Chapter 412: Lux’s Answer
It seemed everyone had already heard from Felisiana-sama beforehand.
Or perhaps, when they were told to gather, they had already guessed what I was about to say.
A tense atmosphere, unlike anything that usually filled the room, hung in the air… yet not a single person looked surprised by my words just now.
To answer all of your feelings, I’ll lay out all of mine as well…
“Before that, please allow me to offer one apology.”
“An apology…?”
Florence-san spoke, her voice tinged with confusion.
Yes, an apology.
No matter what answer I arrived at, I had long decided that I would apologize for this first.
Lowering my head, I said,
“I’m sorry for making all of you wait so long, when I should have given you my answer sooner!!”
There was no way I could give my answer without apologizing for this first.
I bowed deeply, putting all my remorse into it, and then…
Everyone responded with gentle expressions.
“What are you saying, Lux? That just means you took it seriously, and that makes me happy.”
“…!”
“Indeed. As I said before, it’s precisely because you’re kind that you’ve thought about this so sincerely, and that makes me very happy.”
“Yes… when I see it as part of your kindness, it only deepens my sense of your sincerity. I never once found it painful.”
“I believe I understand better than anyone how seriously you’ve faced this on your own… so… thank you.”
Everyone…
“…Thank you. Hearing that from all of you means a lot.”
Receiving their gentle words, I raised my head and expressed my gratitude.
Regardless of how everyone felt, this was something I believed I needed to apologize for.
But seeing all of you still looking at me with such kindness… the answer I can give is already clear.
“As I said, I’ve been thinking about this all along… about who I should choose among those who told me they love me, what would bring the greatest happiness for both me and all of you. And also… who I truly love now, and who I want to spend my life with.”
I put all of my feelings into words.
“It’s an unbelievably luxurious dilemma for me… but that’s exactly why I didn’t want to run from it. I’ve thought about it again and again.”
I look back over everything in my mind.
When Florence-san told me she loved me.
When Felisiana-sama told me she loved me.
When Elizalina-sama told me she loved me.
When Rezamiliana-sama told me she loved me.
“At first, I was completely confused… but as I spent time with all of you, as we shared moments together, little by little the answer… my own feelings became clearer.”
As I recall everything up to now, I continue, remembering my conversation with the King.
“And then… those feelings that had been gradually taking shape finally became clear after speaking with the King about love and the way this country should be… I was able to truly grasp my honest, unfiltered feelings… who I want to love from now on, and who I want to walk through life with.”
Having said that much, there was only one thing left.
“…Will you tell us? The answer you’ve found, Lux-kun.”
“Yes.”
I slowly nodded at Felisiana-sama’s words.
Then, speaking the answer born from my honest, unvarnished feelings, I met each of their eyes in turn and said,
“I love all of you, Felisiana-sama, Florence-san, Elizalina-sama, Rezamiliana-sama… and I want every one of you to find happiness by my side.”