He does not know about the time Bellia went through.

So it’s perfectly possible for him to cling to her with such a pitiful expression like this.

Thinking that, Bellia had to hold back her violently shaking heart.

‘He’s not the emperor now. He’s not the emperor…’

She kept repeating it to herself, but the horrible memories kept coming back, giving her goosebumps on her arms.

Perhaps that’s why her voice came out sharply without her realizing it.

“Why do you want to know that?”

She wanted to strangle Raul right then and there.

‘Why isn’t it you…?’

Her nails dug into her palm inside her tightly clenched fist.

Her lips trembled.

She couldn’t bear it anymore.

“Have I done something wrong to you?”

Just as Bellia was about to open her mouth, unable to contain her anger seeping through her teeth at the sight of Raul staring at her with clear eyes that seemed to know nothing,

Someone hugged Bellia tightly from behind.

From the cool scent wafting over, she could tell immediately who it was. It was Callid.

As he gently patted her back, she felt her sharpened emotions gradually calming down.

Bellia closed her eyes in his arms and took repeated deep breaths.

“Why don’t you stop being pathetic and just leave?”

He glared at Raul while breathing heavily.

　

As Bellia had expected, he must have rushed to the rear garden as soon as he saw Raul making advances on Bellia while watching through the window.

“If someone saw this, they might misunderstand that you’re hitting on my fiancée, elder brother.”

At Callid’s sarcastic words, Raul’s expression hardened.

“…That’s not it.”

“If that’s not it, what could you possibly have to say to Bellia? Surely you’re not going to spout nonsense about meeting by chance?”

Callid gritted his teeth as he stroked Bellia’s shoulders to calm her down.

Meeting by chance in the Second Prince’s Palace where he had never set foot in his entire life?

There was no need to hear Raul’s answer, which would just be an excuse no matter what.

Moreover, if he hadn’t been watching, he could guess what kind of advances Raul might have made with that face dripping with emotion. Callid snorted.

“What other reason could there be for you to come all this way? It’s too obvious.”

Then, while shielding Bellia’s face from Raul’s view in his arms, he sneered at him.

“What? Do you still have lingering feelings?”

Callid’s voice was dangerous.

Raul sighed, running his hand through his hair, perhaps not wanting to cause a commotion.

“Haa. I was just going to invite you to tea time.”

He said he had only come to ask in person while passing by.

Raul made that excuse.

“The question I asked the princess earlier was just out of curiosity.”

Just asking out of curiosity why she rejected him?

It was utter nonsense.

At that moment, Bellia, whose anger had subsided a bit, wriggled in Callid’s arms and peeked her head out.

Raul watched Bellia’s appearance for a moment with a complex expression before opening his mouth.

“…I will soon be engaged to Lady Canterif. I only wanted to introduce her, so please don’t misunderstand.”

Raul’s attitude towards Bellia was very polite.

“We’re family now, aren’t we?”

There was no sign of malice in his smile. But Bellia knew. That Raul was now spewing words that were not in his heart.

It was extremely unsettling, but she couldn’t keep refusing Raul’s invitation when he spoke like that.

Even now, more and more people were starting to pay attention to them.

Thanks to Callid, Bellia’s heart had calmed down, and she gently pushed him away and spoke words of permission to Raul.

“There’s no reason to refuse a meeting for the purpose of family harmony. Please let me know the detailed schedule later and I’ll try to match the time.”

“Thank you for understanding my intentions, Princess Bellia.”

When Raul, who was smiling kindly, expressed his intention to leave now, Bellia nodded.

As Raul was about to take a step, he pulled up one corner of his mouth and approached Callid, grabbing his shoulder. Raul whispered in a small voice that only he could hear.

“It’s ridiculous to see you still fretting and not feeling secure even after getting engaged.”

Then he got even closer and drove the point home.

“What are you so anxious about? I don’t see the composure of a victor, Callid?”

Raul squeezed Callid’s shoulder once before letting him go.

“Then I’ll send the date and time through a servant.”

Raul gave Bellia an appropriate formal greeting and then smiled brightly at Callid.

“See you then.”

[This is the timeline separator]

The sound of footsteps echoed through the silent corridor.

“Wait, Callid! It hurts!”

Bellia tried to shake off her captured wrist, but she couldn’t overcome his strength at all.

Callid didn’t say a word.

He just grabbed Bellia and strode into the room.

Bang!

The door closed violently with a loud noise.

“Whew…”

Callid, who had stopped in the middle of the room, took a deep breath as if trying to hold something back.

“…Let me go.”

Bellia said with a frown.

Only then did Callid release his grip on Bellia’s wrist.

As if the blood hadn’t been flowing to her tightly gripped wrist, the pale skin gradually turned red.

Seeing that mark, Callid roughly ran his hand through his hair.

Seeing the red mark on Bellia’s delicate skin, guilt weighed heavily on his entire body.

He felt utterly pathetic for not being able to control his emotions.

“I’m sorry.”

Bellia quietly rubbed her wrist while glaring at Callid, who apologized in a barely audible voice.

“What is this about?”

Callid couldn’t answer.

“Look at this now. It’s all red and marked.”

Bellia raised her wrist and showed it in front of Callid’s eyes.

