Orion returned to Horizon while Olivia finished dealing with her paperwork in an entirely different mood.

Looking at the night sky, Orion breathed a long sigh.

'I wasn't able to finish before nighttime. I only needed to find time for Tetra, and I failed that.'

His eyes were drawn to the stars as frustration grew in his heart.

"Is it my time, finally?"

Suddenly, he heard a voice in front of him.

While dropping his gaze rapidly, he smiled.

"I wasn't expecting to see you after I came back."

"Tetra."

The pink-haired woman was grinning with her hands behind her back, leaning forward cutely.

"I simply couldn't wait. And it's not like we don't have time."

"Amelia and the others seem to be completely in a trance. Dinner isn't ready yet."

Surprised, Orion lifted an eyebrow.

"That's quite unexpected."

"Can you blame them? After receiving such a beautiful gift?"

She rubbed the fourth finger on her left hand gently, making the gesture very obvious.

"..."

Orion frowned.

"It's not fun if it's not a surprise."

Crossing his arms, he turned his face away.

"What!? Wait-"

Panicking, Tetra suddenly began to second-guess her actions.

"I'm joking."

With a smile, Orion took a step forward and placed his hand on her head.

"With your power in mind, it was in my expectations."

"How much did you see?"

Since she looked panicked, he knew that Tetra hadn't used her power to see her own proposal moment.

Gathering her composure, she nodded while feeling his hand caress her hair.

"I've seen everyone. I was happy you took this seriously, just like you told me you would."

Slowly, Orion moved down her face and cupped her right cheek within his hand.

Tetra placed her hand over it and leaned her face against it.

"Being loved..."

A sigh escaped her mouth, full of complex emotions.

"Makes me realize how pitiful I was."

For a moment, they stared into each other's eyes.

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"I am glad you've accepted me. You've saved me while you could have destroyed my source alongside Miasma."

The warm feeling in her chest just kept growing without end.

"No one stood up for me since I've lost everything. I kept on losing what I loved. It was wearing on me."

Orion simply nodded.

"We've spent eight long years in the past and even more time in that other place. I know how you think more than anyone can."

"And while you try not to let it influence your actions, you know what my thoughts are."

Giggling, she closed her eyes, absorbing his heat and making it her own.

"Our hearts have been on the same wavelength since we got stuck together."

"At first, I felt sorry for you. I could eavesdrop on your thoughts at any time and watch everything you were doing."

That included alone time and bathroom time.

"But you never pushed me away. That's why I always respected your directives."

"I wanted to stay truthful toward the man who gave everything to recover me from the enemy."

"And before I knew it, I began to see the real you."

"Someone living with more guilt in his heart than it should be possible."

"Leaving family and friends behind, alone in a foreign place. How was I supposed to feel?"

Slowly, she took a step forward and grabbed his chest. Then she opened her eyes.

"I'm just glad I was there for you. Giving me the chance to have my wish granted is something I will never forget."

"Since that day, I chose to dedicate my entire being to you."

Tetra wrapped her arms around his back and placed her right cheek on his chest.

"While embarrassing, you know exactly how strong my feelings are. I will never give them up for anything. All I need is you, this family, and this home."

She suddenly frowned.

"Wait... I also need Henrietta."

"She's part of the family. How forgetful can you be?"

Making fun of her, Orion smiled.

"Hey! I already said it before. I'm not the brightest tool in the box. Leave me alone!"

Pouting, she pushed him slightly.

"Haha~ My bad."

He liked that banter very much. It reminded him of the time they spent together trying to make do in a past Triazils.

Orion turned serious and pulled her back into his embrace.

"Tetra."

"Hmm?"

Looking up, she noticed the deeply focused gaze that continued forward into the distance.

"You say I saved you. While it is true that I did everything to recover your source, I was oblivious to your soul being fine."

"I was the one being saved."

Her face darkened.

"If it had continued any longer, I would've turned into a husk, a hollow body drifting in that place forever."

"The one who saved us was you. All I did was fight Miasma and fail."

Shaking her head, she corrected him.

"This wasn't a failure. No one actually perished from this battle, isn't it?"

"Yes. But now that you are more important to me than when you were before that point, it just doesn't feel right."

