TSFA l Part 2 CH 53

Part 2 Chapter 53

“…What did you mean by that just now?”

The Emperor asked Ryan.

Ryan, flustered, only moved his lips without speaking.
Bania’s face turned pale.
And inside Nike’s head, everything went blank.

‘Why would Ryan suddenly say something like that?’

Nike couldn’t understand.
But since Ryan said it and then asked to rewind time, it didn’t seem like he meant to.

“Ryan.”

The Emperor pressed him again.

Ryan’s shaky eyes stayed only on Nike, confused why he wasn’t stopping time right away.

Finally, Ryan stammered out,
“Y-you should close your eyes quickly.”

At those words, the Emperor slowly turned his gaze toward Nike.

Anyway, once time rewound, the Emperor wouldn’t remember any of this.
But Nike’s hesitation came from something else.

The Crown Prince had asked him:

“What do you think about telling His Majesty about what happened before the rewind?”

The plan had originally been to drag Duke Bassenberg to trial, prove every crime, and then get a death sentence.
But if the Emperor used his direct execution power, all that could be skipped.

Why?

“Do you understand? It’s for Bania’s sake.”

The Crown Prince’s reason was to keep Bania safe.

Nike slowly turned to look at his lover’s face.

Yes.

For you, I betrayed even my country.
So telling that truth for you again—what’s so hard about that?

“Father.”

Nike, having decided, looked back at the Emperor.

But the moment he saw his father’s face, last night’s conversation came to mind.

“…I don’t want you to suffer anymore. If you’ll let me, I want to try being a father before I die.”

The first night they had ever slept side by side.
A father who regretted the past for so long.
Apology. Understanding.
A moment when they truly connected.

But now—how would that fragile closeness change if Nike revealed the truth?

‘Damn it…’

Sweat formed on Nike’s forehead.

“It’s for Bania.”

“I want to be your father.”

“It’s for Bania.”

“I want to be your father.”

“Father!”

Nike forced his dizzy head to focus and said:

“Please… give me a little time to prepare myself.”

“……”

“An hour… no, even just 30 minutes.”

The Emperor blinked slowly at his son, then nodded and lifted his fork again.

“…Fine. Let’s eat first, then.”

***

In Nike’s room.

I was facing Ryan.

“Why did you suddenly say that out of nowhere!”

“What do you mean out of nowhere? His Majesty said such nice things, so I wanted to show my determination too!”

“Even so, why would you say something so important without talking to us first?”

“I thought we already agreed! I asked you before if I could tell His Majesty about my powers!”

“When did you—? And just because you ask, do we have to agree?!”

“I knew it might be difficult! But when His Majesty listened, I thought he had agreed! Otherwise, why did you suddenly tell him you’re a time re-winder?”

“……”

I froze.

“And why bring up Bania?!”

Ryan turned to Nike, who sat with his head down, showing only the top of his head.

“Dad!”

I quickly stopped Ryan.

“…Thinking about it, it was easy to misunderstand. Anyway, we don’t have time to fight. What’s done is done—let’s just handle it.”

“There’s nothing to handle.”

Nike stood.

“I already decided before. I just needed a little time to prepare my heart.”

“Are you crazy?!”

I grabbed his arm.

“Some things should never be said! He’s your father, yes, but he’s also the Emperor! If you tell him what happened before the rewind, he’ll be disappointed in you! Why do this?”

Nike had once revived all of Bassenberg for me.

I was thankful. Without him, Ryan would’ve killed me already.

But to others, that was nothing but a betrayal of his country.

“I told you. It’s for you.”

Looking down at me, Nike’s voice was firm.

Yes, once again—for me.
He really was a romantic man.

“…It does benefit us to skip the trial.”

Ryan, butting in, put his hand on Nike’s shoulder, his eyes gleaming with ambition.

“…If His Majesty just closes his eyes and gives the order, then everything ends happily, right?”

“Dad! That’s not something you should say now!”

***

Duke Bassenberg’s mansion.

Hearing the report, Edgar laughed.

“What? Hahaha!”

The Crown Prince and his wife were meeting noble families every day.
To push for the Third Prince’s marriage.

And the partner? Bania Belzer. His daughter.

“The Crown Prince must be insane. Why would he go this far just for Ryan?”

Of course, Edgar’s plans—to reel Bania and Alexander into his house through Krista—were no secret to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince probably even guessed Edgar planned to use them to steal Ryan away.

But?

Using the Third Prince’s marriage, the most powerful card of the Imperial family, just to protect Ryan?

“That makes no sense.”

If Edgar were Crown Prince, he’d have used that card for political gain, not wasted it here.

“…Did I miss something?”

Edgar’s eyes narrowed sharply.

***

Back with Nike.

Yes—his father wouldn’t just take their marriage at face value.

He would ask, ‘Why would my son suddenly marry a banished bastard like her?’
That suspicion could spread to: ‘Does she have some hidden power?’
And eventually: ‘Keep an eye on her.’

If they went to trial, those suspicions would only grow worse.
So the Crown Prince’s idea—to end it quickly with the Emperor’s direct execution power—made sense.

‘So really, rushing the marriage was our mistake.’

But it was the only way to stop her father from dragging her back.

“Bania.”

Nike’s voice trembled.

“Give me some courage.”

“Of course!”

I hugged him tightly.

We held each other, the two traitors who had sold out the empire, trying to comfort ourselves.

Ryan smirked, cutting in:

“Want me to give you some tips on how to make His Majesty less angry when you confess?”

“….”

Nike listened eagerly.

Ryan leaned close and whispered slyly.

Later, before the Emperor.

“I will destroy Bassenberg and finally ease Father’s long-time worries.”

The Emperor’s eyes widened.

Ryan’s whispered tips echoed:
“Open strong! Make his heart race, overwhelm him before he can question you!”

“Please grant me direct execution powers so I may remove them.”

The Emperor’s throat bobbed.

“Ryan is no useless man. He has a death-ability.”

The Emperor’s jaw dropped.

“And this time, we’ll succeed together. I promise.”

Bang!

Nike slammed both hands down on the desk with force.

“I will bring you Edgar Bassenberg’s head!”

The Emperor’s blue eyes shook violently.

“…W-what are you saying? Suddenly… how can I believe this…?”

“Please trust me. It already worked once before. I was there. Ryan defeated all of Bassenberg’s power-users.”

The Emperor stared at his son in silence.

If it had already worked once…

And remembering Ryan’s earlier words at dinner—“We’ll try again this time.”

He began to piece it together.

His son… could rewind time.

Finally, the Emperor swallowed hard and asked:

“…If it worked, then why did you rewind?”

Nike stepped back, voice heavy.

“To save my lover. I had no other choice. I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“It’s the same person. Now she is Bania Belzer. Before the rewind, she was Bania Bassenberg.”

The Emperor frowned deeply, thinking hard.

He replayed everything in his mind.

Nike’s heart pounded.
He had never been this nervous in his life.

And then—

The Emperor, face pale, pointed a trembling finger at his son.

“You… y-you… you….”

Nike shut his eyes tight, unable to face him. Like a child waiting to be scolded.