“It’s amazing how wonderfully he’s grown.”

When Bellota turned to look at Seiden, apparently seeking his agreement, Seiden, who had been staring only at her without any interest in the spectacular view outside, reluctantly answered.

“…… Well, I suppose so.”

It was an answer tinged with spite, as if he didn’t want to acknowledge it. However, Bellota knew that a fondness for Abel was already settled in Seiden’s eyes too.

Nevertheless, seeing him pretend otherwise and act aloof reminded her so much of Abel’s deliberately brusque manner that Bellota burst out laughing. She laughed because the two had some strangely similar aspects that they would probably never admit to.

“Don’t laugh.”

Seiden, noticing why Bellota was laughing, sulked. When Bellota wouldn’t stop her quiet laughter despite this, he suddenly lifted her up.

“Eek! Seiden!”

Though Bellota kicked her feet, startled, Seiden simply walked steadily toward the bed without budging. Seiden placed her down on the soft bed and quickly climbed on top, preventing her from moving at all. From that motion, the large pearl that had been on the bed rolled to their headboard.

“You’ll regret it if you keep laughing.”

Despite the threatening words, his leisurely voice made Bellota try to stop laughing. However, it wasn’t easy to prevent laughter from escaping.

“If I keep laughing…… what will you do, Sir Knight?”

When Bellota made this cute provocation, Seiden’s eyebrows rose.

Just as Seiden tried to answer, Bellota took advantage of his momentary distraction to push him, making him fall back on the bed as she climbed on top. Seiden looked up at Bellota with a dumbfounded expression. Bellota looked down at him with an extremely pleased face, smiling. As he felt her weight on his waist, Seiden’s stomach tingled achingly.

Unaware of Seiden’s condition, Bellota, despite having climbed on top herself, had flushed cheeks as she slowly lowered her head to kiss Seiden’s lips. Then, without removing her lips, she whispered.

“Thank you. For bringing me back here.”

At that greeting, this time Seiden’s heart tingled. Her hair tickled his ears softly.

“And, for loving me.”

Bellota’s eyes held touching affection as she made this awkward confession.

Seiden was right. Everything could be changed by human will. So what had changed her fate was also Seiden’s love. Saving Selento, saving Abel, saving Elise. The blessing that allowed them to return and see their lives afterward was also Seiden’s love.

Bellota remembered what she had asked Seiden long ago in this tower when dawn was pouring in.

“I need you now, Sir.”

That sorrowful determination from back then was still vivid.

“Now I must face a power that can move the moon. I won’t run away. So please…… help me.”

In the end, it was also her will that faced that power without giving up. It was also love that held onto Seiden whenever she was about to collapse helplessly. Even after all that ended, Bellota still needed Seiden. She would, forever.

“What should I do? I don’t think I can keep the promise I made then. Because now I can never let go of you, Sir.”

When Bellota whispered in a serious tone as if truly troubled, Seiden chuckled. Bellota didn’t know. That now it was he who could never let go of Bellota no matter what happened. That what lurked inside him wasn’t such cute threats.

As Seiden slowly reached out to caress Bellota’s face, the soft bed shook slightly. Because of that, the pearl that had rolled to their headboard rolled back toward Seiden’s side. When they felt this, both Seiden and Bellota’s gazes briefly turned to the pearl. Seeing the pearl, something Seiden had long been curious about suddenly came to mind.

While caressing Bellota’s small face, Seiden asked.

“About the wish you made when releasing the lantern at the festival that day.”

At that quiet question, Bellota’s gaze returned to Seiden. She too immediately recalled which day Seiden was talking about. It was the day they had gone on an awkward date, sneaking out to the festival held after the hunting festival. That day, Bellota had made a wish while releasing a lantern.

“Did you wish for the curse to be lifted?”

The quiet voice dispersed thickly. In Seiden’s mind, the image of Bellota releasing the lantern with her eyes closed, earnestly wishing for something, came vividly to mind.

Seiden had naturally thought that Bellota’s wish then would have been for the curse to be lifted. Yet he asked this question now because it felt good to be able to ask about past pain without hesitation. Besides, Bellota’s wish had come true.

However, unexpectedly, Bellota shook her head.

