Edmund had taken a bullet to his left shoulder. Galahad, who had been nearby, stepped in to treat him personally, and fortunately, his life was not in danger.

“Your Highness, why did you do that?”

The moment Edmund opened his eyes, he was met with Olivia’s tearful reproach, her eyelids swollen like a goldfish’s.

“At the very least, you could thank me for staying alive.”

Edmund replied playfully, sitting up in bed as though he didn’t grasp the gravity of the situation.

“Do you even realize that you are the Crown Prince of the Empire?! What would have happened if something had gone wrong with you?”

“It’s better than something happening to you.”

Edmund smiled and gently wiped away Olivia’s tears.

“If you’re gone, then I’m gone anyway.”

Olivia couldn’t comprehend it. This was the same Edmund who had always cared only for duty and results. Why was he suddenly clinging to her like this? She had no idea.

“And besides, this is me repaying a debt. You don’t remember, but once, you took a bullet in my place.”

“M-me? In your place, Your Highness?”

Her expression was one of pure bewilderment, as if to say, Why on earth would I ever do that for you?

Seeing her confusion, Edmund burst into laughter.

“Olivia.”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember calling me Ed?”

“Me?”

Olivia blinked. The truth was—she did remember. In that instant, the name had slipped out naturally: Ed. No one had taught her, and yet the name had surfaced in her mind.

And when she called him Ed, she had the strangest feeling he would smile and say, Didn’t I tell you that one day I’d make you call me that?

“Well, if you don’t remember, then it can’t be helped.”

Edmund spoke lightly as he rose from the bed.

“Then, Via.”

“Yes?”

“Go on a date with me.”

“What?!”

What on earth was he saying? And more than that—how could he be wrapped in bandages from his gunshot wound and still be asking her out on a date?

So Olivia rejected Edmund’s proposal, never realizing it would be the beginning of something.

💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠

After the banquet, the plan had been to briefly tour the Kingdom of Puglish before returning, but Edmund’s injury forced them to return to the Empire far sooner.

Olivia was astonished to find herself living in the Imperial Palace rather than a temple.

“Olivia, are you busy today?”

Each morning and evening, Edmund came to see her.

“No, Your Highness. Do you have something for me to do?”

Her memory still showed no sign of returning, yet the wedding date crept ever closer. Natasha fretted that Olivia should, at the very least, begin relearning the etiquette she would need for the ceremony—but Edmund did not press her.

“No. If you’ve nothing to do, I thought we might go on a date.”

Instead, he asked her out again. Day after day. And day after day, Olivia refused him. But Edmund never gave up.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

“That’s fine. Rest well—I’ll come again tomorrow.”

Surely there would be no harm in sitting down for a cup of tea, just once.

Watching Edmund walk away, Olivia suddenly caught herself thinking such a thought and jolted in alarm.

‘Have tea with Edmund? Ugh, horrible.’

She shook her head furiously, then patted her own cheek.

“Don’t fall for that face, Olivia. Get a grip.”

‘He’s an insufferable man, insufferable.’

Muttering like she was reciting a spell, she earned a sigh from Natasha.

The next day, Edmund arrived with a box of expensive chocolates.

“A gift.”

“Oh! These are from my favorite shop!”

“I know.”

He smiled as he held out the box.

“Well? Do you want them?”

“W-weren’t you giving them to me?”

“I am. But it wouldn’t be any fun to just hand them over.”

His tone was teasing.

“They’re limited edition—the most popular in the shop.”

‘Limited edition.’

Olivia’s eyes flicked back and forth between the chocolates and Edmund. In the end, she surrendered.

“Wh-what do I have to do?”

“Just have tea with me.”

‘Tea?’

The request was so simple that Olivia, somewhat dazed, nodded. Soon, the two of them were seated at a tea table in the garden, surrounded by flowers in full bloom.

“Wow, the flowers are everywhere. They’re beautiful.”

“Lisianthus.”

“Is that a flower you like, Your Highness?”

“…Yes. Its meaning is ‘unchanging love.’ I used to give them to you often.”

As Edmund spoke, he lifted his teacup lightly.

“Shall I offer a toast—to your eyes?”

“Pff!”

Olivia nearly sprayed her tea all over the table.

“W-what did you just say?”

“It was something you once said to seduce me. Do you not like it?”

Flushing hotly, Olivia pressed a hand to her cheek.

“I… I actually said that to you, Your Highness?”

What on earth had her past self been thinking?

“It was some time ago.”

Edmund said with a quiet smile.

“Don’t tell me… all those times you’ve been pestering me for a date lately, you were just imitating me?”

Olivia had already heard from Natasha that she’d once made a fervent confession to Edmund. But never had she imagined she would have said something so embarrassingly old-fashioned.

“Well, you could say that. I thought it might help, even a little.”

The expression he wore as he said it was so bitter that Olivia felt a sudden ache in her chest. Unsure why she felt this way, she quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, Your Highness, didn’t you once say that it didn’t matter if I never regained my memories—that you were confident in yourself?”

She deliberately teased him with her tone.

“So, you were actually anxious, weren’t you?”

Proud Edmund would no doubt deny it. Or else, as he always did, smile shamelessly.

“…”

But no answer came.

Even as Olivia lifted her teacup, took a sip, and set it back down, Edmund remained silent, only fiddling with his cup.

“Your Highness?”

Finally, he flinched and raised his head. Then he smiled. But Olivia had already noticed the flicker of unease that had crossed his face in that brief instant.

Until now, she had never been able to properly look at his face, always avoiding doing so because it felt strange. It was strange that he smiled so gently. It was strange that he spoke so softly, only to her.

Now, that face was forcing a smile.

“You don’t have to try so hard. I really am confident, you know.”
“Were you worried about how I’d react?”
“Seeing something delicious, you wanted to feed it to me, didn’t you?”

At last, Olivia realized. The words she had dismissed as shameless bravado had, in truth, sprung from anxiety—his fear that she might never remember again.

“…So you really were anxious after all.”

Perhaps noticing her gaze lingering on him, Edmund covered his face with his hand.

“I told myself it was fine even if you lost your memories—because you were still you. But it wasn’t fine. It was the only way I could endure it.”

His voice dropped, heavy with gloom. Each day had been torment. What if Olivia never remembered? All that tied them together now was the thin thread of an engagement.

She no longer needed his heart to live. But he could not live without hers.

“I thought I could win you back. But it’s harder than I imagined.”

Because no one knew her better than he did. No one loved her more. He had believed that, even if her memories were gone, her heart must still be etched with his soul.

“…Ah, I’m sorry. I know words like this must feel like a burden.”

“No, Your High—”

“What I said last time, I meant it. I’ll keep trying until you love me again.”

“…And if I don’t? If in the end I never fall in love with you again, Your Highness?”

Olivia couldn’t raise her head after asking. She feared that if she looked, she would see him on the verge of tears. She had never even imagined Edmund crying, and yet, the thought of it felt as vivid as if she had already seen it.

“Then I’ll have no choice but to live alone.”

“You’re joking…”

The Crown Prince of the Empire could never remain unmarried. Even if Edmund wanted it, those around him would never allow it.

“I’m not joking. I mean it. No other woman will ever stand at my side. Once is more than enough.”

Edmund rose to his feet.

“Forgive me, Via. May I take my leave first?”

“…Yes.”

And so he turned away. His straight, unyielding stride held her eyes, and Olivia found she could not look anywhere else. She watched his back for a long while.

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