Chapter 8

The Crown Prince, walking beside her in the garden, was cheerful as if nothing had happened. His bright blue eyes, unacquainted with worry, sparkled.

“Even if he truly falls in love with Aurelia someday, would it matter that much?”

Rohana recalled the threats of Gregory Hanover. In truth, the initial goal was to become Empress. Love was merely a fortunate, fleeting acquisition, and thinking of it that way made it insignificant.

Wasn’t there something more important? This time, by keeping quiet, she might be able to protect those around her.

“Are you going to think only of yourself again? Planning to run away? You could become the Empress, yet you’re troubled by not winning a man’s heart?”

The voice of her past self, who had regretted her choices to the point of death, resonated heavily in her mind.

“Stay quiet as if dead. After making such a mess, you’re still only thinking about yourself.”

Brandt’s face flashed through her mind. Jody’s injured arm and the nanny who had lost her life senselessly. Rohana was deep in thought when the Crown Prince’s voice broke through.

“Rohana.”

“Yes?”

Bardi’s face drew closer.

“You’re lost in thought again.”

His subdued expression looked at her sadly. Rohana averted her gaze from the familiar eyes, unchanged since before Aurelia’s appearance.

“Oh…”

“Why do you always seem like you’re somewhere else?”

Bardi murmured as if talking to himself.

“You’re still unshakable in that regard.”

Just as Rohana’s brows furrowed, the sound of hooves came from not far away. A large black horse halted at a distance for security reasons. It was a horse from the North.

Bardi and Rohana turned their gazes towards it.

The rider was an unfamiliar man with striking sky-blue hair—Heath. After the guards confirmed his identity and opened the gate, Heath slowly guided his horse towards Bardi and Rohana.

Rohana stretched her neck slightly to see if there was a following horse.

As expected, a black horse carrying the silver-haired Duke appeared, but he was not alone.

A woman with bright blonde hair was with him.

“Aurelia?”

Bardi muttered with a frown. Within a few minutes, Heath arrived and dismounted.

“Your Highness.”

Heath greeted respectfully. Bardi, ignoring Heath, glared at Kaiden and Aurelia dismounting their horses.

“Your Highness.”

Aurelia greeted, while Kaiden nodded silently.

“What is this? Where have you been?”

His voice had a subtle sharpness. The Crown Prince’s blue eyes focused on Kaiden. Aurelia’s voice echoed in the air.

“I felt too confined in the palace, so I went to the city and happened to run into him!”

The faces of the servants and knights following behind were ashen as if they were about to collapse.

“Going out of the palace alone! Why did you take such a risk?”

His worried voice trembled slightly.

“That’s why the Duke accompanied me on the way back. He is indeed my best friend.”

Best friend, she said.

Fifteen years ago, Rohana had prevented the Crown Prince from taking a vacation in the South, thus Bardi and Aurelia did not meet when they were young.

For some reason, it seemed that Aurelia had met and spent time with Kaiden as children.

In the original story, Bardi and Aurelia’s relationship evolved from childhood friends to lovers… But this time, was it Kaiden and Aurelia who were childhood friends?

“Lady Rohana.”

At the sound of her name, Rohana turned her gaze to see Kaiden.

“Are you alright? You look very pale.”

Perhaps he chose not to mention their scheduled meeting at the merchant guild, for the Duke’s voice was calm, as if they were meeting for the first time today.

“I’m fine.”

Meeting his eyes, Rohana once again played along as she had earlier.

“You mustn’t overexert yourself.”

Kaiden’s calm voice was gentle as he looked down at Rohana.

“Lady Rohana, are you really alright?”

Aurelia suddenly interjected, her large eyes glistening with tears. She grasped Rohana’s hand with her small one.

“Oh, I’m fine.”

Rohana gently withdrew her hand as she spoke.

“How could you injure yourself right before your birthday party? It’s breaking my heart.”

Rohana was slightly taken aback. Though it was overshadowed by the upcoming wedding, her birthday was indeed a week away.

While her birthday was never depicted in the original story, she wondered how Aurelia already knew about it.

“Oh, no. It’s nothing. A birthday party isn’t that important.”

