The sky that had been continuously overcast cleared, and on an unusually bright day for Albion’s winter, a medal ceremony was held at the royal palace.

Typically, such events would be held with great fanfare, but today’s medal ceremony proceeded quietly, with the general public unaware it was even taking place.

The prince wore a very dissatisfied expression about this fact.

“Ryan and you, really…”

He was a middle-aged man with an impressive physique, a prince of the nation. Moreover, his appearance with an unkempt beard unsuited to his position as prince made him look similar to a pirate one might see in books.

With such a person frowning deeply, most people would likely cower, but Eloise paid no mind and smiled broadly.

At the end of her gaze, Ryan stood in a corner behind the prince.

After confirming where Eloise’s gaze was directed, the prince grumbled as if truly regretful.

“This is really too bad, bestowing such honors only to lose two people…”

“You should proceed with the ceremony now, sir.”

At the prince’s grumbling, Ryan urged him as if there was no need to hear more.

“I’m just saying this because I’m disappointed. It’s a bit awkward for me to say this as the one presenting the medals, but people usually look forward to such ceremonies. Not only high officials, but even a street parade after the ceremony wouldn’t be enough, yet here we are ending it privately, and in simplified form at that.”

The prince said this while looking at Eloise as if pleading. As if he could change this private ceremony if Eloise wished it even now.

“I’m fine with this.”

But Eloise answered in a resolute voice. As if urging him to just finish the ceremony. Then she looked at Ryan behind the prince with warm eyes.

“Well, alright. I understand.”

The prince answered, waving his hand dismissively.

It was disappointing, but there was nothing he could do. What could he do when the person herself refused?

The prince understood Eloise’s choice to some extent. People would naturally want to meet her if they knew.

Fortunately, the lodgings provided by Baron Stanford had not been made public. Thanks to that, people only sent letters to the publicly known address, and those rare letters went through strict screening before being delivered to Eloise away from others’ eyes.

Even so, those who sent letters only received replies thanking them for their invitations but politely declining.

There were some who had been introduced to Eloise at the Sinclair mansion in the past, but most had not paid much attention to her.

People belatedly regretted this and tried harder in the face of her nobility, but they had only tried to impress Cinderella without showing any interest in others, so they failed to recognize Eloise’s true nobility.

As a result, portraits of Eloise began to circulate in the capital streets.

Eloise couldn’t close her mouth when she saw the portraits being sold—supposedly of her—depicting a beautiful young blonde woman with blue eyes, and Ryan, standing above her, laughed playfully and said:

“It’s very beautiful. Indeed, a figurative representation of Miss Eloise Surberton, who saved the country… Ow, stop, stop!”

Ryan pleaded, but Eloise pinched his side with all her sincerity.

While doing so, she thought that when she returned home, she would immediately remove the false portrait hanging in her room.

After that, Eloise pleaded with the prince. She would accept the medal and pension, but she wanted the ceremony to be private.

Upon receiving that letter, the prince laughed heartily.

‘Truly, even her personality is so clever!’

The prince recalled how she had shown distaste at a previous meeting he had attended for other business, hoping it would end quickly.

He looked at the lovers who couldn’t hide their desire for the ceremony to end quickly as well.

Ryan had said he wanted to give her the title associated with his name, Wilgrave. And although he had initially refused, now he wanted to live as Ryan Wilgrave, whom his lover had first loved.

While saying that…

“Of course, I trust that part of Ryan Wilgrave’s assets and pension will be transferred from the royal family to Ryan Thornton.”

His eyes sparkled as he spoke, as if he had no intention of giving up on that.

As a result, the royal special department suddenly became extremely busy. They had to transfer the enormous assets of Ryan Wilgrave to the royal family’s name several times and then ensure that others couldn’t access them before finally transferring them to Ryan Thornton.

One of the things transferred to Ryan Thornton was Blissbury.

Blissbury was no longer owned by Baron Stanford. Others might not know, but the ownership certificate already bore Ryan Thornton’s name.

And simultaneously, Eloise Surberton’s name as well.

‘Well, well, everyone’s names will change again anyway.’

It’s common for surnames to change with marriage. Besides, the prince insisted, “But this is right! It will be convenient for you both!” and earnestly bestowed the barony of Newdale that he owned.

So the owners of Blissbury would be Lord Ryan Newdale and Lady Eloise Newdale.

With the change of names, people looking for Eloise would face difficulties. And as time passed, new heroes would appear in the world, and people would forget her as if it had never happened.

Thus, away from all attention, in a place they loved, they would quietly enjoy life and love each other passionately.

“Well then…”

The prince rose from his seat. The waiting attendants and the few people present all stood in their places.

Turning his gaze away from the lovers who were eager for it to end quickly, the prince looked at the officials standing behind and Eloise’s family.

Baron Stanford wore an emotional expression, and Mrs. Surberton, though regretful, looked as proud as could be of her daughter.

And the former Mr. Surberton, simply called Mr. Surberton by people…

When his eyes met the prince’s, he winked.

The prince wasn’t surprised when Ryan asked him to declare him dead. There had already been someone long ago who had done the exact same thing.

‘Everyone probably thinks Penry Surberton just happened to become friends with Baron Stanford. But…’

The former Surberton—originally a royal confidant with a completely different name, a military leader, and even the prince’s teacher—had killed his name. And he had chosen to live quietly with the woman he loved.

‘And now to add the same kind of man to his daughter? That’s probably why he’s making such a knowing expression.’

