After a time of harboring suppressed emotions, the once silent bedroom was filled with Velia’s constant chatter.

“I woke up and found myself asleep in the garden.”

Velia didn’t stop talking even as she lay down. After all, she had been wanting to confide this secret to someone for a long time.

She had had to understand and accept the situation on her own while holding back the urge to vent.

Velia was also astounded and disoriented by the fact that she had traveled back in time. But the accumulating doubt that anyone would fully believe her in this confusing situation made her bear it alone.

“Was Raul with you?”

Prince Khaled lay beside Velia and tenderly asked as if comforting a child.

Velia gave a slight nod.

“I was so surprised that I shoved him away and ran straight into the castle… Everyone in the family was alive, and the castle was safe…”

Velia hesitated as she continued, her memories coming back to her.

Khaled carefully covered her with the blanket and tightly hugged her.

“When I grasped the situation, I thought I could change the future this time.”

“That must have been when you sent me the letter.”

Velia reminisced about that time.

If Cloje hadn’t talked about the empire’s second prince, Velia might have tried to find another way.

The thought occurred to her that perhaps Cloje was the starting point of this immense journey.

“If Cloje hadn’t mentioned you, we might not have met.”

Prince Khaled burst into laughter at her earnest words.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because that’s impossible.”

He spoke with a lingering tone of laughter in his voice.

“I told you. If we even brushed past each other by chance, I would never let you go.”

Tsk. He was good with words.

Velia rolled her eyes slyly.

Khaled then asked, as if he had suddenly become curious.

“Did you hear how I was doing in that place?”

Khaled referred to the time Velia had experienced as ‘that place’, as if acknowledging it was indeed a past she had returned from.

“Raul became the emperor, and you became a duke. Raul tried to kill you several times to eliminate any potential threats, but all attempts failed.”

A sarcastic smile appeared on Khaled’s face.

“How trivial.”

Velia chuckled lowly in response.

Trivial. What a fitting word.

“Hehe. In the end, you stayed in the fief you were demoted to and never came to the capital until the day I died.”

“That’s odd.”

Khaled looked puzzled, unable to understand.

Velia agreed, continuing her tale.

“I suspected you were up to something back then, but Raul wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Tsk. What a fool.”

Khaled genuinely scorned Raul with a click of his tongue.

“Yes, a fool. That’s why he killed me.”

He was silent for a moment before cautiously asking.

“Did you still have feelings for Raul in your last moments? Because that would be a bit painful.”

Velia shook her head vehemently.

“No way. All my feelings for him vanished a long time ago. I was only thinking of surviving.”

Feelings for Raul?

They had been chipped away and destroyed after he became the emperor, all but vanishing.

“I managed to endure for 8 years.”

At her words, Khaled gently stroked Velia’s head as if proud, causing her to grasp his hand.

She wanted to talk to him more, but his constant patting was making her drowsy.

“Stop touching… I’m sleepy.”

Velia tried to open her drooping eyelids but failed to keep them up against her will.

“Khaled…”
Covering Velia’s eyes with his hand, Khaled whispered.

“It’s okay. Sleep well. Have a good dream.”

With those warm words, Velia’s vision faded to black.

“Sigh…”

Khaled exhaled as he confirmed Velia was fully asleep.

‘Eight years.’

He pondered the long time she must have endured.

Was this why she had put up such a wall between them?

Was this the reason she had always distanced herself, claiming their relationship was merely contractual?

‘Raul betrayed her.’

The thought that she couldn’t trust people because of Raul made his gut boil.

‘Somehow, I can’t let this go.’

Thinking that he should give Raul some sort of gift, Khaled lightly patted Velia’s back.

(This is a time separator.)

The path leading to the Empress’ palace was eerily quiet. Almost no servants or attendants were visible, and very few knights guarded the palace.

“Shall we go in together?”

Khaled asked anxiously at the entrance of the Empress’ palace. But Velia shook her head. This meeting had to be between her and the Empress, just the two of them.

Moreover, she didn’t want to force him to accompany her, as his entire body was showing his reluctance to meet the Empress.

“Thank you for doing me this favor.”

Despite Velia’s smiling expression, Khaled’s face remained stern.

“I’ll be back.”

Velia firmly grasped Khaled’s hand and released it, then opened the tightly shut doors to the Empress’ palace and entered.

The empty hallway led to a room filled with faint smoke and a peculiar aroma.

The Empress sat upright on the sofa, looking at Velia with a lifeless expression.

‘It was the same back then.’