The Knight Who Broke Off Our Engagement and Told Me to Never Show My Face Again Still Clings to Me Today, Even Though I Was Possessed and Turned Into a Villainess for Ten Years - 68 - Once More, From Here 1

“Good morning, Sadie. The weather’s nice today.”

Today again, I visited the Arclight estate and spoke to Sadie, who was lying in bed.

—Two years have passed since the day she used the magic tool.

Sadie returned to her original body, but she still hasn’t woken up. She remains asleep.

The wound in her chest was deep. Her life was saved somehow, but no one knows when she will wake up.

It could be any time now, or it might take years. There’s even a chance she may never wake up again.

I hated myself so much for not being able to save her that day—hated how powerless I am now, when all I can do is pray that she opens her eyes.

But thanks to her, the magic tool was completely destroyed at that moment, and everyone was able to return to their original bodies.

“I brought the flowers you liked.”

At some point, I had gotten used to changing the flowers in the vase by her bed.

Between my duties as Knight Commander and my work as the next marquis, I still visit Sadie as often as I can—almost every day.

As always, I held her hand and sat in the chair beside her, talking softly when there was a knock on the door.

It was Eliza who came in.

“Good afternoon, Lord Rufus.”

“Yes.”

Eliza tucked her golden hair behind her ear and smiled gently before sitting in the chair next to me.

She often visits Sadie, so it’s not unusual for us to see each other here.

“Norman was supposed to come too, but it seems his work took longer than expected.”

“I see.”

Since that day, everyone except Sadie has returned to their proper lives and is living peacefully.

But it took time for the baron and baroness, who were tricked by Mabel and Findlay, to learn the truth and come to terms with it.

It couldn’t be helped. They hadn’t realized their daughter had been replaced twice, and they ended up chaining and locking up innocent Sadie.

The kind-hearted baron and baroness blaming themselves was only natural.

Still, they’ve been spending time with Eliza and slowly making up for the years they lost.

“Mabel used to be one of our cleaning maids. I was too young at the time and only remembered the faces of the servants who were always around me, so I didn’t recognize her.”

Because she had worked as a maid and watched Eliza closely, Mabel was able to perfectly act as Eliza Haynes.

Later, Mabel was bullied by the other maids, and the baroness, feeling sorry for her, introduced her to a job at the archbishop’s estate.

But in the end, she stole something there and was sent to a forced labor facility. That’s where she met Tabatha and the others and started planning to sneak into the archbishop’s estate. That’s when it all began.

“…Mother had always cared about Mabel, and it seems Mabel was very attached to her too. Mother cried, saying she never imagined Mabel would return her kindness with betrayal.”

Eliza said that with a sad look on her face.

—Mabel is now imprisoned in Napolov Prison, said to be the harshest in the country.

She’s been sentenced to death, but because the incident was so rare, everything is moving carefully.

I’ve heard she’s suffering in that prison, which is said to be worse than death, and she’s even begging for someone to end her life.

Compared to the ten glorious years she spent being loved as Eliza Haynes, the difference is beyond night and day.

The man who had switched with Norman died soon after returning to his body because of poison.

The man who had switched with Neil was already killed by Mabel to silence him.

Tabatha, who was locked up in the underground cell, has been given a heavy sentence as well. But unlike Mabel, she didn’t commit murder, so according to our country’s laws, she likely won’t be given the death penalty.

“Neil should be coming back soon too, right?”

“Yes. He’s coming back from the neighboring country next week. He said he really wants to see Sadie.”

Neil Basel, the eldest son of the Marquess of the Frontier, also returned to his original life and went to study in another country to prepare to inherit the family.

In his case, the person who switched with him was quiet and gentle, so the last time we met, he smiled awkwardly and said, “I think I had it easiest.”

Norman, who managed to return to his body just in time thanks to Sadie’s sacrifice, now lives happily with his younger brothers.

—Since then, the archbishop confessed all the crimes of the popes as the temple’s representative. This brought to light the existence of the magic tool that could swap human bodies and the people who got caught up in it.

The archbishop, who had begged not to die, may have realized that continuing that life was worse than death. He admitted his and the pope’s crimes and volunteered to reveal everything about the incident.

The incident caused many deaths and ruined many lives. When it was revealed that the respected pope was actually a murderer, the whole country—and even other countries—were shocked. The king himself had to step in to calm things down.

Because of that, Sadie, who had been hated as a wicked woman because of Tabatha’s actions, is now seen as a victim of a tragic incident and is treated with sympathy by everyone.

My father also sympathized with Sadie and her parents and worked hard to restore the Arclight family’s honor.

“Everyone went back to normal, but only Sadie still hasn’t woken up…”

Eliza looked down and gently stroked Sadie’s head.

“But I believe that someday, Sadie will just suddenly wake up and say ‘Good morning’ with a smile.”

“…Yeah.”

Eliza smiled a little sadly, said she would come again, and left the estate.

I wanted to stay with Sadie as long as possible, so I decided to spend time here until the very last minute before work.

I took her pale hand and gently laced my fingers with hers.

She never holds my hand back, but I can’t count how many times her warm touch has saved me.

“Please, wake up… I’m begging you…”

I clung to Sadie’s unmoving hand.

I hated how helpless I was, how all I could do was pray like this.

“…I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

More than anything, I still haven’t even been able to tell her that I love her.