Epilogue
The warm morning of spring had returned. The Empire was bustling with the vitality of the season, busy with preparations for the new Emperor’s first birthday banquet. Market stalls were overflowing with spring flowers, people reveled in the festivities, and laughter bloomed like flowers in the streets.
However, Alice could only watch the leisure and joy from afar; she could not enjoy it herself.
“You must choose a Prince Consort immediately!”
“He is right! At this rate, the Imperial bloodline might be severed!”
Taking advantage of Edwin’s absence, the ministers had requested an audience and were now imploring Alice to select a consort.
‘They look like they’re about to cry.’
The eyes of the ministers, who were pleading with her until their throats were hoarse, were rimmed with red.
Currently, Edwin was away leading a subjugation force, determined to wipe every last trace of monsters from the Empire. Ever since Alice had nearly died at the hands of one, he had decided that not a single monster hair should exist.
The ministers saw this as their chance. This was the first time since her accession that Edwin had left her side for an extended period—though it had only been a few days. Seizing the moment, they had been feverishly pushing the agenda of selecting a consort in the council meetings.
Alice opened her mouth with a troubled expression. “But… I haven’t even finished my administrative duties yet.”
“If you wait until the work is done to pick a consort, you’ll be holding a ghost wedding!”
That was their way of saying the work would never end until she died. They weren’t exactly wrong, but why did it hurt her feelings so much…?
“I’ll think about it a little more. I’m quite busy with the schedule for this birthday banquet.”
“This banquet is the perfect time to choose!”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity! The finest young nobles will be gathered in one place, making it easy for you to choose!”
The ministers responded in unison as if reading from a script, their timing a bit too perfect and their tone slightly stiff.
‘They definitely coordinated this before coming in here.’
Seeing that they had no intention of backing down, Alice spoke with a resigned look. “It’s not as if Duke Esteban is gone forever. If he hears that you’ve been discussing this, how do you plan to handle the aftermath…?”
“Then Your Majesty must protect us!”
“That’s right! We are also your human resources, are we not?”
No one even considered the possibility of Edwin being defeated while hunting monsters. Thus, the nobles chose to make Alice responsible for their lives. It was a rather clever move. In truth, Alice wanted to argue against their audacity, but she couldn’t deny the logic, so she kept her mouth shut.
‘I suppose that’s true…’
If word reached Edwin, it wouldn’t be monsters his blade would fell, but the necks of these ministers. If that happened, she truly would have to handle every single Imperial matter alone.
‘I can’t have that!’
Realizing their words had hit the mark, the ministers inwardly rejoiced. Alice dismissed them using her work as an excuse and returned to her office.
“Oh my! Was it the consort talk again?” Ena, who was tidying up the desk in the office, shrugged as if she had expected it after seeing Alice’s expression. “Since they want it so desperately, why not at least go through the motions to keep appearances?”
“You know what Edwin is like.”
Ena fell into deep thought, her lips pressed together. Alice watched her curiously, wondering what she was about to say.
Eventually, Ena spoke. “Actually, even if it weren’t the Duke, it’s the kind of situation that would make any man lose his mind. The woman he loves publicly picking a husband? Any man would throw a fit. Though, of course, the Young Lord’s ‘fits’ are on a slightly different level.”
“Has a letter come from Edwin?”
“Not yet.”
“I see…”
Alice fell silent with a lingering sense of unease. It had been two days since Edwin had last replied.
‘Did something happen?’
The letters that used to arrive like clockwork even during previous subjugations had stopped coming.
“Do you think he’s hurt?” When Alice asked, Ena shook her head firmly.
“Your Majesty, don’t you think there’s a major flaw in that question?”
“True. There’s no way Edwin would get hurt.”
Alice muttered and picked up some documents. However, she couldn’t focus on her work. No reply from Edwin…
Because of that, another assumption rose to her mind. One she desperately didn’t want to entertain.
‘Edwin forgot to reply!’
If that were the case… she felt a bit slighted and sad, her mood turning gloomy.
‘Did he forget about me just because we haven’t seen each other for a few days?’
Alice frowned and gripped the papers.
‘Fine, let’s just work!’
Whichever it was, she hoped it was just that he was too busy with other things to send a letter.
‘…But it’s almost my birthday.’
On one hand, she couldn’t entirely shake the feeling of disappointment toward Edwin. To dispel the mood, she picked up her pen again.
Scratch, scratch.
As usual, the quiet office was filled with the sound of the nib scraping against paper.
***
In the deep of night. Beneath trees so dense they barely let the moonlight through, wild animals scurried away in a panic at the sound of noisy humans. On that path, a loud and arduous mountain trek was unfolding.
“Commander!! Please, wait just a moment!!” Behind Edwin, the knights followed closely, gasping for breath. Edwin glanced back at them as if they were a nuisance, then nimbly scaled a boulder and leaped higher up. He would be close to the monsters if he climbed just a little more.
‘I have to finish this quickly.’
With that single thought, Edwin moved his feet faster. If he didn’t dispose of the monsters swiftly, he might not be able to attend Alice’s birthday banquet. Consequently, he had pushed for a forced march lasting four days.
The knights, their stamina already depleted, were less concerned with drawing their swords to kill monsters and more focused on desperately chasing the back of their superior who was far ahead. They were beginning to question the nature of this expedition—was it a monster hunt or a mountain climbing marathon?
“Is that man really human? Isn’t he a monster…?” Chester flinched at the voice behind him. He couldn’t deny that the suspicion was reasonable.
‘Well, who would think he’s human after staying awake for four days and nights while hiking through mountains like it’s nothing?’
Chester nodded in agreement, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Among them, he was the one managing to stay closest to the Commander during this grueling trek.
Moving up beside Edwin, Chester spoke softly. “Commander, shouldn’t you at least look after your subordinates? This isn’t a battlefield; what if someone falls behind?”
“Not my concern,” Edwin snapped coldly.
Despite his superior’s frigid response, Chester did not give up. He had already endured countless rejections and glares during these four days of forced marching. Finally, Chester used his last resort.
“Then when do you plan to send a letter to Her Majesty? I heard your last reply was three days ago… She must be waiting for you.”
‘Let’s at least get some rest while the Commander writes a letter!’
Knowing that the Commander usually took a considerable amount of time to write to Alice, Chester delivered his masterstroke. At that moment, Edwin’s footsteps stopped.
A glimmer of hope shone in the eyes of the knights behind him.
