Before the regression, it was natural for us to use separate bedrooms.

I had no desire to get close to him, and it seemed he felt the same way.

We didn’t even share meals together, except when His Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty occasionally called us to dine together.

We only faced each other for the sake of our public relationship, regardless of what the palace people whispered.

That man, who was like that before, now didn’t leave his bride alone on their wedding night, even though time had only turned back.

He stayed by my side until morning, and suddenly suggested changing our honeymoon destination to spend enjoyable time together.

So even if we sleep together now, it’s a bit awkward, but not that strange, is it?

In fact, when I first heard his words, I was flustered, but seeing him insist on sleeping on the floor using my convenience as an excuse, I too felt somewhat stubborn.

I didn’t answer and instead asked sharply towards him, who kept his face stiff.

“I asked if you’re uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as me.”

“How could that be, Amelia.”

“…You said we’d become a couple like His Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty, so I thought you’d suggest we continue using the same bed even while traveling.”

Until now, he kept talking about being like Their Majesties as a couple, so why suddenly this separation?

He didn’t even care when I said it was fine.

“But you’re firmly refusing to sleep with me now, as well as during the trip, so that’s why I’m asking.”

That must have been why.

I slightly raised my chin and asked if he was still going to sleep on the floor, to him who looked completely flustered.

“Let me say it again, the more Your Highness insists, the more uncomfortable I become.”

“…”

“It’s just for one day, Your Highness. From tomorrow, we’ll be camping, so we’ll end up sleeping separately even if you want to. Don’t worry and come up to sleep.”

We haven’t received proof of consummation, but haven’t we already spent our first night in the same bed?

I couldn’t think of anything other than Leoprick being strangely stubborn.

I turned my body and climbed onto the bed, watching him who couldn’t find words to say and only moved his lips.

“Then, are you saying you can sleep with me anytime as long as it’s not camping?”

It was when I lay down on the bed facing the window.

Leoprick’s slightly suppressed voice pierced my ears.

A voice that seemed to be holding back something.

I raised my body and turned to look at him again.

Because he was slightly lowering his head, I couldn’t see his expression properly.

“Amelia. I clearly told you that I have feelings for you.”

That I want to get along well with you, and that I want to become a couple like my parents.

I had to swallow dry saliva at his words that came out slowly, one by one.

If not, I felt I wouldn’t be able to handle this tension that was drying up my mouth.

“If you knew how I feel right now, you wouldn’t give up your place so easily.”

Leoprick raised his head.

And he met my gaze straight on.

I inhaled sharply at the emotions I read in those languid eyes.

“I, uh…?”

“Still, if you’re alright with it, I’ll sleep in the bed.”

Leoprick said in a low voice and then turned off the lights.

Then, before I could answer, he slowly climbed onto the bed.

I unconsciously tensed up at the heavy weight settling in and the sudden waft of fresh scent.

Perhaps feeling my stiff movements, he laughed softly.

With that faint laughter, it felt like the strangely tense air around us loosened.

“Excuse me, Amelia.”

Due to him burrowing into the narrow bed, our body temperatures touched without a gap.

It was strange. I thought it would be fine, but.

I couldn’t bear it, bothered by what Leoprick had said earlier.

A peculiar silence flowed in the room.

With everywhere pitch black, other senses became heightened.

Things like the steady breathing sound or the body scent became stimulating.

On our wedding night, he had a musk scent that Lloyd might wear, but now, perhaps because he just bathed, he was wearing a strangely fresh sea-like scent.

…It suits him much better than that musk.

“Amelia, can’t you sleep?”

“…Pardon?”

“If you feel uncomfortable while sleeping…”

“It’s alright, Your Highness. Once I fall asleep, I don’t wake up easily, so don’t worry and sleep.”

I was flustered alone at the thought that had just crossed my mind.

Because of that, not only did I cut off Leoprick’s words, but I also spoke quickly in a tone that might sound cold.

Really, this isn’t like me.

The thought of gauging whether he had crossed time by conversing with Leoprick before sleeping had long since flown away.

Unable to even think of checking his expression, I just squeezed my eyes shut.

Suppressing the feeling of wanting to run away right now if I could, I forced myself to try to sleep.

She said she doesn’t wake up easily once she falls asleep.

Leoprick was experiencing firsthand that what she had said earlier was true.

Amelia, who had fallen asleep at some point, didn’t wake up at all even when he turned to lie facing her side, or when he slightly moved his body to check if she was sleeping well.

“…Shouldn’t one usually have trouble sleeping in this situation?”

He thought it was fortunate that she didn’t wake up no matter what he did.

At the same time, wondering if he was someone who didn’t cause any alertness, Leoprick unconsciously muttered in a somewhat disappointed tone.

In fact, it was half out of stubbornness.

Throughout the honeymoon, he couldn’t understand her somewhat cold attitude, and worried that if she really had complaints about him and left him, so he used separate rooms throughout the trip.

But Amelia never once questioned it.

Not that he had given any nuance either.

Fearing that they might return to the imperial palace without sleeping in the same room even once, he decided to be a bit stubborn today.

It was true that there weren’t enough rooms, but there was no need to come all the way here to sleep.

Nevertheless, Leoprick thought he wanted to sleep in the same room, just for today.

Just because, after today passed, he felt she would return to being the cool and aloof Crown Princess he remembered.

Even knowing it was just a feeling, that things could change, he still had such thoughts.

Perhaps it was even more so because of the unwelcome face he saw amidst those brilliant fireworks.

He looked at Amelia lying with her back to him and let out a small sigh.

