Happily Never After I

Skye Wisteria, the inheritor of the Wisteria Grand Duchy of the Empire of Caelestis –

An exceptional young man with remarkable achievements.

He is this good-looking, fine gentleman with silver grey hair and amethyst purple eyes. His prepossessing presence matches his noble title. He also has this gentle yet powerful aura around him that seems to draw people in.

According to Yelena, the two of them are lovers. This is not much of a surprise, considering how beautiful she is and everything. But whether this takes her aback or not, she still can't help but be strongly affected.

Seraphine is so awestruck when she meets Skye that her social anxiety ends up striking in.

"Seraphine? What's wrong…?" he asked her from across the table, making her jolt in surprise.

"Why are your hands shaking? Do you feel sick?"

"U-Uhhhh… N-N-No…"

Right now, both of them are having tea at the garden.

The whole setting is like an oasis of serenity that is bathed in the fluorescent afternoon glow and the fragrant, rosy aroma of freshly-brewed tea. It's quite a revitalizing scenery – one that she fails to revel in despite her wanting to.

That's because Seraphine is in a dilemma at the moment.

She had never been good with people like Skye even way back then. He just seems really overwhelming.

So far, she was only acting timid in front of everyone in the mansion. It helped that the previous Seraphine was detached and meek – or so what Yelena told her when she asked in a roundabout way. However, if she lets her social anxiety slip through now, she might end up earning suspicions for real.

"Oh, I see. Is it because of that?" Skye asked before replacing his confused expression with a fond one and putting his hands on top of her quivering ones.

"H-Huh? B-Because of what?" Seraphine asked back in puzzlement.

"What do you mean what?"

Though this is her first time meeting him, she can tell how head-over-heels in love he is. The look he has right now is all-too-familiar. Of course, she would recognize that. After all, she knew that it's the same look she kept making whenever she was looking at her targets of admiration before.

It's the look of a hopeless romantic.

"What else…?" Skye trailed off while blushing a little, his smile widening.

"Our upcoming wedding, my love."

Right then, Seraphine froze.

Indeed, this new life is not going to be good for her heart.

---

Despite her initial protests and hesitations, Seraphine eventually came to love Skye back.

It was on their wedding day.

She realized her feelings for him after she saw how happy he was. He told her how he felt like he was the luckiest man alive, and she could see that overflowing admiration in his gaze. He kept looking at her as if she was his entire universe, after all.

Every word, every look, and every touch – it's always filled with nothing but love.

The wedding itself is something that seems to come straight out of a fairytale. Everyone there had showered their blessings on their marriage. Her family as well as the friends she came to get along with over the years had attended the ceremony and shared such a blissful moment with them.

From that point on, Seraphine lives a perfect life as the Grand Duchess.

An affectionate husband, caring father, well-off life, reputable title, good character, and unparalleled beauty – she had everything a girl like her would ever wish for. And above all, she feels loved. She was finally receiving all the love she was desperate to have in her first life.

It's one happily ever after for Seraphine from then on.

Or so she thought.