Transmigrated Into A Tragic Romance Fantasy – Chapter 57

《Are you truly forgiving me?》

《You’ve suffered a lot. It must have been hard because of me, right?》

《Compared to your pain, it was nothing.》

《You don’t need to belittle yourself anymore. I’m acknowledging you as my husband.》

《Really… are you sure?》

If the story that began with missteps had flowed as desired, perhaps it would have turned out like this.

A small act of atonement might have led to a brighter future.

Though, now, I’m not sure what kind of future you might have.

《Yes. Here.》

The hand that always sought help would have reached out to hold yours.

《Thank you… truly, thank you…!》

《Hoho. There’s no need for that anymore.》

《Then, what should I call you now?》

《Before the title… shouldn’t we speak more comfortably?》

This would have been the real beginning, right?

Our story.

Maybe I didn’t care much about the repentance of others.

It was because your repentance alone was enough that I clung to you so desperately.

I denied your withdrawal and obsessed with revealing it as false because the engagement duel without you was meaningless.

《Speak comfortably… you say?》

《Yes. We are ‘spouses’, after all.》

《Spouses…?》

《You are my husband, and I am your wife. So speak comfortably. Now it’s my turn to address you respectfully.》

Isn’t it funny?

That I unknowingly harbored a bright future with you, who were a bystander to severe abuse?

I once read in a book that hostages sometimes fall in love with their captors. Is that what this is?

I thought it was absurd nonsense, but maybe… I was like that too?

《L… Remian?》

《Yes. Dear.》

《Dear…!?》

Pffft.

Your stern face, making such a clumsy expression, makes me laugh.

Your face was so stern that just looking at it was scary at the academy.

《Hohoho. Is it that surprising? It’s a natural title between spouses.》

《Kuh…! Thank you, Remian. I’ll do my best!》

With a sudden lift!

《Kya-ha-ha! Put me down-!》

I would have held you like this during the wedding, but it’s not regrettable.

Just being able to start writing a happy story now is enough.

Just proving that my choices and decisions were not wrong is enough.

《Waaah! Waaah! Waaah!》

《Oh! Dear, do you hear this loud cry?》

《Hohoho. Do you like it that much?》

《Of course! This brave cry and handsome looks seem to be exactly half of you and half of me.》

《Hoho. I wish they looked more like you.》

《Hahaha! I wish they looked more like you.》

…This would have been it.

The beginning and the end of our story, and another new beginning.

It would have been like this.

You, who have changed, and I, who have changed.

A child inheriting the best of both of us would have written our story anew.

Right?

But it’s funny, really.

How nice it would have been if I had known these plans sooner?

If I had known that all the plans were tailored for you, could I have caught the endlessly drifting cloud?

If I had realized my foolishness sooner, could I have reassembled the misaligned start?

No.

Looking back now, it seems it was better not to catch the drifting cloud.

It seems it was better not to reassemble the misaligned start.

Maybe the curse of the monster chieftain started right after setting off for the academy.

Maybe the curse I thought was over was holding back for now.

A person cursed seems to suit loneliness.

Doesn’t it look like that now?

I don’t deserve to be loved or to love.

How could someone who makes everyone suffer dream of such things?

People should live within their means.

It’s only natural that the fate of someone who dreams of love and happiness beyond their means is as miserable and wretched as this.

《Haha. What do you think we should name our child?》

《Since she’s a girl, how about combining your ‘El’ and my ‘Lia’ to name her ‘Ellia’?》

《Oh! That’s really good. Our Ellia, please grow up to be as beautiful as your mother.》

《Hohoho. Oh, dear.》

It was a dream too grand for me.

A wish beyond my means.

So thank you.

For coming into my dream like this.

For showing me what I wished for.

For making me smile like this.

Thank you for letting me dream a dream I want to stay in forever.

Even though I don’t want to wake up and want to stay here forever, I think the moment to wake up has come.

