Epilogue

“No, why are you leaving already?”

The manager asked with a bewildered face as he looked at Karina and Dominic. Karina was supposed to stay until the next day. But suddenly, as soon as Dominic arrived, they said they were returning to the capital, so he couldn’t help but worry if there was something unsatisfactory about the hotel.

“Perhaps you were dissatisfied with our hotel’s service? If you tell us what was lacking, we will correct it.”

The manager said anxiously. However, Karina shook her head at those words.

“No. The hotel’s service was very good. We’re returning because an urgent matter came up.”

“If it’s an urgent matter…”

“We forgot there’s a ball tomorrow. It’s an important event we must attend.”

When they mentioned the warship launching ceremony, the manager let out a sigh of relief. Given that Dominic Winchester held the rank of Brigadier General, it would certainly be inappropriate for both of them to miss a Naval Headquarters event.

“That’s a relief. I was worried I had made a mistake…”

“No. I really liked it here. I’ll actively recommend the hotel to people around me.”

“Is that true? Thank you, Brigadier General Winchester.”

“I think I’ll visit frequently. It was a good lodging.”

“Next time you visit, we’ll take even better care of you.”

The manager’s shoulders straightened at the praise for the hotel he had put so much effort into creating. He quickly went outside to order the carriage prepared. Having won over the hearts of the capital’s first-class nobles, everything had to be perfect until the end.

During the carriage ride and on the train, the two held hands tightly. Every time their intertwined fingers fidgeted, Dominic looked at Karina with a faint smile.

Not even a full day had passed, but the return trip by train was incomparable to when he had come up north. If yesterday he had been anxious like a madman, now he felt like he owned the world.

“Are you that happy?”

“Yes. So much that I wonder if I’m allowed to be.”

Even to Karina’s teasing question, Dominic answered immediately. The joke that was meant to embarrass him ended up embarrassing Karina instead.

When they arrived at the station, Dominic contacted both families. The Crawford mansion immediately sent a carriage. As Karina was about to leave in the carriage, Dominic kissed her hand and said,

“After speaking with my parents, I’ll come straight to the Crawford mansion.”

At those words, Karina nodded with her face turning red.

Waiting for Karina when she returned home were her very angry parents. Though the Count and Countess rarely scolded her no matter what she did, this time they couldn’t let it slide.

Turning the house upside down and running away leaving just a note. And if that wasn’t enough, handling Dominic Winchester when he used his authority recklessly fell into Lucas’s responsibility.

To her parents who demanded she explain everything about the situation with Dominic Winchester, asking why she was so immature, Karina roughly explained what had happened.

That she and Dominic had gone on several dates and developed feelings for each other.

But when she said she had rejected his proposal because she wanted to meet more men, and ran away to avoid Dominic who insisted on marriage, the Count nearly foamed at the mouth.

“So, you rejected the proposal because… you wanted to play around more?”

“Yes. But he chased after me.”

“Karina Crawford!”

Grabbing his neck, Count Crawford fell back with a groan. What was all this about? He didn’t expect modesty or nobility. Just average. How nice it would be if she were just average. The Count felt despair at his outrageous daughter’s answer.

“I definitely didn’t want to get married. But what can I do when he says he likes me so so much? Marriage — I should do it. I will. I’m sorry for running away. The situation was a bit urgent then.”

Even while being scolded, far from being cowed, she was rather shameless. The Count couldn’t understand at all. Perhaps there was something wrong with his daughter. Dominic Winchester was an excellent man, both in terms of family and personal merit.

Of course, Dominic could like Karina. But marriage is ultimately the union of families. No matter how much the Brigadier General wanted to marry Karina, it would all come to nothing without the Marquis’s permission.

The Count scolded his immature daughter. But even while being scolded, Karina kept smiling, clearly pleased about something. It took about three hours for the Count and Countess to understand their daughter’s reaction.

When the butler reported unexpected guests, the Count responded roughly.

“Do I look like I have time to receive guests right now? Refuse them. Tell them to come back another time.”

“But, Count. These are guests we cannot refuse.”

“What?”

The butler told the Count while sweating profusely.

“Marquis Winchester and his second son have come to visit.”

They were truly guests that could not be refused. The Count’s mouth fell open.

