Epilogue 1. Happiness Named Daily Life

Saena and Constantine returned to their daily life.

Daily life. What a wonderful phrase.

Whenever Saena furrowed her brows at the harsh sunlight flooding into the bedroom at dawn and fluttered her eyelids open, she would always feel the sensation of lips brushing against hers.

A firm arm wrapped around her back.

His broad chest pressed against hers, and their two pairs of legs were intertwined as always.

“…That tickles.”

Saena responded with a light laugh.

His lips slid as if licking her eyelids, capturing her brow bone, the edges of her cheeks, bridge of her nose, earlobes—leaving his mark on every part of her face without missing a spot.

The baby kisses he left as if he would die from how lovable she was eventually led to a deepening atmosphere.

“Mmm…”

It was the same peaceful scene on the bed every morning.

Feeling his lips burrowing into her neck after passing her face, she naturally wrapped her arms around his neck.

And then she felt something different. Something that wasn’t the same as always, something that had changed.

“…Your hair.”

The long white hair that used to wrap around when she put her arms around his neck, tickling her body as it fell, was gone.

His hair was cut short above his neck.

Constantine’s long hair was now quite short and neat.

Saena stroked the back of his head with her fingers, finding it unfamiliar.

“Do you prefer long hair?”

He lifted his head and asked while brushing her forehead.

The demonic beast that appeared from the last seal the prince broke had sickle-like arms like a praying mantis, and since Constantine had never encountered it before and didn’t know its weaknesses, it took quite a while to catch it.

During that time, when Constantine learned that Saena was at the scene, he became emotionally shaken and got distracted, and there was an attack then that could have been fatal.

He barely avoided it, but one of his ears was badly cut and a chunk of his hair was sliced off. Though the wound was healed with green potion, the cut hair couldn’t be restored.

Thanks to that, Saena was seeing short-haired Constantine for the first time in both past and present.

“It’s a bit strange.”

“…Does it look very odd?”

“No. Short hair suits you too.”

If Constantine with his long hair tied back gave off an ascetic yet resolute image, with short hair, he somehow gave off a more wild impression than before.

She stroked his left ear that had been badly injured with her finger, checking again that it had healed well. His breathing became slightly uneven at the sensitive sensation.

“I’m glad it was just this much.”

“I’ll…”

He quietly added while catching her pale hand that was rubbing his earlobe.

“Grow it again.”

He pressed his lips to her fingers while meeting Saena’s gaze.

“This time, for you.”

He had spent long years meticulously keeping his collar closed, not wanting to show the mark engraved on his back. He started growing his hair because he didn’t even want to see his back reflected in the mirror while bathing.

But after meeting Saena, it became meaningless.

So…

“Ah…”

His deep blue eyes stared at her persistently as if they would melt her. Meanwhile, his hands slowly began trailing down her soft body.

The broad back without a single strand of hair hanging down cast its shadow completely over her female form. Perhaps because of the shortened hair, Saena gasped for breath as she squirmed under Constantine’s persistence that gave off a more raw feeling than before.

No. It was indeed the same morning scene as always.

The way it started peacefully and grew intense—it was a morning exactly like before.

* * *

“Marquis Celtic.”

“…Hmm?”

“It’s time to go out.”

Saena Celtic Kramer.

She hadn’t yet fully gotten used to being called Duchess Kramer, and now she had the new title of Marquis Celtic added.

On top of that, with the enormous imperial gifts given to celebrate the birth of an Oathkeeper and the Celtic territory combined, Saena had become someone with considerable personal assets separate from the wealth she could command as the Duchess of Kramer.

She heard the Celtic territory was in the south, with quite good weather unlike the cold Kramer territory. It seemed like a good idea to go down this winter to survey and check on her duties as lord.

In truth, this title was close to a single-generation position.

It was a title and rights bestowed not so much to Saena as to the master of Guardian Spirit Yulis.

If an heir to Yolly appeared in future generations, the title and rights would be inherited, and if succession failed, all these rights would end with Saena’s generation and revert to the imperial family.

Even so, she didn’t really feel regretful. Unlike other families where the conditions for succession were clearly codified and passed down, Saena and Yolly’s relationship was closer to a spontaneous anomaly.

She felt there was nothing to be done even if succession failed later.

“The guests have all gathered and are waiting.”

Today was the day for a small banquet at the Kramer townhouse.

Separate from the huge welcoming ceremony and banquet held by the imperial family, Saena wanted to have time separately with just family and acquaintances invited. She had so many people she wanted to see, especially after having to stay cautious because of the circumstances until now.

