CHAPTER 138…………………………………….
Epilogue (3)
The gates of the kingdom’s castle were always crowded. Naturally, it included people related to the recent events.
And to think that their identities were the youngest daughter of Duke Etval and the magician who had been the key to resolving the incident? Missing a scoop like this would be foolish, to say the least. Moreover, since they had disappeared, the royal palace had issued an official announcement: Lowell would be appointed as the next Chief Court Magician.
Lately, the news sweeping the kingdom had only been about the atrocities of rebel groups and the damage they caused. In such a situation, what the kingdom needed to calm its citizens was a topic that could change the mood.
Lowell and Temia were perfect for that. One of them alone would attract attention, but the two together guaranteed even more. The palace quickly realized this and began quietly supporting news about the two. That’s how this announcement came to light.
“No… when did I…?!”
Lowell, hearing about his employment at the palace through the newspaper, was dumbfounded.
‘Come to think of it, did the dean say something before I left…?’
He hadn’t paid proper attention because he was distracted thinking about Temia. Could it be that what the dean said was that he would be appointed to a palace magician post? Lowell sighed, making a guess that was probably close to the truth.
Now that the palace had publicly advertised it like this, for the sake of their dignity, he had no choice but to accept the position. Running away would tarnish a magician’s honor. In a magical kingdom, that was unacceptable.
“Cunning old man… we’ll see about this.”
Even if he obtained a prestigious title now, he would spend a huge amount of time dealing with the aftermath. At best, he would break even; at worst, he would only earn criticism. Just because something shines doesn’t mean it’s gold, after all.
“Still, it’s not so bad, is it? It might even be a good thing.”
But Temia was surprisingly calm. She was embarrassed to see their romance splashed across the newspaper, but after everything they had endured, it was also a chance to solidify their bond. Since the rumor had spread so far, their families could no longer oppose their relationship without losing face.
And, in a way, she had expected it.
‘Honestly, this position should go to Lowell. He solved the problem, it’s symbolic, and above all, he shouldn’t have to hide anymore…’
Until now, Lowell had lived while hiding his achievements because of those around him. Even going so far as to attach ridiculous pseudonyms to his papers. Temia quietly wished that he could be compensated for that time.
“Temia, what if I get stuck in the palace and trapped there?”
“It’ll be busy, sure… but you were always interested in solving the problems, right? You kept an eye on the magical potion poisoning issue, didn’t you?”
“That’s…”
“See? Exactly. I just want Lowell to be recognized for what he’s done. He deserves that much.”
Temia knew of Lowell’s pride as a magician. Underneath it was the instinct of a researcher who wanted to make magic’s advantages widely known and used. Considering that, the Chief Palace Magician position would actually help him. Lowell couldn’t deny it, and he muttered reluctantly.
“You’d do well if you tried. Are you really not confident?”
“Of course I am! What do you take me for?”
“Then it’s fine.”
“Not at all! We just started dating; you’ll be busy. Wouldn’t Temia want to see me less?”
His smiling face, leaning closer, was undeniably… handsome as ever. Temia couldn’t lie in front of him and only sipped her tea nervously.
“Of course, I’d want to see you.”
“If I don’t let you go, that wouldn’t happen.”
“Not happening. Duties come first, and it’s an honorable position!”
“Temia is more important to me, though.”
He grumbled as he fed her cookies from the table.
“They’ll take away the time we could spend together all day. Do you want to go now?”
“Well… ugh!”
“Only I’m disappointed, right? I never expected Temia to be such a heartless woman.”
As if venting, he kept shoving cookies into her mouth, making her cheeks puff out. With no space left, Lowell finally stopped, sulking. Even so, when Temia covered her mouth to cough from the dryness, he filled her empty cup with tea, which was oddly funny.
‘Should I get mad, or not…?’
Her obvious displeasure suggested she didn’t want to hear his answer, yet she still paid attention to being cared for. It was hard to tell how to respond.
But since it had only been a day since their confession, the infatuation was still strong. Temia decided to indulge his tantrum for a moment.
After slowly chewing and swallowing, Temia even leisurely drank the tea he had poured.
“Of course I’ll miss you, and I think we’ll regret it over time.”
“Then…”
This time, Temia fed a cookie to Lowell. Understanding her meaning, he quietly relented.
“But I think this is the most appropriate choice for the matter. Instead, how about thinking of it a bit more lightly?”
“How so?”
“Just short-term. It won’t be resolved immediately, but eventually it will end.”
“True. Though we can’t be sure when.”
“Even if we move past it for now, it’ll linger if not handled properly. We’re… deeply involved in this incident.”
Both Temia and Lowell knew that, even if the immediate crisis was resolved, it wouldn’t be easily forgotten. That was exactly what Temia pointed out.
“So, why not think of it as just bringing this incident to a close?”
With a clear goal, it would be easier to focus and finish it. Temia also had no intention of letting him go completely.
“And, it’s a bit late to mention… I’ve also been tasked with helping those affected by Prometheus.”
“What? Since when?”
“I was offered while you’re at the palace. I’ll be coming and going too, so we can meet.”
His expression relaxed into a soft smile. Temia decided to give him a little lip service in return. It’s fine to be a bit honest, after all.
“I mean, it’s not just about wanting to be with you.”
“Temia…!”
“Once everything’s settled, we can think again about other things we can do together.”
Whatever they did, it would be more enjoyable and fulfilling than trying to handle everything alone. This wouldn’t be a must-achieve goal, just another experience.
“If it’s too hard, we can go back to the workshop together, or forget everything and go on a trip—it’ll be fun.”
“Will you really do everything together?”
“Of course. We promised to stay together, right? No refunds now!”
“Refunds? What a scary word.”
They’d never have enough time together in a lifetime.
With a grin, Lowell lifted Temia into his arms. She instinctively hugged his neck, and he carried her up the stairs.
“Where are you going?”
“I want to settle this before Temia changes her mind.”
‘Settle? How?’
While Temia blinked in confusion, Lowell reached the laboratory on this floor. With a wave of his hand, the door opened to reveal a tidier interior than before. Placing Temia down, he strode ahead and scribbled something quickly on a piece of paper on the desk, then gestured to her.
“…What’s that?”
With him being unpredictable, she had no idea. Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, Temia read the paper and let out a small laugh.
“What if you run away again? Contracts are for security, so let’s make one.”
He smiled at her and shook the paper lightly. After signing his name, he offered her the quill.
“The two promise to be together for life from now on.”
A single-line sentence. Simple, almost playful, yet the strongest kind of promise. Temia added her name in the blank space.
“This time, I’ll keep the contract. It’s not some fake agreement!”
“Hmm, good. I’ll trust you. We’ll see.”
Their theatrical tones mingled, and soon their laughter of different pitches filled the room.
—The End—
