Chapter 61: The Happiest Happy Ending
WHEN Reseda brought Iris back home, her parents practically jumped for joy. They didn’t even care that she’d stayed out past her curfew—instead, they invited him in for breakfast. Naturally, he waltzed right in.
“Wh-What’s the big fuss?” Iris asked.
Nigel fixed her with a withering stare, rubbed his temple, and sighed. “Don’t be absurd, Iris. Surely you must realize what it looks like when you stay out with a man until dawn, then bring him home with you.”
“Huh?” Startled, she looked at Reseda, who grinned and nodded.
As far as Iris was concerned, she and Reseda had gone out on secret late-night adventures ever since they were kids. In fact, during the soilpox outbreak, they would sometimes work with the royal mages until the next morning. Obviously, she knew spending the night with a man had implications of betrothal, but…really, it felt like any other “Mint and Cherry” excursion.
But when she looked at her father, he looked back at her with a meaningful grin. Iris couldn’t comprehend it. She’d only gone up to the top of a hill—wearing a dress she couldn’t get out of without assistance—and with a carriage driver chaperoning them, too! She began to sweat.
“Prince Reseda, um…I’m so terribly sorry for this misunderstanding!” Iris hastily curtsied to him.
“Not to worry! There’s no misunderstanding here.”
This response confused her even more. As far as Iris knew, they had only agreed to get engaged if she became the Holy Maiden, which she certainly hadn’t!
“But…I’m not the Holy Maiden…”
“That hardly matters anymore, don’t you think?”
“But…”
“Years ago, when you turned me down, you said you didn’t want to give high society any reason to degrade me. You didn’t want to be the fly in my ointment.”
Yes, she remembered that. She knew that she would be a burden to him, and she cared about him enough to do the responsible thing.
“But now there’s nothing to worry about. You’re no blemish—you’re a gem.”
Iris fell silent. In front of the royal family, the upper crust had publicly acknowledged that the superstitions about her scars were just that. Plus, Camille had chosen Nigel. Iris no longer had any reason to push Reseda away.
“If it pleases you, Prince Reseda, I gladly offer my daughter’s hand in marriage,” her father declared, much to her chagrin.
“Her hand is not yours to offer, Lord Chevalier. Besides, it’s not her hand that I want,” Reseda shot back matter-of-factly.
It meant a lot to Iris to hear him say that. As a prince, he could snap his fingers and get whatever he wanted; if he demanded to take her as his wife, she wouldn’t have any say in the matter. But unlike the Reseda from HanaKoro, who would resort to any means to lay claim to Camille, the Reseda in real life respected Iris as her own person. It was that version of him that she had come to trust and rely upon.
“Wait, but…I mean…!”
If we get engaged, then that means we’re going to get married and…and all those other things, right?! Iris clutched her head. She honestly couldn’t picture her and him as a married couple!
“Your Highness, you are truly a visionary of your time. Very well—we shall make ourselves scarce. We leave the rest to you.”
With that, Iris’s father, mother, and brother all got up to vacate the room. Right before Nigel could shut the door behind him, however, Iris shot him a pleading look.
“Just admit it, Iris,” he whispered to her.
“What?”
“Think about it. His Highness was the only person you wanted to attend the ceremony with. Doesn’t that speak volumes in and of itself?”
Iris faltered.
“Or are you prepared to dig those unread letters out of the trash and choose one to take as your husband? Because that’s what would happen sooner or later.”
“Wh…What?!”
“That’s just how it goes in high society,” he declared flatly. And with that, he shut the door.
Now Iris was well and truly on her own. She stared helplessly at the door for a moment, then looked at Reseda. He grinned.
“You didn’t even read the other letters?” His voice was tinged with unconcealed delight.
“W-Well…I mean…it would have been a waste of time! They were all ordinary strangers!” Iris answered indignantly.
Reseda burst out laughing. “You know, that makes it sound an awful lot like I’m special to you.”
At this, Iris gasped for breath like a goldfish, her face beet-red. He was right, of course—exactly right. She just never put two and two together until now. Reseda was special to her, and she had taken that fact for granted.
“Besides, didn’t you vow to always be my partner in crime?”
His smile was a blossom befitting the King of Flowers. She was so dizzy, she could practically smell its sweet perfume. Her heart thumped in her chest. Yes, she’d said it…because she wanted to stay with him forever. The answer was right there all along.
Timidly, Iris looked up at him. “…Prince Reseda?”
“You really don’t have to say the ‘Prince’ part anymore.”
“…Reseda…?” Iris corrected herself hesitantly.
“Better,” he nodded with a shy smile.
“I…I want to be your partner in crime forevermore,” she told him.
He leaped up, pulled her into his arms, and spun her around in celebration. “YES!”
Startled, Iris let out a tiny shriek.
“So, he finally caught you, eh?” muttered Sauge, who had once again turned up out of nowhere. Reseda scowled and pressed a finger to his lips, but the capricious Fairy Leader merely ignored it.
“What’s going on?” Iris asked, and Sauge laughed.
“Am I wrong? For years now, the little prince has worked hard to get the public to accept you as you are. Oh, and for the record, you used a royal carriage when you left the party, so everyone knows about it. And it would be most improper for two teenagers to spend the night together…unless they were engaged, of course.”
“Improper?!”
“Improper, improper!” the little fairies chorused, popping up behind Sauge. They shrieked and flew in circles. “Improper, improper!”
Blushing, Iris glared at Reseda, who looked away. “You set me up!”
“You make me sound like a villain! To be fair, I did ask in advance if I could take you home with me.”
Indeed, that was what he had written in his letter. And Iris had responded: I’ll be waiting. But that was about the party, wasn’t it…?
“Reseda!” Iris shouted, purely on impulse.
He beamed. “I see you’ve finally gotten the hang of calling me by my name.”
Deflated, she let out a sigh.
“Are you angry at me, Iris?” he asked, shyly peering into her eyes.
“…No, of course not.”
As frequently as he frustrated her, he never sincerely angered her. Frankly, Iris should have known Reseda of the “Caged Love” route would box her in like this. He was far too crafty…and yet, for some reason, she was delighted. Clearly, I must be delusional.
“Well then, allow me to offer my congratulations.” Sauge placed a hand on each of their heads and declared firmly: “May you share a happy future together.”
It was rare enough to get a fairy’s blessing, but to receive congratulations from one was nearly unheard of. The little fairies blew their flower trumpets.
“CONGRATULATIONS!!!”
Was this a happy ending? Or just the lead-up to a happy-bad ending? Iris shook her head. No, this isn’t an “ending” at all. This is only the beginning. If I want a happy ending, I’ve got my work cut out for me. And as the villainess, I reject all but the HAPPIEST of happy endings!
Iris looked over at Reseda. “We’re going to have a very happy future, you hear me?” she declared.
“Just you and me,” he nodded.
Iris wrapped her arms around his head, pulled him down, and planted a kiss on his forehead. He blushed, and she giggled impishly. Then, in revenge, he kissed her forehead back. Together, they pledged their love for one another…and to always protect each other.
“Blessings for Iris!”
“Blessings for Reseda!”
“Blessings! Blessings!”
And with the fairies’ help, the whole world blossomed.