Completed ― Miss Loop, Whose Engagement Had Been Broken Off, Decided to Give Up This Time

Chapter 1

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There is a flaw between reality and fantasy.

Can a world created from a bug become reality?

Perhaps it depends on one’s own thoughts.

How can it happen?

“Lumina. I will break off my engagement with you.”

says the Crown Prince of this country, His Highness Stephen, coolly to her.

How many times have I heard this line?

His Highness Stephan’s blue eyes stare at me with hatred.

Why doesn’t he love me?

I have looped my life from the age of ten to the age of eighteen, over and over again.

And in the end, it always ends up breaking off the engagement like this.

At first, I was very arrogant, thinking that I was the only one who could be engaged to the Crown Prince and that I would be the Crown Princess.

So I kept those who disturbed him in check and lived my days arrogantly.

And then the engagement was broken.

My sister Sophie, whose eyes are moist, is seated beside the Crown Prince.

After the same thing happened again and again in my first and subsequent lives, the engagement was broken off, and I corrected my character and tried again and again.

And yet, in the end, he always breaks off the engagement.

I try to be nice, but it doesn’t work.

Admonishment is pointless.

It’s no use to play the role of the calm and collected lady.

No matter how hard I try, His Highness Stephan loves my sister, who is as lovely as a flower.

No matter how hard I try.

No matter how much I tell His Highness Stephan how much I love him, in the end, he loves my sister Sophie, not me.

He won’t look at me.

Looking up at His Highness Stephan, who has broken off his engagement in front of me, I deliver my final words, which I have answered several times.

“I have loved you, Stephan… I wish you happiness.”

The next moment, the world goes dark and I am lying on the soft bed again.

I stretch my hands out in front of me and see the same little hands I’ve seen so many times before.

I ask myself, why.

Why can’t he love me?

I cover my face with my little hands and cry.”

(Hiccup)… Fuuee…”

Children are allowed to cry, right?

I don’t like it anymore.

I’m sick and tired of not being loved.”

I don’t… know… anything… about his Highness Stephan.”

I mumbled and wiped away my tears.

Yes, that’s right.

I guess it was fate.

For the umpteenth time in a loop, I finally accept my fate.

His Highness Stephan does not love me.

His Highness Stephan’s destiny is with Sophie.

Therefore, His Highness Stephan will never love me.

I kept whispering this in my heart, as if to convince myself.

So let’s stop trying.

Let’s stop trying to be loved.

His Highness Stephan will never love me anyway.

I opened my eyes, got off the bed, and walked out onto the balcony and held my palms up to the sky.

“I don’t love his highness anymore. He’s such a cheater. I will never love him again!”

Dozens of times, I gave him my heart.

Dozens of times I have tried.

And yet the man who never returned my love, who neglected me, his fiancée, and loved my sister.

Love turns into hatred in me.

“I don’t love His Highness anymore. I’ll give up on his highness and look for the man of my destiny!”

Duchess Lumina Larache had taken the oath as she watched the morning sun rise into the sky, and had begun her life praying that the loop would end this time.

Chapter 2

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The tea party for Prince Stephan’s potential fiancée takes place the day after Lumina turns ten.

In other words, the day before, 18-year-old Lumina broke off her engagement, and the next day, 10-year-old Lumina attended a tea party where potential fiancees for Stephan were gathered.

Normally, Lumina would be declared the Crown Prince’s fiancée.

Lumina was chosen as the fiancee because of her same age and because she would help the Crown Prince become more important by getting the Dukes’ support for Stephan.

It was, above all, Lumina’s strong wish.

This had always been the case until now.

But this time, Lumina is different.

Lumina sighed a little as she watched the maids preparing her for the tea party.

Sophie, her sister, who is two years younger, was not allowed to attend the tea party today.

Sophie’s father, Edwin, had decided she was too young to attend the tea party.

Lumina, who has spent her life in a loop many times, knows that Vivian, Edwin’s current wife and Sophie’s mother, did not agree with this decision.

Vivian believes that Sophie is the right fiancée for Prince Stephen.

That is why Vivian dresses Sophie up and takes her to the royal castle as an escort when she was supposed to stay at home.

Sophie and Stephan then have a fateful encounter.

No matter how many times you interrupt them, they will meet.

So Lumina has no intention of interfering this time.

Lumina, who had beautiful golden hair tied up in a lovely way and wore a shiny butterfly hair ornament, decided.

——Let’s do what we’ve been holding back all this time.

Lumina’s light purple eyes sparkle as she decides to give up on Stephan.

As she and her family were being driven to the castle, Sophie looked around and smiled adorably.

For the first time, she thought Sophie was adorable.

——I had always hated Sophie.

——Sophie is unconditionally loved by His Highness Stephen.

——I envied her for that.

But now that she has given up on Stephan, Sophie has become just a sister to Lumina.

“Have fun, Sophie.”

Sophie smiled and nodded merrily.

Sophie’s brought her to despair many times.

But she had done terrible things to Sophie many times too.

I’m sure I’m the villainess in her mind.

Then I’m sure it’s mutual.

As I thought about it, I felt something drop into my heart.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Lumina gazed out of the window at the Royal Castle and thought she had never been so calm in a carriage before.

Chapter 3

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The gleaming ladies are gathered in the hall.

Even though they are all around ten years old, they act as if they are adults and try their best to chat with each other.

Lumina looks at them with a smile, then grabs a piece of the pastry on the table.

This tea party, which has been repeated dozens of times, has always been in Lumina’s mind.

All the sweets and cakes on the table must be delicious.

But Lumina, who had worked so hard to win over Stephan, could not afford to be distracted by the sweets and cakes.

Even though she is a strong fiancee candidate, Lumina thought she would not have been recognized without her putting in much effort.

But that is no longer the case.

——I’ve given up, so I’m free now.

Lumina smiled and followed the girls’ conversation with a smile as she slid the cake back into her mouth.

All the sweets are delicious, and because they are small in size, they go straight into her stomach.

More than that, Lumina became addicted to the infinite variety of sweet and salty foods. This made her want to eat everything.

It was then that…

Stephan appeared in the hall and greeted the ladies with a smile as he went from seat to seat.

Stephan finally appeared at Lumina’s table with a perfect princely smile.

Golden, silky hair, eyes like the blue sea.

Attracted by his gentle personality, Lumina fell in love with him dozens of times.

However, there is not a drop left in Lumina’s heart to love him anymore.

One after another, the girls greeted him with rapt attention, and finally it was Lumina’s turn.

Normally, the duchess would have been the first to greet the prince on such an occasion, but Lumina dared not do so. At the end, she gave him a brief, expressionless greeting.

“I am Duchess Lumina Larache. Thank you for inviting me here today.”

The ladies sitting with her looked at Lumina with a startled expression.

They had free seats and were conversing, but they had no idea that Lumina, who was not part of the conversation, was the duchess of a ducal family.

Stephen’s eyes widened slightly, but he soon returned to his usual smile.

“You must be Miss Lumina. I’m delighted to meet you. I hope you’re enjoying the tea party.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The conversation doesn’t last long, and Stephan looks a little troubled.

Supposedly so.

The royals have probably already decided that Lumina is their first choice for a fiancée.

The current Lumina would have seemed so objectively.

This time, Lumina has no intention of becoming Stephen’s fiancée.

So she simply told him.

“I sincerely hope you will find a wonderful fiancee.”

“That’s…Thank you.”

Stephan had an indescribable look on his face, but Lumina grabbed the sweet as if the conversation was over and put it back in her mouth.

Chapter 4

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Stephan then goes around to greet the others and is now surrounded by several ladies.

Most of them are daughters of important noble families, and a few of them may have enough support.

Thinking so, Lumina stopped and rubbed her stomach to see if she had eaten too much.

“Let’s take a short walk.”

As expected, Lumina, who was tired of looking at Stephan here, decided to walk to relieve her stomach and went to the garden of the royal castle.

Lumina looked around the Royal Garden.

The garden was like a maze, but Lumina knew her way around and did not get lost.

And then it happened.

Suddenly she heard a sniffling cry, and Lumina slowly moved on to find a boy rubbing his eyes and sniffing to hold back his tears in front of the fountain.

♦As I stared at who it was, there was Sharon, a man close to Stephan who was expected to succeed the next prime minister.

Though still young, Lumina thought it was probably him, but was shocked to find that he was crying with all the stern, well-built expressions she had met so many times in his previous life.

That brusque man is crying.

Lumina was shocked and reminded of her previous life.

He had always been a fair man.

He chastised Stephan for his growing attraction to Sophie, and he also chastised Lumina for her nefarious behavior.

He was fair all the way to the end, right up until the moment he called off the engagement, and she was struck by his complaint that the Crown Prince should not condemn the daughter at a party like this.

Always impartial.

Deadpan.

A man of good stature who aspires to be prime minister and is likely to be popular with the ladies if not for his expressionless face.

Lumina is surprised to see him crying and walks up to him with a handkerchief in her hand.

“Well, if you don’t mind, may I help you?”

Sharon’s shoulders shook at the sudden voice and he looked at Lumina with reddened eyes.

Sharon Dandoa, son of the Duke of Dandoa, the current Prime Minister.

Lumina hands a handkerchief to Sharon, who stiffens up, thinking inwardly that Sharon was so cute as a child.

Sharon rolls his eyes and immediately blushes. He takes the handkerchief and hastily wipes the tears from his eyes.

“I am Lumina Larache from the ducal family. Is something wrong?”

Sharon blushed and said shyly.

“I’m Sharon Dandoa. Well… I’m lost… I’ve been wandering for quite some time… I’m sorry to appear so pathetic…”

Lumina was a little surprised by these words and smiled.

“This garden is like a maze, isn’t it?”

“Y-Yes. I’m supposed to accompany His Highness, but I got lost… What about you?”

“I was just taking a walk in the garden. If you like, I can show you the way out.”

“Eh? You know the way out?”

Lumina nodded.

His surprised expression was adorable.

“This way, please.”

As Lumina started to leave, Sharon hurried after her. They effortlessly made their way near the tea party.

“You’re amazing!”

His smile surprised Lumina inwardly, and then an unexpectedly voice calls out to her.

“Miss Sharon, where have you been!”

Though inwardly unwilling to engage, the owner of the voice approaches.

“Your Highness. I’m sorry.”

Lumina wonders how she can rid Stephan, who appears on the scene.

Chapter 5

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“Hey, are you… Miss Lumina? Why are you here?”

Stephan tilted his head and stared at Lumina.

“Well, actually, I got lost in the garden, and then she helped me.”

Sharon said shyly, and Stephan smiled at him and asked,

“How could she help you the first time she came here when you still felt lost in the garden yourself? And why did you go into the garden? We’re in the middle of a tea party, aren’t we?”

“I was a little tired of the crowd, so I went to the garden. It’s not that difficult to go back the way I came.”

Sharon is surprised to see Lumina’s atmosphere, which is so different from before, and Stephan smiles at her.

“Fufu. That’s great. But it was good to see you. I wanted to talk to you some more.”

The words gave Lumina a bad feeling, and she waited for Stephan’s words with a slight wrinkle on her brow. But Stephan held out his arm and gave her a look that said he would escort her.

