I regained consciousness only after my father came in.

No, to be precise, it was when Arnold quietly entered and told Leoprick that the Marquis of Vermerian had come to visit.

If there was any fortunate thing, it was that Leoprick, startled by the news of my father’s arrival, did not notice my trembling eyelids.

I couldn’t understand why that should be considered fortunate in the first place, but I just felt that way.

Fortunate. That he didn’t notice me.

I didn’t want him to discover that I had ultimately fainted, unable to withstand the rushing thoughts and shock.

I didn’t want to show him the sight of me being completely swept away by the whirlpool of confusion and unresolved emotions still churning inside.

My thoughts were still in a jumbled mess, and my emotions were surging as if about to swallow me whole.

Amidst all that confusion and unavoidable chaos, I was still adrift.

I don’t remember everything, but while I was lying down, Leoprick kept talking to me constantly.

Sometimes it was clearly audible, and other times it sounded like mere mumbling.

With the feeling of floating on my back in water, I listened to the words he spoke.

Most of it was apologies for not telling me in advance and self-reproach for keeping secrets from me.

Throughout all that time, he kept uttering words of self-blame and self-loathing.

‘If only I had embraced you a little earlier…’

‘I’m sorry for making it so difficult for so long. It’s my fault.’

‘It’s my fault for not being able to stop loving you. Because of my greed, you’ve become like this…’

Since most of the words I heard every day without cease were similar,

I could roughly guess what even the mumbling sounds I hadn’t quite caught might have been.

But despite all that, I still couldn’t fully forgive him.

I understood his feelings towards me and the fact that all this happened because of me.

In a way, I was even grateful.

However, the fact that he had deceived me was an undeniable reality.

If I hadn’t overheard his conversation with Lloyd, wouldn’t I have gone my whole life without knowing?

Even if I lived completely happy in his arms, not knowing anything, could that truly be called a happy life?

From his perspective, it might be entirely happy, but what about me?

What if I found out about the existence of magic in the imperial palace and confronted him?

Would he have lied even then?

These thoughts tormented me, one after another.

A moment later, I heard the sound of the door opening and closing, perhaps my father entering.

And I also heard Leoprick getting up from his seat and moving somewhere else.

From the rustling of clothes and the sound of shoes touching the floor, I knew he hadn’t moved very far.

Indeed, his and my father’s voices could be heard from not too distant a place.

“…You clearly told me that you cherished Amelia. You promised to value her that much.”

Father spoke in a voice that seemed to be suppressing his anger.

It was a voice that sounded like he might burst out in anger and strike Leoprick at any moment.

Thinking there’s no way he would actually hit the Crown Prince, I quietly listened to their conversation.

However, the conversation flowed in a direction I hadn’t anticipated.

“This is a divorce paper, Your Highness. I want my daughter to live more safely and peacefully.”

Peace and safety.

Father said that’s what I needed.

No, he thought that was the most important thing.

Saying it was the most important thing for his daughter, Father handed Leoprick the divorce paper.

And at that moment, the air froze so noticeably that even I, lying down with my eyes closed, could clearly feel it.

No, perhaps it’s more accurate to say it stiffened.

An atmosphere that had stiffened unbearably. Though I couldn’t see him, I could almost picture him frozen in place.

My thoughts were still chaotic and my emotions were still on the verge of bursting, but I chose to save him first.

“Please don’t, Father.”

I slowly raised myself and opened my mouth.

And after that, all moments seemed to flow slowly.

Leoprick turning his head towards me and Father opening his eyes wide in surprise.

His face of disbelief, and the tears slowly falling from his eyes.

All of that unfolded slowly in a time that seemed to be flowing very slowly.

As if that moment alone had stopped all time.

“Amelia!”

The first to move was Father.

Unlike Leoprick, who still couldn’t move from his spot, Father sprang up from his seat and rushed to me.

Coming over in one step, he helped me sit up comfortably from my half-raised position, then looked at me with eyes full of concern.

“Are you alright? How do you feel? Are you in pain anywhere?”

All this time, Father had consistently addressed me formally, saying ‘Your Highness’.

I felt a bit hurt by that and sensed some distance, but now I wonder if Father had been trying hard to speak that way all along.