‘Finally! Can we stop this forced march for even a moment?!’
Having heard Chester’s words, Edwin muttered, “The letter…”
He had been so focused on hunting monsters and trekking day and night that he hadn’t sent one. His goal was to kill one more monster in the time it took to write, so he could return to the Imperial Palace where Alice was all the sooner. Furthermore, her birthday was only a few days away.
‘Alice is waiting.’
Was she truly waiting for him? Edwin hoped so. However, he also worried that Alice might be too busy with state affairs to even notice his missing letters.
Thinking that made him feel frantic. If, in the meantime, Alice forgot about him, and the officials took advantage of his absence to push another man on her as a consort…
‘I’ll kill every single one of them the moment they step in.’
The only man at her side would be him, Edwin. A murderous glint flickered in his crimson eyes.
Seeing this, Chester was flustered. ‘Something seems to be going wrong… is it just my imagination?’ But his long-standing intuition as a subordinate told him this feeling wasn’t good. It seemed he had touched a nerve.
Suddenly, Edwin spoke. “Light the torches. Even if it’s a monster, it’ll come scurrying out if I set the forest on fire.”
Searching for monsters one by one was a waste of time now. It would be better to just set the mountain ablaze and kill them as they fled. The knights were horrified by the command, as if the Commander had forgotten the most basic fact.
“Co-Commander! We’ll burn to death too!” “We’ll be wiped out before the monsters even show up!”
Edwin glared at them coldly.
“How did you even become knights if you can’t handle that much?”
“It’s because our bodies aren’t made of titanium!”
At the knights’ protest, Edwin let out a shallow breath. They were uselessly fragile. It would have been better to come alone.
‘Edwin, it would still be dangerous to go alone. Take the knights with you.’
It was the result of being unable to refuse Alice’s kindness and concern. Her requests were an irresistible force to Edwin.
However, one thing remained.
‘Anyone but me at her side is absolutely forbidden.’
That was why Edwin was trying to wrap things up even faster. Because while he was away, those sycophants would be moving their viper-like tongues to suggest a consort. But if he let these useless fools die here, Alice would be very sad.
Exercising patience, Edwin gave them a new order. “Then, move out again.”
As he spoke, Edwin’s pace became much faster than before.
‘Oh boy.’
Having made things worse, Chester felt the stinging glares of the resentful knights on the back of his head. His mind raced as he assessed the situation. If a letter arrived from Her Majesty urging the monster hunt along, it would be a forced march through an even deeper hell.
‘From now on, I should read the letters from Her Majesty first. Giving them straight to the Commander might lead to disaster.’
He felt sorry for Her Majesty, but what could he do? They had to survive first… Nothing major would happen, right? Ignoring the impending catastrophe, Chester chased after his superior.
***
The next morning. Alice, who had settled for a simple soup due to her busy schedule, headed to her office. As expected, she let out a deep sigh at the mountains of paper piled on her desk. It was more surprising to her that she wasn’t even surprised by the sight anymore.
“What is this…?” She picked up a document and gasped.
[For the peace and glory of the Empire, we earnestly beseech you to select a Prince Consort.]
But there wasn’t just one such document. Feeling an ill omen, Alice dug through the other papers underneath.
‘These are all from different people?’
The content was identical, but the signatures of the nobles were all different. It was clear that almost every noble, except for the vassals of the House of Esteban, had sent a petition imploring her to choose a consort. There was no other way there could be this much volume.
It was a petition of over 200 pages. She was momentarily surprised to realize there were so many nobles in her Empire.
“By any chance… has a reply come from Edwin today?”
“No…” Ena shook her head.
“Any news of an injury?”
“A telegram came from Sir Chester Douglas last night, and it seems the Young Lord is fine. Rather, it’s the subordinates who are dying…”
Alice barely heard the last part. The only thing that stayed in her mind was that Edwin wasn’t injured, yet he wasn’t replying. She began to wonder if she was the only one waiting.
‘But he went to subjugate monsters for me.’
She knew it was a pointless thought. While she was a bit hurt by Edwin’s silence, she didn’t doubt his sincerity. However, she couldn’t just ignore this flood of petitions.
‘To have a smooth engagement with Edwin…’
It was best to temper the nobles’ animosity and maintain a stable relationship between the sovereign and the subjects.
‘If this engagement triggers a rebellion…’
Of course, she didn’t think any brave soul would actually stand against Edwin, but she didn’t want to rule through that kind of fear.
“Whew…” Alice sat in her chair with an involuntary sigh. She picked up the pen Ena had prepared and began writing on the documents.
[Permission granted to discuss the selection of a Prince Consort at this birthday banquet.]
She sent a bulk reply only to the elder nobles who had sent the petitions. ‘Since the other nobles likely followed the elders’ lead.’ Alice had no doubt that news of the selection would spread in an instant, even if she only replied to the elders.
‘The nobles will be in a festive mood.’
However, Alice’s worries continued to pile up. This was merely a superficial consort selection. To be precise, it was a compromise to placate the resentment toward Duke Esteban.
‘Please, let things go smoothly this time.’
If she showed them that she was willing to accept their opinions, the nobles would become much more submissive than they were now.
‘Still, I should let Edwin know in advance.’
Even though it had been days since his last reply, Alice picked up her pen again.
[Edwin, how are you? I’m worried that the monster hunt is taking a toll on you. Camping in the mountains for days on end can’t be easy, so if it gets too hard, I hope you’ll come back… Also, there will be a consort selection during the upcoming banquet. You have nothing to worry about. I only agreed to it to match the mood of the nobles to some extent. So even if you’re angry—]
Even if he’s angry? Alice bit her lip. She suddenly thought that Edwin might not even be angry, but rather indifferent to the news. Placing a fresh sheet of paper in front of her, she picked up the pen and briefly wrote down the story regarding the consort selection.
And a few days later.
“There’s no reply.”
Edwin hadn’t sent a response even to her letter about the consort selection.
“My Lady…” Ena, who hadn’t expected this situation either, was carefully watching Alice’s reaction. Distressed, Ena had even reverted to her old title for Alice.
She even began to consider an unthinkable possibility.
‘Did the Young Lord’s feelings actually change?’
It was unbelievable. It was far more plausible that the Young Lord simply hadn’t heard the news about the consort selection!
‘Did that man intercept the letters?’
