“The proposal. There’s no need to delay it, right? Aren’t you planning to marry Noel?”
Ahwin’s mind went blank at the sudden bombshell.
“Marriage?”
“Why? Didn’t you want to marry Noel?”
“I, of course, want to.”
“Then you should.”
“It’s not something that happens just because I want it to.”
“Why wouldn’t it happen if Ahwin wants it?”
Leticia tilted her head in confusion and then asked innocently.
“Does Noel not want to marry Ahwin?”
“There’s no way that could be!”
Ahwin exclaimed louder than he intended. Leticia giggled. Ahwin, embarrassed, coughed awkwardly.
“Ahem, ahem. My apologies.”
“It’s okay. It happens.”
“We’ve never discussed marriage. The situation wasn’t right.”
They couldn’t afford to promise a future due to Josephina’s surveillance.
“But now that things are somewhat settling… we should be able to talk about it soon.”
“Aren’t you being too complacent?”
“Complacent?”
“Noel is an incredibly attractive woman. If you’re too complacent, you might lose her to someone else.”
Ahwin’s demeanor suddenly became resolute at Leticia’s teasing.
“……Understood. I’ll talk to Noel about it as soon as I return to the capital.”
“Really, you’ll propose?”
“If things go well with Noel, it seems likely.”
Ahwin smiled sheepishly, his cheeks slightly reddened, conveying his excitement. Leticia’s lips also curved into a smile. She had changed the fate of these two people, albeit not having done much. Imagining their happy future made her feel joyful and happy.
‘I wish I could help more people.’
She didn’t know if she would survive the next six months. She knew very well the high likelihood of her death.
‘So I must do what I can now.’
If she only had six months left, there was no time to wallow in sadness.
‘It hurts because of the attachment.’
The more she cared for something, the more her attachments grew.
Just as she had craved Dietrian’s love as soon as she received his kindness. The thought of having to give up on precious things was too painful.
But she believed she could endure. She had done so thus far.
“If Noel accepts my proposal, may I ask you for a favor, Lady Leticia?”
“Of course!”
“It’s not just up to me to decide, but I’m sure Noel will agree.”
Ahwin continued with a gentle smile.
“There’s no one more suited for the role than you, Lady Leticia.”
“What is it?”
Ahwin’s gaze turned serious.
“If we have a child, would you be willing to be the godmother?”
“……Godmother?”
Leticia’s smile faded for the first time. She wouldn’t be in this world when their child was born.
Seeing her silent, Ahwin cautiously asked.
“Would it be too difficult for you?”
“Ah… It’s not that it’s difficult.”
Leticia smiled awkwardly.
“I’m just worried.”
“Worried about what?”
“A godmother is supposed to protect the child when there are no parents. But I will be in the Principality from now on.”
“That is not a problem at all.”
Ahwin shook his head.
“We will always follow Lady Leticia.”
“You mean to live in the Principality instead of the empire?”
“Where the representative of the goddess is, that’s where we should be.”
Ahwin continued as if it was obvious.
“It is the mission of the wings to protect her until the end of life, wherever she may be.”
There was no reason to refuse when he said that much. Leticia smiled, bearing a bittersweet pain.
“Alright. Then, let’s do that.”
* * *
“Ahwin, thank you for today.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“I will ask you again if I have questions about the elixir.”
Leticia stood up. It was getting late, and the wind was quite chilly. Leticia said to Ahwin as she tightened her hood.
“I’ll go now. His Majesty will be back soon. He might be surprised if I’m not in my room.”
“Understood.”
“You haven’t forgotten the promise you made with me earlier, have you? To never take any dangerous actions.”
“Of course, I remember.”
“Don’t recklessly fight with Tenua. You must wait until I become stronger. Absolutely.”
Leticia seemed to be not reassured despite her repeated cautions.
A faint smile appeared on Ahwin’s lips. With one hand on his chest, he solemnly said,
“Do not worry. I am a wing. If it is an order from my master, I will never disobey.”
Leticia laughed playfully.
“Eh, but you have disobeyed mother’s order before.”
“Oh, such a thing will not happen again.”
“Why?”
“Because I do not want to disobey Lady Leticia’s orders.”
Ahwin shook his head firmly. Leticia’s eyes widened.
“The orders of Josephina and Lady Leticia are clearly different. I may not be able to explain the reason precisely but…”
Ahwin’s voice became lower.
“When I lived as the wing of the saint, each day was a fight with myself. It was a life of enduring, so to speak. But now, it’s different.”
A comfortable smile lingered on Ahwin’s lips.
“Whatever Lady Leticia wishes for, I truly want to help. I am now feeling what true emotions a wing should have. It’s natural, since Lady Leticia is indeed the true representative of the goddess.”
Ahwin’s words were filled with pure affection for her. Noel’s warm gaze overlapped with his gentle smile.
Leticia bit her lips hard.
