"...."
Isaac wore a bewildered expression as he looked at the two women staring at him.
It was the same kind of look children gave their grandfathers when they wanted to hear an interesting story.
Scratching his cheek awkwardly, Isaac asked,
"What exactly do you want me to tell you?"
"Shouldn't we start with admiration first?"
"Admiration?"
Clarice nodded without hesitation at his question.
"Yes, if I could desire it, I think I'd be able to take a more proactive approach."
"...."
"The truth is, right now, I am in a state of absolute perfection, where I have no need for men or love whatsoever!"
"Hoo."
Isaac felt like he somewhat understood what she meant.
It was absurd, but at the same time, there was something oddly selfless about her reasoning.
To love for the sake of others.
'Her premise is a bit strange.'
If it were the younger, more romantic Isaac from the past, he would have pointed that out first.
But the Isaac of today was different.
"So, what kind of person do you like?"
"I don't have a preference."
As expected.
"Is there anyone who feels a bit different to you? Someone you feel at least somewhat close to?"
"If we're talking about familiarity… I guess you and Heirad? Since you're my bodyguards, we're always together."
"Then let's imagine something. Holding hands and kissing Heirad—"
"Ew, no way."
"...."
"...."
"I don't even understand why people kiss in the first place. Do you know how unsanitary that is? What if you get infected—"
This princess was going to take some time.
***
As the sun set, the procession came to a stop.
Around the carriages, campfires were lit, and people gathered according to their groups.
Knights sat with knights.
Maidservants sat with maidservants.
Gathered in small groups around the fires, they either chatted or simply watched the flames rise, feeling as though the long-lost romance of life was blooming again.
Or maybe it was just because they were single and still had possibilities ahead of them.
"So, you're teaching the princess about love?"
"Yes, that's right."
The Grandmaster sitting beside him tore into her skewer of meat and smirked.
Licking the grease from her lips, she added,
"How interesting. Love is inherently emotional and centered around personal desires, yet she wants to understand it for the sake of others."
"Oh."
Sharen, who was also eating a skewer beside them, let out a sound of admiration, as if she had just heard something profound.
The Grandmaster glanced at Clarice, who was sitting across the campfire, and offered her own piece of advice.
"Emotions are meant to flow naturally, like a river. Don't try to forcefully change their course."
"Ooh."
"So, you're saying I don't need to force myself?"
"If you do, you'll always know deep down that it's not real. That's what love is."
Though the Grandmaster primarily taught swordsmanship, she occasionally commented on external matters like this.
Of course, it usually circled back to the idea that a clear mind was necessary for wielding a sword properly.
"Then, could you tell me?"
"Hm?"
Pausing mid-bite, the Grandmaster hesitated at Clarice's request.
"You must have had moments when your heart fluttered, right? I'd like to know when and how you felt love."
"...."
The Grandmaster, about to speak, suddenly froze.
"It has to be with a person. You can't say you fell in love with your sword or something like that."
Her mouth promptly shut again.
"..."
Her ears drooped, and her tail dragged along the ground. Then, looking toward Isaac, she grumbled.
"This Master wants drink."
"This is a bridal procession. No alcohol allowed."
"Then I'll at least go have a smoke, so change the topic while I'm gone."
With slumped shoulders, the Grandmaster walked to a corner and lit a cigarette.
Avoiding the brightly burning bonfires, the small glow at the tip of the cigarette seemed even more pitiful than usual.
"Haah, this is difficult. It'd be nice if there were just clear-cut answers."
Clarice let out a long sigh and pouted her lips.
However, Isaac found himself agreeing with what the Grandmaster had said about the "flow" of things.
"Would you take a look over there?"
Isaac pointed toward another bonfire.
Groups of people were scattered around, each with their own company.
Among them, one knight cautiously approached a group of maids and spoke to them.
His flushed face was half-hidden by the glow of the fire, giving the moment a warm, dreamy atmosphere.
Before long, one of the maids took his hand and stood up, and the two began to dance.
Calling it a dance might have been a bit of an overstatement—they simply held hands and moved in step with each other—but even that created a pleasant atmosphere.
