Chapter 9
“Yes.”
It would be revealed at the party anyway, so Dante admitted it readily. Unexpectedly, Roel’s eyes widened in shock.
“But you said you weren’t dating!”
“That’s…”
“Oh my, do I really have to spell it out for you?”
A soft, silky voice cut in, interrupting Dante.
Fay looped her arm through his possessively and flashed a bright smile. Tilting her head, she leaned it heavily against his broad shoulder.
“You’re not that clueless, are you?”
Why is she suddenly putting on her “princess” mask?
Despite his confusion, Dante kept quiet. From experience, it was best to play along when Fay was like this.
“E-excuse me!”
Roel, her eyes slightly red, bowed quickly and turned away. Fay watched the girl’s skirt flutter as she ran off and spoke cheerfully.
“What was that? She ran off like some tragic heroine.”
“Fay.”
“Wooow~!”
Just as Dante was about to ask what was going on, a loud cheer erupted above their heads. Looking up, he let out a silent sigh.
“Still as passionate as ever!”
“I’m getting stomach cramps just watching. Pay more taxes, Dante!”
“Our department’s top heartthrob is on another level!”
“Miss Fay! What do you even see in that stone-faced guy?!”
His classmates, leaning out of the fifth-floor windows, shouted noisily. Being aspiring knights, their voices were especially loud.
With graduation looming and little to do, they had been relentlessly teasing him all week.
It was better than envious stares, but when Fay was involved, it was a different story.
Opening his mouth seriously in this atmosphere would only fan the flames.
“Of course! Dante’s handsome, isn’t he?”
Laughing brightly, Fay answered regardless of Dante’s dilemma. Some classmates pretended to bite their handkerchiefs in despair.
“Argh! What do I lack besides looks?!”
“Look at this guy—his conscience must be thicker than his hair!”
“Honestly, he’s got a better build than you!”
As his classmates burst into laughter, Dante, at a loss for words, felt a tug on his arm and looked down.
Fay mouthed silently:
Let’s escape.
“Hey, they’re running away!”
“The couple’s eloping~!”
“Stop right there!”
Leaving the clamor behind, the two quickly fled the scene.
They ran until they reached the quiet annex area, finally stopping to catch their breath.
“We should be safe here.”
“Probably.”
“Seriously, Dante, you’re too nice. Why let her hold you up so long? You really can’t function without me.”
Dante stared at the back of Fay’s head as she grumbled and walked ahead.
‘You have to live well without me, got it?’
Yeah.
He had tried to live well, just as she said—but who knew she’d return as a cold corpse? Life was truly unpredictable.
Nearly a week since returning to the past, the lingering images still ached in his chest. Every morning, he feared waking up back in that freezing winter.
Of course, he had no intention of repeating his mistakes. A miracle he had only dreamed of had occurred—he had to make the most of this precious chance.
A way to prevent the future tragedy.
The first step was obviously stopping Fay’s marriage. That was where everything began.
Dante spoke quietly.
“Fay.”
“Yeah?”
“What do you think about marriage?”
At those words, Fay stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes, slowly turning to him, sparkled with curiosity.
“Why ask that all of a sudden?”
“We’re at the age where we should think about it.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Fay stepped closer. Hands behind her back, she looked up at him intently. Dante’s throat bobbed slowly.
It had always been like this, but when Fay looked up at him this way, his heart occasionally fluttered. It seemed to happen more often since his regression.
Wondering about his perfectly healthy body, Dante was caught off guard when Fay grabbed his cheeks with both hands and pulled him down.
Unlike Dante, who instinctively averted his gaze as their faces drew near, Fay scrutinized his expression with sharp eyes.
“Why are you looking away?”
“…You’re too close.”
Close enough to hear her breathing—he tried not to let his eyes drift below her nose.
“Dante, are you hiding something from me?”
“Hiding something?”
“You’ve been acting really weird lately.”
“…”
“Suddenly quitting the temple, now talking about marriage when you never cared before.”
Fay vented her frustration, but Dante remained silent. He had nothing to say even if she found it suspicious.
Actually, I’m from the future after you died. That’s why I’m burning with a mission to ruin your marriage.
He couldn’t say that.
He’d be lucky not to be treated like a lunatic.
“Tell me, what’s going on?”
Looking into her clear, transparent eyes, the buried guilt crept back up.
Fay was genuinely worried about him, yet here he was, planning to sabotage her marriage.
“I’ve just been getting a lot of marriage proposals lately.”
But he had no intention of backing down.
Even if she resented him later, it didn’t matter. If he could save Fay and avoid that horrific future…
He was already prepared to bear all the guilt.
“Proposals?”
Fay’s reaction was strange. Her eyes went blank, as if her soul had left her body. Dante couldn’t help but feel bewildered.
“Yeah.”
“You never mentioned that before!”
“I found out afterward. Father called me in separately to tell me.”
He had told Fay he was quitting the temple the next day—Thursday—and heard about the proposals Friday evening.
‘…You’re really not going to the temple?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Swear it—no matter what?’
‘I wouldn’t bring it up if I planned to take it back easily.’
He remembered her expression then.
He was the one overturning his career, the one who should be worried—yet she looked far more distressed than he was.
It felt familiar. When they were kids, she had made a similar face when a plate of snacks was placed in front of her…
Like someone debating whether they should eat it…
“So, are you going to get married?”
Her voice, now deadly serious, snapped him out of his thoughts. Dante shook his head slightly.
“Not yet.”
He might have to marry for the family someday, but he had no plans now.
No—he couldn’t even imagine marrying someone else.
When he first heard Fay was getting married, it hadn’t felt real. For nearly a week, he had been so unsettled that his training colleagues asked if something was wrong with him acting so dazed.
“I forgot how many people want to align with our family. I didn’t expect this many proposals.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Anyway, if I’m getting this much attention, I can only imagine how much you’re bothered. It just popped into my head.”
“Bothered? As if I’m as popular as you.”
Releasing his face, Fay spun around, her skirt twirling.
Why does she seem upset?
Her oddly cold attitude flustered Dante. Then, with a pout, Fay grumbled,
“Ah, popular Dante must be so happy. Maybe I should consider a proposal too? If I find someone decent, I could even get married~”
Wait—what did she just say?
Dante urgently grabbed her arm as she started to walk away. Her piercing gaze stung his skin.
Was he too hasty? His unfiltered truth tumbled out.
“Don’t get married.”
