Several years later in the capital of Peiren.

The always bustling downtown area was especially crowded today, with people’s expressions noticeably more excited than usual. A young man looking around curiously asked an elderly woman sunning herself beside a shop:

“Excuse me, what’s special about today?”

“My goodness. You don’t know?”

“No. I just returned after several years abroad…”

The elderly woman nodded at the young man’s embarrassed explanation.

“So that’s why you don’t know. Today is Duke Piert’s birthday.”

The young man who had returned from abroad blinked in surprise.

“The Duke’s birthday?”

His voice carried a note of confusion. While a duke held tremendously high status, this was the capital of the Kingdom of Peiren, not the Piert Ducal territory.

“Strange. It’s not even a royal birthday, yet people are celebrating like it’s a festival.”

“You’ve been gone for years, and you’re truly in the dark about the news.”

The elderly woman clicked her tongue and pointed to her ear.

“Is that why you’re not wearing one of these?”

The woman had a silver, shining ornament attached to one ear. The young man examined the ear cuff-shaped accessory with interest.

“Now that you mention it, I’ve noticed everyone wearing those. What are they?”

“Magic communicators.”

“…What’s that?”

“You can talk with people far away using these.”

“What?!”

The elderly woman chuckled proudly at the young man’s shocked reaction.

“Surprised? I thought it was some ghost trick at first too.”

“But how…”

“You know the Tower Master and Guardian got married a few years ago, right?”

The elderly woman explained. Lady Leah Piert, once Peiren’s most popular figure known as Peirlily, became a mage, killed Imperial Prince Archaik Oken to lead them to victory in the war, established the Magic Tower, and became the Tower Master—all topics that remained sensational even now.

The handsome Helix appeared like a comet and stood by her side, helping defeat the Imperial Prince. The fact that he possessed the extraordinary power of a Guardian was also widely discussed.

When the Tower Master and Guardian married, they did something utterly unexpected with their money.

“…They invited all citizens of Peiren to their wedding?”

“That’s right.”

The elderly woman pressed her hand to her chest, saying it still made her heart flutter to think about it.

“They personally delivered wedding invitations from the Magic Tower to everyone. And they gave out these magic communicators as early wedding favors.”

“Wow…”

The young man gaped in disbelief.

The elderly woman nodded with an understanding expression. Even those who experienced it firsthand had reacted similarly years ago—first shocked by the scale of spending, then confused by this unfamiliar magical item, and further bewildered that it came from the Tower Master and Guardian. It was truly a cauldron of confusion.

“Wait, they distributed wedding invitations to the entire country and sent gifts in advance? So people could keep the gifts even if they didn’t attend the wedding?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“That’s beyond generous! But wait, isn’t it dangerous? What if someone stole these valuable items to sell them?”

The elderly woman nodded.

“At first, there were greedy people who tried that. But the Tower Master had already taken measures to prevent it.”

The magic communicators required the user’s own mana to function, making them unusable by anyone else once activated.

“Wow… that’s insane.”

The young man muttered with a dazed expression.

The Oken Empire, which had proclaimed itself the Magic Empire, had been devastated by civil war for years. The young man had endured great hardship studying abroad before finally returning home. Meanwhile, his homeland, the Kingdom of Peiren, had transformed—the Tower Master freely distributed magical items, and people used them naturally.

“Hey, I’m coming in now! Stop standing outside, you’ll fall!”

“Darling, I’m out shopping. Is there anything you want? They have those apples you like.”

He overheard people around him conversing through their magic communicators.

The people of Peiren had long since become unable to imagine life without these devices. Among nobles and the wealthy, showing off premium magic communicators decorated with jewels and gold had become fashionable.

They eagerly sought new models whenever they were released. Naturally, the Magic Tower and Piert Trading Company, which exclusively produced and supplied these items, accumulated wealth daily.

“Look, they’re here!”

Children with excited faces who had been constantly looking up at the sky shouted.

“Tower Master! Guardian!”

They called out, waving their hands. The young man followed their gaze upward. High in the capital’s sky, a large vessel was slowly flying toward them.

“Wow! This airship is golden! So cool!”

Dragon hatchlings flew alongside the golden airship, displaying their full dignity despite their small bodies as they escorted it.

The young man blinked repeatedly. He couldn’t tell if he was having a strange dream after returning home or if this was reality.

“Ouch!”

“Young man, why are you slapping your own cheek?”

***

The golden airship stopped above the Piert mansion.

Whoosh.

Leah’s family began descending from the airship, enveloped in wind magic.

Duke Piert, who had been anxiously waiting in the mansion, rushed out.

“My puppies!”

“Grandpa!”

The children, released from their parents’ arms, tumbled forward like rolling balls. The Duke’s mouth spread into a wide smile.

“Oh my precious ones! Don’t hurt yourselves, come slowly!”

“Why are you running when you’re telling them to come slowly?”

The Duchess gently scolded him while following with a smile.

She turned to Leah and Helix, saying:

“Your father’s birthday is still a few days away. Why come so early?”

“Coming early means we get to see your faces longer.”

“True. Your father was sick with longing for the children. I’ve been seeing their faces in my dreams too.”

By the time the Duchess finished asking about Helix’s health, the Duke was still completely absorbed with his grandchildren, not even looking back.

Leah took Helix’s arm and grumbled:

“I think Father doesn’t want to see my face anymore.”

“That can’t be true.”

He smiled slightly and whispered:

“It’s because I’m stuck right by your side.”

“Should I move away for a moment then?”

Helix silently took her hand that was linked through his arm and firmly interlaced their fingers. She smiled and turned her head, meeting the Duke’s eyes.

“……”

Duke Piert turned his head and smiled at his grandchildren again. Leah whispered to Helix:

“…I think you were right.”

