Epilogue 2 – And Then, The Two of Them

In the Empire’s rural village on the outskirts, Flerosa was always lively whenever spring came.

When the golden flowers scattered dazzlingly and beautifully throughout the Flerosa forest, the Prince and Princess would, without fail, leave the Imperial Castle and come down to Flerosa to spend the spring. This was because the Princess’s hometown was none other than Flerosa.

A couple so beautiful that they drew attention wherever they went, and so harmonious that everyone envied them—the fact that the Prince and Princess visited this place every year inevitably made people curious about what kind of place Flerosa was. People visited out of curiosity and soon became captivated by the beautiful scenery of spring. As the number of visitors to Flerosa increased each year, it became quite a famous tourist spot.

In reality, Flerosa was no longer the countryside it used to be. The streets were now packed with all sorts of shops, and various convenience facilities for tourists had sprung up here and there. Not long ago, a theater named after the Princess was even built.

Additionally, thanks to the golden dye called Amber, extracted from Flerosa’s flowers, the Princess’s family, the Adraena Family, made quite a fortune. Needless to say, the Princess’s business acumen greatly contributed to this. Working also as a performance critic, she was as much a hot topic as her husband, who was called the Emperor’s right hand.

Even so, to each other, they were simply the man they loved and the woman they loved.

“It’s nice that this place has become famous, but it’s a bit disappointing that we can’t enjoy peace and quiet like before.”

With his eldest daughter, Deirote, sitting on his lap, Erpesto said this. Now seven years old, his daughter not only inherited his dazzling blond hair but also his cleverness, as she diligently read a book filled with letters. Her large green eyes, inherited from Belnez, moved back and forth along the lines, and the sight was so adorable.

“That’s why we built this villa, didn’t we?”

With a laugh, Belnez cut the sandwiches she had packed for their picnic into small pieces and popped one into Erpesto’s mouth, and another into Deirote’s. The way father and daughter opened their mouths wide like baby birds and chewed was so alike that it made her laugh again and again.

As it became harder to stroll around leisurely due to the crowds flocking to Flerosa, the Prince and Princess built a large villa beside the Celeste River and spent their springs here.

The green of the Flerosa trees, the brilliant golden flowers scattered in profusion, and the Celeste River flowing gently, scattering the light—all of it was here, so the two of them could always sit together and reminisce about their memories.

“And the children like it even more.”

“Mom, when does the spring festival start?”

No sooner had she finished speaking than their second daughter, Eirote, who had been rolling around nearby, interrupted. The spring festival, which began to be held every year as the number of tourists increased, was the event the children most loved and looked forward to.

“It’ll start this evening. Let’s go together later, okay? Can you wait?”

“Yes!”

Looking at her daughter, who answered loudly, Belnez stroked her hair as if she were adorable. Brown hair, just like her mother’s, slipped through her fingers and became tousled.

Feeling that touch, Eirote—whose blue eyes were just like Erpesto’s—fell into thought for a moment. Soon, Eirote looked up at Belnez and carefully spoke.

“But, Mom. I heard something strange this time.”

“Hm. What strange thing did our princess hear?”

“Well, they say that Dad used to be a really famous playboy.”

“Oh my.”

Belnez’s expression stiffened for a moment, but then she burst out laughing. Erpesto, who was listening nearby, laughed along with her. Their laughter, carried on the breeze scented with flowers, rang refreshingly through the air.

“Eirote, do you know what a playboy is?”

“Of course! It’s something really bad! Someone who pretends to love lots of women at the same time and plays with them!”

Looking at her parents with a pouting face, Eirote hesitated and asked,

“What happened? Didn’t Dad only ever love you, Mom?”

With a gentle smile for her daughter, Belnez opened her mouth to speak. She was about to tell, once again, the story she had already told her eldest daughter Deirote several times.

“Yes. That is…”

<The Secret of the Playboy Prince> FIN