Epilogue

Lying on the bed, Anasha flipped through a spicy romance novel that Karcian had hurriedly brought over, when she suddenly turned to look at him. Sitting on the bed and massaging her waist, Karcian met her gaze with his fresh eyes and shyly smiled.

“Shasha, aren’t you just too cute?”

“Shut up. By the way, Kar, did you conspire with Lady Norelea?”

No matter how much she thought about it, it was strange. As soon as she was introduced to a prospective groom, Karcian came to her mansion. Moreover, the person she was supposed to meet on Krongsof Street was the prospective groom, but Karcian showed up instead, so it would be foolish not to suspect something. As she glared at him with a sly look, Karcian panicked and waved his hands.

“Conspire? No! It’s just… Lady Norelea told me on her own. Really! I didn’t ask! I didn’t investigate!”

“Oh, really? And you happily listened twice?”

“Ugh…”

It made sense now why there was no portrait sent and a dinner date was set up instead. It seemed Norelea never genuinely intended to introduce a man to her. She likely viewed it as nothing more than a lover’s quarrel between Anasha and Karcian. Anasha let out a long sigh and shook her head.

“For the time being, you are forbidden from touching my body.”

“For the time being… does that mean you’ll keep seeing me?”

Focusing on something odd, he asked with reddened ears. Anasha, dumbfounded, glared at him before turning her head back to her book.

The male protagonists in romance novels are bold and cold northern Grand Dukes, so why is my man like this?

Anasha looked at Karcian, who had been promoted from ‘childhood friend’ to ‘my man,’ with a sense of exasperation. He gently stroked Anasha’s hair as he slowly approached.

“Anasha. Instead of that book, do it with me.”

“Ugh…”

Anasha closed the book she was holding and snatched her hair away from him.

“Do what! You said you’d wash me, but you just want to strip me and do it again!”

Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing!

Even as Anasha yelled, she subtly made room for him beside her. After doing everything, acknowledging the feelings she’d long ignored for him, she finally became a little more honest with her emotions.

She didn’t dislike the relationship with him. She didn’t dislike the intimacy with him. Now, the thought of contact with any man other than him felt unsettling.

“I like you, Shasha.”

“Hmph!”

With lips swollen from his constant kissing day and night, Karcian pressed a deep kiss to her lips. Anasha, with reddened eyes, put her arms around his neck, pretending to resist. Their sticky tongues intertwined, reaching for each other.

***

As the hot summer came to an end, Anasha, while contemplating a birthday gift for Karcian, decided to give him what he loved most—herself. Thus, they skipped the engagement ceremony, and just before autumn, a grand wedding took place.

It was the year 903 of the Radier Empire. The Granghelten Hall, only opened for Imperial Family anniversaries, was filled with many gathered to bless the marriage of the future Duke and Duchess. Karcian’s cousin, the Crown Prince, and his fiancée, Norelea, also made the precious journey to meet Anasha.

“Lady Norelea! It’s been a while!”

Anasha wore a dress adorned with pale pink diamonds and a tiara decorated with transparent lace on her head. Though the tiara, filled with colorful, vibrant gems, was beautiful, the most outstanding jewel was the red diamond necklace given by the current Duchess as a gift to the new bride.

“Hehe, when will you call me by my name?”

Sitting in the bridal waiting room, Anasha waved happily at Norelea who had just entered, and stuttered in response to her surprise question.

“By name? Uh… But…”

Your fiancé is the Crown Prince, right? Soon you’ll be the Crown Princess and then the Empress, so why ask me this?

“I feel left out, Anasha.”

Knowing too well that Anasha had a soft spot for cute things, Norelea drooped her eyelids. Anasha opened her mouth with a trembling voice, her eyes brightly peering into hers.

Well, I’m going to be the Duchess of this empire, why not get on a first-name basis with Her Majesty the Empress!

“A-Alitino…?”

“Yes, Anasha.”

A gentle breeze, seemingly from nowhere, ruffled Norelea’s black hair. At the same time, her ruby-like red eyes sparkled brilliantly. As Anasha absentmindedly admired Norelea’s beauty, she suddenly remembered something she wanted to ask her. It had been bothering her for a while, so she decided to take this opportunity to ask. Anasha cleared her throat unnecessarily.

