As Erina was leaving the imperial palace to return to her mansion, she encountered an unexpected person.

It was clearly someone who she thought would least want to meet her right now.

“Lady Asila.”

The person who had been endlessly waiting for Erina was none other than Rose.

Wearing a fluttering light blue dress, she was beautiful enough to catch the eyes of passersby.

“Countess Medelia.”

Rose’s appearance, twirling a parasol matching her dress color while smiling brightly, was so beautiful that it made Erina’s heart churn.

“I dared to come, overcoming my shyness, upon your promise of a meeting.”

Rose spoke with her eyes downcast in a sorrowful manner.

For some reason, to Erina’s eyes, that appearance seemed somewhat anxious.

As Erina quietly observed Rose, the corners of her painted lips trembled slightly.

Erina didn’t miss the fleeting moment and smiled brightly.

“Indeed, Lady. Coming here without an appointment, it seems this will be an unforgettable meeting.”

At Erina’s outright sarcastic words, Rose could only smile while tightly gripping her parasol with both hands.

It was evident to anyone that Rose’s behavior was quite rude.

“I heard there’s a newly opened cafe in the capital that’s incredibly famous. Have you been there, Countess?”

“No. I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a moment to look around.”

“If you happen to have time, would you like to go together?”

Rose, seemingly in a hurry for some reason, didn’t beat around the bush and invited Erina to accompany her.

Erina looked Rose up and down, trying to discern her intentions.

Just like before the regression and now, Rose maintained her picture-perfect beauty.

If there was anything different from usual, it was her pale face and the snow-white lace gloves covering up to her elbows.

At the same time, Erina remembered what she had seen in the Book of Wisdom.

The image of Rose writhing in pain as blood was absorbed into the relic came vividly to mind.

Rose had clearly gone to great lengths to offer blood to the relic in an attempt to regain her memories.

“Alright.”

Erina and Rose each took their own carriages and headed towards the newly opened cafe that was gaining popularity.

It was a cafe created for the nobility, perfectly suited to the tastes of nobles seeking secret meetings.

Unlike other open cafes, this one consisted of soundproof rooms, making it difficult to use without a reservation.

Rose approached the cafe without hesitation and went to the attendant standing at the entrance.

The attendant, dressed in a maid uniform, greeted Rose cheerfully upon seeing her approach.

“Lady Rose Asila, your reservation is confirmed.”

As the attendant was about to guide Rose, Rose smiled at Erina and took the lead.

Whether Rose had made the reservation knowing Erina would come to the imperial palace today, or had reserved until she could meet Erina.

Erina didn’t bother asking Rose, but either way, it clearly showed how desperate Rose was.

For what reason?

Erina hid her inner thoughts and quietly observed Rose’s back as she entered the cafe, then followed.

The place they were led to by the attendant was a room furnished no differently from any noble’s reception room.

“I will set up the tea.”

Erina, looking around the room, sat facing Rose as the attendant prepared the tea.

After the attendant prepared the tea and left, only a chilly silence remained in the room.

“You seem to be doing well. From what I can see.”

Those were the first words uttered by Rose, who sat prettily like a doll with her eyes downcast.

“Is it because this is a place where you don’t need to be mindful? Your manner of speech changes immediately.”

“Well, that’s why I prepared this place specifically.”

The pretty teacups in front of them were steaming invitingly, but neither of them reached for them.

Erina leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and stared at Rose while saying,

“Then say what you need to say quickly, Rose Asila.”

Erina deliberately mentioned her surname as well.

At this, Rose glared at Erina while chewing on her lips.

“You’ve got a lot to say for someone who stole.”

“Stole what?”

“Everything you have now, all of it stolen from me.”

“What? Hahaha!”

Erina burst into laughter at Rose’s words.

Erina was so dumbfounded that she held her stomach and pounded the table, laughing for quite a while.

“Haha, this is ridiculous. Steal? What exactly?”

“The mana stone mines, people’s attention, even honor, everything.”

At the same time, Erina could see Rose’s anxiety more clearly.

Wondering where it originated from, the gesture of gripping her wrist and slightly trembling body seemed like she was forcibly enduring pain.

It looked as if she was struggling to find her memories.

Erina’s fingertips tingled with a strange thrill at the changed situation from before the regression.

Not wanting to show the exhilarating feeling, she picked up a teaspoon and pointlessly stirred her teacup.

“You’re in pain, aren’t you?”

At Erina’s words, Rose startled, her body trembling as she opened her eyes wide.

“Oh my, how pitiful.”

