“It wasn’t like it was with you, but it was no less than that.”

At that time, it was the first, so I was more careful. I thought that treasuring it meant keeping it hidden in the deepest part of my heart and taking it out secretly to look at.

Now Ophelia knew that to protect love, one should not do that.

Love was about grasping it with all your might and clearing away the things that got in the way.

The one who taught her that was Idren, and Ophelia intended to give him the same in return.

She slowly continued speaking.

“But one day, Mahanas executed him. The reason was that he had stopped him when he tried to lay hands on me.”

It was then that Idren flinched again.

Ophelia slowly stroked his cheek with the hand that wasn’t covering her eyes.

She knew which part had stimulated him, so it was to soothe him.

“After that, my life became like it was before I met him. The only difference was that before I didn’t know it was a grave, but now I knew the truth.”

“…What Prince Reden did wasn’t your fault.”

Who’s comforting whom?

Ophelia replied to her companion who was acting cute, wondering if he was thinking of comforting her even though he looked on the verge of tears.

“I know.”

What happened to Haslen and Rakmata was Mahanas’s crime.

“But I couldn’t bear the guilt.”

Although she didn’t commit it herself, it wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t met him.

“Actually, I wanted to die since then, but I couldn’t bring myself to take my own life. He died for me, so it wouldn’t make sense if I died without accomplishing anything. I was thinking that when.”

“…”

“You proposed.”

Mahanas brought the marriage proposal with the seal of the Grand Prince of Aglante.

Idren, who was breathing a bit roughly under her hand, spoke in a cracked voice.

“…So you hated me.”

“I didn’t hate you.”

Idren agreed with the crisp reply that came back.

Yes, Ophelia didn’t hate him. Because he wasn’t worth hating.

And he just wanted to stop crying.

Not because Ophelia had loved another man, or because he had been worthless to her in the past.

Even if the former wasn’t true, he had known the latter for a while.

The fact that Ophelia had loved someone didn’t hurt as much as he thought.

In fact, it might be natural. Idren took a deep breath.

How could I hate the person Ophelia loves? How could I disparage what she cherishes? How could I think poorly of someone who matched with her?

It just stung because the misery of the past that she was gently telling him about was too heavy.

He hated everything that had been cruel to the one person he wanted to be kind to.

He wanted to chase away everything that had hurt Ophelia in front of her.

But he was already too late. The Ophelia he met again had already gone through all of that and built up walls.

It was then that the soft voice fell.

“Why would I hate you for doing something wrong?”

How could he not have done anything wrong? Idren suppressed his trembling breath as much as possible and said.

“I proceeded with the marriage without respecting your wishes.”

“If it wasn’t you, another man would have done it.”

At that, the veins on the back of the man’s clenched hand stood out.

Seeing that, Ophelia held back the laughter that was about to come out. How could he be so jealous.

“Still, I should have asked for your opinion.”

“I would have unconditionally refused?”

“Then that refusal would have been my burden.”

He’s saying things he doesn’t mean. Ophelia pressed his straight nose bridge firmly.

“Can you live without me?”

Idren then shut his mouth tightly.

As the tendons rose over his straight jawline, Ophelia was a bit taken aback. No matter how upset he might be, she wondered if she had teased him too much.

It was then that Idren raised his body. He turned to sit facing her and took her hand.

Ophelia blinked at the man who was staring at her with tears welling up in his eyes.

“I would have managed to live somehow.”

“Are you crying now…?”

Oh no, I wasn’t supposed to ask that kind of question.

Remembering something she had promised once, Ophelia bit her lip.

Fortunately, Idren didn’t seem to notice her slip of the tongue. Still holding her hand tightly, he emphasized again.

“I said I would have managed to live somehow…”

It was then that the water that had been pooling in his sparkling eyes began to fall drop by drop.

Really, what should I do with this man?

Ophelia sighed and pulled her caught hand away. Idren let go easily considering how tightly he had been holding on.

Placing her hand on his wet cheek, Ophelia wiped away the moisture and said.

“But then I wouldn’t have met you. You would have married another woman, not me.”

Idren had ascended to the throne. A king must continue the line of succession, and even if not for succession, he must marry for the sake of the country.

