Chapter 39
Melchor gently bowed his head, making it easier for her to pat Julian’s head. A fine, soft hand stroked his black hair, a movement that seemed to appease a child.
“Are you still treating me like a child?” asked Julian, a little choked up, but he didn’t hate the sensation of her touching his hair. He liked her, she was kind enough to treat him like a child even as he grew up. The difference in time that could not be filled would be a small thing.
“Are you in a good mood?” she asked.
“Yes,” replied Julian.
“It’s amazing. Your eyes look warm to me,” she said.
“You are the only one who says so,” said Julian.
Even though Julian’s eyes are so transparent that he can’t even capture the feeling of deceiving himself, the warm light seems to embrace everything.
“I’m neither warm nor inclusive,” said Julian.
“Oh, don’t you believe me?” she asked.
“No,” replied Julian.
It was strange, not like other times, but when Julian was with her, he felt like a different person. Maybe the Roséline in this dream was different from the actual Roséline. Was this the image that she only showed to others, or was it her fantasy that she drew? quiet, beautiful, and soft. At the same time, when did Julian become unable to escape from this lovely girl?
With mild curiosity, Julian looked at her as Roséline quietly closed her eyes. This was also a dream. In her dream, she did something she could not do in reality, and Julian remembered this strange gap. Shaking, Melchor couldn’t help but crave.
“Our Julian is introverted and lacks courage,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” replied Julian.
“But you don’t give up, you wait patiently until the end,” she said, each word like a delicate petal falling from the sky.
“Julian, you are my disciple,” she continued.
“Are you letting me do this?” he asked.
“You’re just doing whatever you want, aren’t you?” she retorted playfully.
He saw her turn her back and push him away, with a small pout on her face. Melchor’s heart ached with longing.
He yearned to hold her, to protect her, and to cherish her always.
“When I was young, I didn’t have the power to protect you,” he said.
“I understand,” she replied.
“But when I gained strength, you were no longer there,” he continued.
“I’m still with you, Julian,” she said.
“What? No way…,” he whispered, incredulous.
“Are you doubting what I say?” she asked.
“No, not at all,” he replied, his voice filled with emotion.
Why was she only so affectionate with him in dreams when, in reality, she always seemed so distant?
“Julian, you are my pride,” she said, a smile on her face.
“And you are mine,” he replied, echoing her sentiment.
They laughed together, as her form blurred and her scent and warmth faded away.
“Roseline!” he cried.
“My Julian. I believe in you,” she said as she vanished into the light, like a mist disappearing in the sun.
The red petals scattered, and Melchor opened his eyes, watching as his dream world slowly dissipated into reality.
The dream was over.
******
Melchor pondered over his thoughts as he shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memories of the dream. It had been a long time since he last dreamed of Roselaine, and he wasn’t sure why he was dreaming of her again.
He was married to Roseline, and yet he had dreamed of another woman. He felt a sense of shame and guilt for having feelings for someone who wasn’t his wife.
However, he rationalized it as a lingering attachment to an obsession with his first love. He had thought that by saving Roséline, who looked like Roselaine, and making her his wife, he would finally be able to move on.
But now, the dream of Roselaine had resurfaced, causing Melchor to question if he had ever truly moved on. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that maybe, he was still clinging to the past.
*****
“We’ll be leaving soon.”
“As you command, sir,” replied Hugo, his trustworthy butler, who never hesitated to respond to his master’s call. He meticulously poured hot water into the kettle.
“What time does Roseline usually rise?” asked Melchor.
“Typically, she wakes up around seven,” replied Hugo.
“I’ll leave after seeing Roseline this morning,” said Melchor, deviating from his usual routine.
Although Melchor was a punctual man, he was not known for being lazy. It was uncommon for him to prioritize seeing his wife before heading to work. However, a faithful butler like Hugo would never question his master’s actions. He silently handed Melchor a cup of freshly brewed coffee and responded in his usual composed tone, “Very well.”
