Part 2 Chapter 54
Nike was ready to be scolded.
Even if his father was so disappointed that he said, “I’ll never see your face again,” Nike had accepted it.
“I’ll only rewind time if Father collapses from shock or something.”
With that thought, he carefully opened his eyes.
The Emperor had stood up.
His mouth hung open, his finger pointed at Nike—completely frozen.
Then, without saying a word…
Thud.
He fell weakly back into his chair.
“Father!”
Nike quickly rushed over to check on him.
“Are you alright?”
“Haa… haa… fuu…”
The Emperor was breathing heavily, clearly shaken.
“…Shall I pretend you didn’t hear?”
“Don’t you dare!”
The Emperor shouted, making Nike flinch and shut his mouth.
At that moment—
The doors to the office burst open.
It was the Crown Prince, entering confidently.
“Take His Majesty to his chambers! Call the physician! He must rest immediately!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The well-trained attendants quickly rushed to the Emperor’s side. Supporting his staggering body with care, they led him out of the office.
“You did well, little brother!”
The Crown Prince, looking pleased, approached Nike, who looked utterly drained.
“Leave the rest to me. When Father recovers, I’ll explain everything more thoroughly. Of course, I’ll make sure to stress your reasons—that you had no choice.”
“……”
Nike blinked, his eyes empty of focus.
“It was for your lover, wasn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
“Before the rewind and after, every time—it was for the one you loved. In a way, that’s very consistent.”
“……”
Nike wasn’t sure if his brother was teasing him. But the Crown Prince only smiled wider, as if happy that things were going well.
“You’ve worked hard!”
***
Emperor Alphonse’s memories
He recalled old memories.
The first time he saw Ryan…
A tiny boy, just learning to talk, sitting on his father’s knee.
The Emperor himself was kneeling on the ground in front of him.
“This is the one you will serve in the future,” Edgar had said with a grin.
The child laughed innocently, not knowing the cruelty of the moment.
Later—on the battlefield, filled with monsters.
A young man had appeared like a hero.
“Your Majesty, it’s dangerous! Why are you here?!”
It was Melvin Bassenberg.
Panting, he pulled the Emperor behind him.
And then—the monsters fell dead in an instant.
His ability: Death.
It was like watching a god.
Every beast that came into Melvin’s sight dropped lifelessly to the ground.
“Thank you… thank you so much,” the Emperor had said, filled with gratitude.
Though he hated the name “Bassenberg,” Melvin had saved the Empire countless times.
But then—Melvin suddenly froze. The monsters surged again.
“…Lord Melvin?”
Melvin only bit his lip, avoiding the Emperor’s gaze.
And behind him, Edgar’s voice rang out:
“My apologies, Your Majesty. My foolish brother is causing trouble. He forgets he may only fight with Your Majesty’s official command.”
That “command” required endless bribes of gold and land.
The Emperor clenched his fists so tightly his palms bled.
Edgar smirked.
And Melvin—head bowed, powerless—obeyed like a puppet.
The Emperor had been furious.
Why?
Why would someone with such power bow to a devil like Edgar?
Why save the Empire, yet submit to him?
Back then, it had only seemed like betrayal.
But now, Alphonse understood.
Melvin had no choice.
And now Ryan, too, had hidden his power all this time, waiting for the right day.
“Bain.”
Lying in bed, Alphonse called to his son, the Crown Prince.
“Yes, Father.”
Bain couldn’t hide his joy. Alphonse gave a small laugh too.
He had protected this son desperately, so he wouldn’t know the same humiliation.
Now Bain’s unshaken spirit burned brighter than ever.
And… Alphonse thought of his other son.
The one he loved painfully, all his life.
“Bring Nike to me.”
***
The Crown Prince soon came to fetch us.
“The Emperor wants to see you. I’ve explained most things already. He just has a few questions. Answer sincerely.”
‘Ugh! But why do I have to go too?!’
We waited in the audience chamber next to the Emperor’s room.
Sweat ran down my back. My hands trembled in my lap.
‘I’m so scared… so, so scared…’
From the moment I entered the palace, the Emperor’s overwhelming presence had terrified me.
My mind went blank, my vision spun.
‘I-I didn’t do anything wrong! I just got dragged into the rewind!’
Fear made me want to deny everything.
Then—
“Bania.”
Nike held my trembling hands.
“It’s okay. Don’t be scared.”
He actually looked calmer, as if it was easier with me beside him to share the scolding.
“But what if His Majesty refuses to stamp our papers?”
I pointed at the marriage documents lying on the table.
For them to be valid, both families’ seals were required—including the Emperor’s.
“Then my brother will do it,” Nike said.
But no—His Majesty himself had asked for the papers.
Was it really to stamp them?
‘Or… what if he takes them only to rip them apart?’
At that, Nike’s face went pale.
“If that happens… then we run.”
“…What?!”
Why so extreme?!
“Of course, after we finish what we need to do. We’ll leave soon anyway.”
Then he looked at me seriously.
“We can’t marry freely as long as I’m under Father’s control.”
“…So?”
“We’ll cut ties.”
He meant—abandon his royal title.
“Would you hate me if I weren’t a prince anymore?”
“Hate you? Never!”
I threw myself into his arms.
Nike hugged me tightly.
“I just didn’t expect that answer. But I’ll take care of you. You don’t need to sew or work.”
Tears welled in my eyes.
“But we’ll have children. We’ll need money. So I’ll help with sewing too.”
We dreamed of running away, giving up our status, and living simply.
Oddly enough—it sounded happy.
Nike’s arms trembled around me.
We stayed like that, holding each other.
Until—
The Emperor’s door opened.
But instead of calling us in… he himself stepped out.
We froze, still clinging to each other like guilty lovers.
It was the very same Emperor who had collapsed in shock just hours earlier, learning of our love.
‘Darling… maybe we’re cursed.’
Slowly pulling away from Nike, I thought:
‘Otherwise, why would the whole world keep pushing us to the edge like this?’
The Emperor sighed heavily, like a man facing two cockroaches in his house.
He walked toward us.
Even in this trial, we still had hope.
Because with the Song of Rewind, nothing was truly hopeless.
I nudged Nike’s thigh.
“Don’t do it,” the Emperor said immediately.
‘Ack!’
My too-honest lover—he always obeyed, even though he could’ve just rewound time to erase it.
“I won’t stamp it,” the Emperor said, sitting across from us.
My eyes widened.
Then I saw the golden seal in his hand.
“Yes, Father!”
Bang!
Nike shot up in excitement, but slammed his knee on the table.
“Ow—! I-I won’t do it again!”
