Part 2 Chapter 100
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m not mad.”
“Eeeeh~ no way? You totally look furious right now. Your eyes are about to kill someone.”
Ryan wiggled his chin teasingly.
…Ha, I can’t even fight him right now.
Eventually, Nike jerked his chin toward Vania, silently asking—
Who the hell is that guy laughing with my bunny of a wife?
“Hmm~?”
But Ryan just tilted his head innocently.
Nike’s jaw tightened, his shoulders trembling in barely restrained anger. Just when he was about to explode—
“Pffft!”
Ryan burst out laughing and pointed at the man sitting beside Bania.
“That handsome guy used to be Krista’s lover before regression. Handsome, isn’t he? Handsome enough to make even Your Highness feel a bit threatened?”
“……”
“He’s been working as a mercenary, so we went to the hiring guild today and brought him here. They’re writing up the contract right now.”
Finally, through the red haze of jealousy, Nike noticed the papers on the table—clearly a contract.
“They weren’t laughing together, by the way. It was the three of us earlier. I just went to the restroom, and when I came back, I saw Your Highness looking ready to commit murder.”
“……”
“Whew, thank goodness I got here before blood was shed!”
“What do you mean, murder again?!”
“Problem solver Ryan, shutting down misunderstandings fast!”
Ryan gave a thumbs up and grinned.
“I didn’t misunderstand anything.”
“Yup, sure you didn’t~~”
“I said I didn’t.”
“Who said you did~~?”
“……”
Wow. Infuriating.
“D-Dear!”
Just then, Bania noticed Nike and hurried over, looking pale.
“What are you doing here so early?”
“Finished work quickly.”
“You didn’t… abandon your work halfway, right?”
Ryan butted in like a gossiping sparrow, but Nike ignored him.
“So, that man—!”
“I know. Ryan told me.”
“Oh, really?”
Bania, who had been rushing to explain, sighed in relief.
“You know, Krista and Richard teased us pretty badly yesterday, so I was worried you’d get the wrong idea.”
“What’s there to misunderstand?”
“Right? I was worried for nothing. The moment I saw you, my heart started pounding, thinking you might be angry…”
“Angry? Why would I be?”
Nike laughed, fixing Bania’s messy hair.
“You worry too much. I’m totally fine.”
“See? You really do have an ocean-sized heart.”
Bania smiled shyly and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek on his chest.
‘Wow.’
Watching Nike pretending to be calm, Ryan’s jaw practically hit the floor.
Not mad?
This guy who, two minutes ago, looked like he was ready to kill someone?
Nike met Ryan’s gaze over Vania’s shoulder. His eyes said, Don’t you dare say a word.
‘Unbelievable,’ Ryan thought, stunned.
“Really?!”
At the count’s mansion, in my room.
After leaving Ryan to finish the contract, I followed Nike inside—and nearly screamed at what he told me.
The Crown Princess… was pregnant?!
“She said she received a tea gift from you. What was that?”
“Oh my goodness!”
I couldn’t help it—Nike was just as shocked.
Because before the regression, there had never been any royal heir born by the time I turned twenty.
So for Nike, who also remembered the previous timeline, the news of a nephew must have been utterly unexpected.
“Your brother probably thought you already knew this would happen around now, since you’ve regressed. Not because of the tea gift.”
“Ah, right!”
“But the only thing that’s different from before is the tea you gave Her Highness.”
“You’re right. It’s just herbal tea that helps with menstrual cramps. It’s grown only in the South, and people there say it sometimes helps women who struggle to conceive.”
“How did you even find that out?”
“Well…”
Should I thank him or not?
“My second brother actually found it for my third sister.”
Later, I’d learned that Diana had trouble conceiving.
Elliot had searched everywhere, trying different remedies, and one of them had been that same tea.
Diana told me later she thought it had actually worked.
“When they asked the physician, he said he wasn’t sure how it worked, but it seemed to warm the body and improve circulation. Nothing harmful, at least.”
So I’d gifted it to the Crown Princess without expecting anything.
But apparently—
“It must’ve been that tea!”
No matter how it worked, the only change between timelines that could’ve led to the birth of Nike’s future nephew was that tea.
“That’s such a relief!”
Who would’ve thought the greedy, resource-hoarding Bassenberg brothers would end up helping in such a way?
