How did it come to this?

As Alicia rode together with Killian, she was trying to view the situation happening to her in a calm and objective manner.

It all started with regression.

The first thing she did after going back in time was annulling her engagement to Killian.

The next thing she did was letting everyone know that she had given up on her feelings for Killian.

Regarding that, Killian said he wondered how long her sincerity would last.

The declaration of withdrawing her feelings ended up piquing his curiosity instead.

Since then, Killian clearly showed a different side of himself.

He was kind and considerate towards her.

Killian approached Alicia, readily closing the distance she had painstakingly created, and looked into her eyes.

Alicia couldn’t bear to push away the warmth that began to fill his emerald eyes.

And around this time, Reilly seemed to have changed as well.

To be precise, it was after they had a conversation about the mutants.

Starting with receiving unexpected help, he began actively cooperating with her.

And now…

“Marry me? Prepare to love?”

Alicia groaned and clutched her head.

“Do you have a headache?”

“…Something like that.”

“The court physician…”

“He said not to take it too often and to endure it unless I feel like I’m about to die.”

“…The court physician who accompanied Your Majesty must have spare lives.”

Look at this.

Killian was casually spouting such a harsh remark while adjusting his seating position so that Alicia could lean more comfortably.

Finding comfort in his arms after just half a day, Alicia slightly leaned her head forward and turned her gaze back.

She saw the figures of those following behind Killian, who was leading.

Perhaps because of what happened last night, everyone was on edge, vigilantly watching the surroundings without rest.

As Alicia’s eyes searched through them to locate Kasa and Marisa, she accidentally made eye contact with Reilly.

Of course, the accidental part only applied to Alicia’s perspective, as it seemed Reilly had been watching her continuously.

The moment their eyes met, Reilly smiled brightly and waved his hand, startling Alicia, who flinched back and hid against Killian’s chest, sighing deeply once more.

“Is he crazy?”

It was a strange thing to say about the man who would become Eregron’s next regent, but honestly, he seemed like a madman.

“If not a madman, what else should I call a man who suddenly blurts out a marriage proposal?”

Alicia, who barely suppressed another groan that almost escaped, glanced at Killian.

Changed Killian.

Changed Mashu.

Strange Reilly.

As she thought about it, the answer to the problem became clear.

It was Alicia.

All these problems began the moment she went back in time.

“Should I die again?”

It was a thought that came to mind for a moment, but it wasn’t the right answer.

No, it wasn’t that it wasn’t the right answer, but it was a clear wrong answer.

The proof was that she, who had died from drinking poison, was alive right now, wasn’t she?

“I, who can’t even die properly… Can I properly solve anything else?”

She decided not to think about the mutant issue until they reached the Tower of Sages.

It wasn’t something to ponder and find answers to while on this journey.

“I don’t know the exact reason why the Tower of Sages summoned me, but if my guess is correct, they will provide me with the answer to that problem.”

If the reason for summoning her was different, she could directly ask them.

With exactly seven sages residing there and a considerable number of disciples under them, surely one of them would give Alicia the answer.

Having organized her thoughts about the mutants, Alicia was about to continue thinking about Killian and Reilly when…

“Are you having absurd thoughts again?”

“What?”

Startled, Alicia lifted her head.

Fortunately, Killian’s gaze was directed forward, so the situation of making eye contact without mental preparation like with Reilly earlier didn’t repeat.

Relieved by that fact, Alicia pretended not to know.

“I wasn’t having any absurd thoughts.”

“Then?”

“…Do I have to say it?”

“If Your Majesty doesn’t wish to, you don’t have to speak. However…”

“However?”

“I will misunderstand on my own. That perhaps Your Majesty is interested in the young Viscount following behind.”

“What nonsense…!”

Surprised by Killian’s words, Alicia forgot that she was currently sitting on a horse and was about to shout when she instantly lost her balance.

She was able to safely overcome the dizzying situation of almost falling off the horse entirely thanks to Killian, who had a firm hold around her waist.

“I don’t know how much you trust me, but it would be better to be careful.”

“S-sorry.”

“Rather than sorry, I think you should say thank you.”

“…Thank you for saving me from falling, Duke Diaz.”

“You’re very welcome, Queen Alicia.”

Killian’s change wasn’t limited to kindness.

