“I can’t do it. You should accept it, Ansi.”

Ansi narrowed her brows as if asking what he meant. Derl smiled and smoothed out her furrowed brow.

“You’re the one who worked the hardest to restore what Rubella had lost. So it’s right for you to receive it. Isn’t that right, Mother?”

Derl turned his head towards Sofia. Sofia also gently smiled and backed up Derl.

“Mom also thinks that’s the right thing, Ansi.”

“But… elder brother, are you really okay with it?”

“Father originally intended to pass it on to you anyway, right? That’s why he had you assist with all of Rubella’s business and family affairs until now.”

“That’s… because I’m more capable than elder brother, isn’t it?”

“Want me to light a candle for that nice thing you just said?”

“I’m just stating facts.”

“Yes, and because you’re so capable, you should inherit the baron title too.”

At his resolute words, Ansi pursed her lips. She showed reluctance half-jokingly and half-seriously, but it seemed Derl was genuinely intending to pass the baron title to Ansi.

Seeing Ansi’s serious expression, Derl laughed.

“Besides, I prefer living as a soldier. I realized that for certain while fighting the war against Regen. Well, I got promoted too.”

Derl was also recognized for his merits in the war and was promoted to Rubella’s lieutenant colonel. His leg that was injured during the war had now fully recovered, allowing him to run without difficulty.

So he planned to return to the military.

Ansi finally nodded.

The unexpectedly heavy responsibility placed on her shoulders didn’t feel too bad.

The cold wind blew in through the open window crack. Ansi got up, closed the large window, and looked out at the garden.

The wide garden was covered in white snow, creating a spectacular sight. Seeing several footprints leading to the warm greenhouse, the corners of Ansi’s mouth curved into a smile.

Recently, Sofia’s hobby was tending to the greenhouse. Ansi was curious about what kind of plants she would fill it with this time. Especially since it was the old greenhouse that Ansi had seen since childhood.

As it was revealed that the battle with Parma was Kardian’s trap, the empire returned the confiscated property of Rubella.

This mansion was the same.

She had returned to the place where she spent her childhood. Some of the servants who had worked here also returned. Many things had become the same as before.

The only difference was that the family head’s office now belonged to Ansi.

In Rubella’s name, she started many things anew. Running the business and reviving the family. Things she wanted to do and was good at.

Shifting her gaze from the garden and about to close the window, Ansi suddenly noticed a car approaching from far away and smiled like a child.

Quickly sitting in front of the desk, Ansi reviewed the documents she was holding at an incredibly fast pace and signed them.

The knocking sound was heard the moment she put down the pen.

“Come in.”

Ansi answered, pretending not to know. The door opened, and a man wearing a neat black coat with a wine-colored scarf around his neck entered.

“What brings you here?”

“I happened to think of you while passing by.”

Damion raised his hand holding a box. It was the tart box they had eaten together before. He walked up to the desk with big strides, opened the box, gestured at the tart, and opened his mouth as if asking her to feed him.

Seeing his baby bird-like appearance, Ansi let out a chuckle.

“What is it?”

“You used to feed me when we were married, so was that all an act too?”

“It was.”

When Ansi nodded as if it were obvious, Damion made a sullen expression. Seeing that, Ansi reluctantly got up from her seat and fed a tart into his mouth.

Having achieved his goal, Damion put down the tart box and smiled contentedly as if he had never been gloomy. With the tart in his mouth, he bent his waist and aimed for Ansi’s lips.

Caught off guard, Ansi ended up eating half of the tart. The sweet scent of peach spread in her mouth.

Swallowing the tart, Ansi narrowed her eyes and reprimanded him.

“Damion, you’re the one who’s all an act.”

“That hurts.”

“Want to go for a walk?”

“It’s cold outside. Will you be okay?”

“If it’s cold, Damion can just hug me.”

Damion’s eyes widened. It was a remark that the old Ansi would never have imagined making. When he didn’t respond, Ansi lowered her eyebrows and shook her head.

“In the past, Damion would have immediately said he’d hug me with a smug face. So those were all empty words after all.”