I smiled faintly at Father like that.

“I’m fine, Father. I’m a little dizzy, but that’s probably because I’ve been lying down for too long.”

“I see, I see. I’ll call for a physician right away. You must be hungry after lying down for so long.”

“Yes, that’s true, but more than that…”

As I said this, I slightly turned my head.

And there, at the end of my gaze, was

Leoprick, silently shedding tears.

So pitiful that I wanted to rush over and hug him.

Making me feel even more sorry and regretful.

I stared at him blankly, wondering what thoughts were going through that head of his.

What was he thinking, and why was he crying so pitifully while looking at me?

I let out a small sigh as I looked at him.

“Father, could you please go call for the doctor and Betty? I’d like to talk with His Highness for a moment before getting examined and having a meal.”

As I said this, I asked Father to step out for a moment.

Under the pretext of calling for the doctor and Betty.

Saying I wanted to talk with him, so please step aside for a moment.

Father hesitated for a moment at my words, but after a long sigh, he nodded.

“Alright. I’ll go call them. But don’t you dare get up from your seat. Understood?”

“Yes, I won’t.”

I was grateful that he complied so readily, probably having read the determination in my eyes.

Yet still unable to let go of his worry, he kept sighing as he made way.

Even as he was leaving, Father checked to make sure I was still lying down.

It seemed he was worried I might get up and go to Leoprick.

And it seemed he had a lot to say to Leoprick himself, but…

I thought it was more important to first comfort the man crying with that dazed look on his face.

After Father left, I sat there still, looking at him crying in the same spot.

“Your Highness.”

As I called out to him quietly, he slowly blinked his eyes.

Because of that, the tears that had been pooling in his red eyes fell down in drops.

That sight looked just like red jewels dripping down.

I couldn’t help but sigh towards him.

“Your Highness. Are you going to stay there?”

Then I gestured towards him.

Hurry and come here.

He, who had been staring blankly with unfocused eyes, gradually began to take me in.

“…Amelia.”

Then he slowly got up from his seat with hesitant movements and started approaching me.

It must be my imagination that even such a simple action as walking forward seemed to drip with pity.

I waited for him to approach, and when he came close, I grabbed his collar and pulled him sharply.

“…!”

Not expecting me to pull like this, Leoprick momentarily lost his balance and staggered.

And so, he tumbled towards me.

The first thing that entered my sight was his red eyes, wet with moisture.

Those eyes, moist and seemingly rippling at a glance.

Those eyes that contained me wholly yet seemed somewhat hesitant somewhere.

He was holding me completely like that.

Me, who had not stopped blaming him until just before collapsing, without missing anything at all.

“Are, are you alright? Amelia.”

Even after tumbling forward like that, he managed to brace himself with his hand at the last moment, avoiding the unsightly situation of completely falling on top of me.

Although it briefly looked as if he was pouncing on me.

Unable to do anything about his posture, he rolled his eyes, trying to avoid my gaze.

The fact that I felt somewhat disappointed or disliked seeing that appearance was probably because I, too, couldn’t completely hate him like that.

For a while, I just looked at him without saying anything.

Not saying anything, not asking anything, just quietly.

Fortunately, Leoprick didn’t ask me anything, nor did he press me.

While I was just looking at him, he was just waiting for me without saying anything, with his gaze lowered.

As always.

“…Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Once I managed to ask the first question, thinking about what came next was easy.

He had always been waiting for me.

Standing one step behind. Until I spoke.

He never pushed me or urged me to hurry up and remember him.

He just watched over me, supported me, and silently believed in me.

Believing that someday I would remember him and understand everything.

Even after the regression, he was always like that.

When I looked back, he was always there in the same place, always cheering me on and encouraging me from that same spot.

It was truly something to be grateful for, but at the same time, it was an insufficient affection.

After all, isn’t love not just about receiving from someone or only showing your good side, but also gradually making the other person understand you?

But he always tried to show only his good side, and never let me know about his sadness, anxiety, or any other negative emotions.

When I opened my mouth, he hesitated for a moment, his lips trembling, then

“I wasn’t certain that you were aware of having regressed.”

He answered in a voice that seemed about to go out at any moment.