When I opened my eyes, the pitch-dark night had already passed and it was a dim dawn.

Callid had come at some point and was lying down tightly embracing Bellia. Bellia wriggled her body and escaped from his arms. Then she got out of bed and headed to the terrace.

After sleeping for a while and waking up, her body felt refreshed.

“It’s beautiful.”

It seemed like she hadn’t leisurely appreciated the scenery from the terrace like this in a while due to being so busy recently.

The quiet and cool air of dawn began to envelop the world.

The air that had become damp overnight gradually dried in the sunlight with a rustling sound.

Feeling regretful about that, Bellia let out a big sigh.

At that moment, a blanket was wrapped around her back.

“You’ll catch a cold like that. It’s chilly in the mornings and evenings now.”

“Thank you.”

Bellia clutched the blanket tightly.

Then Callid hugged Bellia fully in his arms, with the blanket still wrapped around her.

“Are you feeling less tired?”

“Yes. I must have fallen asleep yesterday as if I fainted.”

Bellia replied kindly as usual to his affectionate question.

Callid rested his chin on the top of Bellia’s head and let out a laugh.

Thinking about how she had whined sleepily like a child, he found it so adorable he couldn’t bear it.

“You really threw a sleepy tantrum yesterday.”

“What?”

“Somehow I feel like I know what you were like when you were young.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

Callid just kept laughing silently.

Bellia made a puzzled expression and tried to turn her head to look at him, but she couldn’t move at all because of his face pressing down on her head.

Callid held Bellia in his arms for a long time, only letting her go after the sun had fully risen and the world had brightened.

“Let’s go inside now. People will see.”

Bellia turned around.

Following her back into the room, Callid asked:

“How was the tea party yesterday?”

“Ah…”

Bellia went to sit on the sofa, feeling the conversation would be long.

Callid then sat down across from her.

“We’re going to hold a big bazaar.”

“A bazaar?”

“Yes. Many ladies wanted to participate.”

“That’s great. Who agreed to participate?”

Bellia looked at him with an exaggerated smile in response to his question.

“Hmm? You have a triumphant expression?”

“Hehe.”

“Did the Marquis of Capri’s daughter agree to join?”

Oh?

Bellia looked at him in surprise.

How did he know when I hadn’t even said anything?

“There must be a reason for you to have such a smile. And the only one who could do that is the Marquis of Capri’s family, isn’t it?”

He even recited the answer to a question that wasn’t asked, blinking his eyes as if to ask what she thought of his reasoning.

“Wow. That’s right. It’s the correct answer.”

How did this person manage to pretend to be such an idler all this time?

Bellia chuckled and said:

“The Marquis of Capri’s daughter said she wants to help me wholeheartedly. Moreover, the Earl of Sapio’s daughter and the Earl of Juburk’s daughter also expressed their intention to participate.”

Not only the Marquis of Capri’s family, but the Earl of Sapio’s and Earl of Juburk’s families were also extremely wealthy. Moreover, they were accumulating even greater wealth by using their accumulated fortune to engage in many businesses.

They were certainly not families to be overlooked anywhere.

“Besides that, there were quite a few people who wanted to make small sponsorships as well.”

Bellia wore a bright expression, looking very pleased.

“That’s great. It seems your reputation has spread quite a bit in social circles.”

Bellia had steadily made appearances in various places since starting her charity work.

Not only did she visit the orphanage she sponsored every month, but she also met many people to discover new artists.

She even went out herself to inspect the conditions in the slums.

While the clinic was being built, she had the healers continue providing medical services to poor imperial citizens for the time being.

Bellia bore all those costs herself.

“The rumors spread faster than I expected?”

“You don’t seem to realize how amazing your popularity is right now.”

Praises for Bellia resounded throughout the streets of the empire.

It was the first time imperial citizens had shown such goodwill towards a princess from another country.

“If you were to walk down the street now, everyone would follow behind you sprinkling flower petals.”

“Come on. Surely not.”

In fact, Bellia had noticed to some extent.

Every time she visited the orphanage she sponsored, the number of people coming to see her was increasing.

But Bellia shrugged her shoulders, thinking such interest would soon fade.

“I’ve just become a bit popular, don’t exaggerate like that.”

Callid felt wronged.

It was a fact with no exaggeration whatsoever.

“Anyway, the healers doing medical volunteer work really made a big impact.”

“That does seem to have been a really good choice. Everyone is full of enthusiasm since they’re doing good deeds.”

Bellia replied lightly.

The healers had been very eager from the moment Bellia explained the direct purpose of the medical volunteer work.

It seemed they were deeply moved not only by participating in a good cause, but also by the fact that Bellia, the future imperial princess consort and princess of Ronica, had personally met with each of them to talk.

A different thought suddenly occurred to Callid and he said to Bellia:

“You always speak of everything as if it’s just a means to an end, but when dealing with people, you’re always sincere.”

Sponsoring the orphanage.

Starting the medical volunteer work.

Supporting artists.

Preparing for heavy snowfall…

And.

“…You even tried to use me as a means at first. But how about it? Were all those things merely means to an end?”

