TRETTHD 36

#36. The Fact That I Returned to the Past

At the sudden words, Khalid thought Belia was joking and curved his lips playfully. But her expression was dead serious—there was no hint of humor in her face.

“So, are you about to tell me that you’ve gone back to the past?”

Even as he voiced the question, there was a faint trace of amusement in his tone, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was saying.

“Or is this something you picked up from a fairy tale?”

His complete lack of belief made Belia pause in silence. An uncomfortable stillness stretched between them.

“…Belia.”

“Yes.”

Khalid gazed quietly at her face. Then, realizing her words were not a joke, he let out a complicated sigh and ran a hand down his face.

“Well… magic tools are still actively being researched even now, and spells that transcend space have even been developed. Going back in time—perhaps it isn’t entirely impossible. Yes… I suppose it could be.”

He spoke as if trying hard to understand her.

But Belia shook her head firmly.

“No. Even in the future, crossing space or time was impossible.”

Khalid closed his mouth, looking unsure how to respond. It was as though he was rolling the idea over and over in his head, wondering if she truly meant she had returned to the past.

Meeting her serious gaze, Khalid finally let out a sigh.

“…Honestly, it’s hard to believe completely.”

“I know. That’s why I thought long and hard before telling you.”

Her complexion darkened at his words, and she forced her stiff lips to move.

“Khalid. I came back from the future to the past. This isn’t a dream, and it’s not a fairy tale. Regression was my reality.”

“…Hmm.”

His expression was troubled. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

The sight imprinted itself slowly, frame by frame, into Belia’s vision.

‘Ah…’

She turned her head aside, a wave of emptiness washing over her.

He didn’t believe her. He wasn’t accepting her words.

This was something she had wrestled with for a long time, mustering all her courage to finally confess.

It wasn’t unexpected, but still—

‘I thought he would believe me.’

He was the only one who had believed her before, without needing explanations, when she insisted on things others dismissed.

Her parents, even her brother, refused to believe anything without solid proof—yet Khalid had believed her.

‘How foolish…’

They had both hidden things from each other. They had never trusted one another completely.

From the start, theirs had not been a normal relationship. It had been bound by a contract from the beginning.

So then why…

“Belia.”

She flinched at the sound of her name.

Khalid reached out a hand.

“Come here.”

She hesitated.

“Belia.”

He called her again, his arm still outstretched toward her.

Looking at him like that stirred a deep sense of sorrow inside her.

She realized she had been assuming—without even knowing it—that he would always take her side, that he would believe every word she said.

‘How stupid…’

Maybe that was why this hurt so much.

She knew it was something anyone would find hard to believe, yet somehow she thought he wouldn’t doubt her.

“I’m sorry.”

Seeing her frozen in place, Khalid stood and came to her.

Then, lifting her where she sat, he settled her into his lap.

Awkward and uncomfortable perched on his thigh, she wriggled, but he only held her tighter, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist.

“When you cry… I don’t know what to do.”

Cry?

She brushed her fingertips against her eyes—and felt the wetness. Startled, she quickly wiped them dry and forced her voice to sound unaffected.

“…I know it’s hard to believe.”

But the hurt in her voice was plain.

“I believe you. I believe everything. I just needed a little time, that’s all.”

He gently patted her back as she rested her head against his shoulder.

“I want to hear about your regression—everything, in detail.”

Belia hesitated, then parted her lips.

“In that life, I was the Empress of the Empire. I lost everything and died a miserable death. There was nothing I could do of my own will.”

At her calm statement about her own death, Khalid’s expression chilled.

“…Explain it to me in detail.”

And so she began her long tale—how Raul had been the Emperor and she had been his Empress.

“Were you lovers with Raul?”

The fact that she had once been Raul’s lover seemed to bother Khalid most of all, so he asked again.

“At one time, yes.”

Though it had been a cursed relationship—nothing but terrible memories.

Her face darkened.

“Is that connected to why you want to bring him down?”

“Yes.”

“…Ha.”

Khalid exhaled deeply.

A part of him almost wished he’d never learned the truth.

‘No… assuming I’d never know would have been worse.’

He had always been unable to suppress his curiosity about the root of Belia’s feelings toward Raul. Now that he had the answer he’d wanted so much, it left a bitter taste. His expression refused to relax.

Even with his long-standing questions resolved, his mood only grew darker.

His arms tightened around her.

“Then why did you choose me?”

