♔亞緣腐宅窩♔

【Ever After Route Garden Gacha】

Byron

◆Love Forever◆
《Love》

As soon as they returned to Byron's room, Jily spoke softly.
Jily "I'm sorry. This is all my fault."
Byron "Why are you apologizing?"
Jily "This rumor is because I kept wanting to postpone the wedding—"

（I have a pretty good idea of why you want to postpone, though.）

Byron "I know you. I know you have your reasons."
Jily's expression turned thoughtful, and then she sighed and looked up to meet his gaze.
Jily "There's something that's been bothering me, all this time.
Jily "I feel as if your father has a reason for why he refuses to give us his blessing—a reason that he can't or won't say."
It was something that Byron himself had also sensed.
Byron "And you want my opinion on that?"
Jily "Yes."
Byron "Well."
There was something Byron had been thinking about for some time.

（This may be dishonest of me, but—）

The uneasy emotions stirring deep inside him made him feel uncomfortable.
He reached out and pulled Jily into his arms in an attempt to quell them.
Gerald was certainly hiding something.
But if Jily was to find out what that was—
He had this odd feeling that she would be lost to him in her pursuit of the truth.

（I've had this uneasy premonition for a while.）

Byron sighed softly, and spoke again at last.

（But it's too late now—you've realized something is wrong.）

Byron "I don't believe that Gerald—my father—has any right to express his opinion about our marriage.
Byron "But I want you to do what you feel is right. I will handle the rest.
Byron "I believe that to be my duty, as your future husband."
Jily "Oh, Byron—"
Jily smiled up at him, her cheeks flushing a pale red.

（Every time you look at me like that—）

Byron "You never change—still blushing after all this time."

（I hesitate all over again.）

Jily "It's because I love you, and you make me happy.
Jily "And that's not going to change."
Byron "I see."

（You make me want to rush forward with our marriage right now, before my premonition comes true.）

He wrapped his arms around Jily and lifted her into the air.
Jily "Byron?"
Byron carried her over to the bed and set her down on it.
Byron "I thought those words were an invitation. Was I wrong?"
Jily "Well, that wasn't what I meant exactly, but—"
Byron "So I was mistaken, then.
Byron "Do you want me to stop?"
She shook her head quickly, and their lips came together in a soft kiss.

（I don't want to talk about this anymore.
（I feel as if I'm going to lose you.）

Byron knelt on the bed, leaning over her and pressing her back against the covers.

＊＊＊

It had been a few days since Jily had returned to Wysteria.
Albert "It's quiet without the princess here, isn't it?
Albert "In both good ways and bad ways."
Byron "Yes, it is."

（It certainly feels quieter.）

Albert "I will take my leave, then."
Byron "Yes."
Albert bowed and stepped out of the room.
The curtains in the window leading out onto the balcony billowed in a sudden breeze.
Their movement was inviting, and Byron stepped out onto the balcony.
The stars glimmered brightly in the sky above, looking as if they'd fall to earth at any moment.

（They're beautiful stars, but—）

He glanced at the empty spot beside him as a memory surfaced.

*****
Jily "The stars are beautiful today, aren't they, Byron?"
*****

He could clearly see an image in his mind of Jily smiling up at him as he spoke.
Byron frowned a little as he realized how much her memories haunted him.

（I never knew—
（that nights could feel this lonely.）

The night breeze rose up again, ruffling the curtains as it passed.
Byron avoided looking up at the stars again as he turned and headed back inside...

◆Shape of Love - Classic◆
《Vows》

The princess was gone without a trace.
The news had reached Byron as well.
Giles "The bureaucrats seem to have tricked the princess somehow."
Leo "It may have been something they knew she'd believe."

（Why didn't I realize?）

Byron sighed as he looked down at the parchment his father had given him.
Byron "I see.
Byron "And you don't know where she is?"
Leo "Not yet. We couldn't find her anywhere in town."
Byron "Al."
Albert "Yes, Your Majesty."
Byron "Make preparations.
Byron "We will announce the results of the ball sooner than planned."

（Is this what it feels like to blame yourself?）

Byron scowled a little, frustrated by his own feelings.

*****
Jily "Then I accept.
Jily "Not as the princess of Wysteria, but as the woman Jily."
*****

（I will come for you.
（Even if it takes my whole life.）

＊＊＊

The days and weeks passed by ever too slowly after that.

（Is this where you are?）

Byron looked around the location that had been written on the documents he'd received.
It was a quiet place, with tiny flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

（I don't even know anymore how to look at you when I see you again.）

*****
Jily "I love King Byron, and I love this country.
Jily "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to prove myself to you."
*****

*****
Jily "When I'm with you, I like to try and look beautiful every day."
*****

（But if I could say just one thing—
（It would be how badly I want to see you.）

He smiled a little to himself as he began to walk forward again.

（Wait, is that—）

A woman was standing not far away, her back to him.
She was gazing at the flowers, her hair feathering around her face in the breeze.

（I knew it the moment I saw you.）

Byron walked quietly towards her, and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Byron "I've been looking for you."
The wind whispered past them, rustling the leaves in the trees.