Her heart ached.
Because if she dies, the two of them would surely be very sad. The wings would be greatly frustrated, having lost their master, and the happiness they barely found with their lover might be submerged in darkness again.
‘I don’t want that.’
How could she let go of the happiness she had finally regained so futilely? After a moment of contemplation, Leticia slowly opened her mouth.
“Ahwin, actually, there is one wish I really want you to fulfill.”
“Anything, just tell me.”
“You must, absolutely must protect it.”
“Of course, I must. It’s something Lady Leticia wishes for.”
“No. That’s not it.”
Leticia shook her head. She clenched the front of her hood and said, looking up at him earnestly.
“It’s not because it’s my word that you must unconditionally protect it. I’m human too. I can give a wrong order at any time. Then, it’s right to refuse.”
“…Lady Leticia.”
“Just like when you lived as the wing of my mother, don’t endure it forcibly. If you think it’s not right, tell me. It’s okay. But the favor I’m asking now, you can’t do that. No matter the situation, you must protect it. Promise me. Absolutely.”
“I will do so.”
Ahwin’s eyes were tinged with tension. If she emphasized it this much, it must certainly be something very important.
Then, Leticia spoke.
“You must always be happy.”
Ahwin’s eyes widened.
“In this life, you must live happily with Noel until the last moment. Never die. No matter what happens, you must survive. That is my command.”
“…What?”
“I told you earlier. I had a dream. I don’t want to experience that again.”
Leticia smiled faintly.
“Then, I’ll really go now.”
Leticia entered the hotel. Even after she disappeared, Ahwin couldn’t move a step. His heart was pounding.
‘To be happy?’
It could be a simple request. But his intuition felt strange.
Ahwin clenched his fists tightly. It seemed like he was missing something very important, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.
‘Noel should have been here.’
The more he realized his limitations, the more he missed Noel’s absence.
‘I need to contact Noel right away.’
Ahwin had been hiding his awakening from Noel because there was a chance that Leticia wouldn’t accept him.
Now that he was recognized by Leticia, there was no need to delay contacting her.
‘If I had acted sooner, Noel would have known the situation by now.’
He regretted the past ten days more than ever.
Swallowing his regret, Ahwin turned around and glanced at the bushes.
There was no wind, but the leaves of the bushes trembled slightly. Something red appeared over the dark bushes for a moment and then disappeared.
‘Showing up now. The one chosen by the goddess. Too slow.’
Ahwin’s eyes narrowed.
‘I’ll think about the difficult matters later. For now, I have to deal with that guy.’
Ahwin strode towards the bushes.
* * *
Returning to her room, Leticia sat on the bed without turning on the light. She stared at the floor for a long time and then laughed weakly.
“I’m such a greedy person.”
Good things were happening one after another. It was as if she was dreaming, everything was going well. Yet, her heart felt so empty.
「Can you become a godmother?」
Leticia bit her lips hard.
‘I thought I had let go of all my regrets about the future.’
She believed she would have no regrets even in death.
‘It seems that wasn’t the case.’
The reasons to live kept increasing. Leticia hugged her knees and buried her face in them. Her eyes began to sting.
‘But I have to smile.’
Leticia forced a smile, but soon her strength faded. She curled up and breathed shakily.
‘Being loved is really hard, isn’t it?’
Silent tears soaked the hem of her dress.
‘I wish no one would love me until I die…’
It was the first time she had such a thought.
* * *
Finally, the party preparations were complete.
Now, all that was left was for Dietrian to bring the star, Leticia.
However, there were many hurdles to overcome first. The biggest hurdle was the youngest, Enoch.
“Your Highness. Be careful, be very careful! You must not say anything until Her Highness arrives! It’s a surprise party!”
“Enough. It feels like you’ve said it a hundred times.”
“A hundred times is not enough! You know how hard we’ve prepared!”
As Enoch said, the banquet hall was beautifully decorated. The steaming dishes looked so delicious that they made one’s mouth water.
The decorations, unbelievably crafted by the knights, brightened the atmosphere.
It was Enoch, the party’s chief organizer, whose endless nagging had refined the rough hands of his brothers.
Dietrian was thankful for Enoch’s enthusiasm, but also felt burdened.
“…Do I really have to wear this?”
“Of course. It was specially made to be the most splendid for you. Look at this ribbon.”
Enoch pointed to a large ribbon attached to the top of a cap.
“It’s different from the other ribbons, right? Both in size and shape. It’s filled with specialness.”
“There’s no need to be that special…”
Suddenly, Enoch’s eyes, adorned with a star-decorated cap, turned fierce.
“Your Highness, are you perhaps embarrassed? Her Highness would be delighted, wouldn’t she? She might even smile at you. And you still won’t wear it?”
…What exactly happened while he was away?
He couldn’t understand why the eyes of the knight order’s youngest, once considered a gentle soul, had become so fierce.
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