Chapter 51
‘So you’ve been avoiding conversation all this time.’
She had initially refused to talk to Mary because she didn’t want her to hear about her from someone else first.
But thanks to Mary, she was now sitting here, having a proper conversation.
A small sense of gratitude welled up in her chest.
In a way, Mary’s presence had been the spark that broke the ice.
“Maybe Mary’s my lucky charm. You helped a lot when I escaped from the estate, too.”
“T-that was all thanks to Lord Latrice…”
Mary’s face turned bright red as she waved her hands in denial.
Well, to be precise, it had been her half-brother Latrice — who’d fallen for Mary — whose cooperation made everything possible.
“Still, it was you who managed to move him.”
At Dalia’s remark, Mary looked embarrassed and lowered her eyes before speaking hesitantly.
“Um… milady, then do you know how Lord Latrice is doing these days?”
“Hm?”
‘Now that she mentions it… I wonder how Latrice is faring.’
Dalia recalled the letter Viscount Bourbon had sent through Elzenon —
a letter filled mostly with nosy curiosity about the man she was supposedly seeing.
‘There were a few scattered updates about the estate, but…’
Most of it was pointless chatter — about his hobbies or subtle encouragements to show familial affection toward his newborn son —
and there had been no mention of Latrice at all.
“No, we haven’t exchanged any letters.”
At that, Mary’s face clouded with worry.
‘Something must have happened.’
Dalia gently took Mary’s hand and patted the back of it, trying to reassure her.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t even properly asked how you’ve been.”
“Milady…”
“It’s all right if it’s not good news. Just tell me.”
After all, the Latrice Mary worried about was Dalia’s half-brother as well.
Though they shared blood, they hadn’t grown up together —
they had met only after reaching adulthood. Soon after meeting, Dalia had married Sirei, while Latrice had been forcibly conscripted and sent away from the estate.
‘During that short overlapping time, both of us were too busy just trying to survive… still, we shared one thing in common — both of us suffered under our father’s cruelty and left that place to die miserably.’
Both had tragic ends in the previous life.
In this life, she wanted to prevent Latrice from dying so pointlessly on the battlefield.
Before she’d escaped the estate, she had even asked Mary to convey her feelings to him.
“Lord Latrice was… sent off to a distant war by the viscount,” Mary finally said, her voice trembling.
“As soon as his wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy, the viscount ordered him to bring honor to the family name…”
Mary’s lips quivered as if she had trouble saying it aloud.
‘Already?’
That was too soon.
Dalia’s eyes widened. According to her previous life’s memories, this happened much later.
‘Father didn’t send Latrice to war until at least two more seasons had passed. If he hadn’t left the estate with Mary, he was supposed to be summoned to the capital before being exiled…’
The events she had witnessed in the future when she first regressed had started to shift — happening earlier or slightly differently.
Even the meteor incident had been like that.
At the time, she’d dismissed it as a side effect of reversing time itself.
‘But maybe this is the butterfly effect of my existence.’
After a moment’s contemplation, Dalia shook the thought away. There was no clear answer to be found right now.
‘I need to visit the temple of Lord Tempus as soon as possible.’
The being who had granted her this second life.
If she could reach the place touched by His divinity, she might find a clue.
Having made up her mind, she focused back on comforting Mary.
She didn’t know what had developed between Mary and Latrice, but from the way Mary’s face clouded while speaking of him, it was clear she was deeply worried.
“You should’ve told me sooner. How long have you been suffering alone over this?”
“But milady, you’ve had your own troubles… I didn’t want to burden you.”
Even as she said that, Mary added softly, “Still, you come first, milady.”
That only made Dalia’s resolve stronger.
“I think I can help. No— I will help. I’m doing really well here, honestly. There’s nothing major to worry about. So don’t hold back — tell me everything in detail.”
“Milady…”
Fighting tears, Mary explained what she knew — the location of the battlefield Latrice had been sent to, the noble who commanded there, and how that borderland was a harsh, deadly place where soldiers died constantly.
Though Mary spoke with grief and worry about the conditions, Dalia’s first reaction after hearing everything wasn’t fear — it was admiration.
Mary had managed to gather remarkably specific intelligence during her journey from the Bourbon estate to the capital.