Lumina couldn’t refuse, and trying not to let out a sigh, put her hand on Stephan’s arm and they walked back to the tea party.

Sharon followed them from behind, and Lumina wished she had gone home quickly.

There was an empty seat at the top of the venue, and Stephan led Lumina there and asked her to sit down.

This seat was in full view of the venue, and the piercing eyes of the ladies were painful.

Lumina is almost ready to say out loud, ‘If you were staring at me so hard, I would change seats.’

“What does his highness want to talk about?”

“I’ve wanted to talk to Miss Lumina for a long time. Because she’s my first choice as a fiancée, isn’t she?”

Lumina thought about these words thoughtfully and replied to him without smiling.

“Yes, that’s right. I think I would be one of them.”

“You say that with a hint of sarcasm.”

“His Highness is right… Then I have a proposal for you.”

Stephan smiles in amusement, tilts his head and asks thoughtfully.

“What is it?”

But Lumina’s words, which Stephan had been waiting for, were so far above Stephan’s thoughts that he couldn’t help but gape.

“Why don’t you wait until you’re 18 years old to see your fiancée with your own eyes?”

Stephan froze at these unexpected words.

Chapter 6

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A queen’s education is not something that can be acquired overnight.

That’s why the Crown Prince must be engaged to a girl from a house that will support him as soon as possible.

Lumina knows that, but she thinks so.

She believed that he should not have a fiancée before he met Sophie, as she would be ruined from an early age by the love between him and Sophie when she began her education.

——If I had done that from the beginning, I wouldn’t have had to hurt myself over and over again.

Stephan turns serious at Lumina’s words and says it in a quiet tone.

“It will be difficult. I will need support to become Crown Prince, and my fiance would need to attend the Queen’s education as early as possible.

“…I don’t think so”

“What?”

“With the exception of First Prince Stephen, the second prince, Riddick is the son of a concubine and three years younger than His Highness Stephan. Isn’t it okay as long as he doesn’t have a strong fiancee? And, in terms of the queen’s education, if your fiancee is a good lady, she should be able to begin at the age of 18.”

At Lumina’s words, Stephan’s eyes glowed dully.

“It’s simple to say. There is nothing better than deciding on an engagement early on to become the crown prince, and the queen’s education is very important… Maybe it’s not that difficult. I don’t think it’s that simple, is it?”

“What does Your Highness know about the queen’s education? I said she would be ready on time, but I never said it wouldn’t be difficult.”

“Huh?”

Stephan was startled by Lumina’s suddenly stern tone.

He felt intimidated, as if he were being warned by his mother herself.

“That’s… But you don’t know, do you?”

“I know. Much more than His Highness.”

At these provocative words, Stephan wrinkled his brow and said,

“Oh? How about this? If you think you understand the Queen’s education, then tell me.”

At these words, something slowly ignited in Lumina’s heart.

Stephen always brags that Sophie would be ready for the queen’s education when the time came to break off their engagement.

It is true that a brilliant lady can be educated from the age of 18.

However, Lumina thinks it’s a delicate point when asked if Sophie can start the Queen’s Education at the age of 18.

And Stephan said it with confidence.

‘She will make it.’

For the first time, Lumina smiles at Stephan.

“Yes, If I may be so bold, Lumina would like to teach his highness what the Queen’s is all about. In return, may I ask you to grant me a wish?”

“…What is it?”

“If his highness thinks his thoughts are shallow, please admit it.”

“How?! What is that supposed to mean?”

“His Highness was disrespectful earlier. He said that the queen’s education was not difficult. How shallow it is to make light of it without knowing its true meaning.”

Stephan said, with a bitter expression on his face.

“Fine, then I will admit my mistake.”

Lumina stood up and bowed her head in a beautiful way when she heard these words.

“Do not forget those words. Now, as for the date, please let me know when His Highness has time. I will be there whenever you want. Oh, and I have one more request.”

“Is there any more?”

“It would be my pleasure if Sharon-sama could attend the Queen’s education. Two people might cause unwanted speculation.”

“…I understand.”

After that, Lumina left the tea party, and the party ended a short time later.

At that point, there was no announcement of the fiancee, and Lumina would receive a letter of invitation from Stephan at a later date.

Chapter 7

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As she is being rocked in the carriage on the way to the royal castle, she is reminded of what the queen’s education is all about.

In the Kingdom of Ringdon, the Queen is supposed to be noble, virtuous, and a symbol of womanhood.

Although she does not know about the kinds of education in neighboring countries, Lumina has been educated as a queen in dozens of loops and has mastered it so well that there is nothing that she does not already know.

That’s why she was annoyed that Stephan didn’t understand the queen’s education properly.

She can’t help thinking that he had no idea what he was talking about when he said that Sophie could do it at a later age in life.

——Then I would tell you.

Lumina was burning with the desire to instill in his soul the kind of things that go on in the queen’s education.

Once at the castle, the butler showed Lumina the way, and she entered the library, where she had been told to go.

The smell of books is in the air, and Lumina exhales heavily as she bows over to Stephan and Sharon on the sofa.

“Thank you for inviting me today.”

“Oh, today is the appointed day. Miss Lumina will teach us about the Queen’s education. Oh, and please allow me to have a maid of honor with me today so she can judge whether the education you claim is correct.”

With that, the woman in her late thirties who had been standing beside Stephan took a step forward.

“I am Alma, the queen’s handmaiden. It is my honor to be here today to observe.”

Lumina held back her eyes from widening for a moment and smiled gracefully.

“Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule. I look forward to working with you today.”

Alma appears to be a quiet handmaiden. But she was the handmaiden who was at Stephen’s mother, Cynthia,’s, disposal when she received her Queen’s training. She is an extremely capable individual who is aware of the most gruesome details and is able to air her grievances to her.

Surely, Alma would know every detail of the Queen’s education.

This would leave no way for Stephan to escape.

Lumina smiles happily and, with the help of a few maidservants, pulls out a stack of books from the bookshelf and piles them up in front of her.

“H-Hey. What’s going on all of a sudden?”

Lumina replied with a smile.

“I thought I’d show you the Queen’s education books that are only enough to fit on the desk.”

“What?”

“It’s easier to understand if you see it in quantity. Fufu, it’s not even a tenth of what we have here.”

The long desk in front of Stephan already has a pile of books.

Both Stephan and Sharon were staring at this scene with their mouths wide open.

Chapter 8

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“Stop, please.”

At Stephan’s words, Lumina leaned her head slightly and saw Stephan kneeling on the spot and turning pale.

Sharon was beside him, also pale and on his knees.

“Well, it’s still the Queen’s Education, “Posture,” Volume 2, Chapter 1. This will continue in Chapter 10.”

Stephan looked up at Lumina as if he were looking at a monster and shook his head repeatedly.

“By posture alone… I can’t believe that the posture of drinking tea, or the posture of dancing, or the posture of being in a posture, has lasted for ten chapters… Impossible.”

“No, this is just the basic posture, and there are more volumes to come, until the fifth.”

“No! No way…”

“Your Highness, This is about the basic attitude up to the fifth volume. And I intend to continue with my lessons.”

“Wait. “Wait a minute.”

“But… we haven’t even gotten a tenth of what the queen’s education is all about.”

At the swift white flag, Lumina exhaled deeply—deeply disappointedly, urging Stephan and Sharon to sit in their chairs and asking the maid to make them tea.

They both took a sip of tea, and their complexions returned a little.

It has been less than four hours since they talked about the queen’s education, and they both seem glum.

Lumina sighed helplessly, took a sip of tea, and said quietly.

“In other words, there are different types of the queen’s education: the queen’s education, posture, manners, speech, movements, and languages are based on more than five languages, as well as ceremonial manners, formal dress, and other details in the neighboring countries. In addition, at each ceremony, the palace decor and menu are reviewed, and instructions are given for preparing balls and tea parties, dealing with the nobles, and exchanging information. I only know the training of the queen’s education in this kingdom, but I believe that if His Majesty the King is the protector of the country, the Queen is the link between the castle and the nobility.”

Stephan exhaled as he admired Lumina, who drank tea beautifully in good posture while talking.

“You are… amazing.”

“Huh?”

“No, I thought I was trying my best to become the crown prince, but… I guess I was wrong. I’ll admit that I underestimated the queen’s education and apologize here. Thank you, Miss Lumina, for making me realize.”

Lumina felt a tingle in her chest as Stephan looked her straight in the eye.

For the very first time

For the first time, Stephan recognized her.

That made Lumina happy.

But not what Stephan said next.

“You are the right lady to be my fiancée. Please be my fiancée.”

“…I would refuse to do so unless His Majesty the King ordered me to.”

Stephan and Sharon’s eyes were wide open in surprise.

Chapter 9

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With a beautiful, yet chilling smile, Lumina said.

“Your Highness, in time, the lady of your dreams will appear. Please wait until you are eighteen before deciding on a fiancee.”

When she rejected the offer, Stephan wrinkled his brow and said,

“The lady of my dreams? What do you mean? I just asked you to be my fiancée, didn’t I?”

“Therefore, I am not your destined lady, Your Highness.”

“What a destined lady? Do you think royalty is guided by romantic feelings?”

The next moment, Lumina stood up and slammed the desk, causing Stephan and Sharon to roll their eyes at her rising anger.

“Your Highness,…Please shut your mouth.”

Lumina was hurling a string of invectives at them in her mind.

——Who the one said that?

——Did you take it for granted? With which mouth do you think a royal family member moves with romantic feelings?

——Hahaha!

——It’s you!

——You left your fiancée for love, and now you’re telling me royalty is not guided by romantic feelings?”

——And breaking my engagement?!

Sharon rushes to Lumina’s side and gently pats her on the back.

Her face is flushed with rage as she notices the noise in her head becoming louder.

“H-Hey, are you okay? Your face is turning red. Take your time, you know, breathe slowly, don’t push yourself too hard.”

Sharon’s calm voice made Lumina feel a little calmer.

Sharon then gave a cup of tea to Lumina, who was starting to calm down.

“Take a sip. I’ve also prepared some sweets for you, Miss Lumina.”

Sharon ordered the maidservant to prepare the sweets, then smiled and said,

“You like sweets, don’t you? Come on, take your time, let’s have a little rest.”

Lumina held back the tears that were threatening to well up in her eyes at the sound of his gentle voice.

——I’m not going to cry here.

She would never cry in front of Stephan.

She bit her lip and held it in, then put the cookie in her mouth and chewed it slowly as if savoring it.

The sweetness spreads in her mouth and gradually calms her down.

“How is it? Isn’t it delicious?I really like the sweets here.”

“Yes, they are very delicious.”

Sharon smiled happily and ate the pastries with him.

“Fufu… Sharon-sama has a sweet tooth too. I never knew that before.”

“Ah… I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone. My father says that since I’m going to be the next prime minister, I should learn to be expressionless!”

“Eh? Fufu. So that’s what this is all about…”

Lumina smiled, relieved that Sharon was here, and turned to Stephan.

“I’ve shown you something embarrassing. I’m sorry, your Highness.”

“…No, it’s okay.”

Lumina’s look may have made it difficult for him to say anything about fiancee related subjects.

He never talked about it after that.

“Miss Lumina…”

“Yes?”

