“The tragedy of a love story is that it’s better not to know, after all.”
Elius finished his words, stating that hearing it would only make him feel worse.
I fell into thought after hearing his past story.
What was Elius trying to say? Why did he show such incomprehensible behavior?
I feel like I can understand his meaning now.
He wanted to meet someone he loved, and he hesitated because he couldn’t ignore the request of that beloved person.
It’s hard to blame someone for the foolishness of not being able to pursue even a decision made once; the circumstances are too poignant.
“The leader of Evergreen. To name it precisely, it seems our ancestors knew I would make such a choice. Just as you knew that you would make such a decision. I really worry about what the future of the Empire will be.”
“…”
It’s amusing that such words came from someone who contributed to turning the Empire back to the past.
Yet his words are true.
The leader of Evergreen toyed with both Elius’s and my hearts.
Though we are both human, he forced us to make irreversible choices with his unbelievable insight.
However.
“If I disappear, the leader of Evergreen will also vanish from this world.”
No matter how smart and wise he is, he likely didn’t expect this.
Because it was literally a miracle.
I could never have imagined that a Dragon King, long gone, would pass his existence onto me.
“You’re saying you will die… I suspected it when I heard you absorbed the Winter Blizzard, but I didn’t think it would be true.”
“I have already accepted it, just like Your Highness. So, please don’t worry too much.”
“I didn’t say I was worried. I’m just concerned about how my lovely younger sister will feel if you die.”
“I believe Epherna will manage well.”
When I said that, Elius suddenly frowned deeply.
“…It would be better not to think so easily. Love is a poison as sweet as it is bitter.”
Not wanting to hear his murmured words, I forced the conversation to shift.
“Anyway, I have a method, so please focus on one thing, Your Highness.”
“Why should I do that?”
“Reviving your fiancée is out of the question, and you’re in a situation where you’re just waiting for the day you die, right? Please exert your strength for the world one last time.”
“Hmph.”
“And I’m also going to die soon. I need to send a poor soul who should have gone to the grave long ago to heaven.”
Elius stared blankly at me and then smiled.
“That sounds rather entertaining.”
*****
Time passed, and it was the day of Epherna’s coming-of-age ceremony.
Epherna woke up early in the morning, washed up, got dressed, and put on her makeup.
She was surrounded by so many attendants in black maid outfits and with skin-toned hands that she was almost invisible.
By 9 AM, after nearly finishing all her preparations, Epherna sat on the edge of her bed, exhausted.
Even sitting was challenging because the tightly fitted dress made it hard to move freely.
“This is too… heavy….”
Though Epherna had hosted countless parties and worn many dresses, she had never worked as hard as she did today.
As I entered, one of the attendants, who seemed to have been waiting for me, whispered loudly.
“Astra! Hurry and praise His Highness!”
But suddenly being told to praise, I couldn’t think of any words.
Moreover, Epherna’s appearance was obscured by the attendants, so I couldn’t see what to praise.
It was then.
“Mister…”
Epherna’s trembling head turned towards me.
The attendants who had been blocking the way stepped back one by one.
And then, she was revealed.
A black dress contrasting with her platinum blonde hair.
Though simple in design for someone who had prepared since dawn, considering the material prone to wrinkling or tearing during the wearing process and the gold decorations placed here and there, it was awe-inspiring to think about how meticulous the work must have been.
The makeup she wore seemed to be clenched with effort, and it was dazzling enough to make me doubt if this was truly the same princess from yesterday.
She had worn expensive clothes and dressed up for public appearances many times, but I could confidently say that today’s appearance was unparalleled.
Lacking talent in giving compliments, I simply threw out the word “beautiful” and quietly admired her appearance.
There aren’t many days left where I can see her like this.
*****
She’s beautiful. With that one word left hanging, she turned to leave Ern behind.
Epherna got up from the bed to finalize her preparations and sat in front of the mirror.
As she recalled the expression I had just shown, she felt a sense of curiosity.
What kind of face did I make?
At first, it was admiration. An uncontrollable admiration that seemed to tell her that her painstakingly prepared appearance was indeed beautiful.
But then, the surprise faded, and a faint smile emerged, as if she were gazing at a flower filled with emotions.
“That means Your Highness is beautiful too.”
“Is that so?”
When one of the attendants said that, Epherna’s ears perked up.
Thinking about it, it seemed that way.
Especially since Ern, who usually spoke well but rarely expressed emotions, might have had that expression due to holding back feelings that wanted to burst forth.
