Chapter 175 - Happiness Destined To Come
5.
[Epilogue, The Last]
"This is a game about happiness."
"This?"
"Of course! The fallen lady Marigold struggles and works hard to find her way to happiness."
"No matter how I look at it, it's either a cruel fairy tale or a roguelike..."
"Don't insult my game."
The creator of this game, his sister, said this game was about "happiness."
At the time, he didn't agree with that statement even a tiny bit, but looking back, it might have been quite true.
Of course, he didn't completely agree.
How could he?
"Aren't you just putting a different spin on starting with misfortune?"
"Do you want to die?"
That was his last memory of his sister.
A game toward happiness.
A life toward happiness.
Lancel now understood that meaning a little better.
6.
"Enter."
As he opened the door and went inside, countless gazes turned toward Lancel.
Klaria, Baron Evil Shen, the Dante family members, the Marigold family members, and the Marigold Knights with their pure white cloaks that he had worked hard to gather again.
The magician Comet who had been led by the fake hero and traveled across the entire continent, the first hero candidate Ot, and Mona.
Most of the people he had encountered and been with throughout his journey were all gathered in this small church in the rural territory.
"Bride, enter."
Following the aisle, Marigold entered next, wearing a veil.
Countless flower petals fell like pointillism paintings along the light pouring in.
"Mary."
Yes.
This is the place.
Once again standing in this place with Marigold.
"Sir Lancel."
Among all the weddings Lancel had with Marigold, there was one moment that stood out most in his memory.
The wedding ceremony with the Court Count's daughter, forced by the fake Emperor. That moment remained particularly vivid in Lancel's memory.
An unwanted wedding ceremony.
The spoiled Iceford lady.
The beginning of that sham fake wedding.
"Do many people... marry without liking each other?"
"Connections don't always have to be destined. Some relationships form overnight."
Lancel still couldn't forget the moment when Marigold's face was revealed behind the veil when he thought it would be Hesty.
"Hehe."
Perhaps it was from that moment.
============
—Marigold stood once again in the same place with the man from her memories. She instinctively felt that their connection was too strong to be severed even by a blade.
============
The point where the connection between the two became so entangled that they could no longer be separated.
Looking back, it was inevitable, but at that time, Lancel felt it was a terrible and cruel coincidence.
That wedding ceremony when both Lancel and Marigold were still immature.
Lancel still vividly remembered that moment filled with numerous mistakes and twists and turns because they didn't know each other well.
Right?
Marigold.
"I'm glad the weather cleared up, Sir Lancel."
"...Yeah."
Their connection that began in just one morning.
Who would have dreamed it would be this intense?
"Ahem. Ah-ah."
The 3rd Princess cleared her throat right in front of them.
"Before these two who become one today, there may be many trials, days of breaking and shattering that will always block their path."
Lancel raised his head to look at Marigold. She was looking at him too.
It was a dazzlingly bright day with sunlight pouring through the church windows.
"But I, Klaria, believe without doubt that if they rely on and help each other, they will ultimately overcome it."
Yellow flower petals showered down like rain.
"By God. Under this blessed sky, these two have finally become husband and wife!"
Klaria finally proclaimed the declaration.
"May neither good and evil, nor death, nor time, nor eternity separate these two!"
Through the falling flower petals, Marigold's face was visible.
"Kiss each other, Lancel. Mary."
.
.
.
Of course, they hadn't ended the regression.
Lancel and Marigold always mixed in a rehearsal playthrough like this once every five cycles, preparing for when they would eventually end the regression.
Two people who can practice life—wouldn't others find that enviable?
Anyway, Lancel and Marigold weren't yet at the point where they could end the regression.
There was one critical problem between them now.
Perhaps nothing was more important between them right now than this.
What am I talking about?
"It didn't happen again, Sir Lancel."
Marigold flopped down on the bed.
"My infertility isn't being cured, Sir Lancel. Even that feeling I had last time was just a false pregnancy..."