“I dislike that more. So if you have a chance to choose again, propose to me.”

Of course, this was an unfair proposal to Idren. Especially considering how much he had suffered after marrying her.

But Ophelia didn’t try to correct herself even though she knew she was pulling something like a scam.

Anyway, Idren wouldn’t get angry just because she tricked him a little.

Wasn’t he a man who was surprisingly generous about the disadvantages he suffered because of her, even though he was sensitive and cried a lot?

If I take advantage of him just this once, and treat him well for the rest of my life, it’s fine, right? Rationalizing her broken calculations like that, Ophelia whispered as if giving a great privilege.

“Then I’ll love you like this again too.”

She couldn’t guarantee that the path to get there wouldn’t be winding, but she could promise that the destination would be the same as now.

It’s not that she believed in herself, but because Idren was someone she couldn’t help but love.

It was then that the man who was still staring at her with tearful eyes stretched out his arms.

As she was pulled into his embrace, Ophelia let out a deep sigh.

“What should I do with you being so tearful?”

“It’s because you make me cry too often.”

The voice that replied was choked up.

Since she hadn’t heard that he cried when he was with other people, Ophelia readily agreed.

“I suppose that’s true.”

If this was her sin, what could she do? She just had to take good care of him.

Thinking that, Ophelia patted his back and continued the words she hadn’t finished.

“You asked me before why I had taken my own life?”

It was something she had kept putting off answering.

Looking back now, she had pushed him away persistently to the point where she didn’t even know why she had done it.

But now there was no need for that anymore.

“After killing Mahanas and bringing down Reden, I was too tired to even think of living. That’s why I did it.”

“…Are you not like that now?”

“I’m still tired now. My husband cries so well like this.”

At those words, Idren paused for a moment before stumbling over his words.

“But, since you made me cry…”

“Yes, I made you cry.”

It was both pitiful and cute how he tensed up and made excuses over just a little joke.

At this rate, I’ll make him cry a lot more in the future. Swallowing the thought that would have terrified him if he had heard it, Ophelia said.

“So let’s not be apart from now on. I’ll comfort you for the rest of our lives.”

Even though it was treating him like a perpetual crybaby, it strangely felt sweet and welcome. Idren closed his eyes and embraced his lover.

I wish time would stop like this forever.

Just as he was about to think that he wanted to savor and cherish the moment for a long time, Ophelia hurriedly pushed him away.

“Why…”

“What is this?”

And she grabbed his hand and thrust it in front of him.

Idren blinked at his hand that was shimmering with light unlike human skin. What is this?

As he flipped his hand over to examine it, Ophelia asked.

“Did you touch something wrong?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

There was only one reason he knew of for such an irrational thing to happen.

Clenching and unclenching his hand that had already returned to normal – the sensation was the same as usual – Idren muttered. …Was that true?

“Is what you just said the reason why you took your own life in the first lifetime?”

“What about it…?”

“I…”

Unable to continue, he looked down at his hand again.

“I think my wish came true.”

And Idren added an explanation.

“So, I… I had made a wish.”

“What are you…”

What childish nonsense is this?

Ophelia barely suppressed the words that had come to the tip of her tongue by exercising her reason.

Anyway, he wasn’t the type to talk nonsense, so she intended to listen further.

When he said wish, there was something that came to mind.

“In the first lifetime, after you died, I couldn’t accept it and…”

I lived like a madman for a month. After committing shameful acts, just like that…

Idren let out a hollow laugh as he recalled what he had done. Ha.

He had speculated to find the reason for time turning back, but it was closer to a thought he had clung to out of desperation for something to hold onto in a desperate situation.

It was natural. Idren had never believed in God in his life.

Rather than denying its existence, it would be more correct to say that he had never thought God would be of help to him.

In previous generations, they spoke of the traditions of the fallen holy era as the roots of the royal family, but Idren didn’t pay attention to it.

Things like religion and burnt offerings were cut off in his generation.

It was because he didn’t want to worship an entity that had never been of help.

But really… Was it true that I had made a wish?

It was then that Ophelia took hold of his cheek as he was coming to a conclusion in his complicated mind.

“Don’t just say things only you understand, explain from the beginning step by step.”