"That's what I mean."
"..."
Following the lead of the first knight, the other knights hesitated for a moment before approaching the maids as well.
Likewise, the maids, who had only been watching nervously, subtly stepped toward the more reserved knights.
A small dance party had begun.
Beneath the cool night sky, the bonfires crackled, their flames sending wisps of smoke into the air, as the rhythmic sounds of burning wood became an unspoken melody.
"What do you think?"
"To be honest…"
With everyone around them smiling gently, Clarice scratched her cheek and said,
"We may be taking a break, but technically, we're still on duty. Is it really okay to be having fun like this?"
"..."
"..."
For a moment, the two simply looked at each other.
Her rational mind was too strong, leaving no room for emotion.
Sensing this, Isaac was about to say something when—
"I got it!"
Sharen suddenly jumped up and shouted with a grin.
Then, she strode toward Isaac and extended her hand.
"This is what you meant, right?"
"You're right, but I refuse."
"..."
Sharen's outstretched hand remained firm.
Whether out of embarrassment or sheer stubbornness, she refused to back down.
But Isaac had his own reasons.
"If I dance with you here, how do you think people will see it?"
"A handsome man and a beautiful woman?"
"Haah. If I dance with my ex-wife's younger sister, people might see it as adultery."
"Is that a thing?"
"Yes. So—"
Before he could finish, Sharen grabbed Isaac's hand and yanked him up.
As expected of someone from Helmut, her strength was overwhelming, pulling him to his feet effortlessly.
And just like that, she dragged him into the crowd.
"Sharen!"
"Oh, come on! It's fun! I've always wanted to try something like this!"
As Sharen exclaimed, the people dancing nearby chuckled.
Maybe they just saw it as an uncle playing with his cute niece.
In the end, Isaac had no choice but to go along with Sharen's insistence, despite his grumbling.
"Hehe! This is kind of romantic!"
"…I suppose so."
She wasn't wrong.
The atmosphere was warm and nostalgic, as if they had stepped back in time.
Isaac's steps naturally fell into rhythm.
The red-haired girl's hand in his.
Familiar memories resurfaced, making Isaac smile bittersweetly.
"Wow, you're thinking about my sister, aren't you?"
"How did you know?"
"Isaac, whenever you think about my sister, you always have a somewhat wistful smile."
"…I see."
"For the record, when my sister thinks about you—"
Sharen started to speak freely but abruptly shut her mouth. She averted her gaze, as if realizing she had almost made a mistake. However, Isaac was more curious than anything, so he matched her steps and asked,
"What about when she thinks of me?"
"You won't like it if you hear it. Do you still want to know?"
"…Then I won't ask."
"Smart choice!"
Sharen beamed brightly and nodded.
Watching her, Isaac unconsciously felt words lingering on the tip of his tongue.
"Haha! This is fun! Being around so many people like this feels different! It's nothing like the banquets at the mansion!"
Spinning in circles as they danced, she laughed.
"…"
At this point, it was meaningless to think about "what ifs."
He knew that dwelling on such thoughts was futile.
But if…
Despite that, his mind kept drifting back to them.
Ever since he returned, he found himself thinking about these "what ifs" more frequently.
He remembered the banquets from the past.
Back then, she was always so tense, her face stiff with nervousness.
If, just once, she had smiled as brightly as this…
If she had—
Would things have turned out differently?
"Wow! That was fun!"
As the dance came to an end, they let go of each other's hands. On their way back to their original spots, Isaac spotted Clarice engaged in a heated argument with Heirad.
The two were deep in debate, and it seemed wise to avoid approaching them.
Even the Grandmaster, who had finished smoking, walked over and casually draped an arm over Isaac's shoulder.
"Come, let's go."
"Where to?"
"Where else? To dance. You must have a turn with me as well, no?"
"…"
To be honest, he didn't want to.
Sharen had already spun him around so many times that he was feeling a little dizzy.
But the Grandmaster, wearing something that barely passed as a smile, continued pressuring him.
"What, do I need to dye my hair red first for you to agree? Or is there an age restriction on dancing over there? From what I recall, you seduced Liana Helmut at a similar—"
"Fine! Let's go!"