《Dear? What are you thinking so deeply about?》

《I’m sorry, dear.》

《What are you sorry about?》

《For holding on to you.》

For stubbornly clinging on.

For being foolishly obstinate.

《De… dear-!!》

You keep moving forward like you are now.

I’ll keep walking backward like I am now.

I’m really sorry.

“Miss-! Are you awake?!”

Goodbye.

**

“……”

It felt like waking up from an eternal slumber.

It felt like I had a deep sleep for the first time in ages.

It felt like a refreshing morning I hadn’t had in a long time.

As Remian woke up, she weakly leaned against the headboard.

“…”

She looked at her left hand.

It was still wrapped in bandages.

Srrrk.

She unwrapped the bandages.

The four nail marks had healed cleanly.

As if they had never existed.

“Are you… alright?”

Marien looked at her with concern and asked, and Remian, while touching her healed palm, asked back.

“How long… was I asleep?”

She felt as if she had slept for a long time, and when she heard the answer, she knew her feeling was right.

“…Three days.”

Three days.

It had been three days since that night of crying and laughing in the rain.

If the engagement duel had proceeded smoothly, the grand opening would have been tomorrow.

“What… happened?”

The ducal castle couldn’t have been quiet during the three days she slept.

She asked, and again.

“His Grace arrived two days ago.”

Remian’s intuition was right.

“Father…?”

“Yes. He came back without going to the capital city.”

“I see….”

Sir Gelwood must have sent an urgent letter.

A letter pleading to stop the rampage and downfall of the third duchess.

And it wasn’t just her father who had come to the ducal castle.

“And… Duke Phelon Kellyd and Marquis Wyden Rosfel arrived yesterday as well. Miss, what on earth happened…?”

Remian sipped the winter flower tea with a bitter smile.

The warm tea filled her emptiness after three days.

Remian blankly stared at her reflection in the winter flower tea.

Her gaunt face flickered in the tea, just like that day when she was parched for knowledge.

“It’s over.”

“Pardon…?”

“Revenge, liberation, I don’t want any of that anymore, so it’s all over. I revealed all their sins and mine.”

“Really…? So the task you said you had to do that night was…”

“Yes. It was me who summoned Duke Phelon and Marquis Wyden.”

“……”

Marien, at a loss for words, could only look at her young lady with astonished eyes.

She seemed to understand the resolution it took to do that.

But she didn’t know whether to comfort or encourage her.

Because no words would reach her lady.

“Did Father… say anything?”

“Ah, His Grace said to inform him when you wake up.”

Marien stood up.

But.

“It’s okay.”

She had to hastily support her young lady who tried to stand.

“Miss, you shouldn’t move now.”

“It’s okay. I’ll go myself.”

Remian, refusing the support, struggled to get up.

Her legs were shaking, making it hard to take a step, but she had to go herself.

Because a sinner should.

“Miss….”

“I’ll be back.”

Marien, feeling uneasy, watched her young lady take each step forward.

**

Knock knock.

Remian knocked on the study door and entered.

She saw her father standing by the window, looking outside.

He must have known his youngest daughter was here, but he continued to look outside with his hands behind his back.

Remian collapsed to her knees.

“I’m sorry….”

That was all she could say.

She could only say that she would accept any punishment and follow any decision.

And.

From behind her father’s massive back, she heard the outcome of the events that had unfolded over the past three days and the bloody conclusion of this engagement duel.

“No need for further words. Tomorrow, you will marry Daron Kellyd, understand?”

Her father didn’t even look at her after she woke up after three days.

Her father, who ordered her to marry the one who led those who abused her for three years.

Her father, who knew everything but didn’t ask about that day’s pain.

Remian thought it was a fitting end for someone who didn’t deserve love or comfort.

“Yes….”

She answered forlornly.

And

She thought it was a fortunate conclusion.

At least the grand festival of the northern territories would proceed.

She could protect the children’s joy and the adults’ delight.

For that, sinking with the ringleader seemed like an overly generous conclusion to Remian.