“Please don’t invite me. After all, you got hurt because of me… How could I possibly attend the party?”

Aurelia said, her pretty face filled with tears. Her voice was determined, and her slender body, clad in a light apricot dress, looked incredibly delicate.

“What…?”

Rohana paused and Bardi jumped in.

“What are you talking about, Aurelia! Rohana, tell her it’s not true. You don’t know how hard it was for Aurelia that day and the next. She couldn’t sleep all night and…….”

The fierce struggle of her thoughts earlier now felt futile and exhausting. Seeing the two of them together, the situation was crystal clear.

At that moment, Rohana noticed the Crown Prince’s large hand gently caressing Aurelia’s back.

For a long time in Rohana’s small world, she and Bardi had been lovers. She knew what he was thinking from even a small gesture.

In an instant, something that had been barely hanging on inside Rohana fell with a thud. It was heavy and painful.

Even if she didn’t know the original story, or wasn’t in some kind of reincarnation, the current situation was as clear as day.

‘At this rate, becoming the Empress will be difficult.’

Seeing how things were unfolding, she thought she might not survive for long this time either. Rohana could only laugh inwardly at the absurdity.

She was suddenly very tired. She didn’t want to continue this conversation anymore.

She was just tired.

“Of course, Lady Aurelia. You should definitely come. I’ll be expecting you.”

Rohana smiled formally, just like the day she first met her.

Aurelia, crying and delighted, saying “Really?” came into view, and Bardi didn’t know what to do.

“Then, I’ll be going now…”

Rohana turned hastily without meeting anyone’s eyes and quickened her steps.

Bardi seemed to half-heartedly attempt to stop her but soon focused his attention back on Aurelia and did not come closer.

“I’m sorry. I needed you.”

The strange voice of the boy that she heard at the moment of her death echoed in her mind again.

‘What did you need me for?’

Rohana bit her full lips and walked quickly.

How long had she walked? When she felt she had gone far enough, Rohana slowed her hurried steps. The dry grass crunched under her shoes.

“Nothing has changed.”

What had she expected from those nonsensical words at the moment of death? It was laughable to think she would be someone important in this world.

She had easily leaned on the sweetness of romance and her tired heart. It was pathetic.

It was humiliating, but tears fell. She couldn’t believe she made the same mistake even after living twice. What was the point of pretending to be kind, smart, and calm, always planning and strategizing?

‘In the end, I foolishly fell for the Crown Prince just as in the original story.’

The worst part was not knowing how to avoid ending up like in her past life.

Should she call off the engagement? Would the impact be greater if she ended up divorcing after marriage?

She wished she could just run away, avoiding all the mess.

‘Really?’

The drying grass crunched under her steps.

‘Do I really think you can completely escape Gregory?’

She no longer wanted to think about what she should have done or what she should do. Betrayal was already overwhelming. It had been the same in her previous life.

Worried that tears might leave marks on her face, the embarrassing tears fell to the ground, wetting the earth under her shoes.

At that moment, a deep voice called out from behind.

“Lady Rohana.”

Rohana stood still, unable to turn around. Though she had only heard it briefly, the voice was unmistakable. Despite the urgency in his call, Kaiden remained silent.

Unable to show her reddened face, Rohana stayed frozen. After a brief pause, he spoke slowly.

“You asked how you could repay me.”

Rohana turned her head slightly. The autumn wind tousled her hair. She saw his cloak fluttering out of the corner of her eye.

“May I also receive an invitation?”

Rohana stood still for a moment. It was an unexpected request.

Was he asking for an invitation to her birthday?

It seemed too modest and random a request for a villain like him to ask for as a favor, but understanding that he couldn’t bear to see Aurelia and Bardi alone at the party made sense.

He was, after all, the pitiful villain from the original story who was madly in love with Aurelia.

“Yes, of course.”

Rohana glanced back slightly, her eyes fixed on Kaiden’s feet. She couldn’t show her tear-streaked face.

He probably wouldn’t notice, and even if he did, it didn’t matter. It was the minimum dignity she wanted to maintain.

“Then…”

Rohana resumed walking. The leaves of the sycamore trees, starting to turn red, fluttered and fell in the wind.