Three months have passed since Gilbert and I began building our home. We have carefully leveled the land, and at last, the foundation is complete. Until the house is finished, the carriage we used on our journey serves as our temporary dwelling.
The village of blacksmiths is still filled with cheerful laughter and the sounds of various tools wielded by the craftsmen.
Since the cut timber needs to dry, the construction of the house is progressing slowly. While we wait, we are working on other projects, and currently, Gilbert is focused on creating a loom. Drawing from my experience as a seamstress, I have taken on sewing jobs in the village. When I received a delightful suggestion to create something from fabric, I began to experiment. Gilbert quickly noticed my efforts and started crafting the loom.
Gilbert’s woodworking mentor is an elderly furniture craftsman from the village, along with a boy who previously made a Goddess Statue. During breaks, he gifts me flowers he carves from wood, claiming it is part of his training.
“Hey, lumberjack, you’re really improving, huh!? Is this the power of love or what?”
“In order to make a proper ring, I need to master the delicate touch for the thin side processing…!”
As we chat, he hands me a beautiful lily made from wood. It’s astonishing how much it resembles a real lily, with the wood grain enhancing the curves of the leaves and petals, creating an ethereal beauty. When I tuck it into my hair, I feel a warm embrace, and the scent of wood surrounds me, making me feel a little flustered. The truth is, both of us are rather shy, so this is about our limit in public. Yet, at this moment, I am the happiest I could ever be.
While we were enjoying our time together, a visitor arrived in the village. It was none other than Lady Amanda.
“Looks like you might be invited to this village as royalty again after a long time.”
“Oh! That would be an honor. Actually, I brought an invitation with me today. I understand that everyone is avoiding the public eye, so I leave the decision to you.”
With that, Lady Amanda handed us an invitation to a celebration being held at the Royal Castle. After a three-month confirmation period, the declaration of the Undead Beast’s eradication was to be celebrated, honoring those who contributed to the effort. Enclosed was a handwritten letter from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Gilbert and I read it together, exchanging glances before passing it to Mr. Dolf.
“Hmm. It seems the King desires to reclaim his honor as a final gesture.”
I have heard that the current King is proud and concerned with appearances. However, if he were to abdicate now, history would record him as “the King who foolishly lost the Holy Sword.” It seems he cannot bear that thought and wishes for both Gilbert and me to attend. According to the Crown Prince, he intends to bestow titles at the event to overwrite his own achievements.
“It states here, ‘You may decline. It is acceptable to refuse in person. No disrespect will be questioned regarding this matter.’ This is the Crown Prince’s endorsement. It might be amusing to go along with it.”
Mr. Dolf and Ms. Barbara wore mischievous expressions, as if they had just thought of a prank.
“These types are persistent unless you clearly refuse. So, why not go and face them directly to decline?”
Ms. Barbara laughed like a wicked witch.
“Well, the King has his own thoughts on various matters. A small act of revenge, perhaps. That much is manageable…”
“Indeed…!”
I mimicked Ms. Barbara’s wicked witch smile. Since I do have my own thoughts on the matter, I decided to go out for a little bit of revenge.
Lady Amanda arranged all the dresses needed for our visit to the castle. Accompanying us were Miss Chelsea and Mr. Kevin. I felt nervous in the unfamiliar attire.
Lord Lionel, who has resumed his position as the captain of the Royal Knights Order, came to us and offered reassuring words: “If anything goes wrong, I will help you escape.” With that, even if we were imprisoned for refusing a title, we would have a way out.
As Gilbert and I entered the venue filled with numerous nobles, a great commotion erupted. Although Gilbert’s battle axe had already lost its luster, the Ivy Relief remained, and at the King’s request, we entered with the axe at our side instead of a sword.
We proceeded, led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Amanda, to stand before the King. The King appeared quite haggard, but upon seeing Gilbert’s battle axe, his eyes sparkled with excitement.
“I have been waiting for you, Holy Knight Gilbert.”
“Please wait, Your Majesty.”
Gilbert quickly interrupted the King.
“I injured my dominant arm two years ago and laid down my sword. I am no longer a knight… Therefore, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from calling me a Holy Knight. You should refer to me as ‘the Holy Lumberjack’ instead…”
As Gilbert spoke in a teasing tone, someone coughed in the background. It seemed to be Lord Lionel. His shoulders shook, and soon the Crown Prince began to tremble as well, causing a peculiar ripple of laughter to spread through the crowd.
“H-Holy… Lumberjack…?”
The King frowned, furrowing his brow. It was clear he did not appreciate the absurdity of the title.
“Then, Flora Cadira, you shall be recognized as a Holy Maiden…”
“Your Majesty, I apologize, but please reserve the title of Holy Maiden for one of the clergy who serves the nation daily.”
“But…! You are the true—”
“No, Your Majesty. Blessings are not the work of a single person. Moreover…”
I flashed a smile, one that Ms. Barbara had taught me.
“I am merely the wife of a lumberjack who prays!”
There is nothing more I desire than this.
Finally, when Gilbert conveyed his intention to decline the title of hero, we left the venue side by side.
Mr. Dolf and Ms. Barbara were waiting for us with our usual carriage, ready to take us back to the village. As it was already late at night, we switched drivers and allowed Mr. Dolf and the others to rest.
To cool off from the heat of our little revenge at the banquet, Gilbert and I took our seats at the Coachman’s Seat. Under the starry sky, swaying in the carriage, I reminisced about the early days of our time together.
“It feels nostalgic, doesn’t it?”
“…Yeah. Actually… I want to be honest now.”
Gilbert began to fidget, much like he did back then. Although he was sitting right next to me now, he seemed restless. I found myself mirroring his fidgeting.
“The truth is, I liked you a little even back then.”
“Oh? Just a little?”
“I mean, compared to how I feel now…! From there, as we spent time together, those feelings grew into something immense…”
“I feel the same way. Now, it has become something truly enormous…”
The words that followed were a mix of various emotions, so vast that it felt a shame to condense them into short phrases. Instead, I conveyed everything in a kiss, pouring all my prayers and feelings into it.
This concludes the main story.
I would like to express my gratitude to all the readers. The subsequent episodes and outcomes of each character will be published in a side story at a later date.
This is actually the first time I have completed a novel. Having lived as a reader for so long, I found it challenging to “wrap up” the story, and I know there were many parts that might have been difficult to read. To everyone who stayed with me until the end and reported typos, I sincerely thank you.
As for the fates of Flora and Gilbert, I struggled until the end about how much to include in the main story, and that will be addressed in the epilogue. Additionally, I have three other unfinished works that I plan to complete and publish. If we have the chance again, I would be delighted if you would read them!