Epilogue.3

Thanks to effective promotion, nobles and commoners alike flocked to the academy, eager to learn something in depth. The entrance ceremony was packed with people. 

Felix hosted his engagement party in the academy’s luxurious banquet hall. Erica, finding it excessive for just an engagement, voiced her concerns. However, Felix reassured her that since their wedding would take place in the Imperial Palace’s banquet hall, this was relatively modest, leaving Erica speechless.

To Felix, this was hardly a big deal. Considering what he had given the Emperor, he felt this much was only fair. 

Felix transferred the ownership of the Mage Tower to the academy through official documentation. Consequently, the many talents nurtured by the academy would work for the Empire in the future. Just thinking about it made Felix believe the Emperor owed him eternal gratitude. Of course, this was Felix’s personal opinion. 

Standing in the center of the crowded banquet hall, Erica exchanged rings with Felix, struggling to calm her nerves. 

Felix, dressed in a white ceremonial robe instead of his usual cloak, revealed his stunning appearance. He looked so radiant that one might believe he had stepped out of a mural in a temple. 

The socialites gathered at the engagement party were left dazzled, unable to open their eyes properly.

“My goodness… The rumors about Sir Felix being a peerless beauty were true.”

“Is this heaven? Could such beauty exist in reality?”

Felix’s otherworldly appearance left them in such awe that they didn’t even have the time to envy Erica. When Felix smiled at Erica, many dropped their wine glasses, and the sound of shattering glass amusingly replaced applause.

“Our president! She’s becoming Felix’s lady! We’ve succeeded!”

Meanwhile, members of Felix’s fan club were shedding tears, claiming this was a monumental success in their lives. They had been invited to the event by Erica herself. 

It was later revealed that the fan club president was actually the second daughter of the Prime Earl family. However, the current issue for the fan club was that their president had achieved ultimate success as a fan by becoming engaged to Felix.

“Our membership is going to skyrocket.”

“Absolutely!”

Even though it wasn’t Erica and Felix’s wedding, the fan club members were already preparing to welcome their future children as honorary nieces and nephews.

Amidst all the attention, Erica whispered softly to Felix.

“Are you really okay showing yourself like this?”

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be? I’m rather happy. I can’t wait for next spring.”

The two had decided to marry in the spring of the following year, a season when Erica’s favorite flowers would be in full bloom. 

Felix’s bright smile made Erica laugh softly. 

Though Erica prided herself on knowing Felix well, there were still many things she didn’t understand about him. 

Felix wasn’t someone who disliked people, nor did he have social anxiety as Henry had once claimed. He simply found standing out troublesome, not because he feared attention. 

In fact, Felix was a man who wanted to announce to the entire Empire that he and Erica were engaged. He didn’t mind if it caused a bit of a stir. Just as he had ignored the ridiculous rumors in the past, he could continue to do so. 

If Erica disliked the gossip, he could shut down the newspapers. If anyone spread strange rumors, he could find them one by one and silence them. 

Felix didn’t care how people looked at him or treated him. As long as Erica’s heart was his, nothing else mattered. 

After the engagement ceremony, people flocked to Felix. Erica watched in amazement as Felix interacted with them effortlessly. 

Of course, as the leader of a guild, it made sense that he wouldn’t struggle with social interactions, but it still felt strange to her. 

She even felt slightly deceived. All those times she had clung to him during outings, thinking she was protecting him from people, turned out to be unnecessary. 

Standing beside Felix, who spoke gracefully amidst the crowd, Erica could only nod along. 

The Prime Earl approached Felix with his arms crossed.

“Make sure we don’t see any more scandalous articles in the future.”

“Such things will never happen again.”

The Countess, standing beside her husband, pinched his arm discreetly, scolding him for still holding onto that issue. Then, as if nothing had happened, she smiled warmly at Felix and spoke.

“I feel reassured knowing that the etiquette teacher was a close acquaintance.”

“Did Erica know from the beginning? No wonder she seemed unusually wary. I didn’t realize Erica was such a cunning younger sister.”

“Diana! Stop saying strange things!”

“Why? It’s true. Oh, by the way, could you introduce me to a decent mage—”

“Diana, enough!”

Erica felt slightly embarrassed by her family. 

The Oditolium Marquis couple simply held Erica’s hand and expressed their gratitude. From those few words, Erica sensed a mix of emotions. 

