Chapter 119
“And what would there be to be disappointed about, when someone like you is my descendant? I’m only proud.”
“Wow, hearing it like that really makes you sound like a real ancestor.”
“Well, in a way, I am an ancestor.”
The playful atmosphere returned again. Even though they freely jumped back and forth between past life and present life, mixing many topics together, it didn’t feel awkward at all—only comfortable. Noxia felt deeply grateful for that fact.
Noxia cupped Elenon’s cheeks and kissed him. It was a kiss that began without warning, but this time Elenon was not flustered. He simply pulled her into a silent embrace.
Neither of them had the spare attention to care anymore that there were guards in the next room. Whether the room was soundproof or not, the two of them passionately pressed their bodies together, happy every moment their breaths grew ragged.
“But, Your Highness, doesn’t Karnen make you feel uncomfortable?”
“Miss Holby? Why her?”
“What do you mean why? I’m just an ancestor, but she was literally a god.”
“Well, I can’t say it doesn’t bother me at all… but that was a past life matter anyway, right? You’ve already accepted it, Noxia. It would be strange for me to feel uncomfortable about Miss Holby.”
“Hmm…”
“What is it? That expression doesn’t look very pleased.”
“Right. Why do I feel annoyed?”
“Noxia, are you jealous by any chance?”
“Pardon?”
“You’re jealous right now, aren’t you? Because I treated someone else the same as you.”
“N-No! Don’t be ridiculous—jealousy, really…”
“You don’t have to try so hard, Noxia. You can be as childish as you want in front of me.”
“Hey, I told you I’m not jealous!”
Thus their trivial bickering continued.
Sometimes the boy teased while the girl snapped back in irritation. Sometimes their roles reversed, and the girl grinned mischievously while the boy, face bright red, argued in return.
It was a peaceful day for the girl who chose the bond of this life over the lingering attachment of her past life, and the boy who had decided to look only at her alone.
“But, Noxia?”
“What about me?”
“Did things end well between you and Miss Holby? I mean… it’s not exactly reconciliation. Your relationship can’t be completely the same as before you found out she used to be Pellene, right?”
After spending a while absorbed in playful teasing with his lover, Elenon returned to a rather serious expression and cautiously watched Noxia’s reaction.
Noxia hesitated for a moment. Then she smiled.
“Yes, we reconciled.”
She remembered Karnen from just a few hours earlier—sitting across from her, asking questions with even more caution than Elenon.
“If I had to say it precisely, we didn’t really fight, so I’m not sure if ‘reconciliation’ is the right word. But… well, it’s true that we talked a lot. About many different things.”
Karnen had said that if Noxia was okay with it, she wanted them to continue being friends from now on as well. Remembering the way Karnen had nervously watched her reaction when she said that made Noxia’s chest ache.
“And of course we’ll continue being close friends.”
No matter what kind of connection they had in their past lives, in this life they had always been friends. Since Noxia had turned her back on all lingering attachments from her past life and chosen this one, it was only natural for her to hold Karnen’s hand.
“Karnen is really a good person. Someone I’m very grateful to. Honestly, she was like that even long ago—before I was Noxia Decan.”
And because of their past connection, Noxia wanted to keep Karnen Holby even closer by her side. Not only to preserve their friendship in this life, but also the memories of Hermane and Pellene.
She had already had to send away too many people while repeating unwanted lives. If there was a relationship that could continue in this life, she didn’t want to let it go if she could help it.
[I…]
So even though she had hesitated briefly in the middle, the answer had been decided from the beginning.
[Of course I want to keep being friends with you.]
Seeing the deep relief that spread across her friend’s face then made Noxia feel lighter as well.
[Can I keep calling you Karnen from now on?]
[Yes, of course. Of course. As much as you like, Noxia.]
It was rare to have a relationship where both people cherished memories of their past lives while continuing their friendship in the present. Noxia decided she would treasure that precious bond from now on.
“So you shouldn’t get too close with her, Your Highness.”
“Huh? Where did that conclusion suddenly come from?”
“Karnen is my friend. You’re my lover. If you two get too close, I might end up getting jealous of both sides.”
“Good grief. I never knew you were so greedy in this regard. That’s a level of pettiness I never imagined.”
“I’m only human too, Your Highness. It means I have my own flaws.”
Noxia smiled slyly. Then, with that same playful sparkle in her eyes, she tilted her head and kissed Elenon on the cheek. Her soft lips pressed against his bare skin, and warmth quickly spread there.
“I’m actually joking. You can be as close with Karnen as you like. If two people precious to me get along well, that makes me happy too.”
“Hmm, I don’t think so. That petty comment earlier sounded closer to the truth.”
“I said it isn’t!”
