Published: August 10, 2026
This is the final chapter.
I was sitting in the living room of Granado Castle, with our twin sons on my lap.
We had just celebrated their third birthday today. Both of them were still flushed with excitement, clutching the hem of my dress.
Lord Cyrus sat on the sofa beside me, drawing my shoulder close with one arm while gently stroking our daughter's hair with the other.
Lisa had a book open on her lap, and every now and then she smiled at us. Night deepened quietly, the fireplace crackling softly, and we simply sat together as a family.
Suddenly, for no reason at all, my eyes met Lord Cyrus's.
Feeling a little embarrassed, I looked away. Then Lord Cyrus brought his lips close to my ear. In a voice quiet enough that Lisa couldn't hear, he whispered softly:
"I'm happy, Marie."
"...Me too."
My cheeks turned red, and I leaned my head against his chest.
—Once, I had lived alone in a dark storage room.
I wore filthy rags, shoes with holes in them, and was called a "ragged girl." Even that past had become nothing more than a distant memory.
Yes—a memory from so long ago. So long ago it felt like nothing more than a bad dream... so long ago that even when I stared at the night sky through the window, I could no longer call it to mind...
"The stars are beautiful tonight."
I murmured it like a whisper to myself.
Lord Cyrus followed my gaze and looked out through the window as well, agreeing with a quiet, "Yes."
"Hey, Lord Cyrus, did you know? That star we're looking at right now might already be gone."
While I was hospitalized for childbirth, I had been reading books to pass the time. In the Scholar Nation Oracle, astronomy was well developed, and there were plenty of books even beginners could enjoy. One of them said that the stars in the night sky were so, so far away that it took years—hundreds of years—for their light to reach my eyes.
"It's a strange feeling. And it's hard to believe that stars have a lifespan. They've been shining without changing since I was born."
"Everything has an ending and changes. Stars, countries, and people too."
Lord Cyrus said that as he gently patted our daughter's small head.
"Recently, some relatives cornered me and demanded to know which of the twins I planned to name as heir. I told them it was something far in the future, but they said it was a problem right in front of us and that I should decide now."
"...That sounds troublesome."
I frowned.
Even though they were twins, they were still separate people. Their personalities, interests, strengths, and weaknesses were all quite different. I had thought we'd decide after they grew a little more, after discussing it with them... but yes, they were already three years old. Perhaps we should at least start keeping an eye on things.
"Leave them be. There's no need to rush."
Lord Cyrus said it simply.
"One of them can become the next duke if that one is more suited to ruling the land, and the one interested in business can inherit the trading company. Or, if you want, Lisa can manage both."
"...In this country, women can't become the head of an upper noble house, though..."
"That'll change. Richard is currently reexamining all sorts of those old systems one by one."
"Lord Richard?"
"Outside of Dilz, it's not unusual to have a queen. Some countries don't even use a monarchy—they use a representative system, or decide by vote from the common people. The idea is to cherish our country's strengths and culture, but introduce things that are worth adopting. That's what they're doing. According to Ruifeng, the old-fashioned nobles hate it. He said that with a laugh."
"Hehe, that's a shame for Lord Richard."
"According to Ruifeng, it's better for the king to be hated by the nobles. That means he's on the commoners' side."
Indeed, very much like Lord Ruifeng.
I laughed and turned my gaze back to the night sky.
...Stars change, countries change, and people change too. Everything in this world must eventually change.
There will be things that are lost. There will be things we forget.
But... that isn't a bad thing. Change is growth, and parting is the beginning of new meetings.