Stephan called Lumina’s name one last time, as if stalling, then turned his head and shook it.

“No, it’s nothing.”

After a short conversation, the meeting was over, and Lumina was taken home in the bumpy carriage.

After coming home, she fell into bed, exhaled heavily, and fell asleep like mud.

Chapter 10

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At the castle, Stephan plunked down on his desk and asked.

“Alma… how was Miss Lumina’s education?”

While she was making a new cup of tea, Alma said something that made her happy.

“I was under the impression that she was a lady who had completed her education as the queen. She is still very young, but she has such a refined attitude and wealth of knowledge… Is she really the same age as His Highness? “

“Yes.”

“She must be a genius. Before she left, I had to give her a little test, if I may say so. I was completely defeated. Brilliant return. I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but she mastered the Queen’s education perfectly without having received it. How she learned it is a mystery.”

He never thought that Alma, who was supposed to be strict, would praise someone so much.

Sharon smiles at the stunned Stephan.

“Your Highness, you lost, didn’t you?”

“Stop using polite language.”

“Heh. I get it. But what the hell did Stephan do? Obviously, Miss Lumina hated you for some reason.”

“I don’t know. I’d rather ask her yourself.”

At these words, Alma offered them both tea and said,

“Your Highness, if I may be so bold, I would like you to take a closer look at Lumina yourself. It seems to me that His Highness sees Lumina-sama only as a potential fiancée.”

After taking a sip of tea, Stephan’s lips twitched, and he sighed.

“I can’t become the Crown Prince without a fiancée.”

Sharon sighed.

“I’m sure Miss Lumina sees through that train of thought.”

Stephan’s head snapped up.

“Well. She’s the most eligible fiancée I’ve ever met.”

Sharon looked at Stephan and felt a slight irritation.

——Why doesn’t Stephan look at her so straight, self-assuming, and smiling?

Alma just warned him.

——If it were me, I would look at her.

He thinks she is a very kind person who doesn’t make fun of a boy who is crying because he is lost and offers him a handkerchief.

When she appeared in front of him, he found her so beautiful that he really thought she was a fairy or something.

——It would be wonderful if she became my fiancée…

Sharon almost thought of that and shook her head.

——No.

——I can’t have thoughts like that. She is the closest candidate to being Stephan’s fiancée.

Sharon drank his tea in one gulp and started to talk with Stephan about what to do next and what to do in the future.

He puts the cookie in his mouth, which is supposed to be sweet, but for some reason it tastes bitter.

Chapter 11

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Lumina’s parents were prepared for the fact that Stephan had summoned Lumina to the royal castle and that she would probably be chosen as his fiancée, but they had not heard from the royal family since then and were somewhat disappointed.

Edwin looked at Lumina at the breakfast table and opened his mouth.

“Lumina… When His Highness summoned you the other day, did he say anything to you?”

Lumina smiled prettily and answered.

“Nothing was said. But I did teach him what the Queen’s education was all about.”

“Hm? The queen’s education?”

“Yes. His Highness seems to know nothing about the Queen’s education. Ah, Father. Just to be clear: I’m not interested in becoming his fiancée.”

When Edwin tilted his head at his daughter’s somewhat mature words, Lumina said with a smile.

“Because His Highness does not love me. And I want to be a couple who loves and is loved, just like my father and mother.”

At these words, her “mother,” Vivian, raised her eyebrows and glanced at Edwin.

Edwin looked a little surprised, then smiled softly and nodded his head.

“Well, Lumina is now an adult, isn’t she? Yes, I am. I certainly love Vivian. Of course, I loved your mother, Megan. And when I was sad about losing Megan, it was Vivian who supported me. So I thank Vivian and I love her with all my heart.”

Lumina was not surprised by these outrageous words.

But Vivian rolled her eyes in surprise, blushed, and opened her mouth.

“Edwin-sama…is that true?”

“Hm? Of course, right?Didn’t you get it?”

“N-No, I mean… I love you too.”

Sophie, who had witnessed her parents’ love affair, clapped her hands happily.

Lumina let out a small breath, smiled, and said,

“If I could marry a couple like my father and mother, I would be happy.”

Edwin smiled, and Vivian nodded a little awkwardly.

In truth, Vivian had always thought that Edwin didn’t love her. That was why she wanted her daughter Sophie to stand out from the others and be a suitable fiancée for the Crown Prince.

Even though she was afraid that Edwin wouldn’t love her, Lumina’s words quickly put that fear to rest.

“That’s why I don’t want to be engaged to His Highness.”

Edwin asked after staring at Lumina.

“I am sure that you and His Highness will be able to develop your love for each other in the future, right?”

As a family, it has the merit of marrying into the royal family. That’s why Lumina shook her head at her father’s comment and said.

“Both at the tea ceremony and when I was invited to the royal palace, His Highness only saw me as a necessary fiancée to become Crown Prince. I am sure that for His Highness, I am not an object of love, but a means to a political end. I think I am no more and no less than that”.

Both Edwin and Vivian opened their eyes, slightly surprised at their daughter’s mature statement, but they could not say they were wrong.

It would be good for the dukes if they could marry into the royal family, but it wouldn’t be a disadvantage if they couldn’t.

Edwin nodded and looked at Vivian.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s okay to prioritize Lumina’s feelings. Do you mind Vivian?”

“Eh? Umm. I know how it feels to want to be with the person you love… I understand very well.”

“Thank you. I hope I can find a fiance who loves me soon.”

The meal ended peacefully, and Lumina exhaled heavily as she returned to her room.

Now her father would not push for Stephan to be her fiancé.

And Lumina breathed a sigh of relief that her mother’s fears, which she had been harboring for a long time, had been put to rest.

In the end, Lumina will become Stephan’s fiancee. Vivian gets colder and colder to Lumina every day.

It comes from jealousy of Lumina marrying into the royal family rather than Sophie.

During the first loop, she realized that her mother mistakenly believed that her father did not love her. However, once engaged, Vivian did not listen to Lumina at all, and all attempts to explain to her how much her father loved her were futile.

“Mother is loved… It must have been hard for her to keep misunderstanding.”

Because she was never loved, Vivian’s feelings were as painful as hers.

That’s why Lumina was so happy that she had succeeded today.

“I have to teach my father that he has to whisper love to her every day.”

With this, her father began to show his love for her, and with it, the relationship between Lumina and her mother began to change.

They had never laughed together in her previous life, but Lumina’s heart warmed in this life because she, her mother, and Sophie now drink tea and go shopping together.

Chapter 12

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The next day, she received a letter from Stephan, and Lumina was holding her head.

No matter how much her father might not want her to get engaged, she would have to if it was an order from His Majesty the King.

That is why she wanted nothing to do with Stephan as much as possible.

However, the letter stated that he would like to meet her again to talk, and Lumina had no reason to refuse it.

A week later, Lumina walked through the gates of the royal castle with a heavy sigh.

As she stepped out of the carriage, Sharon was at the door, smiling and offering his hand.

“Miss Lumina, thank you for coming. Please take my hand so I can lead you to His Highness.”

The gentle smile made Lumina feel relieved that Sharon was there.

It would be heartbreaking if she saw Stephan as soon as she got out of the car.

“Thank you, Sharon-sama.”

Sharon led Lumina down a long corridor and into a guest room.

But when she entered the room, Lumina was surprised to see who was there, and though she was quite upset inside, she bowed nicely and greeted her.

“Thank you for inviting me here today. Duchess Lumina Larache has just arrived.

A friendly voice called out to her as she lowered her head and maintained her posture.

“My goodness. What a beautiful bow. No wonder Alma was impressed with you.”

A loud, clear voice called out.

“Lift your head. You must be wondering why I was here without notice, right?”

Lumina raised her head and looked again at Silvia, the Queen of the Land and Stephen’s mother.

“Yes, I was surprised to see her majesty here. But it is an honor to meet you.”

At Lumina’s smile, Sylvia looked at something with a smile and then chuckled.

“Oh my! Indeed, Alma is right about your beautiful gestures and your smile. I see what you mean.”

“Mother. She’s my guest. If you’re satisfied, you can leave.”

Sylvia said she smiled bitterly at Stephan’s words, sitting next to her.

“Fufufu… Do you think it’s okay for me to leave? I’m telling you, you will never be able to change this lady’s mind.”

At these words, Stephan’s face contorted, and he turned his gaze to Lumina.

“You don’t know that.”

“No, your mother can understand. I’m telling you clearly that an inexperienced person like you can’t stand up to this lady.”

Sylvia smiled and motioned for Lumina to sit down, and Alma, who was standing by, made tea.

Sharon got behind Stephan and Sylvia ignored Stephan and said to Lumina

“Miss Lumina, I know you have a lot on your mind, but are you sure you don’t want to be Stephan’s fiancée? With your earlier gestures, you’re by far the best of all the ladies I’ve ever seen.”

Lumina smiled, a little troubled as the warm tea lay on the table.

“I am flattered by such excessive praise, but it is not true. I am still a novice. Besides, I think… finding someone to love and be loved is the true happiness.

Stephan, Sharon, and Sylvia look a little surprised, as if they didn’t expect such words to come out of Lumina’s mouth.

Lumina smiled inwardly, but blushed shyly on the surface.

“My dream is to have a family that loves and is loved like my parents.”

These were Lumina’s true feelings as well.

Lumina’s dearest wish

Lumina wanted to build a family with Stephan that she would love and be loved. That’s why she went through the loop dozens of times.

But it was impossible.

Stephan does not love her, no matter how hard she tries.

Sharon noticed the shadow in Lumina’s eyes and almost asked her if she was okay.

But this is not the place for him to express himself.

That’s why Sylvia smiles as she looks at Lumina.

“That’s nice. Then why don’t you and Stephan start a family like that?”

“What?”

Stephan’s eyes widened.

Lumina looked at Stephan for a moment and said.

“Your Highness, What do you think of me?

Lumina tilted her head and asked.

Sylvia’s expression darkens for a moment, and she gives Stephan a warning look.

Stephan hastily puts on a smile and says.

“Of course, I’ll never stop making that effort.

But those words were enough for Lumina.

Then Lumina turns her troubled gaze to Silvia.

Silvia’s brow wrinkles in disappointment at her son’s words, and she senses that the young girl in front of her is no ordinary person.

Chapter 13

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“Stephan… That’s not good enough. How can you give such a vague answer when your mother has your back…”

“Hm? Mother?”

Sylvia let out a sigh and looked at Lumina.

“You’re amazing. You know Stephan so well… And of course you weren’t satisfied with the answer, were you?”

Lumina let out an inward sigh as Stephan’s gaze wandered. She nodded with an uneasy smile.

“Yes, I know it’s too good for me to say, but I don’t think that His Highness Stephan will ever love me.”

Words she would rather not have said.

Lumina tried to hold back her desire to cry and said to Sylvia, with sad eyes,

“His Highness is a man who is honest about his feelings.”

Sylvia smiled and said,

“I am becoming more and more eager to have you become the queen. Is it too much to ask?”

Both Stephan and Sylvia dare to ask Lumina how she feels first, although Lumina will not turn her head to the side if the king commands it.

Perhaps they don’t want to create a rift by forcing an engagement with the Duke.

