Spring Snow, Moonlight, And A Gift [Main Story End]

“…….”

Reichardt stared intently at Juan like that.

At the questioning gaze that seemed to ask, “Was that so?”, Juan abruptly turned his eyes away.

Then his gaze met Josephina’s.

“What did Sir Juan and I….”

Josephina cautiously examined Juan with her eyes.

It was the most normal reaction in that audience chamber.

“Marriage.”

The Emperor replied briefly.

“Your Majesty, just a moment….”

Josephina neither shrank nor cowered before the Emperor.

With a calm attitude, she asked the Emperor to wait and walked over to Juan.

The Emperor, who usually ignored others’ words, casually gestured for her to proceed at Josephina’s request.

“Sir Juan.”

“Lady.”

“I want to marry you, Sir Juan. What do you think?”

Approaching Juan, Josephina proposed politely.

Juan, who had received a proposal he had never imagined, stopped all movement for a moment.

“……Shouldn’t I be the one proposing to you, my lady?”

Juan whispered hesitantly in a lowered voice.

“Does it matter who does it?”

“Well… that may be true. I would also be honored. I would be glad, but for the princess’s marriage partner, my status….”

“If Sir Juan is agreeable, that is enough for me.”

Josephina smiled brightly at Juan and then approached the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I wish to marry in the chapel of Erne Palace, where my mother once stayed.”

Josephina looked like an angel as she spoke with a smile.

“I grant it.”

The Emperor also smiled.

“Your Majesty, I shall take my leave.”

Reichardt addressed the Emperor.

“For now, do so. Do not return to the Grand Duke’s residence; wait outside with the Grand Duchess. Once the consultation with the engaged couple is finished, I will summon you. I will grant the Grand Duchess a reward.”

“Yes.”

Reichardt replied to the Emperor and cast his gaze toward Josephina standing nearby.

Josephina looked at Reichardt with a face full of smiles.

“Josephina, it may be early, but congratulations on your marriage. Juan, welcome to the imperial family.”

He congratulated Josephina and lightly patted Juan’s shoulder before leaving the audience chamber.

Outside the chamber, Alicia was sitting in the waiting area.

Alicia was receiving exceptional service from the Emperor’s attendants.

A special table had been prepared in front of her seat, and exquisite tea and beautiful desserts were placed upon it.

Alicia, who had been crunching on cookies, smiled toward Reichardt as he looked at her.

“Rei.”

Alicia offered Reichardt the cookie she had found most delicious.

“His Majesty says he will grant Alicia a reward.”

Reichardt accepted the cookie Alicia held out and sat beside her.

“It seems Josephina and Juan are getting married.”

Alicia spoke with an innocent face, as if she knew nothing, and subtly tried to take Reichardt’s hand.

Reichardt gently withdrew his hand and crossed his arms.

“I’m still not over being angry.”

His stern face looked at Alicia.

“……Rei is angry.”

Alicia spoke with a gloomy face and ate a cookie.

Then she grabbed another cookie and held it out in front of Reichardt’s lips.

“Yes, even if I’m angry, I suppose I can still hold hands.”

Reichardt accepted the cookie Alicia offered, uncrossed his arms, and held out his hand.

Alicia quickly grabbed it.

“Why is Rei angry?”

Alicia whispered as if she truly did not know.

“Why do you think so?”

“……I’m not sure, but I know you’re angry. Will you take away the astronomical clock?”

Reichardt frowned at Alicia’s whisper.

Apparently the question was wrong.

But the most important thing for Alicia right now was whether he would take the astronomical clock.

“The astronomical clock belongs to Alicia.”

Reichardt said kindly and gestured toward the table with his chin.

-Give me a cookie.

That seemed to be the meaning.

Alicia promptly served him one.

“Is it good?”

“Yes.”

Reichardt chuckled when he saw how much more relaxed Alicia’s face was compared to earlier.

“The imperial palace’s pastry chef is skilled.”

“Give me another one.”

Alicia handed another cookie to Reichardt with a satisfied smile.

Toward that relaxed face, Reichardt quietly spoke.

“How many times did you go to hell using the astronomical clock?”

Alicia’s movement stopped abruptly.

Reichardt lowered his head and brought the cookie in Alicia’s hand to his lips.

“Be honest.”

He pressed Alicia with a polite voice.

“……I don’t know.”

After thinking for a moment, Alicia shook her head.

“Why don’t you know?”

“There were days when I went dozens of times in one day, and days when I only went a few times.”

“And days when you didn’t go?”

“None….”

“What would you have done if you went and couldn’t return? Be honest. Which do you like more, the magic stones or me?”

It was an incredibly childish question.

Alicia knew the correct answer was Reichardt.

But she felt her eyes waver anxiously.

“……Reichardt. But isn’t that question too unfair? Reichardt, do you like Lusa more, or me? Do you know how many Lusa there are? Look at your expression just now—you want to go see them, don’t you?”

Alicia grumbled like a dissatisfied child.

“Of course I like Alicia more. And I do want to go see them. ……When shall we go?”

Reichardt said as he extended his arm toward Alicia.

Alicia leaned into the man’s embrace and coaxed him to go right now.

Those who saw the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess embracing affectionately in front of the Emperor’s audience chamber quickly lowered their eyes.

Some grumbled inwardly that it must be nice to be in such a good mood.

