Killian was always a person who simultaneously gifted Alicia with expectation and despair.

So Alicia, who had repeatedly risen to heaven and fallen to hell every time, could only swallow a bitter smile as she watched Killian ruthlessly trample on her raised expectations this time as well.

“Out of curiosity… Is that the reason for this kindness?”

“I’m glad if you felt it was kind.”

As if it could be glad.

Alicia lowered her gaze and bit her lip at those words that felt more like mockery.

It was clear that the letter bidding farewell to her love for him had aroused his curiosity.

If he had shown no reaction at all, it wouldn’t have been this miserable.

“Did the words in the letter not seem sincere to you?”

“You wouldn’t have lied.”

She could understand him not believing and accepting her love, but she didn’t expect him to be curious rather than believing even her sincerity about withdrawing her heart.

“It’s sincere.”

If she said this, would he believe her now?

“Until when will this sincerity last?”

No, he doesn’t believe.

Looking up at Killian who was staring at her with a cold face, Alicia clenched her hands that were neatly folded in front of her.

Once, she had begged him to believe that her love was sincere, but now she had to beg him to believe that she had withdrawn her heart.

The difference was that the former was true and the latter was false.

‘My heart still beats for you…’

But just because it’s a lie doesn’t mean it’s not sincere.

She couldn’t ruin this opportunity, which might be a gift from God, with ridiculous mistakes like before.

“If you don’t believe… that’s fine too. You’ll soon know my sincerity.”

The upcoming spring banquet would be the first place of proof.

It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t believe right now.

Alicia, who had made up her mind to marry for the benefit of Eregron before the year’s end, planned to try her best to convey her sincerity to Killian as soon as possible.

‘By then, he’ll be able to believe for sure.’

It’s a matter that needs time anyway.

Alicia started walking again, promising herself not to be impatient.

As winter had just ended and spring had not been around for long, the garden was still in disarray and there wasn’t much scenery to take in.

However, the climbing roses that had climbed the white arches and were showing off their deep green color seemed ready to welcome spring, with small and lush buds on each branch.

“Was it… Fairy?”

Alicia, who was about to pass that path thinking the roses would soon bloom with bright petals, stopped at Killian’s sudden voice.

He was looking up at the climbing roses that had climbed the arches densely set along the path.

“I heard it was a rose gifted by His Majesty for Your Highness’s birthday, is that correct?”

“…Yes, that’s right. But why?”

“I wondered if this was the rose created for Princess Alicia that they say doesn’t wither even in midwinter and shows off green leaves.”

The climbing rose, improved with Alicia’s taste in mind with small flower buds and lush petals, was gifted by the Emperor for her birthday under the name ‘Fairy’.

Seeing Alicia smile brightly at the beautifully blooming roses, the Emperor was greatly pleased and sent out seedlings to important places in the empire and to some noble houses.

It was an event that made the empire’s people once again realize how great the Emperor’s favor towards the princess was.

She had heard that seedlings were sent to the Duke of Diaz’s estate at that time…

‘I always just peeked at that entrance and came back, so I couldn’t confirm if the rose seedlings sent then had properly taken root and bloomed.’

She had vaguely thought they would surely be decorating the Duke of Diaz’s garden splendidly, but she had never confirmed it with her own eyes.

It was partly because Alicia’s status as a princess made it difficult to leave the palace, and partly because Killian had never once invited Alicia to his domain.

‘I didn’t even have the courage to ask.’

He probably wouldn’t have treated carelessly what the Emperor had given, but would there be anyone in that duke’s house capable of properly caring for climbing roses?

Moreover, seeing Killian now, she thought it was better that she hadn’t asked back then.

‘If the seedlings had properly taken root and bloomed, he wouldn’t be asking if this is Fairy here now.’

Even if they had bloomed, he might have removed them all like that bridal palace she had decorated on her own whim.

There would be no one who would dare to move what happened inside the Duke of Diaz’s house outside its gates, so there would be no need to fear the Emperor’s wrath.

To be honest, it was more surprising that Killian remembered the name of the rose now.

“Does this flower require any special technique to grow?”

“No? If you’re not planning to grow it systematically for landscaping, it grows well even in barren places.”

“Hmm…”

Why is he suddenly asking such questions?

Alicia became frustrated as she couldn’t properly read Killian’s thoughts, neither before nor after her regression.

“Is there a problem?”

“No. I was just curious.”

