26. Must Never Exist Again
“The fireworks were amazing, my lady! I swear, I’ve never seen anything like that in my life!”
As we walked back, leaving behind the now-quiet sky, Betty chattered non-stop about how incredible the fireworks were.
She had met us at the end of the street and hadn’t stopped talking since.
But she kept glancing at me, as if trying to gauge my mood. Was I doing such a poor job hiding my expression?
To be fair, I had been out of sorts the entire way back. I hadn’t even asked Betty or Sir Cedric about their experience.
And yet, maybe that was a good thing.
I didn’t have to explain how happy I’d been with him.
How desperately I’d tried to keep my emotions in check while I was with him.
How flustered I was when Lloyd saw him holding me in his arms.
Nor did I have to mention that he didn’t notice Lloyd had been there at all.
Yes, perhaps it really was for the best.
“You’re back, my lady.”
“Welcome back!”
When we returned to our lodging, the knights who had gone to Waynes Castle were already back.
Leofric spoke with them for a few moments, and I greeted them lightly before heading to my room with Betty.
Betty, who had been unable to hide her excited expression the whole way back, changed her demeanor the moment we were alone.
She suddenly approached me with a serious face.
“Your Highness. Did you see him today?”
“The fireworks, you mean? I watched them earlier with His Highness…”
I was removing my earrings and staring at her curiously when her next words froze me in place.
“No, I mean Lord Alois!”
“…What?”
“Luckily, I didn’t run into him, but I’m sure it was him.”
Lloyd Alois.
So he’d shown himself to Betty too?
“He was wearing a cloak at first, so I wasn’t sure. But then he stepped into the crowd and took off the cloak. That’s when I recognized him.”
“There’s no mistaking that jet-black hair.”
Betty murmured in a small voice, but I was so shocked I couldn’t even read her expression.
I only managed to whisper blankly,
“…So you saw him too.”
“Which means… Your Highness saw him as well, right?”
Your Highness, don’t tell me…
Betty lowered her voice, her expression full of suspicion.
She didn’t say the words out loud, but I knew what she meant — was I the one who called him here?
Suddenly, I was fully alert.
So that’s why she’d been talking so much on the way back — to hide her concerns.
“No, Betty. It wasn’t me.”
“If you say so, I’m relieved… You’re really telling the truth, right? I can help if you want me to, but I really don’t like this, Your Highness.”
She still seemed skeptical, so I shook my head firmly.
Watching her pout, I let out a soft laugh.
“If I ever ask for that kind of help, you should stop me. Don’t even joke about helping me with something like that.”
“And what power do I have? I couldn’t stop you before you got married — do you think I can now? Not even the Marquis could.”
“Still, who else would stop me but you?”
I gently patted her shoulder, and she sighed.
Her sigh seemed to carry a hint of relief, and I smiled bitterly.
So that’s why she’d been overly chatty the whole way.
To hide her worries.
I understood her now. And it made me feel even more apologetic — realizing just how irrational I had been about Lloyd before marriage.
I gently stroked Betty’s back.
“Sir Cedric didn’t see him?”
“No. Only I did. I made sure to distract Sir Cedric at the time. He didn’t seem to notice anything afterward either.”
“You really went through a lot, Betty.”
Thank you for everything.
I added, and Betty blinked in surprise before bursting out laughing.
“Did Your Highness just thank me?”
“What’s with that reaction? I’m not that stingy with gratitude, am I?”
“No, but… you’ve never thanked me when it comes to this particular matter.”
“Well, that’s because I only ever gave you lectures and insisted on doing what I wanted.”
“Then maybe don’t stop me in the first place? Even a blind person could see it was a terrible idea.”
When I shrugged, Betty scoffed in disbelief.
It sounded cheeky, but coming from her, I let it slide.
Today, I’d indulge her a little.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have done it anyway, even if I insisted.”
“I’m just a mere maid, Your Highness.”
“For a maid, you sure talk a lot, Betty.”
“That’s because Your Highness spoils me too much.”
“You’re not wrong.”
I burst into laughter, and she finally smiled too.
The kind of conversation only two people who’ve spent a long time together can have.
Ah…
Why did I ever throw all of this away, foolishly chasing after something called love?
Talking with Betty only made it clearer.
Lloyd Alois — and love — must never exist again in my life.
