I couldn’t understand. My head hurt too much to think.

So at that moment, there was only one thing Joseph could do.

He rewound time. The place was once again the carriage from the previous day.

“Lord Joseph?”

The pitter-patter of rain outside the window irritated his nerves.

It was a time when all sorts of noises invaded his brain at will, including the sound of carriage wheels turning and the horses’ snorting breaths.

Something that hadn’t happened before occurred.

Lieselotte’s outstretched hand touched Joseph’s cheek.

Ah. The moment she touched him, the monster’s torture that had tormented him severely for a week and a day disappeared.

The pain of glass shards that seemed to crush his mind completely lifted.

Finally.

“Whew.”

…He could breathe. The world became quiet.

Joseph thought.

Since the ordinary world was such a quiet place without any pain, how could one not want to live?

“Why did you do it this time?”

Lieselotte, who had noticed that time had been rewound even though he hadn’t said anything, asked.

Before answering, he needed to organize the information and memories from the rewound timeline.

Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult.

One of the conditions for becoming the successor of Chronomancy was the ‘perfect memory ability’.

“It seems it would be difficult to talk after returning home. Let’s just do it here.”

This would be better than using magic to prevent sound from leaking out.

Although it was accompanied by tremendous pain as well, Joseph briefly stopped time.

‘This time, I have a good feeling.’

Fortunately, it was a good decision. Joseph, who had half-received permission to marry, let go of the rain clouds he had drawn towards the imperial road as he got out of the carriage.

What was meant to happen, happened.

Madam Baden died, and the guards came. By the time the body was taken care of, it was well past afternoon. Sergei visited at the same time.

But by this point, there was something puzzling.

‘I thought they would dislike Sergei for sure.’

It was unexpected that all three children agreed to Lieselotte’s remarriage.

I should confirm it after all. Thinking this, Joseph eavesdropped on the children’s conversation.

And he was able to seize an opportunity.

“Then that’s good.”

Kardiel, who had grabbed Joseph’s wrist, said.

“From now on, please become our new mother’s fiancé.”

There was no way Kardiel could have secretly listened to the conversation they had on the 4th floor.

After all, he had made sure from the beginning that no sound would leak out.

Nevertheless, he didn’t expect Kardiel to propose the marriage contract with Lieselotte first like this.

‘An opportunity.’

But he couldn’t just readily agree.

Joseph pretended to look troubled.

“That’s a sudden suggestion. I understand that the Duchess has no intention of remarrying at all.”

“If you need an explanation, I’ll give it to you later. For now, as we don’t have time, you just need to come with us.”

“Pardon?”

“In front of Lord Sergei. Just say that although you’re the one to marry our new mother, it hasn’t been long since you’ve seriously talked about it. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Hmm…”

He could tell it was an incredibly flimsy improvisation.

To be honest, it was too reckless for a plan by Young Duke Kardiel.

But because of that, he could understand how desperate this moment was for the children.

Just looking at Euphemina and Chersion also sending pleading looks to Joseph showed as much.

“Lord Joseph, didn’t you say you owe our new mother a life debt?”

“Yes, that’s why it’s even more difficult. If by any chance this matter brings harm to the Duchess, I could be thrown out of the mansion. Also, as a home tutor teaching the Young Duke, Young Lady, and Young Master, my qualifications could be questioned.”

I should rather be in the role of dissuading the three of you.

Joseph, while hiding his true feelings, refused Kardiel’s proposal several times.

The more he did so, the more desperate the three children became to hold onto Joseph.

Chersion clung to him, and Euphemina pleaded with him.

Kardiel even went so far as to promise that no matter what, he would persuade their new mother to ensure that Lord Joseph suffered no harm.

“If that’s the case, I understand. However, there’s one more thing you three must keep in mind.”

Only then did Joseph sigh as if he had no choice.

