Chapter 1
“A joyous engagement ceremony filled with the blessings of the people.’’
The two protagonists of the day, a man and a woman, were beaming with happiness. Their demeanor seemed as if they had overcome hardships and adversities, reaching a blissful conclusion like protagonists in a story.
“Congratulations.”
“You two look perfect together.”
People offered blessings and cheerful greetings to the couple.
Détor Deberti, the viscount of the engagement ceremony, laughed brightly, his smile reaching his ears, while Delia Palo Yeongae had a flawless face with a hint of shyness.
The gathered nobles all extended their blessings to the couple.
Of course, only in front of the couple.
“…Didn’t Viscount Deberti have a previous engagement?”
“Forgot? His former fiancée, Nirielle Yeongae, died. He quickly found a new spouse.”
“It was quite a scandal until recently.”
“Palo Yeongae was a close friend of the deceased Nirielle Yeongae, right?”
“Getting a new spouse who was a close friend of the deceased fiancée… It gives me the chills; I don’t think I could do it.”
After offering their congratulations and turning away, the nobles waved their fans with displeased expressions. While they had accepted the invitation and attended, the engagement ceremony felt uneasy and awkward.
“Rumors even say that the two of them were seeing each other before Nirielle Yeongae passed away, right?”
“It was a lively engagement ceremony with a lot of comments.”
“It’s a pity that only the deceased Nirielle Yeongae ended up unfortunate.”
“There were rumors that the two had been meeting even before Nirielle Yeongae’s death.”
“It’s a shame for the deceased Nirielle Yeongae.”
“There were also various rumors on that side. But the dead cannot speak, so even if it’s unfair, what can you do?”
It was an engagement ceremony with a lot of additional remarks. The nobles faced each other, exchanging smiles and laughter. Despite the dull daily routine, the prospect of new gossip to talk about incessantly for the next few days made it not so bad.
It was a time when nobles flaunted their knowledge, judging who was superior or inferior to one another.
“Here comes Duke Violeentus!”
The resounding announcement signaled the arrival of a new guest. Surprisingly, the awkward atmosphere was instantly refreshed.
“Oh my. Did they say it’s the Violeentus family?”
“The Duke of Violeentus attended the engagement ceremony?”
All eyes turned towards the entrance.
“I’ve never seen his face before, I wonder whose invitation he received today.”
“I saw his face at Nirielle Yeongae’s memorial service not long ago. He is so handsome… my heart almost didn’t survive.”
“Didn’t he recently discover a new gold and diamond mine? They might be the wealthiest family in the empire now.”
All attention shifted to one place. The focus on today’s protagonist was overshadowed by the much more intriguing presence of Duke Violeentus.
“And…”
“Is everything ready?”
Standing in front of the door, Violethius Gajus, Laches, extended his hand to me and asked directly.
His tone was light, mocking my determination, but in those black eyes that had never once looked away from me, there was a fervent desire simmering.
It took a very long time for me to return to this place.
“Ready?”
After steadying my trembling breath, I gently placed my hand on the palm that Laches offered. His rough skin felt vivid.
“When I abandoned my name and left, disguised for death. All preparations were made back then.”
Having received a firm answer, Laches lightly gestured for me to open the door. The two of us, holding hands side by side, entered the engagement venue amicably.
‘…Ah.’
The air was filled with the fragrance of fresh flowers, so refreshing that it almost made my head ache. Small arched windows on both sides were high up, allowing the bright sunlight to sparkle like jewels.
The beautiful hexagonal columns, adorned with jewels, were grand, and the chandelier, so gigantic that it could overturn the ceiling, captivated the gaze as it sparkled whenever a light breeze blew.
I knew this place very well.
“That’s the place where I was about to get married. And with that man!
‘If you were planning to marry my former fiancé, you should have chosen a different place. If you didn’t want to hear me say that I’m following you, that is.’
Even though it was probably the first time in this place, Raches was undaunted. He confidently strode forward as if all he had to do was head towards his destination.
With each step Raches took, the crowd gathered around him, parting on either side. And Raches behaved as if everything was familiar, nonchalantly.
“Always remember who you’re walking beside now, Lefrentia.”
The midday sun cast a dark shadow on his long, jet-black hair, which moved gently with each step as if it could devour the fear. His black eyes, as if asking if even my tension would be swallowed whole, looked at me.
Strength involuntarily surged into the hand we held together. I stared intently at Raches, then slowly opened my lips.
