Alicia, who held Reilly’s hand and rose from her seat, was enjoying a leisurely stroll from a position where she could sufficiently see her companions.

Though riding in a carriage or on horseback wasn’t bad, Alicia thought walking on two feet was the best.

“So what did you want to say?”

Looking down at the tree roots brushing against her toes, Alicia opened her mouth.

Reilly, who had been quietly walking behind her, seemed momentarily surprised by her words, but soon scratched the bridge of his nose and let out an awkward laugh.

“Haha… Was it that obvious?”

“The young viscount’s eyes couldn’t stay still.”

“I thought I was quite good at managing my expressions, but it seems I need to learn more.”

“Ah, you should definitely learn more about that.”

“…Pardon?”

“Pardon?”

“…Are you serious?”

“I am serious, why?”

Surely he doesn’t believe his expression management is perfect?

Having memories of reading the expressions that occasionally appeared on his face, Alicia nodded her head with a serious expression at Reilly, who asked if she was serious.

“Ha… Really…”

Brushing back his hair with one hand, Reilly looked up at the blue sky and muttered something.

He muttered it so quickly in such a small voice that she couldn’t make out what he was saying.

However, thinking it wasn’t an important story, Alicia decided to take in the scenery around her until his monologue ended.

If she was lucky, she might discover wildflowers she had never seen before while looking around like this.

“I can’t tell if you’re interested in me or not, really.”

“Are you talking to me?”

“Yes.”

“If you’re asking about interest… It’s not like I have none, right?”

She couldn’t have no interest in the prime minister candidate who would strive for her elder brother and the empire in the future.

Because he was the person who would stay by her elder brother’s side until death.

In a way, wasn’t he a talent who could be more helpful to her elder brother than herself?

Reading her sincerity, Reilly fidgeted restlessly, unable to keep his eyes still, then soon bowed his head and let out a groan.

The tips of his ears peeking out between his hair were flushed red.

“So what did you want to tell me?”

Alicia asked in a calm voice, deciding to pretend not to notice his reddened face out of consideration for his embarrassment, though she didn’t know why.

She was very curious as to what he kept glancing at her for while checking Kasa and Marisa’s reactions.

“I want to apologize for my rudeness.”

“Rudeness?”

“Didn’t I raise my voice at you, failing to read even Your Highness’s resolve, and told you to return?”

“Ah, that.”

He had blurted out that there was something to propose and they should return to the capital, but when Alicia said she wouldn’t return, he got excited and asked in a loud voice if she didn’t understand the current situation.

From Reilly’s perspective, it was a remark he could sufficiently make.

However, raising his voice to question a princess could be misinterpreted and cause the viscount’s family to pay a tremendous price, so he was apologizing like this now.

Understanding Reilly’s position, Alicia lightly waved her hand to make him raise his bowed head.

“I think it was something the young viscount could sufficiently say from his position.”

“Your Highness.”

“Of course, his voice did get loud in the process, but I understand that too. If I were in your shoes, I would want to stop the royalty in front of me even by raising my voice if it seemed like they were taking action without a plan.”

“That’s not it…”

“You initially opposed it but ended up following my intentions. That’s enough.”

Having spotted the ‘starflowers’ she had seen yesterday, Alicia couldn’t hide her joy and squatted down in front of the cluster of flowers to continue.

“The young viscount is someone who will be of great help to my elder brother, who will ascend to the throne in the future. If my elder brother tries to make the wrong choice then too, I hope you will raise your voice and stop him.”

“…Doing that could get my head cut off.”

Hearing the laughter in Reilly’s voice, Alicia felt like she could picture his expression even without turning her head.

Tapping the petals of the starflowers with her finger, she spoke.

“Try to skillfully avoid situations where your head might get cut off.”

“Are you not going to say you’ll stop it from happening?”

“Because I can’t always be by my elder brother’s side.”

If even these wildflowers bear thorns like this to protect themselves, what thorns do I possess?

Looking at the small thorns densely covering the thin branches, Alicia briefly pondered what her weapon might be and stood up.

“What do you mean?”

“Because I’m a princess. Someday, I will have a wedding for the sake of this Eregron.”

If I don’t have thorns, should I make one now and hold it close to my heart?

Alicia answered Reilly’s question nonchalantly and, realizing she had walked farther than she thought, tried to move her feet to return to her original spot.

She would have if Reilly hadn’t angrily blocked her way.

Startled by his sudden anger, Alicia tilted her head.

