I Will Become the Queen of the Enemy Country

“Waaah, it’s too much! You were awake, why only now, sob.”

Regina clung to Elise, crying loudly. She wasn’t the only one crying, though she was the only one clinging.

Jasmine, Deboa, Haltbin, Rosh, and Leber were all in tears.

“Stop crying. Someone might think we’re holding a funeral.”

“A funeral? Miss! Drop that unlucky talk. Today is a party, sob, a party!”

Regina, who had been stressed every time Elise volunteered for dangerous tasks, became sharp-tongued.

But everyone felt similarly, so instead of scolding Regina, they secretly cheered her on.

“From now on, no more dangerous tasks or places. If you try to do something strange behind my back again, Miss, I’ll… I’ll dunk my head in dishwater and die!”

Elise smiled at the cute threat.

“This is no laughing matter. Sniff, I feel the same way. If you don’t want to lose Tetris’s talents, you should be on your toes.”

Haltbin took Regina’s side. Karan patted his shoulder.

“Your Highness, hands off. I’m going to request a department transfer. I’ll become an aide to His Highness Cowett.”

“Empty words.”

Karan chuckled. Usually, he would have told him to cut the nonsense, but right now, Karan was in the best mood of all.

“But your timing is really good. We were about to eat everything without you.”

Haltbin pointed to a table that looked like they had emptied Karan’s entire wine cellar. Among the array of bottles was a wine that couldn’t be bought even with a chest of gold.

“Drink it all.”

“Really?”

Leber’s eyes widened. He had been busy massaging Karan’s body to stimulate recovery.

“Especially you, Leber. I’ll set aside a bottle just for you.”

Waking up, his body felt unusually refreshed. It wasn’t hard to guess whose effort that was.

“Your Highness, I’m not transferring departments or countries. I’ll dedicate my life to Tetris!”

Leber gave an exaggerated bow. Laughter erupted from all around.

“Are you feeling alright?”

Rosh approached. Elise and Karan looked at Leber.

“The royal physician guarantees it. You’re both perfectly fine. So let’s enjoy ourselves to the fullest!”

Leber let out a wild yell and ran towards Deboa. Though Deboa quickly stepped back, she held out the most expensive bottle of wine she had saved for Leber.

Watching the two, Elise thought to herself.

That these two might also find a happy ending.

Because Leber’s medical skills were growing at a frighteningly fast rate compared to the past.

So before Deboa’s body completely breaks down, Leber might perfect the transplant surgery technique.

And Elise was determined to help make that happen.

“Elise, what are you thinking about?”

Jasmine linked arms with Elise.

Jasmine had become much cuter than before.

Her chubby figure remained the same, but as the atmosphere brightened, even her body that people used to point at was transformed into cuteness.

“I was thinking how nice it would be if our friendship lasted forever.”

“I was thinking the same thing!”

Jasmine laughed brightly. It was a laugh that made even those who heard it feel good.

Everyone was laughing and chattering. It was genuine laughter.

****

A month had passed since Karan and Elise woke up.

Despite Deboa’s persistent efforts, there was still much unknown about Ragnaros’s death.

Deboa decided to leave the mysteries as mysteries and focus on the certainties.

For example, the scandal between Ilaria and David.

“They’re getting married? Well, this is…”

Karan immediately frowned upon reading Deboa’s newspaper, which had started to be published in Tetris as well.

He had guessed it from what Cowett told him, but wasn’t this too fast?

“They suit each other well.”

“Indeed.”

Although Karan didn’t agree, he immediately acquiesced to Elise’s words.

There was another incredible piece of news in Deboa’s newspaper.

“Richest people ranking? Elise… you’re second.”

“It’s nothing special. The investments just did well. Thanks to Jasmine and Rosh. Leber too, I suppose. I’m grateful. But I’m still far from catching up to Pawnshop K.”

The owner of Pawnshop K proudly took the first place in the richest people ranking. Elise was very curious about this mysterious figure.

“That… person is probably nothing special. You’re the amazing one, Elise.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Karan.”

There had been a slight change between the two of them.

The inexplicable tension that had flowed between them had completely disappeared.

Elise started to take Karan’s compliments at face value, and Karan’s separation anxiety regarding Elise had vanished.

Their love was becoming increasingly solid and complete.

