“I was really just trying not to complain about every little thing,” I continued. “Romance is complicated, isn’t it? It’s been over a year since we married, yet we’re still like this.”
“I understand the Lieutenant’s feelings. I’d be deeply saddened if my lover wasn’t bothered at all by something like that.” The princess threw yet another gaze at my husband, this one filled with sympathy. Lord Simeon was wholly confused by this point.
“Mr. Mace treasures you. Not just with respect for a friend or duty to royalty, but as a lover.”
After watching their reunion, anyone could tell that he felt the same way she did. He would’ve accepted her feelings without her having to rouse envy within him.
However, there was still a wall the two of them would have to overcome in order for them to be tied together. Feelings alone wouldn’t accomplish that.
I was worried for their future, but Princess Mira brightly announced this: “His feelings were the largest obstacle for me. I can do anything now that I’ve confirmed this isn’t an unrequited love. I have a right to choose my own partner for marriage.”
“You’re going to marry him?”
She chuckled at my disbelief. “Do you think I can’t? When the genders are reversed, the prince is allowed to marry commoners all he likes. Why wouldn’t the same be allowed for a princess? Wouldn’t that be strange?”
“I see...”
“And if my partner is going to be my assistant, then Mace is much more qualified than Hilbert! The royal family doesn’t have political power anyway. Why would it matter whether or not he has supporters backing him? There’s no issue with him hailing from a commoner family.”
I balled up my hands and fervently nodded in agreement. She was correct—Vissel’s royal family wasn’t involved in politics, so she ostensibly should be allowed to marry whomever she pleased. Old values like family status and bloodlines were still deeply rooted within society, but I was sure many of the Visselian people would support them. And actually, Mr. Mace could allow them to develop a feeling of solidarity with the royal family, so they’d celebrate his addition.
“Please do your best!” I huffed triumphantly. “I’m rooting for you! If you ever need help, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I don’t have much power, but I’ll do what I can.”
“Thank you. I’m grateful to you all from the bottom of my heart. We, Vissel, will be the ones to invite you all next time. Would you and the Lieutenant come to my wedding?”
“Of course! We’d be honored to. Thank you very much.”
“It won’t be happening anytime soon, but I’m going to make it a reality, no matter what. Please watch over me!”
This lovely yet brave heroine set off for her homeland with a smile and a promise. I’ve made yet another terrific friend. I wonder when their wedding will be? I’m looking forward to it, but... First, I need to write up a wonderful story.
Most tales would feature the male lead as the wealthy one of high status. Obtaining such a man was an ideal happiness for women, so it was common for stories to feature them. I, myself, followed that pattern in my own life.
But wouldn’t it be nice to read about the opposite as well? The male lead still had to be a wonderful, reliable person, of course, but this time, the heroine would be the one to make him fall in love at first sight. It would be a romance that others around them would find hard to accept; the male lead wouldn’t be able to bring himself to take the initiative because of their positions. It wouldn’t be difficult at all to make him jealous! And in the end, the two of them would overcome all the obstacles standing in their way and fulfill their love. That would surely make the readers fangirl!
I wanted to write a story like this and deliver it all the way to Vissel. Yes, I must do my best! I’ll run at full speed to finish my current manuscript, then the short story, and then I’m going to write a love story about a queen! Wouldn’t it be so much fun if the story featured magic and fairies as well? I ought to take it in the same direction as the short story.
After we saw the princess’s party off, Lord Simeon tried as hard as he could to be nonchalant. “What were the two of you talking about?”
He’s bothered for sure. I can’t say I blame him, since the two women who’d supposedly been fighting over him were suddenly friendly with each other.
I scanned him up and down. “Your role this time was to be the test stallion who is brought to the female to see if she’ll take a liking to him. I feel that’s a rare setting for you, but blackhearted military officers are mostly side characters, so perhaps that’s precisely why it’s fitting?”
“What are you talking about...?”
“But to me, you’re the only hero in the world!”
He sighed. “Thank you. You are also my heroine.”
He shook his head, not really understanding, but he ultimately laughed with me. My husband was a straightforward person who I couldn’t even bring myself to suspect of infidelity. He really was the hero of all heroes.
I suddenly had a thought. “But I think it would also be interesting for a beautiful, cool prince to be rejected too. Sometimes things like that are good... Wait, don’t we have someone like that near us?”
An angry voice nearby reflexively jabbed back at my comment. “Why are you looking at me?! I’ll have you know that I am an extremely happy man who’s about to get married to the love of my life! I will not be a test stallion, nor will I be a victim that dies halfway through!”
The clouds had dispersed; the blue sky of summer had returned. Below us, the waves had calmed and were now sparkling under the bright sunlight.
Part of the bridge was still collapsed, and one of the castles would need significant repair work done, but now that everything was over, the northern sea was quiet and magnificent. Sometimes it would rage, and sometimes it would shine. The ocean was said to connect the world; it would flow round and round and mix with the southern blue as well.
I approached a tall person in the back of the crowd who was gazing out at the far horizon. His honey-colored, curly hair billowed in the salty breeze.
“Mashallah.”
Lord Nigel turned back to me after speaking this word, his eyebrows raised.
I walked up to him. “What was that? ‘Mashallah?’ What does it mean?”
Lord Nigel was slightly surprised, then his expression melted into his usual smile. “As expected of the language master. You heard it well.”
“It’s Shulkian, correct?”
He didn’t respond, just returned his gaze to the sea. Even Ms. Eva, who was usually by his side scolding him, was on standby a ways away with Arthur, watching us.