Chapter 28: The Conversation with a Former Rival Lady Was Quiet

In a room awash entirely in pink.
A flower-patterned bed, sofa, tablecloth, and a rabbit plush placed on the bed.
Inside this space that loudly proclaimed a love for all things cute, the one pacing restlessly since morning was the room’s owner, Aeria.
Her dress, too, was a pale pink that suited her pink-gold hair.

Faustina was coming today.
The reply to the letter she had sent earlier was an acceptance.
Even though she had been the one to invite her, once the day actually arrived, her heart refused to settle.

That mad prince knew she was meeting Faustina today.
After all, he was the one who had instructed her to meet Faustina.
At the Queen-hosted tea party two months ago, the second prince Neige had declared her a “friend,” so when a letter arrived from him, the household had not made a fuss.
The Laris Marquisate had already informed the royal family in advance that Aeria would not be married into the royal line, so there was no chance of Aeria being forced into an engagement with Neige.
Her mother, Norn Laris, was the eldest daughter of the border marquis family famed as the strongest in the kingdom.
The royal family, unwilling to make enemies of the border marquis house, had no choice but to accept the Laris family’s wishes.

Any noble knew it.
If a daughter with the same appearance as the goddess was born into the Wittenstein family, she would inevitably be engaged to royalty.
Though not publicly announced, it was widely believed that Faustina was engaged to either Bernhard or Neige.
That Faustina had collapsed from an unexplained high fever.
No matter how powerful the Wittenstein family was, keeping a sickly young lady as a royal fiancée was unsettling.
Other noble houses were seizing the opportunity to recommend their own daughters as fiancées to the princes.

Among them all, the Laris Marquisate alone declared that their daughter would never be engaged to a prince.

To be honest, Marquis Laris wanted Aeria to become Crown Princess more than anyone.
But if insisting on it meant his beloved wife would never again bake the cookies he proudly claimed were the best in the world, and his precious daughter would not even look at him, then he had no choice but to give up.
The twin sons comforted Marquis Laris as he covered his eyes with one arm and wept.

Fidget, fidget.

No matter how many times she checked the clock, time refused to move forward.
It only seemed that way because she checked so often, when in reality it was progressing normally.

Aeria took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
She repeated it several times, until her nerves finally began to settle.

She sat down on the pink sofa and hugged her favorite rabbit plush, which she placed beside her.

“Calm down, calm down, Aeria.
You are Aeria Laris.
How can you let something like this shake you.
This isn’t like you.”

She used self-suggestion to maintain her composure.

There were countless things Aeria wanted to ask Faustina.
One thing above all else.

Whether Faustina remembered when she herself had died.

Depending on whether she remembered that or not, everything would change.

Aeria remembered.

Though some parts were hazy, she remembered what happened after Faustina was gone.

She did not know everything.
The ones who knew all of it were Neige and also…

“…I will absolutely kick her off the position of Crown Prince’s fiancée.”

She had no intention of becoming the next Crown Princess herself.
She would be satisfied if that useless Elvira took the position, but because of that, Aeria had been forcibly married as a concubine in the previous timeline and made to suffer unnecessary hardship.
All the documents and arrangements that Elvira, as Crown Princess, should have handled had instead been processed by Aeria.

Marquis Laris tried to protect Aeria, but in the end it was impossible.
At the time, a serious issue had arisen in her mother Norn’s family, the border marquis house.
In exchange for resolving it, the royal family demanded Aeria be handed over.

“Even though I became a concubine, that idiot prince was obsessed with the useless girl, so nothing happened on the wedding night or after.
Outside of work, it was actually quite easy.”

She had merely carried out the administrative duties in place of the Crown Princess.
Thus, she was never asked to fulfill any role as a wife.
Even if she had been, she would have refused with all her strength.