Callid’s gaze clung tightly to Bellia, not looking away.

From the beginning, Bellia was not such a harsh person.

Although her resolve for revenge was firm, she was not cold enough to act callously even towards unrelated people.

“The future you know keeps changing.”

So in the changing times, it’s not strange at all that the hearts of those she treated sincerely, not as means, are also changing.

But Bellia will doubt and doubt again.

“All the things you unconsciously treated sincerely are…”

Callid paused for a moment.

“Living in this moment. Not ghosts lingering in the life you experienced.”

At his words, Bellia’s bright smiling expression gradually stiffened.

It’s natural that her surroundings change as she changes.

But Bellia had been denying that obvious fact.

“…I know.”

Bellia replied in a trembling voice, seeming flustered.

But Callid didn’t stop.

“No. You don’t know.”

His gaze was heavy.

“So don’t turn away as if you can’t believe the fact that the imperial citizens sincerely like you.”

Bellia needs to quickly realize that she is not the empress who was abandoned by the emperor, mocked by the nobles, and shunned by the imperial citizens.

Callid strongly conveyed the truth once more.

“You then and you now are different.”

The very small steps taken one by one with the will not to create a tragic ending have already created such a big gap.

Here now is not the powerless and weak empress, but the proactive and strong Bellia.

‘I then and I now are different…?’

Bellia’s pupils trembled finely.

The remnants of the past crackle, slowly shattering like a mirror cracking.

The image of the foolish empress who believed someone else’s glory would become her own light, trapped inside, shattered into pieces and scattered.

“While you believe in your own abilities, why do you doubt the goodwill others show you? You created it all with your own abilities.”

To lighten the stiffened atmosphere, Callid relaxed his hardened expression and lightly tossed out a joke.

“If you really can’t believe it, why don’t you walk the streets with me next time?”

He whispered that if we walk the streets together, people will follow behind us sprinkling flowers.

“We’ll become like the Pied Piper. How about it? There will be cheers and a flower path behind us.”

Seeing Callid’s refreshingly smiling expression, Bellia’s expression also gradually relaxed.

“I want to bask in the flower rain too by riding on your popularity. Doesn’t it sound fun?”

If left alone, he seemed ready to grab her hand and head out to the streets right away.

A faint smile spread across Bellia’s face again.

“What if nothing happens?”

“Then we’ll just have a date by ourselves.”

Callid looked at Bellia and flashed a mischievous grin.

“Never mind. How busy are we these days?”

“Hmm. That’s really a shame.”

Callid said as he stood up, as if whining.

Then he swiftly lifted Bellia up and hugged her tightly.

“Bellia. You will become the most beloved empress in the history of the empire. I promise you.”

Such infinitely affectionate words.

But Bellia’s lips didn’t easily part after hearing those words.

Isn’t this a completely different story from the curses someone had poured on her?

“I said I would return the things that were taken from you, didn’t I?”

Callid asked Bellia. But as if he hadn’t intended to hear an answer, he immediately continued speaking.

“Even if it’s in a time I don’t know, I will also return to you the glory that was taken away.”

The words Callid had left behind kept swirling around.

‘Glory that was taken away…’

My heart feels unsettled.

But there were many things to do today as well.

Bellia shook her head and hurriedly shook off her distracting thoughts.

“Haah…”

She slowly straightened her posture and picked up her pen. She had to send the imperial palace visit schedule to those who had said they would participate in the bazaar.

It would be good to meet next week to discuss the schedule and plans.

She had already outlined the general framework, so she planned to finalize the plans more concretely after hearing their opinions.

And above all, it was important to carefully build friendships with them.

After meticulously writing several letters, Bellia leaned back against the chair and tilted her head far back. Her neck was stiff.

‘The most beloved empress in the empire.’

Somehow Bellia let out a hollow laugh.

It was a phrase that didn’t suit her at all.

Moreover, the fact that there were people who showed unconditional goodwill towards her, and in the Ingot Empire of all places.

“…I can’t believe it.”

But to such a Bellia, Callid had said to remember that all these things now are not ghosts in her memories, but things living in this moment.

Bellia covered her eyes with both hands, feeling distant.

‘Human emotions are futile. They will surely change and waver easily.’

But she wanted to believe what Callid was saying.

So, she wanted to believe in him.

“…”

She hated herself for having these doubts that his goodwill would soon disappear and that this affection he showed her was just a momentary interest.

She felt as if she could hear Raul’s mocking laughter in her ears. The emperor Raul asking her if she had fallen in love with someone again and wanted to trust him completely even after going through such things.

Bellia was still bound by her previous life. Although she was shaking it off one by one, it wasn’t easy to completely erase those memories.

‘Callid is different from Raul.’

But.

“Haah…”

Bellia boldly cut off the sprouting anxiety along with a sigh.

Then she lay face down on the desk with both hands covering her face.

“…No. He’s different.”

He won’t change.

I can trust him.

He’s not Raul.

“Don’t be afraid, Bellia.”

Bellia muttered these words over and over again.

Don’t be afraid, Bellia.