Taking a deep breath and slowly opening my eyes, I saw a worried face looking back at me.

“What’s wrong, Hazel? Is something on your mind?”

“No, it’s nothing. It’s just… seeing you again after so long makes me feel like crying.”

I gestured as if to wipe away tears, and she sighed.

“What was your husband doing while things reached that point?”

My mentor, who had been furious when I married just a year after my coming-of-age ceremony at twenty, had never looked kindly on Leopold or even on Lady Lawrence, who strongly supported the academy. So, naturally, she began by criticizing my husband.

“Leopold did try in his own way to cure my illness.”

She raised an eyebrow skeptically and asked, “Really? Is it possible he turned back time—”

“No, Mentor. He’s the head of the Lawrence family and a very responsible person. He would never risk his life so recklessly.”

I answered firmly, lowering my gaze once more.

Fortunately, she didn’t press further about him. Despite my assertions about responsibility, she must have sensed from my stiff expression that my marriage hadn’t been smooth.

In truth, justifying my husband’s actions and words had been a long-standing habit of mine.

He avoided dining with me because he was tired from overwork, shunned social gatherings with me because I wasn’t of noble birth, and didn’t share a bed with me because he thought I was too young for him…

I had always defended him this way, not only to others but also to myself. It was the only way to soothe my aching heart toward Leopold.

“I don’t want to wonder who turned back time. Maybe it was just divine mercy.”

“…Right. Not everything in this world can be explained logically.”

She nodded slowly, her fingers thoughtfully grazing her chin.

I had come to her curious about the cause of this phenomenon, but as time passed, I realized that it didn’t really matter.

What truly mattered was not losing this life, this second chance, to futility.

“I plan to leave the duchy.”

A long silence filled the space after my calm declaration.

If a student who had just married yesterday suddenly came in the morning claiming to have died and come back to life, and then announced plans to leave her new home, I wouldn’t know what to say either.

I sat quietly, waiting for her response.

“Where to?”

Still, there were no further questions. Surely she had many things she wanted to ask… Perhaps with those bright yellow eyes that seemed to uncover any hidden truth, she’d already seen through to the truth buried deep in my heart.

“I haven’t decided yet. But I plan to go wherever my help is needed.”

“Wherever you go, you’ll be welcomed. I hope His Majesty allows you to leave without trouble.”

“He’s a wise ruler; he’ll permit it. He’s wanted to send me to the border regions for some time.”

“A wise ruler? Even a passing dog would laugh at that. He’s a scoundrel, that one. Tsk.”

Her rare harsh words made me smile softly. Despite her long friendship with His Majesty, I lost count of the times I worried I’d be arrested for treason just by listening to her.

Facing these memories that had become mere nostalgia, I struggled to keep my emotions in check. Trying to calm my racing heart, I spoke with feigned nonchalance.

“Mentor, please keep this a secret from my husband. He doesn’t know that I died and came back. I might have slipped up right after waking, but he probably didn’t notice. This kind of thing is usually unimaginable.”

“I will. But do send me a letter from time to time. Remember, the academy is always open to you.”

“Yes, I will.”

With that, I quickly stood up. My eyes were already beginning to feel warm.

“Hazel, I hope your second life is filled with no regrets. Stay healthy.”

I responded to her kind words with a bright smile and swiftly left the dean’s office. If I stayed any longer, I feared I would burst into tears.

***

Back at the mansion, I carefully began planning my future.

First, I would annul my marriage to Leopold, promise Lady Lawrence that I would find a way to heal her leg, seek an audience with His Majesty to obtain a status plaque and some wealth, and finally, find a house far from the capital.

Looking at the list, it didn’t seem too difficult. However, one thing weighed heavily on my mind: Leopold’s condition.

‘If he’s alive and returned to the past with you, there’s a high chance he might die soon.’

Even though I knew it wasn’t about him, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. An artificial pulse with no strength was never a good sign.

In the end, I decided I should check on him after dinner, not because I still had feelings for him, but because I was convincing myself it was simply my duty as a healer.

“Ma’am, dinner is ready. I’ve come to escort you.”

It was Emily, who had always attended to me.

“Okay, I’m coming.”

Though I was now accustomed to speaking formally, I initially struggled with it, and Leopold had scolded me for my lack of decorum.

‘What do you think your status is? Act according to your position. Don’t disgrace the Lawrence name.’

I quickly corrected my speech habits after that, but his harsh reprimand lingered for a long time. In fact, seeing as it still crossed my mind, perhaps it never really faded.

Ignoring the surge of resentment, I opened the door. Emily bowed politely. She was a welcome presence, but since there was still some distance between us, I only offered her a slight nod.

As I followed Emily down the hallway, painful memories assailed me relentlessly. I couldn’t remember the last time I had shared a formal meal with Leopold.

‘Having dinner together every evening is definitely something I can’t do.’

Even though it was a small murmur, his indifferent voice boomed in my mind.

Did I cry all the way back to my room, resenting that he had to say such things right in front of me?

Ah, my heart twisted and crumbled again. Even though it was a distant past, it still wasn’t okay…

I found myself standing still in front of the dining room, unable to bring myself to step through the open door.

Soon, Leopold noticed me and jumped up, rushing over.

“You look pale. If you’re not feeling well, there’s no need to push yourself. Let’s go back to the bedroom.”

His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes filled with concern, and his voice trembled slightly.

Why was he worried about me? Was this another cruel joke disguised as mercy from the gods?

“No, I have something to say… I’m fine, so please sit down.”

Leopold couldn’t take his eyes off me and extended his hand. That large, cold hand I had wanted to hold but rarely did. Was I bitter because my feelings were never reciprocated? The more warmth he showed, the colder my remaining feelings became.

“There’s no need to escort me. It’s just a few steps.”

I grasped my dress instead of his hand and took my seat at the table.

As Peter, the butler, poured the pre-dinner wine, I tried not to glance at my husband, lifting my glass instead.

It might have been presumptuous, but if he looked upset over something as trivial as this, I might have felt a bit angry.

I heard the soft scrape of a chair being pulled across from me. When I finally looked up, Leopold was smiling gently.

Why hadn’t he smiled like that even once before? It wasn’t difficult; even a fake smile would have sufficed, just once.

Fearing my eyes might reveal my resentment, I turned my gaze back to the utensils.

Even if I felt negative emotions, I didn’t want to share any of them with him anymore. I simply wanted to drift away as if we were strangers.

However, it seemed Leopold had different thoughts. He, who had never initiated conversation during meals, spoke cautiously.

“I heard you went to the academy.”

“Yes.”

“What for, so early in the morning?”

“I had something to discuss with my mentor.”

Before we married, we had only spoken once, so we never really had the chance to get to know each other deeply. My stiff demeanor might have felt natural to him.

“So, did it get resolved?”

“Yes.”

I wasn’t trying to pick a fight, but my voice came out a bit cold, which bothered me. After all the pain, I still wanted to present myself as a good person in front of my husband, which I found pathetic. Shaking my head inwardly, I started eating, and Leopold spoke again, as if he had been waiting.

“What did you do after returning to the mansion?”

Why was he asking about my daily life? His interests had always been focused solely on estate management and expanding the empire’s territory.

I swallowed the mashed potatoes I was chewing and slowly replied with a puzzled look.

“I just stayed around.”

Leopold didn’t lose his faint smile and maintained eye contact, beginning to share mundane stories, much like I used to.