Accidentally Formed a Reverse Harem in the Apocalypse Chapter 75 - Realization

Aston Clitter hated being told to forget more than anything in the world.

When the noble Second Prince fell into ruin, many people mocked him at first.

〈He looked like a beloved prince. Tsk tsk. How pitiful.〉

〈Exiled at such a young age to Whitewood, that barren land.〉

〈He’ll never regain his title. The nobles who supported him must be furious.〉

〈But why did His Majesty cast him out? There’s no smoke without fire, right?〉

Whisper, whisper.

Scandal after scandal.

All of it was baseless rumor, but because the imperial family hid the truth, Aston’s image fell into the mud.

Losing the royal surname Hainsworth was shocking enough.

But worse remained.

The Emperor—his own father—ordered that Aston’s very existence be erased.

〈Forget him.〉

Erase every memory of the life he lived as the Second Prince.

Because of that single command, Aston spent a lonely, desolate childhood.

If his cousin Jacqueline Celeste hadn’t risked herself to take care of him, he might have starved.

〈Grand Duke Aston, no matter how unfair or bitter it is, you must not throw your life away.〉

You have to live.

Jacqueline, smart and sharp far beyond her years, desperately stopped Aston from giving up on life.

〈If you live long enough, even the pain of your heart being torn apart will one day fade.〉

〈…What do you know?〉

Have you ever been as miserable as me?

Aston bared his teeth like a wounded animal.

Jacqueline answered honestly.

〈No. I suppose it was rude of me to claim I understand Your Highness’s situation.〉

Maybe smart people also know how to apologize quickly.

After forgiving her, Aston cried and said,

〈Don’t ever tell me to forget.〉

Of all the Emperor’s commands, that one had been the cruelest.

He was clearly alive, yet people—afraid of the Emperor—treated him as if he didn’t exist.

A living, breathing ghost.

That left a deep scar on the boy’s soul.

〈It hurts this much. It’s this hard… How can you tell me to forget? Don’t talk lightly about the weight of my feelings.〉

Only people with room in their hearts could tell someone to forget what couldn’t easily be forgotten.

〈I won’t forget.〉

Not Father who abandoned me. Not my brother. Not those who laughed.

〈One day, I will have my revenge.〉

That vow became the rope he clung to.

He endured the land like a brutal winter, believing that one day spring would come.

Even if his once-delicate hands became scarred from gripping a sword.

Even if he nearly lost his life to endless monsters.

He endured, just to ask his father and brother one day:

Why?

Years passed.

He became an adult.

But after swallowing down all that pain, what awaited him was absurd news: the imperial family had fallen.

〈…What?〉

〈The palace—the capital—has been overtaken by unknown monsters. I’ve said it five times already, Grand Duke Aston.〉

After escorting his cousin Jacqueline’s family to Trikala, the Empire fell into chaos.

The capital filled with creatures that bit people.

Families, lovers, siblings, friends—biting and tearing at one another without recognition.

Jacqueline explained they would have to survive inside a magic barrier for now.

〈His Majesty is likely dead—or turned into one of them. From now on…〉

Riiiiing.

A ringing in his ears.

It always came when his heart shook—ever since he stopped being Aston Hainsworth and became Aston Clitter.

Her words no longer registered.

‘Father is dead?’

My brother too?

‘Then what am I supposed to do now?’

Without a signpost, only emptiness remained.

All the training that ground his bones.

All the battles against monsters.

All the effort to survive—

Meaningless, now that the target of his revenge was gone.

If he forgot—if he forgot everything—maybe he could be happy.

‘But how?’

His past was a tower built by chewing over painful memories again and again.

To forget them would be the same as obeying his father’s cruel command.

It would mean denying who he was.

‘I can’t.’

I can’t forget.

It’s too late to forget…

Even now, Aston Clitter hated hearing the word forget more than anything.