Callid just rolled his eyes and looked elsewhere.

“Hey? Where are you looking? I told you to look at this?”

“…Sorry.”

“I guess you know you did something to be sorry for?”

Bellia puffed up her cheeks.

“What did Raul say?”

He didn’t look too happy when he rushed to the rear garden, but after Raul whispered something in his ear, his expression instantly turned cold.

Bellia wanted to be angry, but seeing Callid looking more depressed than herself, she took a moment to catch her breath before asking kindly.

“What did he say to make you so upset?”

Then Callid hugged Bellia tightly.

Bellia patted Callid’s back gently.

“…Are you going to go to Raul?”

“What are you talking about?”

Bellia asked back as if dumbfounded.

Callid let out a small laugh as if even he found this situation ridiculous.

“Sometimes I dream that you go to Raul.”

There was no strength in his voice.

It was so low and gloomy.

“That’s not possible.”

Bellia thought that finally, what was bound to burst had burst.

It was something she had expected from the moment he found out that she and Raul had been lovers before.

Although he didn’t openly express his feelings about Raul, she knew he was quietly concerned.

But thanks to encountering Raul today, it seemed the emotions he had been holding back had completely exploded.

“…I know. Even though I know, I thought I was going crazy seeing you with Raul.”

Callid lowered his head, removing his hands that were holding Bellia.

Then he covered his face with one hand.

“Damn it.”

He muttered a low curse.

It was the first time Bellia had seen Callid swear.

Somehow, Bellia felt chills run down her spine to her waist.

“When it comes to you, nothing about me is like myself.”

Her heart pounded at his pitiful appearance that she had never seen before.

It was thrilling that he was showing his emotions completely and clinging only to her.

When his face, hidden by his hair, was briefly revealed, Bellia felt as if she was being pressed to the floor by an unknown force. Her body trembled with pleasure spreading from her fingertips throughout her body.

“…I’ll bring some water.”

Was her voice just now the same as usual?

She couldn’t tell.

She just couldn’t bear it anymore.

Was it strange that she felt an indescribable satisfaction just from seeing someone pour out their emotions like this because of her?

“You should calm down a bit.”

Bellia hurriedly turned around.

Callid caught Bellia’s hand as she was turning away from him.

It was an urgent grasp, as if he was holding onto someone he might never see again if they left now.

“Don’t go.”

Bellia smiled as she gently pushed away Callid’s hand.

“Where would I go?”

“Tell me you’ll stay by my side.”

Even though it was just bringing water.

“Hurry.”

He speaks as if he can’t stand the anxiety.

Callid grabbed Bellia again forcefully as she remained silent with her lips tightly closed.

“I want to lock you up forever so you can’t go anywhere.”

Callid met Bellia’s gaze with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Am I crazy for thinking like this?”

Bellia felt the need to change the atmosphere.

Watching him cross the line she had painstakingly drawn while thinking only of her goal, Bellia felt distant. If things continued like this, she would surely be swallowed up by his emotions that were like an oncoming wave.

“A possessive man isn’t attractive.”

Bellia, who didn’t want to be helplessly swept away by emotions, smiled softly with her eyes closed. Then she whispered seductively in a slow and sticky voice.

“You don’t know how much I had to grit my teeth and hold back when Raul spoke to me earlier?”

“…”

“I wanted to kill him right there.”

Bellia said with a smile that if you hadn’t appeared, she really might have strangled his neck.

“I’ll say it again.”

It’s not a difficult thing.

If he shows such an uncharacteristically weak appearance.

“I’m the one who will stab Raul’s neck.”

Just repeat it over and over again.

That I will kill him with my own hands.

[This is the timeline separator]

Bellia picked up the teacup in front of her and brought it to her lips.

It suited her taste.

Looking around, she saw that all the desserts placed in front of her were exactly to her liking.

Perhaps she had mentioned that she liked these things when she was in the Kingdom of Ronica?

‘How nice it would have been if I had gone back a little further in time.’

Then she would have tried her hardest to avoid making any contact with Raul at all.

Well, anyway, the prepared cookies were delicious.

Of course, this current situation wasn’t exactly pleasant.

“Is it to your liking?”

Raul kindly asked Bellia, who was munching on cookies.

Bellia nodded slightly and said,

“Yes. It’s delicious.”

“I’m glad.”

Raul smiled very brightly.

Recently, due to Raul’s unwelcome invitation, Callid and Bellia were visiting the First Prince’s Palace to have tea time together.

The four of them, who were really uncomfortable with each other, were awkwardly continuing their conversation while gathered in one place. Well, I’m not sure if this could even be called a conversation.

“I remembered that you said you liked these before, so I prepared them. I’m glad they suit your taste.”

Bellia nodded indifferently.

Glancing over, she saw that the expression of Elin Canterif, sitting next to Raul, was very stiff.

It was obvious to anyone that Raul was taking care of Bellia. It wouldn’t look good to pay attention to someone he had previously proposed to while having his future fiancée by his side.

The same was true for Callid.

“Aren’t you curious about what your future fiancée likes, elder brother?”

Callid pointed at Lady Canterif, who was trembling with humiliation in a crooked posture with her legs crossed.