TRETTHD 68

#68. Nightmare

Khalid’s gaze wavered, as if struck at the core, unsure where to rest. Yet, he soon acknowledged it calmly.

“Yeah. I’m anxious.”

He admitted honestly that he was terrified of her leaving him.

Khalid met Velia’s eyes.

“Do you think we were meant to meet?”

Fate, he said.

Raul had said something similar, and now Khalid too. Today, they seemed to echo each other.

“If it weren’t fate, could we even have met? And even if it isn’t, it doesn’t matter.”

Velia smiled faintly and reached for his neck.

“Fate isn’t a big deal. So don’t worry about such trivial things.”

She pressed a light kiss to his lips.

“You’re not the only one who’s anxious.”

Afraid he might change, too.

“I’m anxious too.”

Despite knowing it could be poisonous for her, she had let Erze into the Second Prince’s palace. She kept the one who had once taken everything from her close, testing how things would go in this life.

Raul had easily stolen her heart—a blazing love that flared up in an instant, leaving him by her side as nothing more than ashes.

Anxiety consumed her heart, suspicion crept in, and memories of that time trapped her in a way she couldn’t escape.

But every time Khalid grew impatient, every time he showed his desire, her previously empty heart felt completely full.

So they used each other’s insecurities. Cowardly, perhaps.

“So don’t make me anxious.”

Neither of them spoke the words “I love you.”

Velia and Khalid remained silent, as if in a contest, waiting to see who would say it first, careful not to let the word slip by accident.

Yet, even unspoken, the feeling between them was heavier and deeper. The suffocating emotion wrapped around their bodies, binding them tightly.

“I have no one but you now.”

As soon as Velia spoke, they kissed again without hesitation, exploring one another urgently, as if to quench a long-held thirst.

“…Velia.”

Khalid’s eyes darkened with a lustful haze.

“Perhaps you and I are not meant to be.”

He kissed her wrist lightly. Watching his lips pull away with a faint smack, a strange tingling ran through her waist, and Velia hurriedly bit her lips.

“But I’ll cut all the threads of your fate if I have to, until it leads to me.”

Khalid rested his cheek against her hand.

“So don’t even dream of leaving me, Velia.”

His expression was desperate, craving affection.

“If you try to run, I’ll send someone to bring you back, and I’ll keep you locked away for life so you’ll never leave again.”

He pressed a kiss to the palm that rested on his cheek, then lifted his gaze to meet Velia’s.

Her pupils trembled.

Khalid wrapped her in his arms. Even as they walked to the bed, he planted short kisses across her cheeks, eyes, nose, and forehead.

“Your words may be harsh…”

But his actions were painstakingly tender and gentle. Every word she heard…

“I can’t help it. I can always only be weak in front of you.”

Finally, Velia’s back met the bed.

“So, be gentle with me, Velia. Okay?”

Khalid buried his face in her neck. Yes, their bond would be strong, unshakable. Velia instinctively wrapped her hands around his back, reassured that he was different from Raul.

“What should I do to make you even happier, Your Highness?”

“Well, we’ll see as time goes on.”

Khalid smiled, reaching for the buttons of her dress.

“Do your best, Princess.”

He expected her to rise to the challenge.

The sky was clear, and the air was fresh.

Flowers in the garden bloomed vibrantly, and sunlight poured warmly through the clouds.

Velia walked along a familiar path, humming a tune in her heart. It was a delightful day.

“Ahaha! Your Highness!”

A high, sweet laugh drifted to her ears. So pleasant that she found herself walking toward the sound.

‘…Ah.’

Erze and Raul strolled through the garden, gazing at each other with love.

Lovely Erze wore a wide-brimmed hat shielding her from the sun and a luxurious pink dress—the very one Raul had gifted Velia on the day he proposed.

Velia walked a few steps ahead, then turned and reached her hand toward Raul, who caught it with a beaming smile.

“This is a dream.”