Lumina thought for a moment, and then she said to Sylvia,

“If … His Highness still wants to be engaged to me when he turns eighteen, then I will gladly accept the marriage.”

Sylvia tilts her head at these words.

“Why eighteen?”

“Because when His Highness turns eighteen and comes of age, I think he will become the Crown Prince. That’s why eighteen.”

She can’t say that he will never marry her because he will be in love with Sophie when he is eighteen.

“Well… but I’m not so sure about the no fiancée thing…”

It is also heartbreaking to be engaged to someone and then have the engagement broken off.

Lumina slowly opened her mouth, thinking this would not work anymore.

“Then how about a temporary engagement? I’ll back His Highness until he is eighteen. That would be fine, wouldn’t it?”

At these words, Sylvia thought for a moment and looked at Lumina.

“Is that all right? But what about your dream?”

“A dream is a dream. I do not want to go against the wishes of the royal family.”

Sylvia nodded with satisfaction and stood up.

“All right, I’ll talk to His Majesty the King first.”

Everyone stood up, and Lumina bowed to Silvia.

“With pleasure, Your Majesty.”

“We’ll go over the details, but you can stay here and enjoy your tea.”

Sylvia left the room with Alma, and Lumina glared at Stephan.

Stephan took an involuntary step back.

“W-What, if you didn’t agree with this, you could have refused my mother.”

Lumina bit her lip at his words and held back her anger.

“… Your Highness… that’s not fair…”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

She doesn’t love her, and yet he puts this fetter of a fiancée on her.

——I hated myself for not being brave enough to impose a future of broken engagements on someone else when you could simply proceed with the other prospective fiancées.

“Usually a lady would be happy, right? She’s the fiance of the First Prince.The future queen, isn’t it?

At Stephen’s words, Lumina clenched her fists.

Then she managed to open her trembling lips.

“You…don’t love me!”

“What?!… I’ll make a good effort!”

——Effort?

——Really?

——In the future. You’re getting more and more attached to Sophie, though, aren’t you?

——You enjoyed meeting Sophie without knowing what rumors were going around about me at school.

——You made all kinds of accusations about my character, sometimes falsely accusing me, sometimes cursing me for not making an effort to be loved by you.

——And yet…

——Is that what you are telling me?

——How many times do you have to kill my heart?

——Do you think you can hurt me as much as you want?

——I wanted to be loved by you. But you don’t love me.

——Love is not obtained by effort alone.

She slowly opens her fists and looks directly at Stephan.

“Can you swear that you will never love anyone but me?”

“Of course I can. The Crown Prince is not a man of love. I have told you that before.”

Clear words.

With straight eyes.

——I’m sure Stephan believes that now.

——Then you’ll trust him.

——Because you’ll love someone other than me anyway.

“When you love someone other than me, of course, we stop right there, since it’s a temporary engagement anyway. Your highness, remember what you just said. And when you turn 18, put your hand over your heart and remember what you just said.”

“What?”

“You will never love anyone but me.”

Stephen’s eyes widen and a chill runs down his spine at those clear words.

He now feels a fear in front of his eyes that he has never felt before.

——It’s only a fiancée, right?

Stephan manages to put a smile on his face.

“When I turn eighteen, you’ll be the one who regrets it. I’m not a romantic.”

“… I see. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Lumina left the room.

Sharon followed behind her, perhaps worried, but said nothing.

“You don’t have to see me off.”

Sharon said, taking Lumina’s hand.

“Come here. Just for a minute.”

“Eh?”

Lumina was taken by Sharon’s hand and led out into the royal garden.

Chapter 14

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Sharon takes Lumina’s hand in hers and leads her to a small flower bed behind the castle, rather than the large garden where the tea party was held the day before.

They are still young, so there is nothing to be said for holding hands between a boy and a girl, but Lumina can’t help but tilt her head at Sharon’s behavior.

Sharon stopped at a quiet little flowerbed with beautiful flowers planted in it and turned to Lumina.

“Hey, why do you look so pained?”

“Eh?”

Lumina tilted her head quizzically at Sharon’s words, wondering what was wrong.

“Until the end, Miss Lumina doesn’t like her engagement to His Highness Stephen. Then why don’t you give it to other girls? And how can Miss Lumina say that His Highness will never love her?”

Lumina sees the clear look in his eyes and thinks that Sharon is a fair man after all.

It’s normal for an aide to side with His Highness. But Sharon listens to his feelings as well.

This was very new to Lumina, and yet the tears she had been holding back began to well up as she remembered the sadness she had felt earlier.

Large tears streamed down from her big eyes.

She couldn’t hold them back.

She thought she would have to keep going until the carriage came, but then she saw the concern in his kind eyes.

Sharon’s voice showed that he cared about her.

Lumina couldn’t hold back her tears and burst into sobs.

Sharon hurriedly took out his handkerchief and looked embarrassed.

“…This is…the handkerchief borrowed from Miss Lumina… I was going to give it back…”

The handkerchief is hers, and Lumina takes it with a start, which stops her tears and makes her laugh a little.

“Fufu… Thank you very much.”

“I’m sorry… I mean, let’s sit over there.”

Sharon urges Lumina to a bench, and they sit down next to each other.

A soft breeze blew and the scent of flowers wafted through the air.

Lumina exhaled, wondering if she could talk to Sharon about her concerns.

A little, if not all

“…Sharon-sama, do you think His Highness will love me?”

“I don’t know. But… if you ask me from my point of view, Miss Lumina is so cute and kind that I don’t see why I wouldn’t love her if she’s engaged to me.”

“Eh?”

Sharon’s words made her mind go blank, and the words he had just said were repeated over and over again in her mind.

“Hm?”

On second thought, she couldn’t make out what Sharon was saying, and she just found her face turning red.

——Cute?

——Kind?

——I don’t see why I wouldn’t love her?

Sharon said, looking at Lumina with a very serious face, as if it were perfectly natural.

“Does Miss Lumina think that if His Highness doesn’t love you, he will find someone else to love?”

Lumina nodded, feeling her face grow red and hot.

“That’s what you’re worried about, isn’t it?”

She nodded again.

“Then… Miss Lumina, So if you don’t mind, when you turn 18, if His Highness has someone else he loves…I’ll love you for the part he didn’t love you.”

“Eh?!”

“Don’t worry about it. Don’t tell His Highness, but talk to your father and make sure he understands. What do you think?”

“W-Wait a minute!”

Lumina’s mind was on the verge of panic.

Chapter 15

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Lumina took a deep breath, her face flushed, and looked at Sharon straight in the eye and said.

“This is disrespectful! If His Highness finds out…”

“Of course, I will make an effort not to show my affections to his highness’s temporary fiancée until you are 18 years old. But to be clear, Miss Lumina is so… well… so cute that it might be impossible not to love her… so I’ll try to keep it a secret. That’s allowed, right?”

“What are you saying?!”

“I’m saying exactly what I think.”

“Wait a minute! What if His Highness gets engaged to me as is?”

She knows it’s impossible, but her mouth is moving as if she wants Sharon to retract his words.

“Then I will step aside like a man and behave properly. Would that be all right?”

——What would be all right?

——No, wait a minute.

——His Highness won’t love me anyway. Then it’s all right, isn’t it?

——Is it okay?

——No, I don’t know.

——I’m a little confused.

“I think… If his highness loves you properly, I think it would be your greatest happiness. I’ll do my best to set things up. But…”

Sharon paused and gently gripped Lumina’s hand.

“If you’re sad, I’ll make you happy someday.”

Lumina’s heart thumped.

Little by little, it grows bigger and her heart beats faster.

——Calm down.

——You can’t do it.

——Don’t believe him.

——No one will ever love me anyway.

——So…

She can feel the warmth of his hand in hers, even as she tries to admonish herself.

“Can’t I?”

But, she couldn’t shake her head.

She can’t resist the sensation she’s feeling for the first time.

“Sharon-sama.., aren’t you afraid that you might not be loved in return?”

Sharon smiled at these words.

“I’m more worried about seeing Miss Lumina holding back her tears than I am about that. So don’t worry about me.”

Lumina squeezed Sharon’s hand back, even though she knew she shouldn’t.

She’s had enough of it.

To be an unloved and miserable woman whose engagement broke off.

That’s why she can’t let go of that gentle hand.

“If you get anxious, I’m here to listen. So you don’t have to hold back.

Tears that should have stopped flowing, and Sharon held her hand for a while without asking her anything.

The scent of the flowers lingered in her memory, and for the first time, she didn’t want to be in a loop anymore.

——I didn’t want this moment to disappear like a dream, and I couldn’t help but wish to God that this would be the last time.

Chapter 16

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Sharon discussed the matter with her father, who in turn passed it on to His Majesty the King and the Queen.

At first, the King said that it would not be necessary, but Lumina’s own wishes, and the Queen, who had seen Stephan’s ambiguous attitude, convinced the King to agree.

In case the temporary engagement was called off, Lumina and Sharon would get married. This was told to the Dukes.

At first, Edwin told Lumina that she did not have to accept the temporary engagement because of her feelings, but she rejected her father and became his temporary fiancée.

The nobles were informed that this form of temporary royal betrothal would become official when the first prince came of age.

No one could say why it was temporary, but Lumina and Stephan’s temporary engagement was approved, and Stephan became the Crown Prince, with the Dukes backing him.

Stephan accompanied Sharon to Lumina’s house with a bouquet of flowers.

After greeting her parents, they go out into the garden.

Sharon is following Stephan and Lumina from a little behind because they can’t be alone.

Sharon doesn’t look at Lumina as if the conversation the other day was a lie, but Lumina already knows the reason in a letter.

If the relationship between the two grows too deep before they turn 18, it will be a disaster. Therefore, permission for private contact was basically not an option.

This was perfectly normal, and Lumina agreed.

“The duke’s garden is also very nice.”

She had heard Stephan’s words many times in the previous loops.

So Lumina responded with the words that had elicited the best reaction from Stephan.

“The garden always looks fresh when I walk with Your Highness.”

Normally, Stephan would have smiled with pleasure, but not this time.

“What? Are you going to let the cat out of the bag now?”

“What?”

“You don’t have to say what you don’t think.”

Lumina felt a pang deep in her chest.

It was true that she had disrespected Stephan in their previous conversations.

But to be told this by Stephan, the man she had always loved and adored, even if she didn’t think he had a drop of love in his heart for her, made her bitter.

“Your Highness, Stephan. Since Miss Lumina is making advances towards you, then you must be open and honest with her.”

Sharon, who had been standing a little behind them, opened his mouth, and Stephan sighed.

“Don’t nag me too much just because my mother gave you the job as my chaperone.”

“His Highness also said he would make an effort to love Miss Lumina, right? Compromise is necessary.”

Stephan sighed heavily and looked at Lumina.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so mean.”

“No, it’s alright”

A different reaction.

Stephan looks different.

For a moment, Lumina had a faint hope in the corner of her mind that Stephan would actually love her this time around.

This upsets her and she disciplines herself.

——Don’t be fooled.

——Don’t let it get to you.

——I’ve decided I’ll never love him again.

Lumina glances at Sharon, and his gentle eyes calm her down.

——It will be alright.

——Sharon is with me.

Lumina calmed herself down and hoped that she could make it until she was eighteen years old.