“Because you were the only one.”

She slipped from his arms and slowly walked toward the terrace.

Ever since she began confessing about her regression, she’d felt suffocated.

“Do you know? I thought there was a limit to the wounds one person could inflict on another…”

She opened the terrace doors wide and continued,

“…but if you dig into an old wound, it comes back as even greater pain.”

Night had fully fallen outside.

With the dark sky behind her, Belia faced Khalid directly.

“Raul killed me.”

She didn’t avoid his gaze.

“He forced poison down my throat.”

Each word dripped with raw pain.

“The Kingdom of Ronica, my family—he destroyed them all.”

Her voice was heavy with hatred, resentment, and fury toward Raul.

“I can never forgive him. That’s why I needed someone to help me destroy him—and that someone was you, and only you.”

Khalid listened quietly.

The room was darker than the night outside, so she couldn’t clearly see his expression. His lack of visible reaction made her restless.

With a self-deprecating smile, she asked,

“Do you regret taking my hand, Khalid?”

In this moment of truth, the insecurity she had hidden daily rose to the surface.

If he knew everything, would he regret it?

Even though she had pulled him into this herself, her own feelings had always outweighed his.

Selfish as she was, the thought of hearing him say he regretted it made her heart tremble with unease.

‘But this is the last time.’

Whatever his answer, she had decided she would not hesitate anymore.

She had told him the whole truth—what came after was his decision.

Even if he didn’t believe her, she would have to accept it.

“I…”

Breaking his long silence, Khalid spoke heavily.

“I used to get angry that you knew more about Raul than I did.”

So he had deliberately flaunted bits of information to her, just to even the score.

“But realizing that was because you were right there beside him… to be honest, it makes me angrier.”

And yet, the more he thought about it, the less it made sense.

“What was I doing back then?”

He stood, walked over to her, and brushed her hair gently.

“There’s no way I would’ve left you alone.”

His touch was soft, as if soothing her wounds.

Belia leaned into his large hand, eyes closing.

“In my previous life, I never met you.”

“Not even once?”

He sounded puzzled. It was strange that they’d never crossed paths in the palace unless someone had made sure of it.

“No. Not once. Not even by chance.”

Khalid clicked his tongue.

“That must have been Raul’s doing.”

“Perhaps.”

If only she had met him then—maybe the past would have changed.

“I still can’t quite wrap my head around the idea that you returned to the past,” Khalid admitted, holding her warmly.

“But the pain, loss, and anger you’ve shown me—they’re not lies.”

With that, he strode to the bed and laid her down.

“You want to give Raul back the same pain you felt, don’t you?”

“Yes. I want him utterly ruined. I want to watch him lose everything and scream in despair.”

Her eyes glinted with venom.

“Then it will happen—if you want it.”

He kissed her hand lightly, as if making a vow.

That small gesture calmed the sharp edges of her thirst for revenge.

Even if he couldn’t wholly believe her story of regression, he still promised to stand by her. That alone was enough for Belia to reaffirm her resolve.

“Our contract will last until he’s destroyed.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll do anything for that.”

“Yes.”

“So…”

Belia reached out, grabbed Khalid by the collar, and pulled him toward her.

“Don’t betray me, Khalid.”

He kissed her lightly and smiled brightly.

“Of course not. You’ve got my leash in your hand—where could I possibly go?”

She smiled sweetly in satisfaction.

“A hunting dog that betrays its master meets only death.”

She would never forgive it. So he’d better not even think of cutting the leash and running.

Her unwavering gaze made him laugh heartily.

“Every time you’re like this, I really feel how tightly I’m tied to you.”

His tone was amused, his expression genuinely pleased.

Belia brushed his cheek softly.

“Khalid.”

The person by her side right now—

“…I’m glad it’s you.”

She meant it, burying her face into his chest. Unable to control the surge of emotion, Khalid held her tight.

It was fortunate she couldn’t see his expression.

Now that she had shared the secret she’d never told anyone else, Belia would never leave his side. She thought she was taming the hunting dog, but perhaps it was the master who was being tamed.

Without realizing it, she was being bound tighter and tighter by invisible threads.

‘How beautiful…’

As long as she felt safe holding the leash, he would handle everything else.

“I’ll help you with your revenge.”

So don’t ever leave my arms.

If she would only stay, he would make sure that choosing him became the best decision of her life.

His eyes gleamed sharply.