Chapter 46
“Hello, miss. I kindly ask you to step aside. I have business with that rotten guy over there.”
Rena’s face turned red like she was about to explode.
But as always, she still spoke to me with the bare minimum of respect.
But sorry, Loti’s not up for grabs.
I raised one hand to block Rena, who looked like she was ready to charge at someone like a bull.
“Alfred might be infected with the Elahi plague. If we want to save him, we need Loti.”
“What?!”
“Miss, Alfred has the plague?!”
Both Rena and Loti screamed at my sudden words.
“He has a fever and feels really sick right now, right?”
“H-How do you know that…?”
Rena’s face turned pale.
I pointed politely to Winter, who had been quietly standing there since he kicked down the door.
“His Grace the Grand Duke over here says so. He said Alfred’s going to die soon, so we need to hurry and save him before it’s too late.”
Following my finger, both of their heads turned in perfect sync.
When they saw Winter leaning calmly against the wall with his arms crossed, their faces flashed between awe and shock.
Loti pointed at Winter in disbelief again.
“Wait a second… is he really…?”
“Yes. He’s the younger brother of the man who’s been ranked number one in the Continental Handsome Men’s Guide for five years in a row.”
They just stood there, unsure what to do, eyes flicking between me and Winter.
Feeling impatient, I grabbed Loti’s hand with my left and Rena’s with my right and gave them a gentle tug.
“Let’s go save Alfred first!”
I rushed toward the back of the stables where Alfred had collapsed last time. But then Winter’s calm voice stopped me.
“Izana, that’s not the way.”
Huh?
I turned my head. Winter was pointing in a different direction.
“But this is where it was before…”
“Not this time.”
This time?
I followed Winter—not behind the stable, but inside it.
And just like he said, Alfred was there.
Not collapsed on the floor, but feeding the horses.
Excited, I waved and shouted.
“Alfred!”
He turned to look at me, and I could see he really wasn’t okay.
His face was pale and blue, cold sweat dripped like rain with every step, and his bloodshot eyes and stumbling gait were concerning.
“Izana… please don’t come any closer.”
He sounded dangerous.
I quickly ducked behind Winter’s back for safety.
Then Alfred, confused by the unexpected visitors, began walking unsteadily toward us.
“Who… are you…?”
He looked so fragile that it made you want to cry.
“Alfred, oh no! He wasn’t this bad yesterday!”
Rena screamed.
But strangely, neither she nor Loti ran straight to him like before.
“We need a doctor!”
“Where’s the closest village? We can ride a horse to get someone—but will anyone come if it’s the plague? What do we do?!”
As Loti panicked and started to cry, I spoke to her gently.
“Loti, remember when you asked me when’s the right time to confess?”
I gave her a little push on the back.
“It’s now. Go confess. Give him a kiss!”
Loti stopped crying instantly and looked at me like a startled bunny.
“But Miss… didn’t you say he has the plague?”
“Yes. So go fix him with your kiss.”
Kiss him! Kiss him!
“If he has the plague, shouldn’t we bring a doctor?! Why are you telling me to do something like that?!”
“…What?”
Now I was the one caught off guard.
She kissed him last time, but now I’m the unreasonable one?
“Loti…? How did you…”
Alfred, still swaying, recognized Loti and gave her a weak smile.
‘Even now, he’s smiling? That’s some hardcore love.’
As Alfred came closer, Loti hesitated, taking a step toward him.
Meanwhile, Rena shouted after being completely ignored.
“Hey! Don’t you see me?!”
“Sis…?”
Alfred finally widened his view and looked around at all of us.
His unsteady gaze stopped on someone and his expression darkened.
“Loti, who is that guy?”
Alfred’s once-gentle voice turned sharp with suspicion.
He even pointed directly at someone.
He started trembling with a mix of anger and confusion.
‘No! He shouldn’t be getting angry right now!’
I quickly shouted:
“Alfred! He’s not Loti’s new boyfriend! That’s Winter Orsheus, the Grand Duke!”
But I was too late.
Alfred misunderstood and suddenly clutched his neck—then collapsed backward.
“Alfred!”
“Alfred!!!”
The two girls who had been avoiding him just moments ago rushed over like bullets and held him tight.
And after that… it played out just like it did last time.