“No.”

At that answer, Seiden slightly furrowed his brows. What did she mean, no?

Soon, a quiet voice flowed from between Bellota’s lips.

“I prayed that you wouldn’t get hurt.”

At Bellota’s words, Seiden’s breathing slowed. She looked at him and smiled shyly.

That day, Bellota had prayed for Seiden’s well-being. That he, who had become entangled in her fate, would not get hurt.

“Though a scar remained in the end……”

Bellota’s slender hand settled over Seiden’s heart.

On the day Seiden finally fulfilled the prophecy, a red scar remained on his chest. Though Seiden considered this God’s mark, Bellota’s heart ached whenever she saw that wound.

“I suppose it came true in the end? I’ll just think of it that way.”

As Bellota smiled softly, Seiden’s heart sank distantly. He had learned all of Bellota’s wishes.

The first wish had also been for his well-being. Bellota had wished for his safe return from the battlefield. Of course, at that time Bellota had known him as Rick, not Seiden. But even the second wish…….

Overwhelmed by emotions rising in his throat, Seiden embraced Bellota and flipped their positions in the blink of an eye. Now it was Seiden again who was on top of Bellota.

“Seiden……”

Bellota looked up at Seiden in surprise. His red eyes had settled into a quiet calm.

Bellota knew this look in Seiden’s eyes. His settled gaze was filled entirely with her face. This was a kind of danger signal. Sensing a crisis, Bellota unconsciously held her breath and looked up at him tensely. Seiden lowered his head and whispered softly.

“How about using the third wish for us?”

For us……? Bellota blinked her large eyes, unable to guess his wish.

“What……”

Then Seiden’s hands moved to his clothes. As he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, he whispered.

“For example……”

After quickly taking off his top and throwing it under the bed, Seiden’s hands now pushed up Bellota’s clothes and dug into her waist. When Bellota shuddered at the still unfamiliar sensation, he murmured in a leisurely voice.

“Something like granting us the ability to do what we’ve been holding back for the past ten days until we’re exhausted.”

At those explicit words, heat rushed to Bellota’s face.

As Seiden said, for the past ten days, Bellota and Seiden had been constantly moving between orphanages, temples, and villages that needed help. By nighttime they were so exhausted they could barely stand, and without proper places to stay, they hadn’t even been able to hold hands properly.

“I asked that no one come up until we call for them.”

Bellota’s whole body tingled at Seiden’s seemingly determined whisper.

Goodness, when had he…? Only then did Bellota notice the familiar oil placed on the bedside table. He must have taken it out while she was distracted by the scenery outside the window. It was thorough preparation.

Bellota vaguely knew where that oil came from. It was probably purchased from Hellers’ Tower. Even while traveling, Seiden had been continuously obtaining that oil from somewhere.

That was truly an indecent item. Though she had known from the start that all magical tools created in Hellers’ Tower were like that, actually using it was another matter entirely. Still, Bellota couldn’t bring herself to tell him not to use it. Without it, that enormous thing…….

Taking advantage of Bellota squeezing her eyes shut at the indecent thought, his quick hands removed all the cumbersome fabric. Fortunately, since the room was full of warmth, Bellota wasn’t cold despite not having a thread left on her body. However, when she soon heard the squelching sound of oil being rubbed somewhere, Bellota’s spine tingled.

Having finished all preparations, Seiden bent down low to kiss Bellota’s face and lips and whispered.

“If it hurts, you must tell me.”

Hearing those gentle words, Bellota looked at Seiden with trembling eyes.

These acts with Seiden always came with heavy and dizzying pain. Yet she didn’t want to stop just because of that. As Seiden said, this was a wish for both of them.

Finally, with a resolute face as if having made up her mind, Bellota nodded and wrapped her arms around Seiden’s neck. Soon, smiling lips sweetly descended onto tense lips.

It had already been a year since the married Saintess and Holy Knight had disappeared.

The people of Rundhardt’s Empire, who were very curious about the whereabouts of the Saintess and Holy Knight, didn’t know. That the couple’s long journey filled with love and blessings was coming to an end.

That they had finally returned to a castle in Selento, spending a very long night trying to fulfill their last wish.

—The End—