When My Enemies Began to Regret

“Rumors?”

“It was when I had just entered the society. There were bad rumors about me. Saying that I dumped the man I promised to be with for the rest of my life and seduced you…”

“…”

“But you obviously pressured Naverius at the first tea party I participated in as if you knew who the source of the rumor was…”

Fanora spoke to herself, but her expression was puzzling.

“Even if it was only a suspicion at the time, if you look at what Naverius did before his death, you definitely knew what he was doing behind the scenes.”

“…”

“Why did you just watch the rumors spread without doing anything for that long? It was as if you were only a spectator?”

However, after talking about everything, she thought that the leap was a little severe. Fanora chewed on her fingernails. It was a light act that came out without even knowing it when she fell into deep thought. No, it’s possible that he couldn’t get conclusive evidence to punish Naverius, but why did I say this…

She looked up again and looked ahead, then said awkwardly. “Sorry. It’s just that if it was me, I would have stopped the spread of the rumors first…”

And then. Aloken, who was listening to Fanora, opened his mouth. His sweet voice echoed low in the room. “The direction of your question has been the same since earlier.”

“What?”

“You keep trying to ensure I love you with all my heart.”

It was a gentle tone, neither angry nor sad. Aloken’s expression also had a softer smile, so there was no pressure. However, Aloken soon got up from his seat and started approaching. Fanora naturally had no choice but to raise her gaze as the tall man approached.

Soon, however, Aloken rose from his seat and began to approach. When he came close to him, Panora had no choice but to raise her eyes naturally.

“Well, I…”

Their distance grew closer and closer. Aloken reached out and clasped Fanora’s hands tightly. It was a very careful touch as if holding something very lovely.

“Fanora, there is no form of love.”

“I know.”

“Even if you turn this chest upside down, you can’t see it with your eyes, so there would be no end to doubts.”

After all, you doubt me.

His voice seemed to have bitter regret. So Fanora felt guilty for a moment.

“I never realized that you couldn’t trust me to this extent.”

“Aloken…”

“Or perhaps you’re bringing up past events because you want to reject my proposal?”

Fanora shook her head when she heard about the proposal. She was so distracted by the series of accidents that she didn’t even think about his proposal.

“That’s not the reason.”

“Then what is your answer?”

“What?”

“Your answer to my proposal,” Aloken asked, holding her hand tightly. Until now, he said it was okay to postpone her answer, considering her health. Still, because the situation turned out like this, he wanted to hear her answer immediately.

“…I wish you would give me a little more time.”

Fanora backed away, avoiding his eyes when she heard about the proposal. She was indeed relieved to see Aloken’s adamant attitude in denying her suspicions, but that didn’t completely clear up her doubts either. She hadn’t been able to answer his proposal yet.

“…Is that so?”

Aloken thought as he saw her withdrawing, still looking at him with wary eyes. I don’t think she believes in me much, seeing that her attitude doesn’t change even if I deny all her suspicions and appeal to her emotions.

When is the best time to propose? That was when you were sure the other person would accept your marriage proposal. Aloken also proposed to her with such conviction. However, Fanora didn’t give an answer to the marriage proposal and didn’t resolve any of her doubts toward him.

Eventually, I came across a situation like this. I don’t think lost trust will ever be restored by talking a few more words. Aloken regretted this situation in which she had become suspicious about him. How much effort had been put into this proposal?

I can roughly guess what Vasago said, but I can’t believe she suspected me so firmly after hearing her. Fanora Celsius thought of marriage negatively, which was rare for nobles to think like that. Is it because she didn’t completely trust me from the beginning?

That’s why Aloken hoped that Fanora would love him passionately. It would be better if a rational person like her could forget about her reasoning. That way, she would want to marry him. However, judging from today’s events, it seemed that Fanora would never be like that, neither now nor in the future. The plan to get married is out of reach now. Even though I put in so much effort.

Aloken found himself in trouble. For him, none of Fanora’s suspicions could be clearly resolved. However, to let this situation pass as it is, Fanora wouldn’t fully believe in him at any moment as long as her suspicions remain. So he stood there and agonized for a moment. Is this the end of my relationship with her…?

It might be better for him to bring up the story, which had been put off, rather than keeping her wary of him and moving away. After finishing his brief thought, he raised his head again and said, “If you wish, you don’t have to answer the marriage proposal.”

Aloken unexpectedly respected her will. Then, she saw his expression of regret. Fanora thought for a moment when he saw that expression. Could it be that my suspicions were just imagination after all, even though he expressed his innocence?

