Chapter : 79
I thought the original story had ended, but.
“I thought I showed it quite a lot.”
“…Not at all.”
In my memories, Leopold always had a blank expression, only occasionally furrowing his brows as if slightly annoyed—tiny, subtle signs of emotion—but there was never any real change in his expression.
And now, he says he likes me? I wouldn’t even trust a passing dog with that.
“That’s disappointing.”
“Huh?”
I lifted my head sharply and looked at Leopold. Then I glanced around the room.
I thought I just heard the voice of a young boy, full of disappointment, in the room. Was I imagining it?
There was only Leopold and me here. Could it really have been him speaking? His face hadn’t changed… but somehow, I thought it was right.
“Th-then we’ll… we’ll talk about that later, slowly!”
“….”
I quickly turned my head away from his golden eyes staring straight at me and changed the subject. I thought I heard him click his tongue slightly.
Leopold looked disappointed, but if we talked any further, I might faint from embarrassment. My brain couldn’t handle any more.
I decided to postpone this conversation for the sake of my mental health. There were still things I needed to hear—important things.
“All right, let’s hear what you have to say now.”
I spoke, trying to lighten the mood, and stared intently at Leopold. Suddenly, he shut his mouth with a serious expression.
“You didn’t bring me all the way to this quiet place without a reason. You have something to say, right?”
“….”
I urged him, but he just kept his serious expression and stayed silent.
I grew tired of waiting and asked him directly.
“Are you just going to stay like that?”
“I’m worried about you.”
Under repeated prodding, Leopold finally spoke. His tone and expression were genuinely concerned. I wondered just how shocking the story I was about to hear could be.
“I’m confident I won’t be surprised by whatever you tell me.”
“….”
I said it with a confident face. It wasn’t bravado—I meant it.
Earlier today, I’d heard something like a confession from Asad and Leopold, and I was still okay. Maybe it was because it didn’t feel real yet. Either way, nothing more should surprise me.
Even so, Leopold still looked worried.
“You were strangely attached to your friendship with Evelyn.”
“….”
There was something almost resentful in Leopold’s voice. He looked at me and spoke.
“Why?”
“That’s…”
I paused, thinking.
Well, it was natural. I had thought it from the moment I first possessed this body.
“…Because we’re friends.”
Even I could hear a slight lack of confidence in my voice. I knew Leopold wouldn’t be satisfied with such an answer.
I sneaked a glance up at him. Leopold slightly furrowed his brows and asked again.
“And me?”
“You…”
I hesitated. What was Leopold to me? I used to think of him as an annoying enemy, but now, that wasn’t the case. Our relationship had changed a lot since I reincarnated.
I had once thought he was just obnoxious, but after his confession that he liked me, I reconsidered. He wasn’t entirely like that. And hadn’t he even given me a precious trophy?
So what was he to me now? I thought for a moment and answered.
“…A friend.”
“….”
For the first time, I sincerely called Leopold a friend. I never thought I’d actually become friends with him someday. You really do live and see everything.
Leopold made a subtle expression at my answer.
“A friend… a friend, huh.”
“….”
Muttering to himself as if he heard something strange, Leopold suddenly looked at me as if he had made up his mind.
“Then you have to believe everything I say.”
“….”
I nodded, though I wasn’t confident. Leopold spoke in a firm, unwavering voice.
“Evelyn tried to kill you.”
“….”
Scratch everything I said about not being surprised. I had never heard a confession that shocked me this much in one moment.
It took me several minutes just to process what Leopold had said. I stared at his face with my mouth hanging open like a fool.
“B-But… because you like me?”
I said, my voice showing my confusion. I couldn’t think of any other reason. I knew Evelyn had a crush on Leopold.
And if Leopold truly liked me, then maybe I looked like a thorn in Evelyn’s eyes. That was how I tried to understand it.
“I wasn’t the only one.”
“Huh?”
Leopold frowned, displeased.
“That mutt made a fuss, saying he would swear a knight’s oath to you. That was the second time.”
“Huh?”
The “mutt” must have been Asad, but I had no memory of what Leopold was talking about.
I asked him again, confused, and he took a sip of the tea I made, then spoke again, sounding annoyed.
“He’s the same, whether in his past life or now.”
“….”
Asad, in his past life, had promised to be my knight? If that had happened, I would have remembered. Was he teasing me?
I looked at Leopold skeptically.
“I don’t remember.”
“…I see how it is.”
Leopold seemed to gain some confirmation from my answer. There was irritation in his voice as he spoke.
A chill ran down my spine. I had never seen Leopold show any murderous intent.
But it vanished instantly. He returned to his usual blank expression and spoke.
“…Evelyn must have erased it.”
“What?”
I asked, bewildered. Did Evelyn manipulate my memories?
Well, if my memories were tampered with, only Evelyn could do it. She was naturally capable of entering a person’s subconscious.
It was possible for her. Yes, possible…
But… it was hard to believe. Was Leopold lying?
I looked at him, confused.
“I don’t understand. I don’t remember that. Why would Evelyn—”
“Because you’re the host of the Nightmare.”
“…Wha—?”
Even if I were told I was terminally ill, I wouldn’t be this shocked.
The Nightmare was a plague spreading through this empire. Even now, infections were appearing across regions. Though still rare, it would become a major problem in a year.
It targeted the weak parts of humans, like a mental disease, and there was no effective treatment except for Evelyn.
“….”
…Me, a host? Of the Nightmare? But I feel fine… I was fine even in my past life…
Or maybe I couldn’t fully trust my past life memories.
I looked at the boy in front of me. Leopold didn’t seem like he was lying.
“Th-then I should… get treated quickly—”
“No.”
Hearing that I was sick made me panicked. Leopold saw me flustered and spoke firmly.
“Why? Can’t Evelyn just cure you with her abilities?”
“….”
I asked, puzzled. Evelyn was still at the Duke’s mansion.
According to Leopold, Evelyn had hated me in my past life, but now she wouldn’t, right?
Leopold held me back as I tried to rush to find her. He looked at me seriously and said,
“Tina, the reason I came back was to save you.”
“….”
What on earth did that mean? I looked at Leopold’s face while he held my hand.
I had thought he was always indifferent, but now… his expression seemed desperate.
He gently pressed my hand while speaking with firm resolve.
“You have to trust me. Not Evelyn.”
“….”
I stared blankly at him. I had heard this before from him, but I never imagined it meant this.
For a moment, I stared at him as if mesmerized, then regained myself, averted my eyes, and spoke.
“But Evelyn is my frien—”
“I said I’m your friend too.”
“….”
Leopold interrupted me forcefully. I looked back at him.
“Tina.”
“….”
He held my hand tightly, as if telling me to trust him. His golden eyes looked almost pleading.
I was swept by a strangely complex feeling.
