There was no fool here who didn’t know what the term “Beloved” meant.
Neither I, Adrian, nor Adele could help but quickly realize the meaning it contained.
The feeling that came to mind was inevitably embarrassment, but on the other hand, Adele seemed to be enjoying the situation.
The faint smile on her face was exactly the kind of expression one wears when playing a prank.
“Beloved… you say?”
“In short, it means fiancée. I don’t know why such rumors are circulating, but my subordinates think that Robert and I appear to be that close. It’s definitely a closer bond than just being friends, don’t you think?”
“Pfft, it’s just a rumor. I really don’t believe that.”
Somehow it felt like a hasty question, and I sighed softly while meeting Adele’s gaze.
She must have said that with the intention of teasing Adrian.
In this situation, if I sided with Adele, it was obvious that Adrian would be flustered, so I lightly squeezed the trembling hand holding the teacup.
As warmth spread from my hand, Adrian exhaled softly, having calmed down a bit.
I didn’t think it was an extreme reaction, but… it’s understandable to be surprised when someone you have feelings for is referred to as “Beloved.”
Perhaps it was a natural reaction, and one I had to bear.
“She’s just joking. Don’t worry about it.”
“Right? Or wrong?”
“How long has it been since the engagement was broken? I’m not that thoughtless.”
Did Adrian think that made sense? He frowned slightly at Adele.
Of course, Adele hadn’t lied about it.
Since she had heard what the lieutenants talked about, she probably heard it from somewhere else, too.
Adele just smiled helplessly in response to Adrian’s gaze.
Adele shrugged her shoulders as if to say it didn’t really matter, then spoke up.
“Well, it’s just a rumor. But I wanted to let you know that I don’t treat Robert as just a thing. You do know how I feel about Robert, right?”
“…I know. I’ve heard about the messages from the North.”
Was she talking about the time I got hurt?
Even if Adele treated me a little lightly, the reason I didn’t object was that it was just how she was.
It might be more fitting to say that it was closer to genuinely treating someone rather than treating them like an object.
That’s why I kept quiet; it was just that Adrian had misunderstood a bit.
As he slowly listened to my explanation, his expression gradually softened.
Eventually, with a small smile, Adrian released the hand he was holding and parted his lips.
“I think I might have misunderstood a bit. Still… saying that about Robert is a little uncomfortable from my perspective.”
“Let’s be careful. I’ll be mindful in front of the Saintess.”
When Adele said that, Adrian smiled gently at her and slowly got up from his seat.
As he said this, Adrian smiled gently at Adele and slowly stood up.
“Well, it seems like you two can talk now. Since our initial plan to go out together has come to an end, I’ll head in first. Oh, you don’t have to follow me. The priest is in front, after all.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
“I’m fine. Plus, Robert hasn’t seen the Grand Duke in a while. We’ll be together again tomorrow anyway.”
Adele smiled at the emphasized words “together tomorrow,” but Adrian nodded to us and walked away.
His parting steps looked surprisingly light, as if he wasn’t burdened by any regrets.
With a thud, the door closed, and I swallowed hard for a moment.
Already busy worrying about just Adele, but now if Adrian is like this… my head started throbbing for no reason.
#
“You went a bit far.”
After Adrian disappeared into the room, I addressed Adele, who was quietly watching the spot he left.
I expected she would argue against Adrian’s words, but I never thought she would blurt out something like that.
Honestly, I felt just as troubled in many ways.
When did Lothos find out about that? I was careful, thinking Adele might catch on even though I had a general idea.
“You’re the one going too far. You went out of your way to send a letter to have me come alone, yet you’re hanging out with the saint like that. I thought you’d have some idea about my intentions for coming.”
“…I couldn’t help it. It’s always been like this while I was in the South.”
Adele, who had been gazing at me for a moment, then let out a little laugh and sat down.
She probably left me here to ask about the contents of the letter.
Though I was somewhat prepared, the truth is I felt nervous when facing her.
Adele was still the same. Her character hadn’t changed, and her appearance hadn’t altered at all since I left for the North.
Honestly, in just two weeks, how much could she have changed? But I had been busy with various things for the last few days.
Even if two weeks felt like two months for me, it wasn’t an exaggeration.
Adele, while fiddling with her pure white hair, gazed at me silently.
Maybe she was choosing her words carefully.
There were many things I had written in the letter, and every single one was a matter that required contemplation.
“…When I see you…”
When her crimson lips moved, Adele couldn’t quite meet my eyes.
She looked a little confused.
It seemed she was trying to overlap something with me while not being entirely sure about it.
That Adele then swept her forehead and quietly added,
“I don’t know what I should say.”
