To the very end, Axel refused to say it again.
I stared after him with a sulky expression for a moment — then decided to take the optimistic view.
I can always ask again later. I’ll wait.
Even having heard that single yes from Axel was an enormous step forward. I was choosing to read it as a good sign.
After leaving the birthday café, we made our way to our next destination — Lake Moriarło, which was said to be one of the most iconic date spots in the area.
It was a place I could not leave out of my plans.
The highlight of today is the rowboat on this lake!
A quiet, intimate boat ride on a lake flushed with the warm hues of sunset.
When we arrived, a small rowboat I had reserved in advance was docked and waiting. Axel stepped aboard without a single question, as if it were perfectly natural.
“I’ve never ridden a boat like this before. What about you, Your Highness? Have you?”
“No. Neither have I.”
“Really? That’s wonderful! I’m very excited right now.”
The closeness between us felt tangible in a way that made me happy, and I smiled at him. Axel took the oars, and before long we had drifted toward the center of the lake. The sunset deepened, and the reddened sky slowly began to darken.
Axel watched the sky changing and spoke.
“It’s getting quite dark. Shouldn’t we start back, Lady Melberine? Even a lake can be dangerous at night.”
The worry in his voice reached me, and I met his gaze with full confidence.
“It will be fine, Your Highness. Just trust me.”
This is only the beginning!
He regarded me with the look of someone watching a puppy that was almost certainly about to cause trouble.
And then, at last, complete darkness arrived. The only sounds were the soft movement of water and the quiet of the night.
Axel was about to call my name again when—
From the surface of the lake, lanterns the color of embers began to rise, one by one. Against the black sky, they burned like stars being written into the dark — each one glowing in warm amber light. It was breathtaking.
I looked at Axel’s faintly startled face and spoke.
“Isn’t it beautiful? I really wanted to show this to you, Your Highness. Happy birthday.”
I smiled at him — soft and sincere.
“…Yes. It is beautiful.”
He liked it. The smile came easily.
I reached for a lantern and handed one to him as well, smiling with uncomplicated brightness.
“I told you to trust me, didn’t I, Your Highness?”
“…This is—”
“A wishing lantern. You make a wish, and then send it up into the sky. I really wanted to do this with you.”
I demonstrated first — eyes closed tightly, wishing silently — then released it into the air.
“See? That’s all there is to it.”
Wordlessly watching me, Axel did the same. He took longer than I expected to make his wish, and curiosity got the better of me.
“What did you wish for?”
“What did Lady Melberine wish for?”
“I wished for—”
“For?”
“For things to go well between us! Oh, and I also wished for you to fall completely, helplessly for me.”
Axel’s lips curved. He let out a quiet laugh.
“Is it allowed to wish for more than one thing?”
“Why not? They’re my wishes! So what did you wish for, Your Highness?”
“Wishes ought to be kept secret, shouldn’t they?”
“Did I say I was going to keep mine?”
“I didn’t say I’d tell mine either.”
“Well — fine! If that’s how it is, I wouldn’t have told you mine!”
“You should have thought it through before you spoke. Something to keep in mind going forward.”
And with that, he gave a small, amused smile — full of mischief.
The irritation that rose in me dissolved the instant I saw it.
Why does he have to look like that when he smiles—!
Moments like this made me resent that face of his.
Axel clearly had no intention of telling me his wish. I stared at him reproachfully for a moment — and then decided to let it go.
Today was his birthday.
Oh — right! Now isn’t the time for this.
I had been so absorbed that I’d almost forgotten the gift.
I reached for it quickly and held it out to him.
“What’s this?”
“I haven’t given you your gift yet.”
“A gift?”
“Yes! This is my gift to you, Your Highness. You’ll be surprised when you open it!”
“I genuinely cannot imagine what you’ve prepared.”
“You can open it now!”
Permission given, Axel opened it. He blinked twice.
His brow furrowed — faintly, but visibly.
The reaction was well within the range I had anticipated. A laugh threatened to escape.
He seemed to think it was a joke, because he let out a short, disbelieving laugh and looked at me.
“Is this actually meant for me, Lady Melberine? If you were trying to surprise me, you’ve succeeded — but no matter how I look at this necklace, it does not seem to be mine.”
He was holding a violet ornament — clearly more suited to a woman than a man, elaborate and decorative.
I looked at him with perfect composure.
“Of course it’s yours! That’s the gift I prepared for you.”
“This is mine.”
“Yes, absolutely. I think it would suit you beautifully, Your Highness. It looks made for you.”
I kept the laughter to a minimum and decided the joke had gone far enough. I pulled out the real gift I had been keeping hidden.
“Actually, there is one more gift tucked away.”
What I handed him was a gentleman’s cravat and a brooch. He looked between the two items, and something seemed to connect — because he looked up at me abruptly.
I spoke before he could.
“Your Highness — do you realize our contract has less than a month left?”
“I think — honestly — that things between us are not bad. I can’t see all the way into your heart, so I can’t say for certain, but… at least somewhat? It feels like you’ve opened up to me. You haven’t pushed me away recently.”
“And so what I’m trying to say is—”
Even someone as invariably bold as I was felt a slight tremor in this moment. I steadied my breath and met his eyes directly.
“On the last day of our contract — when you are more certain of your feelings toward me than you are now — if you feel the same way I do, I want you to give this to me as a gift.”
What I had handed him was a necklace — the matching piece to the one he now held. A couples’ set.
The silence that followed stretched longer than I’d expected, and despite my best efforts, a trace of anxiety crept in. I spoke quickly, adding:
“I’m absolutely not asking you to answer right now. I don’t want to put any pressure on you.”
“For something meant to avoid pressure, your words and actions seem somewhat at odds with each other.”
He pulled the corner of his mouth into a smile.
Just seeing that, the tension eased out of me. I understood — he had said it deliberately, to take the edge off my nerves.
My stiffness melted away, and I pouted playfully.
“Even so — you must give me an answer, Your Highness. I’ll be waiting!”
I smiled at him — clear and unhesitant.
A cool breeze drifted past my flushed cheeks. Something told me that everything was going to work out.
The next time I saw Axel was at the orphanage.
It had been a while since I’d gone there together with him — the first time since everything that had happened.
The director, Siserlot, welcomed us warmly.
“It’s been a while since you’ve both come together. I’m so glad to see you.”
“Hello, Director. Are you well? Has anything happened at the orphanage while I was away?”
“Oh, actually…”
She didn’t answer right away. A slightly troubled expression crossed her face.
Had something happened?
“…I was actually going to contact you, Judith.”
“Is something wrong? Is it one of the children—”
“No, no — nothing bad! If anything, it’s good news.”
“Then what is it?”
“The truth is — Edwin has apparently manifested magical ability. And not just a little — it’s said to be quite an extraordinary level. As you know, mages are rare. He seems pleased about it himself, and I’d like to give him the opportunity to study properly at an institution for it, but…”
Siserlot paused before continuing.
“He’s been firmly refusing to go. I’ve been trying to persuade him, but it isn’t working. It occurred to me that Edwin has always gotten along well with you, Judith — so I was going to contact you and ask if you might be able to help persuade him.”
So that was it. Edwin had manifested magical ability.
I looked at her and said:
“I’ll try to persuade him.”
