As if I had been waiting for this moment all along, my heart burst like a dam breaking, leaving everything in chaos.

“How could you deceive me so easily? Do you think I’m that gullible? Yes, looking back, you were always like this from the start! Ignoring me, looking down on me!”

“I never, I would never—”

His urgent attempts to explain himself only fueled my resentment. The memories of his harsh words and cold eyes were still vivid. Was he really going to deny it? Familiar resentment surged through me.

‘Just as I manage the estate as its head, you should focus on your patients as a healer. Give up on the idea of doing anything with me.’

‘Weren’t we always just a couple in name only?’

‘If you’re going to act like a child craving attention, go back to the academy immediately.’

I steeled myself repeatedly. If I brought up everything, this conversation would never end.

Holding back my sobs, I confronted him.

“Bringing up the past will only add to the hurt. So let’s leave it at that. But tell me, why did you hide the fact that you’re a regressor? Did you find my confusion amusing? Or did you want to toy with me? Explain your reasons properly!”

In the end, I screamed, almost like a cry. I had vowed not to cry in front of him, yet my face, now covered in tears, must have looked so pitiful.

“…I’m sorry.”

Leopold covered his face with both hands. After that brief apology, there was only silence. He must have known how badly he had treated me and how cowardly it was to pretend ignorance until things got this bad.

I remained silent, facing the mute Leopold. My sobbing gradually subsided, and my breathing slowed. I tried to wipe my wet eyes and cheeks with my sleeve, but the tears kept falling, making it futile.

Leopold, who had been standing there helplessly, finally spoke again, very slowly, as if in apology, once the silence was so deep that I could hear the sound of fireflies flying.

“…I was scared. Scared that… reflecting on the past… you would hate me.”

I was dumbfounded. Just for that reason…

There were times when I had to endure your hatred with nothing but the will to survive.

My heart grew bitter once more.

“Even so, when I asked if you were the caster, you should have answered properly! Until then, I wasn’t even angry; I was just worried that you might be hurt…!”

He had lowered his head as if asking for forgiveness, but now he looked up, surprised. His expression revealed a sense of hopelessness. Did he really believe I would hate him?

“You knew perfectly well that I had loved you for a long time, didn’t you? It’s absurd to say you didn’t know when I never hid it.”

I tried to suppress my trembling voice and remain calm. I didn’t avoid his sorrowful gaze.

“You instinctively knew I couldn’t refuse you and approached me… What a terrible person…! How does it feel to deceive me? Were you satisfied, basking in the triumph you love so much?”

“Hazel…!”

“Without knowing any of this, I foolishly worried that you might have paid a heavy price as the caster!”

His mouth opened and closed several times. If he genuinely felt sorry, he should have tried harder to make any excuse… I resented Leopold for not saying anything in the end.

“Watching the changes in you, I thought maybe you felt the same way I did, foolishly. Honestly, whether you were the caster or just a simple regressor, what does it matter? The clear fact is that Leopold Lawrence, you deceived me all this time. Ah… In this life too, I’m so pathetic for being swayed by you…”

I muttered to myself like a monologue, then buried my face in my hands and cried like a child. I felt his fingertips touch my shoulder, but I pushed them away with a terrible feeling. Would confessing that I hated him bring any relief?

“My heart, which you’ve toyed with… it’s so pitiful.”

But his story about being afraid of being hated seemed so sincere that I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

“I’m going to leave here. If you have any conscience, don’t think about following me.”

Instead, I turned and ran. No matter how much I wiped them away, tears blurred my vision.

I hoped that these flowing tears would wash you away completely and that at the end of this journey, I could be free from the torment that is you.

***

When I returned to my bedroom, I asked the guard waiting at the garden entrance not to follow me and immediately packed my things. Since I was always ready to leave, it didn’t take long.

My eyes were so swollen from all the crying in such a short time that it was uncomfortable. I gently pressed them to reduce the swelling, then picked up a pen. Both Raphael and Alendia would be quite surprised if I suddenly disappeared.

I left a note explaining that my departure was sudden due to delays in my original travel plans and hoped they would understand. I promised that we would meet again if fate allowed.

