[The Lord of the North, Kylance Seyerd’s 6-Year House Arrest Comes to an End]

[With His Travel Ban and Restraints Lifted, Will Kylance Seyerd Return to the Capital?]

[The Duke of Seyerd Declines the Restoration of His Grand Duke Title Once Again]

[Pentium XIV, Seruden Pentium, Announces His Abdication]

[The Crown Prince, Having Reclaimed the Eastern Lands Without Force, Receives the Oath of Loyalty from House Blante and House Lienol]

A great deal had happened in the four months since Ariel and Kylance were reunited.

Notably, there was great uproar when Kylance publicly refused the title of Grand Duke and declared his permanent withdrawal from central politics.

However, this controversy was quickly overshadowed by the Emperor’s abdication.

When rumours began to spread that Kylance’s refusal to return to power was connected to Ariel, who was still in the north, the Emperor officially announced his abdication.

This meant that, after such a long and winding journey, Ariel and Kylance — who had finally found each other again — could spend some time alone together.

Thanks to the Crown Prince’s intervention, all attention shifted away from the north, enabling Ariel to spend the entire winter with Kylance.

She even temporarily stepped away from her duties as a marquise.

She loved Kylance as Ariel, and he loved her in return.

At first, they had both said the same thing.

“We’ve been through so much. Let’s take it slow and take things one step at a time.”

But those words quickly lost their meaning. They had spent far too long apart and their longing for each other had become overwhelming.

They drew close to each other swiftly and passionately. Of course, there had been moments of fear.

The overwhelming intensity of their emotions felt almost like a dream — fragile, as though it might vanish the moment they opened their eyes.

‘I can’t go back to a life where I simply long for him from afar anymore…’

And yet, whenever such fears crept in and kept her awake at night, Kylance would hold her even tighter.

He would kiss her from fingertip to toe and whisper his love into her ear.

“I’ll never let you go again, Ariel.”

“I can’t live without you.”

“Ariel, look at me. Don’t turn your gaze away. Not even for a moment.”

Although his love was sometimes excessive, Ariel found comfort in its depth.

A love that clung to her every gaze and breath —would be strong enough to withstand any hardships to come.

And so, after the burning winter in the north came to an end and spring fully blossomed in March—Ariel returned to House Blante with Kylance.

They vowed to spend the rest of their lives together there in the place where her father lay.

***

It was an exceptionally bright and sunny day.

Standing before the mirror, Ariel wore a pure white dress.

Today was the day she was going to marry Kylance.

As she smiled faintly at her reflection, her aunt approached her cautiously.

“Ariel, are you truly content with this? After all, you’re the Marquise of Blante. I can’t help but feel uneasy about holding your wedding in the Marquisate’s garden.”

Her expression betrayed her dissatisfaction; it was so different from Ariel’s calm smile.

Such a face didn’t quite suit a joyful wedding day, but Ariel understood. Her aunt wasn’t the only one wearing such an expression.

Her aunt’s son, the Marquisate’s retainers and the imperial family were probably all wearing the same look, too.

After all, she and Kylance had shattered any expectations they might have had for the wedding.

Strictly speaking, it was Ariel who had broken them. Kylance would have agreed to any kind of wedding she wanted.

For him, the important thing was that they would be together, not the ceremony itself.

Ariel had firmly declared to both the Emperor and her aunt that she wanted a simple, intimate ceremony in the Marquisate’s garden, with only family in attendance. No nobles would be invited. There would be no grand banquet.

The wedding would resemble that of a commoner more than a noble.

Naturally, her aunt and the Emperor were utterly appalled.

After all, the House of Blante was one of the most prestigious families in the Pentium Empire.

Although Kylance had refused the title of Grand Duke, he was still of imperial blood. For two people like them to marry outside the Imperial Palace, in the Marquisate’s garden, and turn down the countless guests who would have showered them with extravagant gifts? And to decline the High Priest’s officiation? It was enough to make anyone clutch the back of their neck in exasperation.

Yet Ariel’s resolve remained firm. It wasn’t that she had never dreamed of a grand wedding.

However, when Kylance proposed and their wedding became a reality, only one person came to mind: her father.

She wanted to include him. She was marrying the man she truly loved. She was finally and truly happy. Therefore, she had no desire for grand halls or lavish celebrations.

All she needed was a small gathering of people to bless their union sincerely.

