As if he had been hit in his weak spot, Callid’s gaze wavered, losing its focus. But he soon calmly admitted it.

“Yes. I’m anxious.”

I’m terribly anxious that you might leave me.

He honestly acknowledged his feelings.

Callid met Bellia’s eyes.

“Do you think we were destined to meet?”

Destiny, huh.

Both Raul and Callid.

They’re saying similar things today.

“If it wasn’t destiny, could we have even met? And even if it wasn’t destiny, it doesn’t matter.”

Bellia smiled and reached out to touch his neck.

“That thing called destiny, it’s really nothing special. So don’t worry about such trivial things.”

Then she lightly kissed Callid.

“You’re not the only one who’s anxious.”

In case you might change too.

“I’m anxious too.”

That’s why I brought Erzé into the Second Prince’s palace, knowing she would be poison to me.

I kept the woman who had taken everything from me by my side, testing how it would be in this life.

Raul easily had his heart stolen by her. It was a fiery love. It ignited so suddenly that I turned to ashes without a chance to do anything, disappearing in an instant.

Anxiety consumed my mind and doubt raised its head, trapping me in memories of that time, unable to escape.

But every time Callid fretted like this, every time he revealed his greed and begged, my empty heart felt completely full.

So we exploited each other’s anxieties. Cowardly.

“So make me not anxious.”

Neither of them uttered a single word about love.

Bellia and Callid kept their mouths shut as if in competition. As if waiting to see who would blurt out those words first, they didn’t say “I love you” even by mistake.

But the feelings that communicated without being spoken aloud were even heavier and deeper. The viscous emotion that entangled their entire bodies made them unable to move.

“Because now I only have you.”

As soon as Bellia finished speaking, without anyone taking the lead, they kissed again, exploring each other.

There was urgency in their actions desiring each other, as if quenching a long-held thirst.

“…Bellia.”

Callid’s eyes became clouded with lust.

“Perhaps you and I are not destined to be together.”

Callid lightly kissed Bellia’s wrist.

As she quietly watched his lips parting with a soft sound, she felt a tingling sensation in her waist. Bellia hurriedly bit her lip.

“But I will cut all the threads of your destiny and make them connect to me in the end.”

Callid leaned his cheek against Bellia’s hand.

“So don’t even dream of leaving me, Bellia.”

His expression was yearning, as if craving affection.

“If you try to run away, I’ll send people to capture you again, and I’ll keep you locked up for life so you can never leave again.”

Callid kissed the palm Bellia had rested her cheek on with little pecks. Then he raised his gaze to meet Bellia’s eyes.

Bellia’s pupils trembled.

Callid wrapped his arms around Bellia and lifted her. Even as he walked to the bed, he planted short kisses all over her face – her cheeks, eyes, nose, forehead.

“Your words are so harsh, and yet…”

His actions were nothing but tender and affectionate.

Every time, the words…

“I can’t help it. Because I’ll always be the weak one when it comes to you.”

Finally, Bellia’s back touched the bed.

“So love me a little, Bellia. Okay?”

Callid said as he buried his face in Bellia’s neck.

Yes. We will be solid. It wasn’t an emotion that would waver so easily. Reminding herself once again that Raul and Callid were different, Bellia naturally wrapped her arms around his back.

“How can I love you more than this, Your Highness?”

“That, we’ll see soon enough.”

Callid grinned as he placed his hand on Bellia’s buttons.

“Do your best, Princess.”

I’ll be expecting it.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was a day with clear skies and fresh air.

The flowers showing off their beauty throughout the garden were full of vitality, and the sunlight breaking through the clouds was warm.

Bellia took a step, walking along the familiar path. It was the kind of pleasant day that made her hum a tune without realizing.

“Ahaha. Your Highness!”

The high, lovely laughter of someone flowed into Bellia’s ears. It was such a pleasant laugh that Bellia unconsciously walked slowly towards where the sound came from.

‘…Ah.’

There, Erzé and Raul were taking a stroll in the garden, looking at each other lovingly.

The lovely Erzé was wearing a wide-brimmed hat that could shield her from the sun and an expensive-looking pink dress.

It was a very familiar dress. It was the dress Raul had gifted Bellia on the day he proposed to her.

She walked a few steps ahead of Raul, then turned around and held out her hand to him. Raul took that hand with a thoroughly happy smile.

“This is a dream.”

There was no way she would see that scene again otherwise.

Bellia steadied herself. She kept reciting that this was a dream. It wasn’t miserable because this would all disappear as an illusion once she woke up from the dream. Really, it didn’t bother her at all.

“It’s all just a dream anyway.”

At that moment, the blue sky suddenly darkened.

As if mocking Bellia for reassuring herself ‘Yes, this is a dream’ while watching the weather rapidly change to gloomy, a harsh wind swept through the space.

