Episode 98. Conclusion (3)

After silencing the two men with my raised voice, I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

“Unbelievable. Why are you acting like children all of a sudden?”

“Well, that’s because—”

“Stop!”

I cut them off again, giving both Percy and Julius a sharp look as they tried to speak. They obediently clamped their mouths shut, as if playing the role of well-behaved children.

‘They always behave so nicely at times like this,’ I thought, not buying their act for a second. If I let my guard down, they’d start spouting nonsense again. Frustrated, I decided to stand up.

“I’m suddenly feeling really tired. Let’s continue this conversation later.”

As I turned to leave, Julius quickly followed, speaking in a smooth, coaxing tone.

“Let’s do that, Sienna. You’ve had a long day, so why don’t you rest in the palace…”

He was trying to subtly keep me in the palace, but I was done with endless paperwork and royal duties. When Julius reached out to place a hand on my shoulder, I dodged it and snapped back.

“I’m married now, so why would I stay at the palace? I’m going to this man’s house. And you, Your Majesty, can handle your own duties now.”

“Married! That wasn’t a real wedding!”

“What are you talking about? You had me dressed in a wedding gown, and there were witnesses everywhere!”

We had a crowd of nobles as witnesses, and I had already signed the marriage contract. If that wasn’t a marriage, then what was? I crossed my arms and gave a nonchalant look, but Percy unexpectedly sided with Julius.

“I must agree with that. I can’t stand the thought of our wedding being treated like a trivial event.”

Coming from someone who usually seemed so indifferent, that statement was surprising. I raised an eyebrow, correcting his mistake.

“You mean *our* wedding, not just yours. Besides, I’m tired of all the fuss. I’m sick of being the center of attention.”

Even today, how many eyes had been on me? If Beth hadn’t lost her powers and I hadn’t gained my freedom, I might have actually died at Daniel’s hand, and that thought sent chills down my spine. With all those people around, it would have been a tragedy.

And all of this had happened because I was at the palace. The very thought of returning there made me shudder.

“Anyway, I’ll be staying at the Stewart estate from now on. I’ll drop by tomorrow to pick up my things, so be prepared.”

“Sienna—”

“There’s no point in trying to convince me. I’m finally going to enjoy my life and relax!”

Why should I spend my time buried in paperwork just because I became a princess? I had no intention of living such a tedious life.

As I firmly put my foot down, Percy chuckled softly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close. His tone was as smooth as ever.

“Well then, it’s settled. Sienna will be coming with me to the Stewart estate.”

“Pfft.”

Pfft? What on earth was that? I had to resist the urge to smack Julius on the head for pouting like that.

As Percy and I exited the palace, the Stewart family’s carriage door opened for us. Percy helped me inside, but just as I was getting in, I heard Julius call out to me in a pitiful tone.

“I’ll keep the Crown Prince’s palace empty for you, just in case you ever get divorced.”

Is that something you say to your newly married sister? I frowned but smiled as I replied.

“That’s an oddly sweet way to curse someone.”

“It’s a love advice, actually.”

“Love advice? Please.”

I said with a sly smile to Julius.

“Why don’t you hurry up and get married yourself, brother? At this rate, you’ll die old and alone.”

“Is that your idea of a loving advice?” Julius retorted.

“No, it’s a curse,” I quipped back.

Why would I ever give him a blessing? I settled into the carriage seat as Percy climbed in across from me, and the door closed behind us. As the carriage began to move, I exhaled a deep sigh of relief.

“Phew, I was worried Julius might throw a tantrum and try to stop us at the last minute. It’s such a relief that didn’t happen.”

Julius was definitely not someone to be underestimated. Hearing my sigh, Percy gave me a warm smile.

“Don’t worry. Now that I’m free too, if he keeps being stubborn, I can always throw him out.”

“…I’ll pass on that.”

The idea of my husband throwing my brother around was just too much. My life as Sienna had been chaotic enough, and I wasn’t looking to add any more drama. I smiled awkwardly as I spoke, and Percy tilted his head slightly, curiosity in his eyes.