Chester Douglas’s nonchalant smile naturally came to mind. Ena let out a huff. Within the Imperial Palace, Count Douglas’s popularity had skyrocketed. A young count with handsome features and an excellent physique. He even held the position of Knight Commander, so his prestige was top-notch, and he had a good personality to boot. Among the maids, he was the number one groom candidate.
Nevertheless, Ena felt that Sir Douglas’s smile was greasy. They say people who smile like that are the best at backstabbing! Who knows, maybe he was pocketing the letters!
But Ena soon found a major flaw in her theory.
‘But there’s no reason for that greasy man to do such a thing…?’
Her Majesty knew this as well, which was why she looked so dejected. Alice spent the whole day looking gloomily at her documents. She looked quite different from the nobles who were requesting audiences with smiling faces at the news of the selection.
However, Alice didn’t have the luxury of drowning in her thoughts. State affairs wouldn’t stop piling up just because she was feeling down.
‘Seriously, the work is never-ending.’
She should have sensed this disaster coming the moment the officials swarmed her like a tide right after the coronation… Alice inwardly cursed the former Emperor with every insult she knew.
‘It’s all because that guy handled things so strangely!’
She didn’t even want to call him the Emperor anymore. A proper handover is the most important part of any job, yet she had inherited the chaotic affairs of this massive Empire without any transition process at all. As a result, she was left with a workload that couldn’t be managed without staying up all night!
Alice grimaced at the documents piled in a corner of the room. Thankfully, after six months of working her fingers to the bone, the end of this particular pile was in sight.
‘Of course, new state affairs will keep coming in.’
Now that the immediate fires had been put out, she hoped she could at least live a decent life, even if it wasn’t luxurious. It was her earnest wish.
“Who are the guests invited to the banquet?” Alice asked her newly appointed aide, Anthony Levin. At her question, Anthony immediately checked the list. “…And we have guests coming from the Papacy as well.”
“The Holy Land?” Alice’s face brightened at his words. Someone naturally came to mind when the Holy Land was mentioned.
‘Evan, Michael!’
According to the news she’d heard, Evan and Michael were busy setting up orphanages and hospitals. When she looked at him with an expectant gaze, Anthony looked closer at the list sent from the Holy Land and spoke.
“High Priest Ariel, and an apprentice priest named Michael Elga will be attending.”
Michael! Since she hadn’t seen him in almost six months, Alice’s eyes sparkled. She was curious about how much he had grown in the meantime. However, she felt a bit disappointed to hear that Evan wouldn’t be coming. She knew it wouldn’t be easy for someone in his position to leave his post, so it couldn’t be helped.
“Tell them to guide them to the best room once they arrive.”
“Yes.”
He nodded, then watched Her Majesty’s face for a moment before speaking cautiously. “And… Grand Duke Wigmond will not be attending.”
Lately, relations between Grand Duke Wigmond and the Imperial Family hadn’t been very good. Since the late Emperor was killed, the Grand Duke hadn’t directly raised an issue, but the noble families close to him had been continuously submitting petitions to Alice questioning the late Emperor’s death.
His refusal to attend the banquet this time was a clear declaration of his stance, stepping out from the shadows. He had no intention of standing on the Emperor’s side.
“I see.” Alice nodded and returned to her duties, as it was a reaction she had anticipated.
Anthony, who had been transferred here after working as a civil servant in the Imperial household, was inwardly surprised by how hard the Emperor worked.
‘I heard she was just a girl who had recently become an adult.’
At that age, most people would be enjoying their freedom. Even he had spent a lot of time drinking and enjoying his liberty when he turned twenty. Yet, to show such patience and administrative ability at such a young age was remarkable.
Even more surprising was that she hadn’t received formal heir training from a young age. Yet she was remarkably familiar with state affairs and learned how to handle new tasks quickly.
It was as if she had lived this kind of life once before.
***
As the sun began to set and the sky was stained with the hues of twilight, there was still no reply from Edwin.
Observing Alice’s pouting face, Ena suggested in a deliberately bright tone to lighten her mood, “Your Majesty! I’ve prepared the outfits for your birthday banquet. Would you like to take a look?”
“I’m busy right now, maybe later.”
“Oh, come now! If we don’t check them now, we might not have enough time for alterations and tailoring before the banquet!”
Alice let out a small chuckle at Ena’s persistent effort and rose from her seat. “Alright, just a quick look shouldn’t hurt.”
It did hurt. Very much. Alice was led by the hand into the dressing room, and she lost her breath at the scene unfolding before her.
“Your Majesty! These were made by gathering the most famous tailors in the Empire!” Ena proudly swung open the wardrobe doors.
Ta-da!
Before her eyes stood a parade of nearly a hundred dazzling, magnificent dresses. Alice felt dizzy. It was chaos—pure chaos. Suddenly, a sense of dread washed over her.
‘Surely she isn’t going to tell me to try all of these on, right?’
When she turned to Ena with that silent plea in her eyes, Ena read her perfectly and smiled radiantly. “Now, you must try them on one by one!”
“I’d rather go back and work until I drop dead.”
“Stop being so dramatic.”
Since when had Ena become so heartless and firm? Alice narrowed her eyes at her and began to back away quickly.
“Oh, wait! I think I remembered some urgent administrative work!”
“You just said a quick look would be fine!”
“I changed my mind, it’s not fine!”
“Your Majesty! At least consider my sincerity and try them on!”
“L-later! When I have spare time!”
Alice bolted out of the dressing room. She suspected she would never have “spare time” again as long as those dresses existed. She could hear Ena grumbling inside, but she let it go in one ear and out the other.
While making her way back to her office, Alice spotted a group dressed in white.
“Michael!”
She brightened at the familiar, almost haloed face and called his name. His once long hair was now cut short to his ears, and he had grown taller. She almost hadn’t recognized him from the back.
“Oh, Ali… I mean, Your Majesty.”
Michael, discovering her, started to use her name but quickly corrected himself.
‘Why the formal title all of a sudden?’ Alice tilted her head. Wasn’t he the one who, second only to Edwin, completely ignored social graces?
“Is there something strange?” Michael asked sharply, noticing her suspicious gaze.
“No, nothing.”
Alice smiled innocently, causing Michael to scowl. He knew exactly why she was looking at him like that.
‘I’m doing this for your sake.’ He thought.
Calling the monarch by name in front of the people of the Imperial Palace could undermine her dignity. He had gone out of his way to show respect, and yet she was looking at him like he was a suspect.
He swallowed his words, knowing that if he spoke his mind, Alice would give him a smug smile and say, “Ooh, Michael. Have you finally grown up?”
