“Do you mean today? It is the twelfth day of the third month.”
…I wonder if it would seem strange to ask about my age.
“If I remember correctly, it’s been 1215 years in the kingdom, right?”
I mentioned a year a little further back that I remembered.
It was the year before I married Leopold-sama.
“Oh, my dear Milady.”
A smile appeared on Martha’s face, along with a tone of amusement and affection.
“Do you want to come of age so soon? It’s still the year 1212.”
“…?”
I was surprised to find that time has gone back further than I had expected.
This is the year I entered the academy.
The year I collapsed and became seriously ill.
It was also the year that Edgar-sama studied abroad.
ーーー Edgar-sama.
When his name popped into my head, my heart ached a little.
The one who took care of me as if I was his own sister.
The one who suddenly decided to go to a neighboring country with high medical standards to study abroad to become a doctor and achieve great things.
Edgar-sama, Leopold-sama, and I had been close friends with our parents and had known each other since we were children, but Edgar-sama’s departure to study abroad created a distance between us.
After Edgar-sama left to study abroad, if Leopold-sama and I continued to see each other alone, no matter how close our parents were, strange rumors would start.
As Leopold-sama had no feelings for me, it was inevitable that the distance between us would increase.
However, I felt very lonely because of the sudden distance between us, even though we had had many opportunities to meet before… although it was just me.
…but I’d been receiving letters from Edgar-sama from time to time.
His letters were more like medical research reports, though.
Perhaps the water in that country was too much, but Edgar-sama went to study there and never came back.
Yes, even for our wedding.
“…that was a bit of a shock…”
“? Milady? Did you say something?”
“Uh, no. It’s nothing.”
Martha looked at me suspiciously, and I hurriedly shook my head.
…anyway, I don’t know why time rewound, but I do know one thing for sure.
It means that three years from now, I must not make that promise to them both.
Yes, even if I find him in the same situation as before, I will never reach out to him.
Because it wouldn’t be of any help to them both.
Because, I’m sure, after that…
Well, after I died…
It’s not hard to imagine what kind of future awaited those two remaining people.
The happy ending that I had told them before they could get married would never come.
Suddenly, I noticed the sound of the door closing.
It seems that Martha, who thought I had fallen asleep, had left the room.
“If only Natalia believed in me and waited a little longer…”
I shook my head, thinking that such words were just too foolish.
“Talking about what ifs won’t change anything. I couldn’t make them happy, that’s all.”
Natalia’s scream and Leopold’s shocked voice were still fresh in my mind.
The mixed reaction of many other people’s voices reached me.
That’s right, it’s one h**l of an ugly story.
I was the one who started it.
Yeah. I’m sure it’s my fault.
I’m the one who offered to do the extra work.
“Well… it’s my fault for falling in love with him.”