While I was turning this hopeful thought over in my mind.
“Your Highness. It’s time.”
“Already?”
It had begun.
Her coming-of-age ceremony.
*****
A royal coming-of-age ceremony usually takes place under the emperor’s supervision, but since the emperor was currently unable to move, a substitute was needed.
In the end, her relative, the Second Prince Elius, had no choice but to preside over the ceremony, and Epherna couldn’t help but feel quite dissatisfied with that fact.
She still didn’t know what thoughts he harbored.
All she knew was that the Second Prince supported Evergreen in its attempt to turn the world back to the past, so she couldn’t help but be displeased that he was the one overseeing her ceremony.
However, it wasn’t all bad.
If Elius hadn’t presided over it, people would have certainly raised concerns about tradition and customs later on.
Though Elius’s role was merely to recite a long script he had prepared in advance to announce that she had come of age and to congratulate her, that alone ensured the traditions and customs were upheld.
And there was one more thing.
Though it wasn’t Elius’s merit, there were those who had traveled a long way to congratulate her, allowing Epherna to endure the long and arduous coming-of-age ceremony.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness. Congratulations on becoming an adult.”
“Merien! How did you get here…!”
“It’s been quite some time since I gave birth. I’ve recovered enough, and I think I might be able to return to work soon.”
“Really? For real?”
Epherna chatted with Merien for a while about her child and her return to work.
“Oh my, you’ve become even prettier?”
“The Duchess taught me that being a magician doesn’t mean I can’t train my body.”
“Are you talking about the theory of physical reconstruction? Did you really do that? The one I couldn’t do?”
Not long ago, she had continued a discussion about magic with Bergamot, who had just had a new child.
“Finally an adult. Now you won’t have to be on your toes… If you succeed later, you have to tell me first, okay?”
In a space where only the two of them were present, Epherna blushed as she playfully winked at Cyan, tapping his shoulder.
“Congratulations! Oh, and this is a juice I recently made; make sure to drink it with Astra!”
Sierra feigned rejection as she subtly gathered two bottles of pink juice that she had brought with her magic.
Though it wasn’t much, it was a connection that she had carefully built over the past five years, one step at a time.
Epherna realized that even just sharing small stories with them was meaningful.
It was already evening, and night was approaching.
She hadn’t expected the party to last this long, and while she was about to wrap things up, she suddenly remembered that the most important event of the day was still to come, prompting her to hurry toward a destination.
Through her sensing magic, she had already pinpointed the location.
The place her steps were directed toward was a door that firmly sealed off the inside from the outside.
Epherna swung the door wide open and called out.
“Mister…!”
She had cast a barrier around the area to block sound.
From now on, what she wanted to say to him was something she didn’t want anyone else to hear.
She wanted to keep it solely as a memory between herself and him.
“Hmm?”
Ern, who had been enjoying the breeze on the terrace for a moment, responded.
Just a little while ago, Ern had been by Epherna’s side, but he had temporarily left her to receive a report about the “task” she had asked of Elius.
“Why are you out of breath? Did you run over?”
“No.”
She hadn’t run.
Sorting through the words and phrases that were racing in her mind had been enough to leave her breathless.
She took a step forward toward him.
A cold breeze brushed over her exposed shoulders, but she didn’t feel cold at all.
One step, then another; Epherna stood before Ern.
She gazed into his quietly shining blue eyes.
“…”
Epherna remained silent, her lips moving slightly.
She had thought of what to say, words she had prepared.
That moment, which she had imagined hundreds, even thousands of times, had surely existed in the past.
But words are just words, and situations are just situations; Epherna realized now that there is no rehearsal for a confession.
“You look really cold.”
Ern took off his coat and draped it over Epherna’s shoulders.
Leaning against the railing of the terrace, he asked,
“So, how does it feel to be an adult?”
Out of the blue, he inquired about her feelings.
“You always sang that you wanted to become an adult quickly, complaining that there were too many restrictions as a minor.”
“…”
“You probably don’t know, right? That’s how it is. Even when the restrictions are lifted, it feels like nothing has really changed. It’s not a big deal when you think about it.”
“…”
This isn’t right.
Epherna thought to herself as she bit her lip.
Though it was a warm, pleasant conversation, she couldn’t see any path that would lead to a confession.
Should she just give up today?
Just as that thought crossed her mind.
“I have something to say to you, Mister.”
Unconsciously.
Her mouth opened.
