“That’s…”

Sinclair, his face hardened, muttered in a low voice.

The item inside the box seemed to have no connection to Elaina’s past life.

It was a ring, decorated lavishly yet delicately, with a large sapphire seated like a cherry on a cake, flaunting its presence.

Moreover, on the inside of the ring, the platinum band was stamped with a small seal…

“It doesn’t suit me at all, does it?”

Sinclair gave no answer.

“It’s something I received as a gift long ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away.”

“…In case there comes a day when you need to sell it?”

Perhaps that really could be the case. Although it was no exaggeration to say that she was living a life where she had given up almost everything, one never knows when a person’s heart might change.

To escape from the Aswald family, what Elaina needed most was money. She would need hush money to ask the coachman who noticed her escape to turn a blind eye.

Furthermore, to leave Edenbell, she would need fare for a ship, and even after successfully fleeing, she would need to have at least a minimum amount of funds to settle down somewhere.

“No.”

But Elaina gave an answer completely different from his expectation.

“It’s been a long time, but it was an item gifted to me by the person who was most precious to me.”

There was not a hint of warmth to be found on Elaina’s face as she spoke. She showed a cynical attitude, just as Sinclair had done in front of others.

[It’s a memento from my mother.]

“I was stupid.”

[Even if we suddenly part ways, if you have this ring, I will be able to recognize you. I will be able to return to you. I promise.]

“And naive, too.”

[No matter how much you change. Or wherever you are, it doesn’t matter at all…]

“Now it’s become a useless object.”

“…”

“Anyway, I hope your curiosity has been satisfied.”

If Sinclair were to go further and ask who gave her the ring, she would have nothing to say.

Because there were only two things Elaina knew about that boy.

His name was Ren.

And that he very much wanted to escape his family.

But then again, one never knows. The simple name Ren could have been an alias he made up to deceive her, and Elaina didn’t even know which family he wanted to escape from.

So even if he tried to continue the story related to the ring, Elaina didn’t even have an answer to give in return.

But contrary to her worries, Sinclair said nothing, no, he didn’t say a single word.

And as he gazed blankly at the ring, his face looked somehow too unfamiliar for some reason.

“…Your Highness?”

“…”

“Ah, no. Sinclair…?”

Elaina showed a slightly embarrassed expression at the situation growing more uncomfortable. She briefly pondered what the reason for this incomprehensible silence was, but she couldn’t find any answer.

Elaina decided to change the subject.

“When are we holding the ceremony? Sinclair.”

As if finally coming to his senses, Sinclair hesitated and took his eyes off the ring to face her.

“Just curious. I was wondering if there’s anything I need to prepare.”

“…There’s nothing you need to prepare.”

Sinclair spoke in a slightly cracking voice.

“The ceremony will be held next week. It’s a bit sudden, but I’m planning to inform the emperor when I return today. He’ll be delighted, so you don’t need to worry.”

Sinclair’s words suddenly flashed through her mind, that the emperor was as happy as a dog when he said he would marry the crippled commoner of the Aswald family.

“Schuler will bring the dresses and accessories, so try them on one by one and choose the ones you like.”

“Yes.”

“And after the ceremony, you will live not here, but in the imperial palace. More precisely, in the royal palace where I reside.”

As expected. Elaina quietly nodded her head.

“Life in the imperial palace won’t be so easy and smooth, but you just need to stay still. It’s okay to stay holed up in the royal palace.”

Sinclair was right. Elaina could easily predict it.

There would be immense interest in the woman for whom the rascal Sinclair, who had returned from ending the war, begged the emperor to arrange a marriage.

Moreover, the woman in question was not the daughter of a prominent family, but Elaina Aswald, a cripple and a commoner who had nothing to offer.

“No, I won’t do that.”

But Elaina answered firmly.

“Even if it’s a relationship formed by contract, I’m still becoming your… wife, right?”

“…So?”

“So while I’m your wife, I want to do the things I should do. Of course, it may not be of much help, but at least in social circles, I might be able to hear rumors about the emperor or Crown Prince Hister. As you know, the place where rumors spread the fastest in Edenbell is the social circle.”

