Reincarnated as a Son of the Sword Saint and the Sage

"Um, what is it...?"

"You know, I have been thinking about something for quite some time, wondering whether it would be a good decision to make. I truly wanted to make it come true. I do not care about the consequences or what others would think anymore. I just want to fulfill this satisfaction of mine."

"..."

Raphael briefly paused so that he could hold her hands. Dane confusedly looked at it, and she started to have a little internal panic as she had no idea what he was going to do or say. After a short while, Raphael continued.

"You must be confused about what I am saying right now." He smiled to reassure her. "I am sure that this will surprise you."

"You are making me even more worried, Raphael."

"Relax, Dane. I, too, was kind of nervous about this. I actually exerted a lot of courage to pull this off. But I have made this far, and I am not going to back out."

"..."

"Dane... I want you to know that I... I want to marry you."

"What...?"

All Dane could do at that time was express her shock with a gasp. She thought that she was not hearing him right. But after reprocessing his words, what he said was actually what she had thought.

"Marry...me?"

"You heard it right, Dane," he nodded repeatedly. "I wanted to marry you, as in the ceremony that my parents just celebrated. Along my fiancees, I want to see you walking the aisle clad in the most beautiful dress you would ever had, approaching me at the altar."

When he said that, Dane instantly visualized the little details that Raphael mentioned. But she immediately shrugged it off, as she could not imagine herself in that scenario.

"B-but why me? I don't think I deserve you—"

"Don't put yourself down. You should know that you are worth more than you initially thought. You are such a wonderful and brave person. I really, really love you, and I truly want to commit to that."

"I love you too, believe me. But as far as marriage, are you sure you are not thinking it rashly?"

"I completely know what I am doing, and what I just told you was all true. I really want to marry you. Not because I have to, but I wish to."

Each of his words was filled with utmost sincerity, and Dane wanted to believe him. However, there was still this piece of doubt and hesitation harboring in her heart.

"Even if you say that, how about your fiancees?"

"They have given my permission."

To her shock, Raphael immediately responded to her natural question. But her reflexes suddenly kicked in and asked him questions again.

"Have you talked it with your parents?"

"They approved."

"Your sister?"

"She actually does not mind who or how many I am going to marry."

"How about what other people would think?"

"I am literally a prince of this nation, and they have no power to judge my decisions."

"Why do you want to marry me in the first place?"

"The main and primary reason is because I wanted to. If you want logical reasoning, I'll give you some, but I don't consider it as the main factor."

"I understand."

"As the queendom grows in territory and population, we will need new lords to rule the lands, and you are one who would be promoted. You will gain a noble title, not just your typical one- or two-generation knighthood peerage. One of the jobs of a noble is to maintain the title by means of inheritance."

"Wait a minute—"

"Not only am I going to marry you, but I will also give you an heir to prolong the legacy of the Graceblade family."

Dane immediately drew in her breath from the shock of the things that Raphael just revealed. But most importantly, she was enlightened by his words and realized something about herself that she had completely forgotten a long time ago.

She once fell in love before, and like any other maiden in love, Dane had dreamt of having a family. But she eventually buried that idea when they separated, and her heart had gradually turned cold since then.

After years of rejecting love, her cold heart had been melted by Raphael's cozy love. She thought that it was hilarious that her heart would be opened again by someone who was more than a decade younger than her.

She looked below and stared at her belly, feeling that her desire to make a family had revived again. But then again, she was starting to become a bit pessimistic, thinking that she was too old for that kind of thing.

Seeing her melancholic expression within her blue eyes, Raphael was worried about her, so he kissed her on the lips. That kiss snapped her back, and after the first kiss, they mutually engaged, and they did a French.

"Mmmm..."

It seemed like a minute or so had passed before they stopped. Before they noticed it, their hands had been on one another's waist. Raphael wanted to cheer her up, so he thought kissing her would lighten up her mood.

"So what do you think about the marriage, Dane? Will you accept my proposal?"

"Well, I am still in shock, but I fully understand you, Raphael. If you don't mind marrying and planning on having a family with an old lady like me, then who am I to refuse the offer of my beloved one?"

"Absolutely. It's a promise, then."

Raphael and Dane smiled at each other before they drew their faces closer and overlapped their lips. They were ecstatic about everything that happened tonight and closed their eyes as they passionately kissed.

When they finally broke the kiss, the first thing Dane noticed was that she felt Raphael's hand gently squeeze one of her breasts. She had partially forgotten that they were doing the deed tonight.

"Dane, let's consummate this promise."