What weighed on my mind was leaving without personally bidding farewell to His Highness, the ruler of this land. However, since Leopold would remain here, he could handle the explanations. He was skilled in diplomacy, and we were still a couple in name.

As soon as I saw the faint light outside the window, I stepped out. The path to D’Agnon was not difficult, and I could roughly picture it in my mind, but it was too far to walk. After some deliberation, I headed to the royal stables.

When I arrived at the stables, having asked several servants along the way, I found a middle-aged manager checking on the horses while yawning.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh, you startled me.”

His gruff voice echoed in the stables. He was a large man with a thick beard, looking like a bandit, yet he seemed startled by my small voice, clutching his chest.

“Who are you, at this early hour?”

He grumbled, turning to me with a face full of annoyance. His intimidating demeanor made me so tense that I momentarily forgot my serious situation.

“I’m a healer from the Empire.”

I extended my arm to show him the royal seal, but he only glanced at it with a disinterested look.

“Healer? Oh, the one who came with our prince?”

“Yes. Actually, I urgently need a horse. Can you provide one?”

I wanted to leave the palace before daybreak caused any commotion. Despite my urgent expression, the manager turned back to the horses as if it was out of the question.

“I can’t just give away royal property.”

Though he wasn’t wrong, this wasn’t the time to follow procedures. I considered using the same trick on him as I did with Jayden to make him sleep when I noticed his awkward movements.

The manager was unable to fully extend his arm, moving his entire body back and forth as he petted the horses.

“By the way, your arm looks uncomfortable.”

“Oh, this? It’s been like this since I was a kid. I don’t even remember, but they said I got hurt while playing.”

He lifted his arm nonchalantly.

“If you don’t mind, I can take a look at it.”

It seemed like an injury I could fix. If it wasn’t a congenital issue, any physical trauma was treatable. Especially for me, with almost no limits on using my power, healing physical injuries was the easiest.

“I don’t expect it to be fully healed, but it hurts sometimes when I’m tired. If that pain were gone, I’d be grateful.”

He spoke indifferently, but he seemed a bit interested in my offer. Perhaps things could work out smoothly.

“Please extend your arm for a moment.”

He approached and obediently extended his arm. The condition was worse than I thought, with the arm almost at a right angle.

I began channeling a blue light through my fingertips. As he described, I envisioned a child falling to the ground, supporting themselves with their elbow. It happened while he was playing tag with friends and tripped over a stone. The bone had completely dislocated, and as a child, he hadn’t thought to set it properly due to the pain.

“I can fix it. It won’t hurt.”

I started by setting the bone. First, I numbed the surrounding area, then carefully adjusted the force and infused my power in one go. The arm straightened immediately. He gaped in astonishment. It was the perfect time to make another request. I cautiously asked him while he marveled at his arm.

“It doesn’t have to be an exceptional horse. As long as it can run, that’s enough.”

Still surprised, the manager nodded absentmindedly. I felt relieved and waited for his next move. After examining his arm for a while, he seemed to come to his senses and hurriedly brought out a sturdy, dark brown horse.

“Take this one. It’s strong and runs well. I’ll take responsibility for anything that happens, so don’t worry.”

Seeing his now beaming face made me feel proud. He would no longer have discomfort or pain.

“If you say you gave it to me, there shouldn’t be any trouble.”

I gently patted the horse. It snorted softly and moved its head, as if asking me to take good care of it. I wanted to bond a little more before leaving, but the manager spoke excitedly.

“I’ve never felt such relief in my life. Thank you so much.”

With his thanks, he placed a very sturdy-looking saddle on the horse and even loaded my belongings for me. He went so far as to lead the horse out of the stables.

Once I led the horse out, I hesitated. If I left through the main gate, I might get caught.

“Is there another way out besides the main gate?”

“If you go straight to the right, there’s a gate for carts. Go that way. No one in this palace would fail to recognize the healer, so you should have no trouble leaving.”

“Thank you.”

After expressing my gratitude briefly, I mounted the horse. Just as I was about to spur it on, a loud voice called from behind.

“Healer! I’ll never forget this kindness. Please take care and be safe.”

I turned to see the manager clasping his hands together, bowing to me.