“...You’re already twenty-one, why aren’t you engaged?”
"I have no thoughts."
It was so vividly imprinted in his mind.
A conversation from lost memories, recalled piece by piece without even knowing who the other person was.
This is the memory of Nike Valencier from before the regression that has not yet been recovered.
“Your Highness, you are already twenty-one years old. Why aren’t you engaged?”
The woman asked innocently.
Vania Wassenberg.
The Princess of the family, whom her father lovingly raised with her eyes covered so that she would not know a single thing dirty or bad.
A naive woman who has not yet grasped the significance of meeting the royal family while holding the Wassenberg surname.
On the other hand, he was not himself.
He knew all too well that the woman in front of him was someone he should not get any closer to.
Nevertheless...
Nevertheless, it had already been half a year of being dragged around by uncontrollable emotions.
'Why aren't you getting engaged?'
Suddenly, Nike chuckled to himself.
This woman probably will never know.
What emotions he felt since the day he first saw her. What he has thought. How far has he gone with his crazy behavior?
Nike felt the urge to tell her, but he briefly dismissed it.
"I have no thoughts."
"I see..."
Six months ago, ruining the marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Ebonwind was the first deviation he had ever made in his life.
He couldn't confess the crazy reason that the woman from the enemy family kept lingering in his mind. He just rebelled blindly.
The Emperor is furious, and the Crown Prince is still racking his brains trying to salvage the ruined alliance.
Nike could not understand himself.
What was it about the woman that captivated him?
Beautiful looks? A lovely voice? A smile? A charming eye smile? A kind personality? A gentle attitude?
Or perhaps, the intense memory of the first meeting that appeared like salvation?
He doesn't know. Maybe all of this is the reason.
At that time, Nike Valencier hated Vania.
It was because, foolishly, he was blaming her for his terrible self-loathing.
'If only I hadn't met you...'
If Vania hadn't appeared before his eyes, he could have lived under the delusion that he was a reasonably decent human being.
A member of the royal family who, knowing the greater good, is willing to sacrifice and devote their entire being to the country.
Because until now, Nike Valencier had been praised as such a person, and he had lived believing that he was just such a person himself.
However, he realized that it wasn't the case.
A great cause? Sacrifice?
He was a hypocritical human being who had merely been carrying out universal duties ingrained in his mind.
In truth, an impulsive and immature human being who would throw everything away for the sake of his desires.
That was his bare face and true nature.
He learned a harsh lesson from the incident where he thwarted the nation's important affairs by desiring a woman he had seen only once.
“Your Highness, do you believe in fate?”
A terribly sweet voice was heard.
A voice he doesn't want to hear... but wants to hear it again, so he comes to listen of his own accord every time.
“I believe in it. That is why I don’t think the time spent together matters. Falling in love at first sight... is an undeniable destiny.”
No. Even if it was fate, he had to be able to shake it off. Because it was 'his' heart. Because it was his emotion that he could control as he pleased.
'Let's talk.'
He had to say it today.
Let's never see each other again. I won't be coming to see you again.
"Your Highness."
A hand tugged at his sleeve. He turned around and saw Vania, her cheeks flushed.
His heart tightened reflexively.
As soon as Nike saw the woman's face, he felt the words he had prepared scatter in his mouth like dust.
'Snap out of it.'
It is like this now, but if it deepens further, there will be no way to stop these feelings.
Every day Nike came to see Vania was an opportunity. An opportunity to cut away any feelings that might be even slightly unripe.
Anyway, no matter how desperately he desires her, she is someone he cannot have.
"Didn't you say just a moment ago that you wouldn't do it because you had no intention of getting engaged?"
If you don't see each other's faces, you will naturally drift apart.
All he has to do is coldly tell her that they should never meet again and shake her off.
He hasn't been able to say those simple words until now... but today.
He will definitely say it today.
He asked casually, just as he had been asked.
When this conversation ends, he will finally say goodbye.
“...”
It took a moment to understand that answer.
'Ah.'
She wants to be engaged to him.
The woman who had tossed out such an expression, as if jokingly twisted her body shyly.
Thump, thump...
'I don't like it.'
You don't want to?
Lie.
Nike clutched his chest urgently.
He failed to deceive himself every time.
Thump, thump, thump...
Because his heart, unable to tell lies, ends up beating uncontrollably like this.
