If You Win, Your Prize Is The Princess

Sylia was still hugging Luna, half-asleep. She thought she was still dreaming, confident that the soft touch and the scent in her nose were just from a rather lucid dream.

However, her awareness gradually changes.

(… Huh?)

Click, she’s fully awake. She thought it was a dream but for some reason, the sight before her didn’t change at all. On the contrary, Sylia now fully understood everything and with clear eyes and senses, her face paled.

(W-What, am I, doing right now?!)

The words she just muttered unconsciously weren’t in a dream. Luna, who’s hugging her to support herself, is shaking slightly.

(Wh-What should I do?! What did I say…? Did I just say I like her?!)

Sylia was panicking but she couldn’t just abruptly push Luna off her, and while Sylia’s thoughts whirled around in her head, they remained perfectly still.

“………”

“………”

Luna doesn’t say anything. Sylia can’t see her expression because she’s hugging her too closely, it only significantly increases Sylia’s anxiety.

“Ah, um, Luna…?” Sylia asked carefully, unable to stand the silence any longer. Her voice was so pitiful, she seemed a little scared.

After being called out, Luna slowly got up. Since she was pulled right on top of Sylia, it looked like Luna was straddling Sylia.

“Lu, na?” Sylia asked.

Luna’s face was bright red. Her eyes seemed to be tearing up, albeit just a little. At the very least, she didn’t seem angry or anything like it, Sylia was a bit relieved.

As Sylia analyzed her expression, Luna quietly said, “What you said… just now… was it true?”

“………”

Luna’s words definitely proved that Sylia’s saying “I like you” was not a dream. Sylia had no intention of denying she’d said it but she had to say that the timing and the way things were going was the worst.

Sylia could say she was asleep. The courage to confess honestly was impossible, facing Luna as she was right now.

But that doesn’t mean Sylia can stay completely silent. Sylia took a deep breath and steeled herself. Then, she said clearly:

“Yeah.”

Sylia had completely organized her thoughts now.

To begin with, she couldn’t tell if she liked someone even though she’d never had a romantic relationship before. That’s why she wanted to unquestionably recognize that her feelings of “liking” someone encompasses all the feelings she has of her relationship with Luna continuing and all the worries she has about it, as well.

“From the moment I met you, I didn’t… but with all the time I’ve spent together with you since then, it’s become normal for you to be by my side, Luna, and when I realized that… I realized I love you,” Sylia said.

" "

“… I see,” Luna said.

“I’m sorry,” Sylia said. “I shouldn’t have suddenly said it like this, should I?”

Luna shied away, gave a small smile, and nodded. “That’s right. All that practice was a waste.”

“Huh?” Sylia asked, confused at Luna’s voice suddenly cheering up.

Luna climbs off Sylia and stands up. “I can’t talk to you like this…” Luna said. “Why don’t we go outside to the terrace?”

Sylia just nodded and accepted Luna’s invitation.

It was a beautiful night with the full moon lighting up the grounds. The wind that blows through is cool yet comfortable.

Luna turns her back to the terrace’s railing and faces Sylia. From Sylia’s perspective, the sight of the moonlight reflecting off Luna’s golden hair looked divine.

And while she was glowing from the moon, Luna began to speak: “It’s been a month since I first met you, Sylia.”

“Y-Yeah,” Sylia said.

“First of all, I must thank you,” Luna said. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me so far.”

Sylia listened silently, wondering if Luna was referring to the House Enry incidents.

“The day we first met, Sylia, you must have been constantly wondering: why were you welcomed so eagerly despite us not knowing who you are?” Luna said.

“That’s, well,” Sylia started.

If you’re an ordinary person, you would think it’s strange to marry Sylia, a foreigner and not a citizen of the kingdom, to the princess of that country.

Sylia was skeptical then but it’s still fresh in her memory that Luna said, “I want you to trust me for a month.”, Sylia had ignored those feelings afterward.

“I’ll tell you everything,” Luna said. Her voice was clear but it wavered slightly.

Sylia gulped, realizing she might find out what was behind this entire marriage.

And after a short pause, Luna slowly began to speak.

The competition was rigged from the beginning, Sylia’s participation was a completely unexpected factor, and the whole thing was aimed at fending off aristocrats aiming for Luna.

Sylia was legitimately surprised to learn that, she hadn’t realized so many of the tournament’s contestants were in on the fix, although she had heard a few rumors about it.

“In the end, it was a way to buy time until my brother ascends to the throne,” Luna said. “Once he is crowned, it will become difficult for him to keep interfering from the sidelines.”

Having said most of that in one breath, Luna inhaled deeply. Then, she let out a pathetic laugh.

“I’m guessing I’m not as pure as you thought I was, Sylia, because at first, I was just thinking of using you as a tool,” Luna said.

“Luna…” Sylia said.

“So… I was wondering if there was a part of you that hated me, so I was really, really happy to hear you say you liked me, Sylia.”

But, with those words, Luna turned her eyes down. “I’m not deserving of those words. That’s why–”

“I just want to hear one thing,” Sylia interrupted.

Luna blinked and looked up like she was scared.

“What do you think of me, Luna?” Sylia asked.

“… Huh?” Luna asked.

Sylia looks Luna directly in the eye, her expression is a bit heated. “I’m happy to hear the truth behind the scenes of this marriage, but I want to hear your feelings, Luna.”

Yes, in the end, Luna didn’t get a reply to her confession. She couldn’t just say she liked Luna and expect nothing afterward.

