The king’s coronation was held in midsummer during Solsita’s season.

During Solsita’s feast period. The crown would be placed on the new king not by a priest but by the regent herself, and after the coronation, grand festivals were prepared throughout the feast period to commemorate the king’s accession.

The prince walking down the red-carpeted path in the royal chapel of the capital Larnas had grown tall, now an adult. He walked to receive his crown. The people standing on both sides of his path were nobles who would assist him in the new king’s era ahead.

The regent standing in the highest position, holding the crown to place on the prince’s head, stood exactly like she had when the prince was born. She had braided her curly platinum hair and twisted it up, wearing the regent’s crown and a white dress with golden embroidery.

Twenty whole years had passed since her glorious days when she moved Divine Beasts in the Five Kingdoms War that swept the Vicanthian continent, bringing a bloody storm to Etrang and finally putting her name on the San Alino Agreement that stopped Etrang Kingdom’s tyranny. Yet she looked exactly the same as then.

And the Divine Beast standing guard behind her also remained exactly the same since the moment he regained his power. His black sword, his symbol, was at his waist, and his attire was neatly formal instead of armor.

Regarding the regent who didn’t age with time and continued to maintain her beauty and youth, some said it was because she received a goddess’s blessing and contracted with a great Divine Beast. 

Others said she must be absorbing the Divine Beast’s essence to maintain her youth. Whether the regent or Divine Beast who were the subjects of these rumors knew about them was unknown.

Regent Dana Rowen placed the crown on the head of Prince Elias Rowen, who knelt on one knee. After that, she handed over the royal seal, orb, and sword one by one.

Taking a step back, Dana said, “Become a king who moves toward brighter places, Elias.”

Though she couldn’t protect Taras and Bridget, she had worked to guide Elias into an excellent royal. It was what she had to do as his aunt, as his remaining family member. 

She had to place people around Elias who would help him so he wouldn’t feel he had to endure alone even after becoming king, and ensure he could firmly protect Rowen.

And now that time had come to an end. While she couldn’t help feeling some regret, it was a conclusion she didn’t need to regret.

Elias answered Dana.

“Yes, Aunt.”

Elias rose from his position.

The regent had completed her role, and finally a new king had ascended to the throne of Rowen Kingdom.

Because Dana, his aunt and regent, found it difficult to hastily decide on the king’s marriage partner, Elias ascended the throne alone.

Wearing the king’s crown and sword, holding the seal and scepter, King Elias stepped up the stairs. With the shining royal symbols, he rose to the highest position and the most brilliant place.

Dana, standing behind King Elias, also raised her hands and applauded. A man who had approached from behind raised his hand to embrace her back.

Dana looked up at Kaiden. She could see his eyes that seemed inappropriately moved. Knowing it wasn’t simply being touched by the king’s accession, Dana just smiled.

All of Dana Rowen’s responsibilities had ended. Even if she couldn’t become complete light herself, the time she had spent working to lead Rowen to glorious radiance had finally come to an end.

Now it was time to become solely one man’s light. Since she had been that way from the moment she didn’t even know him, it was something she could enjoy without burden.

* * *

After the festival period celebrating the new king’s accession ended along with Solsita’s feast period, Dana and Kaiden, who had become princess and Divine Beast, packed their belongings from the royal castle. They rode together in a carriage from the capital toward Khalid.

Summer had come to Khalid, and green leaves and grass filled everywhere in all directions. She wanted to be moved by the scenery outside the window, but Kaiden, intoxicated by the pleasant carriage journey, wouldn’t let her be. He was even more excited because all waiting had ended.

At Eluan Castle, which they finally reached after adjusting their attire and preparing as visitors, Mrs. Vicar, who had returned immediately after the capital’s coronation ceremony, came out to greet them. Bitern and Hilda, who had come to Khalid before Dana and Kaiden and were now Duke and Duchess of Khalid, were also there.

“It’s been a long time here too.”

“Welcome. You must have had a hard journey coming such a long way.”

Dana exchanged greetings with Mrs. Vicar, then also greeted Bitern and Hilda who were waiting beside her.

“Hilda!”

“Dana!”

Hilda and Dana reached out and embraced each other. Though they had seen each other at the king’s coronation banquet, the two hugged each other tightly like they were too happy to bear seeing each other after such a long time.

Dana and Hilda separated from their embrace and looked at each other closely in the light. Wrinkles had appeared on Hilda’s face, but Dana’s face remained the same as before. Hilda looked at Dana and smiled mischievously.

“Let me see. Today you’re beautiful as always. Even Yurhemia, goddess of spring, might…”

“Be jealous of my beauty.”

Hilda’s eyes widened. Their eyes met. The two laughed heartily like in their maiden days.

After finally separating, they greeted Bitern and Hilda’s children. She exchanged greetings with the Vicar heir who would become an adult next year and greatly resembled Bitern, and his younger son and daughter.