Life in the royal castle was not entirely bad.
Neige, chatty as he was, helped with work under the pretense of cleaning up after Bernhard, and Queen Sierra’s consideration meant a great deal.
Sierra in particular was furious over Bernhard’s actions, and she showed no kindness whatsoever to Elvira, who had stolen the position of fiancée from Faustina.
Toward Aeria, out of guilt for making her serve as Elvira’s substitute, she offered all kinds of support in case of emergencies.

—Her gratitude toward Neige vanished the instant she learned his true nature.

Aeria tightened her arms around the rabbit plush.

“But… if Faustina still loves the Crown Prince even while remembering the past… then everything I am trying to do will end in failure…”

Harboring that faint anxiety, Aeria was informed by a servant that Faustina had arrived.

“Miss, Lady Faustina has arrived.”
“I understand.”

She placed the rabbit plush on the sofa and went to greet the young lady who had once been her rival.

On the way to the entrance, she caught sight of her twin brothers secretly peeking at the situation.
They must still be worried about the sharp exchange she had with someone she supposedly met for the first time at the tea party.

When Aeria glanced their way, her brothers quickly vanished.

That unnecessary level of physical ability was probably inherited from their mother’s side.

Faustina was nervous.

Nervous about Aeria, seated across from her.

She had never been directly told that Aeria also possessed memories of the past, but she had been certain ever since the remarks at that tea party.
Without bringing an attendant, Faustina visited the Laris estate alone.
Aeria, who had expected her to come alone, had the tea set brought in and then dismissed the servants from the guest room.
Only Faustina and Aeria remained inside.

In front of Faustina was orange juice.
In front of Aeria was black tea brewed from tea leaves produced in Laris territory.
Aeria sipped the tea elegantly after adding plenty of sugar.

“Won’t you drink?”

She asked the Faustina who sat completely still.

“I will.
But before that, Lady Aeria, there is something I want to ask you.”
“There’s no need to rush.
I will neither run nor hide.”
“Then I’ll drink, too.”
“……”

Having steeled herself, Faustina picked up the glass of orange juice and drank.

Ignoring Aeria’s narrowed stare, Faustina wondered if the single strand of hair sticking out at the front bothered her, and then spoke again.

“Are you truly the Aeria I know?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“…The you who was obsessed with becoming Crown Princess.”
“Yes.
That is correct.”
“……”

Aeria had memories of the past.

That was now certain.

After drinking her tea, Aeria set the cup down and fixed her gaze directly on Faustina.

“I have something to ask as well, Lady Faustina.
What do you remember?”
“What do I remember?”
“Yes.
What you did in the past, having your engagement annulled by His Highness, being disowned by the ducal house, and so on.”
“Of course I remember.
I tried to kill Elvira and failed, and instead of being judged by law, I was disowned due to Father’s and Her Majesty’s pleas.”
“What else?”
“After being disowned, I stayed at an inn somewhere in town with the money my brother gave me.”
“And after that?”
“I don’t remember.
I slept, and when I woke up, I was back on the day of my meeting with His Highness.”
“…So you do not know how you died?”
“Not at all.
…So I really did die.”

She had prepared herself, but hearing it out loud still hurt.

Faustina drank her orange juice and asked.

“Lady Aeria.
Please tell me the reason I died.”
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
“I don’t know.
I only heard rumors that you died.
I don’t know why.”
“I see…”

Thinking about it, that made sense.
A former duke’s daughter stripped of her title and exiled, and a current marquis’s daughter.
The worlds Faustina and Aeria lived in had diverged greatly.
There was no way Aeria, cut off from her, could know the cause of Faustina’s death.

Having hoped Aeria would know the reason, Faustina’s shoulders slumped.

Seeing Faustina’s obvious dejection, Aeria swallowed the words that rose to her throat.
Letting her mope endlessly was irritating, so she changed the subject.

