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The crown prince walked towards the brightly shining core of Orpheus in the pitch-black realm of shadows.

One by one, visions of Orpheus’s past began to materialize around him.

‘Is this the tale after that?’

Children who appeared a year or two older than the boy and girl he had just seen were present on his right side.

“K-Kate…! You shouldn’t come here like this!”

The boy fussed as he spotted the girl sneaking into his room.

“Ah, what does it matter? As long as we don’t get caught, right?”

The girl winked cheekily, seemingly unconcerned about the matters between their families.

“Our Ian. Why are you so cute?”

The girl’s adorable little hands pulled on both sides of the boy’s cheeks.

“Uwaah….”

“Hehe. You look like a little frog, so cute.”

“…You say that again.”

Can I not become a prince?

…Even if I can’t, it doesn’t matter. Just being with her, even if I’m only her pet frog, brings me happiness in this moment.

The boy and girl spent their time away from the adult world, lost in their own world.

“I went to Rai’s concert yesterday!”

“Rai? A boy?”

The boy’s eyebrows shot up.

“Yeah. Rai Verdolth. He’s a boy our age.”

“…He’s the same age, and he’s already holding concerts?”

“He’s a musical prodigy, you know? He plays the violin incredibly well.”

The boy felt a twinge of displeasure.

“I can play the violin too, you know.”

Though it was just a hobby done in secret under parental pressure, he was confident he could do better than that Rai guy.

“…Really?”

“I’ll show you.”

With a hum,

Magic gathered in the boy’s hands, taking the shape of a violin.

“Wow!”

At the girl’s round-eyed reaction, the boy felt a swell of satisfaction as he began to play.

A simple yet beautiful melody imbued with magic rang out.

“This melody is so pretty.”

“…Really?”

With excitement, the boy repeated the melody several times.

In the process, he showcased various variations, displaying his skill.

“Wow!”

Clap clap clap clap

As the girl cheered and applauded, the boy scratched his head, feeling shy.

“…This is called ostinato.”

“Ostinato?”

“It means repeating the same melody.”

“Wow! That’s amazing! Ostinato is so pretty!”

“…Is it?”

“Yep. Usually, when you enjoy a melody, it fades and disappears as the music plays on, but with ostinato, you can keep listening to the melody you don’t want to miss.”

“Ah… I see. I’ve never thought about that…”

The girl responded with a bright smile to the boy’s simple words.

In an attempt to hide his blushing cheeks, the boy lowered his head.

“…If there’s a melody you want to hear, just say it. I’ll play it for you.”

With a hum,

The vision the crown prince was observing dissipated into smoke.

This time, a new vision appeared from his left side.

Again, it looked even older than the previous one.

“Are you truly not going to the academy?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry, Kate.”

The boy forced a smile as he spoke.

“…That’s a shame. I wish we could go together.”

The girl sitting right next to him leaned her head on his shoulder.

In that fleeting moment, their bond seemed to grow closer.

“Instead, we can keep in contact.”

The boy pointed to the magic communication device he had created for the girl.

“That’s true, but being together and just contacting each other are totally different.”

The girl reached out, pinching both sides of the boy’s cheeks.

“To think I can’t touch the cheeks of our little frog… that’s too cruel.”

Then she pouted her lips.

With a hum,

The vision disappeared again, giving way to a new one.

“I told you, you, who bear the blood of Kalyuga, must not get close!”

A pale-skinned middle-aged man picked up the boy’s magic device and broke it.

“How many times must I say this? Those who fail to understand our Kalyuga family’s great magic engineering, especially the ones, like the bilgames family, who lead the persecution under the god’s orders, are the worst!”

The Bilgames family, who belonged to the girl.

The Bilgames family, devoted to their religion for generations, utterly despised magic engineering, deemed sinful by the gods, and had been rivals for years.

“We will turn the continent upside down with the power of magic engineering. So forget about that wicked Bilgames girl. Instead, we’ll find you a proper engineer.”

The man paused as he opened the door to leave.

“By the way, I heard that girl is vying for the Saint position. Leading the persecution against magic engineers like us. She seems not to have you in her thoughts at all.”

