Happiness
Violet-san had been quietly shedding tears for a time before finally steadying herself and speaking.
“Rodwell-sama… Forgive me. I’ve shown you something disgraceful.”
“Disgraceful? I think being able to cry is something beautiful.”
“…!”
At my words, Violet-san quickly pulled her black hood over her head and hid her face.
“V-Violet-san…?”
Maybe her tears had started to fall again. That’s what I thought, but Violet-san spoke instead.
“I’m sorry… I’ll step outside for a moment.”
With that, Violet-san turned and quietly left the guest room.
“V-Violet-san!?”
I was worried, of course, but if she said she wanted to go outside, I had no right to stop her.
Still…
“Alone in a royal guest room? There’s no way I can relax.”
Felisiana-sama, Violet-san… please come back soon!
Violet’s Side
After stepping out of the room, Violet walked slowly through the corridor.
She wasn’t heading anywhere in particular. Her feet simply moved while her mind wandered.
“This kind of bodily reaction is unfamiliar… The temperature is normal, there’s nothing warm nearby, and I’m not unwell. So why does my face feel hot?”
Murmuring to herself, Violet recalled Lux’s words from earlier.
“I’m sure that because of everything you’ve done, Violet-san, this country, and by extension, even my own territory, has been protected time and again. So thank you.”
That simple gratitude lingered in her heart.
“I don’t know. But isn’t it normal to thank someone who’s doing their best for others?”
Each memory she recalled brought another to the surface.
“Violet-san, you’ve done all of this for someone important to you. That’s why… not just your heart. Your hands aren’t stained either. They’re beautiful.”
Her chest tightened.
“With these hands, you’ve protected this country, its people. Thank you, truly.”
Her heartbeat pounded, sharp and unrelenting.
Violet pressed a hand to her chest.
“This feeling… It’s not the same as what I hold for Ojou-sama.”
She recalled Lux’s gentle smile and the unwavering way he had looked into her eyes.
“Rodwell-sama… I want to see more than just your kindness. I want to see you smile, see you happy. If it means protecting that part of you, then I would do anything.”
Her words faltered, caught on the edge of something unspoken.
Thinking of Siana, she whispered.
“So that’s it… Just like Ojou-sama, perhaps I’ve been enchanted by you. You, who called someone like me beautiful. You, who showed me a happiness beyond the one I thought was the only kind, that Ojou-sama’s happiness was the only one I needed.”
A memory surfaced, something Siana had once told her, long ago.
“Violet, you’re a kind and beautiful girl. Never give up on your own happiness, even if it goes against my wishes.”
As those words echoed through her mind, Siana suddenly appeared before her, eyes wide in surprise.
“You… That outfit…”
Seeing her, Violet lowered her black hood, met Siana’s gaze, and spoke with clarity.
“There’s something I need to tell you, Ojou-sama.”