The Villainous Young Lady Would Even Risk Her Life for Her Beloved ～ Her Fiancé, the Prince? By All Means, Please Be Happy with the Heroine! - Chapter 1.44

On the final day in the House of Lias, Leonhart returned from the castle town by late morning. I’d expected him to wander around much longer. Strangely, he had delegated tasks to Geoffrey, which was rare for him, and had reduced his guards to a minimum. I had assumed, without a doubt, that he was out searching for Iris.

“By the way, Lord Leonhart, what about that girl?”

“Ah…”

(That reaction’s off… did something happen?)

The two of us were now observing a newly laid wyvern egg. It was larger than an ostrich egg, with a thick shell that could only be broken from the inside—or so Fred had explained.

“There’s not much time left…”

“There’s still time.”

Well, probably not enough to actually meet her again—but still.

“Even if I did see her, I might not recognize her.”

His tone was listless. It was true that Leonhart’s memory of Iris’s face and voice had grown hazy, thanks to the fairy who stayed by her side.

“She’ll recognize you. After all, you’re a prince of this kingdom.”

Yes, Iris still knows who Leonhart is. But he didn’t seem reassured; he continued to stare blankly at the egg.

“Why did I forget something so important…?”

It seemed he couldn’t believe he’d forgotten a precious memory. Indeed, there is no magic that manipulates memory—not for humans, at least.

“What’s wrong!? Where’s the confident Lord Leonhart we know?”

His mood was throwing me off, so I tried encouraging him. Maybe he didn’t want to return to the royal capital because he was enjoying his time here. That I could understand.

“I spoke with Prince Trua. He said leaving his country and abandoning his status has been incredibly difficult.”

(Ahhh… I see. He’s imagining what it would be like if he and Iris were in Trua’s place—and he’s scared.)

“Do you think it’d be impossible for you, Lord Leonhart?”

“…”

Bullseye. Having lived his whole life as a prince, a lifestyle like Trua’s must seem unimaginably harsh.

“But Prince Trua looked very happy, didn’t he?”

“…Yes, he did.”

Even so, Leonhart’s expression remained clouded as he continued to gaze at the egg. He seemed deeply discouraged.

“So realizing your true feelings has left you shaken.”

“…Yeah. I realized… I might not be able to do it. If it were me, I might have given up on the woman I love. That thought—it’s unbearable.”

Right now, Leonhart seemed far more aware of his position and circumstances than he did in the original story, where he was already eighteen. His words were grounded, realistic. And yet, he’s only ten. It’s normal for a child to feel unsure and overwhelmed. But the fact that he could reflect this deeply already… that alone is remarkable.

When I was ten in my previous life, the only thing I cared about was how to sneak in more playtime. Compared to that, Leonhart’s growth deserved acknowledgment.

Just for today, I decided I should stand by Leonhart, who continued to grow day by day.

“But, you know, I don’t plan on poisoning that girl.”

“I know that.”

“If it’s you, Lord Leonhart, you’ll become king—and you can make her your queen! You won’t have to live day-to-day like Prince Trua.”

“Would you be okay with that, Lidi?”

Leonhart suddenly turned to face me.

“I always tell you I don’t mind, don’t I?”

“Why? How can you say that? I can’t become king without your help. But if I do become king, can you really give up the position of queen to someone else?”

He hesitated for a moment—then spoke.

“Is it because you don’t love me?”

(If I say yes here… he’ll probably cry.)

His expression was desperate.

It’s not that I’m unaware of Leonhart’s changing feelings. I often get the sense that he really, really likes me. But it’s still not quite what I’d call romantic love—there’s a lack of maturity, of passion, to call it that.

(This is… tricky.)

And now, even I have become emotionally attached. I can’t treat him coldly or push him toward Iris like I once thought. Besides, Mother’s dream—the widespread use of medicine—is finally taking shape. This business will bring massive profits, and now even noble houses other than Leonhart’s maternal family, House Austin, are showing interest.

In short, we no longer need this engagement. I’m sure once I return to Flores territory, Mother will raise the matter. And Leonhart, as clever as he is, must have already realized that.

“I will tell you my true feelings, Lord Leonhart.”

“Alright.”

We faced each other in front of the wyvern egg. I wondered if this kind of talk was bad for the baby’s development…

“We started out terribly, didn’t we? And that was all your fault.”

I conveniently left out all my selfish behavior before regaining my memories.

“I regret it…”

“But now, I think we have a good relationship. And that’s because of your character.”

Thanks to him, I’ve enjoyed this world—even though a wild future may lie ahead. If someone else had been my fiancé, I doubt I’d feel the same. He didn’t just tolerate me gushing over other men—he even supported me visiting their homes. The situation with Fred? Leonhart’s presence made that possible.

“You’re a wonderful person. That’s why I want you to become king. Just like I wanted to help Lord Finley, I want to support your future too.”

“But you’ll annul the engagement, won’t you?”

So he had realized it. He looked at me, about to cry.

(Honestly… You’re the one in love with Iris, aren’t you?)

I won’t blame him for being selfish. He knows it himself. But without our engagement, we’d likely never even see each other again. That thought alone is probably painful.

“I don’t want to be queen. You know how I dislike hassle.”

“Yeah…”

“And it won’t be annulled immediately. The medicine business has only just begun, and House Austin won’t accept the annulment easily. Having the Flores family’s backing isn’t something to discard lightly.”

Leonhart nodded.

“Even after the engagement is annulled, if you wish, I’ll stay by your side like Luca.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Assuming that’s allowed, of course.

“Is that okay?”

“Yes… I understand.”

He seemed a little relieved to hear I’d remain with him even after the engagement.

“Is it because you want to see Finley?”

He gave me a narrow-eyed, accusing look—the usual Leonhart.

“I won’t deny it.”

“Haha! You’re as consistent as ever.”

He laughed, his angelic face lighting up with joy.

“Well then, let’s visit the monster forest later. That girl might be there.”

“How do you know that?”

“Eh?”

“I never told you I met her in the monster forest.”

Wait—did he really not tell me? I must have confused the novel with reality again. I hadn’t sorted the info properly…

“…You told me yourself, remember?”

“No, I didn’t. Mother forbade me from entering, so the only person I’ve told is you.”

(Oh no! Really!? How do I talk my way out of this?)

“Don’t tell me—you’re that girl…”

“I am not.”

Instant reply. Seriously, I was shocked that he would jump to that conclusion.

“Lord Leonhart! Just because it would be easier if I were that girl, don’t go leaping to conclusions! You need to be ready to face reality!”

“Y-Yeah, you’re right… Sorry, I just… You two don’t even feel alike…”

Hey, what’s that supposed to mean!? Give me back my kindness from earlier!

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about!”

“Uwaaaah! I’m sorry!”

Well, fine. At least I managed to cover up how I knew. If he asks again, I’ll just play dumb from the start.

As expected, we didn’t meet Iris in the monster forest. She lives in a hidden village protected by a magical barrier. Unless she chooses to come out, we won’t meet.

Well… I’ll just look forward to seeing her in five years.