“Ah, you startled me.”

I wanted to surprise Sinclair, but I ended up being the one who got surprised.

As Elaina flinched and looked at me, Sinclair, who quickly grasped the situation, burst into laughter.

“Next time, I’ll approach from the entrance while making my presence known. Sorry about that.”

It seemed like he proposed a solution in his own way, but it felt like I was receiving a respectful apology.

Ah, but I can still do this much.

Elaina approached Sinclair and stretched out her arms.

“Welcome back.”

Then, she hugged him tightly and said,

“You did well. Was it very difficult?”

“…No.”

“Really?”

“To be precise, I was a bit tired… but as soon as I saw your face, I felt fine again.”

Even after ascending to the throne as the emperor, Sinclair’s attitude didn’t change at all. Elaina was very pleased by that fact.

“Let’s rest soon. You must be tired too.”

In the blink of an eye, Sinclair scooped Elaina up and started walking towards the bed. Then, he gently sat her down on the bed.

“I met various delegations, and they were all curious about you. It seems like some of them were watching the coronation ceremony.”

“Really? So what did they say?”

“I answered as I knew it to be.”

So what was that? Elaina widened her eyes, and Sinclair brushed her hair aside and answered.

“That you are the most beautiful, wise, courageous person in the world, and on top of that, you have a warm heart.”

“…Did you really say that?”

“Yes.”

It would be a lie to say that it didn’t sound like an exaggeration, but it didn’t feel bad either.

“After meeting all the delegations, I briefly met with Heswin. There were things to discuss regarding future matters.”

Sinclair slowly continued.

“First, Heswin suggested moving his residence to the Imperial Palace, but I told him I would discuss it with you.”

“What do you think, Sinclair?”

“To be honest, I… don’t really want to do that.”

Well, it wasn’t incomprehensible. After all, Sinclair had spent his entire life in this Prince’s Palace, and there would be many traces of the former emperor in the Imperial Palace, so it was understandable that he wouldn’t like it.

“It was only after you became the Crown Princess that I felt it for the first time. What it feels like to have a home. What it means.”

…However, the next words were a bit unexpected.

“Actually, there wasn’t much difference between the Prince’s Palace and the Imperial Palace for me. They were both equally tedious and suffocating.”

“…”

“But in this Prince’s Palace, you were always waiting for me and warmly welcoming me. That’s when I realized. Ah, this is the happiness that other people feel every day. This is what they call a home.”

“Sinclair…”

“This is the place where I first felt such emotions, and now it’s full of memories with you. That’s what I think. Of course, if you want to go to the Imperial Palace…”

“No, there’s no need for that.”

Elaina shook her head and answered.

“I’ve had the same thought a few times too.”

A place where I can comfortably rest anytime and stay with the family I love and who loves me.

Until being together with Sinclair, Elaina was no different in never having such a place before.

“And the place where you feel most comfortable and happy is also the most comfortable and happy place for me.”

“…Thank you for saying that.”

Grateful and loving Elaina for sharing the same feelings, Sinclair gently hugged her and whispered.

“Then Sinclair, what are you planning to do with the Imperial Palace in the future? It’s quite large to just leave it as it is.”

“For now, I’m thinking of tearing down all the reception rooms in the Imperial Palace.”

There were several reception rooms in the Imperial Palace. Among them, the largest one was used to receive the most distinguished guests, such as envoys from neighboring empires or imperial family members.

The next largest one was the reception room where the nobles of Edenbell, the priests of the temple, or high-ranking officials like the prime minister or renowned scholars, or knights who had made great contributions, would enter.

There was also the most insignificant reception room used by low-ranking knights and soldiers who had not received proper titles, and occasionally, commoners and lowborns who had to be met out of necessity.

It was the reception room where Elaina had gone when she received an invitation from the emperor not long after entering the palace.

“I don’t need reception rooms that are divided by rank like that.”

Sinclair said with a grin.

“I’m going to renovate the Imperial Palace as much as possible to create an audience hall and reception room that can serve both roles at once. It will be a place where anyone can come, whether they are nobles, commoners, or lowborns. So the larger the scale, the better, just like now.”

