How About a Refill? ~The Elegant Tea Party of the Grand Witches~ - Chapter 39

Miriam’s Realization of Love

At Eleonora’s house they decided to tighten the security around Alessia, look more deeply into Gilbert Dala de Feline, and investigate the connection between the True Salvation religion and the Count of Feline.

After that, they finished the valley inspection that they’d planned to do, and soon everyone decided to go back home.

Eleonora took out her wand to send Miriam back to the Caparoni house, but was stopped by Emilio.

“Lady Eleonora, can you wait for a bit?”

“Huh? Yeah I don’t mind, but why do you ask? Did you want to go on a secret date with her?”

Emilio smiled pleasantly at Eleonora’s words.

“Yes, that’s right. If Miss Miraim agrees, that is.”

Eleonora was a little surprised to see this unusual side of Emilio. But then she smiled roguishly at him.

“Well should I accidentally send Miriam to the palace then? Along with you.”

Emilio smiled broadly at those words and grabbed Miriam’s hand.

“Eh? Prince Emilio?”

“I’ll send you back to the Caparoni house.”

“Ah thank you, Lady Eleonora!”

Eleonora swished her wand and sent them both to the Palace. Miriam had a surprised look on her face at the sudden actions of the two, while Emilio gazed at her softly.

Leonardo was still at her house talking with Beatrice and Valeria about something. When he saw Eleonora return, he went up to her to thank her for sending Miriam back home.

“Thank you for sending my sister back… huh? Didn’t His Highness go with you as well?”

“Oh? I accidentally sent them both to the palace. Sorry.”

Eleonora replied with a straight face. Leonardo sighed at that.

“You did that on purpose, right, Lady Eleonora?”

“Hahaha, who knows?”

“Oh well, it’s fine. It can’t be helped.”

Seeing Leonardo not even rushing to defend his beloved sister, the three witches starters talking noisily.

“Ooh! What’s this? You’re not angry, Leo?”

“L-leo…? Well, I suppose you can call me that.”

“Yo, you siscon brother, did you finally give up?”

“What kind of change-of-heart did you have?”

Leonardo shrugged his shoulders, surrounded by the witches.

“While I’m the older brother of my cute angelic Millie, I’m also Prince Emilio’s best friend. They’re both precious to me. If two of my closest people get together, then, well, I think it’s fine.”

“Eh. Well, you know what kind of person he is so it’s good, right?”

Leonardo recalled when Emilio had been jealous of Robin earlier, and let out a sigh.

“No, when it comes to Millie he turns into someone I’ve never seen before, so he often takes me by surprise.”

“Well, that’s how love is.”

They all laughed. Then, Beatrice escorted Leonardo, and Valeria grabbed Robin, as they both teleported away to their respective places. 

　◇

Miriam and Emilio were at a gazebo in the middle of the palace’s gardens.

Miriam was looking downwards with her face bright red. Emilio tried to make small talk, but he was also feeling nervous and couldn’t speak much. 

The reason was that Miriam was snuggled right next to him on the bench, with one of his arms wrapped tightly around her.

“Y-y-y-you’re too close!”

How did it end up like this? 

Half an hour ago:　――――

“I wasn’t able to talk to you in the valley so I asked Lady Eleonora to send us both here.”

Emilio smiled at Miriam, her hand in his.

The two had been teleported to the Palace’s gardens and were currently walking with their hands linked together.

“Ah, is that so?”

This was the first time she’d talked to Emilio since the confession. Every time she looked at his face, she would recall the events at the lake and get all flustered.

‘Whenever I look at Prince Emilio’s face my heart just starts pounding… I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach… is there something wrong with me?’

“You did some embroidery at Lady Eleonora’s house today, right? How did it go?”

“Yes, it was really easy to understand lady Eleonora’s instructions. I learned a lot.”

“I see. What did you embroider?”

Miriam fidgeted shyly at Emilio’s question.

‘Ah, what’s with this adorable girl!’

Emilio wanted to turn around and scream when he saw her, but he held himself in check.

“Um, Prince Emilio, you are always giving me flowers and sweets, and you always send me back home in your carriage, but I have never repaid you for that, right?”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

‘Because I have ulterior motives after all.’

“No, I can’t do that.”

Emilio couldn’t take her cuteness when she looked at him with slightly rounded cheeks.

‘Ah! Is it on purpose? Is she doing this on purpose?’

“I have to properly pay you back for everything. That’s why I embroidered this handkerchief wanting to give it to you. Will you accept it?”

Miriam had finished it earlier as Eleonora overlooked her progress. She had embroidered the initial ‘E’ with delicate ivy wrapped around it. As she pulled it out Emilio, as if something had come over him, put one arm around her waist, one under her knees and, lifting her up, carried her to a gazebo nearby.

Miriam was startled at being picked up so suddenly and wrapped her arms around Emilio’s neck to keep her balance. But, in the next instance, feeling embarrassed at how close it brought her to him, she tried to let go of her hands.

“Don’t let go. It’ll be easier to carry you if you keep your hands there.”

Emilio whispered in her ear making her squeal at the close contact.

Hearing that, Emilio gave a roguish grin.

“How cute.”

He murmured in her ear once again making her blush to the tips of her ears and turn her face away from him.

“L-l-l-let me down, please…”

At her soft murmur, Emilio reluctantly put her down on the gazebo’s bench. He sat close beside her ensconing her with his body.

――――

“Thank you, Miss Miriam. I really like it.”

“N-no problem. I’m sorry for not wrapping it into a proper gift bag…”

“No, that’s no problem. Rather, this way, I was able to get it faster.”

Emilio picked up a lock of her walnut coloured hair and placed a kiss on it.

‘Ah she’s so cute! Ah I should just propose to her now! Come to think of it, she’s so cute, what if someone else steals her?!’

Miram felt uneasy watching Emilio fall deep into thought, while he still held her.

“U-um, Prince Emilio? Is everything alright?”

“Huh? Oh I was just thinking I should quickly propose to you before someone else steals you…”

“Ehhh?”

“Huh? Wait… did I say that out loud!?”

Emilio became flustered when he realised he had let out his thoughts.

Miriam’s heart was also pounding loudly at his words.

“U-um, I have never been in love before so…”

“Yeah?”

“B-but these past few days, I can’t seem to get you out of my mind. My mind keeps wandering to you, even when I’m doing embroidery I lose all concentration with my mind thinking about you…”

She held out her left hand which was full of needle prick marks. Emilio took her hand gently in his.

“Today too, every time I looked at you I felt shy, and my heart wouldn’t stop pounding. I wonder what is wrong with me?”

Emilio felt a surge of love for Miriam at her words. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. Emilio smiled softly as Miriam met his gaze with her own.

“I feel the same. I always end up thinking of you, and whenever I see your smiling face I want to pull you close. I love you.”

“Love… so this feeling is ‘love’…”

She let out the word ‘love’ and then smiled shyly as he looked at Emilio.

“It seems that I am in love with you, Prince Emilio. I humbly accept your proposal of marriage.”

Emilio shook with joy at that and pulled Miriam to his chest for a hug.