Erina deliberately put down the teaspoon she was holding with a clinking sound on the table, then leaned forward, resting her arms on the table.

“Are your memories not returning as much as the pain?”

“You!”

Rose suddenly stood up, causing her chair to topple backwards ungracefully.

If it had been elsewhere, it would have made a loud noise and drawn everyone’s attention, but here, as if designed to prevent such things, the floor was covered with soft velvet, preventing any major noise.

“Don’t overexert yourself, Rose Asila.”

“How, how do you……”

“Even so, what’s mine won’t become yours.”

Erina stood up from her seat at the sight of Rose standing there, trembling.

She had thought Rose would act a bit more intelligently, but it seemed the pain had numbed her reason.

When she saw it in the Book of Wisdom, Rose appeared to be in so much pain that she couldn’t come to her senses, so there must still be considerable remnants of that pain.

“Your high-handedness is only temporary! Everything is bound to return!”

Rose’s eyes flashed blue as she shifted her body as if ready to pounce at any moment.

Erina snorted at the threat that didn’t seem scary at all.

“Yes. Keep trying.”

It seemed quite alright that Rose continued to be so desperate.

Would she live like herself before the regression, with that pathetic hope that someday everyone would recognize her properly?

Come to think of it, it might be quite pleasant to see Rose floundering in pain, clinging to unattainable hope and despairing.

“But don’t ask to meet alone like this next time.”

Erina rose from her seat and smoothed her dress.

She smiled refreshingly at the still trembling Rose, then turned her back on her, leaving with a parting word.

“It’s disgusting.”

Rose was stunned by Erina’s figure as she disappeared after leaving those words.

Erina knew everything, just like herself.

She couldn’t understand at all why that woman knew things that only she, the chosen one, should know.

Already anxious, she had repeatedly offered blood to regain her memories, leaving her in constant pain.

The returning memories were joyful, but the accompanying pain was unbearable in a sober state.

Rose had tried every method to overcome the pain.

She had tried taking a handful of painkillers in advance, and even attempted it while drunk and disoriented.

But the severe pain could not be masked.

It was a pain that felt like her brain was being carved, as if the pain was being etched into her soul.

Having attempted it in the morning, her whole body was still trembling from the imprinted pain.

As if the pain had truly consumed her reason, she had done something she wouldn’t normally do.

“Damn it.”

She wanted to drag Erina, who hid her true self behind a creamy sweet dress, and destroy her right then and there.

She wanted to pull out all the memories that should only belong to her from that purple head and erase them.

“Aaaargh!”

Rose couldn’t contain the rising anger.

She couldn’t distinguish whether the aching in her chest, as if it would burst, was the remnant of pain or due to anger.

Through her shaking vision, she saw the beautifully placed teacups.

Looking at the teacups reminded her of Erina standing prettily, mocking her.

Unable to hold back her anger, Rose swept the table, pushing all the teacups off.

The teacups that should have crashed and shattered on the floor only made a dull sound as they fell on the thick velvet carpet, not breaking.

Feeling as if even the teacups were mocking her, Rose picked up a fallen cup.

Her own grotesquely smiling face was faintly reflected in the white teacup.

“Kyaaaah!”

Horrified by her distorted appearance that should have been beautiful, she raised the teacup and smashed it on the table.

‘Crash-!’

“Huk!”

The teacup shattered into pieces, and her fair, delicate hand began to stain with blood from numerous cuts.

Rose pulled out a necklace hidden in her dress with her trembling hand and gripped it tightly with her bleeding hand.

As if a chilly wind was blowing in the sealed room, an illusion passed, and then enormous pain arrived.

“Kuhuk! Hup!”

Unable to endure the pain, Rose collapsed right there.

Her whole body stiffened, and her breath caught as if her throat was being strangled.

She clawed at her neck with her free hand, trying to breathe, but it didn’t help.

‘When the mana stone mine is taken away…’

Rose felt her mother’s familiar, faint voice penetrating her dimming consciousness.

She struggled to grasp the fleeting voice that seemed just out of reach.

‘…who has… kill!’

“Heok!”

As her breath returned and her airway cleared, Rose, still collapsed, flashed her eyes coldly.

“K…ill.”

Though her body still trembled from the pain, she was glad to hear the last part that had been inaudible before.

“K, ill. Kill.”

Her tightly bitten lips burst, spreading bright red blood.

“Th, huk! That’s right, Eri, na. I, must, try.”

The corners of her blood-stained bright red lips stretched into a long tear, and an eerie laugh escaped from between her parted lips.