"Liya, try the skewers I grilled," Uranus An called out with a hopeful smile.
"Everyone, please try them too. Although they may not be as delicious as what Miss Ram and Miss Rem prepared, they should still be quite good."
Uranus looked at Emilia with a hint of nervousness.
Beatrice nodded firmly, giving a confident thumbs-up.
"Uranus grilled these himself, and he spent the entire afternoon on them. I think they are very tasty."
Emilia smiled sweetly at that, but when Uranus walked over to the swing holding an empty wine glass, she blinked with curiosity.
"Ahem, actually, I still have a gift to give the most beautiful, gentle, and lovely Miss Emilia in all the world," Uranus said. His voice was amplified through the smart speaker attached to his portable all-in-one device, carrying across the entire courtyard.
At the same time, the magical orbs installed around them began to glow and flash with bright colors, and most importantly, music began to play.
Even in this magical world, technology could blend with magic through special crafted props. Uranus had ordered these from a magic prop shop in Town. At normal prices they would have been ridiculously expensive, but after a certain creative negotiation with the shopkeeper, all problems had been solved.
These props had the ability to temporarily record memories and play them back as sound and light.
As the melody began, everyone present instinctively turned their attention toward Uranus.
Holding the wine glass like a microphone, his amethyst eyes were bright and gentle, as if they could melt anyone who met his gaze. Beatrice, Ram, and Rem all shivered slightly; his expression was simply too sweet to look at without feeling a little overwhelmed.
The music flowed, gentle and romantic:
I forgot how long it has been
Tell me your favorite story
Since you said you loved me
The stars in my sky all lit up
I wish to become the angel you love from a fairy tale
Spread my arms
Turn into wings to protect you
You must believe
Believe that we will be like in a fairy tale
Happiness and joy will be the ending
Uranus sang with deep emotion, his voice steady and heartfelt. Everyone watched him, stunned and speechless, mouths slightly open.
The meaning of the song was clear, full of devoted emotion. For Emilia and the others, this was their first time hearing something so openly touching and romantic.
"Liya, no matter when, I will become an angel to protect you!" Uranus finished the song with a promise that echoed through the courtyard.
With a doting smile on his face, he pressed a button on one of the magic props in his hand. A moment later, a loud sound reverberated above them, and magical fireworks exploded in brilliant colors across the night sky.
Everyone instinctively looked upward in amazement.
Even the nearby village in the forest could see the magical fireworks lighting up the heavens above the mansion.
The combination of the song and the fireworks left a striking impression on Emilia and everyone else. The spectacle was novel, breathtaking, and romantic.
Emilia's eyes shone brighter than the fireworks above, her smile filled with pure joy.
The entire evening was destined to become an unforgettable memory for her and the others.
Inside the mansion, however, Natsuki Subaru's expression grew darker with every passing moment.
That man might be from a similar world as him. What should he do?
"Emilia, why don't you believe me? That guy is not human," Subaru muttered under his breath, his hands clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Streaks of emotion flared in his eyes, giving him an unusually fierce look.
Outside, under the endless sky brimming with stars and a glowing moon, laughter and emotion drifted gently on the night breeze.
"Uranus, thank you," Emilia breathed as she watched Uranus carry her upstairs in his arms with a calm affection.
"Liya has been much happier since meeting you," Puck said as he floated beside them.
Uranus smiled, shaking his head a little.
"Puck, there's no need to thank me. As long as Liya can live happily every day, that is enough for me."
Uranus gently placed Emilia on her bed, careful and tender as she already slept peacefully, a contented smile on her lips.
"Puck, everyone is tired tonight, so you should also rest early."
"Too bad tomorrow is Mr. Natsuki Subaru's day," Puck replied with a light sigh.
Uranus reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Emilia's forehead, then turned to leave.
"Uranus, you should rest early too," Puck waved him off.
"Good night," Uranus said softly.
Once the door closed, the warmth in his expression vanished. His previously doting and gentle eyes became calm, unreadable, as his footsteps echoed down the long corridor and faded into the shadows.
The next morning, Lucien woke up early as usual.
Today he planned to train. According to his own strategy, when pursuing someone, one should be flexible and play a bit hard to get, even while taking care of their heart.
Of course, today was Natsuki Subaru's turn.
Lucien's training was simple for now: basic physical exercises like push-ups, as always. This was the benefit of his enhancement training; he trained every moment he could. Before now, he had always carried one ton of weight during his training.
Starting today, he planned to add one jin of weight at a time.
Although one jin might seem light, to Lucien it was heavy enough to be crushing under certain conditions. The added weight acted on every muscle, bone, and cell in his body.
If it did not affect every part, he could probably withstand an extra five tons.
Lucien began his morning circuit around the mansion courtyard, training with calm concentration. Meanwhile, Natsuki Subaru had already prepared breakfast and waited for Emilia downstairs. He had planned to show off his skills and win Emilia's favor today.
However, things did not go according to his expectations. Compared to Uranus's thoughtful surprises and heartfelt gestures, Subaru's approach felt too forceful and anxious.
He stayed close to Emilia all day, even interrupting her studies to offer drinks and snacks.
Unlike Lucien, who allowed Emilia freedom and quietly prepared gifts behind the scenes, Subaru hovered nervously. Though Subaru spent far more time with Emilia, he failed to leave a deep impression.
Lucien's attention had made her feel relaxed and cherished, even if his gestures sometimes embarrassed her.
But Subaru's clingy repetition made Emilia feel tired.
Without comparison, Subaru might have succeeded in bringing comfort, but because Emilia could see how different Lucien's approach felt, the contrast was striking.
When Emilia gazed out the window and saw Uranus training with calm focus, a faint smile occasionally curved her lips. Each time this happened, Subaru's heart clenched with jealousy, wishing he could tear Uranus apart.
"Miss Rem, are you going out?" Lucien asked suddenly as he finished a set of push-ups and noticed Rem heading out the courtyard gate.
"Yes," Rem replied simply.
Compared to Subaru's anxious energy, Rem found Uranus's calm presence easy to be around.
"Are you going to the village?" Lucien asked as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
Rem did not speak, only nodded slightly.
"It is not safe for a girl to go alone, I will go with you," Uranus said earnestly.
"No need," Rem replied with cool confidence. The village was protected by a barrier, and the incident they had encountered last time should not repeat.
"It is fine. I have nothing else to do today, and I promised to visit some friends in the village," Rem explained.
"Alright then!" Uranus smiled, relieved.
"Wait for me a moment, I will go get some candies," he added with an easy tone.
"Okay," Rem responded.
Unbeknownst to them, Emilia had been watching from the window as the two of them walked down the path together.
Her small mouth formed a tiny, almost imperceptible pout. Emilia herself hardly noticed it at first.
The day passed quietly.
At dinner, everyone could tell that Subaru was in a very bad mood.
Uranus, as usual, ate his meal with gusto, and over time everyone had become accustomed to seeing him devour his food. In fact, watching Uranus eat seemed to stimulate their own appetites in surprising ways.
No matter how many times they watched him, it never failed to be astonishing.
Uranus An's presence felt like a breath of fresh air in the mansion. Even though Emilia's emotions had been stirred deeply, the night and the morning both had shown her something new about the warmth and sincerity someone could give her.
And as the dinner progressed, laughter once again filled the courtyard under the starlit sky.
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