“Have you arrived already?”
“We left early to avoid being late, but we arrived sooner than expected,” High Priest Ariel answered instead of the tight-lipped Michael. Alice nodded and looked back at Michael.
Feeling her gaze, Michael frowned. “Do you have a problem… Your Majesty?”
“Your tone is weird.”
“Don’t pay it any mind… Ma’am.”
Alice squinted as she scanned Michael’s frame. Well, at least he looks healthy. “Chamberlain, please guide High Priest Ariel to the guest wing. Michael, follow me.”
Judging that his awkward speech was due to the eyes of others, Alice led him to a private drawing room. Once the servants were dismissed and they were alone, Michael reverted to his true self.
“I thought I was going to suffocate.”
“It’s been a long time. Almost half a year, right?”
“Yeah, haven’t seen you much since the coronation.” Michael shrugged.
“How is Evan?”
“My brother? He’s basically a living corpse. Every day is treating patients, budgeting donations… handling the orphanages and hospitals is no small feat.”
Oh, dear. Alice felt a pang of sympathy; it hit a little too close to home.
“Yet he always works with a smile, saying it’s rewarding… sometimes I think he’s actually gone a bit mad.”
That was a surprisingly harsh assessment from Michael, who usually acted like a fool for his brother. Alice often dealt with similar matters; the Imperial Palace couldn’t just ignore welfare. In fact, it was right for the wealthy Palace to take the lead.
‘But working with a smile all the time?’ Alice agreed that it might be a form of madness. While she felt rewarded occasionally, smiling all the time while working seemed impossible.
She noticed Michael kept glancing around the room. “Is there something you want?”
He suddenly snapped, “What do you take me for?!”
“Then are you looking for something?”
“No, I just don’t see that guy.” He narrowed his eyes and scanned the perimeter warily. “By now, he should be lunging at me to kill me.”
Wasn’t it a daily routine for him to rush in with fire in his eyes whenever they were alone?
“Ah… Edwin.”
Alice stiffened slightly as she realized who he meant. Michael’s eyebrows twitched at her reaction.
“What? Don’t tell me you two fought?”
“It’s not that,” Alice denied quickly. At least, they hadn’t fought. Right… it wasn’t a fight.
Seeing the shadow on her face, Michael realized a heavy cloud had settled between the two.
‘Ugh, I want to ignore this.’
Michael struggled. Getting involved in other people’s love lives was the last thing he wanted to do. But seeing Alice’s darkened complexion, he found himself asking, “What happened?”
“Well, you see…”
Alice hesitated before explaining the situation. Michael frowned when he heard that she had been sending letters but receiving no replies.
“He’s not the type to do that.”
“I thought he might be busy, but for him to not reply even to a letter about the consort selection…”
“Consort selection?” Michael shouted, startled. “What on earth does that mean?”
He was shocked to hear she was holding a selection due to the ministers’ badgering. He looked at Alice with narrowed eyes, as if looking at a shameless person.
“Weren’t you already taken?”
“Th-that… we aren’t even engaged yet…” Alice felt like a villain for some reason. The selection was merely a temporary measure to quiet the ministers’ protests. But flustered by Michael’s blunt expression, she couldn’t explain the inner details clearly.
‘Am I really the bad guy?’
The thought crossed her mind for a second. Michael’s gaze had a strange way of making people feel guilty.
“The guy is out there slaying monsters for you, and in the meantime, you’re picking a husband at a banquet?”
“No!” Alice jumped at Michael’s sharp words. “I needed to cool down the nobles’ opposition in the meantime.”
“What…? Why do you care so much about what the nobles think? Isn’t the Empress’ seat a place where you can choose your own partner freely?”
Michael looked at her in confusion. Alice shook her head.
‘If it were that simple, it would be easy…’ The problem was that it wasn’t. After the coronation, she had been pushed straight into the council chamber. They claimed a mountain of unresolved issues had piled up during the Emperor’s absence. Even there, the power politics never ended. She almost missed the days when she was just buried in paperwork in her office. The nobles’ psychological warfare was more intense and chilling than she had expected. If Edwin hadn’t been there, Alice might have withered away into a handful of ash.
“Anyway… if you sent a letter and didn’t get a reply, there might be a problem on his end too,” Michael said.
Alice asked with a serious face, “Do you think he’s hurt?”
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
‘Of course not…’ Alice fell silent again, looking dejected.
“Just wait. It won’t take long; he’ll be back soon,” Michael said definitively. “He’s absolutely not the type to miss your birthday banquet.”
Alice wanted to ask how he could be so sure, but she remained quiet under his confident gaze. Outside the window, the world was being dyed in the light of the setting sun.
***
The Emperor’s birthday finally arrived. The first birthday banquet was more magnificent, beautiful, and grand than ever. Under the light of beautiful chandeliers, the elegant melodies of the court orchestra flowed through the ballroom.
Captivated by the atmosphere, the nobles sipped wine with excited faces. As their faces flushed, they began to whisper about things they couldn’t say openly.
“Today is the day of the Prince Consort selection, isn’t it?”
One person tossed the topic out lightly, but its meaning was far from light. Everyone was itching to talk about it, but there was a reason they hadn’t opened their mouths easily.
‘Edwin Esteban.’
If he, who had been away from the capital, returned to find this out, there was no telling what horrors might unfold. It wasn’t as if the distant royal relatives had kept entirely silent about what happened at the sacrificial rite. It was a secret known to many that the one who killed the late Emperor was Duke Esteban. But no one dared to speak a word of it.
‘If you talk, you’ll end up like the late Emperor.’
This was the biggest reason they avoided mentioning the Duke. No matter how many troops were sent, he was a one-man army with terrifying magic and swordsmanship. In the current Empire, no one could defeat Edwin Esteban. To find a solution to bring him down, one had to solve a fundamental question first.
‘Is he even human?’
It sounded like a joke, but the question was quite philosophical and essential. And no one could easily nod in the affirmative. One noble bravely opened his mouth.
“Is it… truly certain the Duke isn’t coming?” He whispered, his voice as small as an ant. Edwin wasn’t here, but caution was an instinct.
“He’s currently at Mount Brill; how could he get here in a single day?” another noble said. He knew this because one of his sons was a knight in Edwin’s subjugation force.
Fortunately, there was no news of Duke Esteban attending today. They enjoyed their wine and champagne, feeling relieved. This selection wouldn’t turn into a bloodbath.
