Epilogue (Part 9)

Ian headed to the garden where Noelis was. Watching from a distance, he covered his mouth as he saw her laughing and chatting with Yuliana.

“Lady Noel is not human.”

She’s an angel.

To attend the academy with Noel, he and Cloud had found countless excuses and delays, postponing his entrance by three years. Finally, he would enter with Noelis next year.

He was excited to study together as classmates…

Anthus’s resistance wasn’t easy.

However, with the help of Cloud, many nobles, and Duchess Yuliana, Noelis’s entrance to the academy was decided. Just thinking about it made Ian feel giddy.

“Just watching is so satisfying.”

Even just seeing her cute face smiling under the brilliant sunlight was satisfying.

“I want to watch all day, but I need to give her the gift. Harien.”

Ian’s shadow wiggled, and a black figure appeared.

“Bring the gift.”

“Here it is, Your Highness.”

Accepting the large box Harien handed over, Ian smiled as he looked at it. Then he walked over to where Yuliana and Noelis were.

When Yuliana noticed Ian approaching, she stood up with Noelis to greet him.

“Noelis of the Rockbellion family greets you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Her beautiful appearance as she politely greeted him made his eyes sparkle.

“Lady Noelis, your etiquette has improved since I last saw you.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Your Highness.”

“Your Highness, what brings you here?”

“Duchess, I apologize for the sudden visit.”

“No need to apologize. You’re welcome at the ducal residence anytime.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Duchess. I visited today to deliver a gift for next year’s academy entrance.”

“A gift?”

“Yes. It’s a gift prepared personally by my mother.”

Luda, standing behind, received the gift box Ian handed over and placed it on the table.

“I’ll have to visit the palace soon to thank Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Mother would love to see you, Duchess Rockbellion.”

“Yes, I’ll have to visit soon. Noelis.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Open the gift yourself.”

Noelis glanced at Ian before opening the box on the table. Inside was an unexpected item.

“This is… the academy uniform. Your Highness, but the embroidery on the uniform…”

The Sirius Empire’s imperial crest was embroidered on the uniform jacket and vest.

“That’s right, Duchess. My mother personally prepared the uniform for the lovely Lady Noelis.”

With the imperial crest embroidered on it, no fool would dare approach Noelis. Since the Empress personally ordered the uniform, Noelis had no choice but to wear the one with the imperial crest.

“It’s the academy uniform with the imperial crest, Lady Noelis.”

They couldn’t refuse the uniform sent by the Empress, but if she wore this to the academy, Anthus and Michael wouldn’t stand by. In fact, they might tear it apart on sight.

Yuliana was worried.

“I don’t think my husband will stand by if he finds out.”

“It’s okay. Mother prepared several more uniforms, expecting they might get torn. Of course, she also considered the possibility of Lady Noelis growing before entering, so the uniforms were made accordingly.”

“Yes.”

Yuliana already envisioned Anthus and Michael having fits.

Watching Noelis tilt her head at the uniform, Ian smiled with satisfaction.

“Please have a seat, Your Highness.”

“Yes.”

“Luda, please store this uniform in Noelis’s dressing room.”

“Understood.”

As Luda left with the uniform, another maid brought out tea and refreshments for Ian. Yuliana stepped aside to give them space to chat.

Ian could have sent the gift through someone else, but he brought it himself because of Noelis. So she gave them the opportunity to have tea and chat.

“Noel, can you tell me what you’ve been up to lately?”

“I’ve been studying to become the head of the Rockbellion family, Your Highness.”

“Really? You’re still young, but you’re studying hard… Noel, you’re commendable.”

“Your Highness, I think it’s best for you to give up on me.”

“Why do you say such a heartbreaking thing, Noel? How can I give up on you?”

“If I become the head, I can’t be engaged to you, Your Highness. Father said we can’t be together.”

“It’s okay. We can definitely be together.”

Noel’s cheeks blushed like peaches.

For some reason, her father disliked Ian. Her grandfather called it “self-hate.”

Honestly, she didn’t dislike Ian. He was kind, polite, and smart. Ian was good at everything, just like her father.

“Noel, you’re lovely.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re the prettiest and cutest in the world.”

Embarrassed by his relentless confessions and compliments, Noel cut a piece of cake with a fork and popped it into her mouth.

“Noel, there’s some powder on your lips.”

“Powder?”

Noel took out a handkerchief.

“Can I have that handkerchief?”

“You want my handkerchief?”

“Yes. I want to wipe it for you.”

“It’s okay.”

“I want to wipe it for you.”

“Okay.”

Ian carefully and slowly wiped Noel’s lips with the handkerchief he received.

“Even when you eat messily, you’re adorable, Noel.”

“You’re adorable too, Your Highness.”

“Really? Then let’s continue having lovely days like this together.”

“But we…”

“Noel.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll live as your man, Noel.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll find out what it means when you turn nineteen.”

Noel tilted her head.

As the Crown Prince, he couldn’t be with her if she became the head of the Rockbellion family. Her father said the empire’s law prohibited marriage between the head and the emperor, and it couldn’t be changed.

“Noel.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I don’t mind if you become the head of the Rockbellion family. I can’t disregard the studies you’re doing for that.”

Noel looked at Ian.

“Speaking of which, my younger sister Daisy… You haven’t seen her much lately, have you?”

“Yes, how is Princess Daisy?”

“She’s started learning imperial studies lately.”

“Imperial studies? Isn’t that what you’re learning, Your Highness?”

“Yes, Daisy’s been studying with me lately. Not just imperial studies, but also diplomacy and beast language.”

“Really? Princess Daisy said she was learning embroidery as part of her bridal lessons…”

“Thanks to His Majesty the Emperor, who’s as much of a daughter fool as Duke Anthus and hates the idea of sending her off for marriage.”

“His Majesty the Emperor?”

Ian quietly murmured as he patted Noelis’s head, who was cutely tilting her head.

“I’m giving up to become your man, Noel.”

“What are you giving up?”

“You’ll naturally find out what I’m giving up when you turn nineteen.”

“If it’s something important, please don’t give it up because of me, Your Highness.”

“The only important thing to me is you, Noelis.”

Ian smiled and recalled the conversation from the previous day.

<Yes, I want to be the husband of Lady Noel, who will become the head of the Rockbellion family. So I’ll diligently take groom lessons before marrying her.>

Anthus was said to be a man who didn’t know how to give up. He heard stories of how Anthus worked for nine years to break Lady Yuliana’s engagement.

So Anthus would undoubtedly make Noelis the head. If he remained as Crown Prince, he couldn’t become Noelis’s man.

Then he should give up the position of Crown Prince. If he’s a prince, not the Crown Prince, he can marry Noelis, who becomes the head of the Rockbellion family.

<I’m really glad to have a younger sister. Thank you for giving me Daisy, Mother, Father.>

“Noel, my feelings will never change.”

“Never?”

“Yes, my thoughts will never change. So I hope you’ll only think of me, Noel.”

Noelis nodded with a flushed face.

Michael, who had been secretly watching their sweet interaction, felt his mind go blank.

“Javelos.”

“Yes.”

“We have to bring Father quickly.”

Ian must have come to the residence when their father was away for a palace meeting.

“He came when Father was away.”

“But brother.”