“But I can tell you what happened around everyone else after you were gone.”
“That’s fine too.
I want to know what happened to His Highness and Elvira.”
“First, the id… Crown Prince and your sister held their wedding ceremony one year later.
They waited until she graduated from the noble academy.”
“I see.”
“Your brother inherited the title and became the new duke one year later as well.”
“I’m glad.
That’s just like my brother.”

Learning that Cain had safely succeeded their father made Faustina smile.

“However, the former duke and duchess withdrew to their territory quite early.”
“Huh?
Why?
Elvira became Crown Princess, and my brother is capable, but to leave him alone so suddenly—”
“I don’t know.
I only know the facts.”
“I see…
What about you?”
“Me?
I was mar— …I was married off as a concubine to His Highness in order to replace your sister.”
“!!”

Aeria, with her pride, becoming a concubine.
And as Elvira’s replacement.

She heard that because Elvira lacked the ability to act as Crown Princess, Aeria handled the work as a concubine.
As her sister, Faustina felt apologetic.
She wondered how Marquis Laris could have agreed so easily, but decided not to pry further, knowing it involved the royal family.

“May I ask you something as well?”

Now it was Aeria questioning Faustina.

“If you remember the past, then you remember how His Highness treated you, don’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“Then why are you still clinging to the position of fiancée?”
“……”

Aeria was about to say that Faustina could easily come up with reasons to step down, but stopped herself.
Faustina cut her off with a self-mocking smile.

“For eleven years in the past, I loved His Highness.
Erasing feelings that were drilled into you isn’t easy.”
“……”

Aeria listened in silence.

“After regaining my memories, I thought I was acting to have the engagement annulled, but nothing worked.
I just kept spinning my wheels.
I even thought, just a little, that if I did nothing to Elvira, I wouldn’t be hated by His Highness anymore.
But in the end, those two really are bound by ‘fate.’
Seeing it again made me realize it.”
“…For example?”
“Hm?
Well, how they got along even when meeting for the first time, how His Highness looked happier with Elvira than with me, and how he was mesmerized by her at his birthday party.”
“……”

Once again, Aeria fell silent.

It was the same as before.
Even when Bernhard thoroughly disliked her, Faustina’s eyes always followed him.

The word “fate” that left Faustina’s lips sent a chill down Aeria’s spine.
Neige’s sneering face resurfaced in her mind.
He often called Bernhard and Elvira “fated lovers.”

And then—

“Bernhard and Elvira are ‘fated lovers.’
That’s why they might be drawn to each other even without anything happening.”

Those words came from Faustina herself.

Even after draining the remaining half of her tea, Aeria’s mouth was still dry.
With a parched throat, she spoke.

“Do you truly believe that?”
“Yes.”
“I see…
Then, Lady Faustina, you have no intention of becoming Crown Princess?”
“That’s right.
But with Elvira as she is now, the chance of her being reselected as His Highness’s fiancée is extremely low.
The reason I accepted your invitation today was—”
“Sorry.”
“Huh?”

Interrupted by an unexpected word, Faustina tilted her head in confusion.

“I have no interest in becoming Crown Princess anymore.
I never loved that Crown Prince in the first place.”
“The you who harassed people every time you met them…?”
“We were even.
In any case, I will not become Crown Princess, and I have no interest in it.
The Laris family has also formally declined any marriage with the royal family.”

Marriage into the royal family was highly advantageous for nobles.
Some desperately wanted it, while others had no need for it.

The Wittenstein family was only marrying Faustina off because of the vow between the royal family and the sister goddess.

Faustina blinked at Aeria’s unexpected revelation.

“Are you really Lady Aeria?
You’re nothing like the Aeria I knew…”
“My line.
…But perhaps this is who you truly are now.”

Aeria had watched Faustina closely when they were rivals.
Desperate to be acknowledged by Bernhard, Faustina had worked tirelessly despite her efforts never being rewarded.
Though mocked behind her back as the fiancée despised by the Crown Prince, she never once cut corners.
Her only grave mistake was being driven mad by jealousy and repeatedly harming Elvira—or so Aeria thought.
If asked, Faustina herself would probably add her awful personality to that list.

