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Beneath the night sky.

I slowly recounted everything that had happened to Seron, along with the truth I had confessed.

Seron didn’t say much.

She just quietly listened to the story.

When I finished, she remained silent.

She probably needed some time to sort through her own thoughts too.

“…I’m sorry. For deceiving you all this time.”

I’m not the Vikamon you knew.

Which means the feelings Seron had for me, born in the past, were essentially based on a lie.

To reveal this now—I hated myself for it.

There was no excuse.

Maybe I had been avoiding this truth all along.

Because I didn’t know what kind of face I could show to those who stayed by my side once it was all revealed.

Seron looked up at me after hearing my apology.

She was still holding me in her arms.

“Prince Sweet Potato.”

Seron finally spoke.

I didn’t know what kind of reply she would give.

I was both afraid and yet waiting for her answer.

Whatever she said, I had decided I would accept it.

“…Don’t you think you’re underestimating me a little too much?”

I blinked.

What does that mean?

Seron gave my chest a couple of light thumps with an annoyed expression.

“Sure, like you said, I came to like Senior Vikamon because of what happened that day.”

Seron had liked Vikamon.

The dance they shared at the night’s ball had stayed with her all this time.

“But listen. That was when I wasn’t even ten years old. Did you really think a feeling born in such a young heart would remain exactly the same until today? Honestly, that wasn’t even true affection. It was more like a child’s admiration for a prince saving a princess in a fairytale.”

That memory had a big impact on her, but it was still just a memory—something from the past.

Too much time had passed for the present-day Seron to be swayed solely by that.

“It was a good experience, sure. I was caught off guard when I saw you looking like the prince again, but that was just a moment of nostalgia.”

If she had never known I was Vikamon and some time had passed, what would have happened?

Seron would’ve had a brief heartbreak, then moved on.

She was strong like that.

She would’ve kept that memory in her heart and still continued forward.

“But now? It’s different.”

Seron’s hand gently wrapped around mine.

“The one who extended my dream wasn’t Senior Vikamon. It was you—the person called Prince Sweet Potato.”

Her eyes met mine.

There was a radiant strength in her gaze—it was beautiful.

“The one who taught me what love really is wasn’t Senior Vikamon. It was you, Prince Sweet Potato.”

Admiration and fondness.

They are feelings quite different from love.

Emotions are complicated and deeply layered.

And no one knows that better than someone who’s lost them before—someone like me.

Seron didn’t just like me.

She had gone beyond that.

She loved me.

She smiled brightly.

Her cheeks were redder than any flower I could name.

“I love you, Prince Sweet Potato.”

She pulled my hand toward her with conviction.

“I love you more than anyone else in this world.”

If Vikamon had been a bittersweet memory for her—

Then I was someone she loved so much that she couldn’t live without.

“So look at me properly.”

Our eyes met.

I saw myself reflected in her pupils.

“Make sure you know exactly who it is that loves you.”

Seron Parmia.

That’s her name.

“No matter who you are, you’ll always be Prince Sweet Potato to me.”

My identity.

My name.

None of it mattered to Seron.

To her, just the fact that I was Prince Sweet Potato was enough to remember me clearly.

“So don’t worry anymore, you fool.”

Her lips touched mine as she tugged my hand.

Then she let go and gently cupped my cheeks in her hands.

“No matter what you do, I’ll never leave your side. Not for the rest of my life.”

Her whispered words made me forget everything that had happened today.

“Really… You’re so quick-witted, but with things like this, you’re totally clueless. I always have to spell it out for you.”

“…Yeah. You’re right.”

I couldn’t deny it.

Just moments ago, I’d been afraid because I didn’t know what Seron was going to say.

“Seron.”

That’s why I embraced her.

With her by my side, the anxiety inside me vanished.

“I’m glad I have you.”

Because she was here, I could be whoever I wanted to be.

Seron wrapped her arms around my waist and puffed up proudly.

“You finally realize I’m the most lovable person in the world?”

And I kissed her again.

She froze with her hands on my waist.

Her ears and face were as red as they could be.

It was an amusing sight—but also incredibly endearing.

As I pulled away, Seron grabbed the hem of her pajamas.

Then she looked up at me cautiously.

“…We could keep going, you know?”

Her moist eyes shimmered.

Even her neck was flushed red as soft, ragged breaths escaped her lips.

Without thinking, I raised my hand and wrapped it around her waist.

“Hic…”

Seron let out a strange hiccup-like sound and breathed heavily.

