DISCLAIMER: The author's imagination and passion are the only sources of inspiration for this novel, which is a work of dedication. Parallels between these pages and the past or present may be apparent to some readers, but they are completely coincidental. You are free to interpret this art anyway you see fit, and it is meant for your enjoyment.
Leo was the only man in the Hylde Manor who didn't have to explain his idea of a "family" to Reinn. He was the only one who didn't have to see his heart through the eyes of a pirate, a CEO, a prince, or a duke. He was just Leo, a young man from the world of convenience stores, wet pavement, and the depressing loneliness of being a "Fixer" in someone else's narrative.
Leo did not take Reinn to a new place on his day of the vow. He guided her to a modest door in the manor's servants' wing that had been locked for several months. Reinn's breath caught when he pushed it open.
He had not constructed a fortification or a palace. He had created a flawless replica of a 24-hour convenience store in Seoul using his "Fixer" skills.
There was the smell of floor wax and spicy instant ramen, the bright fluorescent lights, and the hum of the refrigerated cases. Outside the "windows," a computer projection depicted a rainy Gangnam street with passing automobiles' headlights blurred.
Leo leaned against the counter and continued, "The others want to give you a legacy that matches your title," while taking two cups of instant noodles off a shelf. "They want to build a dynasty. But I remembered what you told me back in Season 3. You didn't want to be a 'Lioness.' You wanted to be a person who could sleep through the night without wondering if the world was going to end."
Pouring the hot water, he placed the glasses on the tiny plastic counter. "I don't want to be an emperor or a legend, Sam. I want to be the guy who knows how you like your coffee in the morning. I want our kids to grow up in a world where they don't have to worry about 'Royal Blood' or 'Imperial Magic.' I want to give them a life that is... normal. Boring, even."
He gazed at her, his eyes full of a constant, enduring warmth rather than the fire of Giywon or the intensity of Dyierrean. "I'm offering you the one thing no one else can: a partner who actually knows where you came from. We're two glitches in the system, Sam. I want to be the one who makes sure we're never lonely again."
For a moment, Eyldion's nostalgia was lessened when he made the decision to peek inside the "convenience store."
With a suspicious look on his face, Eyldion picked up a brilliantly colored package of shrimp crackers and inquired, "Is this it? Is this the 'High Culture' of the Source World? It smells like... salt and regret."
Leo replied, attempting to shield a bottle of banana milk from the Prince's curious grasp, "It's an acquired taste, Eyldion."
"And these?" Eyldion asked, gesturing to a line of hot triangle kimbap. "They look like small, edible pyramids. Is this how you worshipped your gods?"
"Those are just snacks, pal," Leo groaned. "And if you eat the 'Fire Chicken' ramen on the top shelf, your 'Imperial Protection' magic won't save your stomach. Trust me."
As Reinn observed them—her companion from the old world and her brother—she experienced an odd sense of completion. The comedy was in the straightforward, untidy reality of individuals attempting to understand one another, not in a failed spell or a roasted boar.
Reinn and Leo sat on the plastic seats, the steam from their ramen rising between them while the rain "fell" outside their fake window. The topic of their shared fear came up.
"If we stay here, Leo," whispered Reinn, "If we build a life and have children... they'll never see a real sunset in Seoul. They'll never know the world we left behind. Are you okay with that? With being the last two people who remember 'The Truth'?"
Leo grabbed her hand from across the counter. He had a solid grasp and warm skin. "Sam, that world didn't want us. It treated you like a supporting character and me like a tool. This world? It's ours. Our kids won't be 'glitches.' They'll be the first true citizens of a world where they can be whoever they want."
He examined the virtual downpour. "I'm not a hero, and I'm not a Prince. I'm just a guy who's been in love with you since the day I realized you were the only real thing in a fake story. I don't need a legacy. I just need a life where I can look across the dinner table and see you."
Reinn rested her head on his shoulder. She felt like a queen with Giywon. She felt secure with Dyierrean. She was inspired by Ji-Hoon. She felt liberated with Killian.
However, with Leo... She had a Samantha-like feeling.
Reinn strolled back through the Hylde Manor's corridors as the "convenience store" date came to an end. The five dates had come to an end. She had seen five future visions, five distinct approaches to becoming a mother and a wife.
When she got to her bedroom, Eyldion was there to greet her. Gold, Violet, Blue, Emerald, and Silver were the five colors of ribbons he was holding.
"The village is already preparing for the festival, Sister," he added in an unusually quiet tone. "The people are calling it the 'Wedding of the Millennium.' But I see the look in your eyes. This isn't just a ceremony for you."
"No," Reinn replied, gazing out at the genuine moonlight bouncing off the stones of the manor. "It's the most important decision I'll ever make. I'm not just picking a husband, Eyldion. I'm picking the father of the next generation. I'm picking the man I will grow old with."
She accepted the ribbons from him and felt the various textures: the CEO's synthetic weave, the Empire's silk, the North's wool, the Pirate's rough hemp, and the Fixer's plain cotton.
"Tomorrow," Reinn responded, "I start the Family's Council. I want to see how these five men intend to treat the family they are joining, not just the woman they are wooing."