NOVEL NEXT “Are they coming soon?”
“Probably.”
Kyle and I were quietly chatting in the reception room. It was almost strange to be conversing anywhere else, given the person we were expecting.
Honestly… they were quite an impressive individual.
Most people wouldn’t bother dressing so elegantly for Kyle, settling for something more casual.
But today was different. The guest was a princess, after all.
“Sophia, you look lovely today.”
“In your eyes, I’ve always been pretty, so thanks for the compliment, but it doesn’t mean much.”
“I feel the same way when you say I look great.”
Kyle always showered me with compliments, so at this point, I was pretty indifferent to them.
Saying I looked pretty hardly stirred any major reactions anymore.
If Kyle were more sporadic with his compliments, things might have turned out differently… but that wasn’t the case.
Even when I wore pajamas, he’d declare me beautiful, and the same for my regular outgoing outfits.
“It’s been a while. Really.”
As we sat and waited, the princess entered with a smile.
Though, it hadn’t been that long ago.
“Your Highness, have you been well?”
“Oh, you know, just taking care of some nobles, attending events, making investments… the usual.”
“Is that so?”
There weren’t any overly formal greetings exchanged.
This wasn’t an official gathering, and the princess was here more for personal reasons.
Of course… the superficial reason was to congratulate the duke on his wedding, but there were also some private reasons.
Ah, I guess the private reason could also be congratulating the duke on his wedding.
“How did your dress turn out? Is it as revealing as the one the duke chose before?”
“….”
“Of course not… I wouldn’t wear such a dress at my wedding, not even if I tried.”
“Haha, really? If it’s the duke… well, I could see that happening.”
At her words, Kyle seemed a bit uncomfortable, and yet he couldn’t seriously argue back.
After all, he did prefer sexier wedding dresses this time.
It was harder for him to refute simply because I was right beside him.
“By the way, Sophia, you’ve taken so long to start dating… and now you’re getting married already?”
“Ah.”
I thought I was safe since I just teased Kyle a moment ago.
Not until my own story came up, that is.
“That’s….”
“Well, I guess it’s because Duke Kyle has been treating you well?”
“Haha, something like that.”
Kyle answered before I could get a word in.
The marriage was actually proposed by Kyle first… I absolutely did not suggest it to him.
It seemed like misunderstandings piled up.
As if I were someone who act hard to get before a relationship but then easily fell afterwards.
“….”
“Haha….”
Well, it was a good thing.
Definitely not a bad thing, so I let it slide.
Kyle wasn’t purposely distorting facts; it’s just that he figured it out wrongly.
“Honestly… I only heard about you starting to date not too long ago. And now you’re already getting married… life really is a complex narrative.”
“Haha….”
This time I let out a sigh of disbelief.
Truly… life felt perplexing….
Of course, I wasn’t saying I hated my current life, but the exaggerations felt bizarre.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d end up as a private tutor.
“That’s what makes it interesting. If everything’s predictable and you know all the outcomes, it wouldn’t be fun, right?”
“Sophia speaks truthfully. Personally, I’d like some fun happenings in my life as well.”
“I’m sure you will. Definitely.”
*
After that, time flew by in an instant.
I chatted with noble ladies I’d met before and spent time rehearsing for the wedding, making the hours fly by.
Before I knew it… it was the day before the wedding.
“Ah.”
It really did seem fast.
To think the wedding would begin tomorrow felt utterly unbelievable.
Of course, we had been practicing, but still, it didn’t seem real.
“Getting married, huh.”
And me, getting married.
“Louise, did you think I’d end up like this?”
“I had no idea.”
“Me neither.”
If it were anyone else, they’d be drinking and having fun one last time, but I was more on the sober side.
So, I quietly chatted with Louise in my room, which I hadn’t visited in a while.
After all… she was an old friend.
We were so close that we didn’t really bother with formalities, and we basically knew each other’s lives inside out.
“When I first met Kyle… I honestly never thought we’d end up here, yet here we are.”
I glanced at the ceiling, reminiscing.
Thinking back to that little boy and how innocent I was back then.
“…But really, what a thief he is.”
“True. I thought so too.”
I replied with a smirk to Louise’s comment.
He truly deserved the title of ‘thief’.
Of course, it started with Kyle making the first move, passionately pursuing me… but in the end, he did just that.
To think I’m marrying a guy seven years younger than me from the start was quite something.