“I’m a bit confident in my sword skills and I’m not that smart,” Sylia said. “There may be some parts of this story I don’t understand yet… but what’s important now is your feelings, Luna, and that I don’t know what they are.”

“My feelings…?” Luna asked.

“Honestly, I’ve been taught etiquette and history, but I don’t feel like anything is sticking at all, and sometimes I think I’m not a suitable partner for you, Luna.”

“Th-That’s not…!” Luna started.

“That’s why I want to hear it,” Sylia said. “I want to know your honest feelings, Luna.”

“………”

Luna seemed unable to get the words out. Sylia seemed to be standing firmly on the outside, but inside, she was driven by the urge to run and hide somewhere. She doesn’t think she can recover if she was rejected here.

It took tens of seconds but for Sylia, it felt like forever. Luna looked right at Sylia, as the silence of the night threatened to swallow them, Luna opened her mouth and spoke:

“… I also like you, Sylia… I love you. I think I love you too,” Luna said. “You’re reliable and kind and I’ve always been happy to be with you, be surprised, and have fun. I don’t want to break up with you just after one month…”

Luna turns her teary eyes toward Sylia, she holds her hands in front of her chest. Her words backed up here and there, but it was undeniably her honest feelings.

“So, I’m sorry this became such an afterthought,” Sylia said as she took out a small case she was hiding on her, she kept Luna from jumping up in surprise. Sylia had taken it in secret before Luna called her out to the terrace.

“What is this?” Luna asked.

“Well, I heard there’s a custom that went like ‘husbands give their wives a gift representing their feelings on the day of their marriage’, so I got one…” Sylia said.

“A… custom?” Luna asked as she accepted the case from Sylia. And as she opened it, her eyes shine. “Amazing… it’s so beautiful.”

It was the ring she’d bought at the store, its gem was shining.

“Will you accept it?” Sylia asked.

Luna nodded vigorously and didn’t hide her joy. “I’m happy to…! I’m extremely happy to! But this… did you buy this then?”

“Y-Yeah,” Sylia said. “But, Iris helped me a lot.”

She recalled when they went to the jewelry store with Iris and Mia. Sylia also discussed how she came to buy it then, there was no need to hide it anymore.

“I saw you going back to the back of the store… so that was why, huh?” Luna said. Her eyes shined as she admired the ring, she carefully took it out of its case, and slowly put it on the ring finger of her left hand.

“Ehehe, how do I look…?” Luna asked.

“… You look great,” Sylia said.

It was a simple design that was neither opulent nor anything of the sort. The jewel on the ring wasn’t large but they reflected the light of the moon, the extremely high quality of the stone made it look that much more beautiful. That Luna felt so beautiful wearing it made them both even more eye-catching.

“Fufuh, fufufuh…” Luna giggled suddenly as she stepped forward for some reason.

“Um, ah, what’s wrong?” Sylia asked, surprised and worried.

Luna stops her laughter and says something that shocks Luna: “There is no custom where ‘husbands give their wives a gift representing their feelings on the day of their marriage’ in this country.”

“……… What?” Sylia asked.

“I think Iris invented it all on her own,” Luna said.

“Eeeeehhhhhh?!” Sylia screamed like she was trying to shout over a storm. She wasn’t fooled out of malice but she still fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.

(I-IRISSSSSSS!)

Was she smiling right now? But Sylia couldn’t get angry at her because things had turned out so well.

As Sylia was struck by such a complex set of emotions, Luna took another step closer to her. The two were almost close enough for their bodies to touch.

“But, I think it’s alright that you gave this to me with that feeling in mind,” Luna said.

“… Yeah, let’s just go with that,” Sylia said.

When the two of them exchanged passionate gazes, they slowly embraced each other, it felt completely natural. Warm feelings wrap around them on that cool night.

“I’m sure this will cause you plenty of trouble in the future,” Luna said. “Still, do you want to be with me, Sylia?”

“Of course,” Sylia said, “I swear I’ll be with you at every moment.”

“Is that a promise?” Luna asked.

“It’s a promise,” Sylia replied.

And then, Sylia heard a small, metallic click. She reluctantly broke away from the hug and felt something cold around her neck.

“It’s a gift from me as well,” Luna said.

It was a necklace with a simple jewel now hanging around Sylia’s neck, it seemed she’d put it on while they were hugging.

“I also bought this then,” Luna said. “Mia was pushing it very strongly.”

Sylia carefully touched the necklace so she wouldn’t break it. It’s cold but it feels like it’s warming her up.

Then, she thought of looking back at Luna, slowly approached her, and hugged her tightly again.

“Thank you for continuing to support me, Sylia,” Luna said.

“It’s all to give the best for you, Luna,” Sylia said.

Somehow, rumors about what happened between them slipped out and it the custom of husbands giving their wives rings on the day of their marriage came to be, but that happened a little later.

It’s been a month since Luna and Sylia met.

On the terrace of that large castle, two girls continued to hug each other as the moonlight shone on them.

T/N: Now that we’ve finished Vol 3 on a high note, this series will be taking a long, long pause in translation until I finish my other active series. I took up this novel because of a Novel Pickup Request and found I don’t enjoy the story that much. I want to consistently do something I enjoy rather than bouncing back between something that feels like a chore and something I’m eager to work on.

Please keep in mind I’m totally open to other translators picking up this series from me. I want what’s best for the readers and if someone more passionate about the series wants to pick up the torch, go ahead! Just inform me so I know to drop this series.