I erased his face, filled with regret and sorrow, from my mind completely.
“Amelia, may I come in?”
At just the right moment, Leofric knocked on the door from outside.
…Since when has he been there?
That was my first thought as I heard the polite knock.
Had he heard everything we said?
If so, how much?
I quickly reviewed the conversation in my mind.
Thankfully, there hadn’t been anything that could be misunderstood —
unless he’d been there from the moment Betty said she saw Lloyd Alois.
I replied briefly, telling him to come in, then whispered to Betty to look into Lloyd’s movements.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Betty understood and gave me a nod, then swapped places with Leofric as he entered and she stepped out.
“Was something amusing going on?”
Leofric looked at Betty as she left, then turned to me with a smile.
Had he heard our laughter from outside?
I considered brushing it off, but I couldn’t deny what he’d already heard. So I just smiled.
“We were reminiscing a bit. The festival brought back memories.”
“You’ve attended festivals like this before?”
“Yes. Though back then, it wasn’t for fun, but to learn.”
I diverted the conversation to something else.
Not about Lloyd or how foolish I’d been in the past, but about what I’d felt while experiencing today’s festival.
“I used to visit festivals with the trade assistant and Betty to study merchant behavior.”
Leofric quietly met my gaze and listened.
“I didn’t really enjoy the festivals. I’d just buy a few things and leave. But at least Betty and I made a few memories to look back on.”
“It’s a blessing to have someone to share old memories with. I was curious because I heard laughter all the way from the stairs.”
Thankfully, it seemed he’d only heard the laughter and not the earlier conversation.
I followed his relieved smile with one of my own.
“Did you finish talking with the knights? Looked like everyone from Waynes had returned.”
“Yes. Sir Daon stayed behind at the castle, but the others are back. He said he had a few more things to check.”
“Still haven’t found the gem, then.”
“No. He feels responsible, so I’ve allowed him to stay and follow his conscience…”
The longer an investigation drags on, the harder it becomes to resolve — especially with missing items or kidnapping cases.
Leofric seemed ready to stop the search, but Sir Daon, who led the on-site investigation, wasn’t giving up.
And who could blame him? The gem — Isolde’s Tear — had vanished without a trace.
Leofric understood Daon’s frustration and was being patient with his stubbornness.
Even if there was no way to find it here anymore.
“We’ll be leaving tomorrow anyway. I told him to continue the search only until then.”
“I see. He must be very upset.”
“More than upset, I think he’s gotten a bit competitive.”
“Competitive?”
“Yes. Sir Daon hates losing.”
Leofric smiled softly.
And that kind of determination probably helped him rise to the position of Crown Prince’s guard.
I nodded lightly, then remembered something he’d said earlier.
“Are we leaving tomorrow?”
“Ah, yes. We’ll be departing tomorrow.”
At my question, Leofric looked apologetic again.
This honeymoon had changed locations from the very beginning, and I never really knew the full itinerary in Waynes.
So if he said we were leaving tomorrow, I’d just go with it.
But seeing his apologetic expression, I shook my head.
“You don’t need to look like that. You’re the one who knows the schedule better anyway.”
“I had planned to stay longer, actually. There are still many places we didn’t get to see.”
“There must be a reason. No need to apologize.”
He was the Crown Prince — the future ruler of this empire — and already working alongside the Emperor.
Just the fact that he altered his schedule to show me more and spend time with me here in Waynes was enough.
His sincerity had been evident in everything, even without explanation.
I smiled lightly.
“Just let me know what time we’re leaving so I can pack.”
“I truly am sorry, Amelia. I wanted to show you so many more wonderful places…”
“No need to worry. Are we leaving early? Or in the afternoon?”
“Afternoon. After lunch.”
“Got it.”
I nodded, mentally planning when to pack.
It was too late to do everything now, so I’d just pack today’s clothes and accessories and ask Betty to help finish up in the morning.
As I thought through the timing, I suddenly became curious — why had the schedule changed?
Before regression, I wouldn’t have cared even if he seemed sorry. I wouldn’t have bothered to ask.
But now… I’d made a few missteps here too.
“Did something happen at the palace?”
So I asked, without much thought.
Just out of pure curiosity.
And Leofric, also answering casually, replied—
“His Majesty summoned me. Said there was something to discuss.”
