After Ilion was eliminated, the tide of the battle turned sharply, and Lucas and I were able to secure victory in the snowball fight against Team Ilion & Spinel.
Spinel blamed Ilion for falling for the trick stupidly, but Ilion casually brushed off Spinel’s words.

Although the snowball fight was over, there was still plenty of snow left in the garden, so we continued to run around outside even after lunch.

We made snowmen, rode sleds, and played so much that time seemed to run short. Before we knew it, the unusually short winter sun was already setting.

“Ugh, it’s cold.”

We only came back inside the mansion when it felt like we might get frostbite if we stayed out any longer.

“It seems you had a good time.”

“Thanks to you.”

On the way back to our rooms, Ilion and I walked side by side down the corridor, similar to last time.

“Oh, I won the match earlier, didn’t I?”

“You did. Thanks to your excellent acting skills.”

Ilion’s response was a bit curt, as if asking why I had to bring that up. Suppressing a laugh at his reaction, I asked:

“Come to think of it, didn’t we agree that the winner would get a wish granted?”

“Is there something you want?”

Ilion asked with a smirk, seeing through my obvious intention. Feeling somewhat embarrassed to state my wish, I rolled my eyes slightly and mumbled,

“It’s nothing much, but since you already agreed to spend the day with me, I was wondering if you could spare a bit more time.”

“It’s not difficult to make time, but…”

Realizing that I didn’t mean simply playing together, Ilion raised an eyebrow and looked at me.

“We haven’t had time to talk since that day. The discussion about breaking off the engagement ended vaguely too…”

A week had passed since Ilion woke up, but I was still staying at the mansion without knowing my exact position.

Of course, since they hadn’t asked me to leave immediately, I assumed it was okay to stay like this, but I felt uneasy due to unresolved matters and my still uncertain relationship with Ilion.

Not to mention, being left in this ambiguous situation was a bit unsettling.

“Very well, come to my room when you’re ready. I’ll keep the rest of my time free for you.”

Ilion agreed readily and returned to his room.

***

I soaked in the bathtub, absentmindedly staring at the bubbles. Now that I had received a definite answer, my heart was strangely pounding.

I didn’t understand why I was anxious even though I knew that the other person liked me. But now that I was experiencing it, I seemed to understand a little.

I initially thought that asking if someone liked me was a bit childish, but now I wanted to receive that assurance, even through such a childish question.

Whether I could continue staying here. How Ilion thought of me. What he wanted to do going forward.

It also bothered me slightly that Ilion’s behavior felt oddly distant, too much so to simply dismiss it as just my imagination.

In the end, I got out of the bathtub carrying a load of worries with no answers. Well, it’s a problem that will soon be resolved without worrying alone.

“Make it look like I didn’t try too hard, but still look like I put in some effort, please.”

“…What?”

As I sat at the dressing table after finishing my bath, Lily asked back as if it was an absurd request.

“I’m going to visit the Duke in a little while.”

“…Ah, could it be!”

Lily, who had been listening quietly, clapped her hands as if she had realized something and rummaged through the wardrobe.

“Has the day finally come to use this dress?”

In her hands was that flowing nightgown I had seen before.

While I always appreciate Lily’s enthusiasm…

“It’s not like that, put it away.”

“What? Then?”

“I’m going to settle things.”

I clenched my fists and widened my eyes.

“Are you going to fight?”

Lily’s expression showed that she didn’t understand why I was suddenly acting like this after having fun until just now.

“No, I’m not going to fight, but…”

I trailed off before adding one more thing.

“Please make me look like I absolutely won’t lose even if it comes to a fight.”

Lily nodded with a troubled expression at my increasingly puzzling request.

***

It was a bit early for dinner, so I carefully knocked on Ilion’s door.

Although it’s better to face things head-on, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. While I anxiously waited for the door to open, it quietly opened, and Ilion appeared.

“I didn’t expect you to come so soon.”

It seemed I caught him while he was changing his clothes. When I glanced at his partially buttoned front, the black spots had disappeared as if by magic. I suddenly realized once again that Ilion was free from the curse.

“You’re staring too intently.”

“W-when did I?”

