Chapter 134
Why is the Crown Prince here?!
…Well, on second thought, it’s not that strange.
The Academy is run under the Imperial Household, and the Crown Prince oversees imperial affairs. Of course he might visit.
And it makes sense that he’d come quietly, without showing off, not riding a flashy royal carriage through the gates. That wasn’t his style.
‘Those two with him must be knights.’
He’d even dressed his knights in plain clothes so no one would notice.
Of course, the noble aura of royalty couldn’t really be hidden. But if it weren’t me, no one would realize that man was the Crown Prince.
This… this is a god-given chance.
He’s the one person we must win over, the one whose trust we need, whose help will be essential for our ultimate goal.
And now—right when we desperately need his help—he’s walking right past us?!
God is real. And clearly, on my side.
‘But… how do I approach him?’
I couldn’t just run up and say I recognized him while he was in disguise.
Even if I managed to talk to him, would the Crown Prince really stop to hear my sad little story?
Think! Think fast!
He was already walking farther away. Farther… and farther…
‘Aaaaah!’
Fine. Forget it.
I’d just trust in the Prince’s good nature—the Prince Bain Valencié I had known in my first life.
The kind, polite man who’d once been my friend.
I’d gamble on that and crash right in!
***
“Alex! Catch me if you can!”
Bania suddenly shouted and took off running.
“Huh? Sis?” Alex tilted his head.
Without warning, Bania darted across the Academy garden, calling “Catch me!” like she was playing tag, not even watching where she was going.
“Hey! Watch where you’re—!”
Ryan jumped up in alarm.
Too late.
Thud!
Bania crashed straight into the back of a tall man and fell backward onto the ground.
‘What the hell is she doing?! Has she lost her mind?!’
Ryan stared, stunned. His little sister had just barreled into a stranger, toppled over, and now—
“Are you all right?”
One of the three men bent down and helped Bania up.
And the moment she was on her feet, Bania started wailing.
“Boo-hoo! Waaahhh!”
…Was she insane? She wasn’t even hurt! She was thirteen years old, far too old to bawl like a toddler!
“Sis, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” Alex asked, worried.
“Waaaah!”
Even the three men she’d bumped into looked awkward, unable to walk away.
Ryan’s mind spun.
Inside that thirteen-year-old body was a grown woman who had lived twenty extra years. She wasn’t crying because she was hurt. No—this was deliberate.
But what on earth was she aiming for?!
Ryan scanned the three men. They were nobles, late twenties to early thirties.
He decided to play along. “I’m sorry. My daughter was just fooling around.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy…” Bania sniffled.
Ryan quickly soothed her. “It’s fine. You’re not hurt, right?”
“Sob… I made things worse when Dad’s already upset. I just wanted to make everyone laugh, but now…”
Meanwhile, her fist was clenched white around the man’s sleeve, refusing to let go. Which meant—they couldn’t just leave.
‘She’s definitely targeting these men.’
But what exactly was her plan—?
“Sniff… That teacher was so mean. He didn’t even let Alex take the entrance exam…”
“Bania.”
“Our Dad’s not a criminal… Sniff… He never killed anyone… They didn’t even listen to us, just kicked us out! Waaah!”
Ryan’s jaw dropped.
What?!
She wasn’t just acting—she was openly blurting out everything in front of strangers!
“M–my dear, that’s enough.”
Ryan quickly tugged her away and pried her hand off the man’s sleeve.
“My apologies.”
He turned to leave—
“Wait.”
One of the men stopped him.
Ryan looked back.
Ah.
The man Bania had clung to was smoothing his sleeve.
When Ryan saw his face clearly, something stirred in his memory.
That noble aura. Those deep blue eyes. That air…
‘…Third Prince?’
The face reminded him of Niké.
And then the man asked:
“Are you Ryan Belzer?”
***
Crown Prince Bain Valencié.
All the time before my regression was erased—only I remembered.
And now, I couldn’t help but recall those memories of him. Memories I’d sworn I’d never tell anyone, never even let myself think of, and take with me to the grave.
Our first meeting, in my first life…
‘Damn it. What a nightmare!’
It had been humiliating then, and humiliating to remember even now.
Because the very first words Bain said to me were:
“Stop seeing Niké.”
“…What?”
My mind went blank. At first, I thought I was dreaming.
Just moments before, he had smiled warmly at me when I was with Niké. He looked so kind.
But now, alone in his office, his face changed completely.
I had thought he resembled Niké in his handsome looks, his gentle eyes, and his kind voice.
But I’d been wrong.
The Crown Prince had the cold, predatory gaze of a hunter.
“You know what I mean. I don’t want to argue.”
“…But, Your Highness, why… all of a sudden…”
“It’s not something I can say in front of Niké. Call me a hypocrite if you want, but I don’t want to be a bad brother to him.”
“….”
“Niké is precious to me. Not because he’s useful on the battlefield, not because he serves the Empire. Even if he never helps the Crown at all—I love him as my brother.”
I knew he meant it.
He was the only one who truly pitied Niké, who saw how much he suffered for duty.
“And as long as I can, I want to give him everything. If a thorny path lies before him, I’ll clear it away.”
“…Am I… the thorn?”
“….”
By then, I was already crying.
But Bain didn’t comfort me. He stood, cold and firm.
“You two will only hurt each other. If you care about him, end it.”
“Your Highness! Please—wait!”
I grabbed his arm.
“I can’t break up with him…!”
“What?”
“I—I love him. I’ll never meet anyone like him again. I know why you hate me, but please… I can’t live without him!”
I knew. Without the Crown Prince’s blessing, Niké and I couldn’t last.
For two years, I had chased him, and he had pushed me away. The only reason we had lasted even a month was because I refused to give up.
But if his brother said it was over, Niké would choose him. He always would.
“…You hate my family, don’t you? Not me.”
“You know the answer.”
“But I’m not like them! I’ve never done anything bad. Please, believe me. I’ll never do anything wrong!”
“Let go.”
“Please, just a little more. Tell me what I can do. I’ll leave my family if I must. If my father and brother were drowning, I’d save my brother instead.”
“What…?”
I was out of my mind. I just babbled.
“I’ll prove it! If my family does something evil, I’ll stop them. I’ll steal evidence and bring it to you myself!”
“…Or your family could just not do evil in the first place.”
“….”
He was right.
I wanted to die of shame.
Bain pried my hand off his arm.
“Ah!”
I stumbled and fell. He froze, startled. He even started to reach out, but pulled his hand back at the last second.
His lips pressed tight, his expression pained.
And in that face—I saw Niké. The same kindness, hidden under the coldness.
“…I’m sorry. But Niké is too important to me. Please—end it.”
He turned to leave.
And I—half-crawled, half-ran to him.
“No!”
I threw my arms around his leg and screamed:
“Brother-in-law!!!”
“…?!”
Ah, yes. She touched on this before