Leopold picked up the fork again and transferred the meat he cut onto Ariel’s plate.

He tried to hide his flustered expression, but his hands trembled slightly.

“I don’t understand what you mean. The food will get cold. Let’s eat.”

Then, he fixed his gaze on the plate instead of Ariel.

“Your Majesty.”

Ariel sensed an unusual atmosphere.

He’s not looking at her even when she called him, just solely focusing on cutting the steak. Hopefully, it wasn’t a needless misunderstanding.

‘Did he think my soul changed when I regained consciousness?’

She reached out to him quickly and added,

“Leo, it seems like there’s a misunderstanding.”

―Call me Leo.

A fragment of memory flashed through Leopold’s mind. It was the memory of him asking Ariel to call him by his nickname.

‘If she remembers that nickname, it must be Ariel.’

When she regained consciousness, she clearly remembered his name and all the situations she had been in.

But, if it’s not Ariel.

Is it about the change in how she treats him?

Leopold was confused.

His red eyes, wavering with fear, looked towards Ariel.

“Tell me. If I have any questions, I’ll ask.”

“I’ve made this decision because I don’t want to hide anything from you. You might not believe it, and you might think I’m strange. I’m telling you this considering all that.”

“Alright.”

Thinking about it, Ariel hadn’t really talked about herself before. Like what she learned in Kolnman. But now, she doesn’t want to hide anything from me. It might not just be my imagination that she has come to love me.

‘Has she really come to love me?’

Leopold scanned Ariel’s flushed face. The small and slender woman in front of him was trembling with worry and fear.

Her small lips opened and closed several times.

‘What story is she trying to tell by taking so long?’

Leopold calmed himself and waited patiently for Ariel to speak.

“Actually, I was an ordinary office worker from a country called South Korea. Spending my day in a small office, in front of a small desk, and returning home exhausted—just an ordinary office worker.”

Leopold raised his eyebrows.

South Korea…

Atlan. Kolnman, which borders Atlan. The kingdom of Macglier that recently became a vassal state of Atlan.

Even after recalling the countries across the Wellus Ocean, there wasn’t a country with the unique name of South Korea.

“Reading web novels was my only joy. It was also how I ended my day. But then, I died in an unexpected accident. When I opened my eyes, I found myself possessing the villainess Ariel Clark from the web novel I was reading.”

Everything was true, so she only had to tell the truth as it is, but Leopold’s possible thoughts worried her.

However, to fully receive his love and to love him entirely, she thought nothing should bother her heart.

With that thought, Ariel continued her story calmly.

From the story of going to Kolnman to avoid Emperor Leopold who mercilessly killed Ariel in the original story, to just before returning, where she acted as a demonic beast hunter.

She let out a long breath.

Initially, Leopold was confused. He thought he had to believe what Ariel was saying.

But his expression soon turned calm.

Even if Ariel’s words were true, he didn’t care that the soul from the modern era transmigrated and possessed Ariel.

The one he had come to love was the current Ariel.

What made him think more was,

‘A novel? Am I a fictional character?’

The fact that he was a character in a novel.

Then, according to the original author’s writing, the story should have flowed as written, but the current reality was much different from the original content Ariel spoke of.

It proved that Leopold also lived a subjective life, moving not by any story or storyline but by the emotions he felt.

“When I fell here, someone told me they would bestow all abilities on me. Thanks to that, I easily reached the realm of a Swordmaster. Of course, I also worked hard. But because of Diaton’s curse, my mana was sealed, and it coincided with my mother getting sick, so I had no choice but to return to Atlan.”

“And that’s when you met me at the victory celebration.”

“Yes. I went out unable to bear my father’s nagging. After making a contract with you, I purposely followed Liese to Norca to connect you and Liese by building a friendship with her.”

“So that was the case.”

Leopold’s eyes narrowed because he remembered seeing Noah Diaz holding Ariel in his arms there.

“Yes. Well. Things didn’t go as planned.”

“It’s hard to understand. To think I killed you because of Liese Willington in the original story. It’s not my taste at all.”

Leopold joked.

But he finally understood all the situations until now. The fact that she went abroad to Kolnman to survive and even after spending a night together, she disappeared without a trace fearing her life might be intertwined with his and lead to her death.

On one hand, it hurt him. She certainly suffered alone without being able to share this story with anyone.

Ariel burst into laughter.

“Pfft-! Ah, I see. You had different tastes from the original story.”

For a moment, her expression became serene again.

“I thought for quite a while that I first met Your Majesty at the victory celebration. When we were getting married and I saw the flowers, I felt déjà vu and faintly remembered seeing something familiar somewhere… but I hadn’t realized that you were that boy back then.”

“That’s right. Since you showed no reaction, I thought you had completely forgotten those memories.”

“That’s correct. I had completely forgotten them. Right before losing consciousness, I realized it. And after losing consciousness, I kept dreaming about being trapped in your embrace and couldn’t escape.”

Ariel’s words about dreaming of him during the three days she was unconscious left Leopold speechless with surprise.

‘How could that be.’

Leopold’s eyes deepened.

Was it filled with me all along? The entire three days.

Ariel took a deep breath.

Expressing the emotions deep in her heart for the first time was new for her.

‘I feel embarrassed now that I’m about to say it.’

Her throat moved significantly as she swallowed dry saliva.

“Listen carefully. I won’t say it twice.”

“I am listening attentively. From the beginning till now.”

In his deep crimson eyes, Ariel felt her stomach flutter.

With a feeling that made her dizzy, Ariel squeezed her eyes shut and spilled her words.

“I realized while dreaming for so long. That I’ve come to love you, too. I repeated countless times that I wanted to see your face again.”

“……”

“I love you, Leopold.”

As she uttered the last word and suddenly opened her eyes,

What she saw were his eyes swelling with tears, red blood vessels stark against the white of his eyes.

“Ha-!”

He sighed deeply, looking up at the ceiling.

When Leopold confirmed Ariel’s feelings, he was caught in an uncontrollable whirlwind of emotions.

The thrill of finally having won her heart enveloped his entire body.

‘She loves me. Ariel, she loves me…’

His lips trembled.

Could this be a dream? It was something he had wished for so fervently, yet it felt unreal.

“This is all I had prepared to say.”

It must be so embarrassing.

Ariel must give a quick response so she wouldn’t feel awkward.

Leopold, captured by a strange emotion he was feeling for the first time, found it hard to speak easily.

He worried about not winning her heart until the contract was up, but Ariel clearly and surely expressed her feelings for him, making those worries seem pointless.

‘I’m happy. Beyond words.’

Leopold stood up.

Creak-! Thud, thud.

He pushed in the chair and approached Ariel. He pulled her hand, lifting her to her feet, and then whispered in her ear.

“I cherish you.”

For Ariel, it was also the first time she had ever heard words of love from Leopold.

Her emerald eyes trembled, and the fine hairs around her ears stood on end.

Chills ran down her spine.

‘I can’t stand it.’

Ariel wrapped her arms around his neck. Then, Leopold slightly lifted his head, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

What is she trying to do?

But his question was brief.

Soon, Ariel put strength into her arms, pulling him down, and their lips finally met.