After calming down the Hatchling, Irene had reported back to Doctor Anise about a dragon residing in the chamber.

To which Anise had decided to leave the child be, and restrict the area from being accessed by any citizen for the time being.

And right now, in front of Anise in her Sapphire Castle’s audience hall, stood three figures facing the throne.

Leon, Cyan, and Ethan.

Out of these three, Ethan and Cyan had no memories of what had happened all those years.

And Anise had no intention of reminding either of them of that nightmare.

Irene had let Anise have her memories restored using the array she had prepared for Leon.

"Leon." Anise called out to him.

Leon stepped forward.

He saw a blissful smile on her face.

And the same smile on the girl sitting beside her throne.

Lilly Bluemoon.

Anise was glad to see her daughter alive again.

She had been glad that everyone was safe.

And more than that, she was glad to see Leon doing fine, after going through so much himself.

"Yes, Doctor Anise."

Anise’s eyes went moist as he saw the boy bowing his head.

"Even if I name the entire kingdom after you, it would not be enough for what you have done."

Anise’s voice carried gently across the audience hall.

"Please tell me, Leon. What do you wish from us?"

A quiet murmur spread through the hall as the people gathered there heard their Queen speak those words.

She meant every single one of them.

"...."

Leon did not respond.

A small smile pulled at Anise’s lips.

"Knowing you, you will stay silent. That is why...."

She lifted her gaze and looked across the entire hall.

The nobles, the advisors, the councilors, and every official including the three Tower Heads who had gathered to witness this moment.

She straightened in her throne, carrying her voice with the full weight of a Queen.

"In my name, Anise Bluemoon, the founder and ruler of the newly established Kingdom of Evana, I hereby declare. That these three brave men shall have the blind support of our Kingdom. No matter what the world may say against them, no matter what cause they pursue and no matter what hardship they face. From this moment onward, the Kingdom of Evana stands as their ally. Any harm to them, means disrespecting my stance."

Then she whispered one more line.

"This is the very least I can give to you, who returned my daughter to me."

This was a huge political move.

Evana, a city which held technology far greater than any other in the era, now had the support of three Tower Heads.

Combined with that, the new Kingdom was practically invincible in this very age.

Having Anise’s blinding support meant a huge deal.

. . .

It was the last day Leon and the others would reside in Evana.

So Anise personally threw a small meal for them before they left.

Leon and Cyan sat across from each other. Alongside them were Irene, Xuo, Will, Vivy, and Lilly.

They sat chatting and laughing.

Sitting beside Leon, Irene leaned slightly toward him as she cut a piece of meat on her plate.

"Where is Ethan?"

Leon spoke as he sliced a piece of his own.

"He went ahead of us."

"Huh? With who?"

"Lord Abacus."

"Ah.... The Moon Tower Head."

Leon nodded.

On the other side of Leon, Cyan heard them talking and finally asked the thing he had been meaning to ask ever since he saw the two of them sitting like this.

"Hey, Miss Irene."

Irene glanced at him.

"If you are out of the loop now, how old would that actually make you?"

"...."

Irene’s fork froze midair.

She started counting in her head.

The numbers crossed over two hundred.

But that was just inside the loop, she had been repeating one single day all those years. So by actual aging, she would technically be the same as before.

After a long internal struggle, Irene set her fork down and put on the most natural smile she could manage.

"I am just the same age as you."

Cyan squinted at her.

"...Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Hmm."

Cyan slowly picked up a piece of bread. He took a bite, his eyes glancing back and forth between Irene and Leon as he chewed.

He noticed it just now.

The way Irene had been leaning slightly toward Leon throughout the entire meal and the way Leon kept passing her the side dishes without her asking.

Cyan swallowed his bite slowly.

"...Hey."

He pointed at the two of them with his fork.

"You two have been like this the whole meal."

"...."

Leon paused mid-cut.

"...Like what?"

"Like... that."

Cyan gestured vaguely.

Irene’s hand on her fork stilled slightly.

Cyan squinted at Leon.

"Dude, you act like you are her boyfriend now."

He laughed once, dismissing it as a joke even to himself.

"Seriously, what if Alice sees this when we get back?"

"Huh?"

Irene heard this, letting out a strange sound from her throat.

She slowly turned her head toward Cyan.

Her smile from a moment ago was completely gone and her golden eyes were locked on him with an intensity that made the air feel several degrees colder.

"...."

Cyan gulped.

Everyone else at the table turned toward them at once.

Leon, sensing the danger, slowly began to stand up from his chair.

"Maybe I should go check on the carriage—"

BAAM.

He never finished his sentence.

Because Irene’s hand shot out, locked around his arm, and pulled him back into his seat.

She did not let go.

In fact, she tightened her grip.

Then, before anyone could process what was happening.

Irene hopped up.

She climbed over Leon’s lap.

And sat down on him, sideways.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and locked her legs against his thigh, holding him like a koala. In front of the entire table, without a single bit of embarrassment showing on her face.

"H-hey—!"

Leon’s eyes widened.

His hands hovered awkwardly in the air, not knowing where to put them.

But Irene did not let go.

She glared at Cyan from her new position.

"Tell this Alice, or whoever else, that Leon has a beautiful girlfriend, named Irene Adler."

"...."

"...."

"...."

The entire table went silent.

Cyan slowly lowered the piece of bread he was holding.

He pointed his finger at Irene, who was still firmly seated on Leon’s lap.

"...What?"

He looked at Leon.

"...She is lying. Right?"

Leon did not answer.

His eyes were looking everywhere except at Cyan.

And the way Irene’s grip on his shoulders did not loosen even slightly told Cyan everything.

"...Wait. REALLY?!"

"OH MY GOD, IRENE!"

Lilly nearly knocked over her drink.

Even Will, Xuo, and Vivy were left speechless.

Not in a million years would any of them have pictured this.

Irene, the same Irene who never batted an eye at any man.

The same Irene who had rejected every confession to every noble in the ball.

That Irene had finally gotten a boyfriend.

And that too was Leon of all people.

What in the world had happened during that loop?!

At the head of the table, Anise sat back in her chair with a small smile and picked up her glass of wine.

[A/N: Every 100 Golden Tickets - 2 extra Chapters]