Ah, why is this happening? Suddenly, my vision became blurry, and tinnitus sounded in my ears.
“Seal off the entire Felicite Duchy and imprison the duke and his vassals in the underground dungeon.”
“I understand!”
Through the haziness, I glimpsed Redian ascending a golden throne.
“Ah…”
I had sometimes experienced a mix-up of the original story and reality in my previous life, but never this vividly. It was as if scattered memories were converging in one place.
“Kill everyone here and that woman over there…”
“Please spare me, Redian! It’s my fault!”
“Bring her to the palace.”
At that moment, the image of Redian looking down at Siani amidst a bloody scene surfaced.
“Ugh!” I suddenly felt nauseous. I covered my mouth and stumbled to avoid falling.
“Master!”
Redian rushed to support me.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ugh, my head hurts.”
I slumped onto a nearby sofa. My consciousness, which had been blurry, slowly returned.
“What suddenly…” Redian knelt beside me without hesitation, examining me with concern. “Was there any trouble?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Honestly, I was quite startled by such clear tinnitus. Seeing Redian in uniform, resembling the novel’s male protagonist, might have shocked my delicate heart. Siani Felicite, you have a fragile heart indeed.
“I’ve been stressed lately. Maybe I’m just tired because there’s so many things to worry about.”
“…”
I replied lightly as if it was just mild dizziness. I couldn’t tell him that I had just witnessed our terrible past lives.
“I also sometimes behave like this during nightmares. It’s similar.”
Nightmares. As I was repeating those words, I suddenly felt a strange feeling. I had seen Siani’s past life, but what are the memories that Redian sees in his nightmares? It seemed like Redian was feeling it vividly, just like I was experiencing tinnitus…
“… Let’s go outside,” said Redian, who was just looking at me, lost in thought.
“There is a small garden on the way to the training ground. Come with me.”
Redian suggested, worried I might feel suffocated in the cramped space.
Watching him so flustered, I felt odd. Though not in the attire of a crown prince, his uniform appearance began to feel real. And more than anything…
“Master.”
He is kneeling before me, his hand gently holding my shoulder…
“Master?”
And those blue eyes reflect only me. We were too close, and Redian was becoming excessively tender towards me.
“No, I’m fi—”
“Please.” He bit his lip. “Stop saying you’re fine.”
His gaze, suddenly heavy, pierced through me. Despite knowing we should keep our distance for the future, I couldn’t move.
“Every time you do this, I’m not fine.”
“…”
“If you care about me, why do you keep…”
From some point…
“Making me anxious.”
His whispering voice grew more persistent.
* * *
Eventually, I had to accompany Redian to the garden. Poor Bergman must have been so flustered. He left for a moment to cut fabric, and Redian vanished.
It’s my revenge, Bergman.
But what can you do? Redian seemed ready to carry me out if necessary, so I chose to walk.
“Feeling better?”
As we stepped out of the training ground, a small garden appeared. Even though there seemed to be no one passing by because it was sparsely populated, there was a clear pond and a swing. Who created this place?
“Yes. I’m okay.”
As I sat on the swing, the summer breeze touched my face. I thought I was okay, but maybe I wasn’t. Only then did I feel like I could breathe.
“Strange. Everything feels so serious when I’m with you.”
“…”
I chuckled. To whoever it is, I don’t want to look weak.
“Princess, may I ask you one question?”
“Yes?”
“Is saying ‘I’m okay’ a habit for you?” Redian suddenly asked, looking down at me. “You say it when kidnapped, when your neck and shoulder swell.”
As I looked at him as if asking what he was saying, Redian added more. “You even said you’re okay when being misunderstood for doing something that didn’t make sense.”
Now that I think about it, it seemed like I always said I was okay and that there was nothing wrong when being in front of Redian.
“Or did that nanny teach you that?” His tone was slightly sarcastic.
Hmm. Recently, our roles seem reversed. I used to nag and scold him, but now…
“Isn’t this better than whining? Showing weakness only invites attack.”
“…”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve seen and lived through so many lives. Nothing really hurts or bothers me.”
“I’ve seen it all too.” At that moment, Redian suddenly made eye contact with me and answered.
“Seen what?”
“That night. You said your feet hurt, your shoulders hurt, you were tired.”
That night? Ah, it seemed like he was referring to the day when we slept in the same bed after the kidnapping incident.
I said that? I must have blabbered under the influence of sleep and sedatives.
“I told you every time.”
“…”
“Master is transparent in front of me.”
He smiled, seeing my embarrassment.
“You’re really hopeless. Instead of getting cutter, you’re getting more and more arrogant.” Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I spoke in a stern voice.
“But Master has seen it all too.”
He seemed unfazed.
“You treated me when I was covered in blood and stayed by my side during nightmares.”
Redian quietly looked down at me sitting on the swing with his arms crossed and muttered. “But I’m fine with that. Because Master is the one who saw it.”
Look at him. He seemed to be winning me over with that charming smile.
“But, when did you come?”
“Ah, right.”
I remembered why I came to the training ground.
“Do you know what this is?”
“…What?” Redian looked puzzled as I shook the bag I was carrying.
Fufu, I will show you something amazing. I took out the jewelry box containing two rings, or rather, restraints side by side. The more I look at it, the more it looks like a coupling… Well, let’s say it is a ring that pledges eternal friendship.
“Ta-da!”
Then, Redian’s eyes fell on the pair of rings for a long time.
“They’re pretty, aren’t they?”
“Are you proposing to me?” He asked calmly.
What? Proposing? What is he talking about?
“I told you a while ago. I will change your restraints.”
“Ah…”
He nodded, slightly disappointed. It seemed like something was missing.
“When I activate this, we can find each other wherever we are.”
“I see.” His low muttering voice was strange.
“Actually, I didn’t expect this design.”
The problem was how to share this ring.
““I meant to make a necklace for me and a bracelet for you, but I don’t know what the researchers were thinking.”
“I like it.”
The corners of Redian’s mouth slightly rose as he looked at the restraints.
It was a completely different reaction when I gave him candy. Even when I gave him candy the first day we met, he said, ‘Ah,’ and thought about it soullessly… But it looked like he was sincere this time. I could tell just by looking at his gaze, which was mostly focused on the restraints.
“But Master…”
“Yes?”
Our eyes met.
“By giving this to me, you’re saying…”
The summer breeze was refreshing. But more than that.
“You’re confident to handle me.”
It was even more so when Redian’s blue eyes touched me.