A woman he can hold in his arms just by reaching out.
"I have no thoughts."
It was so vividly imprinted in his mind.
“Could you ask why I’m not doing it?”
“Why aren’t you doing it, Princess?”
“Because the Prince hasn’t given it any thought.”
This is the memory of Nike Valencier from before the regression that has not yet been recovered.
***
“Your Highness, you are already twenty-one years old. Why aren’t you engaged?”
The woman asked innocently.
Vania Wassenberg.
The Princess of the family, whom her father lovingly raised with her eyes covered so that she would not know a single thing dirty or bad.
A naive woman who has not yet grasped the significance of meeting the royal family while holding the Wassenberg surname.
On the other hand, he was not himself.
He knew all too well that the woman in front of him was someone he should not get any closer to.
Nevertheless...
Nevertheless, it had already been half a year of being dragged around by uncontrollable emotions.
'Why aren't you getting engaged?'
Suddenly, Nike chuckled to himself.
This woman probably will never know.
What emotions he felt since the day he first saw her. What he has thought. How far has he gone with his crazy behavior?
Nike felt the urge to tell her, but he briefly dismissed it.
"I have no thoughts."
"I see..."
Six months ago, ruining the marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Ebonwind was the first deviation he had ever made in his life.
He couldn't confess the crazy reason that the woman from the enemy family kept lingering in his mind. He just rebelled blindly.
The Emperor is furious, and the Crown Prince is still racking his brains trying to salvage the ruined alliance.
Nike could not understand himself.
What was it about the woman that captivated him?
Beautiful looks? A lovely voice? A smile? A charming eye smile? A kind personality? A gentle attitude?
Or perhaps, the intense memory of the first meeting that appeared like salvation?
He doesn't know. Maybe all of this is the reason.
At that time, Nike Valencier hated Vania.
It was because, foolishly, he was blaming her for his terrible self-loathing.
'If only I hadn't met you...'
If Vania hadn't appeared before his eyes, he could have lived under the delusion that he was a reasonably decent human being.
A member of the royal family who, knowing the greater good, is willing to sacrifice and devote their entire being to the country.
Because until now, Nike Valencier had been praised as such a person, and he had lived believing that he was just such a person himself.
However, he realized that it wasn't the case.
A great cause? Sacrifice?
He was a hypocritical human being who had merely been carrying out universal duties ingrained in his mind.
In truth, an impulsive and immature human being who would throw everything away for the sake of his desires.
That was his bare face and true nature.
He learned a harsh lesson from the incident where he thwarted the nation's important affairs by desiring a woman he had seen only once.
“Your Highness, do you believe in fate?”
A terribly sweet voice was heard.
A voice he doesn't want to hear... but wants to hear it again, so he comes to listen of his own accord every time.
“I believe in it. That is why I don’t think the time spent together matters. Falling in love at first sight... is an undeniable destiny.”
No. Even if it was fate, he had to be able to shake it off. Because it was 'his' heart. Because it was his emotion that he could control as he pleased.
'Let's talk.'
He had to say it today.
Let's never see each other again. I won't be coming to see you again.
"Your Highness."
A hand tugged at his sleeve. He turned around and saw Vania, her cheeks flushed.
His heart tightened reflexively.
As soon as Nike saw the woman's face, he felt the words he had prepared scatter in his mouth like dust.
Because she's so pretty and adorable...
It is like this now, but if it deepens further, there will be no way to stop these feelings.
Every day Nike came to see Vania was an opportunity. An opportunity to cut away any feelings that might be even slightly unripe.
Anyway, no matter how desperately he desires her, she is someone he cannot have.
"Didn't you say just a moment ago that you wouldn't do it because you had no intention of getting engaged?"
If you don't see each other's faces, you will naturally drift apart.
All he has to do is coldly tell her that they should never meet again and shake her off.
He hasn't been able to say those simple words until now... but today.
He will definitely say it today.
“Could you ask why I’m not doing it?”
“Why aren’t you doing it, Princess?”
When this conversation ends, he will finally say goodbye.
“Because the Prince hasn’t given it any thought.”
It took a moment to understand that answer.
'Ah.'
She wants to be engaged to him.
The woman who had tossed out such an expression, as if jokingly twisted her body shyly.
Thump, thump...
'I don't like it.'