Karan folded the newspaper and set it aside. Then he naturally changed the subject.

“Is there anything you’d like as a wedding gift?”

The wedding was a month away. Karan and Elise were incredibly busy with wedding preparations.

They had suggested keeping it simple, but Tyllo strongly objected. Cowett was the same.

That young one kept finding wedding-related materials and presenting them to Elise and Karan every day.

It was both touching and amusing.

There was another reason the wedding had been postponed.

“What about you? Is there anything you’d like as a coronation gift?”

Along with the wedding, Karan’s coronation ceremony was to be held.

Preparing for two major national events at once took a lot of time.

“I’ve already received everything.”

Karan placed his hand on Elise’s cheek. Elise rubbed her cheek against his large hand.

“Still, think about it. I’ll be disappointed if you just let it pass.”

“Hmm, then how about this?”

Karan leaned forward and whispered in Elise’s ear. Elise’s cheeks, ears, and neck turned red. It was a dizzyingly beautiful color.

“…Will you do it, Elise?”

Elise’s eyelashes lowered.

“Something like that, I could do right away.”

Karan’s eyes widened slightly. Soon, with a refreshing smile, he lifted Elise in his arms.

****

The long-awaited wedding day finally arrived.

“We meet again!” Jasmine waved her hand enthusiastically towards Rosh. Rosh bowed slightly in greeting and sat in her designated seat.

“It must have been hard work preparing everything, Haltbin,” Deboa said to the visibly tense Haltbin.

“Yes. But His Highness Cowett worked even harder than I did. That arch and these flower decorations were all his ideas.”

The arch erected at the entrance of the venue was large enough for a carriage to pass through. In fact, Karan and Elise were planning to make their entrance in a carriage. A golden carriage, no less.

On both sides of the path where the golden carriage would pass, there were abundant fresh flower decorations that were difficult to obtain at this time of year.

It was thanks to the help of the Ivory Tower that they could enjoy the luxury of seeing flowers from various seasons all at once.

Lily of the valley, peonies, hydrangeas, calla lilies, orchids, and other beautiful and fragrant flowers were in abundance.

Among all these flowers, there wasn’t a single rose.

A music ensemble from Bedrokka played elegant music, and a performance troupe from Magnus presented a pre-ceremony show.

“By the way, where are Her Highness Ilaria and His Highness David?” Deboa craned his neck, looking around.

The two had each led the music ensemble and performance troupe.

“Oh, those two? Didn’t you know? They agreed to be the attendants.”

“The bride and groom’s attendants?”

“Yes. It’s perfect since they’ll be getting married soon too.”

“It seems the relationship between His Highness David and His Highness Karan has improved a lot. For His Highness Karan to have His Highness David as an attendant. I knew Her Highness Ilaria and Elise were close, though.”

Jasmine nodded as if the friendship between the four made sense to her.

“Hmm, His Highness David and His Highness Karan? I don’t think that’s the case.”

Haltbin made a meaningful comment, but no one paid much attention to his words.

So when the bride and groom entered, everyone’s jaws dropped.

First, Elise entered in the golden carriage. But the person accompanying her wasn’t Ilaria.

“It’s His Highness David! The bride’s attendant is His Highness David!”

“That’s right. He volunteered to be the bride’s attendant as a sign of support from all of Bedrokka for Elise.”

And in Karan’s carriage that followed, Ilaria was seated.

“Why did Her Highness Ilaria become His Highness Karan’s attendant?”

“Because she insisted on contributing to Elise’s wedding in some way.”

Haltbin’s answer was clear.

Elise and Karan’s wedding was novel and grand in many ways.

“…I hereby declare these two to be husband and wife.”

As Tyllo made the declaration, dozens of cannons shot flower petals into the air. As the magicians from the Ivory Tower stirred up the wind, the petals danced and fluttered.

“Congratulations on your marriage!”

“Long live the Queen! Long live the King!”

Cheers erupted.

Elise and Karan stood side by side, looking out at the wedding venue.

Friends who had come from afar to congratulate them, warriors bowing their heads and pledging their loyalty – every single person was precious.

But the most precious was the one standing beside.

Karan and Elise turned their heads to face each other.

Their eyes, gazing at each other’s dazzling beauty, were filled with love.

 

~Fin~