It didn’t seem like she had said anything to make him angry… Why was he angry?

“You said you liked Duke Diaz.”

“Didn’t you hear me say I let go of my feelings for him?”

“That’s a lie.”

“…It’s the truth.”

“A lie.”

Why was he really angry?

Why was he interrogating me?

Were we close enough to exchange such words?

Alicia, who had been dealing with him indifferently, gradually felt anger rising within herself as well.

She couldn’t understand why Reilly was looking at her like that and criticizing her choice.

No, to be precise, she didn’t want to understand.

“When I say my feelings are true, what right do you have to claim it’s a lie, young viscount?”

It was a love she had tried hard to suppress and turn away from for a lifetime.

Without even knowing those feelings…

Her face stiffening, Alicia no longer wanted to deal with Reilly.

“I decided to forgive the young viscount’s rudeness. I hope there won’t be another occasion where you apologize to me about that. And don’t ever act like you know everything about my feelings again.”

The moment she tried to walk past Reilly, who was fuming with anger, it happened.

Grabbing Alicia’s hand in an instant to stop her in her tracks, Reilly declared as if making a proclamation, his violet eyes reflecting her image.

“Did you say a wedding for the sake of Eregron?”

“Yes.”

“That you will marry for Eregron even if it’s not out of love?”

“Is that a problem?”

“Do you think the other party will accept that?”

“I will strive until they understand. That’s what the marriage will be for.”

“Strive?”

“I will strive to love them. Even if it takes a lifetime, if I keep striving like that, someday it will become love.”

“Is that your resolve?”

Unlike Alicia, whose voice was gradually rising, Reilly, regaining his usual composure, took the hand he was holding and kissed the back of it.

“What are you…!”

“Then please marry me.”

“…What did you say?”

“Didn’t you say you would marry for the sake of Eregron?”

Not only had he returned to his usual self, but now he was even showing a smile full of composure.

Thinking she had completely fallen for it, Alicia shook off his hand with all her might and took a step back, putting distance between them.

“I will prove that marrying me will benefit Eregron.”

“Young Viscount!”

“So, Your Highness Alicia. Prepare yourself to love me.”

She was so dumbfounded that no words came out.

No, she was so perplexed that she couldn’t even run away.

The man who proposed to her with a bright smile looked at her lovingly and burst into laughter.

“My father once told me. That he’s worried because my actions are faster than I know my own heart. I’ll have to tell him his worries were for naught when I return.”

“Are you in your right mind?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more sound than I am today.”

The man, who finally realized his own feelings that everyone around him had already noticed, thought that if only the woman in front of him would acknowledge these feelings, he would smile as if he had the whole world in his hands.

“I will prove it. So, Princess, no, Alicia. Prepare yourself to love me too.”

This man is crazy.

Alicia, who had been stepping back, turned and started running away.

He could chase her if he wanted to, but for now, let her run.

Even if she runs away like that, where she ends up will be in front of him.

With that conviction, Reilly began walking in the direction Alicia had run away, humming.

“Your Highness! Where have you been…! Your Highness? Why is your face so red…? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Shall I call for the doctor?”

Having run away with all her might and returned to her spot, Alicia collapsed in front of Marisa, who had been pacing back and forth trying to find her after she suddenly disappeared.

Her face was flushed bright red and her heart was pounding like crazy, probably because she had run away with all her strength.

‘It has to be because of that.’

As Alicia sat there unable to collect herself, Marisa, who had been worrying about her, ran off saying she would call the doctor, and left alone, she grabbed her beautiful golden hair and screamed silently.

They said he was a playboy who had chased after three women at the same time at the academy, and indeed, his skill at captivating people was no joke.

How on earth did things come to this?

Alicia, who had lost the strength to even scream in her mind, lay down sideways on the ground where nameless blades of grass had sprouted and tried to catch her breath.

She thought Killian’s strangeness was nothing compared to Reilly’s strangeness.

‘At least Killian… I mean, Killian…!’

…No, Killian was just as strange as Reilly.

The kind Killian and the Reilly who says to marry him.

They were both strange.

Could going back in time have strangely transformed not only the monsters but also the people around her?

There was at least a way to get rid of the mutants, but there was no way to get rid of Killian and Reilly.

“Doctor, hurry! Her Highness has collapsed!”

Marisa’s scream could be heard as she brought Tilly and saw Alicia lying on the ground.

Should I ask Tilly to cure Killian and Reilly?

Looking at Marisa and Tilly running towards her with pale faces, Alicia closed her eyes.