His body had grown into an adult, but his mind was still that boy trapped in a frozen forest.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

And then Elizabeth Keaton—an odd woman—held out a chocolate bar and said,

“When your heart hurts or your mood feels rotten, eating something sweet helps.”

“Eat this and cheer up.”

“If the person who hurt you is dead, then for your own sake, you should forget.”

Beautiful face. Blank expression. Blunt tone. Casual voice.

Anyone watching might think she disliked him.

But the hand she extended was warm.

‘…Since I was cast out with the name Clitter, no one has comforted me like this.’

It was clumsy comfort.

But Aston understood.

Her blunt face and tone were because she had never seen him in such pain before.

And her careless-sounding voice was because she was flustered—and trying not to be rude by showing pity.

“Your Highness? If you keep standing there, my arm might get tired and drop the chocolate.”

“….”

He didn’t like sweets.

Back when he was the Second Prince, palace pâtissiers prepared endless desserts.

After losing his title, such things became luxuries.

Actually—that was a lie.

Aston still longed for sweetness.

The taste of happiness.

The taste of something sweet.

“…Thank you.”

Elizabeth Keaton was offering him that taste.

Telling him to forget the shadows of those who hurt him—for his own sake.

Not forcing him to give up.

But gently urging him toward happiness.

His heart trembled.

Holding the chocolate bar, he asked,

“…Duke. I have something to ask.”

“What is it?”

“If something so painful happens that you cannot forget it… and someone tells you to forget—what would you do?”

I want to know. Please.

Elizabeth Keatone answered without hesitation.

“If it’s hard to forget, then you don’t have to. Being told to do something you can’t do right now doesn’t make it possible.”

“…Ah.”

“In that case, instead of hurting yourself trying to forget, it’s better to think about what would make you happier. That’s what I would do.”

Clear. Simple.

If it’s hard to forget, don’t.

Instead, find what makes you happier.

‘…I see.’

The answer he had searched for was absurdly simple.

The boy wandering in a winter forest finally found a small budding flower.

Its petals were purple.

“I understand….”

It was the beginning of the end of his long winter.

For the first time, he clearly saw the one who gave him that answer.

“You are truly wise, Duke.”

“…Pardon?”

Aston smiled brightly, like a flower in full bloom.

The answer he had waited for.

‘I think… perhaps I….’

In his heart, a flower named Elizabeth bloomed.

It was the beginning of a late spring love.

 

 

****

 

 

 

I just gave him a sweet chocolate bar and some basic comfort anyone could say…

“You are truly wise, Duke.”

“…Pardon?”

And now the Grand Duke of Whitewood was calling me wise.

He smiled like a rose in full bloom—so beautiful I thought my heart would stop.

‘Whoa. A handsome man looks even prettier when he smiles.’

My eyes were about to go blind from the blessing.

Barely holding back my flustered thoughts, I said,

“…Me?”

No way.

I’ve never thought I was particularly smart in my life, so his words sounded completely off.

‘Is he teasing me…?’

No, we’re not close enough for that.

While I stood there confused, Zero poked my cheek.

“Hey, this, this is…!”

“This is what?”

“This is definitely cou—”

“Didn’t you say not to even say the ‘cou’ from couple look in front of you?”

Zero froze and started muttering to himself.

“No, this time my instincts are sure… But if that clueless idiot… If I fail another stock investment… I won’t survive… Aaaagh!”

“What is it?”

You’re making me so curious.

When I pressed him, he finally blurted,

“I-I want cu-cus-custard pudding!”

“…Right now?”

“I’m hungry. Haha…”

“At this rate, aren’t you going to turn into a pig hamster? Do you know how many calories are in desserts? You’re already round enough to roll.”

“No! My round body is perfect!”

Zero shouted sharply,

“It’s a premium body designed to maximize cuteness! Don’t insult it!”

“Premium body, sure… When we get back, you’re going on a diet.”

“N-no!”

Too bad. You are.