“That’s not it…”

Damion waved his hand. But he soon realized that Ansi was teasing him. Damion narrowed his eyes and stared at Ansi.

“Let’s go out quickly.”

Ansi laughed and reached for her coat. However, she couldn’t go outside right away. Damion wrapped his arms around her waist.

“What are you…”

The question didn’t continue. The coat in her hand fell with a thud.

Feeling the peach scent filling her mouth once again, Ansi closed her eyes.

In the afternoon when the sun had set considerably, two sets of footprints continued on the clean snow field of the walking path. Enjoying the crunching sensation under her feet as she walked, Ansi stopped and looked down.

“What’s wrong?”

“Damion’s feet are much bigger than mine.”

“That’s right.”

“You’re much taller too. It hurts my pride.”

Ansi looked up at Damion with a serious face. Damion smiled affectionately, let go of Ansi’s hand, and walked a few steps back alone.

As Ansi looked at him with puzzled eyes, Damion gestured ahead with his chin.

“Now we’re the same.”

The shadows of the two were standing at the same height. Even though she knew it was a natural result since the starting position of their feet was different, a smile rose on Ansi’s lips.

Just then, a cold wind blew. As Ansi shrank her body, Damion spread his coat from behind and embraced her. Warmth and a fast heartbeat were conveyed to Ansi.

When Ansi’s heart also began to speed up, a low voice rang in her ear.

“I want to keep being with you like this.”

“Damion visits almost every day anyway.”

“It’s not enough.”

Ansi took in a small breath.

For some reason, she felt nervous and fidgeted with her fingers.

Damion hugged Ansi a little tighter and spoke again.

“From the moment I saw the night sky with you, I constantly thought about it. Ansi, I want to be your Arcturus.”

“…”

“Will you give me another chance?”

Ansi opened her mouth. Her heart was beating so fast that it ached.

Arcturus. The star symbolizing the protector of the family.

Damion’s words were a proposal of marriage.

“…”

She closed her mouth and became lost in thought.

The answer was obviously yes. But she didn’t know how to express it in words.

What kind of answer should she give to that romantic confession to properly convey her feelings? Countless words filled her mind.

However, from Damion’s perspective, when Ansi didn’t answer, he became anxious.

“Please. I will strive not to be lacking for you.”

Damion whispered as if pleading.

At the same time, he concluded that his strategy was wrong.

Ansi is a realistic person.

So, to capture her heart, he needed to appeal to the future in addition to simply saying he wanted to be with her. It wasn’t right to thoughtlessly propose marriage without even the minimum sincerity.

Damion hastily added.

“… I have a quite good reputation in business, and I have a lot of assets saved up and will accumulate more in the future. But if Ansi wants a political position, that’s not a problem either. I’m gaining quite a bit of trust from His Majesty the Emperor. And…”

“Okay, I’ll marry you.”

“Really?”

Damion asked hopefully at the answer that finally came. Ansi escaped from Damion’s embrace and turned around. She wanted to see his face.

Looking at the flushed man, Ansi nodded.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t pretend to be a romantic like Damion. It was also impossible for her to give him a pretty answer with sweet words.

So what Ansi could do was to speak more clearly and directly so that he wouldn’t miss even a single drop of her sincerity.

“I love you.”

“…”

“I love Damion much more than you think, to the extent that even I can’t fathom how much. So I… want to be Damion’s family too. I don’t care about your conditions at all.”

They finally met again after going round and round, and they become a family. This relationship that had grown stronger through weathering hardships would surely become even more solid in the future.

“Now Damion and I have a common purpose in life. Us.”

Us. While savoring that word, Damion’s eyes reddened. But he answered with a smile on his lips.

“That’s what I hoped for.”

Ansi laughed happily and hugged his neck.

The sensation of his cold cheek touching hers felt good.

She felt sorry for her innocent fiancé, but she had no intention of letting go of this man for the rest of her life. Damion had to love Ansi for a lifetime, and Ansi would also love Damion.

Ansi, and Damion were convinced.

This marriage was sure to end as a lifelong comedy filled with laughter.

Main Story End