There was no trace of the former Duchess of Valencia anywhere.
The estate had been decorated with trees, shrubs, and statues rather than flowers, and a tall platform had even been erected between the main building and the fountain for the succession ceremony.
If not for the golden rings hanging here and there and the Valencia flags bearing a dragon curled into a coil, one could have believed they had come to another family’s estate.
But even so.
‘She came after all.’
……That fact did nothing to change the truth that this was a tiresome relationship of ill fate.
A great number of nobles had already gathered around the platform. Just as Rachel was about to disappear into the crowd, her mother grabbed her arm.
“Let’s go together. We should go greet the young master of Valencia in a little while, shouldn’t we?”
“……”
The smile on her mother’s face, beautiful as a painting, conveyed a determination that would never give up. In the end, Rachel was dragged around by the Marchioness, greeting people first. The first person to welcome them was the Duchess of Cardier.
“Oh my, Marchioness of Ingrave, Lady Ingrave.”
“Hello, Duchess of Cardier.”
The Cardier family was one of the three great ducal families, along with Valencia and Labelyn.
This generation’s heir to Cardier was also famous for accumulating considerable wealth after awakening the family’s ability, 「Appraisal」.
It could determine the authenticity of all kinds of artworks, relics, ores, and documents, as well as verify bloodlines.
The heir of the Cardier family must have participated in verifying the fake young master incident as well.
Just as she had before the regression.
The Duchess of Cardier smiled at Rachel like sweet sugar.
“Are you beginning to participate in social activities now? I was actually quite disappointed because I hadn’t seen Lady Ingrave, only the Marchioness, all this time.”
“……That’s kind of you to say.”
Perhaps it was because Cae Savanio, who had been little more than Rachel’s rival in high society, had fallen so far.
The Duchess of Cardier was unusually friendly today. In fact, it wasn’t just the Duchess of Cardier.
“Oh my, Lady Ingrave!”
“My goodness, how long has it been? Come over here.”
“How have you been? You’ve become even more beautiful since the last time I saw you, Lady.”
The Marchioness of Aslan, who had just arrived, the Marchioness of Tauren who approached afterward, and even the Countess of Bordice.
They all welcomed Valencia’s benefactor and the prospective daughter-in-law who had newly appeared on the scene.
They were not people Rachel particularly enjoyed seeing. After all, they were all people she had seen at the Great Hall that day.
Although she felt somewhat uncomfortable, Rachel, who had experienced more than enough by now, merely smiled pleasantly. As she exchanged greetings and looked around, she noticed that the three families she had once selected as marriage candidates were nowhere to be seen.
‘Well, this is a position far too prestigious for them.’
Among the three ducal families that had now become the Three Great Houses, the difference in power between Valencia and a viscount or baron family was simply too vast.
As proof of that, only the heavyweights among the counts and above had gathered here—people who possessed proper bloodlines, influence, and power.
Even if those families had come, they probably wouldn’t have been able to approach her because of Mother.
Rachel was reluctantly withdrawing her gaze when—
“……Ah.”
Someone caught her attention.
Aisha Labelyn.
The woman, as radiant as a spring flower, was surrounded by nobles and smiling brightly.
“……”
Rachel had heard the news of her return long ago. But seeing her in person made Rachel’s face stiffen slightly.
The Duchess of Cardier keenly noticed Rachel’s gaze and smiled.
“You were looking at Lady Aisha Labelyn, weren’t you? She returned not long ago. Did you know?”
“She came back so quietly that it was quite surprising. Well, there was such a huge incident at the time that even the return of Olsher’s Flower was bound to be overshadowed.”
“I heard she succeeded in controlling her ability? Once she becomes accustomed to handling magic, she’ll soon be recognized as a great mage.”
“She truly has a smooth road ahead of her. Lady Aisha might even become the next Grand Duchess. Of course, for now, she is still the more likely candidate for Empress.”
“Hmm.”
Her mother cleared her throat and looked at Aisha Labelyn somewhat displeasingly. Her gaze was almost as though she regarded Aisha as a rival.
‘There’s no need for that.’
Through 「Record」, Rachel knew Aisha Labelyn’s life well.
After overcoming a few hardships, she would become a great mage.
And in the end, she would become Empress and even win the love she desired—a happy life.