“My path has been decided from the beginning. So, Duke, please follow me closely. If you fall behind even a little, I will leave you behind and go ahead.”
A light smile passed through Raches’ lips.
“If you don’t want to be left behind, you better hold on tight, even if it’s just my hand.”
Apparently satisfied with the response, Raches nodded contentedly and tightly grasped my hand
As the distance between them gradually narrowed, the faces of the two protagonists became clearer. When they confronted the repulsive faces of the two individuals, a shiver ran down my spine. After seeing them, what expression would you put on now?
I confidently raised my head and gracefully straightened my back more than usual. At the same time, Laches, who had been sailing without hesitation, finally stopped at the destination. It was right in front of the two protagonists today.
“Congratulations on the engagement, Count Deberti.”
Unexpectedly, a figure appeared, and the eyes of Dettor and Delia widened. Belial Renator, who was congratulating Dettor and Delia, also turned around with surprised eyes.
Laches, the host of Violetus, rarely came to the capital for any party, and he didn’t often visit even when called from the palace.
It was a natural reaction to summon him all the way to the capital.
“… Count Violetus?”
As Prince Belial’s words cut through the silence, Laches lightly nodded in response.
“I greet His Highness the Prince.”
“I didn’t expect Count Violetus to come here.”
As Prince Belial’s words pierced the quiet stillness, Laches replied with a casual nod.
Détor approached Laches with a surprised expression, grabbing the hand extended to him.
“I couldn’t ignore the invitation. After all, it’s the Imperial Slope we’re talking about.”
During the pleasant exchange of greetings, Delia, blushing shyly, glanced at Laches with her shoulders hunched.
Intermittently, she even made whimsical remarks like, “You came to meet me, didn’t you?”
It seemed like Laches was dreaming of declaring, “This engagement is invalid! Delia will be with me!” perhaps in the midst of such a dream.
“I also brought someone to introduce to you,” Détor said, extending his hand to me with an excited expression as if he had been eagerly anticipating this moment, just like me. Only when I shook his hand did the attention of the two turn towards me, who was standing next to them.
And as they noticed me, their faces contorted in astonishment.
“…!!”
“Le, Leah?”
I had been waiting for this day.
The day when your lives would blossom into happiness. Today, full of confidence, as if there would be no more hardships on your path ahead.
I had decided and vowed to cruelly break that beautifully blooming flower, to bestow not blessings but despair and sorrow.
Don’t you also need to fall into a deep abyss to truly understand? To know how difficult it was for me, how I suffered in nightmares and agonized in pain.
“It seemed like you were so happy today that I thought you had forgotten about me. But both of you remembered everything.”
As I whispered quietly, the two of them recoiled as if they had encountered ghosts they shouldn’t have seen.
Even Delia, startled, covered her lips with her palm and took a step back.
“It might be a coincidence with the two of them.”
Laughing at the amusing sight, Laches twisted his lips and soon introduced me formally with a mocking voice.
“Hello, My fiancée, Lepherentia Nirielle.”
At Laches’ words, the engagement ceremony venue quickly turned into chaos.
Nobles who were curious because they didn’t know my identity were surprised and agitated, and Delia even seemed to wobble as her legs shook.
“What did the Viscount Violentus just say? Lepherentia Nirielle? The deceased Nirielle’s daughter?”
“But didn’t they say she was dead? I think I attended a memorial service.”
“Nirielle’s daughter is alive?”
“But did the Viscount Violentus have an engagement?”
The engagement ceremony, which had been full of blessings for my return, was engulfed in astonishment and shock.
Of course, the protagonist of the day was quickly forgotten in people’s minds.
“You, how did you come here…”
“Leah, Leah is dead!”
The two of them blinked their eyes and confirmed me several times. Dettore even slapped his own cheeks several times as if wondering if he was dreaming.
“Nyriel Yeongae?”
Prince Bellial, who was congratulating the two, called me in surprise.
“Nyriel Yeongae is here…”
“It’s been a while, Prince.”
“Ha.”
When I greeted Prince Bellial lightly, he looked at me with moist eyes.
After delaying the pleasant greetings, I looked at them with a dry expression and casually congratulated them.
“Congratulations on your engagement. You said you would marry even if you had to kill me, and you really did it.”
At my words, Delia’s lips trembled.
“The two of you will be able to live happily ever after, unlike me.”
Even with the bright congratulations, the two had no response. Instead, the surrounding nobles became more restless.
“Can I go see the two of them soon? There’s something I want to ask.”