Dana spotted familiar faces among the knights standing guard to receive visitors. They were knights who had been there since Kaiden was Duke of Khalid.

There were Declan Dieter, who had served as the capital’s security officer under Dana’s command but returned north after the war, and knights who had participated in the war. Now they were no longer young and vigorous knights but had all become experienced knights, standing motionless with solemn expressions.

Dana spotted Ian Connors, a particularly kind knight among them, but he stood looking straight ahead with a stern face. Of course, he was simply staying still because of a certain man standing behind Dana with a terrifying expression.

Dana, who had no way of knowing this fact since she didn’t look back, smiled at the knights focused on their duties and followed Bitern and Hilda inside.

* * *

Though Bitern had become the lord of Khalid territory, Hilda was the mistress of Eluan Castle, so they entered Eluan Castle under Hilda’s guidance. Just like Dana had been the lord of Eluan Castle instead of the busy Kaiden, the current Duke and Duchess of Khalid divided their roles in the same way.

It was truly a long time since returning to Eluan Castle. The feelings were genuinely fresh. The hall where she and Kaiden had kissed while he wore blood-stained armor, the white pillars surrounding the hall and the flower-shaped decorations on the ceiling. 

Going up the stairs, there was the study where she had spent time with Kaiden, the corridor where she had walked holding his hand.

The keyboard instrument that had been in Dana’s hobby room had been moved back to the music room. Since Hilda didn’t play keyboards, all the keyboard instruments were placed in the corner of the music room with their covers closed.

Dana stroked the nostalgic black instrument with her hand while looking up at Kaiden. Kaiden stood beside her with his gaze fixed on Dana.

After finishing their tour of the beloved instrument, they headed to the portrait room. The Vicar family’s portrait hung in the portrait room. Dana saw Lord Vicar depicted in it, still looking healthy at the time.

The former Duke of Khalid, who had died from wounds received in monster subjugation, sat next to his grandson who was still young when the portrait was painted. The position the deceased veteran had guarded was now inherited by his son Bitern, with his wife Hilda standing by his side.

Dana recalled the night before her marriage to Kaiden when she had imagined their portrait hanging in Eluan Castle.

‘Back then, I thought it would be better not to paint one since there was no way a portrait could be hung anyway.’

They did paint Dana and Kaiden’s portrait. The massive portrait showing Dana seated with Kaiden standing behind her in full figure was hung in the castle at the capital Larnas for her nephew who would miss his aunt.

And painting more portraits afterward became a distant prospect. Though Dana sat while Kaiden stood throughout the portrait painting since a lady couldn’t be kept standing for long periods, Kaiden came to dislike portrait painting after seeing Dana having to endure sitting motionless for such long stretches. Or perhaps he found it unpleasant that everyone could constantly see paintings of Dana’s face.

Of course, even if they had painted more portraits, hanging them in Eluan Castle would have been impossible anyway. Dana and Kaiden had to remain in the capital, and they were no longer the owners of this castle.

‘I had decided to live here.’

When she returned after turning back time, she had thought she would live this life in Khalid. The place where her last memories with her parents lingered, and the place she had to protect for Rowen. She had thought she would put down roots here and live cherishing this place.

Though it didn’t turn out that way in the end, it was fine because the people living here were precious to her. It was even better because they were people whose happiness she wished for. She hoped they would continue to form harmonious families here and live joyfully.

Sharing memories of the deceased Lord Vicar, they moved to the banquet hall. Fruit wine was served as an aperitif, followed soon by soup cooked with tomatoes, bread, and cheese as appetizers. 

The main courses were tenderly cooked beef tenderloin, crispy-skinned roasted turkey, and vegetable stew prepared by long simmering. Alongside these were roasted corn and potatoes fried golden with beans.

Enjoying the banquet that Hilda and Mrs. Vicar had carefully prepared, they engaged in lively conversation. The Vicar heir, who wasn’t yet an adult, and the two younger children went up to bed first after eating bread with peach jam for dessert. As the night deepened, only the adults remained.

Once the children disappeared, more comfortable stories poured out while eating wine, cheese, and honey-glazed walnuts. 

Stories of foolish mistakes Bitern made in front of Hilda before marriage, anecdotes of Hilda feeling hurt by Bitern’s absence when she was pregnant with the Vicar heir, and tales of Dana’s adventure breaking out of Heinz’s prison alone came tumbling out. 

The two men who hadn’t been there during those difficult times the women confessed couldn’t bring themselves to speak and sat quietly.

The very long and boisterous time continued late into the night. All of them sat glued to their chairs like they shouldn’t leave this gathering, sharing long conversations and enjoying their meal. Like they knew this was time that wouldn’t return, they stayed in their seats conversing.

The deep night banquet finally ended, and after rising and wrapping up the situation, Dana and Kaiden came out to the terrace where they could look up at the night sky. Hilda and Bitern followed behind them.