Aloken stared at Fanora, who was in such agony, and said, “By the way, Fanora.”

“Yes?”

“I actually had one story to tell you.”

It was rather sudden, but on the other hand, it was an interesting topic. So Fanora nodded and listened to him.

“Story?”

“I originally wanted to bring it up at a better time.”

“…A better time?”

“Since you can’t trust me and be anxious… I can’t tell.”

Based on the tone and content of his words, it seemed to be the attitude one would have before giving a surprise gift. Is there any conclusive evidence to trust him? Fanora looked at him with expectant eyes. As she expected, the sentence that followed really dispelled all the doubts she had so far.

“Everything you said was right.”

“What?”

“Everything I’ve said so far is all lies.”

The man with black hair spoke with a picturesque smile. “It was me, not Vasago, who had a dark heart and started the scheme.”

It took another few seconds for Fanora to fully understand and accept his words. As silence fell in the room, Aloken added a few words.

“Of course, I wasn’t sincere about loving you.”

“…”

Aloken’s expression was as calm as the way he spoke, no different from usual. He has always made private jokes with that face and sometimes whispered love. But she couldn’t believe how he brought up such a mean remark now.

“You didn’t love me…”

“Isn’t this the answer you wanted? Do you want me to tell you again? I don’t love you.”

It was around midnight. Despite the depiction of Aloken killing Vasago, Fanora still believed in her fiancé. Well, because Aloken in the novel had a justification for it. In the original story, he decided to marry the only heir to ruin the Guelder family, which had been his enemies for a long time and deliberately seduced Vasago to achieve his goal. 

Everything happens for a reason.  

“Then why me?”

“…”

“Did you make me fall in love?”

So, for a moment, Fanora assumed that it would be different. Compared to Duke Jalier, Celsius’s family daughter was nothing. He believed that Aloken wouldn’t lie to her unless he could make a profit from it.

“Stop making silly jokes. It’s not funny. What on earth do you have to gain from seducing someone like me…” Fanora asked cautiously, but her eyes trembled in surprise.

“You know that I could do astrology is a lie, right? What would you gain from having someone from a poor family like me around?”

It felt like she had a bad dream. Fanora’s heart began to pound unpleasantly at the topic Aloken brought up. She was curious about his intention to say this now. But at the same time, she wished it was a bad joke from her peculiar fiancé.

“Well, that’s…”

Aloken came close to her trembling and reached out. Then he carefully held Fanora’s wavy black hair in his hands. As always, it was a hand that she ‘misunderstood to have affection’ in it.

He soon whispered a creepy word slowly in Fanora’s ear. “Because I know you have a holy relic.”

Surprised by the unexpected remarks, the woman’s dark eyes slowly opened.

* * *

It all started about two years ago, the year Fanora Celsius regressed. Why did the wedding hall, which should be the beginning of the blessing, become a seed of misfortune?

“Please be engaged with me.”

Two years ago, at the noble’s wedding hall, Fanora and Aloken, who had no connection in the original story, started a contract. It was because right after her regression, Fanora demanded engagement with a certain young master to extend the previous duke’s lifespan.

Is she crazy? In fact, Aloken didn’t take this issue seriously at that time. Although Fanora, who had a different atmosphere from ordinary noble ladies, looked, his impression of her was close to negative.

Well, since I have nothing more to do… At that time, he was in a desperate situation due to the issue of succession in his family. So Aloken pretended to be deceived and acted just like the suspicious lady instructed. However, what happened after that was truly astonishing. His father, who had lost consciousness and collapsed, suddenly woke up.

“Huh?”

With this treatment of the Duke of Louis Jalier, he seriously considered the contract with Fanora. If I can continue to receive help like this in the future, the price of a two-year engagement is fine. In this contract, anyway, ‘A’ was him, and ‘B’ was Fanora Celsius. He thought it would be enough if he unilaterally annulled the engagement if he changed his mind in the middle.

Now she thought about it, Aloken often made remarks considering the possibility of breaking off the contract in the early days of the contract. For example, right after concluding the contract with Fanora, he says something like this when he comes to buy her a dress.

“Even after breaking up with you, I have to marry a new person that I have in mind, so it’s hard for me to lose my reputation.”

This means that he had no intention of going all the way to marrying Fanora Celsius. Then, when did he suddenly change his attitude? It was on Fanora’s 16th birthday.