The moment Kaito-san told me he loved me, time seemed to grind to a halt. I stood there, frozen.
He didn’t say a word, simply watching me with a steady gaze as he waited for me to find my bearings amidst the chaos in my mind. As my thoughts slowly began to coalesce, my first reaction was pure, instinctive disbelief: there was simply no way.
"That... that can't be true..."
The words slipped out before I could stop them. Once that first sentence escaped, the rest followed in a breathless rush.
"I mean... I’m always the one relying on you, Kaito-san. I'm always being saved by you... How could you possibly love someone as useless as me?"
I truly couldn't believe it. I was weak, my personality was cowardly, and I couldn't see a single thing about myself worth loving. I had hidden behind the noble pretense of protecting him, yet in truth, I had spent my time capitalizing on the connections he forged for my own benefit. I owed him a mountain of gratitude, yet I had given almost nothing in return.
So why? How could he feel this way?
"Lilia-san."
"——!?"
My heart jumped. Just as my disbelief was beginning to spiral into a sense of dread, Kaito-san called my name in a voice so gentle it made my breath catch. He offered me a slightly exasperated smile.
"I’m not one to talk, but I really don't think that habit of yours—the way you constantly put yourself down—is good for you."
"Wh-What?"
"You aren't useless, Lilia-san. You’re a wonderful woman who has given me so much, and you’ve always been there to help me."
Me? Given him so much? Helped him? That couldn't be right...
"I think it was truly a blessing that you were the first person I met after coming to this world. I'm so glad it was you."
"How... how can you say that!?"
"Eh? Lilia-san?"
I was shouting before I realized it. It was the guilt I had carried in the deepest recesses of my heart—the one thing Kaito-san and the others had never pressed me on, and the one thing that had haunted me every single day.
"It’s my fault! It’s all because of me!"
"Wait, what?"
"I’m the one who failed the Hero Summoning! I’m the reason you and the others were dragged into a world you knew nothing about! You’ve had to deal with so much hardship and anxiety, all because you were stuck in such an ambiguous position, not even being the one in the Hero-role... and that's all, all because of me!"
"Ah, actually, someone else was responsible for that, so it wasn't your fault at all, Lilia-san."
"…What?"
I stared at him. What was he talking about? Someone else was responsible? Was there some hidden truth behind the Hero Summoning that I had never been told?
"Well, let's set that aside for the moment."
"You're just going to set it aside!?"
Kaito-san swept the subject away with a quickness that left me reeling. Didn't he think that deserved a bit more of an explanation? But even that confusion was blown away an instant later.
"Ah—!"
Kaito-san stepped toward me. With a movement so natural it felt inevitable, he reached out and pulled me into his arms. Eeeek!?
"Wh-wh-wha—what are you— K-Kaito-san!?"
"Lilia-san. I’m truly glad I met you."
"——!?"
"I don't think I’d be able to smile the way I do now if you weren't here. Even though I’m always causing trouble and surprising you, you still smile at me with such kindness. You worry about me as if it’s the most natural thing in the world... and I love you for it."
The weight of his words felt like a physical force, vibrating through my chest and shaking my very soul. As I was enveloped in his warmth, a sensation that made my skin tingle, a wave of inexpressible happiness surged within me.
I had been so certain it was impossible. I had told myself that even if I fell for him, he could never possibly feel the same way about me...
"Ugh... K-Kaito...-san?"
Even though I was happier than I had ever been, the tears began to fall. I knew I needed to say something, but the words wouldn't form. I could only bury my face in his chest like a child and cry.
As he held me, Kaito-san whispered softly near my ear.
"Lilia-san... could you give me an answer?"
An answer? Why was he even asking? Honestly... as if I hadn't decided that a long time ago.
"I... I love you too, Kaito-san."
"Lilia-san!!"
"Fueh!? Hyan!?"
My face felt like it was on fire as I confessed my feelings. In response, Kaito-san squeezed me in an embrace even tighter than before. I was startled at first, but soon my heart was overflowing with the strength of his hold. I was just so happy that, once again, I lost the ability to speak.
