“I’m back.”
Where should I even begin?
At least my memories are crystal clear.
A few days after Riana’s funeral, the Transcendental Tribe launched their full-scale attack.
The kingdom fell.
And I died at the hands of the Transcendental Tribe’s army.
That was the summary of what happened until now.
“Brother-in-law? Are you feeling unwell? Wait, what’s wrong?”
Alois is calling me.
Just like he did 11 years ago.
At this point, I had to admit it.
‘I really am back.’
My body feels full of energy.
My legs are fine.
Yet, the instincts from my memories clearly made me hostile toward Alois.
“Brother-in-law?”
I couldn’t ignore his calls forever, so I decided to check.
“Alois, where are the flower bouquet and cake I prepared?”
“Ah, finally awake from your nap? The maids prepared the bouquet, and the cake will be brought in time for dinner.”
Then Alois clutched his head and pleaded.
“Please, hurry and go cheer up my sister. It’s a complete mess over there right now.”
“Alright, Alois.”
I wanted to punch the red-haired man in front of me right then and there.
I almost clenched my fist impulsively but held back. He, too, is a man of Helmunth.
The overwhelming physical ability that the Helmunths are born with is something I, a commoner, can’t overcome.
Not yet, at least.
So I walked past him.
‘Flower bouquet, cake, and chandelier.’
A lot is going to happen today.
The bouquet has a hidden blade, and the cake contains a drug that causes stomach pain.
And the chandelier will fall on me, crippling my right leg.
It won’t just be today; it will be a horrifying day that ruins my future.
‘All of this. Alois, it was your plan.’
The one who ruined my life was none other than Alois Helmunth, the third son of the Helmunth family.
This time, I won’t fall for it.
As I walked past him, I noticed the pendant hanging around Alois’s neck.
It was a gift from my wife, Riana, when they were young, something he always carried with him.
Inside the pendant was a letter Riana wrote when they were kids.
That thing right there is the reason Alois ruined my life.
‘You crazy pervert.’
He was a lunatic who lusted after his own sister.
Though he always acted friendly with me, deep down, he hated me more than anyone.
That’s why he wanted to make me even more incompetent, deliberately causing accidents.
But his final act wasn’t that great either.
In this timeline, three years from now, Alois, unable to hide his feelings, will be exiled from the family.
* * *
As I stepped outside, the grand Central Hall of the Helmunth Mansion greeted me.
The staircase leading to the second floor faced the main entrance, and the spacious, dignified interior was always well-maintained.
The weapons hung on the walls hinted at the family’s deep expertise in martial arts.
And right in front of the staircase leading to the second floor.
A red-haired woman stood with her hands clasped.
“Riana……”
My wife, whom I buried myself.
The pride of the kingdom, who fought the Transcendental Tribe until the very end.
The Blood Rose, Riana Helmunth.
“Isaac.”
At my call, she slowly turned her head and looked at me.
Her gem-like crimson eyes, crafted by a jeweler, seemed to scold me.
“One of Father’s principles is that family members have breakfast together.”
Her usual expressionless face felt familiar, even after 10 years.
By the way, I’m not included among the family members who attend breakfast.
Even though I’m the husband of the eldest daughter.
These little things showed how the Helmunths truly felt about me.
“But today, I didn’t attend breakfast. I got Father’s permission in advance.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes, I told him you prepared breakfast to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary.”
But in the end, it turned out to be a letdown.
“……”
Suddenly, I noticed the ring on her left ring finger.
And I, too.
The sensation of the ring on my left ring finger felt somewhat awkward after so long.
Riana.
Why did you keep the ring of the husband who ran away?
The question lingered, but there was still no one to answer it.
“A bit late, but let’s have breakfast.”
Without a word, Riana followed me to the dining hall under my escort.
There, a table set for two was prepared.
Probably requested by the me from yesterday in this world.
As we sat at the table, the servants quickly brought soup.
Among the servants, I saw a familiar, friendly face.