And many people thought that if one lived long enough, one would see anything when they saw Reichardt constantly smiling toward Alicia.

Reichardt and Alicia held each other tightly, spreading ticklish smiles.

On the day spring began, Alicia and Reichardt headed to Tessen.

April in Tessen was as cold as winter.

After several days of cold winds, snow began falling from dawn.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Tessen had many duties, but they temporarily stopped all work because of the heavy snowfall.

Alicia and Reichardt walked while the spring snow fell on them.

Just holding hands and walking made them happy.

Reichardt’s vacation ended quickly.

After breakfast the next morning, he was surrounded by Tessen’s ministers and headed to the office.

Roderick scolded him, saying the Grand Duke had never been like this before.

Alicia tactfully finished her meeting schedule and slipped away.

Henrik and Daisy pretended not to notice Alicia going out to play.

They were good people.

Alicia looked around carefully and headed toward the Lusa ranch in the Musto Forest.

The Lusa paid her no attention as they ran freely through the forest.

“Hello.”

Only a few Lusa who had originally lived in the Musto Forest acknowledged her.

Alicia took out the red magic stones she carried and offered them to the Lusa who recognized her.

“You’re eating well. Is it tasty?”

The Lusa exhaled warm breath as they devoured the magic stones Alicia offered.

After the red magic stones, she gave them green and yellow magic stones.

She had gone through many trials and errors to discover this combination.

“Shall I come again this evening?”

The Lusa, who could not possibly understand her words, exhaled a long breath.

Alicia stroked the Lusa’s neck and turned away.

She rode her horse and galloped through the forest all day.

Only when Henrik came to fetch her in the evening did she return to the castle.

Connie carefully looked after Alicia, who had played outside all day, telling her about ten times to say something if she thought she might catch a cold.

Outside, the snow was still piled high.

As someone from the Rain Family, Alicia endured the cold well.

She did not welcome the cold, but she thought it better than the summer heat.

As soon as she returned, Alicia headed to the dining hall for dinner.

Reichardt was already sitting at the table.

Beside him stood the current ministers of Tessen, who had once been vassals of Tessen.

It seemed Reichardt was destined to return to the office immediately after finishing his meal.

“What did you do during the day?”

Reichardt looked at Alicia with a gaze full of envy.

“I took a walk.”

At Alicia’s answer, Reichardt nodded.

The others standing around the table were bewildered.

Did she really go walking through the snow outside?

“After dinner, please make a little time for me, Rei.”

Alicia said with a gentle smile.

“Of course.”

Reichardt looked at Roderick, Juan, Jamie, and Ren as if saying, “You heard that?”

Henrik and Connie watched the affectionate Grand Duke and Grand Duchess with pleased expressions.

After dinner, Reichardt held Alicia’s hand conspicuously as they walked.

Alicia asked Reichardt to go to the Musto Forest.

Roderick fell into despair, while Reichardt smiled like the happiest man in the world.

The two walked to the Musto Forest without riding horses.

Their steps did not falter even as they walked through the snow.

Several times Reichardt tried to make Alicia drink warm tea.

Alicia waved her hands and refused.

The Musto Forest after darkness fell spread a mysterious atmosphere.

“Wait here for a moment.”

“All right.”

Leaving Reichardt behind, Alicia went to a small ranch located in an isolated spot.

After entering, Alicia stopped in one place and did not move for a long time.

Reichardt decided that if Alicia did not move after five minutes, he would go to where she was.

Just as he was about to move because he could not wait any longer—

Clatter, clatter.

Alicia appeared with the sound of small feet running over the snow.

“Rei.”

Reichardt, who had already been watching where Alicia was coming from before she called his name, stopped breathing for a moment.

Tiny Lusa were following beside Alicia.

The Lusa cubs were very small compared to the adults.

The puppy-sized creatures bounced toward where Reichardt stood.

“Happy birthday, Rei.”

Alicia said with a smile.

“Thank you.”

Reichardt, who had been about to approach Alicia, stopped moving again.

He looked around as if searching for something.

After looking around for a while, Reichardt realized that the unfamiliar presence was not far away but very close.

Reichardt smiled and approached Alicia.

Pulling Alicia into his arms, he lowered his head and placed his ear against her chest.

“Rei?”

At Alicia’s call, Reichardt straightened up.

Then he pulled Alicia into a deep embrace again.

Alicia had thought that once she showed him the Lusa cubs, he would not even glance at her.

In reality, happiness and joy overflowed from Reichardt’s eyes when he saw the young Lusa.

But he suddenly looked around before fixing his gaze on Alicia.

“Don’t walk anymore.”

“What?”

“Please. Let me carry you.”

Alicia was about to say what kind of nonsense that was.

But faster than her words, Reichardt lifted Alicia into his arms.

“Wait, Rei.”

“The Lusa’s mother will come soon and take them away. Let’s go.”

“You should put me down….”

At Alicia’s words, Reichardt’s expression became earnest.

“Don’t walk. Please. For me—let me carry you.”

His attitude was so desperate that she could not bring herself to refuse.

“Thank you. But why….”

Alicia’s face filled with confusion.

Was it because he thought the night road was dangerous?

Reichardt kissed her face and smiled.

Toward the face that only smiled without speaking, Alicia whispered why he was going this far.

Reichardt walked quickly and firmly with an angel-like smile.

It was a spring night when three hearts were beating.