SILHCN 31

“What if the wariness that didn’t disappear even when a young, ignorant imperial fiancée tested your patience with her tantrums melts away like spring snow because of one accidental act of kindness? What if I later claim that I intentionally did this to extract a secret from the ducal family?”

“That’s not the kind of person—”

“Not true? What do you have to base that on?” I curled my lips into a smile. It was the aristocratic smile that the young Titania had practiced countless times in the mirror, with eyes half-crinkled and corners of the mouth turned up. It was a bright and radiant expression, but it was likely clear that it wasn’t a genuine smile.

“I sincerely thank the Duke of Castrain for the kindness shown to me in this matter. Thanks to it, I was able to safely stay at the Empress’s palace and avoid… being swept up in any unpleasant matters.”

“…Princess. I—”

Raymond began to speak with an uncharacteristic hint of anxiety. But I didn’t stop.

“Therefore, I would prefer that the Duke of Castrain refrains from showing me any undeserved favor in the future. It would only be a disadvantage to me.”

“…”

Seeing the firm line of his lips, I shrugged. I knew this would happen.

“Very well. Then, let’s just consider this a clean debt.”

“A debt?”

“Grant me two wishes in the future, no matter what they are. In return, I won’t ask for anything that would directly harm the ducal family, encourage immoral behavior, or force you to commit a crime.”

“Is that all you would ask for?”

“To be able to demand two wishes from the great Duke of Castrain. Isn’t that more than enough?”

I smiled shamelessly. Raymond avoided my gaze. Both his and Vivi’s expressions were grim. I knew this, but I didn’t drop the smile that felt like a mask. I knew it was petty, but I didn’t care.

I didn’t need to resent Raymond. There was no need to blame him for not being sincere toward the imperial fiancée he was forced to accept. Everyone has things they want to protect, things that are precious to them. Titania was simply unlucky enough to have no one who cherished her.

It was heartbreakingly enviable to see everyone rush to Vivi’s side, thanking her and showering her with gifts simply because I had saved her life. The Crown Prince and Empress had shown some belated interest, but it was only to that extent.

I… yes, it’s a good thing my memories from my past life have awakened now. Titania had no one, but I had parents who loved me. I can endure with just those memories. They taught me not to shift blame or get angry at others in an unfair situation, but I think they would forgive me for this much.

—Don’t you want to be loved?

Something in my heart suddenly spoke, the same voice that had rebuked me when I went to save Vivi.

—If you cling to your fiancé even in this way, won’t he be forced to stay with you?

I answered in my heart.

I don’t want feelings that aren’t genuine. I hate pity and sympathy. I don’t need to be that pathetic.

For a moment, that thought came to me. The original Titania probably gave Vivi that medicine, even though she knew she wouldn’t be loved in Vivi’s place. It was just so agonizing to see Vivi being so loved. She was so envious that there were so many people who would do anything for Vivi.

“So, don’t try to interfere with me anymore under the pretense of being my savior.”

I decided to smile. Because those who have nothing must at least put on a show of bravado.

Inside the carriage heading to the ducal mansion, Vivi stared at Raymond, who looked uncharacteristically dejected.

“Big Brother.”

“…”

“You know, Vivi hasn’t known Titania-unnie for very long, so she doesn’t know about the relationship between you two.”

No, the regressor Vivi knew. She wasn’t ignorant. That’s why she had even tried to orchestrate a peaceful annulment for her big brother and Titania this time. Vivi looked at the complex expression on Raymond’s face and organized her thoughts.

It was publicly known that Imperial Consort Elaine was suffering from an incurable disease. For now, the name of the disease was unknown. It was only much later that many patients with similar symptoms appeared, and someone who had dug through ancient texts named it ‘Arlene’s Disease.’ One of the potions the wizard had experimented with on Vivi was a cure for that disease. The cure contained the root of the Arlene flower, which is why the disease was named ‘Arlene’s Disease.’ The Arlene flower root was a rare and expensive wild herb that occasionally bloomed on seaside cliffs.

When one contracted Arlene’s Disease, they would first experience rapid weight loss and a loss of strength throughout the body. Their digestive system would continually weaken, making it difficult to digest anything they ate. Finally, their respiratory system would slowly deteriorate, causing them to gasp for air until they died. It was known as an incurable disease because the symptoms appeared slowly without any clear cause.

But it was actually poison? Not a disease?

‘…Original Rasper-oppa was also said to have contracted Arlene’s Disease.’

Vivi bit her lip. The people who contracted Arlene’s Disease were mostly civilians who didn’t train with swords. They were civilians who mostly stayed indoors and didn’t train their bodies. Most of them were people who were already known to be physically weak. So everyone would initially ignore it, thinking it was just a cold or overwork, only to fall into despair as the disease progressed slowly and they couldn’t figure out the cause. Later, people speculated that it might be a disease caused by a broken balance of power within the body, for some unknown reason.

The wizard’s reason for giving the potion to Vivi was also because Rasper had contracted the disease at the time. Rasper, the youngest of the Duke’s three brothers, was the only one who didn’t train with a sword. He didn’t come to the capital, instead staying at the family estate and studying. And he wasn’t known to be as physically fit as his other brothers. That was all the information that was known at the time. Even when the ducal mansion was noticeably searching for a cure after he fell ill, no more information was revealed.

‘…Arlene’s Disease might actually not be an incurable disease, but a symptom of a special poison.’

The number of people who contracted this disease only increased after Imperial Consort Elaine finally died. The disease became famous because of Imperial Consort Elaine, and some even called it the ‘illness of a beautiful, short-lived woman.’ Looking back now, that was also suspicious. As was the wizard’s attitude of testing a cure with the Arlene flower on Vivi without knowing the proper cause of the disease.

The easiest way to find out more would be to contact Imperial Consort Elaine. What if it wasn’t the Empress or Imperial Consort Cleo who poisoned her, but Imperial Consort Elaine who voluntarily took the poison?

‘But, but…’

Vivi recalled Titania’s face, who had distanced herself by putting up a wall with a smiling face. And the expression of a person who had given up on everything before she had a premonition of her own death. Just as Vivi had regressed, Titania might have also changed in this life. That’s why she was showing a different attitude toward Raymond, whom she had been so obsessed with, and why she tried to save Vivi. But still.

‘I can’t bring myself to ask…’

Vivi bit her lip.

Vivi had the Duke of Castrain family. She had people who supported her and told her to do anything they had their backs. That must be why Titania had so clearly cut her off, saying they should be ‘closer than strangers but more distant than family.’ So that Vivi would prioritize the Duke of Castrain and her family. So that she wouldn’t have to grow distant from her precious people because of her, and so that she wouldn’t have to choose.

Would it be hypocritical if Vivi said she was genuinely worried about Titania? Would it look like a handout from someone who has everything? Vivi agonized over it. But she just couldn’t find an answer.

“What’s your relationship with unnie?”

“…My fiancée.”

However, the voice that answered was unstable. Yes. He must have felt it himself. The attitude Titania showed today was not the attitude of a fiancée. It was not the attitude of someone who had once loved him. Rather, it was a precise reflection of Raymond’s own attitude toward Titania.

He didn’t deny the legal engagement. But that was all there was to it. We are political rivals, and I don’t think we will ever trust, cherish, or love each other. I don’t even know if we will ever get married…

“I know everything, too. Everyone in the Castrain family knew. There were even people who suspected it was a staged act, though that talk disappeared after you got so incredibly angry.”

Vivi briefly recalled the past.