What are you saying?
“I’m not angry.”
"Ehh~ No way? You look like you're incredibly angry right now. Your gaze looks like you're about to kill someone."
Ryan taunted, shaking his jaw back and forth.
...Ha, I can't even fight, sigh.
Finally, Nike gestured to Vania with his chin and asked silently.
"What's with that guy laughing happily with my rabbit-like wife?"
“Huh~?”
But Ryan just tilted his head annoyingly.
The moment Nike, who had been trembling uncontrollably, was finally about to lose his temper.
“Fuha!”
Ryan burst out laughing and pointed at the man next to Vania.
"That handsome man is a friend who was Christa's lover before the regression. He's incredibly good-looking, isn't he? Good-looking enough to make even Your Highness feel threatened?"
"..."
"We saw him working as a mercenary, so we went to the hiring guild today to bring him in, and we are currently drafting the contract."
Only then did the papers on the table come into Nike's view, who had been so enraged he couldn't see anything else. They looked like contracts.
"It wasn't just the two of us giggling; there were three of us, including myself until just a moment ago, and I had simply gone to the restroom. On my way back, I happened to spot Your Highness making a terrifying face."
"..."
"Whew, it's a relief I was able to stop it before a murder happened!"
"What kind of murder is this again?!"
"Problem Solver Ryan, Quickly Block Misunderstandings!"
Ryan gave a thumbs up and grinned, showing his teeth.
"I didn't misunderstand."
"Yes, I suppose so~~."
“I didn’t.”
"Who said anything~~?"
"..."
Wow, this is seriously annoying.
“Hey, honey!”
At that time.
Vania, having spotted Nike, rushed over in a panic. For some reason, she had turned pale.
"What is it? Why are you here already?"
“Because the work is finished quickly.”
"You didn't drop everything to come here, did you?"
Ryan chimed in like a chatterbox, but Nike pretended not to hear.
"You know, that person is...!"
"I know. I heard it from Ryan."
"Oh my, really?"
Vania, who was trying to quickly clarify the situation, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Christa and Brother Richard played a really bad prank on you yesterday. I was worried you might misunderstand."
"What is there to misunderstand?"
"Right? I worried for nothing. I suddenly saw you, and my heart started racing for a moment, just in case you got angry..."
“Angry? Why me?”
Nike let out a hollow laugh as he tidied Vania's disheveled hair.
"You're worrying about everything. I'm perfectly fine."
"Yeah, as expected, you are a man with a heart as vast as the ocean."
Vania shyly put her arms around Nike's waist and pressed her cheek against his chest.
'Wow.'
At that moment, Ryan stood there with his mouth wide open, watching Nike pretend to be nonchalant.
Are you okay?
You were glaring like you were about to commit murder just moments ago?
Nike, holding Vania in his arms, spoke to Ryan with his eyes.
Don't talk nonsense.
'Yeah. That's ridiculous, seriously!'
Ryan was dumbfounded.
***
"Really?!"
The Count's mansion, my room.
Leaving the remaining contract to Ryan, I came to the room with Nike and was shocked by the news he delivered.
To think the Crown Princess... is pregnant!
"I heard she received a tea as a gift. What is it?"
"Oh my god!"
One couldn't help but be surprised. It must have been the same for Nike, who possessed the memories of the thousand regressions.
Because before the regression, there was no news of the royal descendant until I turned twenty.
So Nike must have been flustered by the appearance of a nephew he had never had before.
"It seemed like you sensed it would have been known by now that an imperial heir would be born since you had regressed, not because of the tea gift."
“I guess so!”
"It seems like the only thing that's changed since before the regression is that gift you gave to Her Highness the Crown Princess."
"I know, right. It's just tea leaves that are good for menstrual cramps. They are only grown in the south, and I hear that over there, women who have trouble getting pregnant make sure to drink it through word of mouth."
"How did you know that?"
"Actually..."
Should I be grateful for this?
"These are tea leaves that my second older brother went to great lengths to get for my third older sister."
I also heard later that Diana had difficulty conceiving.
Elliott went around asking everywhere if there was a way for his younger sister.
Diana once mentioned to me in passing that she had tried various things and that it was probably due to the efficacy of those tea leaves.
"I got some and asked a doctor about it, but he said he didn't know how it was effective, stating that it just warms and nourishes the stomach."
Still, having only heard that it contained no harmful ingredients and was safe to drink, I gifted it to the Crown Princess without much expectation...
"It was definitely because of that tea!"
I don't know what the principle is, but the only reason Nike's nephew, who didn't exist before the regression, came into being was that tea leaf.
“I’m so glad!”
Who would have thought the Wassenberg brothers, who had secretly monopolized the good things with their wealth and intelligence, would be of help in this way?
I was truly happy.
As a member of the royal family, the news of the royal grandson was naturally welcome, and also...
