Life had never held much meaning for Leopold, but now it felt even more devoid of purpose. His world was decaying, permeated by a stench, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He had never been one to express himself much, but after Hazel left, he resorted to responding to everything with a nod or two.

People who worried about him wasting away from the grief of losing his wife began to murmur. As the head of a family that played a crucial role in the nation, he showed no signs of recovery; instead, he only worsened. Rumors spread that the Duke of Lawrence had gone mad or had become mute.

No one in the mansion dared to speak to him casually. Everyone feared that they might suffer dire consequences if they made a mistake. Even his mother, Sarah, was no exception.

In every conscious moment, Leopold thought that if only he could turn back time, he would never have made such a cruel choice.

If he could turn back time, he would show Hazel only the best things in the world.

If he could turn back time, he would confess, without fear, how foolish and inadequate he felt for her and ask if she would still choose to stay by his side.

If he could turn back time, he would question whether he was worthy of her love, and if Hazel allowed it, he would dedicate his life solely to her happiness. But…

You are not here, not in this place.

Unless I turn back time, I cannot see you.

Unless I turn back time…

Turn back time…?

Could something like that really be possible?

Wasting away like a living corpse, he emerged from the study after a month. The road to the academy felt especially long that day.

***

I had planned to stay here a few more days if Leopold hadn’t come to Fojetta. But life always flowed as it pleased, like suddenly returning to the past and encountering someone who had said goodbye.

The more time I spent caring for him, the more I feared reliving my previous life all over again.

Why hadn’t I realized that even after all emotions had ebbed away like the tide, the dark, sticky mudflats would remain?

It was much stronger than mere lingering feelings, and my feet kept sinking deeper and deeper. What started at my ankles reached my calves, then my knees.

That’s why I decided I had to leave quickly. While I could still move, I had to get away.

I hugged the few belongings I had packed in advance and waited until midnight. I had roughly figured out the location of the horses, so sneaking out of the village shouldn’t be too difficult.

After estimating the time by gauging the moon’s height, I quietly moved, lifting my heels to avoid waking anyone. Having spiked the evening meal with a sleep-inducing potion, no one would be able to stop me.

It was when I reached the stable, silencing my footsteps, that I heard it.

“Ma’am?”

A curious voice came from behind me. I turned around, startled, like a broken doll creaking.

“You… How are you here?”

I pretended not to notice my pounding heart and slowly let go of the reins I was holding.

“Where are you going at this hour?”

Jayden approached, frowning. I awkwardly smiled and racked my brain.

“…I thought I’d go for a walk.”

Was that the best excuse I could come up with? I sighed.

“With all that luggage packed?”

As expected, he snorted incredulously. If we had been younger, I would have flicked his forehead for that cheeky attitude.

Unable to think of a suitable response, I prepared to knock him out if necessary and asked honestly.

“Why are you wandering around instead of sleeping?”

“I knew it. Everyone else was out cold. I didn’t eat dinner because I was tired and took a nap. What did you put in the meal?”

“What do you mean? They just fell asleep. They’ll probably wake up feeling refreshed.”

“Why did you do it?”

Jayden tilted his head, clearly confused.

“I’m leaving.”

This time, his eyes widened.

There was no point in prolonging the conversation, so I stepped closer to Jayden. It was difficult to explain anyway.

“More importantly, I have something for you. Give me your hand.”

I abruptly grabbed his hand and pretended to place something in his palm. He just stared at me, bewildered.

“What is it? But where are you planning to go all by yourself? Do you even have somewhere to go? Does the Duke know? Why all of a sudden…?”

I chuckled to myself, amused by his use of formal titles when he usually called me “sister” when flustered. Then I infused energy into him forcefully, and I heard him collapse onto the pile of hay.

“Sorry, Jayden. I’ve been thinking about this for a while. Please take care.”

There were people who came to tend to the horses every morning, so even if he slept there, nothing would happen. I securely fastened my belongings to the sides of the saddle and led the horse away.

The night breeze felt refreshing.

D’Agnon was located further south from here. The temperature of this cool breeze would gradually rise with the excitement of the journey.

I liked forests, so I had never been curious about the southern region, which was mostly barren desert. They said the Whitia Mountains weren’t densely forested either.

I felt a twinge of regret, but perhaps that was for the best. It wasn’t just the forests that I cherished.

The refreshing green of the forest always reminded me of him. When the clear wind brushed against my skin, it felt like his touch, making my heart flutter.

Sometimes, when I wandered alone in the depths of the forest, I felt as if I were becoming part of Leopold’s soul.

It was all just my imagination, but even that had been fine back then.

But now I had to break free. In a place without forests, I would completely rid myself of him, as if he had never existed in my life.

The only thing that weighed on my mind was Leopold’s painful past and his mother’s aching legs.

Mother always said she believed in me. That only I could heal her and save her.

As time passed, her expectations became my life goal. Looking back now, it seemed like a kind of brainwashing. But if it was the only way to repay her kindness, then what was the problem?

Moreover, I realized that by fully healing Mother’s legs, I could alleviate the guilt of a once unhappy child.

Seeing Mother unable to walk, how much agony must young Leopold have felt? If I could help him forget those harsh years and the lifelong burden he had to bear, even just a little… Then, when I finally freed myself from him, perhaps Leopold would also find some freedom from his mother.

With firm resolve and earnest hope in my heart, I left the village and galloped quickly for about thirty minutes, then gradually slowed down. I felt far enough from those who wouldn’t wake until morning. On the other hand, I wanted to fully capture the stars pouring from the rounded night sky, touching the ground.

Yes. It would have been nice if the journey remained as beautiful as a fairy tale.

The quiet night delivered all sorts of small sounds to me clearly. Among them was a moan that was undoubtedly human. At first, I thought I had misheard, but as the sound grew louder, I became certain.

“Whoa, whoa.”

I stopped the horse and looked around, leaving the deeply rutted dirt road shaped by wagon wheels.

It wasn’t hard to find the source of the sound in the wasteland-like field, with a few small trees as tall as my waist and some weeds.

A man, curled up and clutching his abdomen, was writhing in pain, oblivious to my presence.

“Hey there. What’s going on? Are you hurt?”

There was no answer, just labored breathing that seemed to cut off. He was in bad shape. No, it was more accurate to say he was in terrible condition.

Without hesitation, I got off the horse and gathered magic in my hands to create light. It wasn’t very bright, but it was enough to see him clearly.

Blood pooled on the ground from the man lying on his side.

“Oh my. You’ll die at this rate. Don’t worry. I’m a healer. I’ll help you.”

I knelt on one knee, trying to reassure him as I shone the light on his face.

The moment I saw his face, fear pushed my upper body back.

The man was one of the pirates I had healed.

Pretending not to recognize him, I quickly mounted the horse and began to ride away. Cold sweat dripped down my back, soaking my clothes.

Why was he alone in such a place? They said all the pirates were dead. Had I missed one?

He must have moved too much before the wound could heal, which required time for the magic to absorb and mend the area.

Even when I treated him, he had suffered from the worst wounds. If left like this, he would die soon.

He would die…

‘Teacher, why do we have to heal those people? Can’t we just let them die in prison?’

She looked at me as I pouted, changing into a clean apron. Her bright yellow eyes always made me feel guilty, even when I hadn’t done anything wrong.

That day was no different. Her calm questions felt like scolding.

‘Hazel, what is the duty of an artist?’

‘To paint.’

‘Then what is the duty of a knight?’

‘Uh, to protect those they’ve sworn to protect, even at the cost of their life?’

‘Good. Then what about a healer?’

‘To save lives.’

She finally placed her hands on her knees and met my childlike gaze.