Three years had passed since the regression.

Since Grisha was a reliable expert, I didn’t worry about situations like not being able to wake up. The comatose state due to magical depletion was essentially a situation where the body had stopped, so there was no concern about getting hungry or sick.

‘One worry was being helpless against external shocks.’

As it was, the opponent who was already trying to kill me had fallen into a comatose state, so couldn’t they easily kill me like twisting an infant’s wrist?

For his sake, Grisha decided to directly warn the Periway baronial family. Though I didn’t hear it, the content would have been roughly like this:

[When a magician falls into a comatose state due to magical depletion, their eyes will open automatically once their magic is replenished. If they die in that state, the cause is clearly murder by an outsider.]

In the end, it seems Diana couldn’t make a move because of Grisha’s warning.

‘My body doesn’t seem to have any problems.’

My body felt stiff from not moving for so long. However, thanks to the steady accumulation of magic while I was lying down, my physical condition was even better.

Even so, it didn’t even come close to the magic I originally possessed.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have used an attack spell instead of a time reversal spell.’

Since I usually researched magic related to space and time, I unknowingly used a large-scale magic to reverse time for the entire world in that moment.

‘There’s no use regretting past events now.’

The only thing I was curious about now was one thing.

“I answered your questions sincerely, so will you answer my question too?”

I asked with a slight smile.

“Who are you?”

That is, who was this man who had naturally approached and spoken to me.

In the dark room, the moonlight coming through the window left a white trace as if outlining his profile. His silver-gray eyes were sharp like blades. Not a hint of warmth could be felt.

‘For now, he doesn’t seem to be someone who has affection for me.’

To be more precise, it would be correct to say he had no emotions towards me at all. The problem was why an unfamiliar man was sitting naturally in my bedroom.

‘Did the world change during the 3 years I was asleep?’

I scratched my head. He contorted his face as if extremely annoyed. Such rough behavior suited his rugged face well.

‘Is he a swordsman?’

The long scar on his forearm caught my eye. Given the scar on his chin as well, he seemed to be a swordsman. Surely he wouldn’t have cut his face and forearm with a kitchen knife.

‘…No, I might burn myself while cooking.’

Recalling my clumsy, heavy fingertips, I pouted my lips slightly.

His revelation of his identity was something I could never have imagined.

“For now, I’m your husband.”

“What?”

I froze with my mouth open in a round shape. What did he just say?

Husband?

The word meaning a man who marries a woman and becomes her partner?

I looked back at him with an expression of asking if I had heard correctly, and he nodded slightly. There was no hint of joking anywhere on his expressionless face.

I narrowed my eyes. My memory was good enough to boast about to others.

“But I’ve never been married. No, I’m seeing your face for the first time?”

So don’t even think about making clumsy lies.

Seeing my expression, the man sighed again. And he answered with a very tired expression.

“That’s right. You were in a comatose state, and the marriage took place during that time.”

“…What did you say?”

My clever mind momentarily stopped spinning at how absurd an answer it was.

Is it because I focused too much on research at the academy that I didn’t notice the changes in the world? Getting married to a bride in a comatose state? Is that even possible in the first place?

‘Marriage is a kind of social contract, isn’t it? Why marry a woman who can’t fulfill the role of a wife?’

One plausible reason did come to mind. I carefully asked.

“Ah, do you have a preference for sleeping women?”

The man’s straight forehead wrinkled sharply at my question. As I noticed earlier, it was a strange face that suited such a frowning expression well.

“Don’t say such unpleasant things.”

“Then why did you marry a woman in a comatose state?”

“Because there was a reason I had to get married.”

“Other than preference?”

“I don’t know why you keep thinking it’s that kind of reason. I haven’t touched a finger of yours, so erase words like preference from your mind.”

“I see. I thought that might be the case since your attitude in speaking to me was so natural.”

I thought you might have a preference like the prince who fell for Snow White who ate the poisoned apple.

There are usually two reasons for entering into an inefficient contract like marriage. One is love, one is necessity.

If it’s not love, then it must be necessity. And the necessity of a magician who had fallen into a comatose state…

I asked, folding my arms.

“Did you marry me for the inheritance I will receive as an archmage?”

Trying to get a spoonful of the inheritance by using the position of husband?