“Whether it’s a lie or not, once engagement and marriage are mentioned, it’s not easy to withdraw. Especially if it’s Sage Sergei, he’s of Daiern lineage, right? The moment I introduce myself as a fiancé, it won’t take long for the relationship between the Duchess and me to spread in social circles.”

Kardiel’s eyes showed that he was prepared. No, it was more like a welcoming reaction.

“If Lord Joseph doesn’t have to return to Alperon early, or if there isn’t a lady you’ve promised to marry in Alperon, we’d prefer if you could maintain this fake engagement for about 3 years.”

“3 years… you say?”

“To be precise, until I come of age and officially inherit the Duke’s title.”

At this point, Joseph furrowed his brow as if slightly perplexed.

Of course, there’s no fiancée or anything like that in Alperon. It’s natural. There’s nothing in Alperon to begin with.

Just vast lands, a collapsed tower, lost magic, and enormous treasures piled up.

“…I understand. I’ll agree to help you three.”

As if he had no choice, Joseph willingly allowed the three children to owe him a debt.

And naturally, he was summoned by an angry Lieselotte.

Cold sweat trickled down the nape of his neck.

But at this moment, there was only one thought in Joseph’s mind.

‘It’s done.’

At this moment, Joseph could smile with utmost sincerity behind the fingers covering his face.

It feels like ending thousands of years of wandering. Is this what it feels like when you’re about to cry?

It feels like I’ve finally come back to my senses.

Or not? Am I still not in my right mind?

To be honest, Joseph’s heart was pounding madly right now.

Since when, you ask…

It was when Lieselotte asked that.

At that time, her violet eyes, like pansies, were filled with tension.

‘It was as if she was asking if her husband would commit infidelity in the future.’

It’s a funny comparison, but I thought it might be similar.

I had experienced enough before rewinding time to know how much she trusted Sergei.

Hadn’t she even persuaded the children who so despised Sergei to decide on remarriage?

At Lieselotte’s question, Joseph felt his heart tighten as if it were being squeezed. Perhaps that’s why he felt it pounding even more.

He greatly disliked that pain.

It was a different kind from a headache.

If a headache makes one sensitive, the tightness felt in the heart makes one angry.

So if I answer that Sergei is a safe person.

‘Are you going to abandon me again?’

Are you going to seriously consider marrying him, ignoring my life?

‘Sergei is a traitor. Sergei will drive the three children to death and forcibly take you. And what you believe to be his good nature will ultimately shatter Daiern.’ He wanted to shout like that.

Then she would believe it.

Because the walls of trust built up so far are thick and strong enough to make her unable to doubt Joseph no matter what happens.

Pangs of conscience?

Such things don’t guarantee Joseph’s life.

So he thought he could tell such lies. What couldn’t one do to survive?

…However.

Joseph couldn’t do it in the end.

The moment he saw her arm stretch out as if drawing a line in their relationship as she stepped back, he felt a tingling pain from his throat to behind his ears and down to the back of his neck.

‘First my head hurts, then my heart, and now my neck?’

But even though he intertwined his fingers with hers, that pain didn’t improve.

He thought it might be a different kind from the curse of Chronomancy, but he didn’t want to think deeply about it.

Yes, I understand.

Let’s tell her what she wants to know.

What will happen if she marries Sergei? Shouldn’t I find out if she can truly protect both the children and Daiern as she wishes?

“Would you like me to check for you?”

“Check what?”

“If you’re so curious about what will happen if you marry Sage Sergei, I’ll check for you.”

I could find out for her.

…But I didn’t want to.

It was a strange thing.

Joseph had already lived for thousands of years anyway. It wouldn’t matter if just three more years of experience were added to that.

But at this moment, he didn’t want to. Why?

Because it seemed like she would truly be happy.

Because it seemed like this time she would truly protect the children and Daiern.

Joseph finally realized that he would be abandoned.

He knew that in the end, she wouldn’t choose him. So he decided not to hear the answer.

“I’m joking. Don’t make such an expression all of a sudden, my lady.”