As Melchor savored his coffee, he gazed at the sunrise.
“Is that Melchor?” a surprised voice, belonging to Roseline, called out.
“Yes, Madam,” Deborah replied.
Roseline checked the clock and saw that it was 7 a.m.
Melchor, who was always up before sunrise and at work before dawn, was at home when Roseline woke up, which was unusual. She wondered what had happened for him to delay starting work. Could it be an emergency? But why didn’t he wake her up if it was? She felt a bit sick at the thought that he had let her sleep while he was awake.
Roseline quickly got out of bed and changed into an indoor suit. She didn’t spend much time getting ready, as she wasn’t someone who put much effort into her appearance. Once she was dressed, she went to the office, where she found Melchor waiting for her at the door.
“Melchor, why are you standing?” she asked.
“I’m here to apologize to you,” he replied.
“For what?” Roseline asked, confused.
What could be the reason for such a strange apology so early in the morning?
“I’m sorry, Roseline.”
Melchor lowered his head slightly in apology toward her.
Roseline was taken aback, not knowing what he was apologizing for.
“What are you apologizing to me for, Melchor?”
Roseline seemed confused, as she couldn’t see why Melchor would need to apologize to her.
However, Melchor was apologizing because he had betrayed and deceived her. In his dream, he hugged “Roselaine” like a lover and confessed his feelings, even though he had made a pledge to her as his spouse.
But without Melchor explaining the situation in detail, Roseline was left with more questions than answers.
What exactly is Melchor apologizing for?
She thought he might be sorry for not being able to keep his promise about holding a simple ceremony in the chapel of their mansion. However, with the imperial family sending jewelry and dresses, they ended up renting a large park for an outdoor ceremony and met with the manager.
Is that something that Melchor should apologize for?
Although Melchor may have felt guilty for not fulfilling his promise, Roseline assumed that it was due to situations beyond his control and tried to comfort him.
“I’m okay, Melchor.”
“Roseline?”
“You didn’t do it intentionally, and there were circumstances you couldn’t control, right?”
Roseline’s words made Melchor panic, as she had completely misunderstood the situation.
I haven’t told you about my dream yet, but how did Roseline know? Melchor asked himself, surprised.
“Is this the famous ‘Woman’s Persimmon’?” Roseline replied with a question of her own.
Melchor was taken aback. Did Roseline know about his dream of another woman and still forgive him so generously?
He looked at her with a mix of surprise, emotional turmoil, and gratitude. “I’m sorry, Roseline. I promised to be responsible for you, but I…”
“It’s okay. I don’t really mind,” Roseline said, shrugging it off.
“You don’t mind?” Melchor asked, shocked.
Is it okay for a husband to dream of another woman? Melchor was stunned.
“I’ve been like this since I was young, so I’m used to it. I can’t help it, and it’s easier to just accept it,” Roseline explained.
“Don’t say that,” Melchor burst out in a fit of emotion, regretting it immediately.
“Why am I getting emotional after making a mistake?”
Melchor knew it was completely his fault for dreaming of another woman while he was married to Roseline. She had no right to be angry since she wasn’t jealous. But still, he hated himself for it.
“Don’t think you can’t help it. It’s your right to be angry with me. Let me ask for your forgiveness,” Melchor implored.
“What? It’s not that serious, is it?” Roseline asked, looking at him quizzically.
Even if the ceremony is held in the outdoor hall and all the guests are aristocrats, why are you upset over something like this when there’s no danger of being pelted with eggs or threatened by robbers? There may be whispers of her being the daughter of a criminal, but that’s not a major issue..
“It’s within the expected range. No problem,” she continued.
“Were you expecting it?”
“Just in case, I’m also preparing,” Roseline added.
Melchor was left speechless. “Uh…?”
If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! (Note: Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much!)
Browse our table of contents or Become a patron now!