“If what you’re saying is true… does that mean you’ve also experienced returning to the past, Kristin?”

Kristin hesitated.

Simply explaining the pocket watch’s capabilities felt inadequate. Duke Raphael was a sage man.

Though his expression was confused, the undeniable reality in front of him—that time had reversed—meant he had no choice but to believe her.

He would likely connect the pocket watch to her reasons for breaking off their engagement.

Her voice trembling, Kristin finally spoke.

“Yes, I’ve experienced it too. But this is all I’m willing to say. Please, don’t ask me more about it. From now on, I want you to live for yourself, not for me. Please don’t look for me or worry about me anymore. If you stay involved with me, you might end up dying in my place. I hope you’ll consider marrying Princess Rebella instead.”

Kristin spoke these words because she felt deeply that Raphael Rodney’s death was her fault.

At that moment, the duke grasped her wrist firmly and pulled her into his arms.
“Just how little do you think of me? Telling me to leave you and marry a woman I don’t love is no different than asking me to die, Kristin. Isn’t that so?”

Duke Raphael held her tightly, refusing to let go.

It was the first time he had ever embraced Kristin.

Even after their marriage, Raphael Rodney had never held her.

He had always shown her only coldness, but now he was holding her so tightly that Kristin, unused to such intimacy, could only awkwardly raise her hands while remaining in his arms.

Physical closeness with him felt so unfamiliar.

“Your Grace, please let me go,” she said softly.

“No. Nothing else matters anymore. If you returned time for my sake, that alone is reason enough for me to keep living. And I will never let you go again, Kristin.”

As Raphael spoke, Kristin finally lowered her hands from midair and gently rested them on his shoulders.

At first, she touched his shoulders hesitantly, but soon she slid her arms around his back and held him fully.

“I’ve been so wrong. I regret more than anything not being kinder to you, Kristin.”

“Please, don’t say such things. I only…”

Duke Raphael whispered in her ear, his voice low and tender. Then, as if speaking to himself, he murmured once more.

—

“I love you, Kristin.”

Kristin froze at the sound of Duke Raphael’s whisper.

Those were the words she had longed to hear more than anything in the past.

They were also the words she had most wanted to say to him.

Words that had echoed in her heart endlessly, like a refrain.

“Your Grace…”

As Duke Raphael held her, Kristin’s voice began to tremble. Noticing this, he gently loosened his embrace to look at her face, only to find her in tears.

Seeing Kristin shaking so delicately, Raphael took a handkerchief and carefully wiped her tears away.

“Why are you crying? I promise you, we can be happy. Neither of us will die, no matter what.”

After reassuring her, he softly held her face and gently kissed her forehead.

Kristin, startled by the unexpected gesture, looked up at him. He smiled and spoke again.

“If I follow my heart, I’d kiss your lips, Kristin. But seeing you cry, I thought this might be more appropriate. Honestly, I’m unsure if I’m doing this right.”

Raphael tilted his head slightly and smiled at her, his expression resembling a puppy trying to win over its owner.

Seeing him melted Kristin’s sadness, and she couldn’t help but smile through her tears.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“You’ve not only stopped avoiding me but even saved my life. Have you finally decided to give your heart to me, Kristin?”

Though Raphael had been expressing his feelings to her, he yearned to hear the words from her lips—that she loved him.

He had never desired Kristin’s heart as much as he did now.

Yet he feared that showing his feelings too strongly might drive her away again, so he kept his mouth shut.

Then, it happened.

Kristin gathered her courage.

“The truth is, I’ve always wanted to love you deeply, but I was afraid of getting hurt, so I couldn’t open my heart. But when I saw you being attacked in front of me, I was terrified. I was so scared that I’d never see your face again.”
Kristin clasped one of Raphael’s hands as she spoke.

“So please, don’t die. I can’t bear to see you in danger again.”

Moved by her words, Raphael embraced her tightly once more and said,

“Kristin, I won’t die. I promise. But the two of us alone don’t have the strength to resolve this. We need power.”

“Power? What do you mean?”

Raphael Rodney knew all too well about Emperor Lucas Aedon.

If the emperor were so determined to kill them, no matter how high his status, they would need to set a trap to bring him down.

