Chapter 178
Killian smiled.
Upon stepping outside the banquet hall, the cool air welcomed them.
Killian led Sophia to a secluded spot, away from the crowd.
They reached a small fountain in a corner of the garden, where Killian prepared a seat for Sophia.
“Please, take a seat, Princess.”
Killian bowed deeply in a formal gesture.
Sophia smiled and sat down, amused by his exaggerated politeness.
The sound of flowing water from the fountain filled the quiet garden.
“I didn’t know there was such a place. You know the palace well.”
“Mikhail showed me this spot when we were kids. It’s dark and narrow on the way here, so not many people come.”
Killian explained.
He had discovered the place playing hide and seek with Mikhail and the servants in their childhood.
Mikhail had been instrumental in helping him sneak around the palace as the Black Moon.
“If I had been recognised as a princess since childhood, we might have grown up here together. I would have known what you were like as a child.”
Sophia chuckled softly.
She hadn’t thought deeply about being a princess, but hearing about Killian and Mikhail’s childhood made her a bit wistful.
If she had been recognised and not abandoned, would she have met him earlier?
Running through the palace gardens, playing hide and seek, watching Mikhail and Killian practice swordsmanship, riding horses, reading books together.
If that had been the case, they wouldn’t have had to endure such a difficult journey.
But then, there would have been no reason for him to stay in the palace.
His father, Howard Viprons Rivelon, and his mother would still be alive.
So, Sophia thought their current situation was good.
After all, a happy ending awaited them after overcoming hardships and trials.
Killian gazed quietly at Sophia’s smile.
Her smile seemed wondrous to him.
Despite the rough path they had walked, Sophia had always smiled by his side, never once blaming him.
“Thank you for staying by my side, Sophia.”
Sophia smiled at his confession.
“Me too, Killian.”
‘I’m so glad you’re by my side.’
Killian gently held one of her hands.
At that moment, a beam of light shot up into the dark night sky and exploded into a beautiful array of colours.
“That’s…!”
More fireworks followed, lighting up the night sky in splendid colours.
Sophia watched in amazement.
“Killian, look! I didn’t hear there would be fireworks today!”
Although she knew the banquet was in honour of her recognition as a princess, she hadn’t heard about the fireworks.
From the banquet hall in the distance, they could hear others expressing their astonishment.
Then Killian lightly tugged her hand.
Sophia, who had been gazing at the sky, lowered her head to find Killian kneeling before her on one knee.
“Sophia.”
He looked up at her with serious eyes, his hands holding hers, feeling warmer than usual.
Why was her heart racing just from hearing her name?
Was it because of the fireworks illuminating the sky? Or the loud noises they made?
Then, Killian took something from his pocket and presented it to her.
A radiant piece of light sparkled in his hand—a beautiful ring adorned with diamonds and emeralds, reflecting the colours of the fireworks.
“Will you stay by my side, like you are now, forever?”
He asked, offering her the ring.
Sophia met his eyes with wide, surprised ones.
Under the bright lights of the fireworks, even Killian seemed different.
She then realised that Killian had prepared the fireworks.
When did he manage to do this while always being by her side?
Her heart felt warm and tender, bringing tears to her eyes.
“Why are you asking something so obvious?”
Without even needing to ask, she had already decided to be with him.
Her response melted the tension in Killian’s expression into a smile.
Killian’s hand enveloped hers, and the beautiful jewel gently slid onto her finger.
He then kissed the back of her hand.
“…I wanted to do something more impressive, actually.”
Because of the recent events, the proposal he had planned was cancelled, and preparing a new one was difficult.
He wanted to give her the ring as soon as she woke up, but it felt like he was imposing his feelings on her when she was unwell.
So, he waited for her to recover, but the wedding was already approaching.
In the meantime, she became a princess, and the opportunity to propose slipped away.
“You’re already wonderful enough, Killian.”
Sophia gently pulled the hand holding hers.
Killian’s red eyes met hers, and soon his warm breath touched her lips.
He whispered his love with his tongue, making her forget even the small fatigue remaining in her body.
The sound of fireworks faded, replaced by the beating of their hearts.
Though late, they savoured their sweet happiness and promised each other eternity.
* * *
Under the blue sky, the white marble roof of the Great Hall gleamed brightly.
The well-dressed guests were buzzing about today’s wedding.
On the second-floor terrace overlooking the hall, the Emperor and Michael were seated with their attendants, while those who had not been invited to the wedding but wanted to get their news published in the daily newspapers lined the streets in front of the Great Hall.
Finally, a golden carriage decorated with vibrant flowers stopped before the red carpet.
“Her Highness, Princess Sophia Orhel, has arrived.”
The servant announced loudly to the guests, and the orchestra began playing a beautiful tune for her.
As the royal servant opened the carriage door, Sophia, in her white wedding dress, stepped out.
Guests inside and outside the Great Hall turned their eyes to the end of the long red carpet.
Everyone was awestruck by the beautiful bride.
After the incident, Andrey spent more time upgrading the dress’s beauty for the delayed wedding.
The dress, adorned with sparkling crystals, shimmered in the sunlight like starlight, and the long cathedral veil trailing behind her was decorated with intricate lace and pearls.
Around her neck was the necklace of Labrert, restored by a metalsmith.
A necklace owned by a princess of a fallen royal family.
That princess was none other than Sophia’s birth mother, Gwendolyn, a princess of Swehill taken as a war slave.