As the Grandmaster dragged Isaac away, Sharen was left behind.
"…I'm not going over there."
She had absolutely no intention of getting caught up in Clarice and Heirad's serious discussion.
Looking around, she eventually dashed toward the maids' campfire, where she managed to get some snacks from them.
***
About two weeks passed.
"We'll be arriving tomorrow."
At first, the Pegasus-drawn carriage had been a fascinating sight, but by now, it hardly felt any different from a regular carriage.
Bouncing slightly with the carriage's movements, Isaac spoke.
"Are you prepared?"
Clarice pondered for a moment before letting out a small chuckle.
"Even if I had twice the time, I doubt I'd be much different from how I am now."
She had tried her best to understand love.
But she hadn't undergone any drastic transformation.
Love, after all, was an abstract thing—one could only learn so much through words alone.
"Still, I do feel like my attitude toward it has changed a little. I think… I might be able to act more proactively as a wife now."
"…"
"Since someone practically drilled it into my head."
Smile at your husband.
Talk to your husband.
Spend time with your husband.
Eat meals with your husband.
Your husband is not your enemy.
Even if you're upset with him, talk to him first.
Your husband is on your side.
Consult your husband.
Even if he acts foolish, he's still your husband.
And so on.
"But still, didn't you at least learn something? Like the importance of a marital relationship?"
Isaac spoke awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. Clarice frowned at his words.
"At first, yes, but later on, it just started sounding like complaints about Liana."
"Ahem."
Well, nothing to be done about that.
Isaac coughed awkwardly, looking away, while Clarice let out a small laugh.
"Thank you."
"…Huh?"
"Thanks to you and Sharen. Because I came with people I could talk to comfortably… I ended up having fewer unnecessary thoughts."
"...."
"Now, I feel like I can meet my groom without any distractions."
"Is that so?"
Clarice closed her eyes, her expression calm. Sunlight poured in through the carriage window, casting a warm glow on her peaceful smile.
"It's a little sad to think this will be my last time enjoying this kind of freedom."
After her wedding, Isaac probably wouldn't see Clarice again. She would become the queen of another kingdom, after all. Even if they did meet at formal events, casual conversations like this would be impossible.
"My sister and Heirad are making a fuss, saying I'm sacrificing myself, but… honestly, I think it's a relief."
Because—
"I don't know what love is, so I don't feel any sadness."
"...."
"If I had someone in my heart back then, like you did—someone I'd be willing to give up everything for—"
It would have been painful.
Clarice whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.
"Princess."
In Isaac's memories—before his regression—Clarice had been the last remaining pride of her kingdom.
After the assassination of Princess Adeline, she was half-forced to take control of the military.
She never surrendered. She never ran away.
In the end, she died a heroic death on the battlefield.
Isaac didn't know the details of her death, but—
"Most likely, the future that awaits you now is not a bad one."
Compared to that past, an arranged marriage with a foreign prince could be considered a happy ending.
"Forget about the Transcendents, about strengthening royal authority. Just let it all go. Live simply as the wife of one man."
"…Is that so?"
Clarice lowered her head slightly.
When Isaac first met Clarice, he had thought she, like Silverna, was someone with great potential that had never fully bloomed.
The Clarice of this timeline was different from the one he had known.
Silverna was probably still training in the North, striving to reach her full potential.
But—
'Perhaps your talent doesn't need to bloom.'
If she could sleep peacefully without ever awakening her full potential—
That, too, could be a good future.
"I see."
Clarice slowly opened her eyes, a gentle smile forming on her lips.
"Congratulations on your wedding, Princess."
"Thank you, Isaac."
Her smile was radiant.
Now, Clarice had completed her preparations to become someone's wife.
And then—
The door of the moving carriage suddenly swung open.
Heirad burst in, his voice panicked.
"P-Princess—! Prince Raphael has fallen in love with someone and run away—!"
"...."
Isaac blinked and instinctively turned to look at Clarice.
She sat there, her mouth slightly open, staring in disbelief.
And then—
With a single sentence, she expressed exactly how she felt.
"That bastard…!"