Even her dress reflected that. Made of the finest silk, it was simple yet elegant, with only the faintest hint of beading to add a touch of subtle richness.

She had designed it herself and was very pleased with the result.

Of course, to her aunt’s eyes, it probably seemed far too plain for the wedding of a marquess’s daughter.

‘I must look rather modest for a marquess’s bride.’

However, her aunt refrained from voicing her opinion, merely brushing over the hem of Ariel’s dress.

Watching her, Ariel let out a small chuckle before speaking half in jest:

“Aunt, don’t I look good?”

“What do you mean, not good?!”

Her aunt exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

“You look as if the goddess of beauty herself has descended! Who would dare say you don’t look perfect?”

“You are truly and unbelievably beautiful. I swear before the gods themselves that I have never seen a more stunning bride.”

Seeing that her aunt was ready to drop to her knees and swear an oath right then and there, Ariel grasped her hands with a small laugh.

“I know, Aunt. I know just how much you cherish and love me. That’s why this must feel unsatisfying for you. You would have wanted your beloved niece to have the most dazzling wedding ever.”

“Ariel…”

Seeing the tears welling in her aunt’s eyes, Ariel smiled gently.

“But this is truly enough for me. I would rather have the heartfelt blessings of my family than hollow congratulations from strangers. Here, beside Father.”

At the mention of her father, her aunt faltered, her eyes trembling. And at last, tears began to fall from her reddened eyes.

“Ah, yes. Your father… Goodness, I must be getting old. What a mess I’m making on such a happy day.”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, her aunt turned her head briefly, wiped her tears, and composed herself.

Soon, she turned back to Ariel with a bright, beaming smile.

“If you’re happy, then I’m happy too. And your father would be overjoyed as well.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“No need for thanks, my dear. Besides, it seems today’s only ‘outside guest’ has arrived, so I’ll step out for now.”

‘Guest…?’

Ariel turned her head toward the door, her face lighting up with a bright smile.

“Brother Aster!”

Though they shared no blood, the Master of the Magic Tower was like a true brother to her.

Aster exchanged a brief greeting with her aunt as she stepped out, then entered the bride’s room.

Facing Ariel, Aster offered a smooth, warm smile.

“Congratulations on your wedding, Ariel.”

Over the past six years, Ariel had kept in close contact with Aster. After everything they had been through, they had grown even closer—becoming like true siblings.

Ariel returned his smile and asked softly,

“Thank you. But… were you disappointed, too? That the wedding is so simple?”

“Simple? This?”

Aster raised his brows.

“I’ve never seen a wedding this beautiful and full of love. Honestly, I doubt any noble on the entire continent could hold a wedding like this, overflowing with such pure affection. If I record the ceremony and show it to Seoden, he’ll probably pound the ground in regret for not seeing it with his own eyes.”

Aster spoke with exaggerated sincerity, drawing a soft laugh from Ariel.

Seeing her face glowing with happiness, Aster opened a dimensional space and took out two gifts.

“This is my wedding present. And this one—”

He lightly tapped the second gift.

“—is from Seoden, who unfortunately exhausted his magic and couldn’t make it here.”

Originally, Seoden had planned to attend as well. But thanks to a foolish mistake during a ritual, he’d used up too much of his mana and ended up bedridden.

Receiving the gifts, Ariel asked with concern.

“How is Lord Seoden doing?”

“He’s busy pulling his hair out over his own stupidity.”

Aster chuckled. Seeing the worry start to cloud Ariel’s expression, Aster smiled reassuringly.

“Don’t worry. His mana is recovering quickly, and aside from becoming the subject of some gossip, he’s physically fine. Well—maybe his pride took a bit of a hit.”

“Don’t tease him too much.”

Ariel said with a small sigh. Honestly, she was fairly certain Aster himself had spread those rumors.

Feigning innocence, Aster simply shrugged and moved on to explain the gift.

“My present is a set of scrolls. Since you’ll be traveling often between the North and the capital, I’ve prepared plenty of teleportation scrolls for you. It should last you about three years.”

“Three years?!”

Ariel gasped in shock. This was understandable — teleportation scrolls were among the most expensive magical items in existence.

Depending on the distance, a single scroll could cost over 100 gold coins. For the journey from the capital to the North, 100 gold coins was the minimum.

