Of course, if he mentioned this, Tatiana would probably laugh and say he had a surprisingly sentimental side despite appearances. Perhaps she would tell him they could rebuild it, or create new memories elsewhere, always speaking with her characteristic energy and hopefulness.

But Tatiana’s spiritedness always slightly exceeded his expectations, and this time too, she said something he hadn’t anticipated at all.

“If you really miss it, should I build you a tent instead?”

No matter how skilled she was at setting up field tents, a tent instead of the Prince’s Palace? Wasn’t that too steep a downgrade?

Gideon touched the corner of his eye and ended up laughing again.

“Why do you keep wanting to build that?”

“Just…. For fun. For practice.”

“……”

“And I came empty-handed when we got married. I should at least give you a house……”

Ah. So she wanted to build a tent now as a belated wedding gift? Should he gratefully accept it? Would he be the bad guy if he refused?

Her eyes were full of mischief as she asked primly.

Gideon wanted to go along with it, but he also wanted to stop making her work so hard. She had just broken down the castle gate the day before. Even if she had energy to spare, anyone could see this was a time to rest.

Gideon politely declined with appropriate words.

“It’s cold. If we sleep there, your pretty lips will turn blue.”

“It’s spring now.”

Gideon laughed, “Huh?”

What spring? The snow hadn’t even fully melted yet.

He told her to stop talking nonsense and to sleep right here, pressed against him, as he embraced her tightly.

But then something strange happened. Both of them paused and looked toward the window simultaneously. They had heard a “ribbit” sound from somewhere.

Gideon and Tatiana perked up their ears, half-doubting. Despite the temperature difference from the north, was that really a frog just now? But no matter how long they waited, it remained quiet outside.

Gideon chuckled and pulled her to sit on his stomach.

He had his own cute purple frog, so he didn’t need any other frogs.

“Hop around for me.”

“……What are you saying.”

“Why? Shy? Then at least croak like a frog.”

Tatiana pretended not to understand and acted prim, but instead of croaking, she gave him little pecks.

Gideon…… liked it.

Spring must really be coming.

* * *

The castle was busy with coronation preparations. Who knows how many people had been working for tonight’s event.

The coronation was grand from the preparation stage.

In fact, Gideon had wanted to hold his coronation in a simplified form. There was the matter of his father’s funeral, and his ascension to the throne hadn’t been entirely smooth. Many people had shed blood in the process.

However, his aides opposed this with unprecedented vehemence. Scarlet’s supporting fire followed. These were people who had worked day and night for Gideon’s ascension.

This was a kind of compensation psychology. No one wanted the moment their king donned the crown to be modest.

Gideon understood their feelings. But he reversed his decision not because of his aides, but because of his wife.

Even Tatiana seemed to be looking forward to this coronation. He thought his wife shared his inclinations in these matters.

Gideon told them to do as they pleased, and after that, everything moved at lightning speed.

Scarlet, saying this was also prenatal education, took charge of the event preparations and even spent her own money. In reality, it was probably out of affection for her younger brother.

Tatiana sat at her dressing table, receiving the adornments the maids were applying. Usually indifferent before parties, she seemed particularly excited today. She kept looking in the mirror and, unusually, offered opinions to the maids like “How about this?” or “Wouldn’t that be better?”

She could fully understand why people put so much effort into dressing themselves from head to toe before attending someone else’s wedding.

It’s an important moment for someone close to you. You want that occasion to be flawlessly beautiful. What a heartfelt sentiment.

“His Highness Gideon has departed.”

“Really?”

“Yes, we’ll hurry too.”

Isabelle’s hands became busier, and Tatiana closed her eyes briefly, lost in thought.

She wondered about her husband’s mood in many ways. What would be the state of mind of a man who had finally achieved his life’s goal and was now facing his coronation?

She had already experienced a similar moment. Though it had come without warning and passed in a daze, her heart still trembles when she recalls the day she first perfected her father’s swordsmanship.

But at that time, Gideon looked even more overwhelmed than she had. Why was that? With what eyes would she look at him today?

“It’s all done, Your Highness. ……Oh, I should say Your Majesty the Queen now, shouldn’t I?”

Isabelle added jokingly, and Tatiana smiled shyly, finding it unfamiliar to her ears.

She twirled once in front of the mirror to see herself. The maids’ makeup skills were perfect again today. The dress she had chosen after days of deliberation also suited her very well.

But perhaps because she wanted to look perfect, Tatiana found her back muscles unsatisfactory today. Properly impressive back muscles should always look angry.

“Should I exercise a bit even now?”

Of course, this was just a joke, and she had no intention of sweating in her flowing dress.

But what was strange was the maids’ reaction. They hurriedly cleared away the chairs and laid out a space for her to exercise.

Tatiana paused and looked at the maids. Usually when she brought this up before a party, people always tried to dissuade her, begging her to refrain. But why now was there…

‘No sense of disconnect between normal people and me?’

Girls. You’ve changed. You should stop me. There’s no time.

Connie and the maids looked completely clueless about what the problem was. They had been completely influenced by this exercise addict.

Fortunately, at that moment, Gideon and his aides came to fetch Tatiana. Gideon, with his golden hair swept back from his forehead, looked handsome as always.

He walked up to his wife and, as usual, grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. Then, in his own way, he confirmed there was nothing wrong with her back muscles.

“Your confidence is quite remarkable today too.”

Tatiana giggled and linked her arm with his with a snap.

The coronation was ready. Now it was time for the main characters to enter.

Gideon and Tatiana crossed the corridor without further delay and headed to the ceremonial hall. As they stood before the stone doors, the guard cleared his throat.

“His Highness the Prince and Her Highness the Princess Consort enter!”

The clerk who followed behind them recorded even this resounding cry on paper. In some ways, this too was a historic sentence.

This would be the last time they would be called Prince and Princess Consort. After the coronation, when they came out through these doors again, they would be the King and Queen of Valter.

Gideon led her inside with a quiet signal.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

As they stepped forward, it was like entering another world.

The banquet hall was filled with luxuriously fluttering banners and the fragrance of flowers. It was beautiful like a scene from a painting, and also majestic in its own way. It was the result of Scarlet pouring all her passion into it.

Walking on the red carpet with Gideon, Tatiana looked around at the crowd. She noticed the impressive array of figures attending this coronation.

The most eye-catching was the Fullman delegation.

The Kingdom of Fullman had exceptionally sent the crown prince himself. It was the first time in history that the future king of Fullman, rather than a high official, had attended the coronation of a Valter king. It was evidence that relations between the two countries were stronger than ever.

Scarlet, who was already acquainted with them, was leading the conversation, setting aside her Fullman-born husband. Sir Browning just watched with fond eyes, making Tatiana burst into laughter.

And next to them were people from the principality. How long had it been since people from the principality had attended an official royal event?

‘About 4 or 5 years, perhaps?’

When their eyes met, Grand Duke Rigor and his retainers bowed to her. Their attitude was respectful. But the camaraderie of having fought monsters together was truly tremendous, and Tatiana wanted to set aside etiquette and wave her hands wildly.

What stopped her wasn’t propriety. It was because Gideon was now narrowing his eyes and looking down at her.

“You seem to have grown attached in that short time? You look extremely happy to see them.”