But just a little while ago, he had given off the impression that he might grant any request Rachel made.
So if she really found herself backed into a corner,
“…Would it be all right to ask him for help?”
In her previous life, he had been so cruel to her.
It felt strange to see how much their relationship had changed. She should put off asking him for help until the very last moment.
Besides, even if her problems were resolved, getting closer to Nathan Valencia was something she needed to think about carefully.
She didn’t know what might happen in the future, but he was someone who had witnessed her suspicious behavior from close by.
…She was also worried that, given the right circumstances, he might discover her <Regression>.
If that happened, his current gentle attitude would disappear without a trace.
The moment he learned that she had been the wife of the fake heir and had changed her life through Regression, that man would become her enemy again.
Would he be cruel to her once more, just as he had been in her previous life?
“…”
Rachel was slowly blinking as she stared out the window at the dark evening scenery when—
Clatter!
“Ah…!”
The carriage suddenly came to an abrupt stop. Rachel nearly fell forward, but managed to regain her balance and turned toward the window.
Normally, Sir Hoffman would have rushed over to report what had happened.
But outside, all she could hear was commotion. And the moment she realized she could hear faint metallic sounds cutting through the darkness—
“…”
Rachel knew instinctively.
It was an assassination attempt. There was no doubt about who was behind it.
They had abandoned her so decisively just a week after her marriage in her previous life. Why would they be any different now?
If anything surprised her, it was that they had acted a little earlier than expected. Rachel was currently riding in a guest carriage bearing the imperial flag.
Attacking this carriage would be considered a challenge to the imperial family. If they were caught, even the Ingrave family would not escape unharmed.
Were they confident they wouldn’t get caught?
“…”
Rachel continued staring out the dark window. Tiny sparks, occasional shouts, and groans faintly reached her ears.
Am I going to die here?
But the moment she thought that, she felt a surge of resentment.
She had only just managed to live something close to a peaceful life.
And now, her life was being taken away from her like this once again. This was truly the last thing Rachel wanted.
If that happened—
I have to regress before that happens.
She didn’t know how much desperation was needed to activate the <Regression> ability.
But the more she thought about the past, the more desperate she seemed to become.
If she could go back one more time,
she might actually be able to live a little better than she was living now. She wouldn’t have to deal with either the emperor or Nathan Valencia.
Knock, knock.
Just then, a knock that seemed completely out of place in this situation rang out. Rachel slowly parted her lips.
“Who is it?”
“…It’s me, Sister.”
Her eyes widened for a moment.
Then Rachel slowly reached out and opened the carriage door. In the darkness around her, she saw familiar blond hair, a youthful face, and blue eyes.
“May I come in for a moment?”
“…”
She looked around without saying a word.
Behind her younger brother, who looked somewhat haggard, people wearing Valencia’s distinctive knights’ uniforms were moving about. And then—
“…!”
Rachel spotted a familiar face among them.
Nathan Valencia.
He held a sword in his hand. At his gestures, a group of bound men were being led away.
“…What’s going on?”
Rachel stared blankly down at her younger brother.
“I’ll explain once I’m inside. Please get in first, Sister.”
At Illya’s urging, she returned to the carriage. The door shut with a click.
Illya sat across from her and drew the curtains to keep their conversation from being overheard. Then, in a calm voice, he explained the situation.
“Our parents were planning to attack you while disguised as remnants from the North. I was going to hire a mercenary group to stop them, but Duke Valencia came to see me. He already knew everything our parents and I had been doing, and he asked me what my true intentions were.”
“…”
It made sense that Nathan Valencia was keeping a close eye on her independence, perhaps because he felt indebted to her.
But the real question was Illya.
“How did you find out about all this?”
“I used the deputy butler to keep an eye on the head butler. As you know, Sister, our parents trust the head butler. So I thought that if they were planning something, they would act through him.”
“…”
Rachel’s expression turned strange. Illya continued carefully.
“Anyway, I told the Duke that I wanted to bring our parents down. I also said that perhaps you could become the next marquis. Of course, you might not want to become the Marquis of Ingrave…”
Illya trailed off, then added in a small voice,
“I thought you could act as the regent until I came of age. Whatever happens, our parents’ downfall is now all but certain, so you won’t have to suffer anymore. Duke Valencia has already gathered all the evidence. And since the attackers were caught right at the scene, all we have to do is report everything to His Majesty—”
“What’s gotten into you?”
Rachel had listened quietly until she could no longer hold back and interrupted him. Even after growing up, and even after Rachel married, Illya had always been devoted to his sister. But his family and parents had still come first.
Yet the younger brother before her now seemed not to care what happened to the family at all.
“I… You know that I’m leaving the family now. I’m cutting ties with them, too. You can’t say you didn’t know that.”
“I know.”
“Then you also know that I’ll have nothing to do with the Ingrave family anymore. So shouldn’t you be choosing what is best for your parents and your family, rather than for me—”
“No. This time, I absolutely won’t do that.”
“…?”
Rachel looked dazed, unable to understand him for a moment. Illya continued firmly.
“I know what you’re planning to do, Sister. I had already guessed it when you first took the maids and knights with you. Back then, I wanted you to be able to live peacefully without our parents tormenting you anymore. But our parents still tried to hurt you in the end—”
His clear eyes turned toward her.
“I couldn’t accept that. So now, you’re my only family. Because, to me, family should never treat one another that way.”
“…”
It was a conclusion she had never expected.
Suddenly, she remembered how old her younger brother was.
Thirteen.
The last time she had seen him in her previous life, he had been eighteen. He would have been an adult by then, active in court and high society.
Was Illya placing more value on family than on the household simply because he hadn’t reached that age yet?
“…”
“I worked really hard to prepare for today. So please don’t worry anymore, Sister. Our parents will never—”
“Why?”
“…Pardon?”
Why?
Every time she looked at her younger brother, she had felt uneasy. She remembered what he had done.
And because she never knew when he might do it again, she had kept him at a distance.
But why were you—
“…”
Illya quietly met her gaze, then moved closer and knelt before her. By then, he had gently taken one of Rachel’s hands in both of his.
“…I know this must be confusing for you. But my decision won’t change. I’ve thought about this a lot. And I’ve come to the conclusion that what they’re doing is wrong. I will never betray you again, Sister.”
He smiled brightly.
“So please, watch me, Sister. You might hate me, and I understand that. But I’ll wait until the day you can forgive me.”
“…”
He spoke as though he knew something, even though he knew nothing at all. For a moment, Rachel felt warmth gathering at the corners of her eyes.
Had she given up too soon?
Perhaps there had been room for things to change after all. If she hadn’t grown up under her parents’ care after her marriage,
would her younger brother have avoided abandoning her, just as he had in her previous life?
The change felt unfamiliar, yet it also seemed as though one of the thorns lodged in her heart had finally come loose. Illya pressed his lips tightly together and tightened his grip on her hand.
“…I’m not too late, am I?”
“…No.”
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