The garden slowly quieted as the soft winds rustled the leaves. Sion stood silently, the words of Sara and Katherine echoing in his mind. The warmth of their concern, the trembling in their voices—it wasn't something he was used to. Not as Allen, not as Sion. And yet, something inside him was changing.
Sara took a step forward, her hand reaching for his. "You don't have to say anything now," she whispered. "Just… let us stand beside you."
Katherine nodded. "We're not just your fiancées for show. We're your partners. In peace… and in war."
Sion looked at their hands—soft, but firm with determination. With a small sigh, he nodded once. It wasn't much, but for those two, it was more than enough.
Not far away, Raphael smiled under the shade of a tree. "He's finally learning," he said to himself. "Took him long enough."
As the day wore on, Sion spent time with his family—dining, walking, even smiling a little. Janet clung to his arm the whole time, making exaggerated pouts if he looked away even for a moment. Mary, watching her son laugh, wiped away a tear without saying a word.
But peace rarely lasts.
Later that evening, Duke John entered the manor with grim news. A scout near the borders of Leaf Dukedom had detected unknown magical disturbances—fluctuations too structured to be natural. "It might be a probing spell," he said. "Or worse, a portal being prepared."
Sion's expression hardened. "Have the mages examine the mana residue. And double the guards at the southern border."
Raphael added, "The ripple feels familiar. I'll investigate personally. This might be related to the forces we've long suspected."
Just then, a sealed letter arrived—stamped with the black wax of the Bethel Empire.
Sion broke the seal. His eyes scanned the lines.
It was a diplomatic warning cloaked in politeness—accusations of territorial aggression, and a veiled threat that Bethel would "reassess" its current stance if the Clover Kingdom continued to grow militarily.
Sara, who stood by his side, clenched her fists. "So, they've begun."
Sion turned to her, his calm returning. "Let them come."
But deep in his heart, he knew—the storm was close. The peace he had shared today, with his loved ones, was a luxury. One he would have to fight to protect.