Looks like it's not the first time he's experienced this.
But...
'How can I pretend I didn't see this?'
I think I understand now.
The butterfly was asking me for help.
To help him, to save him...
'Even if that's not the case, it doesn't matter.'
I've already made up my mind.
So.
"I won't leave you alone."
I could feel the Crown Prince looking at me in the dark.
It was only a 'feeling,' but I didn't care.
"Your Highness... I may not be able to do anything like what Bedel said, but I can't just pretend I didn't see it."
"......"
"If Bedel had ignored me back then, I would have died right there."
Yes, he didn't ignore me then.
I'm just repaying him for that time.
"I don't have a great power like Your Highness' divine power..."
It wasn't his divine power that saved me back then.
What truly saved me was.
"I can offer a hand."
The hand he offered me when I threw myself into the lake to survive.
And I also had that hand.
I reached out my hand without hesitation.
Although the Crown Prince's face was hidden in the darkness, I could tell that he was looking at my hand.
And just like he did on that lake shore.
'Take it.'
"Take it."
I was briefly worried if it was okay to use such an overbearing tone with the Crown Prince, but I thought it would be fine considering the situation.
"......"
The Crown Prince silently gazed at my hand without answering.
Meanwhile, the darkness grew even larger, as if it would reach the ceiling.
A shadow of something ominous turned its head towards me.
As the Crown Prince said, I had a feeling that if I stayed here, I would be captured by the darkness as well.
"Take my hand."
I didn't back down.
A moment of breathless silence passed.
Soon... his hand emerged from the darkness.
I grabbed his hand without hesitation.
And at that moment.
Whoosh-!
The darkness swirled and engulfed me and the Crown Prince.
The darkness swallowed my body through the hand we were holding.
"Ugh..."
It was as if a black storm was raging.
I couldn't open my eyes, and my pajamas were fluttering wildly.
Even in the face of the strong wind that seemed like it would blow me away, I never let go of the hand I was holding.
In a situation where I didn't know what was happening or what would happen in the future, I stood firm, only holding the Crown Prince's hand.
Then at some point.
Whoosh...
The wind stopped.
I, who had been tightly closing my eyes because I couldn't overcome the wind pressure, carefully opened my eyes.
Soon, I couldn't help but be speechless at the scene unfolding before my eyes.
"What is this now..."
I blankly looked around.
The place I was standing was not the Crown Prince's room.
A clear sky, a garden full of blooming lavender flowers, and...
'The Rodbel Duchy?'
The Rodbel Duchy stood tall before my eyes.
This was the flower garden of the Rodbel Duchy.
But something was strange.
'Was it originally like this?'
It was definitely the Rodbel Duchy, but it was subtly different.
What should I say...
The Rodbel Duchy boasted a 1000-year history that had been passed down since its founding.
As if proving that long time, the Rodbel Duchy boasted the finest antiquity at a glance.
But the building in front of me.
'It's like a new building.'
It was shining as if it had been built just yesterday.
It wasn't just the building that felt strange.
'Was there a flower garden like this?'
A beautiful lilac flower garden with lavender waves.
But there is no lilac flower garden in the Rodbel Duchy.
Moreover, in terms of location, a blue garden was located here.
Then, where is this place?
Why am I here?
I was clearly.
'I was in the Crown Prince's room.'
Yes, that's right.
I followed the butterfly to his room and discovered the Crown Prince trapped in darkness.
With only the thought of wanting to save him, I reached out my hand, and then.
It was then.
Flutter-
A dark purple butterfly brushed past the end of my vision.
That's the butterfly that lured me into the Crown Prince's room!
I was about to chase after the butterfly right away.
But.
"You used a familiar to call me out again, Lucrezia."
Suddenly, I stopped moving at the voice that came from behind me.
It was a low, calm male voice.
Something's strange.
'Why does it sound familiar?'
Like I've heard it somewhere...
I slowly turned my stiff head.
And there.
"Isn't the head of the family using familiars too casually?"
...He was there.
My god who turned back my time.
The evil god.
But he was a little different from the appearance I knew.
The black hair, darker than jet black, was a brilliant platinum blonde, and the color of his eyes was a blue-gray eye that resembled a mysterious sky.
'The same blue-gray eyes as the Crown Prince...'
But that wasn't important to me.
What was important was that he was standing in front of me now.
"How..."
Muttering blankly, I reached out my hand to him as he approached me.
But.
Whizz.
He passed right through me.
I blankly stared at the spot where he disappeared, then turned around sharply.
He was walking across the lavender waves towards someone.
'I can't see well.'
The backlight was too strong, so I could only see a silhouette at a glance.
But there was something I could tell even from the silhouette.
She was wearing pants, she was a tall woman, and...
'Black hair.'
The hair fluttering in the wind like willow leaves was a deep, deep black color.
The man stopped in front of the woman.
He put his hand on his waist and said in a slightly crooked tone.
"Why don't you say something, War Hero Duchess Lucrezia Rodbel."
The woman, who had been quietly looking up at such a man, smiled brightly and then-
"......!!"
Suddenly, she pulled the man's neck and... kissed him on the lips!
The man seemed surprised and froze for a moment, then slowly wrapped his arms around the woman's waist.
Ah, ah, no!
'What is this situation all of a sudden!!'
I was embarrassed by the scene I had witnessed for the first time in my life, and hurriedly covered my eyes with both hands.
I think I saw something I shouldn't have seen.
Thump thump.
My heart was beating so hard that it was fluttering.
But after a while... I slightly parted my fingers and looked ahead.
The man and woman were still kissing passionately.
Clinging to each other with their eyes tightly closed.
Even a stranger could tell at once that the two were not just ordinary people.
"......"
I feel somehow...
'It's strange.'
I felt strange somewhere.
My heart was pounding, and my palms were sweating.
For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off those two.
The kiss, which seemed like eternity, ended, and the two fell apart.
Towards the man who was blankly looking at her, the woman smiled brightly and said.
"Because I missed you."
"......"
"That's why I did it. I knew that if I sent a familiar, you would immediately recognize it and come."
"......You know that the pillars of Rodbel are watching you. If they find out that you used a familiar privately, they may find an excuse to pick a fight."
The man's expression was serious.
He murmured in a heavy voice.
"Rodbel has become obese while you were active on the battlefield. They may try to strangle you and take your place at any time."
The chilling voice scattered in the wind.
Clouds rolled in, and a dark shadow fell over the heads of the two people for a moment.
Silence fell where the wind had passed.
Soon...
"Do you know what? You are called a heartless and bloodless man, but in fact, you are also very cowardly and fragile."
"What..."
"Rodbel is my home. They are my family."
"......"
"They are the ones who have been with me from the bottom. It is true that Rodbel's presence has grown as you said, but even so, nothing will change. We will live our lives as we are, like that."
"......You know that's also a kind of arrogance, right?"
"That may be true. But I..."
The woman reached out her hand.
She slowly wrapped her arms around the man's waist.
As she gently pulled him, the bodies of the two people were closely attached without any gaps.
Leaning her forehead on his chest, the woman whispered.
"I like now."
"......"
"Being able to spend such a time in this place that I love, with you whom I love the most. I want to maintain this moment forever."
"......"
"So don't be swayed by unnecessary things and cooperate. If you love me."
The man blankly looked down at such a woman, then smiled helplessly and murmured.
"I can't beat you."
With those words, the two kissed again.
It was then.
Whoosh-
The wind blew and lilac petals fluttered.
"─Ni!"
Someone's voice was heard.
I turned to look there.
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