Still, he thought things were changing a little, just a little, from before, but was that not the case?

“Sometimes I wish you’d give me a chance too, wife.”

Because there was no way to fully reveal his heart except to whisper softly to her sleeping form.

Leoprick lightly touched the hair flowing beautifully down her turned back, then removed his hand.

Despite the late hour, he couldn’t sleep, so these thoughts kept coming.

Thinking he should just fall asleep quickly, he lay down straight.

“Mmm…”

Amelia, who had been lying with her back turned all along, stirred slightly and turned her body.

At that small movement, Leoprick, who was about to move his body, unconsciously inhaled.

She had turned to face his direction.

Of course, when she wakes up, she probably won’t remember having turned over.

Leoprick turned his body to face her too, looking at her sleeping face.

With her brow slightly furrowed as if in some dream, Amelia lightly chewed her lips.

Was she dreaming of eating something?

He gently brushed away the hair that had fallen across her face as he watched his wife sleeping soundly again.

He had imagined such a scene a few times before.

Back then, they were barely on speaking terms.

Regretting his indifference, he tried to be as considerate as possible to make her comfortable in his own way.

Still, wherever he went, his eyes were drawn to her, and on days when he grew tired of thinking of her who came to mind wherever he was, he had sometimes imagined her sleeping by his side.

Wondering what it would be like if she were beside him, sleeping with a peaceful face free of any worry or wariness.

He had such imaginings.

When everything he did under the pretext of being for Amelia’s sake became difficult, he would caress the her in his imagination like that, alone.

It was much later, much much later, that he realized what he had done was neither consideration nor anything else, but merely a foolish choice because he didn’t want his own heart to be hurt.

If he had truly wanted her, he should have approached her first regardless of whether his heart would be hurt or not.

“This time, I absolutely won’t make a mistake.”

He vowed in a low voice, looking at her sleeping form.

Making the same mistake twice is something only a complete fool would do.

And if it’s about a person worth staking one’s entire life on, even more so.

Looking at her peacefully sleeping face reminded him of Lloyd Alois, who was briefly glimpsed among the crowd earlier.

He didn’t know how Lloyd had found out and followed them here, but he wouldn’t let things go as Lloyd wished.

He would make sure Lloyd didn’t dare come near her, no, he would nip it in the bud so Lloyd couldn’t even dream of any other thoughts.

He intended to ensure that this wouldn’t be the last time Amelia slept with such a peaceful face.

Looking at his wife’s face, still beautiful but different from then, Leoprick kept making vows over and over.

“I’ll take it slow. We have many days ahead of us.”

When I woke up in the morning, Leoprick was not beside me.

I thought I had woken up quite early, but seeing him already gone from his place made me wonder if last night had been uncomfortable for him.

Contrary to him, I had slept quite soundly by his side, making my worries seem unfounded.

I even let out a wry laugh at the thought of whether this was okay.

“Your Highness the Princess, are you awake?”

As I was lost in various thoughts looking at the empty space beside me, I heard Bey knocking on the door from outside.

I threw off the blanket, got up from my place, and called out towards the outside.

“Come in.”

Betty opened the door and came inside.

She was already fully dressed, having woken up at some point.

I let out a small laugh seeing Betty perfectly dressed with the wig she always wore when working and even a hat.

I wondered when on earth she had gotten ready like that.

“Don’t tell me I’m the last one to wake up?”

“That’s not the case, but the knights are always quick to prepare. From today, you need to dress as a man, so Your Highness has a lot to prepare.”

Betty, perfectly dressed as a man, spread out clothes she had brought from the luggage on the bed.

It seemed she had brought everything needed so I could just put them on and go out.

Watching Betty take out this and that, I hurriedly changed my clothes.

From today, it’s a forced march.

It means we might not even be able to wash properly, let alone sleep in beds.

So, I had no choice but to minimize the parts I needed to pay attention to.

“I’ll tie your hair as tightly as possible. So nothing sticks out separately.”

“Okay. I won’t wear makeup either. Just apply some toner lightly.”

“Well, Your Highness, your skin is good even if you don’t apply anything for a few days.”

“I’m saying that because I don’t think I’ll be able to wash my face.”

“I don’t think His Highness will let that happen, but anyway, you mean to have as little to worry about as possible, right?”

“Yes. Please.”

I didn’t put on makeup and tightly twisted up my hair to wear the wig.

I tied my hair as high as possible so that if the wig came off, it could be covered with a hat in case of emergency.

After packing all the accessories into the luggage and wearing clothes slightly larger than usual size, it was roughly finished.

“Amelia, are you ready?”

And just then, Leoprick knocked on the door.

Betty, who was just packing the luggage, got up to open the door, but I stopped her and went to open it myself.

“I’m all done, Your Highness.”

“Ah…”

And Leoprick, who I met when I opened the door, stopped as if frozen in place for a moment.

He seemed to have frozen in the posture of knocking on the door.

“Are we leaving right away? The packing is almost done, so we just need to go downstairs.”

“Uh… Yes. That’s right. We’re planning to leave now, but…”

Leoprick trailed off.

Why is he acting like a dumbfounded person while looking at me?

His reaction was somewhat strange, but I just tilted my head slightly without paying much attention.

It seems like he came to say something.

“Then we’ll go downstairs too. Betty, are you ready?”

“Yes, Your Highness. We can go down now!”

“Alright, let’s go down then.”

As I was about to go downstairs with Betty, packing our luggage.

“Amelia. Is that really, really the best you can do?”

From behind, Leoprick’s urgent voice held me back.