I hastily turned my eyes away and cleared my throat.

Ilion chuckled softly, opened the door, and gestured to the table on one side of the room.

Although I had been here once before, the room still felt unfamiliar. As I glanced around and sat down, Ilion, having finished buttoning his shirt, sat across from me and placed a stack of documents on the table.

As I reluctantly looked at the tightly buttoned shirt and then at the documents, I realized they were familiar items.

“Come to think of it, did you say you wanted my life?”

“I never said that.”

“Then what was it? After dying and coming back to life, my memory isn’t very clear.”

Ilion asked with a smile. I remembered exactly what I had said, but it was a bit embarrassing to say such cheesy words with a straight face. Besides, Ilion’s shameless claim of not remembering was annoying. It was obvious to anyone that he was teasing me, so I answered with a smile.

“Let’s just say it was your life, Duke.”

“Then does that satisfy the terms you wanted?”

“What?”

“As you wished, I died once.”

Wait, how did the conversation turn into this?

“Then I guess we can break off the engagement.”

Hold on. Are you seriously suggesting we break off the engagement? Hey, didn’t you say you love me?

I glared at Ilion as if to say, “How can you even suggest that?” but couldn’t think of a rebuttal.

I didn’t want to break off the engagement; I just wanted to clarify our ambiguous relationship.

In truth, the answer was already clear from the moment I made up my mind. Eventually, I gave up my stubbornness and mumbled quietly.

“We haven’t even dated yet.”

“Hmm?”

“What do you mean you satisfied the terms? You haven’t dated me, Duke. Are you seriously going to claim that kiss was dating?”

Glaring at him with a look that said I wouldn’t let it slide if he did, Ilion looked at me with wide eyes, seemingly flustered.

“Not only did you ignore me for a whole week, but now you’re talking about breaking off the engagement! That’s too much. And I’m still upset about not being able to go to the greenhouse garden!”

Once I started speaking, all the grievances I had piled up against Ilion poured out at once. It was ridiculous to be angry at him for mentioning breaking off the engagement when I had been the one to insist on it first, but I had to say what I needed to say.

“Did you really want to go that much?”

“It didn’t matter where. I just wanted to go somewhere with you.”

Hearing my words, Ilion’s face turned a little red, and only then did I realize what I had said.

My words, spoken in the heat of the moment, were nothing more than a plea for him to pay attention to me.

Oh, please, someone tell me where I can find a hole to crawl into.

In the end, unable to bear the embarrassment, I buried my face in my hands. I really wanted to disappear.

“Are you okay for a moment?”

“No.”

Unable to meet Ilion’s eyes, I answered with my head down, and he asked in a voice that seemed to suppress laughter.

“I didn’t mean it like that. You said you wanted to go to the greenhouse garden. Is it okay to go now?”

“It’s already late, so how could we…”

As he gently pulled me, I awkwardly got up and followed Ilion.

He, who suggested going to the garden, headed not to the door but to the terrace.

When we stepped outside, the night air was cold. Wondering what he was planning, I looked at him, and from his extended hand, a rose bloomed. The flower, intricately crafted as if using crystal, shone brightly even in the dark night.

Caught off guard, I accepted the flower he handed me and looked at him, who smiled and shifted his gaze beyond the terrace.

Following his gaze, I slowly turned my head to see jewel-like roses blooming brilliantly over the snow-covered garden.

The flowers, shining brightly as if stars from the night sky had been planted, were so enchanting and beautiful that I was momentarily speechless.

“It may not be the garden you expected, but I hope you like it.”

I shook my head and silently gazed at the garden. There seemed to be no place more beautiful than here anywhere in the world.

“I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I was just teasing too much.”

While I was admiring the flowers that had bloomed all the way to the inside of the terrace, I heard Ilion apologize. There was actually nothing to be angry about, but I pretended to be upset and mumbled.

“What? We can break off the engagement. I’ve already signed the papers anyway.”

“I see, so since we’ve broken off the engagement…”

Hold on. What do you mean, since we’ve broken off the engagement!

Worried that he might be sulking and suggesting we really break off the engagement, I looked at him. He slowly knelt on one knee and looked up at me, asking,

“How about marrying me?”