A grand evening party hosted by the Emperor was held, and Leah went to the palace with the duke.
Tonight, there would be fireworks.
She was supposed to watch them together with Sieghardt.
Since the time he had come to the mansion and left shortly afterward, they had not seen each other at all.
During that time, Leah had turned ten years old.
Listening to the music played by the court orchestra in the grand hall, Leah spent time with Sieghardt on a balcony reserved for the imperial family for the first time in a while.
Perhaps it had been arranged so they could be alone, because there was no one else there.
He remained silent the entire time. The atmosphere was awkward.
More than before, the air around him felt heavy.
(He’s angry…)
The tension was sharp, and feeling that things couldn’t continue like this, Leah gathered her courage and spoke to him.
“Lord Sieghardt.”
He sat in a chair and replied without taking his eyes off the sky where the fireworks were scheduled to appear.
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry about what happened at the mansion.”
Sieghardt’s cheeks stiffened.
“So it really was a secret meeting?”
(Eh?)
Leah shook her head vigorously.
“N-no! He’s my childhood friend!”
“Then why are you apologizing?”
“Because you went to the trouble of visiting, and yet I wasn’t able to properly host you.”
“I came without notice.”
That was true—it had been sudden and surprising.
If she had known beforehand, she might have been able to respond differently.
But Sieghardt had left almost immediately.
Even now, he still wouldn’t look at her.
“I truly am sorry.”
Leah bowed her head in apology.
When she raised her face again, his gaze had shifted toward her.
For the first time that night, their eyes met.
His sky-colored eyes narrowed slightly.
“Do I look angry?”
“…Yes.”
“I’m not angry now.”
He frowned faintly.
“I don’t even understand myself why I was so angry.”
His voice was partly drowned out by the orchestra’s music, making it hard to hear clearly.
“…Lord Sieghardt?”
He averted his gaze awkwardly and sighed.
“It was unpleasant. I don’t want to feel that way again. Next time I go to see you, I’ll notify you in advance.”
When Leah tried to apologize again, he stopped her.
“Enough. I’m tired of hearing apologies.”
So Leah took a breath and said what she had wanted to say.
“When Lord Sieghardt visits in the future, I’ll clear my schedule. Thank you for the sweets. They were very delicious.”
He snorted and looked away.
“You probably enjoy meeting your childhood friend more. Even if you had plans with him, would you still clear your schedule for me?”
Sieghardt was the Crown Prince—and her fiancé.
Any promise with him should take priority over everything else. The duke would certainly say the same.
Being with Sieghardt made Leah feel happy… yet also sad.
“Of course. You are my fiancé, and—”
At that moment, a loud sound echoed, and fireworks burst across the night sky.
Flowers like jewels blooming among the stars.
The instant she saw them, Leah’s vision flipped.
(Eh—)
She had seen them before.
Fireworks—
“They’ve finally started. …What’s wrong, Leah?”
Seeing Leah turn pale, Sieghardt called out to her.
“Lord Sieghardt…”
The memories that rushed through her mind made her throat go completely dry.
Six years from now—
—he would choose another woman and declare that his engagement to Leah was broken.
“Leah?”
Her eyes burned, and tears slid down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong…!?”
Sieghardt placed both hands on Leah’s shoulders.
“Why are you crying…?”
“…I’m sorry… it’s nothing…”
Her heart hurt as if it were being torn apart.
She wanted to leave this place immediately—she wanted to go home.
But she couldn’t do that.
Taking a deep breath, she somehow managed to calm herself.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
From their earlier exchange, he seemed to think Leah had cried because of him.
Even Leah herself didn’t understand why the tears had come.
She was simply very confused.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“It’s my first time seeing fireworks… they were just so beautiful…”
“I see.”
His expression relaxed in genuine relief.
“Then let’s enjoy the fireworks, Leah.”
“…Yes.”
Standing beside him, she looked up at the sky where the fireworks continued to bloom.
Her mind and heart were in complete turmoil.
—On this day, Leah regained the memories of her previous life and realized that she was living her second life as Leah Ahrens.
