Chapter 7
Lost in thought, Fay wore a faint smile as she twisted a handful of her hair. Watching her quietly, Dante muttered to himself.
Yes, she had that habit.
Whenever Fay’s thoughts lingered, she would habitually torment her hair. When they were kids and his hair was longer, she used to play with his blond locks, calling them pretty.
Was it because he now realized things he once took for granted weren’t? Somehow, he couldn’t take his eyes off her every little action.
The worries he had mulled over for half a day resurfaced. Let’s say I’ve really gone back in time. What should I do from now on?
If the same future repeated itself…
‘I’d never see you smiling and playing like that again.’
The thought didn’t take long to resolve.
Turning his back on Fay, Dante headed down to the first floor and entered the faculty office. Striding forward without hesitation, his eyes scanned the room until they found his target.
“Oh, Igniel. I was just about to call you about the upcoming training camp. Perfect timing.”
“Priest Bailey.”
A faint pang of guilt struck him at the sight of the man in priestly robes greeting him warmly, but it vanished the moment he recalled Fay’s pallid face.
Dante’s clenched fist revealed bulging veins on the back of his hand.
“I actually came to discuss something with you.”
“What is it?”
I won’t let it happen again.
“I’m giving up on entering the temple.”
Even if it was fate.
* * *
“Dante, is something going on with you today?”
“Huh?”
Dante blinked as he neatly sliced the steak in front of him. Sitting across from him, Fay tore a piece of bread and spoke curiously.
“I mean, come on. The guy who used to show up at dawn for swordsmanship training suddenly arrives right on time, and then comes to pick me up way after classes end.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s not just ‘is that so’—it’s really weird. Vivian agrees, right?”
“Your vibe’s a little different from usual.”
Vivian, sitting between them, nodded in agreement.
They were currently seated at a round table on a restaurant terrace. Having lunch together as a trio was fine, but facing two perceptive people left Dante quite flustered.
“So, why were you late earlier? You’re not the type to keep me waiting like that.”
“Uh…”
Because all hell broke loose when I said I was quitting the temple.
Not only Priest Bailey, who taught theology, but all the professors who overheard in the faculty office were shocked.
‘Igniel, what do you mean by that?’
‘Why would the top prospect in the swordsmanship department do this?!’
‘Think it over! If not a man like you, who else could become a holy knight?!’
With the professors clinging to him like that, he couldn’t just walk out, so it took longer than expected.
But since he was quitting anyway, it was better to say it as soon as possible. With the training camp starting in five days, delaying further would only burden everyone involved.
He wished he had returned a bit earlier, but this was something. If it had been right after Fay’s marriage was decided, it would have been truly troublesome.
“I just went for some counseling, and the conversation dragged on.”
“What kind of counseling?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
It wasn’t something to hide, but Dante chose silence with a soft smile. He figured he should talk to his father, the marquis, or his brother first.
From the moment he entered the academy, becoming a holy knight had been his goal. Throwing it all away right before achieving it wouldn’t be taken lightly.
“Ah, pass that here.”
Dante placed his neatly cut steak plate in front of Fay and took hers. Silently slicing the half-cut piece of meat, he tilted his head at Fay, who was staring at him.
“Need something? Water?”
“No, it’s just… you’re acting weird.”
“What is?”
“This morning, too—and suddenly doing things you never used to. They say when people act out of character, their time’s up.”
“Don’t say such ominous things.”
His sudden seriousness only deepened the suspicion in Fay’s eyes. But before she could say more, Vivian clapped her hands.
“Come on, it’s been ages since we got together—don’t ruin the appetite with talk like that. Let’s eat.”
There was surely no one whose smile carried as much intimidation as Vivian’s.
The ferocious pressure, like facing a lion, made Fay close her mouth despite her protesting glare. Seeing this, Vivian chuckled and patted Fay’s head.
“Dante’s clearly struggling right now. I told you before—not to be so willful.”
“I know, but…”
Seeing her slightly sulky face, Dante’s mouth opened on its own.
“No, it’s just something I can’t talk about yet. I’ll tell you in a few days.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Vivian shook her head at the sparkling-eyed Fay and Dante’s reaffirming nod.
“Good grief, Fay’s one thing, but you’re a problem too, Dante. You’ve always been weak to her.”
“It’s not hard to talk about, but there’s no need to upset Fay unnecessarily.”
“See? See? If only Giulio were half like you…”
Watching Vivian sigh softly, Dante could guess her hardships. This was still the time when his brother was acting utterly foolish, wasn’t it?
His brother, who had tried every trick to break off their engagement, only acknowledged his feelings when he was twenty-three. Wasn’t it when Vivian, in a fit of anger, loudly announced in high society that she was finding a new fiancé?
“Viv, listen.”
“Yeah?”
“No, never mind.”
He couldn’t bear to say she’d suffer for another five years, so Dante quietly chose to eat.
Fay, watching him closely, suddenly exclaimed as if realizing something.
“Ah!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Come to think of it, Dante, you’re speaking so casually.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, yeah. Just a while ago, you were all formal because graduation’s near and it’s against etiquette to be casual with me anymore!”
Did I do that?
“I was so upset!”
“S-Sorry.”
In hindsight, he had probably been trying to draw a clear line. From the moment he graduated the academy and became an adult, Fay had to live as a member of the royal family.
Strictly speaking, it was for her sake. Treating a mere knight too familiarly would only invite gossip.
“I won’t do it again.”
“Really?”
“When it’s just us.”
Dante nodded firmly. It was one of his biggest regrets, after all.
Since he had returned to the past, he wanted to grant everything Fay wished for.
That thought naturally brought something to mind. With his now-empty plate in front of him, Dante picked up a napkin and added,
“Oh, right, Fay.”
“Yeah?”
“Have you found someone to go to the graduation party with?”
“…No? Not yet.”
“Then go with me.”
At those words, Vivian, who had been drinking water, choked and coughed, while Fay nearly dropped the piece of meat she was about to eat.
Their intense reactions surprised Dante instead. Had he said something wrong?
“Why are you two acting like that?”
“‘Why are you two acting like that’? What about the training camp?”
“Oh, that.”
Originally, he was supposed to join the month-long training camp hosted by the temple starting in five days. After learning the mindset and code of a knight there, he would serve in the temple for two years before being officially knighted.
So he had no choice but to change his path. With every day precious for altering the future, he couldn’t waste two years.
In the past, he had skipped the graduation party because of this camp, and Fay had simply seen him off, saying to have a good trip.
But since she brought it up right before her marriage, it must have bothered her after all.
Wiping the sauce from Fay’s stunned, frozen lips with a napkin, he added calmly,
“I think I can make it work somehow.”
“Somehow…?”
“If it’s inconvenient, feel free to say no.”
“No, I’d love to! Of course I welcome it! It’s just so sudden.”
“I have to agree with Fay this time. What’s with you today, Dante?”
“Exactly!”
Is it that surprising?
Seeing even Vivian react like this made him reflect a bit on how indifferent he must have been.
As Dante brushed it off and drank his water, two pairs of eyes stared sharply at him.
Given the professors’ reactions, they’d probably find out tomorrow even if he didn’t say anything.
‘I’ll think about that when the time comes.’
Unaware of the ripples this decision would cause, Dante thought leisurely.