In the previous timeline, Raphael had declared his intent to marry Kristin in front of Emperor Lucas and Princess Rebella as part of a ploy to create such a trap.

He had planned to station numerous soldiers at the wedding venue on the announced date, confident that the emperor would seize the opportunity to act.

But instead, the emperor struck earlier, during a banquet at the Edith estate, leading to Raphael’s death.

It was clear to Raphael now that his strength alone was insufficient to protect Kristin.

Moreover, the emperor had already imposed a “three-year marriage ban” on Kristin, making even a feigned wedding impossible.

This meant there was a real possibility of him being killed without ever marrying Kristin and without having the chance to fight back.

As Duke Raphael’s thoughts swirled, his mind became increasingly tangled.

For a moment, both Raphael and Kristin sat in heavy silence, their faces weighed down with concern.

Then, Kristin’s expression suddenly brightened, as if a solution had occurred. She slowly spoke.

“We might be able to find a way if we use the diamond mine.”

“The diamond mine?”

“My original plan was to use the diamond mine’s ownership as leverage to negotiate with His Majesty. I intended to strike a deal to ensure your safety from the Praga Empire.”

“A deal with the Emperor… But as things stand, we’ll only lose the diamond mine. What he wants isn’t just mine; it’s our lives,” Raphael responded.

Kristin nodded at his words.

She understood that the Emperor wouldn’t stop just taking the diamond mine. He would ensure that loose ends were tied up neatly if he wanted to kill Raphael.

As the weight of their predicament lingered, Raphael broke the silence with a new idea.

“Then how about turning the tables?”

“What do you mean?”

Raphael thought of *human wave tactics*.

But his strategy on the battlefield wasn’t just a typical mass assault. Instead, it deceived the enemy into believing he had overwhelming numbers. This was the method he intended to use now.

In the past timeline, the Emperor had easily killed him using knights during a banquet at Kristin’s estate.

However, things would be different this time. Unlike the Viscount’s modest two-story mansion, Raphael’s ducal estate was a fortress-like structure of immense size.

In stark contrast to the Edith mansion, the ducal residence resembled a castle and was vast enough to bewilder even seasoned servants. It wasn’t uncommon for new staff to get lost within its corridors.

Additionally, the ducal estate contained a secret known only to Raphael: traps.

Anticipating unforeseen threats, Raphael had designed parts of the estate to include maze-like trap rooms. If someone attempted to harm him, they could be lured and trapped inside these hidden chambers.

Thus far, these traps have rarely been used.

Even the servants were only vaguely aware of the traps’ existence and warned to be cautious during cleaning without knowing their exact nature or location. Moreover, Raphael had strictly prohibited them from revealing this information to anyone outside the estate, ensuring that no one in the Union Empire knew its secrets.

“This time, the banquet will be held at my estate. I’ll send a letter to His Majesty and Princess Rebella, informing them that the wedding will take place this weekend.”

“B-but, is that really okay? You might be putting yourself in danger again.”

“One tactic in human wave strategy is the display of force. Remember, Kristin, I am a duke of this empire.”

“I’m not sure I follow what you’re saying.”

“I’ll hire as many soldiers as I can to create the appearance of overwhelming strength. Just their presence will make any knights sent to kill me hesitate. And tomorrow, I’ll arrange to meet with the Pope. If anyone can protect us, it’s him.”

Kristin finally grasped the full meaning of Raphael’s plan.

In the Union Empire, the only figure who could rival the Emperor’s authority was Pope Henry Edward, in whom the people of the empire placed their utmost faith.

The Grace Hall had its high priests presiding over noble weddings, and churches and priests were abundant across the empire—all thanks to the Pope’s influence.

“You plan to meet Henry Edward. If anyone can help us, it’s him,” Kristin said, her tone finally showing a hint of relief.

If Pope Henry Edward issued an order to protect her and Duke Raphael, no noble in the Union Empire would dare harm them.

The Pope’s influence was so formidable that even the Emperor couldn’t match his authority. Seeking the support of this alternative power was their best chance against the Emperor’s tyranny.

However, they must present the Pope with a compelling reason to intervene.

“Yes, we must place our full hope in his willingness to help us,” Raphael replied, meeting Kristin’s gaze as he gently wrapped her in his arms once more.