We must have stayed like that for quite some time. Eventually, we pulled apart, facing one another with a profound sense of bashfulness. I was so embarrassed I could hardly look at him, yet I found myself stealing glances anyway. Every time our eyes met, I turned a deeper shade of crimson.
Bathed in that ticklish, blissful atmosphere, Kaito-san reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.
"Um... Lilia-san... Happy birthday."
"Th-Thank you. This is...?"
"It’s a Music Box Magic Tool. It's the first one I’ve ever made, so... please forgive me if the craftsmanship is a bit rough."
"You... you made this for me?"
He told me with such a shy, bashful smile that I felt the tears threatening to return. I fought them back as I took the small box.
The music box was small enough to fit in my palm. It had a tiny Magic Crystal attached to it, and the internal structure seemed designed to limit its use to a specific person, much like a Magic Box. In other words, this was a Magic Tool that only I in the entire world could use. It had been crafted solely for me. That’s cheating... how could I not be happy?
With a fluttering heart, I registered myself as the owner and opened the lid. Inside, beautiful blue gemstones were inlaid, shimmering like a captured night sky. When I hovered my hand over the largest stone in the center, a wonderful melody began to play—bright, yet possessed of a deep, gentle warmth.
I had never heard the song before, but it felt perfect for this moment. Yet the surprises weren't over.
As the music played, the central gemstone began to glow. A projection of the Ducal House of Albert's Crest—our dragon emblem—rose from the back of the box, surrounded by tiny, shimmering stars that danced in time with the music.
"It’s... it’s so beautiful. Did you design this mechanism yourself, Kaito-san?"
"Yes. It was... well, it was really difficult. If you look closely, you’ll see the lines are a bit crooked. I’m sorry."
Now that he pointed it out, the lines of the crest and the stars were indeed a bit shaky in places. But that was proof—absolute proof—of how hard Kaito-san had worked to engrave these tiny stones for my sake. To me, those imperfect lines were more precious than anything else in the world.
"Is this really okay? Just meeting you was a miracle to me... and now, so much happiness is happening all at once..."
"Of course it's okay! You deserve to be happy, Lilia-san. No... I promise I will make you happy."
"Yes... I have many flaws, but... I look forward to being with you."
To be honest, I had never been lucky in love. Luna and Sieg teased me constantly about my terrible luck with men. I had reached a point where I’d simply given up. I expected to spend my life alone or be forced into a loveless political marriage to maintain the family's standing.
But miracles do happen. To have met someone as wonderful as him... my luck couldn't have been that bad after all. Or perhaps this was a once-in-a-lifetime miracle, and if he was the one I got to spend it on, then I was the luckiest woman alive.
"By the way, Kaito-san? I don’t recognize this gemstone. What is it?"
"Oh, um, it’s Midnight Crystal."
"Pardon? Um... the stone they say only appears on the market once every ten years? And this wood... it's incredibly high-quality..."
"It’s lumber harvested from a Branch of the World Tree."
"……"
I felt a wave of dizziness. Midnight Crystal? A Branch of the World Tree? Just how far out-of-common-sense was this man?
"Um... Lilia-san?"
I pressed a hand to my forehead as Kaito-san watched me tentatively. After a long moment of silence, I slowly lowered my hand and looked at him.
"Hehe... fufufu..."
"Lilia-san?"
"Honestly, Kaito-san, you never stop surprising me."
"I-I’m sorry..."
"But I suppose it can't be helped. That’s just part of the man I’ve fallen in love with."
Kaito-san would always be extraordinary, constantly shattering my common sense. But that was the Miyama Kaito I loved. I knew that from here on out, he would continue to surprise me and leave me clutching my head in disbelief.
Yet I was certain that for every time he shocked me, he would bring ten times as much happiness into my life. To be surprised, to be troubled, to be saved... and to laugh together. It would be a hectic life, but a happy one. And there was no one else I’d rather walk toward that future with than this man.
"Kaito-san."
"Yes?"
"Make me happy, okay? And I’ll... I’ll work harder than ever to make sure you never regret choosing me."
"Yes. I’m in your hands from now on."
On the 7th of the Month of Wind—on my twenty-third birthday, amidst a blue light of miracles and a song of blessing—Kaito-san and I officially became a couple.