The summer night sky was dark blue and clear despite being night. Stars scattered far apart were shining. Looking up at that sky, Dana walked with Kaiden to the edge of the terrace. Then Hilda called Dana from behind.

“Dana!”

Dana turned around. Hilda, who had run over, stretched out both arms and pulled Dana into an embrace. Dana’s body swayed backward from the force. Dana also reached out to embrace Hilda back.

Hilda, who had hugged Dana tightly and then separated, cupped Dana’s face with both hands and looked at her closely. Dana saw tears welling up in Hilda’s eyes.

Dana asked with a smile.

“Why are you crying?”

Hilda, already the mother of three children, answered Dana with a childlike face while sniffling.

“The tears just come.”

Now all responsibilities were finished, and Dana was scheduled to leave Rowen to live as the Star of Elugard according to her promise with Kaiden. Since it was something she had chosen herself, it wasn’t something sad or worth crying over. Hilda knew this too, so she couldn’t express her tears any other way.

Hilda spoke to Dana, who stood there looking no different from when she was a maid.

“Making you shine was my joy.”

Tears also welled up in Dana’s eyes. Dana answered with eyes that shone wet with tears, smiling so deeply that her dimples showed.

“Your happiness is my joy.”

Hilda Haiman had been the first pride Dana Rowen felt after turning back time. She was the first person whose life she could change to continue a new future. She had changed Hilda’s life, who had died protecting her, so she could build a good family and live happily.

Coming back to Khalid before leaving was partly because she wanted to properly say goodbye to the Vicar family, but also because she wanted to see precious Hilda living happily in this place so dear to her one last time.

The place she had wanted to protect after returning to the past, the first person she had managed to protect. The first person who made her feel she had done well to turn back time.

The two women reached out their arms again and hugged each other tightly. Watching them embrace each other preciously, Bitern asked out of genuine curiosity.

“Will you never see each other again?”

Both women cried out simultaneously in shock.

“Of course not!”

“…”

Ignoring the man who closed his mouth, the two women conversed.

“Please visit often.”

“Of course.”

Having finished their tearful farewell that wasn’t an eternal goodbye, Dana turned away from Hilda. And she discovered Kaiden waiting behind her with a seriously hardened face. 

Laughter burst out. The Divine Beast who feared nothing in the world was terrified that his star might change her mind and decide to stay here.

Dana reached out her hand toward Kaiden and said.

“Let’s go back now.”

Kaiden, who took Dana’s hand, hastily waved his hand to open the door to Elugard. Wind cut through the darkness, and through it opened the door to the world of Divine Beasts.

Kaiden, who had opened the door, led Dana inside. Holding Kaiden’s hand, Dana turned her head to look back. And she waved at Hilda who was watching her.

A man with hair blacker than the night spread behind them and a woman with platinum hair shining like starlight twisted up stood side by side. On the wrist of the woman’s waving hand was an aquamarine bracelet the same color as her eyes, and on her finger was a ring set with the same gem like the bracelet, seemingly matched as a set.

The figures of the man and woman standing against the night sky were captured in Hilda’s vision like a painting. In the eyes of someone who wished for their happiness above all others, they remained shining more happily than anyone else.

Dana, who waved goodbye with a smiling face, disappeared surrounded by the wind that swept in with Kaiden. No longer a princess or regent, she became a mythological existence and returned to where she should exist as a star and where the Guardian who would protect her as a star should be. To Elugard, the world of Divine Beasts.

Hilda felt the cool breeze blowing despite it being summer and continued staring at the place where Dana’s retreating figure had been. She waved at the place where Dana, who had left with a shining smile, had disappeared.

“Farewell, my princess…”

She kept waving endlessly toward the princess who had disappeared to become a distant star.

* * *

In Rowen Kingdom, a story is passed down about a Divine Beast who loved a princess.

It’s the story of a Divine Beast who was punished by the gods and became human, fell in love with a princess and protected the kingdom, and for this was forgiven by the gods and returned to the night sky with the princess who became a star.

A poem that this Divine Beast is said to have composed and dedicated to the princess he loved remains on record.

[In the directionless black night you rose like a star,

I took you as my guide and departed northward.

For three springs I drew the form that had been embedded,

For three summers I carved the smile that had shone,

For three autumns I sang the melody that had rung,

And for three winters I was still infinitely distant, but

When you embraced light and descended as starlight,

In the fourth spring I kissed your ring,

In the fourth summer I kissed your lips.

Most beautiful star among all the stars.

In autumn, my heart that was insufficient even when touching,

In winter, my heart that was torn, but

Now I fly with you into the distant night,

With each returning season, in my deeply spread heart,

Please let me enjoy your unwearing light.

Most beautiful among countless stars,

My star.]

『Light and Night and Stars and Poetry』The End