Just then.
“Her Majesty the Empress is entering!” the head chamberlain announced at the top of his lungs.
Alice, who had been waiting outside, scratched her cheek and walked slowly into the hall.
‘This is so overwhelming.’
Tired from the heavy attire and the pouring gazes, she immediately sat on the throne.
The nobles, sensing her mood, approached to greet her after she was seated. Receiving their greetings, Alice’s face eventually broke into a smile.
“Michael! You came!” Alice immediately took Michael’s hand and led him to the terrace. It was a good excuse to escape the burdensome attention of the nobles.
“Yeah.”
“Ahem, your speech is quite short and impolite.”
When she playfully pointed out his tone, Michael snorted arrogantly. Then, as if admitting defeat, he shrugged. “My apologies for being impolite, Your Majesty.”
“Then, take this glass.” She grinned and handed him the drink she was holding.
“Why is it juice and not champagne…?”
“Ahem! How can a child who hasn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony try to drink alcohol!”
When she scolded him, Michael glared at her with a face full of irritation. Ignoring his gaze, Alice took a sip of the champagne in her other hand and smirked.
‘Teasing Michael really is the best entertainment.’
Her thoughts must have shown on her face because Michael grumbled as he gulped down the juice. “Honestly, you have a terrible habit of teasing people.” He handed her two small boxes.
“What’s this? Gifts?”
“Yes.”
Alice opened the boxes immediately. Inside were gems of mysterious colors. The more she looked, the less ordinary they seemed. “What kind of gems are these?”
“What else would they be? Just gems. One from my brother and one from me.” He spoke in a flat tone, but Alice didn’t believe him. She saw gems every day as gifts, but she had never seen anything like these.
“Just… use them with a mage if you’re ever feeling unwell later.”
“Are these… Holy Stones?” Michael didn’t answer, but Alice was shocked that they had given her such precious Holy Stones.
After chatting for a while, Alice realized she couldn’t avoid the nobles’ gazes on the terrace forever and returned to the hall. Every noble was focused on her. More specifically, they were waiting for the consort selection. She decided to play dumb.
‘I never said how I would conduct the selection, did I?’
If necessary, she planned to just say she didn’t find anyone she liked and dismiss the petitions. Count Heint, a noble who keenly caught onto her intention, approached her.
“Your Majesty, if you have narrowed down the candidates, I shall guide you to a quiet place.”
“…I’ll think about it a little more.”
“If you share your concerns, though I am lacking, I shall ponder them with you.”
“There are some things I prefer to ponder alone,” Alice firmly drew the line. He was an incredibly persistent and stubborn man. It was Count Heint who had been leading the pressure to choose a consort. He stood in the neutral zone, helping her with administration, yet for some reason, he had made up his mind to become her staunch supporter.
‘This is a bit awkward…’
She appreciated his efforts to solidify her position, but not in this way.
Michael read her expression and guessed the situation.
‘Maybe I’ll do her a favor.’
He snorted, finding it annoying to watch her scan the room with such troubled eyes.
“Your Majesty, would you care for the first dance with me?”
Alice immediately took the bait. “I’d love to.”
A priest could not marry. There was no better partner for the first dance. As soon as she placed her hand on his, Michael gave a bittersweet smile and led her to the floor.
“It’s been a while since that time.”
“Ah, that time.” Michael let out a small exclamation as he remembered their first dance. “Back then, you were really bad at dancing. You’ve improved a bit.” He looked at her as if seeing her in a new light.
“Michael is still clumsy.”
“And you’re still incapable of flattery.”
His eyebrows twitched. Just as the elegant melody reached its peak and everyone was swept up in the mood…
“Duke Edwin Esteban is entering!” the servant announced loudly, his voice tinged with lingering shock.
“What on earth…?!”
The ballroom erupted in a commotion even louder than when the Emperor had entered. The nobles’ faces turned pale. Most felt terror, while some put down their glasses to watch, thinking they might witness an interesting sight. But when Edwin Esteban truly stepped inside, the hall became as silent as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over it.
“Weren’t they saying he was definitely at Mount Brill just yesterday…?”
Mount Brill was on the border, a distance that took at least four days by horse. To have crossed that distance in a single day?
‘Edwin Esteban, is he truly human?’
The fundamental question flashed through the nobles’ minds once again. But that wasn’t what mattered now. What mattered was that he had witnessed what was happening in the ballroom.
‘The selection!’
The nobles who had pushed for the consort selection began to tremble. Since most of them had been involved, they were paralyzed with fear.
Alice, startled by Edwin’s entrance, stopped dancing. Michael, following her lead, looked toward the entrance with a look of disbelief. When he spotted Edwin, his face went white.
Alice muttered in disbelief, “Edwin…?”
The man who hadn’t replied to her letters for days was standing right before her eyes.
“What?” Michael was so startled that he jumped away from her.
Meanwhile, Alice thought, ‘Did he come because he remembered it was my birthday?’
He looked as if he had come straight from the hunt; there were leaves stuck to his clothes and splatters of blood. But no one pointed it out. Everyone knew it was better to keep quiet if they didn’t want their own blood added to those stains.
Alice walked straight toward him.
“Edwin!”
She immediately checked his condition. She had been worried he might be hurt. She knew he wasn’t the type to get injured, but believing it and seeing it were two different things. Complete peace of mind only comes with seeing it with one’s own eyes.
But Edwin didn’t answer; he just stared at her and Michael.
“Edwin, thank goodness. I was worried because you didn’t reply to my letters…”
At her words, Edwin spoke for the first time. “…Did you really write?”
“Yes. And I even told you about the consort selection in a letter.” But in the end, no reply had come.
‘Since it was just a hollow selection anyway.’
She never intended to actually pick a consort. She had explained that, and she thought Edwin’s silence was a form of implicit agreement.
‘But why is it so cold…?’ Alice shivered as if the temperature had suddenly dropped ten degrees. She wasn’t the only one; the surrounding nobles were coughing nervously and watching with eyes full of fear.
‘Fear…?’
Alice belatedly realized her situation. Even if the selection was a superficial event, she was dancing with another man… It was a situation Edwin could easily misunderstand.
“A consort selection,” he said, each word sounding as if it were being crushed between his teeth.
Feeling a dangerous intuition, Alice grabbed his arm. “Yes, there were circumstances… First, I think we need to talk privately.”
“I don’t think the person I need to talk to is Alice.”
