Laila bit her lip. Getting shot with an arrow was something she would never consider worth doing twice.
It was just that there was no other choice.
She remembered the attitude the child had shown her before the regression.
Hatred that was literally bottomless and unending.
How could she erase all of that and gain the child’s favor?
It was the only way.
This insane act of taking the arrow in place of the child to save his life was indeed the only way.
“It’s okay. Let’s think positively. If luck was bad once, it’ll be good next time.”
Maybe next time she’ll get shot by an arrow in the arm or shoulder, where it’s safer, instead of in the back.
It might leave a scar instead, but… she’ll figure it out.
Laila wanted to live, and for that, she was ready to give up something trivial(?).
“And since I’m back in the past, this time I’ll start it right. When the child is being dragged into the mansion…”
She shouldn’t reach out to the fallen child under any circumstances.
However, Laila couldn’t finish her monologue.
She felt a sudden heat under her nose, and a ‘hush’ sound brushed past her ears.
Laila’s consciousness drifted away again.
“…ss.”
“…….”
“Miss!”
“Gasp!”
Laila opened her eyes and abruptly stood up.
The bedroom, it was her bedroom. Her very familiar bedroom.
“Surely I didn’t die again?”
“Yes?”
“No? It can’t be, right?”
Laila hastily reached for the bedside clock.
Soon, a deep sigh escaped from Laila.
‘It’s not 6 PM.’
The clock showed 10 a.m.
It was quite different from six in the evening, the time she regressed.
‘Yeah, people don’t just suddenly die like that.’
Laila, thinking like that, sighed belatedly, realizing the presence of someone else in the room.
“Marie?”
“Miss, are you all right?”
Looking at Marie, who asked with a concerned expression, Laila blinked her eyes.
She forced her brain, still groggy from just waking up, to think.
Why would Marie be here?
Marie usually doesn’t appear in the bedroom unless instructed…
Come to think of it, why is it 10 a.m. now?
After regressing, she had lost consciousness after six in the evening, so when she woke up, it was morning…….
“Marie, what day is it?”
“It’s May 12.”
The day after the regression.
Laila’s insides turned chilly.
Indeed, she must have been unconscious for a day.
And immediately, another issue arose. Today, May 12th, was the day Marquis Hildegarde was returning to the capital, and at ten in the morning…
‘It’s the time he arrives!’
Laila jumped out of bed.
Her head felt like it might split as soon as she stood on the floor, but she quickly recovered.
“I’m going downstairs! Thanks for waking me up, Marie!”
The foyer was on the first floor of the marquisate, and Laila’s bedroom was on the top floor.
Laila burst out of her room and ran as if her life depended on it the moment she touched the ground.
‘Even if I’m late, missing it is not an option!’
If she didn’t show up to greet the Marquis, it would be the end of her.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an immediate disaster.
If she apologizes, he might overlook it at least once.
But the problem was a week later.
Laila had planned a significant incident for herself at that time.
To smoothly overcome that without receiving severe punishment… At least she shouldn’t already appear resentful towards Hildegarde.
With that in mind, Laila sprinted down the corridor, rushing down the stairs, but suddenly she realized something.
‘…But why is this so difficult?’
Her breath was excessively labored.
Her heart felt like it was about to burst, and her lungs seemed on the verge of tearing.
‘Is running this far supposed to be this hard?’
She couldn’t tell. She rarely exerted herself to this extent in normal circumstances.
‘I don’t know; I’ll think about that later,’
Deciding to focus on the crucial matter, Laila grabbed the railing again and quickly descended the stairs.
As she nearly reached the bottom of the stairs, Laila’s expression brightened.
‘There they are!’
Marquis Hildegarde and his children were still on the first floor.
Laila descended the final flight of stairs, panting.
She didn’t let go of the railing. She felt like she might collapse if she did.
As she calmed her ragged breathing, she realized that all eyes were on her and opened her mouth to offer an excuse.
“Um, Father. I’m really sorry for being late. I wasn’t feeling well…….”
At that moment, Marquis Hildegarde walked towards Laila.
Laila’s jaw dropped.
‘Is he going to scold me?’
For being late?
Certainly, she was late. It seemed that the knight had already taken the child.
Marquis Hildegarde soon approached Laila. Laila instinctively lowered her head and tightly closed her eyes.
At that moment, the Marquis, standing next to Laila, burst out laughing.
“Impressive!”
“……?”
“Truly admirable, Laila. To run all the way here to greet me in such a state.”
Laila slowly opened her closed eyes.
She couldn’t understand a word he was saying.
‘What do you mean by such a state? What’s wrong… Oh!’
As she lowered her head, Laila inspected her attire and was horrified.
Blood.
Her pristine white indoor clothes were completely soaked and messy with dried blood, especially around her chest area.
Before she could even guess what it was, the Marquis spoke.
“Your appearance is quite impressive, so I’ll grant you a special wish.”
Ignoring the irritating word “appearance,” Laila suddenly raised her head.
“A wish……?”
“Yes. Do you have something you desire? If so, speak up.”
“What I wish for is…”
In that moment, Laila’s mind wandered off on its own.
A wish? There was only one.
She wished that the Marquis would go to the child who was taken into prison right now and apologize for his mistake.
To beg that he alone should bear the punishment for his sins.
To emphasize that his children, Laila in particular, are innocent and their lives should not be taken away under any circumstances.
‘Happiness.’
Laila snapped out of her reverie and returned to reality.
Then she forced a smile, looking at the Marquis.
“…Can I tell you later? Right now, I’m just happy that you’ve safely returned, Father, and I can’t think of anything else.”
“Is that so? Then do that.”
With that, the Marquis turned and walked away, leaving Laila behind.
Laila let out a breath she’d been secretly holding.
It was a brief moment of attention, but what she gained was more significant than she had thought.
‘A wish.’
She was bewildered. She thought it was fortunate that she wasn’t scolded for being late…
“What’s up, Laila? You’re not usually…”
“It’s pretty clever…….”
“She must have done it on purpose…….”
At that moment, the voices of her siblings chattering reached her ears.
Laila deliberately avoided giving them any attention.
Let them chat as much as they want. Chew on it for a thousand years. No, maybe ten years was the limit anyway.
While thinking such thoughts, Laila suddenly felt dizzy and gripped the railing even tighter.
She wanted to rest.
Quite desperately.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Thanks to Hildegarde dismissing his children who had come to greet him, Laila also returned to her bedroom.
As soon as Laila stood in front of the full-length mirror on one side of the room, she couldn’t help but be astonished.
‘Am I alive?’
In the mirror stood a child who looked like something you’d see at a murder scene.
A pale, bloodless face.
Hair that was more like a mop.
And most importantly, a large amount of blood stained the chest and stomach area of her white dress.
Moreover, upon closer inspection, she realized the blood was also on her hair.
“To enjoy seeing this kind of sight…”
Speechless for a moment at the Marquis’ tastes, Laila quickly washed and changed her clothes.
Now that she was out of that dreamlike state, Laila stared at the bloodstained dress and pondered.
What is this blood?
Then she realized.
This was from a nosebleed.
The blood that Laila had spilled just before fainting the previous day.
“Oh, right. That’s how it was. Definitely at that time…”
Her nose felt warm, and she heard a muffled sound.
Recalling the sensation from the previous day, Laila understood the reason behind the blood on her dress.
However, the mystery still lingered.