Her Dad and Sage. Close friends. Emperor Madielle and Sir Heviathan.

Adding their partners they each brought along, it became quite a number.

Though she held it with the feel of a family banquet, when it came down to it, the scale was quite large. Still, the atmosphere felt very intimate so it wasn’t stiff at all.

“You look beautiful.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

Constantine, who had been waiting to escort Saena, immediately curved his eyes in a smile and let sweet words flow when he saw her all dressed up after a while.

“You look very handsome and beautiful too.”

“I’m beautiful?”

“Yes.”

Though the expression might not suit him very well, that was how she felt right now.

“Then show me how beautiful later.”

“Later?”

“Yes. Later. When we’re alone.”

Saena’s cheeks flushed slightly at the words implying time between husband and wife. Constantine seemed to find that beautiful too as he briefly pressed his lips to her cheek before leading her to the banquet hall.

“Wow!”

“Congratulations!”

“Master of the Covenant! Marquis Celtic!”

Cheers poured from all directions as soon as she entered the banquet hall. Though slightly embarrassed by the excessive welcome and titles, she tried not to show it and smiled.

Since it was a gathering of just acquaintances, sincere congratulations poured out rather than proper words or pleasant phrases according to etiquette.

“You must be quite rich now, Marquis?”

“Let’s mooch off you from now on!”

Though there was some playfulness mixed in.

“Show me Yulis!”

“Me too!”

More than that, she really enjoyed the hugs and small talk with people she had wanted to see.

And among the guests was Kayan.

“Congratulations, Marquis Celtic.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Perhaps because of their last meeting at the Ackroyd mansion. Things were still quite awkward.

“He came with me.”

Floria appeared and linked arms with Kayan.

“The two of you? Came together?”

“Yes.”

Kayan’s ears could be seen turning red.

Though it was an unexpected combination, looking at them now, didn’t they suit each other quite well?

It seems when he escorted Floria at the imperial masquerade ball before, that somehow became a catalyst.

“Are you asking me to dance?”

“…What?”

“Alright. Come here.”

“Ah, no…!”

On one side, Sage was being dragged to the floor by Kirsten.

There seemed to be some strange current between those two as well. Though Sage appeared to be getting dragged along, somehow, he didn’t seem to dislike it.

Saena smiled broadly.

“You did well, my daughter.”

Count Debov, who belatedly learned about her entanglement with the prince, was angry at first, asking why she hadn’t told him. But in the end, since everything was resolved well and there were no injuries, they were able to move past it more or less.

Regaining her family’s affection was the happiest thing of all.

After laughing heartily, talking, and dancing, Saena withdrew to the periphery to rest for a moment. There she took in the scene of the banquet hall.

Under the bright lights, laughter filled every corner, and there was a warm atmosphere throughout.

‘Everyone looks so happy.’

A smile naturally drew across Saena’s lips as well.

Saena moistened her throat with champagne while earnestly imprinting this warm scene in her eyes.

‘Yuri, can you see?’

—Hmm?

‘It’s thanks to you.’

—No…

Yuri answered slowly, like a sigh.

—Actually, that was my selfish desire.

When Yuri turned back Saena’s time, speaking really honestly, it was because of his own selfishness.

His regret at not noticing her situation before she died, blaming himself over lost time.

He clung to Saena because he wanted to die.

—So this scene now, you created it yourself.

Tap tap. Though invisible, she felt Yuri tapping her nose a few times before disappearing.

Do tears come even when you’re too happy?

Saena slightly bowed her head as she felt her vision becoming slightly blurry.

“Saya?”

Constantine had come near at some point and called her name.

“Is it difficult? Would you like to rest for a moment?”

Seeing her bowed head, he must have sensed something was wrong as he asked urgently yet gently.

When she first met this man, she never thought they would become like this…

Saena blinked back her tears and lifted her head. As she looked up carefully and met his gaze, he asked carefully.

“…Were you crying?”

What would it have been like without this marriage?

If she had to choose her best option after coming back in time, wouldn’t it be marrying him?

Saena wrapped her arms around his waist and nestled into his broad embrace.

“I’m so glad I met you.”

“…Me too.”

“I love you.”

Constantine hugged her back tightly, feeling the same way.

His lips pressed deeply against her head, expressing his feelings of cherishing her more than words could say.

A life made more complete by meeting each other,

Daily life spent with the one you love.

Perhaps another name for that would be ‘happiness’.