“There’s something I’m curious about too, Sienna.”

“What is it?”

“You mentioned finding a way back home earlier. Does that mean your world is somewhere else?”

“Hmm, it’s a long story,” I admitted.

I hadn’t expected to dive into such a deep topic so suddenly, but since Percy had asked, I figured it was only fair to tell him the truth. I shrugged and decided to explain everything to him. I told him how I had suddenly found myself in the body of a game character, the quest I had to complete, and everything I had to do to survive.

Percy listened to my entire story with a serious expression, nodding as I finished.

“So that explains why your expressions never quite matched what you were saying. It wasn’t really what you wanted to say.”

“I thought I was going to die of frustration. Even when I wanted to speak honestly, I couldn’t.”

But it hadn’t been all bad. I clenched my fists as I thought back.

‘In reality, I was a timid person, unable to stand up for myself even when faced with injustice.’

I had lived a life where I couldn’t even reject the burdens placed on me. I avoided conflict, afraid of being disliked, so I parroted words that were easy for others to hear. But as Sienna, I couldn’t do that. At first, it felt forced, but as I got the hang of it, I felt more confident.

While I was reflecting on my time in this world, Percy gave me a gentle smile and asked.

“So, how do you feel now?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re free now. What do you want to say?”

What did I want to say? Why was he looking at me like that? It felt like he was encouraging me to say whatever was on my mind, especially if it was something I wanted to say to him.

Feeling like I was about to get caught up in Percy’s pace, I straightened my posture and replied haughtily, “I haven’t really thought about it.”

Percy then placed his arms on either side of my legs, trapping me within his embrace. Caught off guard, I blinked up at him. He smiled down at me, his expression full of warmth and mischief.

“That’s a lie. Tell me what you’ve wanted to say right now.”

“That’s…”

I found myself captivated by his face. His pale, flawless skin, long golden lashes, and the golden hair that framed his perfectly shaped forehead.

‘He’s beautiful.’

I couldn’t look away. I realized that I had felt this same way when we first met. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

And…

‘I like you.’

I loved everything about him—his cool demeanor, his polite speech, even the occasional glimpses of cruelty and sadness.

I wanted to confess my feelings, but as I opened my mouth, I snapped back to reality. Quickly, I pushed against his broad chest with both hands, exclaiming, “Wait a minute! This isn’t fair! Why should I be the only one to say anything? You haven’t told me anything either!”

“I love you, Sienna.”

“…!”

Percy’s sudden confession left me completely stunned, my eyes wide in surprise. Before I could process what had happened, I felt his lips press lightly against my forehead. The gentle touch sent a tingling sensation through me, causing my shoulders to instinctively tense. In an instant, he pulled me close, wrapping me tightly in his arms.

The situation had changed so quickly. Percy, who had been leaning over me, now sat down properly, with me perched on his lap instead of the carriage seat. His hands firmly gripped my waist, as if ensuring I couldn’t escape. He smiled down at me, and his deep voice seemed to resonate through my entire body.

“I couldn’t speak of it before. My whole life felt like a lie, and I couldn’t even tell if my feelings were real or not. But now I know—I love you.”

“Ugh, this is so sudden.”

“And how do you feel?”

His eyes bore into mine, as if he could see right through to the core of my emotions.

“I, I, I also…”

My face turned a bright shade of red as I stammered, trying to force out a confession. But in the end, I couldn’t say it and dropped my head in embarrassment.

“Ugh, I can’t say it.”

I clutched at my hands nervously, and Percy chuckled softly, his lips forming a slight frown as he looked at me.

“The real you is quite shy, isn’t it? It’s unexpected.”

“Does that mean you don’t like it?”

“No. It’s actually quite amusing.”

This time, his lips found my cheek, planting soft, teasing kisses that made my skin tingle. As he pulled me even closer into his embrace, he whispered gently into my ear.

“You don’t have to say it. I already know how you feel.”