'Hehe, I was totally on edge!'
I want to have a child someday, too, so I knew I would be secretly worried if I received news before the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.
"Honey!"
I snuggled into Nike's lap as he sat on the couch and hugged his neck.
Then, the Kissing Ghost familiarized itself with the situation and approached.
But I stopped it before the kiss.
"Why?"
Gently tickling Nike's chest with my hand as he tilted his head, I whispered quietly.
"Shall we go home and sleep today?"
"..."
Nike blinked his eyes while remaining stiff. Soon, his Adam's apple bobbed.
***
Early evening, just as the moon rises.
The Count's garden.
"I am Daniel Waschke."
Daniel bowed respectfully in front of Christa.
My sister, who had come home late after running around the courtroom again today, stared intently at her bodyguard, who had been introduced to her out of the blue, as soon as she got home.
'Hehe, look at that dazed look!'
That reaction of just staring blankly and blinking, unable to even think of answering when the other person greets you.
I know this well because I also experienced it during my first meeting with Nike.
An angel's voice is heard in my ringing ears, and I have the illusion of spring flowers fluttering in my vision.
“Christa?”
“Oh, uh!”
I said with a grin.
"I thought you might need an escort, so I put a lot of thought into hiring one."
"Oh, really? Thanks for worrying, Bunny."
"Yeah. But actually, there was something I was worried about when hiring this guy. It reminded me of what you said about looks not being important."
But since I feel wronged, I have to get revenge for yesterday. You jerk!
"As you can see, Daniel is so handsome."
"... Your Highness, it is..."
The handsome man felt embarrassed by my compliment.
"I realized that you might not trust Daniel, Christa. After all, for you, skill is more important than looks."
"..."
"But don't worry. We can keep Daniel as Brother Richard's bodyguard. Instead, find another bodyguard for you who is exceptionally skilled, even if he has a wild boar-like appearance..."
"Bunny!!!"
Christa shouted desperately. I barely managed to hold back my laughter.
"Surely you would have thoroughly verified their skills."
"Of course, of course. It is a matter of seeking escorts."
"So, I don't think it matters to me."
Yes, contract established!
I gave a big smile to the cute sisters who were looking at me with shy eyes.
"Hey, hey, are you done with the introductions? Then why don't you two go for a walk and get to know each other?"
Ryan grumbled and chimed in, lightly pushing Daniel's back.
Christa hesitantly said, "Shall we?" and left the house with Daniel.
'Hmm, I feel proud.'
Having fulfilled my responsibilities as a time traveler, I wiped my nose and smiled.
Ha. Look!
Moonlight pouring beautifully over the backs of lovers starting anew...
“Ah!!!”
...Ryan, who had been watching, let out a scream.
"You really fell right over?!"
He had found them a lover by accident, but he seemed jealous because it looked like they really hit it off the moment they saw each other.
That's understandable.
He can't even have a relationship of his own right now, yet he's busy setting up his brothers.
“Is this right?”
Ryan asked me again, innocent as I was.
"Didn't I have anything before the regression? Are you just finding her boyfriend?"
I knew it would be like this.
That's why I tried to find the brothers' lovers without telling Ryan.
'I have to find Richard's lover quickly without Ryan knowing!'
I made that resolution to myself and said in a small voice.
"Dad only saw me for 10 minutes before the regression; how would I know..."
“Eeeeeek!”
At that time.
Nike suddenly thrust his handsome face in front of Ryan.
Then, tilting his head, he said.
“Welcome, angry?”
?!?!?!
W-what is this? Nike, who teased Ryan with a rather annoying tone!
"Ha."
Ryan looked at him and laughed in disbelief.
"Why, why are you acting like this! It's okay to be angry!"
I'm sorry, but I can't take my husband's side this time. Why on earth would he provoke a lion who is already sensitive because he has no mate?
"Your husband is really childish..."
"I know, right!"
But Nike simply spread his arms wide to the sides and let out a relieved sigh. He looked triumphant, as if he had gotten revenge for something.
Do you two have something going on that I don't know?
"Sigh. Bunny, I'm so depressed and lonely."
"Yeah, yeah. Right, what can I do..."
Ryan put his arm around my shoulder and added sullenly.
"You're not going home today either, are you? Surely you wouldn't coldly leave me behind when I'm depressed and lonely, would you?"
"Huh?"
Oh. Today?
Today...!
I have something to do when I get home with my husband....!
"Wait for a sec."
Nike immediately intervened.
Ryan hugged me from behind, pressed his chin tightly against the crown of my head, and ensnared me like a Venus flytrap.
"..."
"..."
The two men looked at each other solemnly, just like knights about to duel.
"..."
"..."
Breaking the long silence, Nike spoke.
"...I lost. Please let her go home today."
“Huh~?”
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