Chapter : 85
I thought the original story had ended… but.
If I really were Leopold’s lover, he would probably have reacted exactly like this at this moment. Could it be that this isn’t a dream?
Anyway, whatever. Even if I hadn’t treated him like a lover, what was with that overly formal tone? I knew he was doing it on purpose, but it was still annoying.
And to add insult to injury, he called me Lady Valentina. Since our first meeting, Leopold had only ever called me by my name. He knew it was rude, yet he did it anyway.
This guy… he didn’t just seem upset—he seemed seriously sulky.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
“…….”
Since he had shown formality first, I responded in kind. Leopold frowned as if displeased.
When he didn’t tell me to stand up even after a while, I slowly got to my feet.
“……What brings you here? Without any notice.”
Leopold looked much more annoyed than when I first met him. The more I treated him like a stranger, the more sulky he seemed.
I tried to soothe the sulky expression on his face.
“Well, I thought I might have been a bit distant lately. So I thought we could go on a date after a long time.”
“……A date……”
There was still something I wanted to ask this Leopold. He repeated my words, and already his face looked like half of his anger had eased.
Seeing that face, I somehow felt like teasing him. While he hesitated to respond, I turned my back and spoke first.
“If you’re busy, it’s fine.”
“Wait.”
As soon as I teased him, Leopold immediately fell into the trap.
He grabbed my wrist from behind just as I was about to leave without a second thought. I looked at him as if to ask what he was doing.
“Well… if it’s just a moment, maybe it’s okay.”
“……Heh.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked at Leopold, who was clutching me desperately.
We moved to the garden. Five years ago, this had been the Empress’s harem, but now it belonged to Leopold. I didn’t know what had happened, but it was probably something related to me.
I had heard that now, only Leopold and I had access to this place. In other words, it was a perfect place for a private date.
Thinking of it that way made me a little nervous.
The “date” wasn’t anything special. Just walking through the palace garden like this was enough.
The scenery was beautiful, the sunlight warm, and the breeze gentle—it felt wonderful.
And Leopold, beside me, also looked happy. I thought once again, this really was a perfect dream.
“Sit.”
“Okay.”
I sat where Leopold guided me. There was a sofa and a table in the model garden tucked in the corner of the flower garden. He, naturally, left the seat in front of me empty and sat beside me. Of course.
“You…”
“?”
“…Nothing. Never mind.”
I thought about saying something, but just sighed instead. Here, this probably counted as ‘normal.’
Soon, palace attendants brought tea and desserts. As soon as the dessert arrived, Leopold immediately brought it to my lips, as if telling me to eat. I shook my head.
“I have hands too.”
“…….”
When I refused, Leopold frowned slightly, looking a little displeased. Apparently, in my usual self, I accepted whatever he offered without hesitation. I must have been shameless in that world.
But I had come to see Leopold today for another reason. Without delay, I got straight to the point.
“……Five years ago.”
“Hm?”
Leopold pouted, taking back the fork he had placed near my mouth, and replied.
“Do you remember when you turned back time?”
“That’s a long time ago. Such an old story.”
Leopold chuckled softly. Since I was only thirteen then, it probably felt like ages ago to him. For me, it felt like yesterday.
“……I came to see you today because I wanted to talk about that old story a little.”
“An old story?”
Leopold gave me a strange look, but I ignored it and asked him directly.
“I was infected with a nightmare back then. Do you remember?”
“……I don’t really want to think about that.”
He grimaced, trying to avoid the topic. Apparently, my infection with the nightmare had also happened in this world.
Leopold didn’t seem eager to talk about it, but I persisted.
“Back then… you saved me, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
Leopold nodded in response. Did he somehow find a way? I asked urgently.
“How? By what means? Tell me in detail.”
“Tina, what are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Leopold gently held my arms, speaking in a tender voice to calm me.
“It’s already been five years since then. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Are you still hurt somewhere?”
In his golden eyes was genuine concern for me.
“……No.”
“Then why?”
“…….”
I bit my lip and looked up at Leopold. Hesitating, I finally spoke.
“You’re too perfect. It’s strange.”
“…….”
This world was perfect in every way, except for the fact that Leopold and I were lovers. That made it all feel even stranger.
Leopold’s expression grew more perplexed at my words.
“Something’s definitely off.”
“What is?”
He didn’t seem to understand the problem. I stared at him with a seriously puzzled expression.
Leopold then picked up a macaron and brought it to my mouth.
“If you’re going to talk nonsense, at least eat this.”
“…….”
The sweet macaron filled my mouth. I chewed reluctantly. Its sugary taste lingered on my tongue. Everything felt real, down to the senses.
Everything was strange, but the strangest of all was this guy. Once again, he was the problem.
Recalling the first time I reincarnated, I looked at Leopold suspiciously.
“…….”
I kept staring at him, piercingly.
“……Don’t stare at me so intensely.”
He slightly blushed and turned his head. Cute… no. I shouldn’t think he’s cute, or it’s over for me.
I might never get out of this trap. I held my mind together firmly.
“……Leo, let me confirm one more thing.”
“Okay.”
I said in a slightly weary voice. He seemed ready to listen to whatever I had to say.
“Are we really lovers?”
“……That again.”
Leopold frowned, clearly annoyed.
We had been dating for a year; it was understandable if he felt bad about me acting like I didn’t know him all of a sudden. But I wasn’t pretending—I was seriously asking.
This time, he didn’t seem like he would just let it go. He crossed his arms and looked down at me.
“Are you mad at me or something?”
“Mad…?”
He asked as if restraining his anger. I had no reason to be mad at him. And if I were mad, was he planning to comfort me like a lover?
“Don’t joke around.”
“You’re the one joking.”
“……Sulky?”
“No, it’s just that a lover who hasn’t contacted me for a week suddenly meets me and starts repeating the same conversation—it wasn’t a good feeling.”
So he was sulky.
Leopold naturally referred to me as his lover. Curious, I asked him:
“How long have we been together?”
“About a year.”
“Hm… quite a while.”
“…….”
He frowned again at my casual response. Before he could speak, I cut in.
“How was our first meeting?”
“……Hey.”
He called me softly, as if telling me to stop, but I pressed on.
“My memory’s a bit shaky.”
“…….”
Leopold looked slightly surprised at my excuse, then spoke willingly.
“……In the palace, in a secret corridor.”
“In the corridor?”
He hesitated to continue. When I urged him, he finally said:
“I… found you when you got lost…”
“You threatened me suddenly, didn’t you?”
Leopold seemed unable to speak, so I casually finished the sentence for him. He looked at me with a choked expression.
“……I couldn’t help it. It was your mistake for hiding in such a place.”
Even as he said it, his expression showed a hint of guilt. Everything was exactly the same. It really felt like I was confusing reality.
“Did it hurt a lot?”
“No, I don’t even remember.”
He looked at my stern expression worriedly. I shook my head.
“Well, it was a long time ago.”
“……A long time ago……”
I echoed him absentmindedly. Suddenly, everything felt so far away—the first meeting in the palace corridor, everything in reality.
“…….”
I drifted briefly, staring blankly at the air. Then—
“Tina.”
“Hmm?”
Leopold suddenly approached me, lightly pressing his lips to my cheek, and then pulled away.