“Ask? Ask what?”
“Yeah. I’m also in the process of preparing for an official engagement ceremony.”
In response to Delia’s question, I smiled confidently and leaned my head on Laches’s chest. Laches wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close as if to cherish and express his love.
It looked so natural that anyone could see we were a couple deeply in love.
Dettor had a stern expression, and Delia’s laughter disappeared.
“Just in case I’m asking.”
“……”
“Did you guys really think I was dead?”
I chuckled, shaking my head towards the frozen duo.
Right here, right now.
The person who killed me is here.
“Leah, I’m pregnant.”
Today was my wedding day.
“The baby’s father… someone you know too.”
So today was supposed to be a moment of happiness for me more than anyone else.
“He decided to settle things with the person he was seeing and come to marry me. We decided to quickly have the wedding before my belly gets any bigger.”
I stared at my friend Delia, who was pouring out a shocking confession with a bewildered expression.
What was clear is that this was not the kind of story you should hear just hours before a wedding.
“…Who is the baby’s father?”
If it were any other day, would I have asked if it’s okay? Would I have hugged her because she was upset?
Maybe I would have smiled like a fool and congratulated her.
But today was different.
Watching Delia confess as if it had to be right now, anxiety surged through me as if it were crawling up from my feet, engulfing my entire body.
“…Lea, aren’t you going to congratulate me?”
“Who is the child’s father?”
Ignoring my question, Delia pressed me again, seeking congratulations.
Delia pursed her lips. While absentmindedly stroking her still-hidden belly with her palm, she avoided my gaze.
A ominous premonition struck my mind.
“Detor, right?”
The person standing by my side today, proclaiming love for me. My husband.
I mentioned my fiancé’s name.
“Detor… is the child’s father?”
Delia remained silent, her lips sealed as if there were nothing to say.
I wished she would at least curse me. Ask if I were crazy, scold me for doubting the person I was marrying today.
My lips dried up, and my breath became rapid.
There was no explicit answer, but that was enough of a response.
As I lowered my confused gaze, the ring on Delia’s finger captivated my attention.
It was a familiar ring.
“It can’t be helped. The ring that was handed to me by Détor, claiming it was hard to obtain, was identical to the engagement ring that was now snugly on both women’s fingers.’’
Delia noticed where my gaze was directed, and discreetly covered the ring on her finger with her palm.
“Ah….”
A sigh of despair involuntarily escaped me.
It felt like everything was crumbling and about to be smashed below.
To be in such a disgraceful situation.
“I’m sorry, Leah. Really sorry. I wanted to tell you beforehand….”
Beforehand?
They wanted to tell me beforehand? When exactly did the two of them start meeting? And why today of all days?
Today was supposed to be my…
As my thoughts spiraled, a dark cloud covered the moon, leaving the world in darkness as if abandoned by light.
“You’re my friend… so we both couldn’t bring ourselves to say it. I’m sorry, Leah. If it wasn’t for the pregnancy, I wouldn’t have said something like this to you….”
Delia sobbed, dragging out her words, and tears streamed down her face. An involuntary laugh escaped me at the contradiction.
“Does that mean, does that mean you would have continued deceiving me if you hadn’t gotten pregnant?”
“Why are you saying it so, so frighteningly… Leah… I, I feel like you need to know…”
Delia continued to sob incessantly, as if hoping I would comfort her crying self as usual.
“And… Leah… In truth, you find it difficult with Dettore too, right? It’s so important to men… Dettore struggled a lot…”
“Do you even know what you’re saying right now?”
“We three had a mutually beneficial relationship. If I hadn’t fulfilled Dettore’s desires… maybe he would have suggested breaking up with you earlier. Thanks to me, we’ve been happily in love until now, Leah. Can’t you see it that way?”
I trembled at the nonsensical words. I stood up abruptly and threw the bouquet in my hand with all my strength.
“Leah…”
“How dare you!”
Shocked by the sudden outburst, Delia covered her head with her hands, trembling in surprise.
“Leah… I understand you’re angry, but be careful. If something happens to the baby inside me, what will you do…”
What did she just say?
“I stared blankly at Delia.’’
Is she really my friend Delia? But how could she say such words to me? How could she say the words about the child in my belly in front of me?
“Ha.”
Without giving Delia a glance, I walked out as it is.
Outside the waiting room, the maids I had sent out for conversation were waiting.
“Detor, where is Detor?”
The voice had a ripple effect. Despite trying to maintain composure, my head, which had turned pale, was filled with dirty thoughts entwining Detor and Delia.