The man frowned deeply again and answered in a gruff tone.

“I already have more money than I know what to do with. I told you there was a reason I had to get married. Let me say in advance, it’s not an illegal kidnapping marriage or anything. It was a legal marriage with the permission of His Majesty the Emperor.”

Ah, so you’re rich. And even a legal marriage?

‘This is ridiculous.’

How can it be a legal marriage when the person themselves can’t express their will? I pointed that out with a grin.

“Who received the marriage vows when the marriage party was in a comatose state?”

But another unexpected answer came back.

“Your sister arranged this marriage. Your sister made the marriage vows too.”

“What?”

Diana did?

“She asked me to hand over your inheritance, which might never be claimed if you didn’t wake up, to her as your husband. Saying that spouses have rights to joint property.”

The man raised the corner of his mouth as if mocking me as I stared with wide eyes. But his gaze was still fierce and his brow was furrowed, so the mocking feeling was strong.

“You have such a nice sister.”

“…I guess so.”

It seems my sister sold me off since she couldn’t kill me.

[This is the timeline separator]

Going back in time a little, one year ago.

Cedar rested his chin on his hand and looked down at the woman trembling before him with a languid expression.

Round, large eyes and luscious golden hair. She had a soft and lovely impression of a beauty, but her red eyes flashed intensely like a flickering candle.

Cedar frowned. He had been wielding a sword and dealing with people for over a decade. Having met and cut down all sorts of human types, he could tell what kind of person someone was just by glancing at their face.

That was the face of someone who would fall into hell due to greed. She probably wouldn’t fall alone.

‘I shouldn’t even talk to someone like this.’

If this were a battlefield, he would have immediately intimidated her and driven her away. Just drawing his sword would have made her run away like a mouse.

But this was a ballroom, and he was tightly bound in fancy clothes instead of a sharp sword.

Moreover, this banquet was the first birthday celebration for the newly enthroned young emperor. There were too many watching eyes.

‘Honestly, I don’t care what others think.’

The young emperor was Cedar’s only friend, and as the eldest son of the Granite family, he was someone Cedar had to show loyalty to. He had no choice but to stay until the end.

‘If she calculated even the situation and requested this meeting, I want to be involved even less.’

Cunning and meticulous on top of being greedy? She would clearly drag others down to hell with her in droves, not fall alone.

Cedar was determined to coldly reject whatever this woman said and leave the terrace.

That is, until she got to the main point.

“Please marry my sister!”

“…Huh?”

How many times in life would one hear such crazy words? And not even about herself, but her sister?

Cedar’s thick eyebrows arched greatly. He rested his chin on his hand with a cold smile.

“Is that a variation on a contract marriage pitch?”

“What? What do you mean by variation?”

“The number of ladies who have arbitrarily expected things and requested a contract marriage from me is more than I can count on two hands. I hear contract marriage novels are popular these days?”

“R-really?”

For the first time, the woman’s expression crumbled. She clearly hadn’t expected Cedar to even know about contract marriage novels.

‘Still, the sister angle is novel.’

He could give a few more points for creativity on that part. Cedar gestured with his chin for her to continue speaking. The woman continued with a tense face.

“My name is Diana Periway. My sister is Nelly Periway.”

“Periway? The archmage family?”

“Yes. My sister is that archmage.”

“This turned out to be more impressive than I expected.”

The archmage from the empire was a huge topic in social circles. Even the newly enthroned young emperor had shown interest in her. The problem was that she had become unable to receive invitations before the emperor could even invite her.

“But isn’t she in a comatose state now? I heard it’s such a rare case that magicians from the academy are rushing out for monthly examinations.”

Diana’s brow furrowed at Cedar’s words.

“You seem to know a lot?”

There were circumstances that made it impossible not to know well. But there was no need to explain that to Diana. Cedar frowned and gave a fierce smile.

“How can you ask me to marry someone in a comatose state?”

If the intention was to attract attention, it was already enough. Cedar, not wanting to waste any more time on nonsense, rose from his seat.

“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Wait a moment!”

If Diana hadn’t held him back, the conversation would have ended there. Diana opened her mouth with an urgent and meticulous face, as if all her previous pretense of being docile was an act.

“Can’t family express will on behalf of someone for marriage?”