Since I Don’t Know Anything About It, Shall We Break Up, Your Majesty?

Chris’s eyes wavered as he carefully opened the suspicious-looking envelope.

It was a certificate transferring an island near Cissus Island to Chris.

“Pre-President!”

“Once this matter is wrapped up, take a rest and come back. I’d like to send Osman with you too…… but right now we can’t do without Osman for Levania’s reconstruction.”

Chris hugged the island documents tightly with a moved face.

The words that moved him didn’t end there.

“When I told my grandfather I was giving you that island, he built a library for you. He seems to have filled it with quite a lot of interesting books from his personal study.”

“……Hup!”

Now with an almost crying face, Chris covered his face.

He trembled with his hands, unable to hide his joy more than ever before.

“I, Chris Gunther, am now experiencing for the first time that a person can die from being hit by happiness. Thank you, sob sob, thank you!”

Chris bounced around as if dancing.

It was his first time seeing Chris so childishly happy.

Karl, who had been observing Chris with interest, thought of his maternal grandfather.

When the performance ended, his grandfather had quietly come to visit.

The grandfather and grandson embraced each other without many words and strengthened their resolve.

‘I’ll be nearby. Call me if you need me.’

It was a simple statement, but nothing could be more reassuring and dangerous.

From the perspective of other countries, a foreign king’s involvement in this country’s politics might look like Berhe was waiting to swallow Levania.

If that happened, this would no longer be just about Levania’s revolution but could become an international war.

Other countries might try to get involved to divide this land.

Of course, if it came to that, Berhe and Levania would join hands to fight the war, but it was more important to prevent such a situation from occurring.

Anyway, it was fortunate that the citizens’ revolution was quietly and quickly concluded internally.

Karl climbed to the highest point of the opera building.

And from that height, he looked out over the country he had set free.

Scars and wounds showed throughout the city, but they would soon be fine.

Nobles and citizens would slowly integrate and find their own way to coexist.

It might become a republic, or it might become a democracy.

Whatever happened, Karl would not intervene in any of those processes.

Karl took a deep breath while looking at the plaza where people passed by.

The musty smell of dust and the dampness of the fog that subtly lingered stimulated his sense of smell.

It was the scent of true freedom he had longed for all this time.

Looking down at the city, he turned his back without any lingering attachment and descended.

Now there was only one place for him to go.

* * *

“Hnnnngh!”

Lumiere climbed to the third floor carrying a large new travel trunk.

The bag was big enough for Lumiere to crouch inside, but even this felt small to her.

Because she had so many things to pack.

“No matter how much they say we’ll get new things there, I still want to bring the things I’m used to.”

Once everything was settled, Karl and Lumiere decided to go on a trip.

Their first destination would be the World Exposition in Ingsten, then the Science Competition at Jurbon University, and finally they planned to rest at Cissus Island.

With many places to visit, they hurried their schedule, and the two secured a ship less than a week after making their decision.

“Hmm.”

Lumiere placed her hands on her hips and looked around her cozy atelier, deciding what to take.

Books that gave her inspiration, brushes that were worn out but strangely endearing, pretty water containers, notebooks with recipes for blending her favorite colors, small sketchbooks, and so on.

One by one, filling the trunk, it was already half full.

This one bag definitely wouldn’t be enough.

She searched every corner of the studio to see if there was anything else to pack.

Then suddenly, a small frame hanging on the wall caught her eye.

“Ah!”

Something suddenly occurred to her, and she quickly got up and took down the frame.

The small canvas frame, 30cm by 30cm, was very small and empty inside, but a bundle of papers was hidden snugly inside.

Lumiere murmured with a bright face.

“My diaries.”

Her diaries that she had set aside were here.

Papers with sketches of Karl’s face, notes he had left for her, four-leaf clovers they had found together—a diary adorned with such cute mementos.

She examined the hidden diary with a pleased expression.

Year XXX, Month X, Day XX.

Met a strange man at the fountain. His eyes were beautiful like a barley field at sunset.

……He said his name was Karl Winger, could that be true? His line about seeing me somewhere before wasn’t fresh at all, but his face was fresh.

‘……Oh my, listen to me.’

Lumiere unconsciously blushed and looked around to see if anyone was nearby.

His face was fresh?

Was Karl some kind of fish or what?

Lumiere laughed incredulously and looked at the next page.

Most of it was about Karl.

When they met again, how they shared their first kiss, and how she tasted champagne in that first kiss…… such romantic words appeared frequently.

If she had read this when she lost her memory, she would undoubtedly have remembered him instantly.

And she would have fallen in love again right away.

‘……I fell in love again even without the diary.’

Lumiere smiled and carefully put the diaries back in their place.

And to fill this space again with future events, she packed a diary in her trunk.

Around that time, someone knocked on the studio door.

