It was practically forced by Lehira, but that no longer mattered to either of them.
The two of them immediately headed towards Leticia.
“We’ve decided to get married.”
“Wow, really?”
Although she didn’t show it to them, Leticia had been worried about the two of them for quite some time.
Their relationship had been stagnant for a while. As a saint, she wondered if she should do something.
But despite her concerns, she couldn’t intervene recklessly. They were adults, and even though they served Leticia as their master, she couldn’t meddle in their private lives.
So, Ahwin’s declaration could only be welcomed.
But she was taken aback.
She needed to congratulate them, but the words wouldn’t come out immediately.
Ahwin’s silver hair on one side was a mess. It looked as though someone had yanked at it.
‘Could it be… did they fight?’
Had they gotten into a hair-pulling fight over the proposal? Leticia swallowed dryly. Noel, teary-eyed, spoke.
“I’m sorry for making you wait so long, Saint.”
Her eyes were red, as if she had cried for a long time. Leticia tried hard to shake off the ominous thoughts filling her head. The thought of the soon-to-be-married couple having a brawl… she decided not to think about it.
“This is truly wonderful news. Congratulations. I’ll hold Lehira for you.”
Leticia smiled brightly and quickly extended her hands to take Lehira. Lehira, who had been dozing off, opened her sleepy eyes. When she saw her mother, she rubbed her eyes and smiled brightly.
“Abu! Mama!”
“Yes, yes. It’s mommy.”
Leticia kissed Lehira’s chubby cheeks with a smooch. Lehira burst into laughter. The familiar baby scent brought a smile to her lips.
“Lehira, stay with your brother for a little while. Mommy will come get you soon…”
Leticia paused. Something shiny was clutched in Lehira’s small hand. When Leticia looked closer, she gasped.
‘Is that hair?’
Yes, Lehira’s little hand was holding Ahwin’s long hair. She couldn’t believe it, but there it was. Even the sparkling silver bracelet was tangled with strands of wavy hair.
‘Oh my gosh.’
Leticia, unaware that Lehira had been the one to bring about Ahwin’s proposal, felt as though cold water had been poured over her. She assumed that Lehira had interrupted the two at the most important moment in their lives.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll take Lehira to her nurse.”
Leticia quickly took Lehira to the nursery and returned. She apologized profusely to the two of them.
“I’m really sorry. Did Lehira pull your hair, Ahwin? She’s been especially curious lately. But wrong is wrong. I should have disciplined her more strictly if she was being stubborn… I should’ve been more mindful. I’m really sorry.”
If Leticia had been there, she would’ve surely scolded Lehira firmly. But the only ones present were Noel and Ahwin. Two people who would melt at anything the children did.
“There’s no need to apologize, Saint.”
Ahwin shook his head with a gentle smile. Despite his disheveled hair, his beauty still shone brightly. His expression looked more radiant than usual, as though he had been relieved of a long burden.
“Thanks to the princess, I was able to make a decision. If she hadn’t helped, I would’ve kept hesitating forever.”
“…Ahwin is right. It’s all thanks to the princess. I was able to gather the courage because the princess intervened.”
Leticia was bewildered. What did pulling hair have to do with a proposal? Ahwin, noticing Leticia’s confusion, chuckled softly. He then began to explain what had happened earlier. The more he explained, the more Leticia was dumbfounded.
“…So, you’re saying Lehira kept pulling your hair every time you tried to walk away?”
This was unbelievable. Leticia pressed her forehead. Lately, Lehira had been particularly fascinated with shiny things. But she never expected her to cause such a major incident.
“Once again, I sincerely apologize. I’m really, really sorry. I should have…”
“Saint.”
Ahwin cut her off, shaking his head.
“Please, do not apologize. I am truly grateful to the princess. In fact, that is why I sought you out. Regarding what happened earlier…”
After the sudden proposal, clinging to Noel, Noel accepting the proposal, and then holding Noel as she cried, they both shed tears of joy together.
It was a dazzling, radiant moment.
But once the joy subsided, a strange thought crossed his mind. Was it really just a coincidence that Lehira had pulled his hair? Was it truly just a child’s stubbornness that led to this outcome?
“So, are you saying Lehira did it on purpose to bring the two of you together?”
“I can’t be certain. However, looking back at the series of events, it seems entirely possible. After all, it was the princess who kept calling me back and grounding me whenever I hesitated.”
Leticia looked at Ahwin, bewildered. Although Lehira was her daughter, she found it hard to believe that a child who had just started walking could have orchestrated something like that.
