I remembered something when I saw Lloyd Alois at the temple earlier.

It was a determination that this life would absolutely not fail, and the need for a device to make it a little more certain.

I intended to live this life solely for Leoprick.

While I was the crown princess, I would use everything I remembered to stabilize imperial power.

But Leoprick doesn’t know that I’ve returned to this life once.

He’ll probably have many questions about what I’m going to do in the future.

And if he realizes that it’s none other than destroying his cousin Lloyd, he might get angry.

Each time, I’ll probably just move my lips without being able to explain properly.

Maybe he’ll end up making choices that lead to his own downfall because he can’t trust me.

To prevent those things in advance, I thought I needed to have a deep conversation with him.

To do that, I had to pull out a card he couldn’t refuse.

To make him accept my proposal by any means necessary.

As I was thinking of various things to demand from Leoprick, I turned my head at the sound of the door opening behind me.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

For some reason, a slightly urgent voice came in as the door opened.

Sorry for being late?

I never thought I’d hear such an impolite phrase from him.

“It’s alright. Did you have some business?”

“Yes. A sudden urgent report came in and took up some of my time. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”

He walked over with slightly larger strides and passed by me in that instant, sitting down on the opposite side.

As his collar fluttered lightly, a faint mixture of musk and heavy forest scent wafted through the air.

‘Did Leoprick originally enjoy wearing perfume…?’

As I was trying to remember, I thought there was something strange about his way of speaking.

It feels strangely familiar.

If my memory serves me right, he and I had only met two or three times before our marriage.

Even then, we only had very short and simple conversations.

We never had a proper conversation or even properly faced each other except for a few matters that needed to be decided for the marriage.

For such a person to treat me so comfortably like this.

It’s almost as if we’ve known each other for at least a few years.

“My. The palace servants were busy decorating this room since morning.”

Leoprick looked around and sat down next to me.

He too chuckled at the sight of the room filled with things clearly decorated for newlyweds in love.

“Do you like it, Amelia? I heard women like this kind of thing, so I just let them decorate.”

He leaned towards me with his eyes curved into a smile.

The scent from him grew stronger as he got closer.

No matter how I think about it, this isn’t the kind of scent he would use.

Rather, it’s more like the scent Lloyd would wear to charm women…

As I was trying to remember, Leoprick’s hand suddenly appeared before my eyes.

Before I could say anything, he approached and gently placed his hand on my shoulder.

“…Your Highness?”

In my previous life, he and I always maintained an appropriate distance.

We didn’t even share a bed, let alone a bedroom.

Even holding hands was just a light touch in public places.

But why is he suddenly closing the distance that was so wide before?

I unknowingly froze in place at the strong musk tickling my nose.

“Shh, it’s alright. It’s nothing.”

Leoprick’s quiet voice whispering could be heard right next to my ear.

A much heavier and deeper scent than Lloyd’s, and a low, whispering voice, right beside me.

I stopped breathing, not knowing what to do.

Surely we’re not going to consummate the marriage like this…

“Ah. There we go.”

That’s when it happened.

When I felt all my senses heightened.

And when I was contemplating whether I should push him away.

Leoprick spoke in a fresh voice as he got up.

As he moved away, I unknowingly took in a breath I had been holding.

What I could see in that slightly widened distance was…

“It seems the tidying up from earlier wasn’t complete, Amelia. There was a pin left in your hair.”

…It was a pin that had been holding my hair in place during the wedding ceremony earlier.

Just a pin, so small I didn’t even know it was still in my hair.

I stared at the tiny hairpin in his hand, then looked up at him, still dazed.

And at that moment.

Ridiculously, I thought my breath had stopped.

The faint candlelight flickered over his slightly damp golden hair, as if he had just bathed.

Below that, his sharp jawline cast a deep shadow.

I thought his red eyes, looking straight at me, were strangely moist.

The slightly opened robe along his neckline, still wet…

“Amelia?”

“Huh.”

Oh my.

I quickly turned my head, recalling what I had just done.

What was that?

It felt like I had been enchanted by something.

I was completely captivated by his gaze, his slightly damp appearance, and his exposed skin.

I had never done such a foolish thing even when I was with Lloyd.

While I was confused by the sudden situation, he put down the pin and sat down close to me.

“I’m sorry if I startled you. You don’t look well, are you alright?”

His voice brought me back to my senses.

Right. This is not the time to be dazed like this.

I took a small deep breath and faced him.

“…I’m fine, Your Highness. The pin was so small I didn’t even know it was there.”

“I thought so. You must be even more tired after all the events today.”

Shall we go to sleep then?

Leoprick smiled softly.

Unlike in my previous life when he used to smile with just the corners of his mouth turned up as if forced, he now smiled with his eyes crinkling and a pleasant curve on his lips.

It really feels like too many strange things are happening today.

Ignoring the feeling that I might be completely captivated by that smile, I nodded.

“We should, Your Highness. But before that, I have something I’d like to discuss with you, if that’s alright?”

“If you’re not too tired. Are you sure you’re alright?”

This time he asked in a worried tone.

Although I was a bit tired, I nodded, thinking it would be harder to talk later if not now.

And pretending to adjust my posture, I moved a little away from him.

“I… I want to propose a contract to Your Highness.”

After slowly taking a breath, I began to speak.

* * *

“Anyway, since we’re married and I’ve vowed to live for Your Highness, I intend to help you as much as I can.”

I told him that I would dedicate part of the profits from the Jenit Trading Company I lead to the national treasury.

