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As Helios glanced at her sideways, just a few steps away from her, he chuckled for some time.
It seemed like all of the things he was thinking about earlier were for nothing.
He couldn’t believe he came all the way here in search of her after hearing such words from his younger siblings.
But then—Sera Popo. Just finding her and having her in front of him made him feel at ease.
He calmly looked up towards the night sky, which was like a sea of stars.
The silence of the passing breeze did not last long.
The balconies were meant to keep people out of the eyes of others, but that didn’t mean that sounds would be stopped from seeping through.
The quiet balcony quickly became noisy with the buzzing of murmurs.
“Did something happen? I think it’s become a little noisy over there.”
Sera listened closely to the sounds she could hear from the other balconies because of the sudden excitement that arose.
While Helios watched Sera with a languid gaze, he turned back to the sky and found a constellation.
Compared to when the banquet first started, the constellations had tilted towards the left and were already hanging more to the western side of the sky.
“It’s nothing like that. It’s probably because the highlight of the banquet is starting soon, and people are flocking to the balconies because of it.”
It’s already the next part of the program, Helios whispered in a low voice.
“Highlight of the banquet?”
“The fireworks are beginning soon. It’s been a while since the Imperial Family has held a banquet like this, and Raphael thought that doing something grand this time would be good.”
“Fireworks
 So that’s why so many people started coming out.”
She was clearly looking forward to it. Right now, Sera was smiling as brightly as his younger siblings did.
Helios nodded.
“Have you ever seen fireworks before, Miss Popo?”
“Ah
 I’ve seen some fireworks coming from the palace before during Your Majesty’s birthdays, but I’ve never seen them properly because they’re covered by buildings.”
As though she was fully committed to enjoying the beginning to end of the fireworks show, Sera raised her head and kept her eyes fixed upon the sky.
Chuckling under his breath, Helios found her expression adorable and child-like.
“That’s great. This is a spot that you found yourself, too. And it’s also the best spot in the entire palace.”
* * *
After a little while, as though in anticipation of the start of the fireworks display, silence fell like a blanket throughout the palace. The orchestra also stopped playing.
In that breathtaking silence, Helios approached Sera’s side.
With their arms linked together and with his face so close, he whispered softly into her ear.
“It’s starting soon.”
Just after the ticklish breath left behind by the low voice disappeared, a red light shot up the dark blue night sky.
The beginning was quiet, but soon, deafening roars rang through the palace. Together, beautiful lights of all colors began to fill the heavens.
“Wow
!”
Exclamations broke out here and there. Amidst all of them, Sera’s voice was also included.
The illumination that entered their eyes was nothing short of enchanted flames spreading out like flowers, and the lights disappeared after leaving brilliant afterimages.
When one flame would burst up and disappear, the next flame would soon take its place. And then another flame, and another one. The blooming, colorful lights filled the dark summer night sky.
“It’s so pretty.”
Sera whispered in amazement, distracted by the superb view.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you well.”
Sera’s voice had gotten buried by the loud booming of the fireworks, so Helios leaned in closer than before.
He was so close that they were just a few centimeters apart. She could feel their breaths mingling.
Sera looked up slowly and stared at Helios’ face.
The colorful lights of the night sky were likewise being reflected on the face that was in front of her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She hesitated a little, but she soon plucked her courage. She tried to hide her nervousness as she leaned closer to his ear.
“I said it’s really pretty.”
Sera whispered in a slightly louder voice. This time, Helios smiled and nodded.
He also leaned down closer to Sera’s ear to answer.
“I’m glad that you like it, Miss Popo.”
They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment. Then, smiling, he soon shifted his gaze back to the heart-rending brilliant lights.
Sera soon also looked back at the same sky.
Every time the sound of the fireworks went off, her heart swelled. It was the perfect moment to make her heart flutter.
She was alone with him while sharing such a beautiful sight. And earlier, they held hands and danced together.
‘Is this the sound of the fireworks or the sound of my heart?’
Unable to distinguish the source of this resounding beat, Sera was swept away by the breeze of the warm summer evening.
It was like a romantic midsummer night’s dream.
By the time a blooming firework the same color as his eyes illuminated the sky, Sera quietly turned towards him.
She saw Helios looking up at the sky.
‘Perhaps what’s more beautiful than these fireworks is Your Majesty.’
At the thought, a smile graced Sera’s lips.
In the gentle breeze of the night, his hair that was as silver as the moonlight fluttered.
The refreshing scent, which she could remember coming from him every time they were close, was also carried by the wind.
Her eyes lingered on his marvelous lips, which always let out a sweet, gentle voice that was always like a melody. Little by little, her feelings for him had grown.
As though they had stepped out of reality for only a moment, in the heat of the moment, she recalled all of the memories that made her feel like she was on cloud nine.
And soon, the unbridled emotions she could feel lodged at her throat eventually left through her lips.
“I like you, Your Majesty.”
t/n: slkfjlsdfgjlsfgkjlfgkj