Millie.
The youngest cook working in the Helmunth kitchen.
It was Millie, an impressive peer with tanned, bronze skin.
Back in the day, I used to talk with Millie often.
As a fellow commoner and peer, she listened well to my troubles.
She comforted me in her own way and soothed my lonely heart by making delicious food.
“Seeing you like this, it’s really nice.”
About Millie, I hadn’t heard any news since I fled from Helmunth.
“Millie.”
“Yes, Isaac.”
It was a name I called out of joy, but Millie seemed to think I had given her the signal I promised yesterday.
She brought bread and sandwich ingredients and placed them in front of me.
They were somewhat rough ingredients, not usually seen at Helmunth.
“Ah, right. I prepared this.”
The moment I saw it, I remembered.
To celebrate our wedding anniversary, recreating the first meal I made for Lianna was my little event.
“……”
At the time, I was so intimidated by Lianna’s expressionless face that I couldn’t even make it properly.
“Looking at it now.”
Seeing it with leisure, I noticed a strange sense of anticipation hidden in her expressionless face.
The servants withdrew.
I make a sandwich for Lianna.
Cutting the bread in half, slicing cheese, and cutting bacon into bite-sized pieces.
A few pickled vegetables.
Finally, topping it off with salted mashed potatoes.
“Here you go.”
“……”
Lianna, who had been staring at the sandwich I handed her, carefully took it with her hands.
At our first meeting.
I had a hard time convincing her, who refused to eat with her hands, saying it was against etiquette.
While I was making my own sandwich.
Lianna, holding the sandwich with both hands, carefully took a bite, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“It reminds me of those times.”
When I lived as a boatman, this was my staple food.
It was something I could eat even on a boat crossing the river.
Suddenly.
As I stared at Lianna eating the sandwich.
I felt like so much had changed.
On the blue river.
Back then, on a small ferry, we ate sandwiches together.
Back then, we laughed with simple worries like what if we got sunburned.
“I never imagined such a future awaited.”
Glancing at Lianna chewing her sandwich.
Her munching figure.
Surprisingly.
Was the only thing that remained unchanged in my memories where everything had changed.
* * *
Time passed, and it was evening.
In the banquet hall at Helmunth Mansion.
From the balcony, Isaac was looking up at the starry sky.
Beside him, his elegantly dressed wife was gazing at the same view.
Her hair cascading down to her waist, her snow-white skin accentuating her crimson hue, her rose-like hair color contrasting with her burning red eyes.
She was known as the Rose of Helmunth, a legendary beauty of the kingdom.
Today had been quite busy.
The flower bouquet was newly prepared, and instead of an extravagant cake from outside, a small, humble one was prepared by Millie.
Although the chandelier fell as Alois planned, Isaac, having anticipated it, neatly avoided it.
And so.
Isaac, after about ten years, found himself back in this place.
“In my past life, I was knocked out by the chandelier.”
Turning his head slightly with the breeze.
Beside him stood Lianna.
Her expression, devoid of any emotion, was frozen.
The coldness in her red eyes always made Isaac wary.
“Lianna.”
“……”
Even at Isaac’s call, Lianna did not respond.
She was looking at the sky as if waiting for something.
“Today, I prepared quite diligently.”
For Isaac, it was an event that took 14 years.
And now, the finale.
In the empty rose garden of Helmunth, illuminated by the moonlight.
Isaac gently pulled Lianna’s left hand towards him.
“We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we?”
“……”
“But as a couple, we’ve managed well.”
Even the expressionless Lianna seemed a bit surprised by this statement, staring at him blankly.
“I’ve pondered many times. What would be the best direction for us as a couple.”
Isaac gently held her left hand with both hands.
“Lianna.”
Then, carefully removing the wedding ring from her left ring finger, he softly declared.
“Let’s get a divorce.”
A breeze carrying the scent of roses blew by.
“What?”
For the first time today, Lianna’s expressionless face broke.
