It was because the memories of her past life, in which she had clung to etiquette and dignity even in the face of death, still remained.

However, Alex only smiled more mischievously at his wife’s passive reaction and pulled Elicity tightly into his arms.

At this, Elicity let out a voice like a dying chick.

“D-Dear… what are you doing?”

But she was not rejecting him out of disgust. It was shyness. Alex, who keenly caught on to this, whispered into his wife’s ear.

“What do you think I’m doing? Do I really need to say it out loud?”

“You know what day it is today. The guests are all in the private hall. O-Of course, I said it was fine when we were alone, but today is not the right time.”

Elicity was embarrassed to death, but she still answered properly.

However, Alex lowered his voice even more in response. It was the voice of a beast growling with desire.

“Then when is the right time? Tomorrow and the day after are also banquet days, so that won’t work. The day after that, then?”

“…Either way, something could happen today.”

Her frail arms fumbled to push against Alex’s solid arm, trying to push him away. But that only served as fuel to ignite his desire.

Alex felt the muscles in his lower abdomen tighten and let out a heated sigh.

“Are you afraid something might happen to the guests? Or do you dislike me holding you?”

“!!”

“If you really don’t want this, just say so. I won’t do anything you dislike.”

Alex felt his own voice tremble slightly. He, who had never wavered even before Salita’s great army, was afraid in front of this small, delicate woman.

Of course, he was instinctively certain that his wife would not reject him today. The young duke did not like gambling.

That was why, last time, Alex had taken Elicity without asking for her permission. Because back then, he had been uncertain.

But this time, Elicity would allow him. His keen senses assured him of this as he saw the way her amethyst-like eyes wavered.

Even so, the wait for the words of permission from the lips of the one he loved was always excruciating.

Even with a 99.9% chance of success, the remaining 0.1% of possibility was enough to shake the heart of even the strongest swordsman.

Suppressing his surging desire with great effort, Alex waited for his wife’s small, red lips to part and grant permission.

Yet Elicity’s lips remained sealed. It was just like the past.

That made Alex anxious. His lips went dry, and his heart started pounding as if he had been running.

‘Elicity… do you hate me?’

His lips moved silently. But no voice came out.

Even if he asked, his wife, who cherished their family deeply, would surely lie for the sake of their household’s harmony.

And more than anything, before the regression, his wife had not loved him.

“……”

Meanwhile, her excuse of “because there are guests” was really just that—an excuse.

Once again, her husband was simply too young.

There was not a single strand of white hair or a wrinkle that middle-aged nobles often had. Nor was there even the faintest hint of a beard on his chin or beneath his nose.

The glimpse of his sharply defined collarbone and firm chest through his slightly open shirt, along with the well-defined muscles of his abdomen, left her unsure of where to look.

The way his crimson eyes smoldered with desire, the hot breath escaping between his lips, and the firm hands pressing at her waist—

Even though she had regressed, Elicity couldn’t quite bring herself to believe that all of this was hers.

However, when she saw Alex’s expression gradually darken, she finally realized that something was wrong.

“…Alex.”

Buried beneath the blankets in a small and intimate space, Elicity averted her gaze and murmured,

“In Madonia, it is not right for a wife to refuse her husband.”

“……”

“So… I am fine with it.”

Alex was not entirely satisfied with Elicity’s answer.

It still felt as though she was relying on Madonia’s laws to justify their relationship.

Alex gazed at Elicity intently. Though her words were stiff, the way her eyelids lowered shyly and her lips trembled made him feel slightly better.

“Then the struggle is over.”

Concluding the conversation on his own terms, Alex swiftly stole a kiss from her lower lip.

As he let out a pleased chuckle at the sensation, softer than cream, the startled Elicity covered her mouth beneath the blankets.

Seeing his wife covering her lips with her small hands, Alex laughed.

But it lasted only for a moment. He gently removed her hands and pressed his lips over her slightly open, surprised mouth.

***

‘Today’s banquet was truly wonderful.’

Bella lay in bed, recalling the sight of her mother and father dancing together so sweetly at the banquet.

Just then, a familiar voice came from the open window.

“My lady.”

“Lucas?”

