“Shall we go see together?”

“Good.”

The place they arrived at, arm in arm with Alkaid, was a spacious room.

……Full of clothes, hats, shoes, and bags.

‘Oh. There are accessories over there too.’

He didn’t call it a dressing room because he felt sorry to attach that name to this vastness. Spica thought she could sleep here.

‘But there are way more clothes than I thought. It’s not like he bought out an entire costume shop……’

No wait. Alkaid could certainly do that.

But she couldn’t say that was the answer, because the further back she went through the procession of countless dresses, nightgowns, and casual clothes, the more she could see old fashions.

Things like ribbons large enough to cover the entire chest, chaotic decorations like feathers attached to the hips, garish colors like dye had been poured on them.

Spica stood speechless for a while after checking the clothes at the very back.

“Spica.”

“……This really needs an explanation, Alkaid.”

She pointed to clothes similar to what Academy students used to enjoy wearing as holiday outfits.

“Did someone you used to date wear these? Or were they gifts you intended to give?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then why on earth are those clothes here? They’re designs that aren’t even sold anymore.”

Alkaid had imprinted on her. That was an unchanging fact.

But that didn’t mean she was the first person in every moment of Alkaid’s life.

Even if it ended in a painful conclusion, he probably had a first love or so. It wasn’t incomprehensible.

“But understanding doesn’t mean it’s okay to keep traces of someone who was there before.”

“I said it wasn’t that.”

Alkaid suddenly took off his helmet and spoke. Spica frowned sharply after confirming his expression.

“Why are you smiling?”

“I wondered if you were being jealous.”

“What does that have to do with anything right now……!”

“I feel good, but don’t misunderstand. Everything here belongs to you.”

“No, I didn’t even meet you back then, so how could it be……”

Spica’s words trailed off. An impossible possibility had occurred to her.

What if Alkaid had known her from before.

“……When exactly did you imprint on me?”

“When you…… were about to become a third year.”

“That’s impossible. You aren’t from our Academy, right? No, even so, there’s an age difference so there wouldn’t be a chance to meet on campus……”

“When I attended my sibling’s graduation ceremony.”

Alkaid gently pulled Spica’s hand and kissed it.

The sensation he felt when he discovered his imprinting partner, Spica. The moment when all colors seemed to shine by being drawn to her was nothing but wondrous no matter how many times he recalled it.

“I discovered you then and knew immediately.”

“……You even have a sibling?”

It was shock after shock. Compared to what Alkaid knew about her, what Spica knew about him was minimal.

“First, how many siblings do you have?”

“One. You wouldn’t have known them. They were from the administrative department, sat in my adjutant position doing nothing, then imprinted and went abroad.”

“Well, I did take administrative department classes starting from my third year……”

No, wait a minute.

Spica’s eyes rolled toward clothes that would have been pretty if worn when she was around 17.

‘If he imprinted that long ago…… Did he watch me constantly while preparing, then as soon as his sibling left, call me to sit in the vacant administrative adjutant position?’

It seemed impossible, but when she combined the situations she had experienced so far, nothing could fit together more perfectly.

“So I’ve been living in the palm of Alkaid’s hand this whole time?”

“……”

“You’re not denying it.”

Such things could happen in this world. Spica couldn’t figure out what reaction to show first. Alkaid kept his mouth shut, waiting for her reaction.

Not a single rustling sound came from the spacious dressing room.

The person who broke their silence was the butler. With a knock and word that the carriage was ready, Spica moved like waking from sleep.

“Let’s head out first. We’ll be late for our appointment.”

The people they had arranged to meet today were carpenters, architects, and priests.

It would have been nice if they were building a new house to live in after marriage, but the meeting place was Viscount Atrain’s residence. The house where Spica had spent the most time since birth, and where the traces of Atrain ancestors remained.

While the servants had been newly contracted to work at Winterhold mansion, the house was not something that could be moved like that.

After notifying the priests, Alkaid carefully approached as soon as Spica finished her conversation with the architect.

“Once demolition begins, it cannot be undone. Are you really okay with this?”

“I talked it over thoroughly with Heze and this seems right. It wasn’t our intention, but many children lost their lives in this house.”