Once again the conversation turned into playful squabbling. Even as their words pushed and pulled back and forth, there was no malice in their gazes toward each other—only affection overflowing as sweet as honey.
It was a gentle prelude to the many days they would face together.
Moments as peaceful and abundant as now would continue into the future just the same—or even more fully.
Now they were finally ready to become completely happy.
Not with the shadows of the past, but with love that existed only in the present.
Epilogue — A Beginning at the End
Let me tell you a story.
Long ago, in a certain country, there lived a girl. The girl was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage without blood relatives, but because she had many other precious people around her, she grew up without ever feeling any lack.
The girl was loved by the orphanage director and teachers, and she became friends with the daughter of a marquis who had come down from the capital. Regardless of the difference between commoner and noble status, they built many beautiful memories together.
As time passed, the girl became an adult. After the orphanage director—whom she had followed like a real parent—passed away, the girl accepted her friend’s invitation and went up to the capital of the kingdom.
There she met many people and experienced many things. The northern young lord hiding secrets, the second prince who cried in secret, new friends, colleagues at work. The girl’s world gradually grew wider.
However, this was not the girl’s first life. The secret that had continued from her previous life swallowed her whole—so much that she ended up leaving the capital with her lover from that past life, even though she truly loved a prince in this one.
But in the end, the past remained only the past. The lingering attachment of a life that had already passed could not overcome the longing for the life she had been given now.
The girl parted with her lover from her past life with deep affection, and returned to the prince she had chosen in this life.
Time passed. The girl became a count, became a university student, and grew into a proper adult who could hardly be called a girl anymore. Four years later, she earned a degree in history with excellent grades.
Even now, there was still something she wanted to accomplish.
And that thing was…
“Congratulations on your graduation, Noxia.”
“Thank you, Elenon.”
Smiling brightly as she received the huge bouquet from her lover, Noxia returned his smile with a cheerful face.
She could feel the gazes and whispers from people around them, but the two of them didn’t care at all and hugged each other tightly.
The people who had once whispered maliciously and jealously that the prince would soon dump a poor country bumpkin count like her had long since fallen silent when the two showed no signs of breaking up no matter how much time passed.
This year they were both twenty-four years old. Even excluding the nine-month gap they had at the beginning, they had been sweetly together for more than four years.
By this point, far more people acknowledged them as the academy’s official couple and supported them than those who envied and slandered Noxia.
Aside from the children of a few powerful families, most people around Elenon were commoners who had never even dared to dream of standing beside a prince.
Since it was a place they had never dreamed of having anyway, they didn’t get angry as if something had been stolen from them just because Noxia Serdin had taken that position.
In fact, some people even felt vicarious satisfaction through the fairy-tale-like love story of Noxia and Elenon.
Their story—of falling in love when Noxia was still a commoner and continuing to date happily until now—was embellished and wrapped in romance, leading to much more favorable public opinion than in the past.
Meanwhile, the two people involved didn’t care much about what others said anyway. They were together simply because they liked each other.
Still, if possible, love that receives the blessing and support of many people is much more welcome than love that must endure adversity and opposition.
A noble love that stands firm even when the whole world opposes it looks beautiful only from afar. For the people living it, it is nothing but painful.
On the other hand, healthy and smooth love might seem too plain to be an interesting story, but for the people involved it was simply sweet.
As proof, Noxia and Elenon were happy together again today.
It had already been five years since they started dating. Though the fresh fluttering excitement of the beginning had faded, it had been replaced by affection as solid as a rock and as deep as a lake.
“Did you greet everyone else already?”
“Yes. I think I met everyone I needed to. Karnen and Rachel came by earlier too. Daisy already had plans today, so we’re going to eat together later.”
“That’s good. Then I can monopolize the rest of your time from now on?”
“Of course, Elenon. From now on it’s just the two of us.”
When Elenon openly showed his greed, Noxia grinned and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
If it were up to her, she would have kissed him deeply right there, but although they cared less about people’s gazes than before, she still had enough rationality left to barely restrain herself.
The two of them left the campus in a royal carriage. Reporters lurking around like hungry hyenas were repeatedly blocked by royal guards in plain clothes and had to retreat in disappointment.
Noxia and Elenon enjoyed their date without interruption.
After eating lunch at a fine restaurant on the outskirts, they went to the boat house filled with memories and took a boat out for a leisurely ride.
Billy, the sailor who had grown quite close to Noxia over the past few years, welcomed them with the friendly attitude of a neighborhood uncle.
It had already been two months since the new year began, and the late-winter weather—spring drawing near—was warmer than expected. Even so, the two bundled themselves tightly in scarves and coats against the chilly river wind before boarding the boat.
Billy started sailing, and the pair of affectionate lovers sat side by side on the deck, watching the scenery pass as the boat cut gently through the river, chatting quietly together.