* * *

The Count and Countess hurriedly sent Karina up to her room. The reason for Marquis Winchester visiting with his second son was obvious. It was to resolve the matter between Karina and Dominic. They couldn’t let the Marquis see her crumpled appearance from being scolded while kneeling with a bare face without any makeup.

When footsteps were heard hurriedly going up to her room from the study, the corner of Dominic’s mouth curved up. Seeing this, Marquis Winchester elbowed his second son’s side.

“Ugh.”

“Get your head straight. If you make a mistake, it’s disrespectful to Lady Crawford.”

“I understand.”

Yet his grinning smile remained. The Marquis closed his eyes and shook his head. It was because his second son’s behavior was so unfamiliar, as if he had a screw loose.

His second son, who was as rational and exemplary as his older brother, was the Marquis’s great pride. His only small worry was that he showed no interest in women. But this had been groundless. The sea is calmest just before a mad wave hits. His son in love was truly like a mad wave.

Only after everything was over did he receive the report. His wife couldn’t hold back her laughter while looking at Lady Crawford’s composite sketch. She seemed to find it both surprising and amusing that their always proper and boring second son had done such a thing.

But the Marquis looked at the composite sketch with a serious face. This was a great discourtesy to the Crawford family. Making a composite sketch of a lady who wasn’t even a criminal. Where else could there be such impropriety? When he yelled for Dominic to come home immediately, the butler returned with only the abandoned horse. He was shocked nearly to the point of fainting when he heard his son had already boarded a train headed north.

Dominic, who had disappeared so suddenly, only returned home after a day. His son, who came back in a severely wrinkled military uniform, far from reflecting on his wrongdoing, dropped an even bigger bomb.

He said he would marry Lady Crawford because he had done something he needed to take responsibility for.

In the end, Dominic was beaten by his father who had lost his reason, just short of killing him.

“Haah.”

Marquis Winchester shook his head. Who would have known Dominic would be like this, as they say, late-blooming is fearsome. He dressed him as properly as possible and visited the Crawford mansion before it was too late.

He had heard about Karina Crawford several times through his wife. Though they had no direct connection, she was said to be a young lady who shone like a bright star. Though Count Crawford always talked about his daughter’s shortcomings, everyone knew how much he cherished his daughter.

If he found out that such a Karina had been touched before proper marriage discussions… Though Count Crawford’s rank was lower than a Marquis, he was a man of strong pride. If he stubbornly refused to allow the marriage, there would be nothing he could do.

“Your Grace, and Brigadier General. I will guide you to the Count’s study. This way.”

The Marquis nodded at the Crawford family butler’s guidance. His son’s footsteps following behind were light. He recalled the saying that having children makes one a sinner. The Marquis shook his head again seeing that sight. Setting aside his son’s wrongdoing, when he liked her that much.

‘I’ll have to persuade the Count well.’

He initially thought it would be quite a difficult meeting, but contrary to his expectations, the marriage discussion proceeded swiftly. He too could breathe easier at the Count’s actively favorable response, as if he had been waiting for this.

An hour later, Marquis Winchester and Count Crawford shook hands and even embraced.

Thus, Dominic and Karina’s marriage was decided.

* * *

After the warship launching ceremony ended, a grand ball was held at night. The Naval Headquarters’ banquet hall connected to the beach was lit up bright as day. It was a ball befitting the beginning of summer’s heat.

There was another hot fresh piece of news that excited people as much as the newly built warship. It was the marriage news of Dominic Winchester and Karina Crawford.

No one properly knew when, where, or how the two had met and developed such a deep relationship. At first, people noisily gossiped that Dominic and Karina seemed completely mismatched. This was because Dominic was a serious and blunt man while Karina had a bouncy and active personality who enjoyed socializing.

However, the moment people saw the two enter the ballroom together, such words disappeared.

Dominic wore his blue naval dress uniform, and beside him, Karina wore a light sky-blue dress. A handsome man and beautiful woman standing together certainly made a picture. But what surprised people about the two wasn’t just that.

“Brigadier General Winchester… I didn’t know he could smile like that.”

His aide muttered with a dumbfounded face. The reaction was the same from people who knew Karina. Though her usual confident and energetic attitude was a big part of Karina’s charm, it couldn’t compare to her lovely smile as she received Dominic’s escort. Her smile was so beautiful it made even those watching feel happy.

Only then did everyone realize.

The fact that the two had found their most perfect match in each other.

After being surrounded and suffering through congratulations from people for quite a while, a woman in a green dress approached Karina. It was Olivia.

