Cecily knew she didn’t even have the right to cry, and bit down on her lip. She was sure Zeke would rebuke her now. He would regret having saved her. But that was okay. She had finally come clean about the love potion.
“I’m sorry, Cecily, but I have a number of questions.”
Instead, Zeke seemed somewhat reticent. Cecily was puzzled by his unexpected response. With a confused expression, he put his hand to his chin.
“Who’s this Nora you mentioned?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t know anyone with that name.”
Cecily couldn’t believe her ears. What was Zeke on about?
“Nora’s Nora! Look—she’s the one on that cliff watching us!”
Well, it would have been more accurate to say that Nora was staring dumbfounded, with her jaw almost literally on the floor.
Maybe Snow understood Cecily’s intention, for she flew them closer to the cliff. Zeke squinted down at the woman for a few moments before shaking his head.
“I don’t know her.”
“No... You must be joking.”
“Listen, Cecily. I’d never lie to my darling, would I?”
Cecily became flustered as Zeke held his dashing face close to hers.
“I-I know that.”
“Exactly. I said what I said—I don’t recall ever meeting her. She’s a stranger to me.”
What’s going on?
Cecily was just as dumbfounded as Nora by this unexpected turn of events.
“There are those like you,” said a familiar voice. “People who get the wrong impression and think that they’re special just because Zeke shows a bit of kindness to them.”
Hearing these mocking words, Cecily and Zeke looked over from the air and saw that Nora and her two lackeys were being restrained by the Celestial Knight Brigade. Rolo was there too, seated upon Cyril’s shoulder. Cecily was happy they had found him.
“L-Let go of me, you scoundrel!” Nora squawked at Alphonse, glaring. Alphonse merely looked back at her with a detached expression.
“I’m sorry, but we can’t do that. You’ve been caught red-handed in an attempted murder, Lady Maignan.”
“But I’m Zeke’s lover! Let go of me this instant!”
“I’m sorry, but our captain’s not the sort of lowly man who would cheat on his partner. Anyway, you’ll be coming with us.”
“Stop that! Zeke! Save me, Zeke!”
At the sound of his name, Zeke glared down at Nora as if she were a bitter enemy.
Nora’s cheeks flushed with color as soon as he looked at her. However, Zeke spoke in a voice that was ice cold.
“I don’t know who you may be, but I can’t forgive you for harming my darling Cecily.”
“Wh-What are you talking about, Zeke? I...”
“Don’t say my name so easily. It makes me sick.”
“Wha—?!”
“Enough of that. You can complain all you like from behind bars,” Alphonse said, as he took away the wailing Nora.
Cecily could only observe the scene in complete shock.
To think that Zeke didn’t even know Nora...
So all that talk of falling in love with each other on the staircase...was all in Nora’s head?
Maybe Zeke had helped Nora out that day. After all, he kindly helped out the people he met in town, so it was likely he would have held out a helping hand to a noble lady.
However, Zeke was merely fulfilling his role as a knight. It was an everyday occurrence in his line of work, so he had probably forgotten her just as quickly.
So...am I allowed to stay in love with Zeke?
Cecily stamped out this foolishly optimistic thought.
No—the fact of the matter is still that I made him drink a love potion.
“How dare you, Cecily...?”
“Huh?”
Cecily quivered in surprise. Zeke’s comment came at the exact moment he had occupied her thoughts.
Zeke had every right to be angry at her. But he gave no chance for her to continue.
“How dare you try and leave me now, Cecily. I won’t allow it!”
“Zeke?”
He pulled Cecily in with his strong arms and hugged her tight. His words had no trace of anger in them. Rather, they were filled with an earnest desire for her.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t imagine another day without you. You wouldn’t really betray such a foolish man, would you?”
“I-I know, but...”
Cecily wanted to believe the words that were coming out of Zeke’s mouth. But she couldn’t simply say yes—the love potion had distorted his volition.
Zeke stroked Cecily’s flaxen hair with a troubled expression creasing his brow.
“I said I had something I wanted to tell you when I came back, right?”
“Y-You did.”
Cecily had come clean about the love potion. But Zeke still hadn’t told her what he wanted to say.
“I thought you wouldn’t believe what I had to say...so I brought someone you can trust.”
Someone I can trust?
“Who’s th— Ow!”
Through a rush of pain, Cecily placed her hands over her head.
“Are you hurt, Cecily?!”
“I’m fine. It’s nothing...”
Cecily was more embarrassed than anything. She looked at Zeke—it seemed he was uninjured. Good. She didn’t care about herself. Seeing that he was unharmed was the happiest news she could have received.
“I’m so glad you’re not hurt. Welcome home.”
Zeke’s breath caught in his throat.
“I’m home, my Cecily.”
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Zeke placed a kiss upon Cecily’s cheek. After this delicate act, Cecily pulled back, and Zeke spoke again.
“Let’s go back to the Snowflower Palace and I’ll get you all patched up.” He paused. “Cecily?”
“Zeke... I have a question.”
“Yeah?”
“When you said you weren’t popular with the ladies... You were lying, weren’t you?”
Surely, it must have been a lie. Cecily pouted as she looked up at Zeke, her cheeks red like two apples.
Zeke merely laughed and shrugged.
“I told you I’d never lie to you, my Cecily. Right?”
At Zeke’s command, Snow flew off towards the castle.
From above, it looked like Cecily had been right to assume she had been taken to the forest near the castle. The spires of the castle came into view, and then, in the next moment, they were already at the wyverns’ grounds.
After circling the ground for a short while, they landed upon the grass. Cecily took Zeke’s hand and placed her feet back on the ground.
Then she heard a voice call out to her.
“Cecily!”
Cecily looked up to see who it was, and spotted a figure waving at her as they drew closer.
“No way...”
Cecily rubbed her eyes. There was a woman coming towards her along with Charlotte, Maria, and the maids of the Snowflower Palace.
The woman had scarlet hair and flaming-red eyes. Porcelain skin. Refined features. A slim figure... And a most bewitching smile. “Hey! It’s been a while, my lovely Cecily.”
“Mom?!”
As Cecily’s mother, Greta, approached, she gave her daughter, whom she hadn’t seen in a year, a big wink.