It was a thought befitting of Sinclair, and it was also the first step towards the “Edenbell where no one is discriminated against” that he had spoken of during the coronation ceremony.

“That’s brilliant, Sinclair.”

So Elaina answered with a bright smile.

“The people will love it too. Even more than they did during the coronation ceremony.”

“When you say it like that, it makes me feel like I made a pretty good decision.”

“But it really is a good decision. I mean it sincerely.”

“Well, you know? I’m the kind of person who considers what you say to be the most important thing in the world. That’s why.”

Sinclair, who uttered those embarrassing words without any hesitation, slowly lowered his head and kissed Elaina’s cheek. Then, facing her closely, he said,

“Being a good emperor to the people is not bad, but from now on, I will always think of you first no matter what. It’s something I’m best at, and it’s something I’ve always done. So it will never change. I promise.”

Even without making a promise on purpose, it was more than enough to believe him. No, there was more than enough trust. However, finding Sinclair, who was looking at her with a serious face, a bit cute, Elaina nodded as if she understood.

“And…”

Soon, Sinclair’s hand slowly moved downward.

Holding Elaina’s damaged ankle in his hand like that, he had a bitter expression on his face, as if he had never had a smile.

He still… seemed to feel sorry for everything.

“I will be your legs.”

“…”

“So use me as your own. Anytime. Anywhere.”

Elaina didn’t answer for a moment.

Instead, she slowly stroked Sinclair’s cheek as he looked at her pitifully.

“You said it back then. That if you were told to go through everything you had experienced until meeting me again, you would do it.”

Then, she slowly parted her lips while gazing at him.

“I feel the same way. Losing my mother, spending hell-like days in the Aswald family, and having my legs ruined again. I can repeat such things as many times as needed.”

Sinclair’s golden eyes, filled with Elaina, trembled faintly.

“I’m not broken, Sinclair. So you don’t have to feel guilty.”

Elaina’s warm and gentle voice continued to settle in the bedroom.

“And the reason I was able to avoid breaking was solely thanks to you.”

“…”

“If I didn’t have a single memory to recall… I would have merely endured without any hope, unable to die.”

I missed him desperately, but I also resented him to the point of wanting to die.

But even so, I kept waiting and couldn’t forget him.

At that time, everything was simply painful, but not anymore. Now I could understand. If I didn’t have those memories. If Ren and Sinclair weren’t in my life, I might have lost my light forever.

“Even if my legs are injured, I can still live, but when the heart is broken, a person completely collapses. But you protected my heart. Always, even when you didn’t know. Without a single day’s exception.”

“…”

“I no longer resent or regret my legs. So you don’t have to feel sorry towards me. There is only one thing I want and desire from you.”

Elaina held Sinclair’s hand tightly and continued.

“Always be honest with me.”

“Elaina…”

“So no matter what happens, don’t suffer or be in pain alone. I want to be sad, happy, and joyful together with you. That’s what being a couple is all about.”

…There won’t always be only good things happening.

Elaina knew better than anyone that life is not always so beautiful.

So at times, it will be terribly sad, frustrating, and tiring.

She wanted to spend those days together with Sinclair.

Being each other’s place of rest.

Always, protecting each other like that.

“…Okay.”

And Sinclair answered in a slightly hoarse voice.

“From now on, without a single day’s exception, I will do that.”

There was no trace of Sinclair who had been fearful and anxious that Elaina would eventually abandon him and leave after learning the whole truth.

Sinclair would no longer torment himself as he had in the past. He would never wander again.

Because that was what Elaina wanted.

“I love you, Sinclair.”

Elaina said with a smile as bright as the sun.

“Every part of you, even the past selves you resented. Without a single exception.”

“…”

“As you said, this will never change in the future. Because it’s what I’m best at.”

Sinclair tightly embraced Elaina as she kissed him.

The sound of his pounding heart, the warm heat on his skin, and her distinctly felt breath were telling Sinclair.

That he no longer had to worry about anything.

“I love you too.”

So Sinclair whispered softly in her ear.

“So much. More than I can express in words.”

“I know.”

Sinclair, who slightly parted their bodies, deeply kissed Elaina and laid her on the bed with the utmost care.

Then, savoring her embrace, he slowly closed his eyes.

And he was no longer anxious about anything.