I was genuinely happy.
Not just as a subject glad for royal news—
But also because…
‘Hehe, what a relief!’
I’d been a little nervous, honestly.
I wanted kids someday too, but it would’ve felt awkward if I’d gotten pregnant before the Crown Princess.
“Darling!”
I threw myself into Nique’s lap on the couch, wrapping my arms around his neck.
As usual, my kiss-crazy husband leaned in automatically.
But I stopped him.
“What is it?”
I traced a finger teasingly along his chest and whispered softly,
“How about… we go home tonight?”
“……”
Nike froze. Then his throat moved—gulp.
***
That early evening, as the moon began to rise—
The Count’s garden.
“I’m Daniel Baschke.”
Daniel bowed deeply to Krista.
After spending the day running court errands, my sister had just returned home—only to find herself suddenly introduced to a new bodyguard.
‘Heh, look at that dazed face.’
She was too stunned to even reply, blinking blankly.
I knew that expression well—it was exactly how I’d felt when I first met Nike.
That moment when your ears ring, and it feels like cherry blossoms are swirling all around you.
“Krista?”
“Huh? Oh!”
I grinned.
“I figured you’d need a bodyguard, so I carefully chose one for you.”
“Really? Thanks, Bunny.”
“Of course. But honestly, I was worried. I remembered you saying looks don’t matter to you.”
Still, I couldn’t resist a little payback for yesterday’s teasing.
“As you can see, Daniel here is way too handsome.”
“N-not at all, Your Highness.”
The handsome man blushed.
“I thought you might find him unreliable, since you care more about skill than appearance.”
“……”
“But don’t worry. Daniel could easily serve as Richard’s guard instead. For you, I’ll find someone else—maybe not much to look at, but strong as a wild boar—”
“B-B-Bunny!!!”
Krista cried out desperately. I barely held in a laugh.
“I’m sure you checked his skills thoroughly, right?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t be careless with something like this.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Perfect. Contract sealed.
I smiled brightly at my flustered little sister, her cheeks pink.
“Well then, are the introductions done? Why don’t you two take a walk and get to know each other?”
Ryan muttered, lightly pushing Daniel forward.
Krista hesitated, then smiled shyly and walked out with him.
‘Ah, perfect.’
Satisfied, I wiped my nose and watched them go.
Look at that—
Bathed in moonlight, two reunited lovers walking side by side…
“Ugh!!!”
…Ryan suddenly groaned loudly beside me.
“She fell for him instantly?!”
He was jealous—understandable, given that everyone else seemed to be finding love except him.
“Is this really fair?” he asked, glaring at me. “Didn’t I have anyone before regression? Am I just the guy who finds lovers for everyone else?”
I knew this would happen.
That’s exactly why I hadn’t told Ryan about my other matchmaking plans.
‘I’ll have to set up Richard’s case before Ryan even hears about it!’
I muttered weakly,
“I only saw Dad for like, ten minutes before regression… how should I know…”
“Ughhh!”
At that moment, Nike suddenly leaned right into Ryan’s face, tilting his head.
“So angry?”
?!?!
What the—?
Nike, teasing Ryan now, with that same smug tone?!
“Ha.”
Ryan gave a disbelieving laugh. “Why not? I have every right to be mad!”
Sorry, but this time, I couldn’t side with my husband.
Why provoke a lonely, sulking lion like that?
“Your husband is so childish…”
“Tell me about it!”
But Nike just stretched his arms out wide and exhaled in satisfaction, like a man avenged.
Did I miss something between them?
“Ugh. Bunny, I’m so lonely and depressed.”
“Uh-huh. I know. Poor thing…”
Ryan slung an arm over my shoulders dramatically.
“You’re not gonna leave me all alone tonight, are you? You wouldn’t abandon your poor, lonely friend?”
“Uh?”
T-tonight?
But tonight I was supposed to… do things… with my husband…
“Wait a sec.”
Nike immediately stepped forward.
Ryan hugged me from behind, resting his chin on my head like a human trap.
“……”
“……”
The two men stared at each other—
like knights before a duel.
“……”
“……”
Finally, Nike sighed and muttered,
“…Fine. You win. Just let me go home tonight.”
“Hmm~?”