So what I’m curious about is the reason for that curiosity…

Strangely, public questions seem possible, but personal questions don’t come out easily.

Is this also because of past memories?

Alicia let out a small sigh and turned her gaze to take in the garden.

By the time the spring banquet is held, all the flowers in this garden will have bloomed beautifully.

Although she likes all flowers, this garden was now full of spring-blooming flowers for Alicia, who especially loves flowers that bloom in spring.

‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve walked in this garden with Killian.’

Ironically, since she vowed to give up her feelings for him, things that hadn’t happened before and that she hadn’t dared to desire were happening one after another.

‘…Now that I think about it… I had completely forgotten.’

The most serious problem that had changed from before the regression.

A problem she had kept putting off due to insufficient time to think because of Killian.

‘Can I ask?’

If it had been before the regression, she wouldn’t have even thought of asking, but now it should be okay, right?

Alicia’s lips moved as she looked at Killian examining Fairy’s flower buds, but was it because of learned resignation? The disappointment of not getting a proper answer was stopping her from speaking.

“If there’s anything you want to ask, feel free to do so.”

“Ah…”

“There shouldn’t be anyone in Eregron who won’t answer Your Highness’s questions.”

…What are you saying when you’re the only man who doesn’t answer?

It was a bit unfair and also bewildering.

However, looking at Killian’s face, which seemed to have done nothing wrong, the desire to argue disappeared.

“I have something I want to ask.”

“Yes.”

“That magical beast… it called my name, didn’t it?”

She wanted to think she had heard wrong.

It was already a big deal that a magical beast spoke human language, but the human words that beast uttered were her name.

It should have been a mishearing.

However, a part of her heart knew that what she heard in the greenhouse that day was ‘real’.

And the reason was probably.

‘It must be related to my traveling back in time.’

Such a big event doesn’t happen just by taking different actions to correct mistakes.

So there’s only one answer.

There must have been some problem in the process of her traveling back in time.

At this rate, even if she corrects past mistakes, she can’t prevent harm from coming to Eregron.

‘If Father, Brother, and Sienna are in danger again, I won’t be able to bear it.’

In the past, she endured by relying on Killian who was by her side.

But now it’s different.

She knows Killian won’t become her person.

Unlike in the past when she could lean on him even if only in name as a spouse, now Killian and Alicia were strangers with no relationship.

“The magical beast we encountered in the greenhouse of Rasa Palace. You definitely said then that the reason for your quick return was because of that beast.”

“…Was that so?”

“Is there… any relationship between that beast and me?”

“There isn’t.”

Does Killian know that his firm answer, different from pretending not to know until just now, rather gave certainty?

“Although I sometimes make foolish choices, I’m not so stupid as to not notice this much.”

“Princess Alicia is a wise person.”

Killian was a man who would keep his mouth shut rather than utter lies.

But why?

She had been feeling that Killian was strange, or more precisely, different from before, since the moment she first met him after coming back.

She realized today that the reason was because he was curious about her showing a different appearance from before, but…

What is this current lie for?

Is there anything for him to gain from a lie that’s so obvious?

The Killian that Alicia knows is the one from before the regression.

As a result, her thoughts naturally flow towards the interests of the Duke of Diaz’s family.

‘A magical beast that calls my name and disappears without leaving a trace when it dies. If we say a new type of magical beast has appeared, that should do. Did he promise something to Father by keeping the appearance of that beast a secret?’

It’s certainly not something you’d think of doing to someone you like.

But is it because the memory of being the Emperor of Eregron still remains?

She starts by considering what kind of deal Killian and the Emperor might have made.

But his kind demeanor, different from before, is puzzling.

Of course, she knows he’s a man who can change masks at will as a great nobleman leading a family, but… Killian was someone who didn’t care about others’ eyes at all, as if he was born that way, with an arrogant face.

‘Back to square one.’

The question that started with the magical beast leads back to Killian.

Why is he showing a different appearance from before?

Why? For what reason?

Was Alicia’s confusion visible on her face?

Killian, who had been staring at Alicia’s thoughtful face for a while, was about to open his mouth when.

“Greetings to Princess Alicia and Duke Diaz.”

The Emperor’s chief attendant had come to find the two.

What could be the matter for him to move personally when he rarely leaves the Emperor’s side?

To Alicia’s questioning gaze, the chief attendant bowed his head with a smiling face and opened his mouth.

“The Sun of Eregron wishes to meet Duke Diaz.”