The magic cards I made are absolutely flawless!

At this point, her voice became more certain.

"But I've noticed that even Dekan, who I consider the smartest, sometimes thinks he's too clever for his own good, has illusions, and gets caught up in his own thoughts. Even I sometimes think Dekan is a bit stupid. But that's part of Dekan's true self, and everyone has already noticed it. No one has any overly high expectations of you, so don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Dekan, whose face was being pinched by Cornelia, blinked his eyes wide open, his mouth looking almost like a small round hole.

"Um……"

However, after listening to Cornelia's words, Dekan lowered his eyes and responded.

Cornelia looked at Dekan's comical yet pitiful appearance and felt as if she were bullying him.

So he let go, allowing Dekan to calm himself down.

The two remained silent for a long time afterward.

Although Dekan didn't say much, the rhythm of the swing seemed to have become more energetic.

"It's already very late."

Dekan glanced at the girl beside him and finally spoke.

He knew that Teacher Cat and the others were still hiding outside the courtyard.

Cornelia went back with everyone, which put Dekan at ease.

"Ah."

Cornelia slowly leaned against Dekan's shoulder.

"Let me swing with you a little longer."

"..."

Dekan didn't say anything more, leaning against the swing and gazing at the starry sky.

I don't know why.

Dekan felt his thoughts becoming clearer.

Many things are not that complicated.

All you need to do is tell her your truest feelings, at the right time and in the right place, in front of her.

There's no need to use Doloice as a perfect benchmark to guide yourself.

Dekan knew.

He is Delois.

She is no longer Deloitte.

Delois would never do something so shameful.

At least Decan couldn't imagine Deloitte getting into an embarrassing situation in an ordinary, everyday story.

But that's because...

The very first Delois.

There won't be so many complex emotions that belong only to humans.

Making mistakes occasionally is not necessarily a bad thing.

He had possessed from the very beginning what Dolores had been pursuing his entire life.

……

Let's go back to the present.

The celebrations in the Kingdom of Vihart have come to a complete end.

In the square, on the stands, and on the road, people were dressed in all kinds of clothes, and smiles appeared on their faces.

When an alchemical concoction prepared to celebrate the birth of the victor and the successful conclusion of the ceremony is lit, the flames will soar into the sky and transform into dazzling fireworks.

As people chased the rising flames, their gazes also turned to the sky.

— Clang.

As if ripples were cast into the stillness of the night, the sound of bells rang out along with ceremonial music.

If fireworks are stars falling into a river, then the sound of bells is the murmuring water.

Clang, clang, clang, clang.

The sound was repeated at certain intervals, not only to indicate the time, but also as an ancient ritual originating from the purification of the land.

Today is a day of celebration, a day of rites, and a day of congratulations.

From the royal viewing platform, there was a sky full of stars and a bright moon.

Then, their eyes met.

"You could have chosen to take a large bounty."

Seeing Dekan's earnest expression, as if he were proposing, Cornelia covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

Dekan did not respond with specific words, but simply shook his head.

"So, what does this mean?"

Cornelia looked at Dekan and asked with interest.

He was kneeling on one knee, holding a rare treasure in his hand.

Even if one wanted to present this legendary red card as a gift to the princess who commissioned it, it seemed far too solemn.

"This is a marriage proposal."

Both their words and their attitude were absolutely certain.

"!"

Cornelia was startled by the unexpected answer, and the cat teacher she was holding accidentally fell to the ground.

Only in this very moment.

Dekan's eyes became incredibly clear and resolute.

Those were eyes full of trust and love, deep and focused, earnest and devout.

It was a gaze that Cornelia momentarily dared not meet.

Dekan raised his other hand slightly and grasped Cornelia's small, drooping hand.

"I have never believed in anything ambiguous, such as destiny or love at first sight."

Dekan spoke slowly,

"There must be a reason for love to arise."

"—That's what I originally thought."

"But perhaps that's not entirely true."

"Although our meeting was somewhat extraordinary, there were no particularly memorable stories. The memories of being with you are mostly of ordinary days and nights."

"So much so that I can't even be sure when I fell in love with you."

"If I can't even figure this out, then I can't express my truest feelings to you—I've struggled with how to make my vows to you."

"I finally knew the answer when you sat down next to me."

"I just met you, and then we just kept each other company like this. And then, without realizing it, we ended up together as friends."

"Although 'unconsciously' doesn't sound like an answer that would come from someone as meticulous as me."

"But I think that this unconsciousness is a necessary condition for someone as single-minded as me to fall in love with someone."

"So, could you please continue to stay with me, and let us unknowingly spend the rest of our lives together?"

Even amidst the deafening sounds of bells, fireworks, and laughter in the capital, Dekan's voice remained crystal clear beside Cornelia.

Cornelia listened to Dekan's words and took in his figure.

Although her eyes looked like she was crying, her mouth looked like she was smiling.

at last.

Cornelia reached out and gently touched the red magic card in Dekan's palm, binding it to her soul.

【The Demon's Oath Across Time】

The owner can contract a demon.

Dekan smiled and closed his eyes. When he opened them again and looked at Cornelia, his pupils had turned gold.

He is both human and one of the few remaining demons in the world.

The girl stood before the demon.

This moment feels just like that moment ten thousand years ago.

The gray-haired demon learned to express his true feelings, while the red-haired girl gained a healthy body.

next second.

The red legend seemed to transform into a soft, flowing light, linking the two people's hands.

A sacred power of covenant emanated from the card, forming two rings engraved with the marks of reincarnation and the blessings of the goddess of fate. These rings landed on their ring fingers, creating a strong force that connected them.

Suddenly, Cornelia felt a strange connection between herself and Dekan, as if she could clearly sense wherever Dekan went.

Gradually, Dekan stood up and, like a butler, smiled and bowed to the young lady.

It was as if the demon was expressing friendliness to its contractor, or as if it was making up for a regret in a certain story.

Cornelia also took a step forward.

"You never hold back your praise, you take care of me and help me all the time, and you even find me funny when I say the wrong thing. I know you are the person who understands me best in the world, so I quickly let down my guard with you."

Cornelia gazed into Dekan's eyes, looking deep into his depths as if she could see into his heart.

Before I met you, I was so ordinary and my life was so boring. You brought me vitality and made me feel like every day was a dream.

"Even today, I am still amazed at how wonderful it was to meet you. You are always the one who holds my hands tightly to prevent me from falling down again."

"Your love for me is more enduring and harder to repay."