Epilogue
I stretched my arms, feeling the weight of the day as I spoke to Luna after returning from my parents' place.
"Man, what a day. I'm beat."
By the way, Lily-chan stayed behind at my family home with Victoria-san. There's a bunch of stuff to sort out, like moving arrangements, but since the royal permission has already been secured, and even Reon is on board, my folks can't exactly say no. Everything should be settled.
Or so I thought. But for some reason, Luna was looking down with a somber expression.
"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned, peering into her face since I couldn’t think of anything that might’ve caused this.
Suddenly, she threw her arms around me.
"L-Luna…?"
"I’m so sorry… Because of me, Seito-sama was put in danger…"
With Lily-chan’s matter resolved, it seemed Luna was recalling the time I got kidnapped. Being the kind and earnest person she is, she probably couldn’t help but blame herself. Given the fact that none of this would’ve happened if she hadn’t chosen to stay by my side, it’s understandable she’d feel responsible.
But no one in the world would think Luna was at fault. Not even Lily-chan, the root of it all, would blame her.
"You don’t need to apologize, Luna. You didn’t do anything wrong."
I wrapped my arms around her as usual, gently stroking her head. Telling her not to worry wouldn’t stop her from overthinking, so comforting her like this felt like the best approach.
"But… Lily’s recklessness was my fault…"
"That’s not true, is it? What Lily-chan did is on her. You don’t have to feel responsible just because you’re her older sister."
"But still…"
"Besides, thinking that way only indulges Lily-chan. Didn’t you let her stay with Reon because you believed she needed to take responsibility for her actions?"
Even though Luna’s blaming herself now, earlier she was firm about making Lily-chan face the consequences. She didn’t shield her because she knew it wouldn’t be good for her sister. Well, there’s also the chance she was just furious because Lily-chan made a move on me. But knowing how kind and wise Luna is, I believe she made that call with her sister’s best interests in mind.
"…I was scared," Luna said, her voice trembling. She seemed to understand what I was trying to say and stopped talking about responsibility, instead opening up about her feelings.
I decided to listen quietly, letting her share what was weighing on her.
"Scared?"
"I was betrayed… by the little sister I raised so dearly, whom I cherished so much… And because of that, Seito-sama was hurt…"
From Luna’s perspective, it must’ve felt like a betrayal by Lily-chan. Even if her actions were meant to protect Luna, that didn’t change how it felt.
"I’m starting to feel like I can’t trust anyone anymore…"
"Luna…"
She pressed her face into my chest, rubbing against it. I never imagined someone as kind and pure as Luna would say something like this. Lily-chan’s actions must’ve hit her hard. It’s no surprise—Luna had told me before how much she cherished and trusted her sister. Being betrayed by someone so dear must’ve wounded her deeply.
"It’s okay. I’m sure Lily-chan didn’t have even the slightest intention of betraying you. And Aira-chan and I would never betray you."
What Lily-chan did might’ve been a betrayal in action, but her heart was full of love for Luna. And Aira-chan and I care deeply for her too. I just wanted Luna to feel safe.
"Of course, I trust Seito-sama and Aira…" Luna said, but noticeably, she didn’t mention Lily-chan.
Even though things seemed to have settled, it’s clear a deep rift has formed between Luna and her sister. Since Lily-chan will be living in Japan now, and I’m part of the reason for this rift, I need to help mend it. I’ll have to keep an eye on Luna and handle this carefully.
"I might not be the most reliable, but lean on me whenever you need to, okay?"
"Seito-sama, you are a very dependable person."
Luna, who had been pressing her face into my chest, lifted her head and rested it on my shoulder. Her mood seemed to lighten a bit. The way she looked, wanting to be spoiled, was incredibly cute, and I had to resist the urge to push her down. For now, holding her and stroking her head was more than enough.
Or so I thought.
Suddenly, Aira-chan held up a sign behind Luna that read: Go for it! Kiss her now!
I nearly burst out laughing at the sight of Aira-chan holding up such a ridiculous sign with a completely straight face. Where did she even hide that thing!?
"Seito-sama…?" Luna noticed my reaction, tilting her head.
"Oh, uh, it’s nothing!" I flashed a smile, not wanting her to see what Aira-chan was up to.
As Luna nestled closer, rubbing her face against my neck, I glanced back at Aira-chan. The sign had changed: Tch, tch, this is why virgins…
She was mocking me for not going for the kiss, her face now sporting a smug grin. She’s totally enjoying this!
I shot her a half-hearted glare to express my annoyance. In response, she flipped to another page: Complain after you kiss her.
"You prepared all this in advance!?" I couldn’t help but blurt out, realizing she’d anticipated my reactions.
Luna, who had been nuzzling my neck, pulled back and turned around.
"Aira, please keep your pranks on Seito-sama in moderation," Luna said, having caught on to why I was acting weird.
But I couldn’t help but comment. "That’s what you’re going with? Not ‘stop it’?"
Normally, you’d tell someone to cut it out entirely, but Luna only asked her to tone it down, which caught me off guard.
Luna gave a gentle smile, though it had a resigned edge. "Aira is just being playful to get attention from Seito-sama."
"Huh…?"
Her unexpected words made me turn to Aira-chan. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was glaring at me slightly while holding up another sign: As if that’s true.
Her curt words contrasted with her red face, making it look like she was embarrassed. It’s hard to imagine, given her usual demeanor, but maybe Luna’s right. Aira-chan’s still young, probably at an age where she wants to be indulged. Her pranks might just be her way of acting out affection, like a cheeky little sister. It’s kind of adorable when you think about it.
Though, she’s definitely not the honest type.
Then, another sign: Watch yourself on dark streets.
"How far ahead did you plan these!?"
"A capable person prepares for every possibility," Aira-chan replied, mimicking the motion of pushing up glasses she wasn’t even wearing. She’s probably just reusing some pre-made signs, but still, she’s impressive in her own mischievous way.
"Aira, you understand, don’t you?" Luna said, her smile carrying an odd pressure.
Aira-chan nodded frantically, sweating as if Luna’s unspoken warning—probably something like You know what happens if you mess with him—had her spooked. Despite her cheekiness, Aira-chan’s clearly no match for Luna.
"Seito-sama," Luna called, pulling my attention back to her.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glistening with a heated intensity. The vulnerable expression from earlier was gone, replaced by something captivating and alluring.
"You’ll stay by my side forever, won’t you…?"
She was still anxious, seeking reassurance. I gave her the warmest smile I could muster.
"Of course. I’m not going anywhere, Luna."
"Then… shall we do a charm?" she asked.
"A charm?"
"Yes, a charm to bind us together forever… So that nothing like this happens again. And even if it does, our bond will never break…"
I see—Arcadia must have a custom like that. I’m not big on superstitions or charms, but if it’ll put Luna at ease, I have no reason to refuse.
"Sure, sounds good. What do I need to do?"
"Close your eyes… This is something the woman has to do…"
As Luna explained, Aira-chan let out a small gasp, like she knew what was coming. It makes sense—growing up together in Arcadia, Aira-chan would likely know the same charms Luna does.
I followed Luna’s instructions and closed my eyes.
Then—
"This is the charm… chu."
A soft, warm sensation pressed against my lips.
Post a Comment