The Villainess Has Proposed a Contract Marriage

86 – I’ve Come to Meet You Again

I saw hell.

The precious person, who was the first and only one, was brutally destroyed by karma.

It’s said that the human who was beheaded on the guillotine had a brief moment of consciousness.

Rolling, rolling, and thud.

Thus, the criminal, who was granted the right to gaze at this world for a brief moment, etched the final words of the person he cherished most into his mind.

It was also karma, but strangely, Elpisia’s head fell at Harte’s feet. Even in the midst of a hazy, dreamlike state, she recognized the old, worn-out man as Harte.

There was no way to deny it. It was impossible to misjudge.

No matter how much time had passed, the pure and innocent blue eyes beneath the autumn sky remained unchanged. Harte was still Harte, no matter what. But as transparent as he was, his despair was also transparent.

A desperate cry that seemed to cut off his breath.

A cold, numb sensation that pierced through his body at the same time.

All of it belonged to Harte.

What was so vivid in a life that was about to end?

He was filled with resentment.

He, who had lived a life of gold.

He, who had been unaware of others’ pain.

He, who had walked the path of a wicked idol…

He was too filled with resentment.

Elpisia felt her consciousness drifting away, as if she was falling into a bottomless swamp. The last thing she heard was Harte’s sorrowful prayer.

“Please, just give me one more chance…”

A foolish, childish wish.

“Just give Elpisia… her… one chance to change…”

It was a plea that seemed to say, “I don’t care what happens to me.”

And then, at the end of his exhausted consciousness, which was about to snap like a thread.

A brilliant golden light filled her world.

And then, strangely, the sensation of sinking into the swamp disappeared, and her cognitive abilities returned.

In the vast world of gold, someone whispered secretly.

─Take hold of the sword of revenge. Does your love not cry for you? If you make a decision, I will give you the name of God.

“… Ha, without knowing the limit, I wielded the sword like a fool, and it ended like this. If I hold the sword again, Hart will surely like it.”

Elphysia sneered at herself, and the target of her sneer was, of course, herself.

Revenge?

The evil sword that had been tempered would pierce Hart’s crying heart.

It will never happen again. It can’t happen again.

Since Elphysia’s answer didn’t change, the voice changed its question.

─Confess your desires. If you want, I will make any wish come true. All the glory of this world will be yours.

“Bring back the dying Hart. Make me the Hart I was before…”

I won’t beg for my life now. Elphysia thought it was better to die like this. For Hart’s sake, if no one else’s.

But Hart was a victim who had been sacrificed for Elphysia’s mistake. So, she wanted to restore the harm Hart had suffered.

─I will turn back the clock of fate for you. I will give you a chance to start your life again, so take this terrible world in your own hands.

“I…”

Elphysia spoke honestly.

Her deepest desire flowed out.

“I want Hart to be happy.”

No more voices were heard after that.

The golden light that had been faintly shining filled the world strongly.

That was the last thing Elphysia remembered.

With a feeling of sinking deeply into a calm surface, her consciousness collapsed.

The world’s time axis was about to distort.

◇

“Ugh…!”

Elphysia opened her eyes, gasping for breath as if she had been choked. But strangely, the scenery around her was very familiar.

The ruby-decorated dressing table and the golden washbasin, which was always filled with lukewarm water. Even the location of the canopy above her bed was familiar.

Elphysia pulled the canopy, feeling uneasy. Then, after a while, her door opened, and her maid, Rotera, appeared.

“Did you have a good rest, Princess?”

“Princess…? Me?”

“Of course, it’s you.”

“Haah…”

Elphysia sighed, speaking as if she couldn’t help it.

“Anyone can make mistakes when they’re alone, but don’t make mistakes outside. If you call the Empire’s duchess a princess, you’ll be the one who gets into trouble.”

The dignified duchess, who had made dignity a habit, got out of bed, tidied up her clothes, and stepped onto the floor.

“Well, whatever… It’s all just an illusion anyway…”

Just as she was about to laugh at herself, Rotera suddenly grabbed her shoulders.

“Oh no, Princess! Don’t say that! You might really get cursed…! His Excellency, Cardi Lumine, is strictly watching over his position, and such words might be misunderstood…”

“… What? Cardi Lumine? Are you talking about my father?”

“Ah, Princess, you’re still half asleep. I’ll bring you some water soon, so please wait.”

With a dignified gait, Rotera carried the jade basin to Elpisia’s front. As she did, her own reflection appeared on the jade surface.

At that moment, Elpisia’s body stiffened.

“How…?”

The face reflected on the jade basin was that of Elpisia’s childhood, with a small, round face and a chubby appearance due to her baby fat.

And upon closer inspection, her gaze was also low.

Elpisia, who had been tall enough to look down at Rotera, now had to crane her neck to look up, her eye level lowered.

Elpisia splashed water on her face and grasped Rotera’s hand.

“Rotera…!!! How many years has it been? What day is today?!”

“It’s a new year, isn’t it? The Empire’s founding anniversary marks exactly one thousand years today.”

“Then how old am I…?”

“You’re thirteen this year. You’ll be attending the Academy soon… Rotera is truly overjoyed.”

“…”

Elpisia tried to grasp reality several times after Rotera left. She even banged her head against the wall and screamed loudly on the balcony.

Rumors even spread that the idol had gone mad.

But even after a day, four days passed, nothing changed.

It was then that Elpisia acknowledged the truth.

She had traveled back in time.

“Haruto…”

She could meet him again.

