The whole world seemed to fall silent.
Rellana stared blankly at Horace. The feelings she had bottled up for so long surged like a flood bursting through a dam, instantly sweeping away all her pretense and stubbornness.
Her eyes grew hot against her will, and her vision quickly blurred.
She abruptly pulled one hand free and rubbed her eyes hard, suppressing that stinging ache. Only then did she look up and glare at Horace with blue eyes that were still moist but exceptionally bright, speaking in a nasal voice that struggled to remain "fierce":
"Y-you! Why are you suddenly saying all this!"
Yet her hand reached out of its own accord and took Horace's again.
"And..." She turned her face away, her voice growing softer and softer, though still loud enough for Horace to hear at such close range.
"...Yes."
An utterly undisguised smile spread across Horace's face.
He was just about to draw Rellana into his arms when a voice rich with amusement came from beside them.
"Heh heh... Such is the wonder of fate, beyond all words. Let us offer our blessings!"
At some point, the giant tortoise Miriel had produced an exquisitely crafted little box of deep blue velvet from somewhere with his seemingly clumsy claws.
With a gentle flick of a claw tip, he opened the lid, revealing two rings lying side by side.
The bands were made of an unknown dark silver metal, polished exceptionally smooth and shimmering like starlight.
Miriel pushed the little box toward Horace with a claw, his enormous eyes full of gratification and kindness. "In all my long years, what I have loved seeing most is lovers finally joining in marriage."
He looked at Horace's astonished expression, then at the equally dumbfounded Rellana beside him, and added unhurriedly, "This old tortoise