“What?”

“It’s ironic, but even now, all the attention in the social circle will be focused on me, so if I can take advantage of that, it could be a more favorable situation for me.”

“…Why?”

Sinclair asked with a stiff face.

“Why go to such lengths? Even if you don’t, I will let you go after a year as promised. I’ll help you leave Edenbell safely and give you enough money to spend lavishly for the rest of your life. So why bother…”

“Because you helped me and took revenge for me too. That’s why.”

Sinclair flinched greatly.

“Of course, you must have also had the intention of getting rid of Duke Hank, but just because you did, it doesn’t erase the fact that it helped me, right? I’m not trying to do this expecting anything in return. I just want to repay the favor.”

Elaina’s blue eyes, looking straight at Sinclair, glistened and shimmered. Sinclair silently faced Elaina, then responded in a very small, fading voice.

“It’s best not to do unnecessary things.”

“…Pardon?”

“You just need to maintain your position as the prince’s wife. I don’t expect anything else from you.”

“…”

“I should get going now. As I said earlier, I have to meet the emperor.”

With that, Sinclair suddenly stood up. Elaina looked a bit puzzled by his abrupt action, but she didn’t deliberately hold him back.

As Sinclair walked away with heavy steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

His gaze was directed precisely towards Elaina’s damaged leg.

“Your leg.”

“…”

“Did they say it can never be fixed?”

Ironically, being a crippled commoner was the best condition for deceiving the emperor’s eyes in Sinclair’s view. So Elaina couldn’t understand why he was asking such a thing.

Could he be worried about her?

No, that couldn’t be. It must just be curiosity. Moreover, Sinclair looking at her leg didn’t have the expression of someone who was worried.

Rather, for some reason, it felt as if there was a sense of guilt…

Is this also a misunderstanding?

Elaina hesitated for a moment, then slowly parted her lips.

“Yes.”

“…No matter what it takes?”

“I was told there’s no hope. And now that I’m an adult, it would be even harder to reverse, they said.”

Right.

I see.

Sinclair muttered in a very small voice that could barely be heard even if one listened closely, and left the villa as he was.

Leaving behind Elaina, who still had a look of incomprehension on her face.

[This is the timeline separator]

The sun had already set in the sky, the afterglow had faded, and the moon had risen.

“…”

Sinclair untied the rope with which he had tied the horse to the tree in front of the villa. Then, just as he was about to mount the horse, he suddenly looked back at the dimly lit villa.

And he ruminated on what Elaina had said to him.

…Repay the favor?

To me, of all people?

You?

“…”

Sinclair, who had been standing blankly, bit his lip with all his might.

It felt as if he tasted something metallic, but he kept biting his lip like someone self-harming. Or he looked as if he was trying his hardest to suppress the anger that kept welling up.

Perhaps it was all of those things.

“Such a stupid woman…”

Elaina was right. The person most precious to her was no longer in this world. It didn’t simply mean that he had died.

Literally, it meant that Elaina’s Ren had disappeared forever.

[If you have this ring, I will be able to recognize you. I will be able to return to you. I promise. No matter how much you change. Or wherever you are, it doesn’t matter at all…]

It was all a lie. Even without that ring, Sinclair had no choice but to recognize Elaina.

Because that small, insignificant little girl had unfailingly given Sinclair heart-wrenching pain every single moment, and like a ghost, she had stayed by his side and said countless times:

Why did you abandon me?

Why did you leave me to be ruined?

You ruined my life.

If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be living this kind of life!

It’s all your fault!

Of course, Sinclair knew it well too. He wasn’t unaware. He knew that the innocent Elaina hadn’t actually said those things to him.

So those miserable words were curses uttered by the guilt he had created himself…

“Yeah. You were plenty stupid and naive.”

Sinclair spat out in a low voice, as if vomiting.

“So don’t become even more stupid, Elaina Aswald.”

…Because this time, I didn’t come to find you for that reason.

Sinclair’s golden eyes, filled with the villa, distorted hopelessly like the setting sun.

And so he stood there for a long time, then quickly mounted his horse and began to return to the imperial palace.

Still gritting his teeth.