Sophia cherished the necklace and its significance.
It was the only legacy her mother left her, and perhaps a talisman that had allowed her and Killian to “win” safely.
Meanwhile, Killian stood at the entrance of the Great Hall, watching Sophia walk towards him.
Following the path of pink petals scattered by the flower girls, Sophia drew closer.
Killian’s heart raced uncontrollably.
He felt it might burst from the overwhelming emotions.
His entire life had been focused on Sophia.
From searching for the illegitimate child to their engagement, his ultimate goal had always been Sophia.
She was once the sole purpose sustaining his life, and now she was the only happiness sustaining it.
Killian extended his hand to his approaching ‘everything’.
Sophia took his hand and smiled.
At that moment, he felt tears welling up and bit his lip to hold them back.
Crying would look ridiculous.
He didn’t want to leave tear stains on this joyful wedding.
He held Sophia’s hand, and together they walked through the Great Hall.
Killian preferred that they didn’t enter side by side.
Entering together meant he couldn’t fully take in Sophia.
He wanted to gaze at her, but he couldn’t.
They finally stopped in front of the marriage vows.
“Groom Killian Viprons Rivelon and bride Sophia Orhel.”
Following the traditional wedding procedure, they faced each other.
Sophia felt her face heat up the moment she met Killian’s eyes.
She saw him every day, yet why was her heart racing?
Killian, with his wedding attire and neatly styled hair, looked unrealistically handsome.
She really is marrying someone like this.
Standing before the vows, the reality sank in, and Sophia discreetly pinched her hand to make sure it wasn’t a dream.
“Do you both vow to take each other as lifelong partners?”
The official asked them.
Killian and Sophia met each other’s gaze and shared a smile.
“Yes, I vow.”
“Yes, I vow.”
They exchanged rings with each other’s names engraved and signed the vow in front of everyone.
Next to Killian’s name, Sophia wrote hers, and next to Sophia’s name, Killian wrote his.
The attendees showered the couple with praise and applause.
Not only the nobles but also the common citizens celebrated the union of the two who had played crucial roles in resolving the demon and Black Moon incidents.
The couple responded joyfully to the blessings of the people.
Sophia, hearing the cheers, asked her husband,
“Do you remember our first meeting?”
From the beginning, she anticipated such an ending.
He would be the male lead of her life, and she would be the female lead of him, ending in a happy union blessed by everyone.
Killian responded,
“Yes. Didn’t I promise to protect you then?”
“No, you didn’t!”
Sophia glanced at him sharply.
In the attic, you interrogated me about the news!
Killian laughed.
“Father! I have a little sister?”
In his childhood, when his parents were alive, Sophia was an unknown part of his old memories.
“No, but there’s a child we need to protect.”
“Protect?”
“Yes.”
One day, his father brought home a tiny baby.
It was so long ago that he couldn’t remember the baby’s face, but Killian held onto the memory as one of the few he had with his parents.
‘I’ll protect you, baby!’
Young Killian was so delighted to have a pretty sister that he spent all day watching the baby in the crib.
And when the baby disappeared a few days later, he cried his heart out.
‘You said we’d protect her, but she’s gone’.
‘She went to a safer place.’
“We promised we would protect her! Bring her back, quickly!”
The Grand Duke was very troubled as he watched the crying and whining Killian.
In the end, the Grand Duke promised that when Killian grew up, he would meet and play with that child again.
Although he could not keep that promise before he passed away…
Killian later thought that perhaps that child was the illegitimate child his father was trying to protect.
“That memory might have been the reason I tried so hard to find the illegitimate child until now.”
Since it was one of the few memories he had with his parents, he might have been searching for remnants of those happy times.
But Sophia would never know that fact.
That he had dedicated his life to only her.
“If you didn’t hear it back then, let me tell you again now.”
Killian pledged to Sophia.
“I will protect you by your side for life, Sophia.”
Amid the blessings of the people, they kissed and made their promise.
Like the end of many stories, they promised to live happily ever after.
The End
As with many endings of stories, let’s live happily ever after.
(T/L: Man, the story ended just like this. But what about Sophia being a transmigrator? Tbh Killian said to og Sophia (baby Sophia) that he would protect her, lol, not the real one. At least the author should have included the part about Sophia telling Killian her true identity (being a transmigrator) and the death of og Sophia. Well, honestly, this story was really nice overall, except for some loopholes. This was my first time reading mystery, thriller, and action genres encapsulated and coat with romance. This novel was dropped in 2022, and I was quite invested in what would happen next, which brought me into the world of translation. It was the first time I translated, and I was not really confident in doing so. But thank you all for supporting me and encouraging me. I know I uploaded chapters with sometimes big breaks, but I wanted to give my readers my best translation. Also, a huge thanks to ‘hails’ who supported and remained with me till the end. It was a really good journey with you all. It seems like we all faced hardship with them (Sophia and Killian) and finally reached the end lol. You are most welcome to leave your reviews on this story, my translation, and if you want any other novel to be translated by me, do let me know. I will look into it and let you know.
I still cannot believe we really reached the end of SWWYV.
Guys, believe me, I’m not crying, nor I’m smiling like an idiot. Lol, my note really became so long. See you guys in my next work (The night the saviou ran away). Oh also, if the novels you like me to translate are something like SWWYV, I will be very grateful. )