His chilling gaze swept toward Michael behind her and the ministers further back. Michael fled the scene with a look that said he had stepped in something terrible, and the ministers vanished as if they were scurrying away.
‘It was those guys.’
Even before leaving Mount Brill for the Palace, Edwin had heard about the selection from a spy he had planted among the noble faction. That news had made him hasten his return even more. To think they had raised the issue of a selection the moment he left the Palace; they were like vermin. He should have killed them before leaving.
Seeing his eyes burning with murderous intent, a red alert blared in Alice’s mind. She spoke hurriedly, “It’s not what you think, Edwin. I’ll explain everything. And… I wrote it all in my letters.”
Alice felt more and more aggrieved as she spoke. Why was Edwin acting like he didn’t know the contents of those letters? Only then did he notice something strange about her words and raised an eyebrow.
“…Letters?”
“Yes, I sent them by messenger bird. Did you not receive them?”
“…No, I didn’t.”
Alice was truly taken aback by his answer. Did he really not know those letters existed? But the white pigeons used for messaging always returned empty-handed. That meant someone had received the letters.
‘Then who read them?’
Alice’s face froze. It was no small matter if the messenger birds had been intercepted.
“W-what should we do, Edwin?” Alice looked up at him in panic.
‘It wasn’t that Edwin read them and ignored me.’ S
he hadn’t even considered the possibility that he hadn’t received them.
He asked, “Was there a red ribbon on the bird’s leg?”
This was the reason. A red ribbon, the signal that the letter had been successfully received, had always been on the legs of the returning birds. That’s why she never suspected he hadn’t received them.
‘Wait a minute…’
A red ribbon. That was a secret signal known only to the Imperial knights; no outsider could possibly know it. Then, did this happen within the subjugation force?
Finding the answer in her expression, Edwin easily identified the letter thief.
‘Chester Douglas.’
The corners of his mouth curled up into a slant. It was a charming smile to anyone else, but Alice recognized instantly that the warmth of that smile was entirely different from usual.
She spoke to him in a rush.
“Edwin, wait… then I think I need to tell you what was in those letters.”
***
Moving to a private lounge within the banquet hall, Alice and Edwin sat on a sofa, facing each other. The tea on the table was cooling, yet neither touched their cup.
‘Why is it so awkward?’
They had only been apart for a few days, but it felt like a year. As Alice carefully weighed her words, Edwin was the first to speak.
“Alice, I want to know the contents of the letters you mentioned earlier.”
Witnessing the scene at the birthday banquet, he was currently suppressing his rage with an almost divine level of patience. The only thing keeping him in check was the fact that Alice hadn’t forgotten him. He stared intensely at her lips, oblivious to the tea growing cold, waiting for her response.
A single second felt like an eternity. Finally, her lips parted.
“Well…” Alice rolled her eyes nervously. “It was about the consort selection… but it’s a situation you don’t need to worry about, Edwin. So, rest assured.”
“I don’t need to worry?” Edwin’s expression grew even more lethal.
Alice realized from his face what kind of misunderstanding her words had caused. Moreover, she found herself in a constant internal struggle over something else she wanted to say.
‘Should I say it, or not?’
Her hesitation didn’t last long, cut short by the situation that followed.
“Fine. Then I’ll simply create an environment where I don’t have to worry,” Edwin said, rising from his seat with a chilling smile. “We can just hire new people to help Alice with her work. Right?”
At this rate, there was no telling what might happen in the banquet hall. Alice jumped up and grabbed his arm.
“Wait! Edwin, there’s something I want to ask first…”
To say what she truly wanted to say, there was a question she had to ask beforehand. But there was a problem.
‘Even I think this is too trivial!’
Actually trying to ask this in front of Edwin made her face flush with embarrassment.
“If it’s not urgent, let’s talk later,” Edwin said impassively.
Alice felt as if a message saying [You have lost 100 Bravery] had flashed through her mind. But she didn’t give up.
“It is urgent.”
Only then did Edwin stop. He turned his head and looked at her fully. The moment she saw his deep crimson eyes, Alice lost even more courage. But in times like these, honesty was the best policy. Steeling her will, she squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them.
“Why didn’t you send me a single letter all this time?”
‘Wow, I actually said it.’
Somehow, the words came out laced with a hint of resentment.
‘But I really was a bit hurt.’
If he had just sent a letter first, they would have known he wasn’t receiving hers. Then things wouldn’t have gotten this tangled.
“I thought you had forgotten about me…”
She whispered the last part, but Edwin caught it instantly. He was caught off guard—or rather, he was shocked by the implication of her words. He had never even imagined the possibility that she would think he’d forgotten her. To him, such a premise was fundamentally impossible. He believed he had given her his entire self.
Belatedly realizing the depth of her feelings, Edwin struggled to find words. Sensing his silence, Alice knew he was shocked. But she couldn’t just stand there and wait.
‘This… this is basically a confession!’
Alice realized why she had been so incredibly embarrassed. She couldn’t bear the lingering silence any longer.
“Edwin, answer me.”
“I’m sorry… Alice.”
Alice’s heart sank at his response. ‘So he really did forget me?’ Her knees felt weak, but she managed to stay upright, pretending to be fine.
However, Edwin’s following answer was entirely different from what she expected.
“I couldn’t send letters because I was busy wiping out every monster in the Empire.”
“What…?”
‘He slaughtered every monster in the Empire?’
Alice started to wonder if it was true, then remembered his power and realized the question was meaningless. If it was Edwin, he was more than capable of it.
Suddenly, Alice felt a wave of embarrassment, realizing she had essentially been throwing a tantrum over letters while he was doing that. Seeing her flushed face and mistaking it for anger, Edwin spoke again.
“I’m truly sorry, Alice.”
The murderous intent in his red eyes beneath his dark lashes vanished without a trace, replaced entirely by regret.
“I was lacking. I will grow stronger and train more so this never happens again.”
“No, no… Edwin.”
‘He’s going to get even stronger?’
Alice felt a sense of dread wondering just how much more powerful he intended to become.
‘Edwin, you’re already strong enough…’
Honestly, she wanted to tell him to stop getting stronger. If he became any more powerful, he might actually conquer the world. ‘Actually, he might already have more than enough power for that.’ But Edwin’s expression looked so sorrowful that Alice swallowed her words. They weren’t appropriate for this moment.
“I wasn’t trying to blame you… I just… I wanted to say I thought you’d forgotten me.” Alice rambled on, unable to control her reddening face. “But I’m glad you didn’t. And I’m glad you’re not hurt…”
“…You were worried?”
