Chapter 73

In a vast forest of trees with unique white bark, a village lined with cold-resistant crop fields and triangular-roofed houses that don't require snow removal—over the small town of the Yubert domain, the country's divine beast, the Griffin, was gracefully flapping its wings.

On its back rode the next head of the household, a woman, and the black-haired knight who protected her.

They flew past the town, aiming for the back of the mansion on the hill. The Griffin landed gracefully, as if floating.

"Lord Luca, Lady Tina, well done."

Viera, who had been officially designated as the next head of the Yubert domain, greeted the meritorious individuals brought from the capital with words of appreciation.

The black-haired knight, Luca, offered his cheek, urging for more praise with his gaze.

Viera, her face slightly flushed, hesitated for a moment before kissing his cheek.

Luca's face relaxed. It seemed to be a pass. After setting Viera down, he led his partner, Albertina, to the stable built behind the mansion.

Watching him, Viera chuckled softly.

"You've really grown up, haven't you?"

The newly built stable was impressive, the backyard was neatly maintained, and the old family mansion, which had shown its age, now looked like a brand new building. Entering through the back door to greet her parents, she found the inside had been repaired to the point of being unrecognizable. It seemed she could let Luca live there with peace of mind.

However, living in the mansion was still a long way off.

"Father, Mother, we're going to the house in town. Send a signal with the magical device if anything happens."

"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, we'll be in your care from now on."

"Luca, if you have any trouble, let us know anytime. Viera, be strong."

"That's right. Luca, you're part of the family now, so don't hesitate to ask us for anything."

Her parents were completely smitten with their son-in-law. They had built such a close relationship that they now called him by "kun."

A year had passed since the failed attempt to lift the great barrier, and as promised, Luca had retired as the leader of the divine beast knights and successfully entered the Yubert viscount's family as a son-in-law.

The grand ceremony was still to come, but prioritizing Luca's desire to get used to his new home, they decided to start their new life today.

The ceremony was planned to be a small-scale event, inviting only close friends and family.

Viera had been secretly relieved, as she had been dreading a large-scale event. However, Luca was the third son of the noble Ambroch family, a former leader of the divine beast knights, and a hero.

She was also worried if a small-scale event would be appropriate, but in a country where the Griffin is the divine beast, explaining that "I want Albertina to attend, so I need to prepare in an environment where she can feel at ease" was enough to convince everyone.

Currently, in addition to Viera and Luca's wedding attire, a custom-made mantle for Albertina's participation is being ordered.

After saying goodbye to her parents and Albertina, they headed for their new home at the foot of the hill. The Yubert family mansion, located on a small hill, offered a panoramic view of the small town.

"Isn't it a cute town? It looks like it's made of building blocks."

Luca murmured with a fond expression.

The houses, smaller than the mansions in the capital and shaped like building blocks with square bases and triangular roofs, indeed looked like building blocks.

Among them, a slightly larger house near the town was their new home. A three-story building renovated from a guesthouse, its walls were repainted ivory and its roof a fresh maroon.

A crowd had gathered in front of the new home, waving as soon as they noticed Viera and Luca.

"Welcome back, Lady Viera!"

"Welcome, Lord Son-in-law!"

The townspeople greeted them with smiles. They were all familiar faces from her childhood, and in the Yubert domain, the distance between the lord and the people was close.

However, this didn't mean they were overly familiar; they still maintained a respectful attitude towards the lord's family.

Now, the townspeople were waving to Luca as if he were a friend, not just Viera.

They had only been told that Viera was marrying a divine beast knight, Luca Herring, so the townspeople might not yet recognize him as a "hero" or "former knight leader" as Viera had when they first met. If they knew, they would probably act strangely.

Luca seemed to have noticed but had no intention of saying anything, waving back with a smile.

He decided to keep it a secret until the townspeople found out on their own.

After greeting the welcoming townspeople, they entered their new home, where a middle-aged couple was waiting. Due to the kidnapping incident, the Ambroch family had introduced them as a guard knight and his wife, who would also serve as a housekeeper to help with daily life.

