility flashed through his mind, and his hair nearly stood on end.

‘Could it be that she deliberately chose not to marry and waited for me? For a man who might return alive, might return crippled, or might never return at all?’

Five years was a long time. At the very least, it was enough time for a woman to forget some half-baked first love, get married, and have one or two children.

Yes, no matter what, she couldn’t be that foolish, right? Bjorn forced himself to think calmly. His current speculation was an excessive exaggeration.

There was no fool in the world who would waste all her precious years waiting for a man with whom she had shared no mutual feelings and made no promise of a future. At least, according to his common sense.

“I’m glad to see that you, too, seem to have been keeping well, Miss Bailey. Did you perhaps come today together with your husband…”

Bjorn asked as if probing for the truth. He still held onto the hope that there might be some circumstances behind her continued use of the Bailey name. Things like matrilocal marriage or inheritance issues were common among nobles, complex matters ordinary people could not easily understand.

“Husband, ah, well… Embarrassingly enough, I still have yet to marry…”

However, the woman blushed as if ashamed, and shattered Bjorn’s hope to pieces. In his head, warning horns blared loudly.

“There isn’t any special reason. It’s just that… somehow, I missed the right timing…”

Perhaps aware herself that her situation was not normal, Leila strung together an awkward excuse. The more troubled she looked, the more certain Bjorn became that his suspicion was reasonable.

O God Almighty, why do You cast both this lamb and me into such a trial.

“I only came today because I heard that you had returned, sir, and wanted to see your face for a moment, so please don’t feel too burdened.”

Then, after hesitating briefly, Leila finally spoke the words Bjorn had been dreading.

“I don’t know if it will be of any help, but my feelings for you are the same as they were five years ago. Anytime, in any situation, I will support you, sir. So… please stay strong, sir!”

Coincidentally, it was spring. Feeling as though he were reliving the same nightmare all over again, Bjorn wanted to squeeze his eyes shut.

“Of course, what I said before, that I don’t hope for a response, still holds strong. I really just wanted you to know that your safe return makes me so very happy.”

For someone who claimed she didn’t hope for a response, her face was plainly filled with lingering attachment. No, now Bjorn found those words, that she didn’t hope for a response, even more frightening. Leila’s words felt like a vow that she would never give up her feelings, even if he offered no hope or leeway whatsoever.

“So you don’t have to worry about me. I just wish to pray for your happiness.”

The words telling him not to worry were deceitful as well. Bjorn glared sharply at the woman’s retreating back, as she turned away after throwing down a bomb he could not possibly ignore.

Leila Bailey was a far more formidable opponent than he had thought. If even five years had not been enough to shake her off, then what in the world would it take to make her give up?

It seemed that, after all, the only path left to him was to become a monk.