No one really mentioned it, but surely, everyone was thinking along those lines.
“Haha….”
“But hey, does it even matter?”
“Eh?”
“You’ve always lived without thinking too deeply, haven’t you? You started as an adventurer out of the blue and quit just as suddenly. Now, don’t start pretending to be deeply thoughtful and serious.”
Louise’s words rang true.
There wasn’t a single incorrect statement in there.
Though, it did have a slight accusative tone, it wasn’t wrong, and I knew she meant to encourage me.
“Okay, okay. I get it… just live properly yourself, too.”
“Sure~ I earn more than you now~ I’ve been getting research funds since a while back~”
“….”
I hadn’t known that.
So, the Mage Tower was surprisingly magical and friendly towards wizards? I didn’t really know if any proper research was occurring there, but it turned out she was getting funded.
“…Yeah~ I just get allowance from Kyle~”
Well, it wasn’t like I was losing out in any conversations here.
*
“Sophia.”
“Yes.”
“Um… I have one request before we end, so please listen closely.”
“What is it?”
We were talking with family for a moment.
Though Mom had quickly wrapped up her words and returned to her seat, well, still.
“Don’t be so diligent like your mother…”
“….”
“….”
I had no choice but to give Dad a glare at his words.
I wasn’t anywhere near as succubus-like as Mom, nor was I that kind of person.
I was so concerned about Kyle’s well-being that these days, I even held back in my dreams until morning came.
I didn’t live like Mom did, planning daily commitments, and I wasn’t even in a relationship yet.
Really… I would never go that far, like Mom.
Never.
“Don’t worry, I won’t. Not gonna happen.”
I replied with a bright smile toward Dad.
I genuinely wouldn’t do anything that would trouble Kyle that much.
“Just stop smoking Magic Grass, Dad. Mom’s been worried about you because of that.”
“…Who started this habit, I wonder….”
“Well, it’s not exactly harmful, but there’s really no need to keep doing it. Isn’t that why Mom feels that way?”
I hadn’t directly asked Mom, but she probably wanted him to stop for that reason.
After all, she wouldn’t be the type to nag over something harmless like smoking Magic Grass.
“…I think it’s just because he wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be caught off guard during that time.”
“….”
“Enough of the boring talk; shall we get up now?”
“Yes.”
Some time had passed.
It was still a minute or so before our scheduled departure, but we could head out now without any problems.
Dad and I… stood up from our seats.
Simultaneously holding onto the bouquet of red and white flowers we had on the table.
It was a bit uncomfortable to walk around in our clothes, so we called on a few people outside.
“….”
It was a genuinely nerve-wracking moment.
We were just walking down the red carpet, arm in arm with Dad, but I was incredibly tense.
Probably in my entire life, never had I felt this amount of exhilaration before.
I can confidently say this was the most anxious moment I’ve ever experienced.
“Wow~!”
“Wow!!!”
“You look absolutely stunning~!!!”
I heard the people around me as we walked slowly.
We moved at a clearly different pace than I normally would, taking careful steps.
Not just stepping as I would, but elegantly, in a manner befitting the title of a Duchess.
“….”
Inside the cathedral, music resonated, and I could see a vast number of people cheering and supporting me.
This was the first time I ever received such reactions.
I was just an ordinary person after all; it all started when I became Kyle’s private tutor.
Of course, after Kyle’s rise, I often worked more as his direct servant than a tutor.
“Whew….”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, truly.”
There was nothing to dislike.
After all, it was Kyle.
From a small student who had always followed me faithfully since childhood, he eventually became a man who loved me.
There were countless reasons to like him rather than dislike him.
And just like that… we arrived at the door.
I didn’t even realize it, but standing in front of the enormous door created by a word I had said.
The two knights in front looked at Dad and stood at attention.
And I instructed with a slight nod, just as we had practiced.
“….”
And the doors opened.
The inside was revealed.
In the inner interior, in the most ornate place at the altar, Kyle awaited me.
“….”
Dad’s role had come to an end.
Bringing me here, to this point, was his job today.
To escort me right here before handing me over to Kyle…
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
After exchanging a few words, I chose to wait silently for the man walking straight toward me at a distance.
Along with the flower petals dropping from above.
And a man arrived in front of me.
I decided to speak first to him, the one I love.
“Kyle, how do I look?”
“…You look beautiful. Truly.”