My Fiancé Fell in Love with My Older Sister. After Locking Myself in My Room for Five Days, 500 Years Had Passed. - 59 - The Hated One? A Lonely Existence

(…Still, even if she said that out of nowhere…! That’s what I thought!!)

Was I just too dense to notice my sister’s hatred?

No—Even if that’s true, if she had something to say, she should have said it first.

Pushing me off like that so suddenly—it’s way too extreme.

That was what I was thinking as I answered Prince Lian’s question—about the relationship between Felix and my sister.

“My sister and Lord Felix were lovers. Whether his feelings were truly his own… I’m not sure.”

Zachs had asked me this once before, too.

My sister and Lord Felix were romantically involved.

At the very least, he said he would make her his second wife.

Whether that was because of his real feelings or because of her special charm magic, I don’t know.

But… he kept saying things like ‘destiny’ and ‘fate.’

If that’s the case, maybe it was due to her special charm magic?

Just when did it start—?

As if sensing my question, Prince Lian narrowed his eyes and said:

“…When did Agnes Frenzel cast her special magic on him?”

“I’ve been wondering that too. My sister wasn’t allowed to leave the ducal estate. For her to have met Arnold…”

It should’ve been impossible.

Arnold never visited the ducal mansion, and my sister almost never left.

She did stay at the family’s villa for recovery once, but that was a long time ago.

While I was deep in thought, Prince Lian continued.

“Then there must have been someone who connected Agnes and Arnold Abercrombie.”

“Someone…”

I gasped.

That would mean… someone inside the ducal house betrayed us—or rather, helped my sister.

My eyes widened, and Prince Lian tilted his head at me, looking puzzled.

His golden hair swayed softly.

“You told me the Frenzel household favored Agnes quite a lot. If that’s true, isn’t it possible that someone helped her?”

“That is… yes, but…! Doing something that huge…!? Lord Felix is the crown prince…! If it were known that someone used magic on royalty, it would be punishable by death!”

I accidentally used the present tense—’is the crown prince.’

That means… in my mind, Felix and my sister are still not people of the past. I still think of them as part of the present.

Prince Lian lowered his lashes and was quiet for a few seconds before speaking slowly.

“…Humans are surprisingly weak creatures. Even when they know what they’re doing is wrong, if they feel justified in their actions… they go through with it. So, Felicia. Don’t you think it’s possible they believed they were doing it for Agnes Frenzel, the woman they adored?”

“They… betrayed me?”

To cast charm magic on Lord Felix—

That was a betrayal of me.

Felix may have fallen in love with my sister, and her wish may have come true.

But what about me?

I must have had such a shocked look on my face.

Prince Lian gently said:

“This is only a possibility. It’s also possible she contacted him by some other means, without a middleman. Just consider it one of many possibilities.”

He said it lightly, then looked out the window.

“…Also, Felicia. We’re getting close to the lake. Let’s grab some lunch nearby. You seemed to enjoy the street food here in the Imperial Capital.”

I could feel his kindness in those words. His gentleness comforted me—but also made it harder.

Because the Lumos Empire is nothing like Tsobellar, the country I came from.

At least, I don’t have to live here holding my breath and keeping my guard up like I did back then.

This country… is so easy to breathe in.

Even though I know I’m supposed to return to Tsobellar… still, I find myself thinking:

If only I could stay and live in this country—how wonderful that would be.

But no matter what, I was born in the Tsobellar Dynasty, and I’m someone from five hundred years ago.

(If I choose to stay in the Empire how would I survive? What about food, clothes, and shelter?)

Am I just going to rely on the royal family?

I could never be that shameless.

Besides, my existence is unnatural in this Empire.

A person from 500 years ago now existing here could cause unexpected consequences.

No one knows what will happen if we tamper with time—something we’re not meant to touch.

What if my living here changes history?

This power to cross time… it could erase everything.

That’s why… I can’t choose this world just because life here feels nice.

That would be too careless.

“…………”

I clenched my hands tightly on my lap.

(…The servants in the ducal house were some of the very few people I could truly be myself around.)

In high society, I always had to act like a proper lady, like the duke’s daughter.

But the servants at home—aside from my sister—they were the only ones I could talk to freely.

I remembered Liza’s face.

Who was it? Who helped my sister?

It could’ve been one person. Or… it could’ve been all of them.

…If that’s true—

(Then… there’s no one in that country I can trust?)

I lived there for 18 years.

I tried to understand my role and find my place there—or at least I thought I did.

But maybe that was only what I believed.

Maybe Felicia—me—was always alone in that country.

(Maybe they saw me as nothing more than a barrier to Agnes’s happiness…)

It’s just one possibility.

Nothing is confirmed.

But realizing it—just the thought—sent chills through me.

It was like everything I believed in until now was suddenly flipped upside down.

(What should I do…?)

If my thoughts are correct—

Then maybe… I don’t want to go back to that country anymore.