"Is Roselyn asleep?"
She paused at the sudden sound of a voice and opened her eyes wide.
“Arma...?”
"Ah, yes. If you are not asleep, may I come in?"
Roselyn recalled Arma, who had been by her side while she was explaining to her father earlier, and slowly nodded her head.
"Yes."
Click, the doorknob turned.
Roselyn smiled faintly as she watched Arma enter the room, looking very nervous.
“Is it a good night?”
"...It’s a good night seeing Roselyn."
He approached cautiously with a smile, then suddenly knelt on one knee in front of her.
"....Arma?"
As she frowned at the sudden situation, Arma gave a faint smile.
“Roselyn.”
"Yes."
"To be honest, I have a strong desire to follow you even if it means making a deal with the devil, but..."
He carefully took Roselyn's hand and lightly kissed the back of it.
"Then you'll get angry, won't you?"
"...No?"
Why on earth would anyone get angry?
Regardless of what choice a fully grown adult makes, it is ultimately their own responsibility to take responsibility.
"...Is that so?"
Arma bowed her flushed face low and answered awkwardly.
Roselyn nodded once.
"Yes. I'll just... consider it a stupid thing..."
Roselyn, who was answering, glanced at Arma and paused for a moment.
It was because she felt a strong sense of embarrassment due to his face turning bright red.
Roselyn was speechless for a moment at the sight of not only his earlobes but also the nape of his neck turning bright red.
"...Well, if you say that, I would be a little happy."
After much deliberation, Roselyn cautiously added.
Arma, who had tried to lighten the mood by throwing out a casual remark, opened his eyes wide.
And the moment he saw Roselyn's trembling gaze, he paused for a moment.
It was the moment he was moving his lips, suppressing the urge to shamelessly dig into someone's ear.
"But I hope you don't."
"... Why?"
"Because it is something I have to resolve."
It wasn't something that could be resolved by taking someone along.
Roselyn had matters to properly tie up, and she would not feel at ease anywhere until she tied them up.
"...Since you said you would return, I will leave the engagement as it is."
“Sure.”
"No matter what you say... please?"
“Please do so.”
Roselyn added once again to Arma's foolish retort.
"... Why?"
"Wasn't that what you wanted to do?"
"... You're right."
"Why do you like me, Arma?"
Roselyn asked him.
Come to think of it, Roselyn and Arma didn't have that much in common.
She didn't know about that world, but in this world, there was almost no contact between them.
They spent a lot of time doing simple things, unexpectedly got a glimpse of Arma's dream, unexpectedly ended up in Kaluta together, and came here, but...
Yes, there wasn't much time to feel affection here.
"...Why? What do you mean?"
"I was wondering if you've ever considered that you started caring about me and falling for me because of that dream."
What if this emotion was influenced by the memories of Arma from that world, not Arma from this world?
In the world where Roselyn died, Arma was filled with deep regret.
Just as Roselyn realized love, understood the weight of life, and felt much regret after Arma's death, Arma in that world was also filled with regret.
‘Did I love him?'
Roselyn loved him.
'Then did he love me too?'
Well, she can't be sure, but that was probably the case.
‘Then who is this person?'
Does Roselyn love this person?
Does this person love Roselyn?
In fact, there was no answer to this question.
No, only she didn't answer. Arma said he loved her.
However, Roselyn was not sure if this feeling was directed toward Arma, or if it was a remnant of feelings left behind in the other world.
“Roselyn.”
"Yes."
"Even when I am just sitting still, I think of Roselyn; when I am having a delicious meal, I want to eat with Roselyn; when I am angry, I want to see Roselyn's face; and when I am happy, I want to tell Roselyn."
Roselyn closed her mouth at the form of a person being murmured indifferently.
"Does love necessarily have to be some grand form of emotion?"
Roselyn shook her head at Arma's question.
Roselyn knew that people who are merely passionate, like the characters in novels, do not exist.
Because both Garen Wilbreed and Roselyn were fools who realized the value of people only too late.
"I like you. No matter where this feeling originated, that fact will remain unchanged."
Arma laughed.
"Roselyn."
"... Yes."
"May I formally introduce myself once again?"
Roselyn looked puzzled at his sudden words.
Arma straightened his bent knees, took two steps back from his seat, and soon smiled.
"My name is Arma Jin Dianitas."
Roselyn's eyes widened at Arma's words.
That's right too...
"The Third Prince of the Dianitas Empire and..."
Among the imperial family of the Empire, those with middle names are...
“I am the Crown Prince.”
...This is because there are only the Emperor and the Crown Prince who will become the next Emperor.
"...Are you really going to become Emperor?"
"I told you the other day that I would become Emperor."
"...I didn't know it would be true."
Since the Emperor has bestowed the middle name 'Jin' upon him, he must remain the Crown Prince until the very end, unless he dies.
When he said he was going to become Emperor, she thought he might just quit.
Being Crown Prince wasn't something you could just decide to become, and the one currently being strongly promoted as Crown Prince was the First Prince.
'...What on earth did he do?'
Roselyn looked at him with a puzzled expression, then closed her mouth tightly.
"So, Roselyn."
He lifted the back of Roselyn's hand, bent deeply at the waist to kiss her, and slowly parted his lips.
"Please become the Crown Princess."
"..."
"And when you return safely, please become the Empress."
Arma took a ring out of his pocket and carefully placed it on Roselyn's left fourth finger, saying.
At first glance, it looked like black jade, but upon closer inspection, it was a diamond.
Jet-black diamond.
The meaning of a diamond is immortal love.
It was a gemstone with an excessively grand meaning, but it was also a gemstone that many people used when pledging eternity.
'It's the first time I've seen a black diamond.'
Roselyn stared intently at the diamond.
It seemed as if something pitch-black inside the diamond twitched.
It was the moment Roselyn opened her eyes wide and was about to bring the ring close.
"...I will wait until Roselyn returns."
Arma continued to speak calmly. Roselyn took her eyes off the ring and looked at Arma.
A youthful daytime man who has not yet shed the appearance of a boy.
"You will come back, won't you?"
"Yes."
Although she could not promise a specific date for when she would come, Roselyn spoke firmly and forcefully.
Because her desire to return was sincere.
"In the meantime, I will become an Emperor worthy of having you by my side. When you return, you will not be able to escape."
Arma gripped Roselyn's hand tightly and said.
"Please make sure to wear the ring I gave you. It will connect us."
Roselyn smiled quietly at Arma's words.
Since only her soul moves, she probably won't be able to take the ring he gave her, but still, she took care of it out of sincerity.
“I will.”
Roselyn remained silent for a short while after the answer.
After a long while, she cautiously opened her mouth.
"Me too."
Roselyn spoke slowly.
"I'll go clean it up properly and come back."
So that she can live with her feet firmly planted in this world, without ever looking back with lingering regrets.
"Yes. I'll wait. But if you don't mind me being presumptuous, may I kiss you?"
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