* * *
Allice’s POV
That evening, I cautiously asked, “Your Highness?”
“Hmm?”
“When shall we get married?”
“Someday, we will.” Raios pinched my cheek. “Why? Do you want to do it soon?”
“Well… because I want to be with Your Highness every day.”
“We are together every day.”
Of course, that’s true, but still, still! I fidgeted nervously with my nails. It seemed Raios was in no hurry to marry. He used to pester Sister Dana daily to get married soon…
Feeling slighted, my lips pouted. Raios, finding it cute, caught my lips and shook them.
“What’s this?”
“Hmph.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Tch. Never mind.”
“Come on, tell me.”
“Your Highness. Aren’t you going to annul your engagement with Sister Dana?”
“Would you like that?”
“No, not really.”
“Danae stayed in this world for me. So, I have to take responsibility.”
“But still! Wouldn’t it be nice for Sister Dana to live with someone she loves?”
“Danae loves me.” Raios flipped a newspaper page nonchalantly as he spoke as if reading an article from it. “She’s just angry with me right now.”
What? I felt bewildered, suddenly perceiving the man beside me as a stranger.
“What about Your Highness? Do you still love her?”
“I used to love her. Not anymore.” He answered too easily as if the thought wasn’t worth considering. “I love you, Allice. You’re the only woman I love.”
“…Me too.”
But Your Highness. Do you usually whisper love while reading the newspaper?
What are you looking at? Holding back my dissatisfaction, I glanced at the newspaper.
[Who Killed Justin Lancaster?]
Huh? I looked sharply at Raios. His expression remained impassive.
What is it? Did I see it wrong?
Just now. It seemed like he smirked…
* * *
Dana’s POV
Upon returning home, I immediately called Lethe. “Deliver the original scripture to His Majesty.”
“Understood.”
But just as he was about to leave,
“Wait.” I held onto Lethe.
“What is it?”
Why am I doing this?
I opened the box and gazed at the worn-out book. The ancient scripture bearing marks of time.
It’s definitely the scripture. The land’s memory has never been wrong. Not just accurate but frighteningly so. But…
I couldn’t let go of Lethe. What if. Just if. Just in case. This scripture turned out to be a fake? It’s unlikely, but still, what if?
At stake was not only my life but the entire Windsor family. Viego, Noah, Carl, Allice, Rumie… The lives of the Windsor who betrayed, trampled, deceived, and silently watched me crumble.
Suddenly, laughter came out of me. Why should I care?
Who was it again? The person who jokingly told me to stay in this world? Who toyed with my life for their amusement? Ah, right. It was Noah.
And who was it that told me to die rather than tarnish the honor of Windsor? The one who said to just shoot myself in the head? It was Brother Viego.
Who told me to adapt instead of clinging to compensation, even though they didn’t force me to stay in this world? It was Brother Rumie.
Allice, who betrayed and mocked me. And Carl, who deceived me and sought my life.
They were all from Windsor. So, is there any reason to hesitate? If I hesitate, it would be truly foolish. Foolish indeed…
“Milady.”
At that moment, knock, knock, a servant’s voice came along with the sound of knocking.
“Young Master Noah returned this morning.”
“…”
So what? That was my first thought.
The servant continued. “But he is very ill right now. He has a high fever.”
“I see. Take good care of him.”
That was the end of it.
In the past, I would have already run to Noah, but now I wasn’t that much of a fool. Even if I went, he would just tell me to get lost.
Yeah, come to think of it, it was the same about a year ago.
Noah had broken his left leg. He got injured during training at the military academy. Back then, I had brought a bouquet of daisies to visit him.
“Get this trash out of here!”
The bouquet flew straight at my face.
“Are you mocking me? Get out immediately!”
I laughed, vividly recalling Noah’s bright red face and fierce eyes. I was really upset. But now, even recalling it, I don’t feel anything special. More than that, honestly… I really don’t feel any worry any more. Whether Noah is sick or not, whatever happens to him, I don’t care at all.
He must be shocked because his roommate was murdered. That was all I could think of.
Then why can’t I let go of this hand holding Lethe? Fortunately, my secretary waited calmly.
I need to make a decision quickly. Whether to make a life-and-death deal with the Windsor family or not. I had to choose.
* * *
Noah’s POV
I woke up from a long, long nightmare.
“Noah.”
As I opened my eyes, bright sunlight flooded in. It was so dazzling that I squinted my eyes.
“Are you awake?”
My eyes, adjusted to the light, caught the shape of a woman. With silver hair like angel wings…
“Noah. Are you very sick?”
That woman. She was looking at me with a worried face, as always. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“You’re so pitiful.”
“…”
“How can you be so sick? Noah, it must be very hard for you.”
I sighed. Annoying.
She was the kind of woman who would make a fuss and worry even if I just got a paper cut. Overprotection should have its limits; she was truly annoying and despicable.
“Get out.” The moment I muttered that.
“…”
I blinked blankly.
What? When did it become night? Just a moment ago, the room filled with bright sunlight was now shrouded in darkness.
Did I fall asleep for a moment?
I turned my head. Then, I touched the spot where the woman had been sitting just a moment ago.
“…”
Not a trace of warmth remained as if no one had been there from the beginning. In that emptiness, I felt a heart-wrenching loneliness.
“Milord, are you awake?”
“Danae Windsor?”
“Yes?”
“That woman, when did she leave?”
At my words, the maid looked perplexed. “She hasn’t come to visit you yet.”
“What?”
“S-She hasn’t come at all.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. She was here.”
Yes, I had definitely seen her. Sitting by my bedside, tears welling up as always.
“But Milord, I have been nursing you the whole time. Lady Danae has not come even once…”
“Are you saying I hallucinated? Or that I dreamed about that woman?”
“Ah, maybe you did? Lady Danae went to meet the crown prince today and just returned.”
What? I furrowed my brows deeply.
The crown prince? Is she still infatuated with the crown prince? After all that humiliation, is she still like a fool?
“Milord? A-Are you crying?”
“…Go away.”
“Oh, it must be because of the fever. Your fever is still high. You need to rest.”
“Get out.”
I roughly pushed away the maid’s hand and sat up. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Maybe that’s why. Tears forming in my eyes like now.
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*points at Noah* HA HA!
I hope she moved forward with the deal