His eyes sparkled more brilliantly than she had ever seen. Seeing him so happy, Alice felt a twinge of regret.
‘Have I been hiding my feelings too much all this time?’
She usually prided herself on being bold, but strangely, she became timid only in front of Edwin.
“Y-yes…”
Even just speaking her true feelings was embarrassing. But she also felt that by avoiding these emotions and being too reserved, she had let things escalate to this point.
“So, Edwin.” Alice scraped together every bit of courage from the bottom of her heart and opened her trembling lips. Her face was so red she couldn’t continue; she just wanted to faint.
‘I wish it were morning when I open my eyes.’
In other stories, heroines seemed to faint at the perfect moment, but Alice had become so healthy due to everyone’s extreme care that she couldn’t even manage that.
“Alice.” He watched her quietly and finally spoke. Edwin had guessed what she was trying to say from the atmosphere. A flame-like shimmer wavered in his red eyes.
In truth, he also wanted to get closer to her, but he couldn’t bring himself to express his feelings openly. ‘Because I was afraid she would run away.’
His origin was darkness. In contrast, she was a complete person—the most radiant light in his life. He knew that she, having been by his side for years, knew exactly what he was made of. So he thought she kept him near out of necessity. Like a hunting dog acting as her hands and feet.
He wanted to be by her side even if it was just like that. He thought he was satisfied with that, so he worked hard to prove his utility. He believed he could suppress his own greed, but he had to admit he had been arrogant about his own feelings—especially after seeing what happened at the banquet today.
‘How dare they.’
Recalling the scene at the banquet, Edwin felt a cold rage. An unknown foreigner standing beside Alice. The moment he saw him, he wanted to slaughter him. But this was Alice’s first birthday banquet since ascending the throne. He couldn’t turn such a monumental event into a bloodbath.
The only reason he hadn’t killed the man dancing with Alice on the spot was because Alice had come straight to him the moment she saw him.
“Edwin…?”
The moment she spoke to him, his anger subsided strangely easily. Like a sea storm that seemed impossible to stop, suddenly turning calm on a whim. He wondered if his emotions were really that shallow, but soon realized and accepted how massive an influence Alice had on him.
And now, he finally realized she had been waiting for him and shared the same emotional intensity. Alice was startled as he slowly knelt.
“Edwin…?!”
He gently took her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. It looked so reverent, as if he were kissing a deity. She stared at him blankly.
‘He’s so handsome.’
Given the gravity of the situation, she should have looked serious, but she was dazed, her mouth slightly agape.
‘This face is an irresistible force…’
Kneeling while holding her hand, Edwin looked like a masterpiece, a statue carved by a god.
“Alice, can you swear to God that you will be with me for the rest of your life?”
“Yes…” She answered his proposal as if enchanted. It was only a beat later that she properly processed his words.
“Huh?!” Alice’s jaw dropped.
‘What is happening? What is this?!’
In the unexpected flow of events, her judgment lagged. She couldn’t exactly ask the man kneeling before her what was going on. In truth, there was no way to interpret this situation more clearly than it already was. She avoided his gaze, but eventually was caught by it.
Scratching her reddened cheek under his persistent stare, she slowly spoke.
“Yes… I swear.”
***
The Prince Consort selection, disguised as a birthday banquet, was spectacularly thwarted by the appearance of Duke Edwin Esteban. The ministers weren’t about to let this slide. Unaware that a lifelong vow had already passed between the Empress and the Duke, they immediately requested an audience.
Their majestic strides lost significant confidence the moment they saw Duke Esteban standing beside the Empress. And when they saw the battered state of Knight Commander Chester Douglas next to him, their confidence hit rock bottom. The only person who could turn Sir Douglas into such a wreck was the man standing there like a noble crane.
‘To beat his favorite subordinate into a pulp like that.’
If Chester had known they used the word “favorite,” he would have pointed out the error, but he couldn’t read minds. The ministers exchanged glances, feeling a chill of terror.
‘As expected, his temperament is cruel and cold!’
They didn’t know what mistake Chester had made to be beaten to a pulp, but it was enough to cow them.
“Haha, you must find my appearance amusing.” Sensing their gazes, Chester laughed heartily and joked. Even though no one asked, he rambled on. “Our Commander’s ‘tough love’ was a bit rougher than expected.”
Everyone knew who did it, even without him saying so.
“G-get well soon.”
“Yes, it’ll take time, but I’m not dead, so I’ll heal.” Chester grinned, then winced in pain from his split lip. He looked so wretched it made the onlookers grimace.
“What is the matter?” Alice spoke first. She guessed why they had requested an audience but knew they wouldn’t find it easy to speak. “Edwin, step outside for a moment.”
‘Edwin?’
The ministers looked at the Empress in shock. The way she addressed the Duke, usually called “Duke Esteban” in public, was far more intimate and unusual.
…Something felt ominous.
“…Understood.” The man who usually stuck to the Empress like a turtle shell left the room obediently at her single word.
“Sir Douglas, you too.”
“Me? I don’t mind staying… oh, actually, I think I do. Haha.” Following her command, Chester looked visibly disappointed but quickly followed the Duke out after seeing his lethal glare.
Once the troublemakers were gone, the ministers’ spirit should have improved, but because the atmosphere had shifted strangely with the Empress’ tone, they just silently exchanged glances.
“I had something to tell you all as well,” she said. Her eyes were clear and blue, as always. There was nothing strange in her expression, but her next words hit the ministers like a bomb.
“I’m getting engaged tomorrow.”
Her tone was as casual as saying it might rain tomorrow. But the meaning was far from light. A royal marriage. She was announcing it like a fait accompli.
In the confused silence, it was Count Heint, who had overseen the consort selection, who broke the quiet.
“…Who are you getting engaged to?” He asked, already knowing the answer but hoping he was wrong.
“Edwin Esteban, the precious talent of our Empire.”
But sometimes, reality is cruelly cold.
“Y-Your Majesty! Isn’t this too sudden…?!”
“Wasn’t it the ministers who asked me to hold a consort selection?”
“T-that is true.”
Alice tilted her head as she replied. Her blue eyes sparkled with a refreshing hue. “Then wasn’t everyone who attended that banquet a candidate for my consort?”
The ministers couldn’t argue against her innocent logic and remained silent. It was a total defeat for the ministers.