Chapter 17

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Time passed slowly and peacefully.

And now Lumina is 17 years old, entered the Nobility Academy the year before last, and this will be her senior year.

Sophie is two years younger than Lumina, and she and His Highness are finally getting to know each other.

Although Lumina has not confirmed this, Sophie and Stephan should have had a fateful encounter at a tea party when they were ten years old.

——I have tried to prevent it dozens of times, but fate seems to be fixed, and I have never been able to prevent it in the end, so they probably met.

In the morning of the entrance ceremony, Lumina went with Sophie to the school and was about to get off the carriage.

“Oneesama, I’m really looking forward to it!”

Lumina says, smiling at the cheerful Sophie.

“I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful school life. Have fun.”

Lumina and Sophie are getting along well, and Lumina no longer hates Sophie like she has all her life.

——I didn’t realize how much easier it was to give up.

“Good morning, Lumina.”

Lumina looked up to see Stephan smiling as he extended his hand to her outside the carriage.

——I’ve seen this many times.

Lumina smiled and was about to take his hand when Sophie stumbled and Stephan caught her in a hurry.

“Kya!!”

“Careful.”

Sophie’s face flushed bright red as she jumped into Stephan’s chest, and Stephan rolled his eyes at the sight of her, but quickly recovered and smiled.

“Are you okay?”

“U-Um.. I’m sorry. Yes. I’m fine.”

Lumina stared at the scene with somewhat cold eyes.

——No matter how many times I see it, it still makes my heart ache.

Then, a warm voice called out to her.

“Miss Lumina. Good morning… Your Highness, Miss Lumina is waiting for you.”

“Hm? Ah, yes.”

At Sharon’s prompting, Stephan releases Sophie and reaches out to Lumina.

Lumina smiled without taking his hand.

“I’m sorry that my sister Sophie was so careless.”

Stephan smiled bitterly as he withdrew his empty hand.

“Well, Miss Sophie started school this year. Congratulations on entering the school.”

“T-Thank you very much!”

She smiled like a beautiful flower opening its beautiful blossoms.

Stephan looked dazzled for a moment and then hurriedly turned his attention to Lumina and said,

“Let’s go. I want to discuss a few things before the entrance ceremony.”

“Yes. Your Highness.”

Lumina and Stephan were standing in line, with Sharon and Sophie following behind them.

She feels Sharon’s concerned gaze on her back, making her tingle.

“Hey Lumina…was Miss Sophie at the tea party to choose my fiancée?”

As they walked, he called out, and Lumina nodded.

“Yes, it was in the form of an attendant. Is there something wrong?

“N-No. Nothing. Let’s go.

“Yes.”

Lumina thinks quietly.

She and Stephan have never been on bad terms. Lumina disciplined herself not to fall in love with Stephan again and had become a close friend-like fiancée.

——In a way, this is the first time that we have ever had such a friendship.

Simultaneously, she realized that Stephan, whom he had said he would make an effort to love, felt the same way about her.

——Love is not something you can work for.

Lumina bit her lip as if to spite herself for thinking such a self-deprecating thought.

Chapter 18

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Stephan let out a small sigh one day, a while after the entrance ceremony, as he and Sharon went about their work as crown prince and advisor.

“Your Highness, Stephan, Is something wrong?”

Over the past few years, the language had become more polite, and Sharon had not been as comfortable talking to him as he used to be.

Stephan complained about it several times, but was advised to be reasonable and gave up.

“It’s… no, it’s nothing.”

Seeing Stephan’s expression clouded, Sharon personally made the tea that the maid had prepared and placed the cup in front of Stephan.

“Shall we take a break?”

“Ah, yes.”

He had always been a fair and considerate man.

And a man with good instincts.

“Your Highness, if I may be so bold, may I say something?”

“What…What is it?”

He was a little surprised. He knows that he usually admonishes him when he begins his remarks with those words.

Sharon paused for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.

“Your Highness… you remember the vows you made when you were provisionally engaged to Miss Lumina, don’t you?”

Surprised

Stephan surrendered, knowing he couldn’t hide anything from Sharon, who was getting to the heart of what he didn’t want to be touched right now.

“I have a good memory.”

“Then I hope you will continue to love and respect Miss Lumina as your fiancée.”

Stephan scratched his head at the words, sighed loudly, and then covered his face with both hands.

“I wonder…what love is.”

He vowed to make an effort to love her. That’s why he sent flowers, jewelry, and dresses, and went out with her many times.

He could easily whisper that he loved her.

But what is love, which Stephan lost sight of as the years went by.

But on that morning of the entrance ceremony, when he held Sophie, Lumina’s sister, in his arms, he remembered the thrill he had felt once when he was a little boy.

Sophie’s pretty smile, like a flower opening, made his heart beat faster.

“What kind of a man am I…”

He remembers Lumina’s eyes.

Her eyes, who don’t believe him, who smiles but is cold at the same time.

——Every time she looked at me with those eyes, I was proud that I wasn’t the untrustworthy man Lumina believed I was, but now I’m afraid to look into her eyes every day.

Thud!

In the next moment, Sharon gave Stephan a good slap on the back.

A loud thud echoed through the room, and Stephan groaned in pain as he bent over in sudden pain in his back.

Sharon looked at him and said.

“Is the Crown Prince going to contradict his own words? As a man, it’s only natural to take good care of his woman! How many times did Miss Lumina tell you? She wants to create a loving and loved family! And yet, it was you who tied her. Don’t you realize that?!”

Stephan breathed heavily and looked up, feeling nostalgic at his friend’s rebuke, which he had not heard in a long time.

“I’m sorry… Thank you, Sharon.”

“No, I’m sorry. I will accept punishment in some way.”

“Ha! You wouldn’t be here right now, if that’s the case.”

They smile at each other and go back to work as if nothing had happened.

——I swore an oath.

——There’s nothing I can do to change that now.

Stephan put a lid on the feelings that were growing in his heart.

Chapter 19

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Lumina was enjoying her life at school, and one day, during lunch break, she looked down into the garden on the second floor.

Her sister Sophie was there, and Lumina looked at the scene with her cheek on the desk as if it were a normal scene.

Sophie found a kitten in the garden, and while she was playing with it happily, the kitten climbed up a tree.

Sophie runs after it, climbs the tree, notices that no one is around, and can’t get down.

Although she is supposed to be well educated as a young lady, Sophie’s free spirit has not changed.

“She’s such a tomboy.”

While smiling at her, Stephan and Sharon walk by and spot her.

Stephan, looking panicked, calls out to Sophie, and the next moment, Sophie falls. Stephan held her in his arms.

“I’ve tried to block it many times, but somehow it’s getting in my way and I can’t stop it. Fate is mean to me, isn’t it?”

Lumina looked at them with such a wry smile, and suddenly Sharon arrived—Lumina and Sharon gazed met.

“Ara, I’ve never seen that before.”

Sharon’s eyes go wide, and they look confused, and he pulls Stephan and Sophie apart, saying something to Stephan.

Stephan then looks up and sees Lumina.

The look on his face makes Lumina wonder—he looks like he’s in a panic because he got caught cheating with his partner.

As she wonders what kind of a stupid look the Crown Prince has on his face, Stephan mutters something and runs away.

—Ara?

Stephan then enters Lumina’s classroom breathlessly.

He then pulled Lumina by the hand and left the classroom.

He dragged her to an empty room and confronted Lumina and said,

“I’ve been misunderstood, haven’t I? That is not the case. I’m not sure where Lumina was looking, but it was just Miss Sophie falling and me catching her.”

Stephan said impatiently.

Lumina thought this was the first time, but the way he looked at her and the way his gaze wandered a little made her let out a small gasp.

——Like this, you make me look forward to it, and you betray me.

——I don’t think I can change this one thing that I haven’t been able to change dozens of times already.

——I don’t believe you.

——You’re a terrible person.

She put a smile on her face, and I said,

“Liar.”

Stephan’s eyes widened.

“Lu…mina?”

“That’s what you do. You keep me guessing. and then you betray me in the end.”

“Wait a minute, Lumina!”

Stephan grabbed her arm, and Lumina shook it off and said,

“You…How many times do you have to make fun of me! You…you don’t love me at all.”

“Wait, Lumina, I love you.”

The words came out easily.

Stephan uses those words with ease and intention.

Stephan vows to make an effort to love her and tells Lumina over and over that he loves her.

It was as if he was saying it to himself—convincing himself.

He did not know that he was hurting Lumina every time she heard those words.

They are nothing more than words without heart—words that try to deceive Lumina.

“…So. Your Highness loves me, doesn’t he?”

Lumina says it coldly, in a clear tone.

“A light love… That’s not what love is.”

——Love is heavy.

——The more you love them, the more you hate them.

Stephan’s face grows grimmer.

“Lumina. You say that, but you don’t love me either.”

Badam!

A sharp thud.

The words are like gouging out her heart, and she feels the blood slowly oozing out of her veins.

Slowly, the pain is building up.

“…I loved you… Over and over again…only for you.”

“What are you saying…”

Lumina held back her tears and raised her voice.

“I loved you. Only you. But who are you looking at? Who are you attracted to?! You know what I’m talking about, but you keep me guessing!”

Lumina’s face turned red, and Stephan reached out to hug her.

Lumina shakes him off.

The words she always wanted to say.

words she wanted to shout out for a long, long time.

“You should have been a man and said it out loud! Your feelings… You should have told me what you thought instead of taking your time and dilly-dallying! You thought I was stupid… that I, who loved you, wouldn’t notice your feelings?!”

Silence falls.

A quiet moment.

Lumina stares at Stephan and says

“How could you think that I, who loved you… who only saw you… would not notice your feelings?”

“Lumina, wait. I’m really…”

Stephan trailed off, then turned his eyes to Lumina.

“You swore to me, didn’t you? Shouldn’t you be thinking about that right now, with your hands on your chest? Excuse me.”

Lumina turns away from Stephan and leaves the room.

She needs to get to somewhere where she can be alone.

Before her tears started flowing

Chapter 20

As Lumina steps quietly into the small old church behind the school, she murmurs softly.

“God…Did I do something wrong? Is that why you are so mean to me?”

Lumina looked at the stained glass windows, which were lit up by the sun, and held her chest.

Tears trickled down her cheeks.

She didn’t want to shed any more tears for Stephan, but she had loved him for too long, and her heart ached.

——I can’t take it anymore.

——I want to disappear.

——I want it to end.

——I wanted to live a life where I could be loved this time, find someone who would love me, but God is mean and won’t let me.

The desire to end it is growing and growing.

“I should just run away.”

——If the loop lasts forever, I will probably start over anyway, but until then, I’m free.

Sharon said he would love her, but she couldn’t think about that now.

——Let’s run away.

As these thoughts ran through her mind, Lumina felt her mood brighten more and more.

——Yes, that’s it. I should just run away.

Lumina left the church and went back to her house.

She heard that her father was working and her mother was having a tea party today, so only the butler and the maids were in the house.

The maids were perplexed by Lumina’s unexpected return, but she looked so happy that they couldn’t say anything. They tried to help her change her clothes like they usually do, but Lumina politely said no.

Lumina goes to her room, packs her jewelry and other belongings, dresses simply, puts on her hat, grabs her bag, and leaves the house.