“Haruto… Haruto…!”

She had the chance to meet the person most precious to her again.

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Elpisia headed straight for the temple. She made an excuse that she wanted to pray for peace before entering the Academy. Since Cardi had never set foot in the temple, Elpisia could arrive with only a few guards.

She walked resolutely.

It was too difficult to find Haruto in the vast temple grounds.

As she was walking through the labyrinthine path, the temple’s guardian blocked her way.

“You can’t enter from here, miss. This is a restricted area.”

“… What?”

“This is the temple’s forbidden zone. The exit is on the left…”

“Wait, just for a moment. Just for a moment… please.”

Elpisia awkwardly used polite language to interrupt the guardian’s words. She then tried to explain her situation and ask for help.

“Haruto…”

…

……

But her words couldn’t continue.

She had no excuse.

What would she do even if she met Haruto?

If Haruto also retained his memories from before the regression, he would have already found his way to the Luminele Duchy faster than her.

As the god’s warrior, Haruto would have easily broken through the duchy’s defenses.

“… No, no…”

Elpisia took a step back.

If Harute’s memories were gone, it was right to erase them.

What kind of audacity did she have to approach him with?

She had shown him hell, trapped in her own mistakes.

How could she dare to speak to him so naturally?

“I’ll go back.”

After returning from the shrine, she lived a normal daily life.

With the mask of a noble lady, she spent her empty days, maintaining her dignity.

Unlike before her regression, she didn’t make any enemies.

At the academy, she was nicknamed “Fragrance-less Flower”.

She always wore a neutral expression, showing a detached attitude towards the world. On the other hand, she was a perfectionist in many fields and became an idol for many.

She rejected frequent courtship and didn’t even give a faint smile, as if she had committed a grave sin.

That’s why they called her “Fragrance-less Flower”.

Elpisia Lumineel was a nickname filled with admiration and disdain.

In that process, Lina Chandler developed an inferiority complex and became her own enemy, but that was a problem Elpisia couldn’t solve.

Years went by, and the time came for her to graduate from the academy and return to the ducal mansion.

◇

Elpisia, twenty-two years old.

At this age, ordinary noble ladies would be busy finding a husband. No, it was even a bit late for that.

So, Cardido suggested marriage a few times, but Elpisia politely declined each time. Fortunately, Cardido’s personality allowed him to let it go easily.

Elpisia’s world was still gray.

She occasionally hired informants to investigate the shrine, but she couldn’t find any information about Harute.

Her mood became gloomy.

She just wanted to know how he was doing, even if she couldn’t see him.

“Harute…”

Was she being punished?

Was she going to spend the rest of her life without even being able to see his footprints, and eventually grow old and die?

That was what she feared the most.

Every time her hopes, which she had held onto since her regression, were crushed, she felt like her throat was drying up.

Elpisia spent her days with such feelings. Before long, she received a piece of news.

A illegal auction incident had occurred at the Arwell Palace’s territory.

The one who had suppressed it was none other than…

“…… Harute.”

The trajectory of her fate had changed.

For the past 10 years, he had only stayed in the shrine, and such a history had never occurred.

Elpisia gladly rode the winds of change.

Coincidentally, Cardido was looking for the owner of the baptismal name, and Elpisia seized the opportunity when marriage was mentioned.

This was her last chance.

She had decided to make Harute happy this time, no matter what.

… But she had just made up her mind when…

The fluctuations of fate were too great.

Harte’s personality, which I met again, had changed a lot.

Before the regression, he was like a large dog, but now he had a cunning side that stood out.

It was a bit uncomfortable, but I tried to accept it.

After all, people can change.

I thought, “This is what Harte was like in his youth…” and nodded my head slightly.

…… But sometimes, it was hard to believe how this person became that person in the future.

However.

This is this, and that is that.

… There were parts that were difficult to truly accept.

“Harte, you…! Who is this child?! Whose child is this?! You’re having a child on your own terms, aren’t you?!!”

“Kuaaa! It hurts! It hurts, Your Highness! It hurts, I say!”

“Is the pain a big deal? Is the pain a big deal, you brat?”

It was the existence of children who shouldn’t be there.

A woman suddenly appeared, and I only knew that she had left the temple.

That’s what really happened. Elpisia herself was a witness to that history.

“Who is my mom? You’re hitting our dad!”

“From today on, I’m your mom.”

“What? Then what can I do… It’s a family feud…”

“… Tina?”

The true identities of the three children could only be realized after regaining my senses.

Tina, Glen, and Julian… No, it was Ascalion.

All of them were connected to Elpisia through a bond of fate.

My head was spinning, and due to their childish appearance, I couldn’t recognize them at first.

“Fate… or something.”

It might be a revelation from God to atone for my sins this time.

Elpisia thought so.

“Then I’ll accept it.”

Harte. And the three children.

If I could put even one flower on the path they would take in the future, I might be able to atone for my evil deeds a little.

So, Elpisia made a proposal.

With an absurd condition.

First, to fulfill their duties as a couple.

Second, not to love each other.

Third, if the contract is broken, the party at fault will give up everything to the other party.

Elpisia signed without hesitation. And waited for Harte’s pen to move.

Finally, when their agreement was formalized, Elpisia made a silent vow.

I will live this life for you.

I will protect your side, which gave me breath when I was suffocating in evil, forever.

Now, I make a resolution to erase our past, which has already disappeared.

So, one day, unilaterally,

The evil woman proposed a contract marriage.