***
Spring flowers were in full bloom in the Imperial garden. Taking in the fragrant scent, Alice sipped her tea, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.
“So, when should we set the engagement ceremony?” Alice asked, sitting in the garden with Edwin.
“As soon as possible would be best. Alice is busy with state affairs.”
He didn’t say that purely out of concern for her work. Whether the country fell or not mattered little to him as long as she was alive. He simply wanted to create a pretext to stay by her side as quickly as possible. Engagement was a good means, and marriage was the best. But suggesting marriage right away would make his intentions too transparent…
“Then it would be better to hold the engagement and marriage together, right?” Alice spoke first. Edwin froze with his teacup in mid-air.
“Edwin?”
He looked at her with rare surprise. From his perspective, it was a move to be celebrated, but it was an uncharacteristic suggestion for her, who usually proceeded cautiously. Realizing why he was surprised, she spoke awkwardly.
“Well… for a healthy child, I thought starting the succession as soon as possible would be best.”
That was the very reason the ministers had been pushing for the royal marriage. ‘If I don’t have a child soon, they’ll probably nag me to take concubines.’ Alice felt a chill imagining the ministers’ pestering. But saying it out loud was incredibly embarrassing.
As she fidgeted in her seat, Edwin stared at her with a trembling gaze.
‘Succession…? Giving birth with that small body?’
He couldn’t even imagine her fragile body bearing a child. It would be horrific if she were to die during childbirth. Edwin’s face froze. Meanwhile, she was too busy cooling her burning face to notice the change in him.
“Alice, I hope you don’t feel burdened by the succession.”
Taking his words literally, she shook her head. “I can’t just act like a child and be stubborn because I don’t want to… especially regarding this matter.”
“Is it because of what the ministers said?”
“That’s part of it…”
Alice, answering honestly without thinking, realized her slip of the tongue. “I mean, it’s not like that at all.” She quickly changed her words and felt relieved to see the murderous intent in Edwin’s eyes disappear.
‘Phew, I saved the ministers’ lives again today.’
Alice vowed to be more careful with her words.
“Then, Alice, let’s think about that part later.” Alice soon realized from Edwin’s gaze what he was worried about. Feeling even more bashful, she scratched her cheek and nodded slightly.
***
On the day of the quickly scheduled engagement, Alice sat with a nervous face as Ena and the maids dressed her. The dress and accessories were flawless. Alice sent an admiring look at the maids’ thorough preparation, and Ena shrugged.
“We are the maids of the Imperial Palace; we’d lose face if we couldn’t do at least this much.”
“You all must have worked hard.” At Alice’s words, the maids replied respectfully that they had prepared joyfully since it was a national celebration.
“It’s finished, Your Majesty.”
Just as she was starting to feel tired from sitting upright in the same position, Ena announced it was over. Alice felt a sense of liberation as she looked in the mirror.
‘Whoa, who is this?’
Wearing a white silk dress, she was more beautiful than ever, looking like the most noble person in the world. A tiara rested atop her blonde hair, which fell in waves slightly longer than a bob. A blue sapphire necklace, the color of her eyes, sparkled beautifully against the white dress.
“You’re beautiful today, but for the wedding day, I’ll make sure everyone knows you are the star,” Ena said, adjusting Alice’s dress with practiced hands.
But Alice found her words more terrifying than touching.
‘I-I’ve already been getting ready for over three hours today…’
She couldn’t even imagine how long they would keep her on her wedding day.
Alice made a decision. She would hold the engagement and the wedding together today. Of course, Edwin didn’t know this yet.
***
She had already given orders to the official in charge of the ceremony to conduct the engagement and wedding simultaneously. Alice lay slumped on a sofa in the waiting room, letting out a sigh.
There had been strong opposition at first.
‘We cannot treat the Empress’ marriage so haphazardly!’
But Alice expressed her desire to return to her duties quickly for the sake of the Palace people who had suffered under the previous Emperor. The official, moved by her words, hesitated before eventually following her wishes. What else could he do? The Empress was the absolute boss of this palace.
Ena would be furious if she found out, but Alice smiled and smelled the fragrance of her tea. She didn’t actually drink it, though. Since it was hard to use the restroom in this dress, she had to minimize her fluid intake.
‘To think I’d have to go through this twice. I’d rather just work.’
In other banquets or birthday celebrations, she didn’t have to stay in one place for so long, but an engagement and wedding were different. In a royal marriage, there were about twenty steps each for the engagement and the wedding. And none of the steps were particularly short.
This meant she had to spend half a day in this dress, which made it hard to even go to the bathroom. Alice shuddered at the thought. Just imagining it gave her chills.
Knock, knock.
When she heard the knock, Alice told them to come in. Seeing the person who entered, Alice involuntarily gasped.
“Edwin…”
Edwin, with his black hair and wearing a white suit, looked like a beautiful fallen angel.
‘How can a suit fit someone that well…?’
He was a walking statue. Alice stared at him, feeling like she was witnessing a divine creation up close.
Suddenly, she realized Edwin was also staring at her in silence.
“Edwin?”
“…Ah.” Edwin finally met her eyes like someone waking up from a trance. Then, belatedly noticing her complexion, his face darkened. “Alice, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m just a bit tired. It’s fine.” Worried by his serious expression, Alice touched her face, wondering if it looked strange. It felt a bit dry, but she didn’t notice much of a difference.
Edwin took her arm and led her to the sofa. Alice sat beside him, looking at him in confusion. Then, with an incredibly serious face, he began to massage her hands.
Embarrassed, Alice was about to tell him to stop when her eyes widened. Surprisingly, the fatigue in her body began to fade.
“It’s amazing,” Alice muttered, and Edwin gave a soft smile. His faint smile made her face flush even more. Not wanting him to notice the change in her, she turned her gaze toward the window.
Beautiful sunlight was pouring down from the clear sky. Alice said to Edwin, “The weather is so nice.”
“It is.” Edwin followed her gaze out the window. Alice, with the sunlight behind her, was shining more beautifully than ever. Sensing his gaze, Alice looked at Edwin.
Then, they shared a small laugh, facing each other. In their eyes, there was only warm affection.
She had an intuition that they would be happy for a long time.
[End]
That’s the end of Male Lead, I’ll Respect Your Taste, everyone! Was it just me or was the romance barely there? That being said, the build up to their relationship was a lot more than I imagined the author was going to write. Either way, even with the lack of clear romance, I loved their story. I hope you all enjoyed it as well! See you in the next one!
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