“Ahem! Me! Oh, Altino! I have something I’m curious about!”

“Anything.”

With the permission given readily, Anasha rolled her eyes. Then she cautiously asked about the recent circumstances of Ossolt, the Earl’s young heir, who had become a victim of their lover’s quarrel. Although there was half a year for wedding preparations, it was only recently that she remembered the young heir she had completely forgotten. So she hurriedly tried to find out about him, only to be caught by Karcian. Anasha recalled that dizzying day for a moment.

“Anasha… Are you tired of me? I’ll… I’ll do better, I will…”

As he spoke, he shed pitiful tears, which took quite an effort to console.

“Oh, the young heir of Earl Ossolt?”

Fortunately, he is said to be in a passionate romance with Miss Dwenef, the Viscount’s daughter. Being a man who flits like a migratory bird, Anasha had already forgotten about him completely.

“Phew, that’s a relief.”

“What’s a relief?”

“Kyaa!”

As she secretly let out a sigh of relief, Karcian suddenly barged in. Anasha was so startled that she almost dropped the bouquet she was holding. By principle, the groom was not allowed to enter the bridal waiting room. But Karcian, as if such rules didn’t matter, boldly entered.

“No, Kar! You can’t just come in here! Besides, where is Altino?!”

“When I came in, she went out. But, Altino? Since when did you start calling her by her name? Why?”

“Why?”

Norelea was nowhere to be seen, having vacated the spot at some point. Anasha accepted his words while looking around. As she diligently searched for Norelea, who was nowhere to be found, Karcian’s sullen voice reached her ears.

“Shasha…”

As Anasha searched for someone else with him right in front of her, Karcian leaned in with his lips. When his lips approached, Anasha instinctively opened her mouth. His tongue entered like it was at home, exploring every corner of her mouth. As their saliva mixed, Anasha suddenly realized and pushed him away.

“Oh, the wedding hasn’t even started yet!”

“Exactly… When will it end? I want to finish it quickly.”

“You pervert!”

He must have done nothing but engage in lewd acts at the Academy. Anasha almost hit that beast’s head with the precious bouquet. Ignorant of her feelings, Karcian watched the huffing Anasha with a dreamy smile.

“Shasha.

“Why!”

“I love you.”

“Wha-what, what?”

She wasn’t asking; she was just surprised, but Karcian insisted on repeating the same words. Anasha looked at his excited face and then quickly turned her head. She glanced sideways at him, and his neatly dressed appearance was quite pleasing.

The neat black suit with an emerald adorning one side of his chest seemed to perfectly capture Anasha’s eye color. His bangs, usually covering his forehead, were neatly brushed back, revealing a face that added a touch of wildness and a more provocative charm.

“Hmph!”

She liked his looks, and today was a special day. Anasha decided to give him a ‘real’ birthday gift. Still turning her head away from Karcian, she spoke softly.

“I, I also… like you.”

“Uh…?”

The fact that Anasha was here as his bride was proof enough. Karcian couldn’t believe the unfamiliar words that came from her mouth.

She likes me? Me? Her?

“Say it again, say it again! What did you say?”

“I said I like you, you idiot!”

Her voice, raised in embarrassment, echoed through the bridal waiting room. Karcian stood frozen for a while, his eyes wide open. The confession he had only imagined hearing made him think he would cry, but unexpectedly, he laughed.

“…Ha, haha!”

His clear laughter drowned out Anasha’s huffing voice. Unable to control his laughter, Karcian’s shoulders shook as he finally looked up. Then, he poured out his overflowing emotions, no longer needing to hold them back, entirely on her.

“I love you, Anasha.”

“Hmph!”

Anasha snorted in his face and pulled him by the cravat. Just like at the debutante that marked their beginning.

Lick—

Anasha licked Karcian’s lower lip and bit down on his lips. The sound of her rolling his lips in her mouth spread thickly beneath their shared breaths.

And so they entered the ceremony hall.

It was the moment that opened the first page of the glamorous newlywed life of the heirs of Duke Shakers and Earl Roymond, who would later become famous throughout the Empire.

– END –