The Gap Between You and Me - Chapter 170
Some say it was because he was so bold and free-spirited that he couldn’t be tied down to one woman. While others said it was because he had so many things to do that he didn’t have time to play love. Some even argued that it was because he liked men, not women.
However, Bernard, the person itself, did not seem to care much about this. He did not get angry even when people were saying something out of the ordinary, saying that he was lecher or liked men. Instead, he ignored the situation with a generous smile.
Considering those circumstances, perhaps his character that was once known as the tiger of the Western Continent, was in fact much more gentle and softer than what was known to the world.
― Excerpt from ‘On the Beginning, History, and Fall of the Velician Empire’
* * *
Year 4752 of the Hermannian Calendar.
It was the 15th year since the 17th King of Velicia, Bernard Cenchilla Shane Pascourt, ascended the throne.
That day, green leaves began to sprout from the scrawny branches. A young woman whose name was unknown came to the castle without a message. With her beautiful appearance, she dared to ask to see the king, claiming that the king’s old friend had sent her here.
It was a period of instability shortly after the Western Continent was unified. In order to lay the foundation for the still unpolished empire, the king had spent many nights busy without having time to rest eyes. His schedule was so busy that even nobles from prestigious families could barely see the king’s face.
Yet to ask to see the king in such a situation? The sentry guarding the castle gate snorted at the woman, saying that she was crazy. But she didn’t give in. She took a dagger out of her chest and handed it to the sentry. It was a dagger with the coat of arms of the royal family of Velicia engraved on it.
The sentry, who recognized at a glance that the dagger was genuine, was startled. Possessing such a valuable thing meant that the young woman was not an ordinary person. They took the dagger given to him by the woman and rushed to where the king was.
The king was in the middle of discussing political affairs with several ministers in his office. He looked displeased that his meeting was interrupted but that was fleeting. Seeing the dagger shown by the sentry, he took back that expression. He looked very surprised, like he had seen a ghost in the middle of the night.
The king immediately got up. Then he ran outside to the castle gate.
The woman appeared in front of the king who arrived at the castle gate, breathing heavily. Seeing her, the king was silent. He just looked at her blankly, embracing the various emotions that he couldn’t pinpoint.
But even so, the woman was not surprised. As if she had already foreseen that things would turn out this way, she maintained her composure.
‘A pleasure to meet you. The great King of Velicia.’
The woman bowed her body and gave a slight curtsy towards the king.
‘A long time ago, the king made a bet with my mother. It’s a little late, but my mother sent me here instead to decide the outcome of the bet.’
‘…….’
‘Your Majesty. Would it be all right if I stayed here for one night?’
The king seemed confused by the woman’s bold request. However, he immediately grasped the situation and straightened his face. Then he nodded towards her and gladly granted her request.
The aura of spring was very strong that day.
During the short time that the woman was in the castle, the king concentrated on spending time with the woman’s company, leaving all his affairs behind.
The two of them strolled through the beautiful garden and wandered around exploring every nook and cranny of the castle. Afterwards, they headed to the sunny parlor, where they had refreshments and long conversations until the sun went down.
Laughter bloomed in full in the king’s face for the first time in a very long time. Whenever the woman said something, the king burst into laughter, and listened to her with a happy smile all the time.
To think that the king known as the tiger of the Western Continent was able to smile so softly. Everyone who witnessed the scene was deeply amazed.
‘How is your mother?’
The king showed great interest in the life the woman had led, especially her mother’s.
‘Did she still throw her head back when she laughed heartily?’
‘Did she still frown her eyes and touch her hair when she’s thinking?’
‘Did she still brag about being the best archer in the world?’
‘Your mother…….’
‘Is your mother still…….’
Like he was curious about something, the king would bombard the woman with questions about her mother whenever he had a chance. The woman also answered all his questions wholeheartedly, not confused by the king’s attention.
‘Isn’t she being too heartless? She said I’d never see her again. But she might come to see me once in a while under the guise of it being a coincidence.’
The king, who was sitting on the terrace watching the sunset, spoke to the woman in a grumble.
‘She always disobeys my words, yet she really sticks to that word like an iron fist.’
‘She said that she highly respects all the achievements Your Majesty has accomplished. She considers it an infinite honor to have been acquainted with a noble person who will remain in history.’
‘She had no intention of coming to see me.’
‘She would always wish for Your Majesty’s safety and happiness even though she’s far away.’
The woman’s answer made the king lost in deep thought. After the woman arrived, the king always had a smile on, but at that moment, he couldn’t show a smile. Upon his noble face, shining under the twilight, there was only unknown longing and sadness.
‘There is a long gap between her and me. A gap that could never be narrowed even if I wait forever.’
Then the king sighed deeply and said,
‘In the meantime, I have achieved and got my hands on many things. In the end, it was all for naught. It has been quite a long time since I sent her away, yet the part of my heart is still empty and barren.’
The king’s face clouded. The wrinkles around his eyes looked much deeper than usual.
‘I truly envy your parents who were able to give up everything just to get one thing.’
The next morning, the woman said that she would go on her way as she had foretold. Despite the king’s offer that she should stay a little longer, she stood her ground to the end. The reason was that someone was waiting for her at home, so she couldn’t stay longer.
Under the clear, cloudless sky, the king personally escorted the woman to the gate. The king was so gracious of the woman that he had his subordinates give her the best horse owned by the royal family, and gave her many treasures of gold and silver in spite of her fierce refusal.
The king showed great regret when the woman left him. Even after saying goodbye to her, the king still looked hesitant and eventually tears showed in his eyes. Because he already knew that after this visit, his last link to his old friend would be severed.
‘Tell her. The bet we made that day was, it was my victory of course.’
The king said,
‘When the bet’s time is up, ten years ago and now, and even ten years from now. I won this bet every time.’
END
hello, this is effe! thank you for reading ‘The Gap Between You and Me’ until the end!
thankfully they found their happiness, although Bernard’s end seemed bittersweet 🙁 but for what Herietta and Edwin went through, let’s just cheer for their happiness!
i didn’t really expect the book to make an extreme downhill turn when i first read it. i only thought it was a case of a girl falling head over heels for a perfect man and just the cliche. but it’s not!
i hope you enjoyed this book as much as i do~
once again, thank you so much!
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