Chapter 418: Violet’s Happiness
Lux’s Side
“…!? Violet-san, you… about me…”
Caught off guard by the sudden confession, I couldn’t hide my shock.
Until now, Florence-san and Felisiana-sama,
Elizalina-sama, and Rezamiliana-sama had all confessed their feelings to me.
Each time someone told me they loved me, it surprised me.
No matter how many times I hear it, I can’t get used to that feeling.
Or rather, I don’t want to get used to it.
The way I receive it might change over time, but I still want to face each and every one of those feelings properly.
At the same time, I had never imagined Violet-san would feel that way about me, so the impact was even greater.
Then Violet-san nodded once and said,
“Yes.”
Looking at her now, her expression was gentler than I had ever seen before.
Maintaining that expression, she continued.
“Aside from Ojou-sama, you were the first person to shine such a radiant light on me, Rodwell-sama… and as I continued to watch you from the shadows, I came to see more and more of your kindness, and even the parts of you I find endearing. Spending time with you directly from time to time… this feeling toward you, something I had never experienced before, not just wanting to support you, but wanting to love you, began to grow within me.”
Not just wanting to support me, but wanting to love me…
Violet-san… had those feelings for me.
As I fell silent for a moment, Violet-san spoke again.
“From an outside perspective, I understand that I may not seem like someone who would harbor romantic feelings, so it’s only natural that my confession would surprise you, Rodwell-sama.”
“…!”
“However, I…”
“P-please wait! That’s not why I’m surprised!”
Seeing her eyes widen at my words, I continued.
“It’s true that I was surprised you feel that way about me. But it’s not because I think you don’t seem like someone who would fall in love, and I’ve never thought that.”
If anything…
“I think someone as beautiful as you, Violet-san, suits having feelings like that… not just the ones you have for me, but any kind of beautiful, wonderful emotions.”
“They suit… me?”
“Yes.”
I nodded at her surprised question and went on.
“Actually, earlier, when you said in the throne room that you would support us from the shadows… I felt this pain deep in my chest. At the time, I didn’t fully understand why, and I didn’t want to deny it if that’s what you truly wanted, so I didn’t say anything. But the truth is, I don’t want you to stay in the shadows… I want you to be happy, just like Felisiana-sama and the others.”
…And then.
“Now that you’ve told me how you feel, I finally understand what was behind that pain, and it’s gone.”
That’s right.
Because I had been so focused on what was right in front of me, I never noticed this feeling before.
I…
“I truly want you to be happy, Violet-san, after everything you’ve done to support Felisiana-sama and this country all this time… and not just any kind of happiness, I want you to be by my side, and I want to be the one who makes you happy… that’s how deeply I care about you, and I love you.”
And then I continued.
I embraced Violet-san and told her,
“From now on, please let me love you.”
“…! Yes… Rodwell-sama…!”
Violet-san, her voice trembling with more emotion than I had ever heard from her, embraced me in return.
“Is it really alright… for me to be this happy…?”
“Of course… from now on, I’ll make you even happier.”
…And for a while after that,
I continued to hold Violet-san in my arms as she quietly shed tears.