Bang!

Left alone in the room, the boy collected the shards of the broken magic device one by one.

“Perbenit Certum.”

As the boy unleashed his magic, the pieces began to connect, revealing the original device.

Through a restoration spell that required understanding of every internal structure, he restored the magic device without any aid, showcasing the boy’s genius abilities.

The boy picked up the magic device and connected to the communication with the girl.

Beeeeeep…

Beeeeeep…

Beep

“Uh? Ian? You contacted me?”

The girl’s familiar voice rang out cheerfully.

The boy opened his mouth to respond.

But he could not voice a word.

“Hello? Ian? Ian?”

Click

The boy turned off the device.

If she genuinely wished to become a Saint, the Saint who oppresses magic engineering…!

The relationship with the child of the Kalyuga family would become a significant blemish for her.

Even if I’m just a pet frog, not her lover…

The boy’s magic coalesced, incinerating the device.

His happy dreams ended here.

With a hum,

As the visions ended, a new one appeared.

This time, a grown version of the boy was visible.

“Congratulations on your great victory, Count Kalyuga!”

“Ah, stop it! Count, you say!”

“Ah! I beg your pardon! Your Majesty!”

“Hehehe. It’s a good day today, so I’ll let it slide.”

“I am eternally grateful, Your Majesty.”

On the thousands of magic golems created with technology that far surpassed humanity’s, Count Kalyuga and his aides shared smiles and jests.

The golems, created by the genius Ian, crushed not just the divine army of the Paladin Order but also the kingdom’s forces, turning the tide of the battle.

Owning command over the golems, Count Kalyuga was able to defeat all enemies and seize complete dominance over the kingdom.

“Father.”

“…Isn’t it a good day, Ian? You should smile.”

“I have a request.”

“…What is it? Since you’ve contributed greatly to the victory in the war, I’ll grant it. Speak.”

“Please give Kate Bilgames to me.”

“Bilgames… you’re talking about that Saint girl, right?”

Count Kalyuga pondered for a moment.

“That girl should be held accountable as a war criminal and executed… but fine. Here’s what we’ll do. Go to the prison this instant and propose marriage to her.”

“…What?”

“If she accepts the proposal, I’ll spare her. No one would have the guts to touch the wife of a war hero, even if she’s a war criminal. But if she refuses, judgment shall be upon her.”

“…Understood.”

The boy dashed to the underground prison.

In the deepest, darkest dungeon, at the lowest level,

In a damp, muddy solitary cell, there she was.

“Kate.”

The girl’s eyes, once staring vacantly into space, met the boy’s gaze.

“…Ian.”

Even through the years of war that dulled her beauty, she still looked exquisite.

‘…If I hadn’t created those golems, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.’

I never imagined that the technology I created so lightly would put her in such a predicament.

If only I could return to the past, I would never do that again.

“Kate. I’m here to get you out.”

“Ian, if you free me, your position will become precarious.”

“I don’t care. Our father promised. If you marry me, you’ll be free.”

“…So that’s how it is.”

Hearing Ian’s words, Kate let out a hollow laugh, as if she finally understood.

“I’m sorry, Ian. If that’s the case, don’t free me.”

“…What?”

“I’m just going to die here.”

“…What are you saying, Kate?”

“I am the Saint, Cartesia, who has devoted herself to the gods. I am not a cowardly traitor who begs for life from the enemy.”

“Kate, you’ll die if you stay here!”

“Even if I die… I have something to protect.”

For several hours, despite Ian pouring out a torrent of persuasion and threats, Kate remained unyielding.

Eventually, in a fit of rage, Ian attempted to forcibly tear down the prison door to save her when Count Kalyuga’s hand suddenly caught his arm.

“I’m sorry, but that won’t do.”

The Count chuckled grimly.

“It seems this girl wants to die. Guards!”

The guards, baffled, dragged the stunned Ian out of the prison.

“Wait! Kate! Kaaaaate!”

Bang!

With the sound of the dungeon door slamming shut, Ian could not hear Kate’s muffled cries from inside.

“I’m sorry, Ian… I truly am…!”