Nox walked through the mansion, staggering, looking for Nana.
“It’s strange, if she had taken the tea set, it should be somewhere in the mansion,” he thought.
Lano’s aura was still in the office. There would be much to discuss with Edwin about the future.
“Maybe she went to the office by mistake?” – he realized that possibility and suddenly stopped.
“Oh, sorry!”
The usual cheeky voice was heard.
“Ice Spear.”
The water forcefully thrown stopped in the air for a moment and then sharpened, pointing sharply at Nox’s raised finger, fangs unfolding in front of the middle-aged maid.
“Eek! Ahh!”
Along with a dissonant scream, the ample fabric was sewn to the wall, leaving the middle-aged maid immobilized.
There was no longer a need to behave or worry about dirt or damage to the mansion.
“Calm down, I won’t kill you. It would be a shame to die now, when much worse experiences await you,” Nox said without flinching, putting his hands in his pockets and spinning on his heels, quickly walking away.
The middle-aged maid, who had passed out from fear, woke up in the dungeons, a place no one would speak of, where some servants were dismissed for betraying the royalty, leading to the disappearance of the family.
After searching for Nana for a while, Nox thought of using tracking magic to find a particular person who knew the ways of magic.
“I think Nana is in the office after all,” he sighed upon discovering her whereabouts, deciding to sleep in his secret hideout until he finished his work.
He pulled out the large bed that had once been stashed away and placed it with a thud.
He stretched once before falling asleep, beginning to breathe softly as he drifted off.
***
He was dreaming.
Nox stood in the middle of fertile farmland, where a pleasant wind blew.
His hands were small. Before learning to protect himself, he instinctively felt fear.
While searching for a place to hide, he saw a human figure in the distance.
It was a woman with beautiful blonde hair waving in the wind.
“Mother…”
The mother who, right after giving birth to him and Lano, lost her life, only knowing her smile in a photo.
He didn’t usually approach the room where his mother’s portrait was placed, but that night he had taken a single photo. That was probably the reason he had this dream.
Although he thought that, he could not resist running towards her and speaking.
“I’m sorry, Mother. I will leave Galaxia. I won’t be able to visit your grave anymore.”
Gently, he took her slender hand. Iris’ grave was atop a hill within the property.
“You won’t be alone because Lano will be with you. Oh, Lano will also go to Eastwald for some time, so maybe he won’t be able to visit the grave…”
As he nervously chose his words, Iris leaned in and met Nox’s gaze.
“And you?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t you feel lonely?”
It was the voice of his mother, whom he thought he no longer remembered.
“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t protect you by your side.”
“No, that’s not true… I’m fine. I’m already an adult.”
He was used to being alone. Separating from Lano now wouldn’t affect him so much…
“That’s right. You’ll surely be fine.”
Iris looked towards Nox’s back. When he turned around, he saw a young woman with red hair.
***
“Nox-sama.”
“Ah!”
He had intended to rest for a bit, but Nox fell asleep without realizing it.
He woke up abruptly. He had been more tired than he thought, as he had unleashed rarely seen anger in his confrontation with Edwin.
“Thank you. I’m sure you were waiting for me.”
“Nana…”
Although he had never revealed the location of his secret hideout to her, Nana was a perceptive maid. Perhaps she had somehow found out. Or maybe she had asked Lano.
“Yes, well, you seemed to be in the office, so I suppose you know how it all ended.”
“Yes, Lord Edwin’s exaggerated reaction was quite entertaining.”
“Exaggerated? What do you mean by that?”
Although Nox was confused by the idea that the old fool who only watched had been upset, he finally noticed Nana’s appearance.
“Nana, why are you carrying that luggage and wearing those clothes?”
Nana held a large bag with both hands and was dressed in an adventurer outfit that Nox had seen in the labyrinth.
“We had agreed to talk about my home once the coming-of-age ceremony was complete.”
Recalling vaguely that conversation they had in the labyrinth, Nox tidied his hair with a comb.
“And what does that clothing have to do with it?”
“My real name is Nanarika Zepia Saarlosso.”
Without answering Nox’s question, Nana said:
“Zepia Saarlosso?”
Observing Nox’s immediate reaction upon hearing her last name, Nana seemed somehow satisfied.
“I see. Now I understand why that old fool couldn’t meddle in Nana’s affairs. I heard that Duke Saarlosso married the princess of the Zepia Kingdom.”
“Yes, they are my parents.”
In the Zepia Kingdom, the throne succession is based on age order, regardless of gender. Additionally, the Duchess Saarlosso’s spouse is the sister of the current Grand Duke.
Therefore, the Duchess Saarlosso, though a lady, holds a status equal to Edwin’s.
As Nox absorbed the information, Nana continued:
“That old fool, four years ago, out of his interest in establishing contacts with Zepia, proposed a marriage to ‘one of the twins,’ referring to me and ‘one of the twin sons.’
Although the Zepia Kingdom is not large, it is said to blend magic with mechanical technology to provide its citizens with an advanced lifestyle. Even the technology for photographs was introduced from Zepia.
“‘One of the twins…?'”
“His selfish focus on benefits, showing a lack of interest in his children’s and my feelings, deeply annoyed us, so our family set a condition: ‘We will engage with the son who will not inherit Galaxia.'”
Since in Zepia, it is customary to designate the eldest son as the heir, the daughter from one of the regions following this culture would be engaged to the other son, requiring the future spouse to come to Saarlosso.
“So, is it me?”
“Yes. I appreciate your quick understanding. With this, I would like to make a formal proposal.”
Nana placed her bag on the ground with a light thud, straightened up as usual, clasped her hands in front of her abdomen, and with determination said:
“Nox-sama. Would you like to marry me and come to my home?”