And the scene that appeared before Bellia’s eyes was completely different from before.

Raul was not there. Instead, Callid had taken his place, wearing a warm smile.

The moment that expression he only showed to her was directed at Erzé, a pain like her heart was being shattered overwhelmed her.

She tried to move her legs to approach them, but she was held back by an invisible force, unable to move an inch, forced to watch that scene.

“This isn’t real…”

The woman’s laughter and the man’s laughter mixed together.

They looked happy.

“Stop!”

Callid looked at Erzé with loving eyes. Erzé shyly smiled and grabbed Callid’s fingers, and their faces drew closer.

“No!”

They continued a deep kiss.

“Callid!”

Their movements, which had been focused on the act as if they couldn’t hear anything, suddenly stopped with Bellia’s scream-like shout.

The wind that had been blowing fiercely, even the flow of air stopped, making everything surreal.

At that moment.

Callid and Erzé’s eyes rolled around and then stared fixedly at Bellia, who had fallen into despair.

Those gazes contained no emotion, to the point of being cruel.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Gasp…!”

Bellia woke up with a start.

Her whole body was drenched in cold sweat and sticky. The unpleasant sensation of clothes clinging to her skin was also disagreeable.

The breath escaping from the corner of her lips trembled finely.

“Haa.”

It was a nightmare.

She thought she had resolved her anxieties, but…

Bellia covered her face with her hands. It was a terrible feeling.

‘Did I bring Erzé into the palace for nothing?’

Had there ever been a time when she regretted her actions so much since starting her new life?

She couldn’t shake the thought that she should have just ignored Erzé.

But she had already done it, and now Erzé actually existed in the same space.

‘…No, that was a dream. Just a dream.’

Because Callid wouldn’t do that.

Bellia removed her hands from her face and turned her head to look at Callid’s face, sleeping soundly beside her.

It felt like punishment.

For doubting him. For trying to test him. For not being honest with her feelings. So.

Somehow, she felt like crying for no reason.

Bellia bit her lip hard and burrowed into Callid’s embrace. Then Callid, who had been hugging Bellia in his sleep, asked in a hoarse, cracked voice:

“…Why are you up so early?”

“Just… I had a nightmare.”

There was no reply, but Callid habitually patted Bellia’s back. Then his touch slowly faded, and after confirming that he had fallen back asleep, Bellia let out a small sigh.

Callid was so affectionate.

Bellia hurriedly emptied her mind to forget the scene she had seen in her dream and tried to go back to sleep.

[This is the timeline separator]

The clothing designer and his assistants who were in charge of making the dress quickly displayed items in the reception room. Various fabric materials and sample dresses, shoes, gloves, etc. were neatly arranged.

The designer and assistants wore various tools around their waists so they could immediately take measurements, waiting for Bellia.

Not long after, Bellia entered the reception room with her maids.

“Thank you for coming.”

Bellia was dressed very lightly.

From now on, they would layer various fabrics and materials on her to decide how to make the dress one by one.

“It’s an honor to be able to make the princess’s wedding dress.”

“I’m glad to be able to have my dress made at the most popular atelier in society these days. Though it may seem like there’s plenty of time until next spring, I’d like to finish with some leeway, so I hope there won’t be any delays in the schedule.”

“Of course.”

After that, everything proceeded very smoothly.

The designer took out several pictures he had designed himself and shared opinions with Bellia. True to his reputation as the most famous designer in high society, the designs he brought were innovative and beautiful.

“I like this one. But for the shoulder area, I’d like to reference the shape from this design a bit.”

“Understood.”

After deciding on the shape of the dress, they determined the materials by trying various fabrics on Bellia. Then they talked about what jewels to use for decoration.

“Rather than using large jewels, I was thinking of using many tiny diamonds…”

“That’s fine. Using more small jewels rather than large ones will make it look more splendid when it catches the light.”

“And for this part, I think it would be good to weave gold thread to create a pattern.”

The designer quickly grasped Bellia’s taste and suggested several alternatives accordingly. Bellia was satisfied with the opinions as well.

“Good. Then let’s proceed like this for now. We’ll make detailed modifications later when the necklace and tiara I’ll be using are decided.”

“Yes. Then I’ll start working as soon as I return.”

Bellia nodded with a smile.

After that, Bellia left the reception room first so the designers could clean up comfortably.

“I should go back to my room and finish writing the invitations.”

Bellia was personally writing each invitation with care. So of course, she had expected it would take twice as long.

But the invitations to be sent to the Divine Kingdom and Ronica had to be mailed out by the end of this month. She had to quickly finish at least those, so Bellia hurried to her room.

And when she arrived at the room.

Several unfamiliar boxes were neatly placed on the desk.

“What are these?”

When Bellia expressed her question, the maid who had remained in the room opened her mouth with an uncomfortable face.

“…The First Prince has sent tiaras.”