In any case, having done this once before, the royal family would be able to handle it more skillfully than before.

The prince winked back at Mr. Surberton and then turned his gaze away. As if they were complete strangers.

The prince, who had put in the effort, looked at the lovers holding hands until just before he ascended the podium.

The two people who had boldly demanded to him that they didn’t need honor but needed money.

Though he raised his eyebrows as if displeased, the prince’s eyes were full of benevolence as he picked up the medal.

He sincerely wished these heroes, who would no longer be revealed, well on their path.

And he prayed. That they would be happy for a long time, proportionate to how difficult things had been.

Finally, under a world without them, the morning in Blissbury was bustling.

***

“Miss! Look, a letter has arrived!”

Early in the morning, Emily excitedly called for Eloise. Then, as if realizing her mistake, she covered her mouth and muttered.

“Ah, I should call you madam…”

At the word “madam,” Eloise rubbed her arms as if she had heard the most embarrassing thing in the world.

Madam? Please don’t call me that, even after I get married!”

“Then what should I call you? Besides, Ryan glares at me like he’s going to eat me alive when I keep calling you ‘miss’!”

Eloise couldn’t help but chuckle at Emily’s complaint.

Ryan seemed to subtly hope that Eloise would be called “madam” already. As if he wanted constant confirmation that she would marry him and would be here.

‘Of course, there’s no answer until before the marriage. It’s madam because my parents said so, right?’

And that marriage, naturally, couldn’t happen until Eloise’s condition was completely healed, as Mr. Surberton had said.

Eloise, who had been watching Emily hang laundry, went inside. Although fresh air was good for her body, it wouldn’t be good to stay out until the wind turned cold.

As she entered the mansion, warm air enveloped her body.

For a mansion of this size to be this warm in winter, quite a lot of firewood was needed.

When she worried that it might be too expensive, Ryan had laughed heartily and said:

“Is firewood the issue now? You need to get better. Besides, I hear there are new heating devices using coal or oil in the capital, so I should look into that more.”

He was truly sincere about improving Eloise’s condition.

Of course, it was for marriage, but he thought that since her health had deteriorated because of him, it was his duty to fix it.

Not that she disliked it…

Eloise looked at the empty living room. Normally, Ryan would be sitting there, reading the morning newspapers.

But he wasn’t in Blissbury now.

As she was looking at the mansion that suddenly seemed even emptier, she heard the sound of a bicycle approaching the entrance.

“Mail delivery!”

It was the postman who always arrived at this time.

Eloise hurriedly went out and personally received the letters from the deliveryman.

She immediately searched for Ryan’s letter among the thick pile of mail.

“I’m going upstairs to read this!”

“Meal is almost ready, so don’t stay too long!”

Barely hearing Emily’s words, Eloise went up to her room on the first floor.

And as soon as she sat on the bed, she hastily opened the letter with trembling hands.

“To the most beautiful beauty in the world waiting for me in Blissbury.”

The moment she read the first line, Eloise couldn’t help but cover her mouth. If she didn’t, she felt she might die of embarrassment.

‘It gets worse every day!’

Still, she was grateful he hadn’t written about goddesses or anything like that. If he had, she would have kept the letter hidden in the drawer much longer.

Eloise looked at the address written at the top of the letter.

It was an address about two days away from Blissbury.

It was also where Ryan had gone recently, saying he would bring a new doctor.

After much shouting, Eloise had moved her residence to Blissbury. It was where the two of them would continue to live.

After that, Ryan had nursed her with all his heart and soul. And he had indeed managed to bring the royal physician.

Thanks to that, Eloise showed rapid recovery throughout the winter.

But she still occasionally had a slight cough. Every time this happened, he would become frantic and search for skilled doctors in the area to bring them all.

‘I told him I’m fine!’

This level of cough would probably be completely gone when spring came. But whenever Eloise coughed even once, Ryan would look as if he wanted to die.

Then, saying he would bring just one more doctor, he had temporarily left Blissbury.

Eloise quickly read the letter. In fact, there wasn’t much content. It just said he had arrived safely and would soon depart with the doctor.

She couldn’t bring herself to stop him from going to fetch a doctor for her sake.

But…

“There’s more above that…”

Muttering this, Eloise looked at the end of the letter.

With love. Your Ryan.

Your Ryan.

At those words, a gentle smile bloomed on Eloise’s face.

She remembered the endings of the letters he had sent her before. How embarrassed and angry she had been when he teasingly ended his letters with “Ryan Wilgrave” instead of “Your Ryan,” knowing full well what he was doing.

She had truly thought he was an impossible person and had not wanted to see him again, yet somehow that person had become the one with whom she had promised eternity.

“I miss you…”

They were always together, so much so that Mr. and Mrs. Surberton would grumble for them to keep a proper distance when in their presence.

Yet Ryan had only been away briefly, and she felt this lonely.

Clearing her throat due to dryness, Eloise held the opened letter to her chest.

Just then, she heard the door opening behind her.

‘I thought Emily was coming to call me for the meal she said was ready…’

“Eloise.”

The voice she had been waiting for called from behind.

Then strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and embraced her tightly.

A broad chest and the distinctive smell of winter enveloped Eloise.

“I’ve returned.”

The one embracing her turned her around and met her eyes.

Blue eyes, filled with joy at seeing his beloved, sparkled along with rough breathing that clearly showed he had hurried back.

“Your Ryan.”

At the softly whispered voice, Eloise spread her arms and embraced her love.

He had returned. Her Ryan.

~~End of the Main Story~~