The irritating side he occasionally showed like this was even harder to adapt to than his kindness.

Sighing and muttering to herself that it was really difficult, Alicia perked up her ears at Killian’s next words.

Even if it was hard and difficult to adapt, she couldn’t ignore Killian’s kind voice directed at her.

“So is it a misunderstanding?”

“What is?”

“My thought that you might be interested in the young Viscount.”

…Should I have pretended not to know?

Alicia wasn’t unaware that Killian had a persistent side.

It was just that she had never seen that persistence directed towards a person, only focused on his strength, obsession with the safety of his territory, and his own interests.

“The misunderstanding… is correct.”

“The young Viscount couldn’t take his eyes off you.”

“That’s not my thought.”

“Ah, right. Then is the young Viscount interested in you?”

Alicia, who momentarily closed her mouth, unconsciously avoided Killian’s gaze.

It was because of Reilly’s words that suddenly came to mind.

“This is driving me crazy…”

Alicia, unable to think properly because of one madman, raised her hand and clutched her head.

It didn’t feel like she was about to die yet, but at this rate, it seemed she would soon have a headache painful enough to die, so should she ask Tilly for medicine?

While pondering like that, Alicia felt Killian’s hands around her waist tighten and raised her head, wondering what was going on.

“Ah…”

And this time, she could definitely confirm Killian’s gaze that couldn’t take his eyes off her.

It was a completely different feeling from when she made eye contact with Reilly earlier.

“It would be strange not to be interested.”

“…What?”

One of the changed aspects of Killian was that he sometimes said things that Alicia couldn’t understand.

And it was usually difficult to grasp the context of such statements.

What on earth was he thinking in his head?

“But I have no intention of tolerating it.”

“Killian?”

“Hmm…”

“Excuse me…”

“Are you doing it on purpose? Or are you aware of it unconsciously?”

What is he talking about now?

After pondering for a moment, Alicia looked at Killian with an expression indicating that she didn’t know why he was asking such a question.

“You always call me Duke, but at times like this, you always call my name.”

Did I just call Killian by his name?

She couldn’t quite remember.

“I don’t dislike either way, so it doesn’t matter, but you should be careful.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. If you’re angry because I carelessly called your name…”

“Didn’t I say I don’t dislike it?”

“Then why?”

“I’m angry thinking that you might call other people’s names like that too.”

I really don’t understand.

At this point, Alicia begins to think that Killian might be crazy too.

Actually, if both Killian and Reilly were considered crazy, everything would make sense, but looking at his clear emerald eyes, he didn’t seem like someone who had lost his mind.

“You don’t understand.”

“To be honest, yes.”

“That’s because you’re trying hard to understand.”

“Then what should I do?”

“Just accept it.”

“Accept it?”

“Yes.”

Accept what?

Instead of asking out loud, Alicia stared intently into his emerald eyes.

The kindness reflected in them instantly disappeared, and he gazed at her with a deep… a deep emotion that the current Alicia could never understand.

“Alicia.”

“…”

“Do you plan to keep avoiding it like that?”

For a moment, a possibility came to Alicia’s mind.

If that possibility was true, she could understand everything that was happening.

But it was only a “possibility”.

She had been clinging to that “possibility” and repeating all sorts of mistakes.

So it would be the same this time too.

If she believed in it and acted accordingly, she would make a huge mistake again, and it would lead to an even greater failure than in the past.

Ignoring Killian’s question, Alicia turned her eyes in the direction the horse was heading.

They were still riding on a well-maintained road, but soon they would have to walk on land without a path.

“…Should I prepare a carriage?”

If she got in the carriage, drew the curtains, and stayed inside until they reached the Tower of Sages…

Alicia, who was naturally looking for a way to escape the situation, sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

Killian, who had been intently watching Alicia, chuckled and spoke.

“Continuing to avoid it like that might also be a method.”

“…”

“But you can’t keep running away forever.”

I know.

After answering like that in her heart, Alicia continued with her eyes closed.

“Will there be separate break times?”

“If there are?”

“…Then I’ll ride the same horse as Kasa from then on.”

“As much as you wish, Your Majesty.”

A flat voice devoid of any emotion.

It felt like she had only heard such a voice in the past, but now it seemed like it had been a long time since she last heard it.

With that thought, Alicia nodded her head instead of answering.