While recounting the background of his proposal to her, Leoprick kept hidden the fact that traveling back in time was part of his plan.

Not only was he unsure if she truly retained memories of the regression, but even if she did, his plan would not change.

As he told the story of how he decided to propose after seeing Lloyd with another woman, he discreetly gauged her reaction.

“…… Are you angry?”

“No. I was listening. You can continue the story.”

I already knew that Lloyd was seeing other women besides me.

He always wielded that like a weapon, threatening me as if there were many women willing to risk their lives for him if not me.

For him, there was always an abundance of such women, and that was always like a leash to me.

So Leoprick’s story wasn’t particularly surprising to me.

I simply held my teacup and listened attentively to the next part of the story.

“It’s just, at that time, I only wished for you to do whatever you wanted by my side, rather than being manipulated while constantly witnessing such scenes next to Lloyd.”

Even then, it didn’t occur to me that I should reveal the truth to you.

Leoprick added, looking down at his teacup.

“Even now, my greatest desire is for your happiness. Because more than anything, my biggest wish is to see that happy smile you had back then once more.”

The quietly resonating words seemed to tap at my heart.

Because his words, saying he simply wanted me to be happy, overlapped with his final moment in the past life when he asked if I was alright, which stirred my guilt.

I thought that perhaps that image, which provoked my sense of guilt, was not the sentiment he truly wanted to convey to me until the very end.

And at the same time, I was curious.

Then why did he hide that fact from me until the end in the previous life?

“But why did you suddenly think you should tell me?”

If he had told me in advance, I might have stopped doing all those foolish things for Lloyd.

And without any more wasted time or emotional drain, I might have simply been happy by Leoprick’s side.

If only he had told me.

And if only he had made it possible for me to believe it.

I might have made up my mind to leave Lloyd long ago.

…… I can’t be certain, though.

At my words, Leoprick seemed to contemplate for a moment.

Then, looking straight at me, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Because now, you no longer smile when you look at Lloyd.”

And what he said completely deviated from my expectations.

After confirming Lloyd’s duplicity, Leoprick said he tried to contact me numerous times.

To inform me of the truth and expose Lloyd’s two-faced nature.

But each time, Lloyd would stick close to me as if he knew in advance, he said.

When he tried to approach me at a banquet, Lloyd would somehow already be by my side.

Even at a party that was supposed to be for ladies only, he would already be there.

After several such attempts, by the time he learned that the marriage proposal was accepted and tried to meet me again.

I had already heard too many unfavorable stories about him from Lloyd.

“Lloyd once said,”

“……”

“You no longer think of me as the crown prince, and this royal marriage is only influenced by the marquis, with none of your own will involved.”

“Ah……”

Hearing his words, I recalled a time right after the marriage proposal arrived when Lloyd had entranced me with an even gloomier face than usual.

‘These days, when I see Leoprick, I think… couldn’t I do better? Honestly, Leoprick is only in that position because his father is the emperor.’

‘What do you think about this matter, Mel? Isn’t the conclusion the crown prince reached too cold? I feel like I could do better….’

And at the end of all those pitiful laments, he always wore a smile that made me want to hug him out of sympathy and regret, saying:

‘I’m sorry, Mel. I unnecessarily told you such depressing things. But at least I have you.’

As if he was fortunate to have me, but as if what he truly wanted was something else.

As if he would be endlessly happy if I could make that come true for him.

That’s how he enchanted me.

To make me reject Leoprick and consider him a greater person.

Recalling that memory, I understood his words.

When preparing for the wedding, we couldn’t meet not only because Leoprick was busy but also because I refused a few times.

As I lightly nodded, Leoprick gave a bitter smile.

“I regretted not sending an invitation to be your partner at your debutante instead.”

He muttered in a bitter tone as if reproaching himself.

“I was foolish to believe we could recognize each other without such things.”

Listening to him blame himself as if everything was his fault, I suddenly became curious.

According to his words, he already knew I was Amelia Vermerian.

“Then, Your Highness, you mean you already knew who I was?”

“…… Not many families volunteer so regularly in the slums.”

I felt slightly taken aback by his answer.

He already knew.

Then it means it would have been much easier for him to contact me, so why didn’t he do so sooner?

As I blinked, wondering what questions to ask in my bewilderment, he avoided my gaze upon seeing my face.

…… Avoiding my gaze. Why?

“Your Highness, did you just avoid my eyes?”

“Well, I felt like I knew what you were thinking.”

“Why on earth… did you not contact me sooner?”

Even if you didn’t wait until my debutante, if you already knew me.

There were plenty of opportunities to meet again in the meantime.

Then I wouldn’t have had to encounter the variable called Lloyd.

At my question, he paused for a moment with an “Hmm” and let out a small sigh.

Still unable to meet my gaze, a small voice slowly leaked out.

“I wanted to meet you after becoming a person more suitable for you.”

“…… What did you say?”

“I mean, I wanted to become a more admirable man before going to meet you, Amelia. Because I was too much of a child back then.”

Leoprick’s ears seemed to redden slightly as he continued his answer.

He wanted to become a more admirable man before meeting me.

That’s the reason he waited so long despite knowing me?

After staring at him blankly for a moment, surprised by the unexpected answer, I soon burst into laughter with a “Pfft.”

Because I could imagine the young Leoprick trying his hardest every day to impress the girl he fancied.

As I laughed like that, the tense atmosphere that had been present seemed to ease a little.

Enough for Leoprick, who had been looking at me with some nervousness, to smile faintly as well.

We had finally come face to face after all sorts of reasons.

Each other’s faces that we finally reached after going through all kinds of excuses and obstacles.

He and I, no, we looked at each other like that, wearing smiles that had waited far too long.

“I’m sorry. At first, I was a little angry, Your Highness. As you know.”

“No matter how many times I think about it, it’s my fault, Amelia. Hearing your words, I feel even more ashamed to face you.”

“It’s my fault too, so don’t apologize. Thank you for telling me, even now.”

“Thank you for your forgiveness. You are generous, my lady.”

So I could smile at him, pretending to be much less angry.

He also laughed and thanked me in a slightly exaggerated manner, looking at me.

The evening that had begun with confusion, regret, and endless self-blame seemed to be settled for now.

On the surface, it seemed to be filled with warm smiles toward each other.

“So after parting then, you were busy with imperial education?”

“I had been receiving imperial education even before that, but it’s true that I started in earnest from that point on. I was at my desk almost all day.”

After finishing one story like that.

We lay side by side on the bed, chatting about what happened after we parted ways.

What we had been doing since we last saw each other in the slums.

Whether he had come to the slums again since then.

What those few years meant in a life that wasn’t very long.

Once started, the conversation continued endlessly.

I mainly talked about how difficult it was to take etiquette and liberal arts classes to make my debut in high society, and how my father told me not to neglect family head lessons despite the hardship.

He talked about how he wanted to do better in all his classes but was frustrated that things didn’t go as well as he hoped.

“I always thought Your Highness was a perfect candidate for the throne since a young age, based on the rumors.”

“No way. I’m human too, Amelia. I make mistakes and learn some things slowly.”

Leoprick let out a small laugh and looked at me with a warm gaze.

I was fully captured in that gaze.

I thought that his gaze was no longer burdensome like before.

Even though our relationship had changed only slightly.

“I have a question, Amelia.”

That’s when he posed a question.

I raised my gaze to look at him and waited for his next words.

“About the agreement we made on our wedding night.”

“……”

“Can’t we consider it null and void now?”

And the words he uttered created a huge ripple in my heart that had been quiet for a very brief moment.