“……”
Although the incident that was supposed to happen five years later had been brought forward and resolved, there would probably not be any major changes to Aisha Labelyn’s life.
The person who occupied the greatest portion of her life was the Emperor, after all.
Of course, with the present having changed so much, there was no way to know whether the peculiar events recorded in 「Record」 would still occur exactly as written.
In any case, since Aisha Labelyn was in love with the Emperor, the chances of her marrying Nathan Valencia were almost nonexistent.
……Rachel wasn’t sure what use there was in recalling this information right now.
As Rachel swallowed a sigh and turned her gaze away, their eyes met for an instant.
Before the regression, Aisha had been an unmarried young lady while Rachel had been a married noblewoman, so they had had no connection.
After the regression, Aisha had only just returned from the Magic Tower, so there had been no opportunity for them to form a connection either.
And yet.
“……”
“……”
Those orange-colored eyes staring straight at her had something strangely chilling about them.
Rachel remembered occasionally exchanging greetings with Aisha before the regression.
‘Her eyes definitely weren’t like that.’
Could something have happened on this side?
Since Rachel had resolved the fake young master incident early, perhaps something had changed as a result.
At that moment, the sound of a bell rang out long and clear.
Clang, clang—
The succession ceremony was beginning. Rachel finally broke eye contact and turned her head toward the platform.
At noon, with the sun hanging at its highest point in the sky, the current Duke of Valencia stood atop the platform and declared,
“Under the name of His Majesty Emperor Terrius Rogdan di Olsher, the one and only sun of the Olsher Empire, I hereby commence the succession ceremony for the title of Duke of Valencia.”
The Duke raised a scroll bearing the symbol of the Imperial Family high into the air.
“Nathan Valencia, Young Duke, step forward.”
Rachel stared at the back of the man ascending the platform.
He wore an elaborate formal uniform of white embroidered with gold, along with a red cloak that draped from one shoulder all the way down the steps.
With an air of elegance and dignity ingrained into his every movement, he now looked every bit the nobleman.
Before the regression, he had become refined, but he had never carried himself with such a distinctly aristocratic air.
“……”
While Rachel slowly blinked, the succession ceremony proceeded swiftly. The Duke handed Nathan two heirlooms.
One was said to be the sword wielded by the first Duke of Valencia, and the other was an orb engraved with the symbol of Valencia.
The Duke’s voice rang out to the very end of the garden.
“Under the approval of His Majesty Emperor Terrius Rogdan di Olsher, the fifteenth Emperor of the Olsher Empire, I, Lapol Valencia, Duke of Valencia, hereby declare that I have passed the title of Duke of Valencia to Nathan Valencia.”
Five years earlier than before the regression.
The birth of the new Duke of Valencia.
Applause and a shower of flowers scattered across the platform. Rachel quietly watched the scene before lowering her gaze.
Had it been like this back then, too?
Before the regression, while she was imprisoned, Rachel could almost imagine the sight of the succession ceremony Nathan Valencia must have undergone.
Everyone must have celebrated and enjoyed themselves just as they were now.
While she withered away in a barren underground prison in the north.
Outside, time must have continued to flow as it always did.
For some reason, it felt as though she were being dragged back into the past once again.
“……”
I shouldn’t have come.
Just then, her arm was suddenly pulled.
It was her mother.
“Rachel. The new Duke of Valencia is coming down. Let’s go greet him as well.”
“……”
Rachel was silently dragged along by the Marchioness. Amid all the nobles surrounding Duke Nathan and offering their congratulations, her father and Illya were there as well.
Her father bowed politely.
“Your Grace, congratulations on your succession to the title. My wife and daughter must have come to offer their greetings as well. Ah, there they are.”
At that moment, Nathan’s gaze turned toward them. Rachel immediately looked away from the red eyes that met her head-on.
Red eyes, cold and dark like congealed blood.
For some reason, they felt even more unsettling today. Without saying a word, he slowly looked Rachel up and down from head to toe. At last, his gaze stopped on the hand of the Marchioness, which was gripping Rachel’s arm tightly.
For an instant, a look of understanding passed across his face.
Her mother, who had somehow managed to drag Rachel all the way in front of him, smiled brightly and offered her greeting.
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