“Lehira is just a child, after all.”
“And also a descendant of dragons, is she not?”
Leticia flinched. Ahwin gave a slight nod.
“She is someone who, even before her birth, wielded the power of dragons to protect you, Saint. It might be the dragon’s power guiding the princess.”
Leticia quickly understood what Ahwin was implying.
The power of the dragon.
A mysterious power passed down through the royal family of the principality.
“…Could it be Gilead?”
* * *
“Lehira as Gilead. It’s entirely possible.”
After hearing Noel and Ahwin’s theory, Leticia immediately sought out the person who knew the most about Gilead. That person was Julios, the first in the current royal family to awaken the power of Gilead.
“Really? Could she already see the future?”
“Lehira is a special child.”
Julios nodded with a soft smile. Recently, he had begun to show reverence to Leticia. It was his way of honoring her as a saint, like a wing supporting her.
“The awakening of Gilead varies from person to person. It’s rare, but there have been cases of children awakening it. Although Lehira is still very young, she has received the blessing of Lord Sigmund. If that’s the case, she might have seen the future and tried to help the two wings.”
Julios’s voice was filled with pride as he spoke. His niece, possibly sharing the same Gilead power as him. Although it was still just a hypothesis, if true, there would come a day when he could talk about dreams with Lehira. Just imagining that moment made his heart flutter.
“I see…”
Leticia pressed her hand over her heart, which was beating fast.
Though it was only a possibility, hearing confirmation from Julios made her think that Lehira might truly be Gilead.
It was a strange feeling.
It wasn’t a bad thing, but it worried her. It seemed to be because it was something that never happened to her before. As a mother, she was worried about every change in her child.
As if sensing Leticia’s feelings, Julios spoke gently.
“Your Highness has nothing to worry about. The power of Gilead will never harm its wielder. In fact, it is a blessing…”
Julios paused for a moment.
He realized that he shouldn’t be saying it like that. After all, he had given his life to fulfill the dream of Gilead.
After a brief hesitation, Julios quickly found the right words. With a tone full of certainty, he spoke to the anxious Leticia.
“For Lehira, the power of Gilead will surely be a blessing. I can say that with confidence. After all, I am also a Gilead.”
Julios smiled warmly, and Leticia’s eyes widened.
“As one who can see the future, I can promise you this. Lehira will become a Gilead who is loved and admired by all.”
* * *
Noel woke up with a start. The room, bathed in crimson light, felt unfamiliar. She blinked absently for a moment before sitting up. Slowly, she looked around.
‘Right. I came to Ahwin’s estate earlier.’
After accepting the proposal and sharing the news of their marriage with Leticia, they had come to Ahwin’s estate naturally. Perhaps because their previously misaligned feelings had finally aligned, they had desired each other more intensely than ever.
‘In broad daylight…’
Noel placed the back of her hand against her flushed cheek. She slowly stood up. It seemed that Ahwin had momentarily left the bedroom. Wrapping herself in a blanket, she reached for the robe hanging on the wall. The clothes that should have been strewn across the floor were neatly folded. Noel touched her clothes on the table.
‘We’re really getting married.’
Marriage. Just thinking about the word made her nose tingle. It was strange. Until recently, the thought of marriage had terrified her. The very idea of it used to make her chest feel heavy.
‘Did the princess truly see the future?’
But now, she wasn’t afraid at all. In fact, she was excited about what was to come. The one who had taken away Noel’s fear was none other than Lehira. If Lehira had used the power of Gilead to bring them together, it meant that a bright future awaited them.
‘How could she be so lovable?’
Noel’s cheeks turned a little red as she recalled Lehira pulling at Ahwin’s hair. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but looking back, it was so adorable that she wanted to pinch her. The thought of Lehira tugging at Ahwin’s hair just to nudge him along…
‘Will our child be as lovable as the princess?’
Perhaps it was because she had been so charmed by Lehira’s sweetness, but Noel had already started looking forward to the child she and Ahwin might have. She felt a little guilty for all the time she had spent being afraid.
“I hope we can meet soon.”
With her cheeks still flushed, Noel whispered softly. Just as she kissed the ring that Ahwin had slipped onto her finger and began to move, there was a tap-tap sound.
“…?”
Noel turned her head toward the sound. Her eyes widened as she looked toward the transparent window.
“Behemoth?”
A large silver wolf was tapping its nose against the glass, whimpering softly. Noel quickly rushed to the terrace and opened the door.
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