“Ah, Lady Lindid.”

“Oh my. No need for such formal titles. Congratulations on your marriage, Karina.”

Saying that a friend’s friend is soon my friend, Olivia held her hand and showed genuine happiness.

“I told you, didn’t I? That I could tell everything about Dominic just by looking at his expression. I knew things would end up like this.”

Karina shyly avoided eye contact. Yes, that’s right. Olivia had said something like that to her at the last ball.

“You said there was nothing between you two.”

“Well, that’s how it turned out. Haha.”

If Olivia hadn’t come to talk to her that day, she probably wouldn’t have drunk so much, and then there wouldn’t have been that incident that night.

“Thank you, Olivia.”

“Oh my. It’s only natural to congratulate you.”

Not understanding Karina’s meaning, Olivia smiled brightly.

“But are you okay? Staying by my side like this?”

“What? What do you mean…?”

“His Highness the Crown Prince is glaring at me intensely.”

At Karina’s words, Olivia’s body gave a big start. Glancing back, she could see the Crown Prince leaning against the wall in the distance, head tilted slightly, looking their way.

“Th-that…”

“I’ll keep your secret. It’s not time yet, right?”

Olivia, her face bright red, nodded.

“H-how did you know? No one should have known yet…”

“I’m probably the only one who knows.”

Well, that’s because she had read <Where Her Eyes Fall>.

In the novel, today was originally the day of Olivia’s incident with Dominic. According to the original story, it was time for conflict to arise between Olivia, who learned from the incident with Dominic that physical connection was as important as mental connection, and the angry Crown Prince.

‘But since Dominic escaped from the original story, Olivia’s conflict will disappear too.’

So Karina decided to give Olivia a hint as well.

“I think shooting stars will fall tonight.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know either, but Dominic told me. There will be meteor showers tonight. Go watch them with His Highness.”

Karina whispered in Olivia’s ear. There is a place where they can avoid others’ eyes. After watching the meteors together there, ‘that incident’ happened between Dominic and Olivia. It’s such a romantic place that sparks could fly between friends, so surely something good will happen when two people who have given their hearts to each other go together.

“Th-thank you, Karina.”

“Don’t mention it. We should help each other.”

Karina answered with a bright smile. As Olivia hesitated awkwardly, Karina released her hand and cheered her on.

“His Highness will love it. Go now before someone else comes. If you wait any longer, I think fire might shoot from His Highness’s eyes.”

“Ah, haha… Then I’ll be going now.”

Olivia, with her red ears, was cute even to a woman’s eyes. The Crown Prince’s extremely cold expression gradually softened just from seeing her approaching with small steps.

‘Spring has come everywhere.’

Karina smirked. As soon as Olivia left, someone else approached her.

“Finally, it’s my turn.”

“Dominic.”

“You need to have fewer friends.”

At Dominic’s words, Karina laughed and leaned on his arm.

“It’s all over now. The remaining time is all yours.”

Saying that, Karina looked up at Dominic. His jaw muscles twitched slightly. Now she knew that expression meant he was suppressing his rising emotions.

“What? Don’t you like it?”

“Of course not.”

Then Dominic asked Karina.

“Shall we go outside?”

“Eh? Why? Won’t it be hot outside?”

“I just heard there will be meteor showers tonight. I know a good place. Somewhere we won’t be disturbed by others.”

Ah…

Karina smiled with a troubled expression.

“Um…”

“You don’t want to?”

“No, it’s not that… I just saw someone heading there.”

Dominic frowned at Karina’s words. He had just received the report, how could someone else know first? Besides, that place was known to very few people.

“It’s probably not the place you’re thinking of.”

Karina was genuinely troubled. So she said to Dominic,

“How about something else instead of meteor showers?”

“Something else? What do you mean?”

“For example, somewhere no one comes, or somewhere with good soundproofing…”

Dominic, immediately understanding Karina’s meaning, showed a briefly surprised expression before closing and opening his eyes. A pleasant curve formed at his lips.

“I know one such place.”

“Really?”

“My office has quite good soundproofing. And no one will be there at this hour.”

He whispered in Karina’s ear.

“Come to think of it, we could see the meteor shower from my office window too. What do you think?”

There was no need to ask what she thought. The answer was already decided. Karina answered by taking his arm.

It was a summer night with stars twinkling brightly.

The End