He tightly hugged her in response.

"I know your dream. You wanted to be loved, to feel the warm sensation you could feel from a couple through your power."

"We weren't close enough to discuss those topics, but after knowing more about you, I felt very conflicted."

"I know..."

"Why was someone as sweet as you so unlucky? And then you turned into a soul, only living through me? Before you could even feel the warmth you desired, you perished."

"..."

"It didn't feel right. What sick joke was this?"

The words Orion spoke in his mind, that Tetra listened to in his core, came out of his mouth and entered her ears, embedding the truthful nature of those thoughts into her mind.

"Then, I learned that my existence was made possible because you gave the shards of Noah's device to the angels and demons."

"Without you, nothing would have been possible."

"I'll say it again. You are the one who held it together more than anyone else. You kept pushing forward, even in the face of despair."

"Using those strong emotions, you've created this future."

"Your dream was granted by yourself, through endless effort on your part. I was only the person it was directed at in the end."

He could feel the nod she gave, and as he looked down, he saw her smile warmly.

The light of the hub shone on them, making it an unforgettable moment for both of them.

"And I'm going to seal it for good."

Orion took a step back, creating distance between each other.

"Tetra, I want you to be part of this family. Would you marry me?"

Tetra straightened with a smirk on her face. She dragged her long, gorgeous pink behind her back in an obviously extravagant movement before crossing her arms.

"I'm a high maintenance woman. You'll regret it someday."

Particles of magic flowed from Tetra's hair as she did her best to put her emotions on hold. Sealing this image in his mind, Orion patiently waited.

"My love is heavy. I cannot give you anything other than true love, one that will crush you if you are unable to give the same in return."

"You are proposing to the Remnant of Love. I hope you understand the implications."

Giving a nod, Orion smiled.

"Even if you were to die and leave me alone, you'd be the only person to ever receive my full emotions. I will accept no one else, so you better stay alive forever, just like me."

Giving out an air of nobility, her upbringing came out more easily than she thought.

Before being a Remnant, Tetra was the princess of her kingdom.

As this memory popped up suddenly, she thanked Nature for giving her a second life from deep inside her soul.

Taking a step forward, Orion stood proud.

"I am also a Remnant. I do not plan to leave anyone alone ever again."

"And with you by my side, death will never take me."

Taking another step, he ended up only one step away from her.

"Whatever you desire, I will give it to you. No matter how strong your love is, I will match it and even surpass it."

"That's why, Tetra, would you give me your hand?"

Bringing out the last box, Orion stretched his hands forward.

Opening the lid, Tetra's eyes shone at the sight of her ring.

"Only fitting for the toughest woman alive, I asked for a diamond ring."

But not any diamond. The rarest, purest, and most expensive diamond ever, a pink diamond, was etched on a beautiful silver ring.

The ring itself was like the night sky, glistening differently with each movement.

Losing her fake attitude, Tetra gasped in shock.

"I know I haven't looked into this part of the future... but this is past my expectations."

"But Orion..."

He knew what she was about to say.

"I understand. I'm not giving you this ring with the intent of simply buying the most expensive gemstone possible."

"It turned this way because I thought you would like it. There was no other reason behind my choice."

Tetra nodded, knowing deep inside that Orion wasn't someone who cared about these kinds of things.

"In that case."

She took a step back, placed her right foot behind her left, and made a gesture emphasizing the decorum of royalty.

Putting both hands on her dress, she lifted it slightly and dropped her head.

"I graciously accept."

For a brief instant, Orion appeared surprised. Something Tetra never spoke about came to mind.

'Her past...'

Curious, Orion asked.

"You've never told me about you before becoming a Remnant."

"Well, yes."

Straightening, she smiled dryly.

"That's something I never told Henrietta, either. We tend to avoid speaking about what happened back then as much as possible. It's still a fresh wound, even after all this time."

"Laugh all you want, but I was the most dignified princess on Triazils. Until that monster destroyed everything, at least."

Her gaze dropped. Orion took this chance to take her left hand and slide the ring where it rightfully belonged.

"Isn't that nice? I married a real princess."

"Idiot..."

Leaning inches to his face, she cupped his cheeks with her hands, pulling him closer and closer.

Until their lips touched under the stars.