“Anyway, Emily seemed a bit depressed, so we decided to go to a famous dessert shop in the square next time.”

“I see.”

“Ah, tell me about your trip too, Theo! How was the Southern Festival?”

Theo wanted to tell Yuelina, who was looking at him with sparkling eyes, all the details about the Southern Festival.

What was the south like again?

The alcohol was quite sweet and low in alcohol content, he recalled.

And that annoying Bios villa that they’d poured money into.

“It was just like any other festival.”

Theo could only manage these simple words.

“That’s all?”

“…It’s been a while since then.”

“If we had talked through the communication stone then, I could have heard more details. That’s too bad.”

Yuelina nodded as she spoke, then suddenly opened her eyes wide.

“Ah! And I… I heard that communication stones are extremely rare.”

“As I always say, I have many rare things.”

Yuelina smiled brightly at Theo’s words.

At that moment, she realized she hadn’t properly talked with Theo since his return.

She had been waiting for him to come back.

There were so many things she wanted to tell him, so many things she wanted to proudly share.

Yuelina met Theo’s eyes and parted her small lips again.

“Theo.”

“Yes?”

“When you came back, I really wanted to tell you this.”

“What is it?”

“While you were gone, I tended the garden and decorated the mansion.”

Theo smiled gently as he watched his wife speak with a shy face.

“I saw. Now when I walk, the floors don’t creak anymore. You must have worked very hard.”

“No, it was something I wanted to do!”

“Really?”

“Later, if you have to go far away again… Maybe you’ll want to come home quickly because of the cozy house or beautiful garden.”

Theo’s gaze, which had been looking at Yuelina with an expression that found her cute, suddenly turned intense and deep.

However, Yuelina didn’t see his face as she was looking down.

“Theo.”

She hadn’t yet said what she really wanted to tell him.

“Welcome home.”

After hesitating for a while, Yuelina finally continued.

“I missed you.”

Theo took in every detail of Yuelina as she spoke shyly.

Her slightly parted, moist, delicate lips.

Even her long, soft eyelashes were visible because her gaze was lowered.

Theo had never thought of the mansion as a ‘home to return to.’

But if this woman, his wife, was at the mansion, Theo would always want to come home.

The place where my wife waits for me.

To our home.

He reached out and gently stroked Yuelina’s cheek.

Though she flinched at his sudden touch, she didn’t pull away.

“I’ve been thinking a lot.”

“About what?”

“About where and how to say this.”

Theo had considered various ways to confess.

Renting out an entire restaurant that others said was difficult to get reservations for…

A forest where trees, flowers, and stars would be visible might be nice too.

And when Yuelina was in a good mood, with her shoulders trembling, would be the right time.

The key was to bring it up when she wouldn’t think of refusing anything.

Should he start by offering all his magic stones?

How about promising to buy her a grand castle or territory?

Or saying that if she wanted, he could bring all her family — no, all the islanders — into the principality?

But Theo couldn’t know what place or what sweet words would please Yuelina.

So he had been hesitating and worrying all evening.

“Theo?”

Yuelina called his name as he struggled to continue speaking.

Theo gazed long at Yuelina’s eyes, filled with worry and affection.

“I want to marry you.”

Yuelina was confused by Theo’s words.

Want to marry?

But we’re already married?

“I want to talk with you on our wedding anniversary that will come every year.”

“!”

“Will you have a wedding ceremony with me?”

Yuelina had become the Grand Duchess from her first day in the principality.

She met the man who would be her husband and was assigned a room where she had to stay.

She hadn’t chosen anything in the principality.

Still, Yuelina was fine with it.

Theo, who became her husband, was a good person. Most people she met in the principality were kind to her.

So she believed that as time passed slowly, they would naturally become like other couples.

But sometimes she felt anxious.

Yuelina didn’t know how much time was needed to pass before they would become a natural couple.

Perhaps that’s why.

To Yuelina, the word ‘wedding ceremony’ sounded like such a nostalgic and tender word.

It felt like finally finding a precious lost item.

“Theo, winter is coming soon, right?”

“It should be.”

“Then it will snow soon too?”

Theo nodded at Yuelina’s words.

Since Letitia had come to experience the Northern Wall village, the start of real winter wasn’t far away.

After all, the northern winter began with snow and continued with endless snowfall.

“Theo. When it snows during the wedding ceremony, don’t hate it too much.”

Just then, Yuelina held Theo’s hand tightly with her small, delicate strength.

“We’ll have to hurry then.”

Theo responded happily.

* * *

Theo watched Yuelina sleeping peacefully.

From her slightly parted delicate lips to her long eyelashes under her tightly closed eyes, she was a lovely wife.

Morning had come before he knew it.

Theo, who had resolved to move to the sofa once Yuelina fell asleep, couldn’t even move properly, let alone reach the sofa.

This was because she had fallen asleep still holding his hand.

Last night, Yuelina had thanked him for asking about the wedding ceremony.

Thank you?

His wife didn’t even know that he was the one who should be thankful.

Theo could barely contain his rising smile.

They were having a wedding ceremony.

With whom?

With his wife.

Others might point out something strange about this, but Theo was extremely excited about marrying his wife.

Now he had the opportunity to declare to everyone that Yuelina was his wife.

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of such a clear and wonderful method until now.

Theo clicked his tongue at his own foolishness.

But the irritation didn’t last long.

Because Yuelina, who was sleeping beside him without a care in the world, was so cute and lovable.

“Mmm…”

Just then, Yuelina stirred and opened her eyes with difficulty.

Theo wanted to bite her slightly puffy eyelids that looked so soft.

“Ah!”

On the other hand, Yuelina was startled to see Theo’s broad chest as soon as she opened her eyes.

After all that determination yesterday, she had fallen asleep before Theo!

And worse, she had woken up later than him.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes… How about you?”

“Yes. I slept well too.”

Yuelina glanced at Theo’s figure backlit by the sunlight streaming through the window.

Perhaps because of the sunlight, his solid silhouette looked even larger.

Thanks to this, Yuelina’s drowsy mind quickly returned to reality, and she realized she was still holding Theo’s hand tightly.

“D-Did I fall asleep like this?”

“I suppose so.”

Theo deliberately played innocent.

Yuelina quickly let go of Theo’s hand and got up.

Only then did Theo rise as well.

“What time is it now?”

“Not quite lunchtime, I think.”

“Letitia! Letitia is going to the Bios villa today! We need to see her off!”

Theo shrugged indifferently at Yuelina’s flustered behavior but then changed his mind.

Right, we should care about Letitia’s matters. Princess Letitia was talented.

His own reliable talent.

“If she’s left, we can go pick her up. I’ll prepare the largest carriage.”

Theo, who needed to focus on nurturing talent, had to start showing favor to Letitia from now on.

* * *

The Bios villa in Phaenyx Principality was near the dock.

It was where townhouses used as nobles’ villas were located, but it was smaller compared to townhouses in other regions.

Since nobles rarely visited the principality for tourism, there was no need to build it large.

Therefore, the Bios villa was also modest compared to those in other regions.

Letitia stepped down from the carriage with obvious tension on her face.

“Then, Princess, I will wait here.”

“Okay. I understand.”

Only those with permission could enter the Bios villa unless they were members of the imperial family.

Today, only students attending the Bios Imperial Academy had received permits.

This was because they concluded that servants were unnecessary, given that only basic education would be provided.

Letitia entered the villa alone, clutching her bag tightly.