Along with a proposal to use any means necessary to strengthen imperial power until he becomes emperor.

I also asked him not to question me more than three times about whatever I do.

The current emperor had only one child, Leoprick.

It was natural for him to become emperor, but for that very reason, everyone was on edge about it.

Because there should be no grounds for disqualification for the only crown prince.

Therefore, it was absolutely necessary to strengthen imperial power in order to eliminate unnecessary noise that could arise before or immediately after he ascends to the throne.

And if I could gain some benefit in the process, even better.

After all, this marriage is also one of the strategies to strengthen imperial power.

My thought was to make the most of this opportunity.

However, Leoprick seemed to think a little differently.

“…We just got married, Amelia. Today is our wedding night.”

He sighed with a somewhat dark expression as he answered.

It seemed he didn’t like the proposal I put forward, or the timing of bringing it up.

But so what?

Isn’t this marriage a political one anyway?

After all, he and I are not people who are good for each other.

I tilted my head and looked at him as if to say what does that matter.

“That only applies to love marriages, Your Highness. This marriage has a purpose, doesn’t it?”

At my words that it was necessary to clarify the current situation, he made a somewhat bitter expression.

After looking at my firm face for a moment, he soon opened his mouth with a face that seemed to have given up or made up his mind about something.

“Will there be anything left for you if the profits of the Jenit Trading Company are incorporated into the national treasury?”

Thinking that he had understood my words, I continued the conversation.

“Four-tenths of Vermerian’s assets are profits from the Jenit Trading Company. Giving just one-tenth of that won’t be a big blow to me. And it’s not a small amount for Your Highness either.”

“Why shouldn’t I ask more than three times about whatever you do?”

“You may have heard from my father, but I have good intuition. However, I can’t always explain the reasons for my intuition.”

Saying I had good intuition was convenient in many ways.

Because I don’t have to explain many things I know due to my regression.

“The more questions there are, the more my judgment becomes clouded, so that’s why I’m asking.”

Leoprick carefully asked questions about my conditions.

I calmly answered his questions.

It was quite a bleak conversation for a couple on their wedding night, but what does the atmosphere matter in this marriage of conditions only?

“Then, in return for you doing all that, is there anything you want from me?”

He asked carefully.

He seemed to be expecting something.

I looked at him and answered in a clear voice.

“It’s simple. In five years, after Your Highness becomes emperor, please send me out of the palace.”

“…Is that, your condition?”

Leoprick suddenly made a sound as if his throat was constricted.

At the same time, a burning gaze fixed on me.

Within the intense gaze, emotions I found difficult to read were swirling.

Was this person originally someone who expressed emotions so well?

“That’s exactly what I mean, Your Highness. While strengthening imperial power, we need to be mindful of others’ gazes, but once you have strong power in your hands, you no longer need to be considerate of others.”

“So, why is there a need for a reason to be mindful or not of others’ gazes for a couple who should naturally be faithful to each other?”

“Because by that time, no one would say anything even if Your Highness takes a woman you have in mind as a concubine.”

And by that time, even if I say I want to divorce him, there would be no loss at all.

I swallowed the decisive part inwardly and brought up a general topic first.

“And I want to be free. I want to live freely without being tied down to one place.”

In my previous life, he only gave me as much attention as necessary.

Whenever I had the chance, I ran out to meet Lloyd.

It must have been quite an unhappy married life for him as well, I suppose.

Now, the name and wealth of the family I’m backing may be absolutely necessary for strengthening imperial power, but the story afterwards is different.

At that time, when you no longer need to be mindful of others’ gazes, I hoped he could live a little happier.

With a woman who is warm and lovely like sunshine, not with a wicked woman who killed her husband blinded by ridiculous love play.

The very last condition was for that.

“Concubine?”

His brow furrowed deeply.

Yes. It wouldn’t be very pleasant to hear such talk on the first day of marriage.

He was a person with good character, if nothing else.

He might have felt that this kind of talk doesn’t suit this occasion.

I calmly opened my mouth again.

“I know that the path Your Highness is going to take is too difficult to go without someone by your side who has given you affection.”

“…”

“Most nobles have political marriages, but Your Highness will be able to maintain imperial power without necessarily needing that. Then.”

Leoprick looked straight at me.

As if asking what I wanted to say, with a bit of resentment mixed in.

But what I had to say was set.

“If you’re going to have someone by your side anyway, wouldn’t it be better to have someone you love?”

“…Amelia, we got married today.”

“Yes, I’m well aware. But our marriage is also just a political one after all.”

“But, Amelia. Not everyone is like that.”

“Of course. But I know it’s not easy to have a good relationship like the current emperor and empress. So if there’s someone you have in mind, wait for a while and after 5 years…”

“Do you, not like me?”

“As a concubine or as empress… What?”

The words stopped.

The man in front of me, who had been frowning deeply, now had a completely deflated expression.

I had been rattling off the words I had prepared, but I just blinked, not understanding the words that had interjected.

Then Leoprick looked at me again with drooping eyes.

“I’ve heard well enough that you like the work of the trading company. But isn’t that something you can do sufficiently by my side?”

“…”

“So I can’t help but think. Whether I don’t meet your standards.”

“Standards? Your Highness, what do you mean…”

“Just because it’s a political marriage doesn’t mean feelings can’t develop.”

“What?”

He closed his eyes, which had been gloomy, and slowly opened them again.

A light more brilliant than the finest ruby filled his gaze.

And at the same time, the clear longing contained within it.

“I want to keep you by my side, is that not okay?”