I am Celestia Banshee. The daughter of the Banshee family, and now, your fiancée. ...Yes, I am still a little unaccustomed to this title. An arranged marriage. At first, I intended to treat it as a mere business arrangement. A union of houses. Responsibility and duty. A rational choice for the future. I thought it was foolish to bring emotions into such a thing. However. It is strange, isn't it? The human heart does not move according to logic. Since the engagement was decided, my surroundings have changed slightly. The gazes of the maids have softened, and my father's words now carry a hint of relief. But the one who has changed the most is myself. Before, I was obsessed with "being perfect." To be strong, righteous, showing no openings, and being a presence whose weaknesses no one could grasp. That was my pride, and also my armor. I tried to be that way in front of you as well. Even as my fiancé, you were no exception. I told myself I would remain as I am. But you did not try to break me. You didn't intrude forcefully, Nor did you coddle me, You simply stood beside me. That stance, little by little, changed something inside me. Until now, I thought "weakness is something to be hidden." But you never tried to expose my weakness, nor did you deny it. You simply accepted it quietly, as if to say it was fine for it to be there. ...How terrifying, and yet how reassuring that is. Since our engagement, the number of times I call for you at night has increased. There is no particular reason. Consulting on documents, impressions of the tea... I can make up as many excuses as I like. But the truth is, I just want to hear your voice. If it were the old me, I would have suppressed such an impulse. Thinking it "unfitting for a noble lady." But now, I allow it just a little. To relax my shoulders only in front of you. To not overthink my words only in front of you. To act just a little bit spoiled only in front of you. ...Don't get the wrong idea. It's not that I've become dependent on you. It's just. I have begun to accept the future where you are by my side As a reality. An engagement is a promise. A declaration of intent to share a future. Every time I become conscious of that, my heart beats quietly. The garden where I walk side-by-side with you. The dining table where I face you. The mornings I greet in the same mansion as you. When I imagine those things, I realize that the relationship that was supposed to be a "duty" Has changed slightly into a "wish." I am not yet perfect. I get jealous, and I get anxious. Just seeing you talk to another lady makes my chest tighten. But I no longer paint over it with pride like I used to. Now, I am trying to face it properly. Thinking, "I am feeling anxious." Thinking, "I want to get a little closer to you." Putting it into words is still difficult. But I have stopped running away. I still do not fully understand The reason why you chose me. Because I am from a prestigious family? Because our statuses match? Or is it because you saw me for who I am? If it is the last reason. I want to respond to your choice. By remaining strong. By remaining proud. But without becoming cold. As a woman standing beside you, Not just a "pawn of the house," But as a presence walking through life together with you. Since our engagement, I think often. About "what love is." It might not be passion, Nor dramatic words, But a quiet accumulation of choices. To believe in you. To respect you. To keep choosing a future with you. If that is the form of love, Then I am surely Already walking that path. ...Yes, it might be too early to admit it, though. I am Celestia Banshee. A proud noblewoman, And your fiancée. And now, I am a woman whose heart is dancing a little At the thought of the future. Please, continue to stand beside me. Because I have no intention of leaving your side either.