The chief butler was in a hurry to stop her, but Lumina smiled and said,

“I’m just going out for a short while. I’m a little tired of the queen’s education.”

The butler is silent when she is told so.

“I’m going to go to the lakeside villa to clear my mind. I’ll be back.”

“Then at least wait until I call the master.”

“Ara, it’ll be dark by then. Fufufu. I’m going.”

“Please wait!”

The butler stopped her, but Lumina didn’t care. She got into the carriage and told it to drive to the duke’s summer residence outside the city.

The carriage starts moving and Lumina opens the window to feel the breeze and exhales.

“It feels good. I’ve never felt anything like this before.”

Lumina was rocked into the carriage, knowing that the engagement would be broken off and looped again in a few months. Until then, she is free to do whatever she wants, on her own.

Chapter 21

By this time, Sharon and Stephan were face to-face in a room at the school.

“You don’t mean to tell me, Your Highness, that you didn’t go after Miss Lumina?”

“She wouldn’t listen to me, no matter what I said.”

“…So?”

At Sharon’s angry tone, Stephan raised his voice.

“I’m telling you, Lumina doesn’t listen to me!! I have no intention of marrying anyone but Lumina, and she doesn’t believe me!”

“Your Highness.”

Stephan bit his lip at the sound of Sharon’s low voice.

“I don’t understand what Lumina is saying…I-I said I love Lumina.”

“Really?”

“What?”

“Your Highness… who is in your heart?”

Sharon tries to look at him, but Stephan contorts his face and covers it with his hands.

A silence fell, and then Stephan said, as if he had made up his mind.

“…I’m certainly attracted to Miss Sophie.”

“And?”

“But I’m not making a mistake—I have no intention of getting along with Miss Sophie.”

Sharon stared at Stephan, remembering many of the things Lumina had said to him in the past, and they fell into place in his mind.

——Maybe Lumina knew this was going to happen.

——I don’t know how she knew.

——But if she knew, it would make sense.

Looking hard at Stephan holding his head, Sharon exhales softly.

“Your Highness, tell me what you think.”

“Lumina she…she told me not to dilly-dally…I said. I’m trying to keep my vows…”

Even if they get married, it could be a loveless marriage.

Before that, Sharon wonders if Stephan can really stay true to Lumina.

He spends very little time with Sophie, but somehow Stephan’s heart seems to drift toward her.

It’s as if something is drawing him to her.

And Lumina knows it, too.

It was at that moment.

The servant, who had been sent to check on Lumina, comes into the room looking panicked and says, with a pale face,

“M-Miss Lumina went home to her parents, and then she packed her things and left!”

“What?!”

Sharon rolled her eyes and hurried to tell Stephan.

“Your Highness, it’s too late to do anything! Let’s just go after Miss Lumina and stop her.”

But Sharon was surprised to see Stephan, who looked as if he was asking “why?” and said to Sharon,

“She was just going out for a diversion, right? I mean, why don’t we leave her alone for a while?”

At the moment, he looked like he didn’t want to see Lumina.

His usual dignity was gone, and at the puzzled look on his face, Sharon clenched his fists and made up his mind.

He had always tried to step back and be a bridge between Stephan and Lumina.

He believed it was for the good of the country, for Lumina and Stephan.

No matter how much he was attracted to Lumina, he kept his heart hidden and watched over them.

But…

Sharon can’t be the kind of man who can do nothing when the woman he loves is hurting and alone.

If that’s the case, he would face Stephan as a man.

“…If you don’t love Miss Lumina, can I have her?”

“…Huh? What are you talking about? Lumina is my fiancée. Haha. What’s wrong with you?”

Stephan was taken aback by his friend’s sudden revelation.

“As a friend, let me tell you—if you leave Miss Lumina alone now, I will take Miss Lumina as a man.”

“I told you, I’m her fiancée!”

“Then, shall we go after her?”

“…”

Sharon glared at Stephan, who remained silent.

“I say this as a man and a friend. If you say you’re her fiance, you should go after her.”

“…”

When silence was the answer, Sharon closed his eyes and exhaled, turning his back on Stephan and leaving the room.

Chapter 22

Lumina stretched out as she arrived at the duke’s lakeside mansion.

It was surprising to see Lumina arrive so unexpectedly, but the butlers and maids in charge of the house immediately welcomed her and suggested that she take a stroll in the garden until they were ready. Lumina turned down the maids’ offer to go with her, saying that she preferred to be alone.

Lumina’s behavior perplexed the maids, despite the fact that she was in no danger on the ducal estate. They can’t help but comply with the order.

Lumina was considering staying here for a few days before sneaking out and fleeing somewhere undetected, and she felt her heart clear up at the sense of freedom she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Ah! Freedom is wonderful. “

The flowers in the garden soothed Lumina’s soul, and the wind blew away the bad things that had built up in her depressed mind.

Lumina went to the lake at the end of the garden and gazed at the glistening, sunlit water.

She sees fish swimming and squats down to dip her hands into the water and enjoy the cool feeling.

It was at that moment.

A strong wind blows, snatching Lumina’s hat and dropping it into the water.

Lumina looked around, picked up the stick, and bobbed in the water, trying to somehow pull the hat up to her.

——I hadn’t done anything like this since I was a kid.

She says this with a wry smile.

Ah…”

Her body tilted and she fell into the water.

She closed her eyes with that in mind

However, Lumina opened her eyes in surprise that the shock never came, and instead she discovered something warm holding her in place.

“Miss Lumina…”

Lumina’s heart skipped a beat at the familiar low voice.

Lumina looked up and saw Sharon.

Sharon’s body seemed to be sweating and he was breathing heavily.

“Sharon…sama?”

He hugged her tightly, and Lumina was confused.

She did not know why Sharon was here, and the fact that Sharon was hugging her also made Lumina confused.

When she is surrounded by Sharon’s scent, her heart beats even faster.

She could feel herself getting redder and redder.

“Please let me go.”

“…Don’t waste your life! If you’re in so much pain, then come to me! I’ll make you happy!”

Lumina was puzzled, wondering what he was talking about.

“W-What are you talking about?!”

“I love you, Miss Lumina… Even if Miss Lumina thinks she’s fine, let me look after you. I don’t want her to suffer any longer…”

“W-W-What?”

“I’ll talk to the royal family. It’s a little early, but it’s a temporary engagement, and it will end soon enough. His Highness can marry your sister or whoever he wants.”

“W-Wait…”

“I can’t bear the thought of giving you to a man who doesn’t love you… Your happiness may be to be next to His Highness, but… I couldn’t admonish his Highness… I apologize.”

“Sha-Sharon-sama?”

“I’m so glad I got here in time…before something happened to you.”

Lumina looked up into Sharon’s face when she heard a soft sniffle. She was surprised to notice that the normally gentle Sharon’s eyes were slightly moist and staring at her with feverish intensity.

“Are you…worried about me?””…

How could I not?””

Did you… you chased me on horseback?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“For me?”

“What else but for you?”

“Are you… crying for me?”

“I’m not crying(sniff).”

Lumina’s heart flutters at the sight of Sharon sniffling and her eyes turn red. It melts Lumina

‘s frozen heart to know that he hasn’t forgotten the words he said to her when they were ten, that he never betrayed her and looked straight at her.

Sharon will not betray her.

She thinks so.

He has been with her dozens and dozens of times, and he is the only one who has never wavered.

He was fair and always looked at her with kind eyes.

Remembering this, Lumina suddenly realizes.

“My… Destiny … is it you?”

“?”

Her heart beats.

To the point of being loud.

Lumina’s face became even more flushed, her pure heart pounding for the first time in a long time.

Chapter 23

Stephan was quietly alone, staring out.

Time just flew by.

Stephan was oblivious to Sharon’s feelings.

Then, despite his own feelings, Sharon’s words to go after her as his fiancé made his heart ache.

——I couldn’t go after her.

—— What would I tell her then?

—— How could I tell her to trust me?

—— Could I tell her that I would keep my vow?

Lumina will see right through him.

Lumina knows his heart more than he does.

He is drawn to a young woman named Sophie.

He can’t stop himself even if he tries.

Sharon nailed him to the wall and put a lid on it, but the lid came off before he knew it.

“I’m an as*hole…”

——Lumina was right.

He whispered a word of love that he didn’t even mean in his heart and tried to tie Lumina down.

For himself.

and lost.

Lumina, her fiancée, and Sharon, his best friend.

——They gave up on me because of my indecision.

He remembered Lumina’s words to me when he was ten years old.

[Can you swear you’ll never love anyone other than me?]

—— I swore.

And yet, his heart was so easily turned to another young woman, Sophie.

——I don’t know why.

He is drawn to her. drawn to that free and lovely smile.

Stephan squatted down and put his hands on his chest.

“It’s the worst… I’m the worst…”

He swore to her.

He whispered love to her.

He swore he’d never love anyone but her, and then he betrayed her so easily.

He can’t get the look in Lumina’s eyes out of his mind.

——Why does my heart waver? Why can’t my heart be the way I want it to be? I don’t understand.

——I’m drawn to them as if something compels me.

——It’s painful.

“Damn…Damn It!”

He slammed the desk down hard, clenched his fist so hard that it bled, and then the door to the room opened.

“Stephan… Your Highness…”

Sophie was standing there.

Her face was not her usual bright and cheerful self, but was tense and looked as if she was about to cry.

Sophie rushed to him and said quietly:

“Your Highness… I have a request…”

Stephan’s brow wrinkles at these words.

“Miss Sophie?”

Sophie’s emerald eyes flicker. Wet with tears, Stephan’s heart skips a beat.

“Please… I… (sobs) I don’t know what to do anymore (sobs)”

Something shuddering crawls down Stephan’s spine.

Sophie hugged Stephan and rubbed his back as she said,

“Please break the engagement. Otherwise, the story will never end or begin (sobs). That’s what I’m supposed to lead you to (sobs). But my Oneesama… (sobs)”

“What… what are you trying to say?”

“You have to do it for everyone (sobs) but… (sobs)”

“What…are…you…”

“Time and time again, His Highness has broken his engagement (sobs) because (sobs) that’s the way of the world! You got to it. (sobs)”

Stephan’s body stiffens at the sight of Sophie’s maddened eyes.

——Time… and time again?

——Broke off the engagement?

He can feel his body shaking.

He has no memory. But his mind is calling out to him, triggered by Sophie’s words.

Remember your sins.

Your role in this world is fixed.

Sophie’s face is distorted.

The story has to go according to the scenario, or else this world will end. But (sobs) Do we have no choice but to do it? Your Highness, I…(hick)”

“Miss Sophie, just calm down.”

Despite his words, Stephan himself could not stay calm.

The nausea came on in spurts.

His head ached and he couldn’t stop shaking, as if he were being overwhelmed by what he had done.

“Do I love you because I am a heroine? Is this feeling real? I’ll betray Oneesama (sobs)…yet… (sobs) I’ll love you… (sobs) I don’t deserve to live (Wuuu~)”

Sophie sobs as she clings to him, her body shaking in the same way.

“I’m going to love you. (sobs) this feeling is real.”

Tears pour into Sophie’s eyes like a waterfall.

At the same time, Sophie says, as if enchanted by something.

