Epilogue

A grand wedding ceremony was being held in the greenhouse of the imperial palace. Unlike yesterday, when sleet had fallen as if to bless Amelia Hamilton and Edwin Birken’s wedding, today was clear and sunny with not a cloud in sight.

After confirming their feelings for each other, they hurriedly arranged the wedding three months later. Though they had known each other for a long time, their patience had not matched that duration. 

Knowing each other’s hearts, there was no reason to delay any further, so Amelia and Edwin decided to skip the engagement ceremony and proceed directly to the wedding. 

Of course, this decision wasn’t made solely by the two of them. The Duke and Duchess of Hamilton and the Duke and Duchess of Birken also readily accepted their decision, making it possible. 

‘Do you know how long we’ve waited for your wedding? Thank you for saving our Edwin, who almost spent his life alone.’

‘It’s a relief that you’re getting married now.’

From the beginning, everyone wanted the two to marry, but Amelia was the only one who opposed it, so they couldn’t bring it up, just watching each other’s reactions. Ultimately, their marriage hinged on Amelia’s feelings.

The person most delighted by the wedding was the Duke of Hamilton. The worries he had carried for so long were completely washed away, and his face was full of smiles as he watched the bride and groom.

The wedding, officiated by the archbishop, concluded with the bride and groom exchanging rings and taking a lap around the venue in a luxurious carriage drawn by two white horses, led by the Imperial Knights.

The majestic procession of the bride and groom instilled a sense of awe, creating a serene atmosphere rather than one filled with cheers and excitement.

During the reception following the wedding, many invited guests approached the bride and groom to offer their congratulations. The first to approach were the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton.

“Congratulations, Amelia. Take good care of him, Sir Birken — or should I say Sir Hamilton now?”

“Thank you.”

The Duke of Hamilton looked at Amelia and Edwin with proud eyes. In the Nate Empire, it was customary to take the family name of the person continuing the family line after marriage. Thus, Edwin took on the Hamilton name, as Amelia was to become the head of the Hamilton family.

Since Amelia’s training as an heir was not yet complete, they planned to live at the Hamilton estate after their marriage. 

While this was welcome news for the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, it was not so for the Duke and Duchess of Birken. After greeting the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, the Duke and Duchess of Birken approached with mixed feelings of joy and sadness.

“Please take good care of Edwin.”

“We’ll visit often.”

“Yes, do come often. You are always welcome.”

The Duchess of Birken lightly hugged Amelia with a faint smile. After greeting their parents, Lady Telbeos and Lady of Portsmouth approached the couple.

“You insisted it wasn’t true, but you ended up marrying Sir Birken. Congratulations.”

“Indeed. No wonder you protested so vehemently when you were chosen as Crown Princess.”

They smiled warmly as they congratulated the couple.

Though their relationship had strained when Amelia was chosen as Crown Princess, it quickly mended as they realized their anger was momentary, driven by the unfair selection process, not by any dislike for Amelia. 

Of course, their bond strengthened even more after Lady Brooke’s wrongdoing was revealed, and the Crown Prince reversed his decision.

Edwin and Amelia continued to express their gratitude to the guests who approached them. When the Crown Prince approached, the others quickly made way.

“It’s been a while.”

“I didn’t expect you to come.”

“Of course, I had to come to your wedding.”

“Thank you for allowing us to have the wedding at the palace.”

“Consider it a gift of apology. Lady Hamilton suffered because of me.”

A smile tinged with regret appeared on Lucius’s face.

Insisting that only Lady Limerick could be Crown Princess, the position remained vacant. As a result, the founding festival proceeded without the Crown Prince’s wedding, causing an uproar.

Despite the Elder Nobles’ Council’s protests, Lucius’s stubbornness led the Emperor and the council to concede first. 

Since then, the Crown Prince had been personally searching for Lady Limerick, putting his duties on hold, but had yet to find her.

Originally, he should have been in the Epha Empire, but he returned to the Nate Empire to attend their wedding.

“Thank you for coming.”

Edwin felt deeply grateful to Lucius for attending his wedding despite his busy schedule.

“Is Lady Brooke still in prison?”

“Yes. She’ll remain there until Lady Limerick is found.”

Amelia asked, and Lucius replied with a hardened expression.

He had decided not to punish Lady Brooke until Lady Limerick was found, intending to leave her fate to Lady Limerick. Until then, Lady Brooke would remain in prison.

Though the Marquis of Brooke protested, he couldn’t continue after being warned that further complaints would lead to charges linking Lady Limerick’s disappearance to Lady Brooke’s harassment.

While no one knew for sure whether Lady Limerick’s disappearance was due to Lady Brooke’s harassment, Edwin knew it wasn’t.

He had noticed that Lady Limerick, known for her elegance and grace, wasn’t actually like that. She wouldn’t have left the position of Crown Princess due to petty harassment.

Having briefly guarded her before she left, Edwin had picked up on things others hadn’t.

‘I really hate that Lucius guy!’

Though the time he spent guarding her was short, Edwin knew that Lady Limerick often badmouthed the Crown Prince right before she left.

Even someone as indifferent to others as Edwin could tell that Lady Limerick disliked the Crown Prince.

Though he didn’t know if she left because of Lucius, he thought it was possible.

Lucius’s attitude had been so cold that even Edwin, who usually didn’t care about others, understood why Lady Limerick complained about him.

Knowing this, Edwin thought it impressive that Lucius was still searching for Lady Limerick.

“Are you going to continue searching for Lady Limerick?”

“Yes. I’ll be relying on you to handle my duties for now.”

The Crown Prince’s duties were being shared among his subordinates, including his younger brother and Edwin. Although there was a significant amount of work, everyone supported his love, so no one had any complaints. 

Knowing this well from what Edwin had told her, Amelia, after bidding farewell, watched the Crown Prince’s receding figure and murmured softly.

“Lady Limerick must be happy to receive His Royal Highness’s love, right?”

“Are you jealous?”

“No. I have you by my side, so what is there to be jealous of? I just need you.”

With a happy smile, Amelia linked her arm with Edwin’s. In response, he also gave her a gentle smile, lightly kissing her lips.

Startled, Amelia quickly looked around. Seeing some people deliberately avoiding eye contact, it seemed a few had witnessed their kiss.

“E-Edwin. The reception is still in full swing.”

“What’s the problem now that we’re married?”

“I’d prefer it if you did that when we’re alone.”

Blushing deeply, Amelia responded.

The awkwardness or discomfort that had arisen during the transition from friends to lovers had completely disappeared, but she still felt flustered when Edwin acted boldly. Even though they were lovers, sometimes he still felt like a friend to her.

“How about we change the location and go for a walk? Just the two of us, leisurely.”

“Sounds good.”

With her answer, Edwin wrapped his arm around Amelia’s waist, pulling her close to him. Their eyes met, filled with happiness and love.

‘Is there really a need to distinctly define my relationship with Edwin?’

Amelia thought as she looked at him. What does it matter if they are lovers or friends? She had no intention of breaking their ‘friend’ relationship. They would forever remain lovers, spouses, and good friends.

<The End>