Their children had grown up and moved out, and they had always been interested in country living, so they had volunteered.

The first floor was for the knight couple and guests, the second floor was their private space, and the third floor was planned for work-related use.

"We have arranged the furniture as instructed. If any adjustments are needed, please let us know. We'll be happy to help."

"Thank you! Lord Luca, let's go!"

With excitement, she pulled Luca up to the second floor. Touring the living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and bedroom, she found that the furniture they had chosen in the capital fit perfectly with her vision.

She strongly felt that their new life was about to begin. She would be living with this handsome and charming husband.

"Lord Luca, are you thirsty? Shall I make some tea to test the kitchen?"

"There's a magic pot with contents in the dining room. It seems they prepared it so we could drink immediately."

"I didn't notice... Then I'll make it. Where would you like to drink it? In the dining room, living room, or... no, the living room would be better, right? And where are the cups..."

"Viera, are you nervous?"

Luca, who had been watching her fumble, hugged her from behind. Her spine straightened.

"Caught me."

Luca chuckled softly.

"Ugh, aren't you nervous, Lord Luca?"

"I'm good at handling nervousness. You should sit down to relax."

Luca sat Viera on the sofa, brought the pot and cups from the dining room, and poured the tea himself.

Kneeling on one knee, he placed the tea on the table, looking like a butler.

"Thank you."

Sipping the warm tea, her tension eased, and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

Once she calmed down, she noticed that Luca was still kneeling, with a serious expression.

"Viera, can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

He moved the cup from Viera to the table and gently took her left hand.

"I think we'll both be confused in this new environment. There will be things we didn't know about each other, like quirks and preferences. I hope we can share our concerns and work together to create a good life."

"Yes."

"However, I have a strong possessive streak, I can be jealous, and I can be childish and clingy. I will probably confuse you at times. When it gets bad, please scold me."

"Scold Lord Luca...? I'll try my best when that happens."

She couldn't quite imagine it, but her firm response made Luca grip her hand tighter.

"I'm really glad I met Viera. With you, I can be my true self and a new self. You make me so happy, heal me, and warm my heart. No one else can do that for me."

"Lord Luca..."

"Viera Yubert, I, Luca Yubert, promise to be your husband and sometimes your friend, to be by your side always, and to protect your happiness with my life. Please accept this."

He slipped a ring onto Viera's ring finger.

"What is this?"

A simple yet cute silver ring with three small diamonds. The silver part had a twist, and the luster changed depending on the angle.

"Things got a bit out of order, but I wanted to give you an engagement ring. After all, the proposal was your idea, right? I was happy, but I was also frustrated that I couldn't propose properly. I knew you didn't want to wear anything because you use magic, but I wanted to express my feelings again. I also have a special box to store it when not in use—"

Luca's words trailed off. He opened his eyes wide, then narrowed them as if looking at something bright. He gently slid his hand to Viera's cheek, catching the tear that overflowed from the pale pink gem.

"Viera, I love you. Thank you for marrying me."

His words were what Viera had wanted to say.

She was grateful that he had accepted her drunken proposal, fallen in love with her, and showered her with love that she couldn't fully reciprocate. He had given her wonderful surprises with gifts and words.

Overwhelmed with happiness, she struggled to find the words to express her gratitude.

"I love you too. Always and only you, Lord Luca."

"That's an honor."

Luca's face lit up with joy as he leaned in. Their eyes met, and they kissed, confirming their love. She felt hopeful that she could be happy with this person.

***

The good relationship between the female head of the Yubert family and her husband was well-known, and the townspeople often described them as "sweet."

Coincidentally, the year the Yubert couple got married was also the year syrup from the trees in the domain began to be harvested, leading to the rumor that "the hero couple is sweet because of the syrup."

Eating syrup with loved ones was believed to deepen their bond, and it became a specialty of the Yubert domain, loved by many citizens for a long time.

Fin.

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