“Bugs… Oneesama, she’s…(sobs) What am I going to do?”

Stephan shakes his head as he is asked for help.

“I-I can’t.”

His trembling mouth, his head shaking again and again at Sophie’s words.

The Crown Prince was shaking and weeping just like Sophie.

“I can’t. Miss Sophie”

Not that he remembered.

However, something incriminates one’s guilt.

Stephan pulled Sophie away from him, bit his lip so hard it bled, and spoke clearly.

“Go home. We’ll set up a meeting tomorrow.”

Sophie fluttered her arms at these words and stormed off.

“If you do that, this world will end! It will end because of us. Because of us!!!””

“There must be a way!! What you are saying…may indeed be true. Something inside me tells me so! But still, I don’t want to betray Lumina anymore!”

“Me neither! Enough! I’ll do it!”

“Miss Sophie!”

Sophie runs out of the room, and Stephan immediately calls for an escort.

He gave instructions to locate Lumina and then mounted his horse himself.

Chapter 24

Lumina was then squeezed tightly by her father, Edwin, who came running into the lake-side villa with a pale face.

“If you don’t like it, we can call off the engagement right now.”

Her father’s words made her teary eyes break down again, and Lumina returned home with her father and Sharon.

Edwin thanked Sharon for going after Lumina, and as they drove home together, he said to Lumina, who had left the carriage.

“You’ve done a great job so far. I will go and talk to His Majesty the King.”

Lumina nodded, and Sharon said to Edwin.

“May I come with you?”

“Yes, of course.”

Edwin and Sharon got into the carriage and headed for the royal castle.

Lumina saw them off and went back to her room, breathing heavily.

She wondered if this was the right decision.

And then it occurred to her.

——If the engagement is broken off at this point, will I be in a loop again?

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, the door was opened and Sophie came into the room without saying a word.

Although they are sisters, courtesy is important, and opening the door without saying anything raises the question of whether a lady is truly educated.

Lumina flashes a troubled smile and says.

“Sophie? You have to knock properly, don’t you?”

Lumina wondered why her sister, who usually apologized in a cheerful voice, was so quiet.

“Listen, Oneesama, I’ve come to talk to you.”

“Yes? What is it?”

Lumina is uncomfortable with Sophie’s slightly different mood, but she accepts it as usual.

However, as Sophie gets closer, a shiver runs down her spine.

“Sophie?”

The moment she saw those eyes, Lumina rose to her feet in a sense of alarm.

Sophie’s eyes are red, as if she has been crying.

Then she comes closer, step by step.

“No matter how hard you try, it’s no use… Oneesama. Why don’t you follow the story properly?”

“Eh?”

“This world is just a story that repeats itself. It’s a game. If we don’t follow the storyline, the game won’t progress.

A chill runs up and down her spine at the sound of her mumbling.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“It’s going to be released soon… Why isn’t Oneesama the only one who can’t move properly… Because you’re not moving properly…”

“Hey, Sophie. What’s wrong with you? You’re acting weird.”

“It’s Oneesama… who’s acting weird. Because… you’re the bug in this game.”

“Bug?”

Sophie shouted, distorting her face sadly, as if she had been cornered.

“The characters have to follow the story! In the case of your route, only Oneesama doesn’t move properly. That’s why everyone has to repeat His Highness’s route dozens of dozens of times…”

Sophie said when Lumina wrinkled her brows without knowing what it meant.

“We are pieces. The game characters—Oneesama is a villainess. I am the heroine of the main character.”

Lumina thinks about the words being said in her head and then suddenly comes to a realization.

“…Game characters…Repeats itself?”

There are many things she doesn’t understand in the words, but when she connects the parts then…

“…Yes.”

Lumina nods and looks Sophie in the eye.

“Yes. I see… That’s why I’ll never be loved—you’re the one his highness is destined for.”

“Yes… it’s terrible… Oneesama is very nice…And I’m the worst sister. I know how hard you work, and yet I take away the one you love…”

Sophie’s tears dripped down her cheeks. Her eyes are red and her lips are pale.

In contrast to Sophie, Lumina’s eyes brighten and she smiles as if she finally understands.

“It wasn’t my fault, was it? It was a story. That’s the way it works. That’s why he doesn’t love me! Ufufu! Oh, my God. It wasn’t that I wasn’t attractive enough or anything. It makes sense now!”

Sophie was surprised by Lumina’s slightly different reaction and tilted her head back with tears in her eyes.

Lumina then said to Sophie.

“His Highness’ destiny is yours… We had no choice but to continue following the story… Ara? … For a long time, I’ve felt betrayed by His Highness, but he couldn’t help himself… Sophie had to be in pain as well.”

——If you think of it that way, it makes perfect sense.

Lumina smiled.

“Thank you for telling me. But why did you tell me this time?”

Sophie answered quietly.

“…If things go on like this, the game won’t be released, so we have to make sure Oneesama works.”

“By the way, why did you come to tell me that this time? Or rather, how did you know about it?”

“To keep things going according to the scenario, I… I’ve been rewritten for one last chance. Until just now… I didn’t know that… I was happy…”

——So Sophie has just been following the scenario all along.

Lumina thinks so, but then she sees something shiny that Sophie pulls out, and makes her hair stand up.

Sophie held a silver knife in her shaking hands.

“I have to make it right… Otherwise, the story will end…”

“Sophie? Please calm down.”

“I have to… I have to make it right!!!”

Sophie clutched the silver knife tightly.

Chapter 25

It was shortly after Edwin and Sharon had set out for the royal castle.

The carriage stopped when they saw a large number of knights running toward them from the road.

“Huh?”

Edwin tilted his head and opened the window to see Stephan on horseback looking at him with a pale face.

“Your Highness Stephan?”

When Sharon was also surprised, Stephan raised his voice.

“We need to get to the Duke’s house as soon as possible, Lumina may be in danger.”

“What?!”

“I’ll explain later!”

Stephan then took his horse and rode off to the duke’s house.

Sharon and Edwin saw this and borrowed horses from the knights and followed Stephan.

A cloud of dust rises and Sharon and Edwin, bewildered, catch up with Stephan and run back to the duke’s house.

As soon as they open the door to the house, the resounding voice changes the faces of Stephan, Sharon, and Edwin.

“Sophie! Stop it!”

Lumina’s shout echoed through the house.

Sharon quickly runs up the stairs, followed by Stephan and Edwin.

When he opened the door, Sophie was standing there waving a silver knife around, while Lumina ran away, throwing things into the room to fight back.

Sharon rushes to the door and grabs Sophie’s silver knife, which she lifts and shakes off her arm.

Sophie was knocked to the floor by the recoil.

“Miss Lumina, are you all right!?”

“Sharon-sama!”

Lumina hugged Sharon.

As Sophie falls to the ground, Stephan picks up a silver knife and looks at Sophie.

Edwin exhales at the sight and tells the butler to call a doctor.

“Miss Lumina, are you all right?”

“Y-Yes… Sharon-sama… Oh, my god! Your hands are bleeding!”

Lumina turns pale, but Sharon smiles and says,

“It’s alright. It’s not deep.”

“That’s not the point!”

Lumina dabbed the blood with a handkerchief. Tears trickle from Lumina’s eyes as the blood slowly spreads.

“Don’t Cry.”

“Then please don’t hurt yourself.”

“I’ll be careful. So what happened?”

Sophie covered her face with her hands and continued to cry, and Edwin let out a deep breath.

“Let’s go somewhere else, calm down, and talk.”

With these words, everyone moved to the drawing room, where Edwin took Sophie in his arms.

“Are you all right?”

Lumina’s heart warms, and she smiles at him.

“Since Sharon-sama is here, I’m fine.”

Lumina felt that she was no longer alone.

Chapter 26

In the room where everyone was gathered, Stephan started to talk with Lumina about what happened in the castle instead of Sophie who kept crying.

Sophie told Stephan the same things she had told Lumina.

Stephan said that as soon as he heard what sounded like a lie, he felt, like Lumina, that it was all true.

And Stephan didn’t shake his head at Sophie’s words. No, he couldn’t.

Stephan told her to go home, but he had a bad feeling about the situation and came with the knights to the duke’s house.

Lumina told him that she had been caught in a loop dozens of times, which made Sophie’s story seem believable.

There was silence in the room for a moment, and naturally, everyone but Sophie took the steaming tea.

“If what Sophie said is true, the story will never go back to the beginning unless the engagement is broken. In other words, we should break off the engagement, right?”

Lumina’s words made Sophie’s red eyes tear up.

“That’s… I don’t know… And this is the last time… this world might disappear on the spot.”

Silence fell again.

Stephan spoke quietly.

“Lumina… I’m sorry.”

The sudden words draw attention to Stephan.

Stephan looked into Lumina’s eyes and said,

“I’m sorry I kept doing such a terrible thing to you.”

“Your Highness?”

“I was selfish… I tried to tie you to the position of fiance… I bet I betrayed you dozens of times…?”

Lumina recalled the past and nodded bitterly.

“I am sorry… I really am. I’m such an as*hole. You were right. I’m sorry.”

Stephan put his hand on his chest and hung his head as if in agony.

“I’m sorry.”

Lumina shook her head with a clear expression at the repeated painful murmur.

“It’s all right. I’m convinced of it. No matter how hard we try, our fate cannot be reversed. If it’s because of a story, then so be it. Besides, I’ve already found my destiny.”

Lumina looked at Sharon, and Stephan looked at them and nodded quietly.

“…I… see.”

Stephan turned his gaze, sadly, to Sophie.

“Fate is… scary.”

Sophie looked up at him in tears and said,”I…

“I’m scared, too. They rewrote it without permission… They told me to… fix the mistake… But I… didn’t really want to… ugh…. But I knew if I didn’t, this world could disappear…”

Lumina said she would smile.

“Sophie… let’s keep this between us. It’s okay. I know you’re a really good girl.”

The words startled everyone.

“Oneesama… No, I’ll accept punishment for the rest of my life… I would never, under any circumstances, turn my back on Oneesama…”

Lumina hugged Sophie as she burst into tears.

“I want you to stay with me. I love you too, you know?”

“Onee…Oneechama~”

Lumina laughs, her face too ugly for a heroine.

The world will disappear.

It indicates that the loop starts again.

Lumina opens her mouth in the silence that has come again.

“Your Highness, please break off the engagement.”

“W-What?”

Lumina looked at him with a clear expression on her face and said,

“Because I love you all. That’s why I don’t want you to disappear.”

——If I am the catalyst of the story, the world will return to normal if we make the right move.

——Then all we have to do is do it.

——The old me would have hated it, but I have Sharon.

——No matter how many times I have to repeat this story, I know that I can enjoy it if I know that Sharon is there.

“O-Oneesama…?”

Lumina said as she gently stroked Sophie’s head.

“I’m sorry for giving you such a hard time.”

“Oneesamaa…”

Sophie cried again like a child, and Lumina patted Sophie’s head gently.

——All right.

——I’m not alone anymore.

Lumina resolved to break off the engagement with a clear conscience.

(Potato-tan: Sophie, as far as I can tell, believes the game is over and fails to restart unless Lumina takes the normal route.

I’m a little perplexed about Sophie’s background because almost all of her dialogue was cut. The author kept us in the dark until the very end, lol.