“He’s probably like this because you married me and moved far away.”

While the Duke considered Helix a valuable son-in-law, a son-in-law was still a son-in-law—the man who took away his daughter, more precious than gold or diamonds. Though he claimed to be fine, he often showed his hurt feelings by asking, “Don’t you want to see your father?” “When will you come to the capital again?” or “Come alone sometimes, leave Helix at the Magic Tower.”

She sighed inwardly and asked her husband:

“How far have we developed the teleportation magic circle?”

“Just a bit more work needed. Once it’s complete, we should install it first to connect the Magic Tower to here.”

“Let’s make it our top priority. Otherwise, Father will be even more upset.”

“Upset? He’d be even more hurt if he heard you say that.”

Leah turned at the gentle voice.

“Big brother.”

“Welcome. Was your journey without incident?”

Marquis Rikeil smiled as he greeted his sister and Helix. She nodded and asked:

“Where’s Yuria?”

“She’ll be bringing Liria out soon.”

Rikeil had married Lady Yuria Seigan and had one daughter. When he had rescued Yuria from Lord Trow’s kidnapping and hidden her in the Piert mansion for protection, Rikeil had quietly shown consideration for her, though there was no romantic feeling between them. Yuria was grateful, and Rikeil simply felt sorry for the girl his sister had brought home.

However, things changed when Yuria developed a fear of men due to the trauma from that incident. Rikeil, with a face so similar to Leah who had saved her, didn’t frighten her. She began to recall how considerate he had been. Those memories kept returning to her mind.

It didn’t take long for those feelings to transform into love, for that love to be discovered, and for it to spread to him. Once certain of their mutual feelings, they quickly married with the blessing of both families.

“Now we just need our younger brother to arrive.”

“Ruyan said he’ll come in about two days.”

“He’s the busiest among us these days.”

Ruyan was occupied with handling remnants of the Oken Empire near the border. Former margraves and deserters from the empire in turmoil kept probing the Piert territory along the border, pretending to be bandits.

These opponents were no match for Ruyan, who was already a Swordmaster. The Piert ducal family now regarded Ruyan’s combat deployments as something like short business trips.

“I hope the border stabilizes soon so brother Ruyan can get some rest.”

“That guy would go wild with boredom if there were no battles.”

***

The gathered family moved to the garden.

The garden of the Piert mansion was magnificent yet elegant, befitting its reputation. Green tables and chairs suitable for outdoor use were arranged under white sunshades. Deep purple and vermilion flowers appropriate for the season adorned the tables like embroidery, releasing rich fragrances.

“Mommy, pretty!”

Lerix ran over with flowers picked from the garden, smiling brightly. His golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his gray eyes crinkled beautifully, knowing only how to smile. The adults watching couldn’t help but smile back at his angelic expression.

Helea, sitting quietly beside Leah, reproached him:

“Are you saying Mommy is pretty, or the flowers are pretty?”

“Both!”

At Lerix’s cheerful answer, Helea shook her head primly. Though young, she already had the cool, beautiful face of an ice princess. Her long silver hair swayed gracefully as she moved.

“What does that even mean? You should be more specific.”

“Everything is really pretty.”

“Sigh.”

Helea’s expression changed as she sighed. A red-haired girl was running toward them, waving.

“Heli!”

“Liri!”

Helea’s face instantly brightened as she jumped from her chair and ran forward. The two girls spread their arms and hugged tightly, giggling together.

“They’re so happy to see each other.”

Leah said with a smile. Yuria, who had approached, nodded.

“Liria has been beside herself for a week knowing Helea was coming.”

“Helea couldn’t sleep properly last night either.”

Leah’s own eyes had dark circles beneath them as she said this. Helix, sitting beside her, leaned closer.

“Leah, why don’t you go inside and rest your eyes for a bit?”

“Yes, the children can play here. You two should go rest.”

Yuria added. Leah nodded in agreement.

***

“I’m exhausted…”

Leah’s room in the Duke’s mansion remained exactly as it had been. She threw herself onto the familiar bed with a groan. Even traveling by airship with dragon hatchling escorts, journeying with children was never easy.

“Perhaps we should have brought more maids.”

“Then the airship would have been slower… yaaawn.”

Helix approached as she yawned. His large hand gently and tenderly stroked her face.

“Mmm…”

His hand, which at first carefully touched only her cheek, moved with increasing skill. His strong fingers traced her brow bone, pressing soothingly against her eyelids and the hollow behind her ears.

As the tension in her face released, she grew drowsy. Leah’s eyes grew heavy, blinking slowly without her realizing it.

“Already falling asleep?”

Helix laughed softly as he reached out. His long fingers lightly brushed under her eyelashes with a gentle upward stroke.

“Mmm…”

Leah, already half-asleep, fluttered her eyelashes.

Pop.

His fingers transferred a very small amount of mana.

To her rounded forehead, her nose, her lips. Helix’s fingers left tiny bursts of mana on Leah’s face like butterflies briefly alighting.

Smiling at these small expressions of affection, Leah closed her eyes. On this bed where she had once suffered prolonged pain, she now lay with a body light as a feather. With a husband who watched over her at the slightest sign of travel fatigue.

Leah slowly reached out her hand. His still-handsome face leaned toward her with complete focus. The afternoon sunlight touched his silver hair, making it dazzlingly bright.

“Helix.”

He smiled at her call. The large man lowering himself toward Leah embraced her as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Rustle.

Through the curtains swaying in the gentle breeze came the sound of children’s high-pitched laughter.

Ah. We’ll continue to live happily like this from now on.

Filled with this premonition, Leah nestled deeper into Helix’s embrace. As she hugged his solid body in return, the premonition became certainty, filling her with warmth.

With this man, for a long, long time.