Their drinks were empty.
Aeria rang the bell and asked the maid who entered to refill the tea and orange juice.
The maid poured them smoothly.

“Thank you.”
“Thank you very much.”

Once the maid bowed and left, their conversation resumed.

“What happened to Prince Neige after that?”

Aeria stiffened for just a moment.
Faustina, not missing it, panicked, wondering if something had happened to his health.
She wanted to hear that Neige, who had cared for her so kindly, was happy.
When she asked hesitantly, Aeria replied calmly.

“Prince Neige fell ill for a short time after you were disowned, but he quickly recovered.
I was busy myself, so I did not see him often, but he always seemed energetic.”
“I’m glad…”

Aeria pretended to drink her tea while observing Faustina’s look of genuine relief.
Because her features were beautiful to begin with, her sincere smile surpassed any jewel or flower.
Seeing it head-on for the first time, Aeria realized that, to her knowledge, the only one who had ever received that smile in the past was Cain.
It was nothing like the condescending smiles Faustina used to wear, filled with irritation and disdain.
If she had ever shown that smile to Bernhard, might the future have been different?
The thought surfaced, but was immediately dismissed.
He had only ever looked at Elvira.

Aeria decided not to tell her.
About the reason for Faustina’s death that she had asked about earlier.
She had never intended to tell her today.
She had planned to speak of it another time, but—she stopped.
Her intuition rang a warning bell telling her she must not speak of it.
Neige’s letter had not said she was forbidden from revealing the cause of death.

Not speaking was Aeria’s own decision.

“Hey, Lady Aeria.”

Suddenly addressed, Faustina smiled brightly and said.

“I don’t know why we remember the past, but if this is some kind of fate, and neither of us wants the position of Crown Princess, could we become friends?
I might be saying this myself, but I think I didn’t have many friends.”

“With that ferocious personality of yours, no one would want to be your friend.
It would take either incredible courage or ulterior motives.”
“Ugh… don’t rub salt in old wounds.”
“It’s the truth.”

—But… friends…

“…Very well.
Interacting with you when you’re not a rival sounds like it could be fun.”

She had feared being rejected, so being accepted made her incredibly relieved.
Watching Faustina let out a breath of relief, Aeria’s fresh green eyes gazed far, far away.

“So you didn’t tell her.”

—Night

Neige lay on his bed reading the letter delivered by a carrier pigeon that afternoon.
After finishing the elegant handwriting, he folded it and slipped it beneath his pillow.
It would be retrieved in the morning.
He lay back on the bed and smiled.

“I didn’t write that you mustn’t tell her.
You could have told her.
What Aeria knows is only the outcome.
She doesn’t know the process of how it happened, so I didn’t write it.”

“Aah,” he murmured, then closed his eyes.

“Faustina thinks my brother and Elvira are drawn to each other.
I see.
Then I’ll guide my brother to believe Elvira suits him better than Faustina.
Faustina would do the same anyway.
Aeria also wants the engagement between Faustina and my brother broken.
…All right.
I’ll have my brother give Faustina the same birthday present as before.
He’s still agonizing over it.
That will make Faustina believe even more that my brother loves Elvira, won’t it?”

Like a child who had come up with a delightful prank and wanted to show someone, Neige slipped out of bed.
His destination was Bernhard’s room.
The knight standing guard at the door was surprised to see Neige, but when he said he was scared and couldn’t sleep and wanted to go to his brother, the knight smiled wryly and escorted him.
Bernhard would still be awake at this hour.

As he followed the knight toward Bernhard’s room, Neige suddenly remembered something he had forgotten.

(Oh right, Aeria’s letter said Faustina’s memories seemed pretty hazy.
Of course they would be.
Still, I wish I’d gotten a bit more information about what she remembers.)