Her waist trembled slightly in my arms.

She looked like she was about to collapse at any moment.

But even in that state, she couldn’t hide the subtle look of anticipation in her eyes.

My vision blurred.

I wanted to take Seron to a place where we could be alone.

But now wasn’t the time to be ruled by desire.

Barely managing to restrain myself, I gently let go of her waist.

“Ah…”

Seron let out a soft sigh full of disappointment and glanced up at me.

“…Sorry. I kinda lost it for a second.”

“…Hmph. So what if you did?”

She nervously twirled her hair with her finger and chewed on her lip in embarrassment.

“Coward.”

She mumbled the words like she was sulking.

She was right.

I was definitely a coward.

And I knew I was greedy too.

“This… isn’t something I should tell only you.”

I finally admitted it honestly.

As I spoke with Seron, not only her but the other women also came vividly to mind.

I wasn’t sure how I ended up becoming such a mess.

But denying my own feelings any longer felt like a cruel act in itself.

“More than anything… there’s still something that’s not over.”

Just because I’m okay doesn’t mean everything is over.

Iris, who was forced to become an empress by the Celestial Duke.

Until I save her, my resolve must not waver.

“Everyone was considerate of me.”

Rather than asserting their own love, they watched over the choices of the one they loved.

Because of them, I came to understand what love truly is.

My love will surely grow stronger as time passes.

Just like the fury I fully awakened through Isabel, I will come to truly realize the essence of love.

So, just as everyone was considerate of me, I must accomplish my goal.

“Thank you… always.”

When I expressed my gratitude to Seron, she clicked her tongue and held out her hand.

“Let’s go talk. I bet no one’s asleep after seeing your roasted sweet potato face.”

I had worried everyone.

Thinking of how much their emotions were shaken because of just one person—me—I felt both proud and sorry.

Truly, love is such a strange and selfish emotion.

“Sharin’s probably asleep.”

At least one of them must be sleeping soundly.

Sharin already knew my identity, so it made sense.

“Let’s go.”

It was time to reveal the whole truth.

* * *

Starting with Seron, I told the whole truth.

After revealing everything, Isabel and Nikita surprisingly didn’t react strongly.

In Isabel’s case, it seemed she understood everything.

“After all, you still kept your promise with Lucas.”

No matter who I was, Isabel was able to live on through me.

So she didn’t focus too much on the fact that I was Vikamon.

But Nikita asked a different question.

“Then, senior, do you… not like me?”

Nikita looked at me quietly.

She had always thought I was Vikamon.

Vikamon had liked Nikita.

Nikita’s feelings for me might have started as a pure love back when she thought I was him.

That Vikamon no longer exists.

But separate from Vikamon, I too liked Nikita.

She was the one I cherished the most in the dungeon replays.

“No. Nikita… I’ve always liked you.”

The compliments I gave her were words I had long wanted to say.

There were no lies in them.

Perhaps Nikita realized that, because she smiled softly.

“Then that’s enough. I know how you saved me.”

To them, it no longer mattered whether I was Vikamon or not.

What mattered was who I was as a person.

Seron smugly puffed up beside me.

With a look that said, “See?”, I gave her a poke in the side.

“Mmm, can I sleep too now?”

Sharin, who had been nodding off beside us, asked if she could sleep.

When I gave her permission, she lay down with Isabel’s thigh as a pillow and fell asleep.

So envious.

Ah, no, that’s not the point.

“…You want a turn too?”

Noticing my lecherous gaze, Isabel tapped her other thigh.

Though firm from training, its pale smoothness looked incredibly inviting for sleep.

“What are you trying to seduce him with?”

Seron suddenly butted in, interrupting.

Isabel clicked her tongue slightly, and Nikita glanced at her own thigh.

Thinner than Isabel’s, but still quite distracting.

Damn it, this place is full of dangerous temptations.

It hurts to realize I hadn’t noticed until now.

“So, senior… you’re going to act as Duke of Whitewood in a week, right?”

While I was trying hard to suppress my lust, Nikita asked.

“Yes, that’s the plan.”

“Got it. I should start planning things too.”

“Yeah. If you send that roasted prince alone, who knows what the princess might do.”

Why is the conversation veering in that direction?

Seron had a lot of misunderstandings about Iris.

“…True.”

Even Isabel agreed on that part.

Are they all serious?

Still, they’re thinking of ways to help me.

With the decisive battle against the Celestial Grace approaching…

“Then, there’s something I’d like to ask of you all.”

I gladly accepted their help.