Startled, she sat up to see a boy bathed in moonlight, perched on her windowsill.

Her surprise quickly turned into confusion. Her bedroom was on the third floor, and there were no large trees near the window for someone to climb.

Then, Lucas stepped forward from the window frame.

As soon as his feet touched the floor of her bedroom, Bella was even more startled. A boy in a girl’s bedroom—no, a commoner in the bedroom of a noble lady—was an offense punishable by death.

Yet, surprisingly, Lucas was unfazed. He strode toward Bella with confidence, as if this bedroom belonged to him.

“Good evening, my lady. Did you enjoy the banquet today?”

His tone was utterly composed. Because of that, Bella found it difficult to tell whether this was reality or a dream.

However, as soon as Lucas’s silver hair came right before her eyes, her senses snapped back into focus.

“Lu-Lucas. You can’t just enter a lady’s bedroom like this. Go back.”

Though Bella was visibly flustered, Lucas, with a faint smile, either failed to notice or chose to ignore her rejection.

“But I want to talk to you, my lady. You rarely come to see me. And I can’t get close to you.”

“That may be true, but if you come here like this, it will ruin my reputation.”

“Then… do you dislike me, my lady?”

Lucas’s eyes curved into crescents. His silver-blue irises sparkled slightly, and without realizing it, Bella shook her head.

“That’s not it, but…”

“Then what’s the problem? I like you too.”

Like.

At those words, the discomfort she had briefly felt vanished like a washed-away stain, and Bella’s cheeks flushed red.

She had already wanted to share her parents’ affectionate moments with someone today, and Lucas showing up felt like perfect timing.

And now, he had even said he liked her. Whether it was a romantic fondness or a simple human affection, Bella was simply happy.

‘But…’

Even so, she couldn’t allow Lucas to stay in her bedroom. She didn’t want to disappoint her parents.

Resolving herself, Bella placed her hands on her waist.

“Lucas, no matter how I think about it, this situation is improper. I’ll come find you tomorrow, so please leave immediately.”

“You want me to… leave?”

The low, sinking tone made her sense that something was seriously wrong.

Suddenly, Bella wanted to see Lucas’s expression. But at that moment, the moon hid behind a cloud, leaving his face obscured.

“Lucas?”

As if responding to her unconscious murmur, the moonlight slipped back through the clouds.

A single beam of light illuminated Lucas’s face, revealing an expression filled with sorrow. Bella’s heart sank.

“My lady, I’m truly so disappointed.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“How many years must I endure? How many times must I live again before you finally remember me?”

Remember.

At that word, Bella’s hand unconsciously reached for her earlobe. It was bare, as she hadn’t put on earrings.

“Lucas, I’m sorry about that. But I really don’t remember you.”

“It’s my fault.”

“Huh?”

“Everything… it’s all my fault.”

Bella had no idea what he meant. Just as she opened her lips to ask, Lucas stepped onto the windowsill.

“I’ll go now. I promised that I would never do anything my lady doesn’t want. Sleep well.”

“W-wait!”

His rapid, enigmatic words and the absurd sight of him preparing to climb down from the third-floor windowsill made Bella leap out of bed in shock.

And at that moment, Lucas snapped his fingers.

“—Huh?”

Suddenly, Bella’s vision wavered, and her eyelids began to droop. Her legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed onto the floor.

She would have, if Lucas hadn’t swiftly descended from the windowsill to catch her.

Moonlight cascaded down upon the boy who cradled Bella’s small frame.

Perhaps it was the brightness of the moon tonight, but the boy’s eyes, which had always seemed slightly grayish, shone a purer blue than even the eyes of royalty.

Lucas held Bella as though she were a fragile glass bead, carefully and delicately.

Though he was as lean as any stable hand, for some reason, he lifted the noble lady effortlessly, as if some supernatural force were at play.

Step by step, as he walked toward the bed, not a single sound came from him.

Only his blue gaze, locked onto Bella, was silently, deafeningly expressive.

“Isabella.”

Mmm—.

Resting on the bed, Bella murmured softly. Though Lucas couldn’t tell what dream she was having, the faint smile on her lips made him smile as well.

But his smile was dry, brittle.

“Please… remember me soon.”