I’d already seen this pathetic mess before. I didn’t want to see it again.
So I quietly turned around and walked out of the stable.
Step. Step.
Two sets of footsteps followed.
“You should relax a little.”
Winter spoke softly behind me. But I couldn’t smile back, even as a joke.
“Things really change just by arriving a little earlier, don’t they?”
Just because we arrived a bit earlier than in the previous timeline, things had already changed a lot.
Alfred was inside feeding the horses instead of lying unconscious outside.
And Loti didn’t touch him until he collapsed.
“I once destroyed a tree out of frustration,” Winter said in a calm voice, as if sensing my frustration.
“It wasn’t anything special. Just a normal tree on a mountain.”
I looked at him. His words continued.
“About a week later, because of that tree, three nearby hunters died. Can you guess why?”
I thought for a moment but shook my head.
“No… I have no idea.”
“There was a large snake living under the tree. When I destroyed it, the snake got scared and ran into a bear’s cave nearby. It woke the hibernating bear.”
Butterfly effect.
“And that bear, once woken up, attacked and killed three innocent hunters. The bear was later captured and killed too.”
Just hearing that made me feel overwhelmed.
This butterfly effect must’ve caused endless problems for Winter’s time-rewind plans.
I ran my hand through my hair and took a deep breath.
Focus. Don’t panic. Don’t do anything rash.
“Grand Duke… Thank you for the advice.”
“So, how can I help you now?”
Winter stared at me with calm, unreadable eyes.
He could’ve taken the lead himself, but instead, he waited and watched.
‘Why?’
But I quickly shook the thought away.
I didn’t have time to guess what Winter was thinking.
Right now, I had to come up with a plan to evacuate the people of Elahi.
I splashed my face with water and said:
“First, we need to set fire to part of the castle.”
Did I just imagine it, or did the corners of Winter’s lips curve up?
“That sounds like a good idea.”
We planned to set fire to the stable and part of the castle.
Then, we’d use the fire as an excuse to bring the Elahi soldiers back here—giving the villagers time to escape.
As soon as Winter lit the stable and nearby hay, the three people inside ran out in a panic.
“Miss! The s-stable is on fire!”
I patted Loti on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I’ll bring people to put it out. You go inside and rest like nothing’s happening.”
Rena shouted:
“It’s not that big yet. We can put it out ourselves—!”
But before she could finish, the fire suddenly grew larger.
I glanced at Winter.
It was obvious he made the fire stronger on purpose.
“I’m doomed… I’m really doomed…”
“Eek! Alfred!”
Alfred, just barely over his illness, collapsed again when he saw the burning stable.
He was in charge of maintaining it, so it made sense he’d react like this.
‘Poor Alfred… I’ll make it up to you.’
Luckily, I was going to be a rich future heroine, so I could pay for the damage.
Hang in there, guys. I’ll make you rich later!
Determined, I didn’t dare touch the three panicking servants—so I scolded them with words instead.
“I’ll go to Elahi and bring people to put out the fire. You guys go rest inside and act like you know nothing.”
“Elahi?!”
At the mention of Elahi, Loti jumped in front of me in shock.
“Why are you going to Elahi? And why would you bring their people here?!”
“Go away, go away!”
Winter quickly pulled me behind him to protect me from Loti’s suspicion.
She hesitated, clearly afraid to raise her voice in front of Winter.
“S-So… Your Grace. Do you really have to take her to a place with a plague? And… why are you even here?”
“He came after hearing about the plague. He wanted to save Yubel. But Yubel’s already gone to the capital, so he’s helping us instead.”
“Wait… the Grand Duke Winter Orsheus?”
Hearing those words, Loti’s eyes trembled.
“I came to find [Materia],” Winter said.
He said it the exact same way he had in the previous timeline.
At the word [Materia], Loti tilted her head in confusion—then widened her eyes when she saw me smiling.
‘Ha, she didn’t believe me before.’
Loti bit her lip and asked:
“Even if you have to go to Elahi, does the young lady really need to go too?”
I pouted and glanced between Loti and Alfred.
“Hmph. If you’re so worried, you come with me.”
“Fine! I’ll go too!”
She shouted it without hesitation.
Even though her body trembled in fear, she stood tall.
Honestly… She looked kind of cute.
I smiled. Just a little.
