Chapter 18: The Engagement Ceremony (3)

At some point, I began to feel as if pieces of myself were being chipped away. The endlessly repeating regressions and the inexplicable malice directed toward me gnawed at my sanity.

It wasn’t until I gave up counting the number of regressions that I finally became numb to the malice.

Or so I thought.

“...Haa.”

I was wrong.

I thought I’d learned to laugh off the malice, pretending it didn’t affect me. But just now, I realized it had all been an act—a façade. Perhaps it was the tranquility granted by Duke Hardenberg that had dulled my senses.

I turned my head to see him resting with his eyes closed. His face, still unrealistically handsome, drew my gaze. The single scar that marred his otherwise perfect visage only served to add character, making Abel’s appearance even more striking.

And yet, it felt alien. As if this world itself was proof that I didn’t belong, leaving a slight pang in my chest. That sense of disconnection I’d felt so vividly during countless rounds of torture and death swept over me once again.

‘...Get a grip, Adele.’

Just because things were progressing smoothly with the duke didn’t mean I could let my guard down. Misfortune had always struck when I dared to hope things might go well.

There was no guarantee this time would be any different.

“You look deep in thought.”

“Pardon? Oh...”

Abel had opened his eyes at some point and was now watching me breathe deeply. His words weren’t wrong—how could I not be lost in thought? After all, this engagement was nothing more than the first step in my survival plan.

I couldn’t guess what he was thinking, but his perspective was likely worlds apart from mine. In the end, Abel was still one of the elite in this world—a man of the highest echelon.

“I…”

“Are you concerned about that young lady’s fate?”

The young lady… He must mean Luna, the woman who had tried to douse me with wine.

I had no reason to care about someone like her when my own survival was at stake. And yet, hearing the word “fate” made it impossible not to think about it.

“She’ll likely face social ruin, just as you did in the past.”

“...What?”

“No matter how infamous you are, that was the engagement ceremony of the Duke of Hardenberg. Most of the nobles present seemed unaware of your alleged misdeeds.”

“You’re saying...”

“She may even be cast out from her family. Count Aite’s house isn’t known for its leniency.”

Abel finished his words with a sardonic smile that sent a chill down my spine. The sinister grin perfectly suited his moniker as the ‘Iron blood Duke.’ Seeing him speak so casually about someone else’s ruin was unsettling.

Or perhaps, the mask he’d shown me as my fiancé had been the true deception all along. A duke of the empire could not afford to be soft.

He might have witnessed far worse than even I, a regressor, had endured.

“Isn’t it convenient?”

“Pardon? What do you mean...”

“Normally, I would have had to handle it myself, but Count Aite’s family is another matter entirely.”

Count Aite’s house had long-standing ties with the Duke of Hardenberg. Political marriages between the two families were not uncommon. In fact, Luna, who had introduced herself earlier, might have been Abel’s fiancée under different circumstances.

Of course, those ties had ended by the time Abel became duke. I’d heard rumors of it from Lily, but I hadn’t expected them to be true.

“So that’s why...”

Could that be why she threw wine at me? Because she believed this place should have been hers? When I glanced at Abel, he nodded as if confirming my thoughts.

“Isn’t it ridiculous? The ties with Count Aite’s house were severed ages ago.”

He chuckled softly as he spoke.

“Still, thanks to her, our contract marriage will proceed more smoothly. So, it worked out in the end.”

His demeanor felt unfamiliar. As a regressor who had endured countless trials, I thought I’d grown accustomed to everything. But no amount of time prepared me for the way nobles treated people like tools or pawns.

I’d always known our ways of thinking were different. But it wasn’t until now that I truly understood how vast the gulf was between me, a modern soul, and Abel, a man firmly rooted in this medieval world.

“Is that so.”

With that, silence settled over the carriage. I closed my eyes, allowing the exhaustion of the day to wash over me.

It had been a long, tiring night.

****

Under the midnight sky, where the moon hung high, I found myself gazing out the window. The faint silver light spilled through the glass, illuminating the space around me. The stars glimmered in unfamiliar constellations, shining in places different from those I once knew.

Under the glow of stars that emitted a stark, almost blindingly white light, my gaze was drawn without realizing it.

This world holds a peculiar superstition: every person has their own constellation in the night sky, one star among countless others representing their fate.

Of course, having read the original story, I knew this was no mere superstition. But for most people, it remained a simple myth.

“Constellations, huh...”

Among the myriad stars, some shone with exceptional brilliance. I was well aware that these represented the destinies of individuals—and that when someone died, their star would flicker out.

If that’s the case, what did my constellation, blinking endlessly like a broken streetlight, symbolize? Was it trying to warn me that I was on the verge of death?

“What are your thoughts, Count Aite?”

“I… I’m not sure,” came his trembling response.

His darting eyes betrayed his lack of interest in my talk of constellations. It was as if I could hear the wheels in his mind turning, scrambling for a way out. The sight amused me, and a quiet chuckle escaped my lips.

“Of course, you wouldn’t know. You’re a man who can’t even keep his own daughter in check.”

“My apologies.”

Count Aite dropped to his knees with startling ease. Even among nobles, it was rare to see someone of his rank kneel so readily before another. After all, while dukes and counts differ in status, basic decorum between nobles is usually maintained.

But this man had once conspired with my father to orchestrate my assassination. His obsequiousness now was likely driven by guilt—or fear. Perhaps his naive daughter, Luna, believed her father cherished her, but she’d simply misjudged her opponent.

She picked the wrong target.

Unfortunately for her, Count Aite was still a noble. He’d never risk his own life to shield his child. Moreover, the fact that he still had his head on his shoulders was entirely thanks to my mercy.

As if sensing my thoughts, I heard him swallow audibly.

“Your life, or your daughter’s reputation. It’s a simple calculation, is it not?”

“Yes, my lord.”

His hands shook visibly, the tremor so pronounced I could feel it from where I stood. Yet, even as I openly threatened him, Count Aite didn’t dare speak a word of protest. He merely squeezed his eyes shut, resigned.

To him, this must feel like torture—realizing too late that poor parenting could cost not just his child’s reputation, but his own life.

“You may leave.”

“Yes, my lord.”

With that, the count hurriedly bowed and exited the room, closing the door behind him. The moment his retreating figure disappeared, a shadow stepped out from beside the door. The figure, clad in black, sheathed a dagger and knelt before me.

“Shall I take care of him?”

“No. It seems he has no ties to the Imperial dogs.”

This man was sharp when it came to politics, his instincts as quick as ever. If I had found evidence of dealings with the Imperial Court, I would have silenced him on the spot. Then again, considering the explosive collar around his neck, that decision wouldn’t have been difficult.

Still, in a world where even the most basic survival skills eluded many, Count Aite was a useful pawn. Besides, he possessed knowledge about the Imperial Court’s true nature, which made him less likely to betray me.

“The Imperial nests?”

“I’ve identified five in the provinces. We’ve destroyed three, but it seems the remaining two had fled before we arrived.”

“And in the capital?”

“...We couldn’t locate them. It seems some form of cognitive distortion is at play.”

Of course. Even managing to dismantle three nests was impressive. The Imperial Court’s grasp on the provinces was clearly weaker than I’d anticipated.

Then again, considering the Arie Empire’s vast territory—spanning 70% of the world—it wasn’t surprising. If anything, the fact that two nests had escaped was remarkable in itself.

‘The Emperor…’

The cards I had in my hand were Adele, the Raven, and the Black Raven Knights.

Against the Emperor, it seemed insufficient. But with Adele’s regression ability, it might just be enough.

For that to happen, I needed to build a solid foundation of trust with her.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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