Her insight in analyzing and piecing the information together was impressive.
“You’ve worked hard. That’s more than enough to go on.”
Just earlier, Dalia had listened to Khalid explain the nature of his past assignments.
If the border region was one where mysterious deaths frequently occurred and soldiers were treated as expendable, it was most likely an area infested by monsters — meaning it fell under his sphere of influence.
‘And if that doesn’t work, I can always persuade Viscount Bourbon directly.’
Dalia considered several ways to bring Latrice back and reassured Mary again.
“You’ve done well, truly. Don’t worry too much. I’ll make sure Latrice returns safely.”
“Do you really think that’s possible? That place… even battle-hardened veterans die like flies there…”
Mary’s young face quivered with anxiety. Dalia reached out and gently wiped her tears.
“But Mary,” she said softly once the girl had calmed down a little, “judging by how worried you are… it seems something’s progressed between you two, hasn’t it?”
Mary froze. Then her entire face turned bright red.
“T-that… um…”
Dalia didn’t press, simply smiling patiently. Eventually, Mary mumbled shyly, her voice barely audible.
“Yes… he said that when he returns safely and receives his soldier’s reward… he’ll take me with him.”
Her cheeks glowed crimson as she recalled the promise they’d exchanged — the pledge of a shared future.
“…”
But unlike the innocent, carefree Mary from before, there was now a quiet shadow behind her expression — proof of the sleepless nights filled with alternating hope and fear.
“This is all thanks to you, milady.”
Mary said that without hesitation — that if not for Dalia, she and Latrice never would have grown so close.
Dalia gave a wry smile and shook her head.
“I’m not sure it’s thanks to me… maybe it’s because of me. Maybe my meddling only made things harder for you.”
“What? No, never!”
Her denial was immediate and earnest, but Dalia still felt a pang of guilt.
‘In that case, I’ll make sure both of them can be happy together.’
“Alright. We’ll discuss the details later and decide the best course of action. For now, that borderland Latrice was sent to is likely known by the man you met earlier, so I’ll start by approaching him.”
“Huh…?”
Mary blinked, forgetting even her tears for a moment.
She had only expected Dalia to console her — to offer comforting words, not to take direct action.
‘But she’s actually going to intervene for Latrice?’
Of course, she knew Dalia wasn’t someone who would sit still if she could do something,
but hearing her calmly outline such a concrete plan was still surprising.
“H-how will you do that?”
Mary had seen Khalid in person — a nobleman, yes, but not one who looked like he’d survived countless battlefields. Surely it wouldn’t be that simple.
Dalia almost mentioned that Khalid had fought in many wars but stopped herself.
‘It’s not certain he’ll agree to help, and if it’s a region he doesn’t know, I might have to handle it myself.’
She didn’t know it yet, but even if Latrice was stationed in a place Khalid had never been to, it wouldn’t matter.
For a man of his status — someone even the royal family sought to please — rescuing a single soldier was nothing.
But Dalia still had no idea of the position Khalid held within the kingdom.
“I’ll tell you once it’s confirmed. Even if this plan fails, I’ll find another way to bring him back. So don’t worry too much.”
“…Thank you, milady.”
Mary nodded, trying hard to set aside her doubts.
She had known Dalia since childhood — and Dalia was not someone who made empty promises.
So, this time as well, she would trust and wait.
‘Though that man earlier… I’m not sure about him.’
As much as Mary liked a handsome face, Khalid’s beauty almost seemed unnatural.
Having grown up around Dalia and Latrice, her standards were high — but even so, he looked far too perfect, not at all like someone who’d fought in wars.
‘He’s definitely of high rank… maybe he exaggerated his achievements to impress Dalia.’
Unaware of Mary’s suspicions, Dalia continued focusing on comforting her.
“Latrice is my brother, after all. I’ll make sure he’s safe.”
Mary looked deeply moved at those words —
but Dalia herself felt a twinge of awkwardness inside.
After all, she and Latrice weren’t close enough for her to go around declaring herself his sister.
‘If he hears me say that, it’s going to be pretty awkward…’
Still, she’d at least managed to calm Mary’s heart — and for now, that was enough.