Spica and Heze had decided to build a small temple on this land dedicated to the patron saint of children. A place to honor the children who were sacrificed here, and to serve as an orphanage. So that children who faced unfortunate times in their lives could become even a little happier.

It was already decided who would come here. Children discovered by the knight order and security forces while searching the outskirts of the capital. Each was enduring harsh misfortune.

Since they needed to start operations as soon as possible, the siblings put all the compensation money that Alkaid had received as hush money from Commander Sobek into this work.

“The priest said earlier that you told them not to worry about operating expenses and to spend generously, Alkaid.”

“When a wife performs good deeds, it’s natural for the husband to lend a hand too.”

“Wife? Hmph.”

Spica put both hands on her hips.

“How can we get married without even getting permission from your parents? What about your sibling? We should greet them first, get permission, and then hold the wedding ceremony.”

What permission was needed when a beast-human wanted to spend their life with their imprinted partner?

His mother was a beast-human so she would tell him not to do such obvious things, and his father…… he had no intention of getting close since he might have a bad influence on Spica.

His sibling? That one was out of the question from the beginning.

But instead of such words, Alkaid made a vow.

“I will marry you even if I have to give up my ducal title. So don’t worry.”

Spica hadn’t expected Alkaid to go this far. She stuttered like she was broken, then ended up clicking her tongue.

“Still, I’ll greet them. Your mother at least.”

“Then let’s go to the territory tomorrow right away.”

“No, what about work…… And, and you haven’t even proposed!”

By this point, Alkaid also realized she was being shy.

He smiled slightly.

“My memory seems strange, so I ask. Didn’t you suggest we get married first back then, Spica? I thought that was a proposal.”

“That…… is true, but!”

She couldn’t grab him by the collar and demand he do it too when she had done it first. Unable to argue back, she huffed and walked quickly with short steps, making Alkaid’s smile deepen.

‘There’s no need to tell her now what I’ve prepared for the way back.’

Alkaid was used to waiting, and the joy that came at the end of it was……

Then Spica turned around to look at him. With cheeks still flushed from lingering embarrassment, she said.

“Alkaid. I thought about what you told me earlier.”

The smile gradually disappeared from Alkaid’s face.

“……Please speak.”

“Wait. Don’t look so serious.”

Spica was also reading Alkaid’s expression. She reached out her hand to catch him, who had become anxious immediately despite joking just moments before.

Alkaid couldn’t bring himself to take that hand and asked.

“Don’t you find me disgusting?”

“What?”

Spica’s eyes widened.

It was true that she was shocked enough to feel dizzy after hearing the truth. She also needed time to organize her thoughts, but disgusting? That was absolutely not the case.

‘Rather, I like it so much it’s a problem.’

Someone who had been waiting for her alone for a long time, preparing to lay out a path of flowers. Moreover, he was devastatingly handsome. Wasn’t he everyone’s ideal type?

Or not. At least Spica felt that way.

However, she felt sorry for the time Alkaid had waited alone. She was scared and worried whether she could return as much as the heart he had shown, whether she would disappoint him.

But no matter how much she thought about it, there was only one answer.

‘Let me express it even more because it’s scary. How much I love him.’

What she was good at was going straight ahead.

Spica reached out her hand a little more. She firmly held the fingertips that touched.

“I’ve been living thinking I was incredibly lucky all this time. But that wasn’t it.”

She pulled the large hand to hold it more. She intertwined their fingers and clasped them together.

So Alkaid couldn’t back away.

“It turns out my good fortune was you, Alkaid.”

“……What brought you to this position wasn’t luck but effort and will.”

“But effort doesn’t solve everything. Your preparation was good fortune for me.”

Spica extended her other hand too.

This time Alkaid didn’t hesitate either. He pulled Spica’s wrist and embraced her in his arms.

Spica hugged his broad back tightly. Then she spoke with sincerity.

“Thank you. For waiting for me for so long. For becoming the greatest good fortune for me.”

“I’m also…… grateful. That you accepted this strange person who wore a helmet.”

Hearing the laughter that burst out from within his embrace, Alkaid put more strength into the arms that held each other.

It was the moment when layers of accumulated waiting finally bloomed into happiness. And the joy that came at the end, the name of his joy was Spica.

〈End〉