“Anything you say is fine. Sometimes, I can even accept your anger.”
“Why would I get angry at someone who hasn’t done anything wrong? No, I can’t say you haven’t done anything wrong.”
Now, it seemed okay for her to finally meet my gaze, and her blue eyes softened gently.
As our eyes met, I wondered if it was okay, and those blue eyes gently softened.
But the tremor remained. What thoughts were held within?
What words had they come all the way here from that barren rough terrain to say to me?
After a moment of eye contact, Adele opened her mouth.
“I’ve caused confusion in a person, so you could say that’s a crime. Especially when it’s the Grand Duke guarding the North. Can you imagine how serious a crime that is?”
“Is it because of the letter I left behind?”
“That’s right, it reminded me of some strange memories.”
The word ‘memory’ always triggered a reaction from me.
If I had to pick the most peculiar aspect of this round, it would be the memories.
Teresa had recalled all her memories from the previous rounds, and Adrian had also mentioned my earlier rounds through dreams.
Didn’t Adele say something similar too?
Something that had never happened before, but was clearly occurring in this, my 101st life.
As my gaze grew serious, Adele adjusted her posture and stared at me intently.
I thought she might have caught on that I already knew about ‘memories.’
But I didn’t want to speak first.
After all, it was about me hearing first; if I talked about too many memories, she might get confused.
“…I remember meeting you two years ago.”
The moment I said that, what came to mind was the memory of the first time I saw Adele across all my lives.
The time I had fled from the name Taylor,
And the fact that I recalled that moment made me smile, causing Adele to glance at me in confusion.
“I was probably crying, begging for my life, asking to be taken away.”
“How do you know that? Didn’t you ever talk to me about it?”
“Just keep talking for now.”
It was too early to answer how I knew.
With just this fragment of memory, it was premature to explain my reincarnation.
Upon urging me to continue with my story, Adele sighed and began to speak again, slightly furrowing her brow.
Her words didn’t last long.
Initially, the memory she recalled was brief, but it was too fragmentary to be considered a whole life.
However, the emotions within that memory certainly seemed to impact her.
Her gaze looking at me had changed. I wasn’t dense enough not to realize that.
“Is that the end of the memory?”
“Yes, the last part was in the forest where we were together last time.”
It seemed she couldn’t remember anything about death.
She didn’t remember the warning I had given or the words I had said to stop her.
If she were hiding something, that would be fortunate, but at this point, I didn’t think Adele would keep anything from me.
The eyes looking at me in the silence held a strange glimmer.
They were eyes full of some kind of question. It was a natural reaction since I had supplemented her memory with explanations.
Adele, who was looking at me for a moment, opened her mouth with a very serious expression.
“So now I need an explanation. How do you know about this memory, and what’s the reason behind the warning of the Crown Prince’s death in the letter you wrote to me? I don’t understand anything at all.”
“I thought you’d ask me after reading my letter. So I wasn’t really surprised you came.”
“… I hope you won’t just brush it off as another secret. If you do, I think I’ll be really disappointed in you.”
At her words, I chuckled lightly, and Adele glared at me with a frown.
Since the moment I wrote the letter, I had no intention of hiding anything.
If she was coming to me, not merely with questions, then I planned to tell her about my secret.
Yet, I couldn’t share everything about my reincarnations.
It would take a long time just to explain this 101st life.
However, the time I spent with her could be said to be the happiest out of all my lives.
So, I could explain it to her.
“I know the Grand Duke’s memory because I was there. Didn’t you say it? That you saw me?”
“But I remember you coming to the North only last winter. Even if I can’t remember—”
“It’s not the memory of this life.”
Adele’s movements stopped.
Perhaps she needed some time to understand my words, as she quietly asked me again.
“What?”
“It’s a memory from a time that the Grand Duke cannot recall; only I remember it. So it’s entirely natural that I know that memory, and the Grand Duke didn’t.”
A strange emotion surged within me.
It felt like the first time I was speaking about my previous cycles.
These were memories and feelings that I had always kept to myself.
I wondered what kind of reaction she would have about it.
Would she see me as a strange person? Maybe she would think I was talking nonsense.
But it didn’t matter.
As long as she listened, and someone would remember this memory that only I had held,
It would be enough.
I took a quick breath and spoke up.
The brief silence felt eternal to me, as if my voice had briefly vanished before reaching Adele.
Yet, the words escaped me. Perhaps irreversible words,
On this timeline of the current cycle. Words that would surely change many things.
“This isn’t my first life.”
It was only in this 101st life that I could finally say that.
“I’ve been watching for a longer time, longer than you think.”
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