In a corner of the banquet hall, mages gathered, observing Erica with curiosity. Though they had seen her before in the guild hall, it was still surreal to see her standing beside their former leader as his fiancée. 

‘So, the leader—no, Sir Felix—was human after all.’

The man who had always smiled faintly now wore a genuinely happy expression. It made them feel the past was truly behind them. 

They had once avoided and tormented Felix in the Mage Tower. When they joined the guild and learned the truth about the elders, they had been consumed by guilt. Facing Felix had been difficult. 

Yet Felix had accepted them without hesitation, training them as if nothing had happened. They had thought of him as someone devoid of emotions, which made them hesitant to approach him. Orders and messages were always relayed through Henry instead. 

But now, Felix was smiling more brightly than they had ever imagined. The mages realized, belatedly, that he had always been capable of such joy. 

Reflecting on their past actions, which had crushed his spirit, they were filled with regret. Unable to offer their congratulations directly, they silently wished the couple happiness before leaving the event.

Felix gazed bitterly at the spot where they had left. He wondered if things might have been different if they had met somewhere other than the Mage Tower. However, knowing that lamenting the past would not change anything, he focused on the present and fixed his gaze solely on Erica once more.

Henry clung to Felix’s hand, crying so profusely that one might worry he was dehydrated. Felix was utterly exasperated by Henry’s tears. It was absurd—he wasn’t even his parent, yet he cried as though he were sending off his child. Lowering his voice so Erica wouldn’t hear, Felix muttered to Henry.

“Stop crying. It’s disgusting.”

“But… sniff… but… after all that chasing after her, you’ve finally… sob… even your social anxiety… sniff…”

“I don’t recall giving you permission to speak informally.”

Felix clicked his tongue, wondering how much more Henry would cry at the wedding next spring. Regardless, Henry continued to sob uncontrollably, overwhelmed with emotion. 

Henry remembered the Felix of the past—the one who would extend a hand but never truly let anyone close. Seeing him now, standing beside the person he loved, Henry couldn’t help but shed tears.

Meanwhile, Selly, who had voluntarily come to the banquet hall to work, observed the various reactions of the attendees and shook her head in disbelief.

‘Nobles…’

Selly had come here simply to admire Erica, whom she had dressed up so diligently. She wasn’t particularly moved by the engagement ceremony itself. 

After all, Erica had acted like Felix’s fiancée ever since their marriage talks began, and Selly had witnessed it all up close. 

So, her thoughts were more along the lines of, “This is such a spacious and grand venue. To think our lady is holding her engagement ceremony in a place like this. I’ve succeeded as her exclusive maid.” 

However, the scene before her was chaotic. Some were so mesmerized by Felix’s beauty that they dropped their glasses, while others wept as if the engagement ceremony were a wedding. 

The banquet hall was in utter disarray. 

As Selly, along with other servants, cleaned up shards of glass and wiped away the tears pooling on the floor, she wondered if all noble parties were this excessive.

‘No wonder the lady didn’t want to attend social gatherings.’

Although this assumption was somewhat misplaced, it ultimately worked in Erica’s favor. After this event, Selly’s insistence on attending parties significantly diminished.

In any case, the party proceeded without major issues, and as night fell, the guests began to leave the banquet hall one by one. 

Felix walked out of the hall with Erica and strolled along the paths, giving her a tour of the academy. He pointed out the beautifully landscaped gardens, fountains, intricately crafted statues made by master artisans, and the elegantly constructed buildings. 

Listening attentively to his words, Erica suddenly laughed brightly and said, 

“Felix, you’re practically the Empire’s good fortune! Without you, this magnificent academy wouldn’t have been built.”

Felix took Erica’s hand and brought it to his face. The warmth of her touch spread across his cheek. 

Although Erica often referred to him as her fortune, Felix thought it was the other way around—she was his fortune. Closing his eyes, he spoke softly. 

“Meeting you has given me the true meaning of my name.”

The name Felix also carried the meaning of “happiness.”

Erica felt her hand gradually becoming damp. The tears were so hot that she couldn’t even feel the cool breeze surrounding them. 

The intensity of their feelings for each other burned so brightly that nothing else seemed to matter.

『I Think You’ve Come to the Wrong Place』 The End