"Are we going to be childless for life?"
"No! I won't accept that!"
Marigold approached Lancel with a fierce expression.
"I've made it my ultimate life goal to give love to and raise properly the children I will have in the future. If that can't even begin, it's a problem!"
"Seeing how it hasn't happened so far... maybe infertility was my problem from the beginning?"
"Whatever it is, this won't do, Sir Lancel. For your information, I want at least five sons and seven daughters. That's what I've been training for all this time."
"That's what it was?"
"Somewhat."
Infertility.
In the past, infertility was a blessing for Lancel.
If he and Marigold had had a child, neither the child nor Lancel would have been able to handle it.
It would have been difficult to guarantee meeting a child again after regression if they had separated once. It would probably be impossible.
But now things were different.
Marigold wanted children.
No, in fact, lately Lancel also wanted to have children at the end of his life.
Sometimes when he regressed back to his 11-year-old self, he secretly envied Viscount Dante a little. It was a thought that had been occurring to him lately.
That's why this was an especially critical issue among all the problems they'd faced so far.
But.
*What can I do if it's not happening?*
Damn infertility.
"This won't do, Sir Lancel."
"...Mary, your eyes are scary."
"From today, we'll increase it to five times."
"Are you trying to kill me?"
"If we squeeze when there's not a drop left, we might get lucky once, Sir Lancel. Our lives are still long, so if we keep trying, we might find an answer!"
"I think it would be better to look for a treatment first... Mary?"
"Take it off."
"...?"
"I said take it off."
"...?"
Yes.
Although it was a major issue, neither Lancel nor Marigold was discouraged to the point of despair.
Considering everything Lancel had overcome so far, this infertility was nothing. There must be an answer somewhere.
Well, there might be some amazing arrangement, game system, or special remedy somewhere to treat infertility.
That's why Lancel wasn't particularly worried.
*It'll work out somehow.*
It will work out somehow.
They would solve it by any means necessary.
After all, there had never been anything that Lancel and Marigold wanted to do but couldn't.
"This is consensual."
"..."
That's true.
7.
Next playthrough.
As soon as Lancel and Marigold reunited, they headed straight for the fields of the Dante territory.
===============
—Imperial Year 816, June 29th. Weather very clear.
—Marigold goes on a picnic alone with Lancel Dante. Quiet, warm, not a cloud in the sky. It's really a perfect day for flower viewing.
===============
"What did you make so much of?"
"Somehow it felt like it's been a while since we had a picnic, so I put in extra effort. How about it, sandwiches!"
"And what's this? Candy?"
"Honey candy. I made it myself."
Lancel silently spread out the blanket.
Placing the picnic basket on it finally gave him a sense of relief.
He was exhausted from walking far to find shade.
"It's peaceful."
Marigold lay down next to Lancel who was already lying on the blanket.
Under the tree shade, with a cool breeze blowing, they stared at the blue sky without thinking for a long time.
"Mary."
"Yes."
"Have you ever liked someone else?"
"...Ha.Ha.Ha..."
"No, don't get angry. I was just curious."
"Too late. I'm already angry. I want to go home. Ask a proper question."
"Calm down."
Another playthrough was beginning. Lancel somehow never got tired of this regression.
This world with Marigold was no longer a prison.
Looking to the side, he saw emerald eyes clearly looking back at him.
Seeing her smiling broadly, Lancel smiled back.
"Mary."
"Sir Lancel."
Over a hundred regressions.
Time approaching a thousand years.
Yet there was still more to do.
"What shall we do in this life?"
"What shall we do in this life?"
The two smiled.
Suddenly, Lancel's expression hardened. Marigold's hand was digging into his clothes.
The year was 816, Marigold's age was fifteen. After calculating, Lancel opened his mouth toward the mischievous one.
"Where do you think you're touching?"
The side of his hand lightly struck her head.
"Kyung!"
<Illustration - A Handful of Happiness>
<The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me - Fin>