Chapter : 03

Before the sun rises, Raphael Kairozen’s day begins.

Raphael walked through the lands outside the outer castle with a quiet expression.

Since only the power Raphael possessed could clear away the remnants of demon attacks most quickly.

A faint light flowed from his fingertips, and the empty lot was slowly, bit by bit, gradually being cleared.

In the small house site, traces of a child who had lived there could be seen.

Raphael briefly offered a silent prayer for the child who would have died to demons, who wouldn’t even have a grave, then turned away.

5:55 AM. The time when dawn breaks.

His perfectly scheduled daily routine, precise to every minute and second, was just beginning.

He returned to the castle with the same indifferent expression, for his exact schedule.

And then…

“Oh my, oh my, Lord Raphael!”

…he encountered a tremendously bothersome commotion.

Raphael’s aide, Tein.

He was consistently a restless worry doll.

Throughout their work, he frantically looked toward the window and called out to Raphael.

“Lord Raphael, please look at Her Grace the Grand Duchess. She’s walking listlessly through the garden – why don’t you try having a conversation with her?”

“I don’t see her.”

“She’s right there, outside the window!”

“She’s not there.”

“Oh dear…”

“I assigned the head maid Melorsi to Lady Rosemary. I made arrangements for her to adapt to the family on her own. I think I’ve done enough. Is there a problem?”

Looking at the utterly rigid Raphael, Tein’s thoughts now shifted to worrying whether the Grand Duchess might escape from this castle.

“But what should we do? Her Grace the prospective Grand Duchess keeps taking walks. If she gets surprised after seeing the collapsed buildings of the castle…”

“I see. Then let’s properly begin the reconstruction of Kairozen Castle now.”

True to his nature of controlling every single trivial detail, Raphael’s daily routine was perfectly fixed.

Among all that, there wasn’t a single minute or second allocated for Serenthia.

‘Poor Her Grace the Grand Duchess…’

Surely, she would wither away.

Wilting like spinach.

Without even being able to encounter Raphael a few times.

***

‘Raphael Kairozen, you must think there’s no chance you’ll meet with me around this time, right?’

But I just remembered.

How the past you used to thoroughly share your standardized daily schedule with me.

“Oh, where are you going, Lord Raphael?”

“Exactly 3:34 PM. In one minute, it’s time to visit the Reconstruction Research Institute.”

“You really tell me so diligently.”

“Because I want to share my schedule with you. That’s all.”

Right now you wouldn’t want to share any schedule with me, but it can’t be helped.

Blame your past self.

‘Right now is the time when Raphael would be at the Research Institute!’

And so, I arrived at the Reconstruction Research Institute where Raphael would be.

But what I discovered at that place I had visited with such a cheerful heart was…

‘A sword?’

No, an axe?

It was a scene of three fierce-looking men confronting each other while holding axes and swords.

‘That makes sense.’

They’re probably making weapons to test how sturdy the materials for reinforcing buildings are.

I knew this well too, since I had participated in Kairozen Castle’s reconstruction project in the past.

But then…

***

“Oh, gasp. My lady!”

Thud, the axe fell to the floor.

The stiffly frozen researcher spoke urgently.

“Th-the rumors that our family members chop each other down with axes and practice cannibalism are not true!”

The atmosphere became even more miserably heavy with that one useless excuse from the tongue-tied researcher.

I picked up the axe and handed it to him with a gentle smile.

“Mm-hmm, I understand. It’s a nice axe.”

So I nodded, but why is that person making such a wronged expression?

Just when everyone had fallen into silence together.

As if sensing the commotion at the Research Institute entrance, Grand Duke Raphael entered.

“What’s going on.”

My gaze turned toward Grand Duke Raphael as quick as lightning.

His expression was still emotionless.

No, he showed at least an annoyed look that his schedule had been slightly disrupted.

But his expression wasn’t what was important.

What was important was that I had met Raphael.

‘Somehow I don’t seem to be coughing!’

And then…

“What are you doing right now.”

…was I too happy to see him?

I had gotten much closer to Raphael than I intended.

Moreover, his, his body was…

‘Wh-what is this. What is this.’