（I felt like it was taking forever to find you.
（Yet now it's like all that time has vanished in an instant.）

Jily turned back to look up at him, her eyes wide and stunned.
Jily "Byron—what are you doing here—"
Byron "I told you I'd come for you."
Jily "But—"
Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks, and he gently wiped them away.
Byron "I'm sorry."
He wrapped her in his arms again, holding her tight against him.
Byron "I've missed you."

（So much that I can't even find the right words to express it.）

＊＊＊

At last they returned to the house Jily was living in, and talked things through.
When they were done, Jily stared up at him with wide, wondering eyes.
Byron "What is it?"
Jily "This all feels like a dream, somehow."

（A dream, hmm?
（I think I might be feeling the same way right now.）

Byron "Do you want me to prove that it's not a dream?"

（And yet—）

Byron knelt down on one knee in front of Jily.
He opened the box he'd brought with him just for this moment.
Jily "But those are—"
Byron "They're the shoes that you left behind in Stein."
The tiny gemstones on the shoes glittered as he slipped them onto Jily's feet.

（This isn't a dream.）

Byron smiled as he gazed down at the shoes, remembering when he'd first given them to her.
Byron "They suit you."
Jily's eyes filled with tears at his words.
Byron "I promised you that I would come for you, didn't I?"
Byron took her hand in his, kissing it gently.

（I've wanted to say these words for so long.）

Byron "Jily.
Byron "Will you be my queen?"
Jily "I'd be delighted."
Byron felt the tension leaving him all at once, and he smiled at her.
He cupped her cheeks with his hands, studying her.

（Wanting to say these words over and over again—）

Byron "I missed you."

（Is that what they call happiness?）

He leaned towards her, their lips coming together in a kiss.
The navy blue high heels on Jily's feet glimmered gently in the dim light...

◆Shape of Love - Royal◆
《Tears》

The doors opened, and Jily began to walk slowly towards the altar.

（Unbelievable.）

Jily was clad in a pure white dress, and she was so beautiful it took his breath away.

（I want to have you all to myself.
（That's how much I crave you.）

At last Jily came to stand beside him, smiling faintly as she looked up at him.
Byron "You look beautiful."
Jily "Thank you."
Jily blushed a little as she turned to face the altar.
Giles was standing there waiting, and he began the ceremony.
Giles "Byron Wagner, King of Stein.
Giles "Do you take Jily to be your wife, to cherish and to hold, and do you swear to rule over both nations together with her?"

（Until I met you, Jily—
（I only thought of marriage as something that was important for the country.
（But now—）

Byron "I do."

（For the first time in my life—
（I wish with all my heart to love someone, and share my life with them.）

Giles "Jily, Princess of Wysteria.
Giles "Do you take Byron to be your husband, to cherish and to hold, and do you swear to rule over both nations together with him?"
Jily "I do."
Giles "Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
They turned to face each other, and Jily curtseyed to him.
Byron reached out and slowly lifted her veil away from her face.
At that moment, he heard the faint sounds of muffled crying coming from the watching crowd.

（That sounds familiar.）

Byron "Are Al and Nico crying?"
Jily "It looks like it."
Jily smiled up at Byron, and he found himself smiling back at her.

（I'm so happy it almost scares me.
（I don't think there could be any happiness greater than this.）

Their lips came together at last in a kiss, sealing the vows they'd just made.

＊＊＊

It was several days after the wedding.
Byron was checking through some documents when the door to his study burst open.
Albert "Y-Your Majesty!"

（It's rare to see you so flustered.）

Byron "What's wrong?"
Albert "Well—it's—"
Albert adjusted his glasses, and Nico hurried into the room after him, answering in his place.
Nico "We just found out that Jily is pregnant!"

（Pregnant?）

Byron stood up from his chair at once, without another thought.
Byron "I'll go right away."

＊＊＊

Byron "Are you all right?"
Byron crossed over to where Jily was lying quietly in bed.
She clearly had no idea what was going on, and when she spoke her tone was apologetic.
Jily "I'm sorry for worrying you.
Jily "I'm fine, really. You should focus on your work—"
Albert "This isn't the time for that."
Jily "What do you mean?"
Byron "I have something to tell you.
Byron "It seems a new family member will be joining us soon."
Nico "Congratulations, Jily!"
Jily "Wait, what?!"
The whole world seemed to change in that instant, and a strange mix of confusion and happiness flooded through him.
Jily "Byron, I'm—"
Byron "I know."
Jily's expression seemed bright with happiness as she placed a hand on her belly.
Byron reached down and placed his own hand gently over hers.
Jily "Not kicking yet, huh."
He focused on the warmth of her hand, feeling his emotions churning inside him.

（What is this feeling?）

He felt as if something was about to burst out of him, and he frowned, unable to explain it properly even to himself.
Jily "Byron?"
Byron "It's nothing. It's just... strange."
Jily "What is?"

（Don't tell me I'm—）

He blinked slowly, and he felt a single tear rolling down his cheek.

（Am I crying?）

He seemed unable to stop the tears, and everything seemed to blur around him.
Byron "So this is what it's like to cry."

（I thought nothing would make me happier than our wedding, and yet—
（Right now I'm the happiest I've ever been.）

Byron "Thank you, Jily."
Byron leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead.
Albert "Congratulations to you both, Your Majesties."
Nico "Yes, congratulations!"

（This could be trouble.
（I think my emotions are going to be a mess from now on.）

Byron frowned again, and Jily reached up to wipe away his tears...