𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟗
“―Oh, right.”
After a while, Eugene took Mabel’s hand.
Gently opening it, something dropped into it. Curious, Mabel looked and saw a shining platinum ring.
At the top, a highly transparent gemstone, polished like ice, was set, and when tilted, it reflected a rainbow on its cross-section. It was intricately crafted in the shape of a flower, resembling a rose made of crystal.
“It’s a bit late, but here.”
“Oh, you remembered?!”
“Of course.”
It was a promise Eugene made when he was attacked by Amane’s proposal. Overwhelmed with joy, Mabel gazed at the beautiful ring, turning it left and right.
“That stone is made with my magic.”
“Huh?”
Mabel recalled hearing a similar explanation somewhere. But she quickly remembered and shook her head in a fluster.
“W-Wait a minute?! Eugene-san’s magic, is it by any chance…a Heart?”
“You could say that.”
“And a Heart, if I remember correctly, can only be created once in a lifetime?!”
“Yeah.”
“And because it uses a lot of magic, it shortens the mage’s lifespan, right?”
“You know it well. That’s right.”
Mabel muttered in her mind, ‘He must be lying,’ in response to Eugene’s calm demeanor. She then pushed the ring she held back into Eugene’s hand.
“I-I can’t accept this! I don’t need…a ring like this. More importantly, Eugene-san, I want you to live a long life.”
Seeing Mabel on the verge of tears, Eugene lowered his gaze to his own palm. As he looked at the returned ring, he gently lowered his eyelashes and smiled.
“This is my vow.”
“Your vow…?”
“I choose to live and die with you, rather than live forever. I value the thirty years I can spend with you more than the three hundred years without you.”
Mabel timidly raised her face at the quietly spoken words. When their eyes met, Eugene’s face blossomed with relief. Like a young man of his age, he smiled happily. Mabel could feel her heart pounding strongly in front of Eugene’s joyful expression.
Eventually, Eugene gently pulled Mabel’s confused left hand towards him. He placed his own hand as if offering it and put the ring on Mabel’s ring finger. Quietly lowering his eyes, he opened his mouth.
“I will love only you, Mabel Ratra Eakes, for the rest of my life. Even if you’re gone, I will continue to think of you forever. I swear not to love anyone else.”
―Because this will be my first and last love.
“So, will you also do the same and love only me for the rest of your life?”
At that moment, Mabel finally realized that she was crying.
Tears flowed incessantly, one drop after another. But unlike before, they were not filled with frustration or sadness. They were an overwhelming joy that made her heart warm and fulfilled.
Mabel managed to open her mouth, wanting to give an answer, but only a muffled sound came out.
“Really….”
“Yeah?”
“Is it really…okay for me?”
“Yeah.”
“I…will die before you. Much earlier than you.”
“…Yeah.”
“Won’t you be all alone?”
“If I hadn’t met you, I would have been alone for every second of my life.”
Unable to argue, Mabel finally wiped away the tears that had been flowing incessantly and blinked her eyes several times. She smiled at Eugene without hiding her reddened eyes.
―I swear. Mabel Ratra Eakes will love only Eugene Lava for as long as her heart beats.
Satisfied with the answer he finally received, Eugene reached out his arm around Mabel’s waist and hugged her as tightly as he could. With his hand still on Mabel’s cheek, he tilted his head and their lips met.
The town was filled with the lively voices of the citizens and the noise of festival floats passing by.
But Mabel couldn’t hear any of those sounds. In a world dominated only by their breaths, body heat, and the sound of their breathing, they existed as if they were the only two people.
“…Mhm.”
Eventually, Mabel let out a short voice, as if feeling suffocated. When Eugene released his lips, Mabel gently raised her eyelashes. As he gazed back into her captivating green eyes, Eugene embraced her body once again.
“H-Hey, Eugene-san?”
“I want more…”
“Huh, um…”
Despite Mabel’s futile resistance, a second kiss descended upon her.
With his hand pressing against the back of her head, as if not allowing her to escape, Mabel felt a sense of panic in her heart.
Mabel could only surrender herself to Eugene’s alluring touch and the teasing kisses that varied in intensity. She tried pushing Eugene’s chest with both hands, but he showed no signs of releasing her.
‘What should I do…?’
Come to think of it, Eugene had lived much longer than Mabel.
Perhaps he was overwhelmingly accustomed to such experiences.
While feeling on the verge of losing herself to embarrassment, Mabel could only desperately endure and prevent herself from collapsing.
Eventually, the Flower Festival came to an end, and the normal days returned to the Eakes Kingdom.
Kairi, the mastermind behind the turmoil, and his subordinates were taken to the knights while still bound. It seemed that Eugene’s enchantment had not yet worn off, as some people remained unconscious or plagued by nightmares. The knights were perplexed about what to do.
Initially, Kairi had been treated with caution due to being a guest from another country. However, testimonies from Amane’s subordinates, who were also citizens of Kytha, and men from the port who had witnessed parts of the incident led Eakes to officially protest to Kytha. They were scheduled to receive a substantial amount of compensation and a formal apology.
There were also rumors leaking from somewhere that they called him Mabel’s new fiancé. Despite being asked for an explanation, the parliament remained silent. However, the citizens, outraged by Kairi’s outrageous actions, sent numerous complaints to the parliament, questioning their connection with such a country.
As a result, the parliament was unable to proceed with the engagement between Mabel and Kytha.
On the other hand, people who had seen Eugene during the festival were buzzing with the topic, “Perhaps Mabel-sama actually loves that mage and got engaged for real.”
In addition to the shock of the mage appearing in broad daylight, it seemed that the cause was Mabel, who was being held in his arms, looking incredibly happy.
Above all, despite half of his face being covered by a mask, Eugene’s handsome features captivated countless women. Of course, it wasn’t due to an enchantment spell, but the fact that Eugene, who was thought to be incredibly old, turned out to be a young man with unparalleled beauty. It was only natural for the ladies to start making a fuss.
And so, in just one night, Mabel transformed from a pitiful princess forced into an engagement with a monster into a princess who entered into a blissful engagement with a stunningly beautiful man.
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