— Miss, it’s me, Tamia.

“Yes, come in!”

Tamia opened the door and entered, then burst into laughter seeing the state of Lumiere’s trunk.

“Are you planning to take all this?”

“……Hmm, is it too much?”

“If you don’t mind, may I help you? I’ve been wandering around since I was young, so I know some packing tricks.”

“That would be completely helpful!”

Lumiere repacked her art supplies with Tamia.

Thanks to Tamia’s gentle voice firmly excluding unnecessary items, the bag became much lighter than before.

Tamia quickly organized the trunk and locked it before Lumiere could have second thoughts.

“Wow, it’s much lighter now. Cindy already packed all your clothes and accessories and put them downstairs.”

Lumiere looked with regretful eyes at the pretty water bottle and worn-out brush that she could no longer use but had carried around like a charm, then quickly shook her head.

“Good. This is enough. This is fine. I’ll be back soon anyway. Then Tamia, shall we take a breather until the twins come to take this down?”

“Shall we? Would you like some snacks?”

“That would be nice.”

Tamia went downstairs and came back up with a simple tray.

Meanwhile, Lumiere also brought something from the second floor up to the third.

“I brought some tea and madeleines. You’re not hungry, are you?”

“No, this should be enough.”

The two sat by the window where sunlight streamed in well and drank tea side by side.

When the tea was half empty, Lumiere spoke first.

“……Won’t you come back after the trip is over?”

In fact, Lumiere wasn’t the only one leaving.

Now that everything was settled, Tamia also said she would return to her own life.

“Yes, Miss. Of course.”

Tamia nodded with a smile.

She said she would go to her hometown.

The journey would be quite long because the road was long and rough.

She had mentioned in advance that she would leave soon after the Miss departed.

The parting was regrettable, but it was fine since Tamia said she would return.

She had always kept her promises to Lumiere.

“Before you go, take this.”

Lumiere handed Tamia what she had brought from the second floor earlier.

When she saw the item placed on the table, Tamia burst into laughter.

“My goodness, Miss……”

Tamia picked up the candy jar Lumiere had given her.

The jar that would normally contain lemon candies was now filled with small jewels, gold coins, and silver coins.

“You’ll need travel money for a long journey. It reminded me of the old days, so I prepared it in the old way.”

Lumiere said this with a playful smile.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

In that moment, both of them burst into pearly laughter.

The past, riddled with pain and regret, no longer remained as sadness.

The two shared their stories for a long time, fingering the candy jar like recalling memories.

During this time, Karl’s carriage arrived to pick up Lumiere.

* * *

“Have a good trip, don’t worry about the mansion!”

Cindy said energetically.

On either side of Cindy, the twins stood with their hands on their hips, nodding their heads.

“Laurel was very sorry he couldn’t come to see you off. The orphanage director also asked me to convey his thanks for sending Nore.”

During Lumiere’s trip, Jeffrey decided to split his time between the orphanage and the mansion.

Thanks to Chris’s generous support, the orphanage now had a small study room and library.

The facilities were good, and the sponsorship was substantial, which must have spread the word, because several wandering children had voluntarily entered the orphanage.

Probably more such children would come with time.

To avoid turning away children who came, the adults at the orphanage decided to lead busier lives.

Jeffrey was one of those adults.

“Thank you, everyone. I feel so reassured.”

“Oh please, of course! So don’t worry about this side, enjoy your trip, have fun, and come back after a good rest.”

“Rest, really reeeest well and come back.”

“Cindy—no, we will guard the mansion well!”

Lumiere smiled and said goodbye to Cindy, the twins, Jeffrey, and Tamia.

“You’re not leaving forever, yet everyone’s goodbyes are so long.”

Karl, who couldn’t wait any longer, came halfway down from the carriage and extended his hand to Lumiere.

“Come quickly, we’ll miss the ship at this rate.”

“Alright. Then I’ll be going now. Everyone take care. Don’t be too frugal because I’m gone, eat what you want and live well!”

“Oh my, Miss! Have a good trip!”

“Travel safely, Miss!”

Lumiere, who had run to Karl with small steps, turned back from boarding the carriage and shouted to her precious people guarding the front of the mansion.

“I’ll be back!”

Her face, turning back with a bright smile, was dazzling.

Karl, who had been watching that lovely sight, took Lumiere’s hand and boarded the carriage together.

Now this place was somewhere they would return to ‘together.’

Because they had a place to return to, the journey felt more exciting and thrilling.

‘My home. Our home.’

Feeling incredibly happy about this fact, Lumiere interlocked her fingers with Karl’s.

The two gazed at each other silently and slowly drew closer.

Their lips met, and warmth mingled.

The two, sharing smiles without words, opened their mouths simultaneously.

“I love you.”

They laughed at their words coming out in perfect unison.