She repeated to herself that it was a dream. None of it could exist again outside of this vision.

“After all, it’s all a dream.”

In an instant, the blue sky darkened.

As the weather turned gloomy, Velia reassured herself: ‘Yes, this is a dream.’ But a harsh wind swept through, mocking her.

And the scene before her changed completely.

Raul was gone. Khalid replaced him, smiling warmly.

Watching him show that expression to Erze instead of her, a piercing pain shattered her heart.

She tried to move toward them, but an invisible force held her, unable to take a step.

“This isn’t real…”

The laughter of the woman and the man mingled—they looked happy.

“Stop!”

Khalid’s loving gaze rested on Erze. Shyly, Erze held his fingers, and their faces drew close.

“No!”

They kissed deeply.

“Khalid!”

Engrossed in each other, they froze at Velia’s scream, the wind stilled, and the air itself seemed unreal.

In that moment, Khalid and Erze’s eyes turned to Velia, who was despairing. Their gaze was mercilessly void of emotion.

“Gasp…!”

Velia jolted awake from the nightmare, her body drenched in cold sweat. The sticky clothes clung uncomfortably to her skin.

Her lips trembled as she breathed shallowly.

“Haah.”

A nightmare. She thought her anxieties were resolved.

Velia covered her face with her hands. The feeling was horrifying.

‘Should I not have let Erze into the palace?’

Since beginning this new life, had she ever regretted her actions so intensely?

She wished she had simply ignored Erze.

But it was done, and Erze was physically present in the same space.

‘…No, it’s a dream. Just a dream.’

Khalid wouldn’t do that, she told herself.

Velia removed her hands from her face and turned to look at Khalid, sleeping peacefully beside her.

She felt punished—for doubting him, for testing him, for not being honest with her feelings.

Tears threatened to fall for no reason.

She bit her lips and snuggled into his embrace. Khalid, still half-asleep, asked with a hoarse, sleepy voice:

“…Why are you awake already?”

“Just… I had a nightmare.”

He said nothing, but habitually patted her back until his touch slowed, and Velia exhaled quietly, seeing him fall asleep again.

Such a gentle Khalid.

Velia quickly emptied her mind and tried to forget the dream.

The designers responsible for her dress and their assistants quickly displayed fabrics, sample dresses, shoes, and gloves in the reception room.

They were ready with measuring tools at their waists, waiting for Velia.

Soon, Velia arrived with her maids.

“Thank you for coming.”

Velia was lightly dressed. From here, they would layer different fabrics and decide on the final design.

“It’s an honor to create your wedding dress, Princess.”

“I’m pleased to work with the most popular designer in the social scene. While there seems to be plenty of time until next spring, I’d like to finish calmly without rushing.”

“Of course.”

The process went smoothly. The designer presented sketches, discussing them with Velia. True to his fame, the designs were innovative and beautiful.

“I like this, but I’d suggest a slight modification for the shoulders.”

“Understood.”

After deciding the dress’s form, they draped fabrics to choose the material and discussed what jewels to use.

“Rather than large stones, I think many small diamonds would shine better…”

“Good idea. Small stones will sparkle more than fewer large ones.”

“And here, gold thread could be woven for patterning.”

The designer quickly understood her tastes and proposed suitable alternatives. Velia was satisfied.

“Great. Let’s proceed like this for now. Once the necklace and tiara are chosen, we can refine the details.”

“Yes. We’ll start as soon as we return.”

Velia nodded with a smile, leaving the reception room first so the designers could tidy up comfortably.

“I need to return to finish the invitations.”

Velia was meticulously writing each invitation herself, expecting it to take a long time.

Invitations to the Shin Kingdom and Ronica had to be sent by the end of the month. She hurried to complete them.

Upon arriving in her room, she found several unfamiliar boxes neatly arranged on her desk.

“What’s this?”

A maid, uneasy, spoke:

“…The First Prince has sent a tiara.”