You don't want to?
Lie.
Nike clutched his chest urgently.
He failed to deceive himself every time.
Thump, thump, thump...
Because his heart, unable to tell lies, ends up beating uncontrollably like this.
A woman he can hold in his arms just by reaching out.
Try hugging her right now. It’s okay. Because she likes me too. Even if I hug her, kiss her, and do everything I’ve only imagined in my head...
“Ah, Prince!”
Nike turned and walked away. To hide the sound of his painfully beating heart and to conceal the hand that threatened to move on its own.
“I, I’m sorry! I really made you uncomfortable, didn’t I? I just...”
The man unconsciously shortened his stride, worried that Vania, who was chattering after him like a little bird, might be struggling, and made a resolution.
Saying that we should stop seeing each other.
'Next time.'
Let's do it next time.
He ended up failing again today, and he might fail next time, too, though.
Still, today, he simply couldn't bring himself to say goodbye to this woman.
So, next time, I'll definitely...
“Ah, Prince!”
Nike turned and walked away. To hide the sound of his painfully beating heart and to conceal the hand that threatened to move on its own.
“I, I’m sorry! I really made you uncomfortable, didn’t I? I just...”
The man unconsciously shortened his stride, worried that Vania, who was chattering after him like a little bird, might be struggling, and made a resolution.
Saying that we should stop seeing each other.
'Next time.'
Let's do it next time.
He ended up failing again today, and he might fail next time, too, though.
Still, today, he simply couldn't bring himself to say goodbye to this woman.
So, next time, I'll definitely...
***
He broke the marriage alliance, a matter of great importance to the state, with his own hands, and continuing to meet with a woman from an enemy family was probably his choice as well.
Nike was certain even without a memory.
To be precise, it was because he regained the memory of when he first saw Vania.
Because he met Vania right after accepting the marriage proposal, and the memory of falling in love at first sight and losing his mind is still vivid.
The moment of their first meeting was dizzying enough to make his head spin. The burning resonance in his heart felt for the first time in his life. A strong, irresistible attraction.
There is no way he could have overcome the fever of love that came like a dam of blocked emotions bursting.
If you proceed with the marriage while harboring feelings for someone else, it would be a deception of the other person, so you would have had no choice but to reverse it.
Before the regression, Nike Valencier had relentlessly committed unimaginable madness.
In the end, didn't he even go so far as to sell out his country for love, just like Ryan often teases him about?
“...I would like you to escort the youngest Princess of Ebonwind while the royal family stays.”
The Emperor, continuing his speech, was seen before his eyes.
A father who would never have dreamed of what his always loyal son had done and how he had traveled back in time to return.
However, because he traveled back in time, a new opportunity arose.
Now is a turning point where past choices could be reversed.
What is a realistic and rational choice? For the sake of the country, what answer must I, as a member of the royal family, give at this point?
Nike knew very well.
“The reason I intend to have you as the Princess’s bodyguard is...”
"Your Majesty."
He interrupted the Emperor without hesitation and spoke.
Nike was certain even without a memory.
To be precise, it was because he regained the memory of when he first saw Vania.
Because he met Vania right after accepting the marriage proposal, and the memory of falling in love at first sight and losing his mind is still vivid.
The moment of their first meeting was dizzying enough to make his head spin. The burning resonance in his heart felt for the first time in his life. A strong, irresistible attraction.
There is no way he could have overcome the fever of love that came like a dam of blocked emotions bursting.
If you proceed with the marriage while harboring feelings for someone else, it would be a deception of the other person, so you would have had no choice but to reverse it.
Before the regression, Nike Valencier had relentlessly committed unimaginable madness.
In the end, didn't he even go so far as to sell out his country for love, just like Ryan often teases him about?
“...I would like you to escort the youngest Princess of Ebonwind while the royal family stays.”
The Emperor, continuing his speech, was seen before his eyes.
A father who would never have dreamed of what his always loyal son had done and how he had traveled back in time to return.
However, because he traveled back in time, a new opportunity arose.
Now is a turning point where past choices could be reversed.
What is a realistic and rational choice? For the sake of the country, what answer must I, as a member of the royal family, give at this point?
Nike knew very well.
“The reason I intend to have you as the Princess’s bodyguard is...”
"Your Majesty."
He interrupted the Emperor without hesitation and spoke.
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