Final Chapter: In the Snow (last part)

And the strongest thing pushing me to use the Jewel Voice Broadcast had been

Liscia, who'd given legitimacy to the royal title I'd been given. Without that, I might

not have been able to shut up the people who were against me using the Jewel Voice

Broadcast. When I thought of it that way...

"...Well, damn. Liscia's starting to feel like my goddess of victory."

"I want you to take good care of her," Albert told me.

"Of course."

She was a goddess who had never abandoned me, no matter how adverse the

situation. If I didn't treasure her, I was probably in for some serious karmic

retribution.

Sir Albert rose from his seat. "Well, I have told you all I know. Now, my role truly

has been played out to the end. The rest... I leave to you and the others."

With that said, Sir Albert stood next to Lady Elisha, hugging her around the

shoulder.

"I think we will leave the castle, and live quietly in my old domain in the

mountains."

I inhaled sharply in surprise. "Why?!"

"If the old king stays too long, people will begin to get bad ideas," Albert said.

"Now that I have seen the changing future, I will withdraw. This is another thing I

had decided on from the very beginning."

Here, he wore not the face of an unreliable king, but the eyes of a loving father

watching over his children. Those eyes... was he directing them at me?

"You've already made up your minds, I see," I said slowly.

"I can trust you with both Liscia and this country," said Albert. "Elisha and I both

believe that. I ask you to do this for me, my son."

"My son." When he called me that, I rose from my seat and pounded one fist on

my chest.

"You have my word. Father, Mother, thank you for everything."

I bowed my head deeply to Sir Albert and Lady Elisha. Sir Albert nodded when he

saw that, while Lady Elisha continued watching with a smile until the end. I bowed

one more time, and turned to grasp the handle on the door to leave... then stopped.

"I have just one last thing to ask."

"What?" said Albert.

"In the world where I became the prime minister, were our bodies ever found?"

"...No. As I told you, they were reduced to ash. Nothing was ever found."

I see. They'd never found the bodies, huh. Well, then...

"In that case, Liscia and I might have still been alive."

"What?!"

I smiled as Sir Albert's eyes opened wide in surprise. "If I were alone, I might

have died. But Liscia was there, too, right? If the me from that world cared for Liscia

as much as I do here, he would never have let her die. When danger closed in on

them, I'm sure he would have taken Liscia and fled, not caring what people would

say about them. It's possible they were struck down by enemy soldiers in the

attempt, but in that case, there would have been bodies. If you're telling me there

were none, I'd say that means they got away."

Perhaps Georg had been using himself as a decoy to buy them time. Though this

was probably on the same level as believing in the theory that Yoshitsune had

survived. But, what did it matter? If it would help my father-in-law to assuage his

guilt even a little.

"...Thank you, son-in-law."

I heard those quiet words behind me as I turned to leave the room.

"What are you doing here?"

I was on the terrace of the governmental affairs office, looking out on the castle

town at night, when Liscia came out with a blanket.

"I'm surprised you knew to find me here," I said.

"Hakuya told me where you were," she said. "Everyone's in a frenzy trying to get

things together for the singing contest, you know?"

"...Sorry. Let me stay here a little longer."

"Geez... In that case, try wearing something a little warmer," Liscia said, then

threw the blanket she was carrying over me, sliding underneath it herself, too. The

warmth of her body touching mine felt very comforting. "Whew... It sure is cold out

at this time of night."

"Well, yeah, it's winter."

"Ah! It's snowing!" she cried.

"Whoa. You're right." I noticed there were snowflakes falling here and there.

Even though I could still see the moon off in the distant sky.

It started as powder snow, but gradually gave way to larger snowflakes.

The lights of the town and snow on a moonlit night. It was like a scene out of

fantasy.

"It's pretty," Liscia murmured, standing next to me.

"...Well, damn. Liscia's starting to feel like my goddess of victory."

The words I had said then came back to me.

When I looked at Liscia, staring entranced up into the snowy sky, I couldn't just

stay put any longer. I got out from under the blanket, then hugged Liscia, blanket

and all.

"Wha, Souma?!" Liscia cried out in surprise. I didn't let that stop me from holding

her all the tighter.

"...The truth is..."

It was cold out, but for some reason my entire body felt hot. I could see my

breath, but my face was burning. I might even have been crying.

"The truth is, this is something... I really ought to have told you before Aisha,

before Juna, and before Roroa..."

She was silent, questioningly.

"Liscia... I love you. Please, marry me."

Liscia was dumbstruck by my sudden proposal.

"...It sure took you long enough to say it," Liscia said, then gave me a shy smile

that made me feel ticklish. Then, gently pushing me away, she put her hands on my

chest and stood on her tip toes. As the blanket fluttered to the ground, Liscia's face

slowly approached mine. "I love you, too, Souma. I hope we can be together

forever..."

Our lips intertwined.

The clock passed midnight, and it became the 32nd day of the 12th month, New

Year's Eve.

We stayed that way for a while, listening to the approaching footsteps of a new

year.