Maybe God(Publisher) intervenes right after the deviation from the original plot and installs a new program in Sophie so she understands what is going on.

Chapter 24: “To keep things going according to the scenario, I… I’ve been rewritten for one last chance. Until just now… I didn’t know that… I was happy…”)

Chapter 27

Awebstories.com

Does the story end with the breakup of the engagement?

Does the game repeat itself?

But you see, in both stories and games, when people have feelings, there is always a sequel.

In the beautifully decorated venue.

——A scene I’ve gazed upon dozens of times.

The light from the chandelier gleams on this beautiful stage, and the villainess will be told that her engagement has been broken off.

The villainess in the bright red dress who has been interrupting the couple’s talk of true love.

Tonight, she will be sentenced.

Lumina’s heart aches at the sight she’s experienced so many times.

Even though this world is a fabrication, she knows she is here.

She has been hurt a lot.

She has suffered a lot.

The thought that this eternal world will repeat makes her sad.

But…

She looks up in front of her and sees Stephan, a handsome man with dark circles under his puffy, weeping eyes.

Lumina laughs, thinking that it would be nice to see him look like that at least once.

——It’s refreshing to hear his voice trembling.

“Lumina Larache. My engagement to you… As of today… I will cancel it!”

She has heard these words dozens of times, but never before has she heard such a dull voice.

Somehow, she feels sorry that His Highness has to bear all the pain of the past, but her heart feels relieved.

The hall became silent.

Normally, she was alone, listening to the words of Stephan and Sophie, who cuddled up to him.

But today, His Highness is alone, looking like he is about to cry, facing Lumina.

And beside Lumina stood Sharon and Sophie, whose eyes were as red as rabbits.

Finally, the last words are about to be spoken and the loop will start.

——Once I leave, the story ends.

Lumina looked up at Sharon, and Sharon looked up at Lumina.

“I love you…Sharon-sama.”

Lumina closed her eyes.

Sharon then pressed a soft kiss onto Lumina’s lips.

Lumina received it and waited for the end to come.

She was not embarrassed to be kissed in front of everyone, knowing that the loop would start again.

Once she opens her eyes, she’ll find herself ten years old.

She’ll see her little hands again.

“Ara?”

She heard a rustle.

The feeling of lying in bed will never come.

“Eh?”

She opens her eyes, and it’s still a glittering venue.

Lumina looks at Stephan, looks up at Sharon, looks around, and thinks.

She wonders if she should say her exit line, and hastens to give a beautiful curtsy.

“Your Highness, I humbly accept the termination of our engagement.”

In the past, this line would also start the loop.

She squeezes her eyes shut.

This time it ends.

This time she’ll come back.

She’ll see her little hand.

But she’s too scared to open her eyes.

And for some reason, the warmth of Sharon’s hand squeezing her won’t go away.

——It won’t go away.

Lumina slowly opens her eyes.

Stephan rolls his eyes, and the next moment, Sophie’s voice sounds like a yell.

“Oneesaaamaaa!!!”

Sophie hugged Lumina vigorously.

The force almost knocked Lumina down, but Sharon supported her back.

“Eh?”

Lumina was stunned.

In front of her was Sophie, her face soaking wet and crying.

The hall becomes noisy.

She looks at Stephan, who has regained his energy and a big smile on his face, and says,

“I have broken off the engagement with Lumina Larache! The reason is that my best friend and Lumina are really in love! I could have called it off, but I wanted to show everyone! I hope you all agree with the engagement breakup and also with Sharon and Lumina’s engagement!”

The hall rose in an instant, and cheers and applause broke out.

After Lumina was stunned, she felt the heat gradually gathering in her face.

Not the least of which is Sophie, who comes to her crying.

Dying of embarrassment, Lumina turns red and covers her face with her hands to hide the blunder she has made.

Various words fly around the hall.

“I was surprised! But congratulations on your engagement!”

“Haha! His Highness, do something stylish!”

“Breaking off an engagement to celebrate two people you love is a strange thing to do!”

“Oh, my goodness… Kissing in front of everyone like that?! How lovely!”

“Wow, I envy you.”

“Come on, Loop!”

She can’t do it.

Lumina wished for the first time.

But the loop never came for Lumina again.

Chapter 28

Awebstories.com

There were no more loops. Lumina was lying on the bed, staring at her hand.

When she closes her eyelids, the event at the end of the loop comes back to her.

It was hard.

It was sad.

It was painful.

She cried and wondered why she wasn’t Stephen’s destiny.

It was frustrating.

She wondered why he did not love her back when she loved him so much.

However, Sharon whispered her love and felt loved, and in spending time with him, she realized the distortion of her love.

——I think I was obsessed.

She finally realized that by developing feelings for Sharon.

Stephan and Sophie both expressed their pain that the love they felt for each other had come through a game.

Lumina, on the other hand, learned from Sharon that love is something that develops over time and passed this onto the two of them.

There is a chance that if these feelings last, they’ll grow into a love between the two confident people, no matter what the game is like.

A giggle and a self-mocking smile break out.

She never thought she would ever have to talk about love with someone who had betrayed her dozens of times.

She thought that was unforgivable.

She didn’t want to forgive.

Her heart was finally clear when she felt her fate with Sharon, and she didn’t want to hold on to the hatred she had for Stephan and Sophie.

She didn’t want to keep it.

She forgives them.

She can justifiably say that.

Sharon says he will accept her past efforts and give her happiness from now on.

That’s why she could forgive them.

The love she had for Stephan was muddy,

but the love she had for Sharon was sparkling.

The love you hold in your heart should be beautiful.

“Milady, Sharon-Sama sent this to you~.”

The lively voice of a maid

There was a bouquet of lovely pink flowers in her hand.

[To my beloved Lumina, have a good dream]

A handwritten message with a few words.

Sharon’s gentle reminder to Lumina not to have scary dreams.

She thinks with a laugh that Stephan should learn this kind of casualness from Sharon.

She receives the  bouquet of flowers from the maid and slowly inhales the sweet scent into her chest.”

Thanks to your presence, I’m sure I could be nice in this world.”

Lumina felt happy that she could have a happy dream.

Chapter 29

Lumina was in a room at the royal palace with Stephan, Sophie, Sharon, and others some time after the engagement was broken and the new one was announced.

Lumina had urged Stephen and Sophie to get engaged, but there was an argument between the Duke and the royal family, Edwin wept and thanked God that the loop was over, and the people, seeing Sophie’s strange behavior in tears in the ballroom, protested, calling the future Queen’s credibility into question. But it all came together, and the occasion was set.

For the first time, Lumina was able to say how happy she was when she saw Sophie sitting next to Stephan with a smile.

“Congratulations on your engagement.”

Sophie’s face turned bright red.

“Thank you, Oneesama. I owe this to you, too.”

It was Lumina who had put an end to the rumors about Sophie’s eccentricities, and Lumina had served as a link between the Queen and Sophie, promoting the queen’s education to her.

Stephen was troubled by his redemption for Lumina and questioned whether he could really propose to Sophie. When Lumina learned this from the queen in private, she placed a vial of an imported hair restorer on his desk and told Stephen,

(Potato-tan: He’s going bald.)

“I am not the same person I was in the past. So please don’t worry about me, Your Highness.”

“This… this is…”

“I hear it works very well. Here you go.”

Stephan was moved to tears, then nodded and took the small vial gently and held it in his hand with care.

Sharon didn’t look convinced, but when Lumina placed her hand on his, he shrugged as if he had no choice.”

But I wonder why this world didn’t disappear after all.”

When Lumina mentioned this, Sophie thought for a moment and then opened her mouth.

“It must be…”

“What?”

“Because Oneesama was there. I thought I shouldn’t get out of the story. That’s what I thought. That’s why I did that… I shouldn’t have done that.”

Sophie looked straight at Lumina and said.

“Oneesama chose her own destiny, so I’m sure it led to the present future.”

Sophie’s words were so clear that Lumina was taken aback, and Sharon laughed happily and said,

“I guess you’re right.”

“Well, even Sharon-sama thinks so.”

The place was filled with friendly laughter, and Lumina looked at the scene and thought.

——I wish happiness could go on like this for a long, long time.

Lumina wasn’t sure if it was true love, but she was hundreds of times happier than she had been in the dozens of loops where love had not been returned.

Sharon gave Lumina his heartfelt love every day, and Lumina returned the love.

Lumina was finally able to realize the happiness of loving and being loved.

This world was a story. But now, Lumina feels that she is alive.

Lumina, who was eighteen at the time, can now celebrate her nineteenth birthday for the first time.

The story stops looping and Lumina’s story continues.

Lumina has sought love, given up and found a new love.

Why was the story continued?

It was, of course, because there were people who wanted to see her story of happiness.

“Sharon-sama, I look forward to many more years of happiness with you.”

Sharon smiles happily at Lumina’s smile.

“Of course, Look forward to it.”

Lumina has been in a painful relationship for a long time.

But from now on, her long-held wish for a happy, loving family will finally come true.

~End~

(Potato-tan: There is still one last chapter left.)

Chapter 30

I don’t know if I have ever had such a peaceful time in my life.

Lumina looked up at Sharon beside her and put her hand on her loose cheek.

Feeling the warmth of the sun’s rays, they went into town to do some shopping.

“What is that store over there, Sharon-sama? May I take a look?”

Lumina is having a great time taking it easy and looking around the shops with a smile on her face the whole time.

“Of course, Lumina… don’t be in a hurry, there’s always time.”

Sharon smiles at the excited Lumina and takes her hand gently as they walk into the store together.

They are dressed simply, but their outward appearance causes everyone to turn to look at them when they walk by.

The shopkeeper must be aware that Lumina and Sharon are nobles.

The shopkeeper looked as if he was in a panic because his store did not have anything expensive to sell to the nobles, but seeing Lumina so innocent and happy, his face broke into a smile also.

“Sharon-sama. See? This music box is so pretty.”

Lumina gazed at the carefully handmade music box with sparkling eyes.

Sharon nods.

“Alright. Lumina, let’s buy that, too.”

“Ara! Sharon-sama, please stop trying to buy things for me right away. I can shop for myself, too.”

Lumina giggles and laughs, and Sharon says with a serious face.

“I want to spoil my cute Lumina. Will you forgive me for that?”

“Well…”

Lumina blushed and laughed happily, and the shopkeeper felt like he had seen an angel in his heart.

Sharon bought the music box and gave it to the squire, then took Lumina’s hand and slowly walked out of the store.

Sharon looked at Lumina, who was smiling happily, and said,

“Lumina… Are you having fun?”

Lumina nodded her head in agreement.

“I’ve never had such a wonderful holiday before.”

A normal day.

A normal holiday.

Until now, Lumina had never had such a normal life.

But now it is in her hands.

“Thank you. Sharon-sama. Fufufu, I love you.”

Sharon blushed and let out a small breath as he squeezed her hand and looked up at her adorably.

“Me too…Lumina is so cute…I sometimes lose confidence in how long I can hold out.”

Lumina’s smile deepened at Sharon’s words, and she hugged him tightly.

“Are you happy?”

“Yes. Very much.”

Sharon tried his best to suppress the urge to hug Lumina right now.~

The End~

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