Three years’ worth of scrolls would cost more than an entire castle. Possibly even a piece of imperial land.

It was an extravagant gift — far too much.

But, knowing him, he wouldn’t bat an eyelid. In fact, he might just tell me to throw them away if I didn’t need them.

As her relationship with Aster deepened, Ariel had come to fully understand why Seoden often called him ‘completely unreasonable’.

Staring at his composed, handsome face, Ariel let out a soft, resigned laugh.

“Thank you. I’ll gratefully accept it.”

“Good. And inside that wooden box is Seoden’s gift—he personally brewed a set of healing potions. Of course, there should never be any reason for you to need them—but one can never be too careful, right?”

“He’s a Swordmaster. He won’t die.”

Aster spoke those chilling words with a cheerful smile, as if they meant nothing at all. But Ariel understood now — it was one of his half-joking remarks tinged with sincerity.

She might never need to use them for Kylance, but they would certainly be useful for protecting herself.

Once again, Ariel offered her thanks.

“Brother, I actually have a gift for you too.”

“A gift? For me?”

At Ariel’s signal, a maid stepped forward and handed Aster a velvet box.

“Please accept it. I’ve always wanted to give this to you.”

Aster hesitated for a moment, then opened the box.

“This is…”

“The Marquisate’s treasure—the ancient enchanted pocket watch.”

The very pocket watch that had led her to meet Aster, and had once saved her life.

Lifting his gaze from the watch, Aster looked at Ariel. His usual playful expression was gone, replaced by rare seriousness.

“Why are you giving this to me…?”

“Because I no longer need its powerful protection.”

Ariel replied gently. She now had the strength to protect herself. And she had Kylance, who would give his life to protect her if necessary.

She was no longer alone.

But Aster…

He had not yet fully escaped the shadows of his past. Deep down, Aster was still filled with sorrow. The grief of losing Faelin and his family lingered. It was an open wound that had never fully healed, a scar that refused to fade.

“Though the magic within the circle has long been depleted… the ancient spell itself remains. I’m sure it could help with your research—but that’s not why I’m giving it to you.”

She looked at him gently.

“Brother, I just want you to be happy.”

“…”

“I met you because of that pocket watch. Thanks to it, I was given a second chance at life. It was like a miracle or a stroke of fate. So now I want to give it to you. I hope a miracle finds you too, just as one found me.”

As she listened to the steady ticking of the watch, Aster hoped that his time would also begin to move forward towards happiness.

Aster’s eyes trembled as he stared at Ariel. Gone was his usual playful air—he looked at her with his true face, quietly, solemnly. Then, closing his hand around the pocket watch, he whispered.

“Thank you, Ariel.”

A bittersweet smile touched his lips. But someday, Ariel thought, he’ll smile for real—just like I can now.

“My lady, it’s time for the ceremony.”

The maid announced softly.

At her words, Aster slipped back into his usual relaxed demeanor.

“Then I’ll head to the guest seats. And by the way—you look absolutely stunning today, Ariel.”

Flashing her a light smile, Aster exited the bridal chamber.

Left alone, Ariel took a deep breath and picked up her rose bouquet.

“Ariel.”

The man waiting for her in the hallway called her name.

His jet-black hair, like the night sky itself, was swept neatly back, revealing a flawless forehead.

He had sharp, perfectly sculpted features; alluring red lips that curled slightly; and a body that looked as though the god of war himself had taken mortal form.

He was perfect in every way — Kylance Seyerd.

The man who would now become her husband.

“Kylance.”

Ariel answered softly and took the hand he offered her. Together, they began to walk towards the ceremony.

Before them stretched a long floral path adorned with arches draped in an array of vibrant blooms.

Their guests, all smiling brightly, welcomed them warmly.

Just before stepping onto the floral path, Ariel leaned towards Kylance and asked softly.

“Do you think… we’re destined?”

“Are you afraid we’re not?”

“Mm… No. It’s just… I want to believe we are.”

With his dark eyes fixed on her, Kylance lowered his lips to her ear and whispered like a vow,

“We are. And if we’re not—then I’ll fight the gods themselves to make it so.”

As if to say, ‘Don’t even think of running away,’ he tightened his grip on her hand. Lacing her fingers through his, Ariel smiled and stepped forward onto the flower-covered path beside him.

She vowed to never let go of his hand for the rest of her life.

***END***