As the two merged into one, the image of them mocking me, who knew nothing, came to mind, making me feel like I would vomit everything.
“Count Deverty has arrived a little while ago. He is currently checking the banquet hall.”
As soon as I heard the answer, I walked towards the banquet hall where Detor was supposed to be.
The maids followed, surprised that the bride’s preparations were not yet complete, but I paid no attention.
I had to confirm this tragedy as true right away.
‘’As I opened the door and entered the banquet hall, I saw the man I loved, and used to love, Detor.”
“I threw off the gloves I was wearing and walked quickly towards Dettor.’’
“Huh? Reperentia?”
Dettor, who turned around at the sound of footsteps, checked me and smiled. Seeing that unchanged smile, my vision blurred.
I loved that smile too much. I was convinced that his clear smile towards me was love.
I approached him and, with the ungloved hand, touched Dettor’s cheek.
There was no need to ask if Delia’s words were true.
“…!”
The moment my hand touched Dettor’s cheek.
Simultaneously, all the memories Dettor had experienced rushed into my head like a flood.
Dettor’s gaze, memories, and thoughts towards me.
Dettor’s gaze, memories, and the filthy desires filled with disgust towards Delia.
Even the unpleasant image that I had not known until a while ago.
His past, unknown to me, filled my mind in an instant.
Thunk!
“What on earth are you doing right now!”
DeTour withdrew his hand from mine, his touch turning cold, and hastily took a step back. Simultaneously, tears that had been welling up in his eyes spilled down his cheeks.
“Delia, is it really you who’s the father of the child she’s carrying?”
There was no need to ask again. In my memories, DeTour and Delia were happily embracing each other, exchanging smiles, confirming the love that I had perceived with a clear and certain certainty.
I could touch the skin of others with my bare hands, without wearing gloves, and involuntarily access their memories. So, everything was laid bare.
It was an undeniable fact.
“…! That, that’s something we can discuss later.”
Only my father, Delia, who had been my friend since childhood, and DeTour were aware of my ability. Delia and DeTour had always requested privacy, and I had always worn gloves to ensure that I never accidentally discovered their private lives.
“So, this is the outcome of having such an ability.”
Until now, I had never held DeTour’s hand or experienced the kiss of love.
Dettor, who had always been afraid of getting too close to me, constantly postponed and avoided the idea of getting married. He told me that he found it difficult to hold hands with me as he pleased when he was with Delia.
“When were you planning to tell me about this?”
“Reparentia.”
“After we got married? After becoming the father of another child, were you planning to ask for a divorce?”
Dettor furrowed his eyebrows and quickly looked around. Then, he gestured for the servants to step back.
“Reparentia. Many people are listening right now. Keep it quiet.”
I was too naive. Naively, I believed that my friend and my fiancé would not betray me.
The three of us believed that we could be together forever in happiness.
It was entirely my fault.
“You and I are done, Dettor.”
“Recarentia. Our families have already settled everything, and even the royal family knows about our marriage. You can’t just change your mind so easily.”
“Just change my mind? Is this what you think, my change of heart?”
Even after everything was revealed, Dettor’s attitude towards me, without any remorse, was strange. His knees were still firm and his unyielding head looked down on me.
Even after everything was revealed, Dotor’s demeanor facing me without any guilt was unfamiliar. His knees remained stiff, and his head, unaware of how to bow, looked down at me.
“Let’s breakup, Separation is better than divorce.”
“Reventus.”
“This ring. They said it’s hard to find, but even Delia has the same ring. Well, even if they’re different rings, they should show the courtesy of giving a gift.”
I threw the engagement ring I took from my hand onto Dotor’s chest and turned away.
The maid waiting in front of me was startled when she turned around to see me. I ordered her to prepare the carriage, reminding her not to cry when her makeup was removed.
Tears flowed incessantly as I left the wedding venue. The blurry surroundings made me feel lost, trapped in the fog of despair.
Why, why is this trial given to me?
“I’d rather, I’d rather be dead.”
It felt like my entire life had been denied. Without knowing where I was going, I just walked forward, wiping away tears with the back of my hand.
At that moment.
Thunk!
Someone forcefully struck the back of my head.
The sudden event couldn’t be stopped.
‘…Huh?’
When the pain spreading from my head grew larger than the sadness, my mind was swallowed up.
And when I opened my eyes again, I had regressed to four months before the wedding.
This was my first regression, the beginning of endless regressions.