His shoulders and forearms rippled beneath his shirt.

Because his thin shirt was soaked with sweat, his body reflecting the light gleamed like a sculpture.

As I stood there as if nailed to the spot, Raphael replied monotonously.

“Get out. Outsiders cannot enter the interior of the Kairozen Castle Reconstruction Research Institute. And you are currently a guest and an outsider.”

To be clear, his words weren’t wrong. We hadn’t held the wedding ceremony yet, after all.

But these words felt painfully sharp like thorns.

Before my regression, my family would enjoy parties without me.

While placing heavy burdens on my shoulders.

And then, on the day of youngest Evelyn’s birthday party.

“Listen, I’m sorry but I’d prefer if you didn’t come to this party, sister.”

“Why?”

“My friends say you’re not very fun. And you’re not really someone to show off. There’s our family’s reputation to consider too.”

Back then I had accepted it as natural. Oh, I see.

“Serenthia Rosemary. In any case, you’re also a member of our North.”

Before my regression, until Raphael said that to me, I had no sense of belonging.

‘But now even Raphael is calling me an outsider.’

It was a little sad.

Even so, I looked at him spiritedly.

“I’m sorry for entering without permission. But I’d like to say one thing.”

“What is it?”

Right now, at this moment, the thing I most want to say with courage. That is…!

“From now on, I’ll work hard so I can become not an outsider, but your wife♡, honey!”

“Insider? No. There will never be a time when you become a member of my Research Institute.”

Raphael stared at me intently and whispered.

“I told you not to call me honey. You make frequent slips of the tongue.”

Dry. Cold. His gaze pierces coldly, but…

‘Fortunately, ‘my wife♡’ passed safely!’

Yes, satisfying!

I lifted my head confidently and said.

“It wasn’t a mistake.”

“What?”

“It was my masterful strike, pretending it was a mistake while properly showcasing the endearment ‘honey’…”

“…?”

“How did you find it?”

Raphael stared at me intently and slowly opened his mouth.

“Get out.”

I looked at him while reflecting on my inner fierce ambition.

“Yes! I’ll excuse myself here for today!”

I walked away with light steps.

But that doesn’t mean I’m moving away from his heart.

Raphael Kairozen. You were like this in the past too.

When I gained courage and told you that you were handsome…

“Serenthia Rosemary, are you originally always such a direct type?”

“Not originally… My mouth just loosened up. Maybe because I’m taking after you, Raphael?”

“How pleasant to see.”

…You used to like this kind of honesty, didn’t you?

I know you very well!

Whether it’s because the situation has changed, or because we met at a different time.

You, whom I’ve met again like this, seem to have a slightly different way of speaking than in the past, but…

‘Someday, you’ll really call me honey!’

So I’ll keep pursuing you until that day.

The three great evils of unrequited love.

1. Being a nuisance, 2. Causing harm, 3. Stalking – without these, beneficially for you and enjoyably for me!

At the same time, my gaze landed on the bookshelf labeled 【Reinforcement Experiment Materials】.

‘…Decided. Next meeting.’

***

The place where Serenthia left with serious determination.

The people of the Kairozen Duchy Reconstruction Research Team, commonly called the Research Institute, were simultaneously frustrated.

“Us holding those axes and swords must have looked really barbaric, right?”

At that moment, silence fell upon everyone.

“B-but didn’t Her Grace the Grand Duchess speak quite kindly? Using expressions like ‘my cute wife’ and such…”

Listening to the three researchers’ words, Raphael Kairozen moved his fists a few times.

“No. Your words are clearly unverified hypotheses.”

That damn hypothesis…

At Raphael’s words, cold silence descended once again.

Regardless, Raphael checked the time and spoke dryly.

“Due to an unexpected unpleasant incident, the 【Reinforcement Material Experiment】 time has exceeded by approximately 5 minutes.”

“Uh, um, so…”

“Start working again immediately.”

He spoke while looking at the schedule posted on the wall, not at people.

Gauging today’s day that had a whole 5-minute variation.

‘Oh my, is it already that time?’

That time, which is quite an important schedule of the day.

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