With The Fifth Loop, The Third Prince Has Been Added To The Cast. - Chapter 7.2

In my fourth life, I didn’t know who had killed me, but it seemed Prince Camus did.

I wanted to ask, but he was too lost in his memories, too shaken with anger to hear me.

“So this time, I thought… maybe I was allowed to take you for myself. That’s why I approached you.”

“Up until now, nothing ever changed unless I took action myself. But… you were different. You brought change into my life without me doing anything. That’s because… all of this happened because of your power, didn’t it? ”

At last, I felt like everything finally made sense.

“I’m sorry. Every time I found you cold and lifeless, I couldn’t bear the sorrow. So I rewind time again and again. I never realized I was putting you through so much pain…”

Last time I came here, Prince Camus had sat beside me and held my hand.

This time, I moved to sit beside him—and took his hand in mine.

“Cheryl?”

“I used to think I was being punished. But I was wrong. It was because you cared for me so deeply that I kept repeating time.”

Just thinking that… made those painful days feel like something else entirely.

Because I was loved this much—by Prince Camus.

“You’re not… angry?”

“No, I’m not. But… I wish you had spoken to me sooner.”

If he had, I probably would’ve given up on Franz sooner and fallen for Camus instead.

“But I’m at fault too, aren’t I? I clung too tightly to my engagement with Franz…”

Because of that, it took so long for me to meet Prince Camus.

Still, now that I’ve met him and our feelings are mutual, I feel so happy.

That’s why—even the painful days feel like they were necessary, precious steps toward this happiness.

“Cheryl, I swear—I will make you happy!”

“Fufu, I’m already so happy, Camus-sama.”

“No! It’s not enough! After everything you’ve suffered, you deserve even more happiness! ”

I wanted to become even happier with Prince Camus—and wanted him to be even happier too.

“I had no idea there was a room in the academy only royalty could use…”

“It was originally meant for use when important figures from other countries came to study here. If there were royals among the students, they’d need a space to receive guests properly. That’s why it was prepared.”

But nowadays, it’s mainly used by royalty when they want to be left alone.

Right now, I was stepping into that room—with Prince Camus, and… Franz.

After that earlier conversation, I asked Prince Camus about how my fourth life ended.

He said Franz should be there too when he explained—and so, the three of us came together.

***

“Franz Eldred… this is your second time, isn’t it? ”

Prince Camus asked with certainty.

Franz widened his eyes, then gave a small nod.

“You were there… when Cheryl’s sister pushed her from that ledge.”

“So it was Claire…”

So from the third life onward, it was always Claire who either killed me or tried to.

What a terrifying sister I have.

“That’s all I know. The rest is just speculation. But you know everything, don’t you—Franz Eldred?”

Since our engagement was broken off, Franz had seemed much quieter.

Perhaps because both he and Claire now face harsh scrutiny at the academy, neither can act recklessly.

Claire likely blamed me for their current situation, which is why she came at me with a blade the other day.

Franz said nothing—just closed his eyes and exhaled.

After a while of silence, he finally began to speak, bit by bit.

Franz’s story:

After our engagement was annulled, he was overjoyed when his engagement to Claire was arranged.

But Claire, raised freely as the second daughter of a count, never bothered to acquire the education or manners needed to become a marquis’s wife.

Franz repeatedly pleaded with her, asking her to make an effort for his sake.

But Claire insisted that if he truly loved her, he should accept her as she was—thus creating a complete mismatch in expectations.

Eventually, the marquis and marchioness declared that Claire was unacceptable as the future marchioness, and if Franz insisted on marrying her, he would not inherit the marquisate.

While Claire was certainly at fault, Franz also lacked the capability to be the next marquis.

So, he decided that while he loved Claire romantically, he needed someone like me—someone who could do something for him—as his wife.

He wrote to me, asking to meet and hoping to renew our engagement.

But Claire found the letter first. She assumed I was stealing her future and arrived at the meeting spot ahead of Franz—and killed me.

“How absurd… I can’t believe Cheryl was caught up in something so stupid…”

I completely agreed with Prince Camus’s scathing words.

It was all due to their own lack of effort. Why drag me into it?

“So in the fourth life, I wasn’t killed by just Claire—but by both Franz and Claire.”

“I-I didn’t…!”

“No, it began with you. You tried to renew our engagement not because you loved me but because you wanted to inherit the marquisate.”

“But if only Claire had agreed, none of this would’ve—”

“Either way, I would have died. Whether Claire got to me first, or you did, I’d have faced despair and ended my own life…”

Even if Franz had come first, I probably would’ve thrown myself off in despair.

Franz, hearing that, lowered his head.

But I felt no sympathy.

“You were there—and still, you didn’t save Cheryl.”

“N-No! I was too late…!”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,  Prince Camus. It’s all over now.”

“…If you say so.”

It seemed Prince Camus still had more to say to Franz—but my words ended it all.

***

“There’s just one more thing I’d like to ask.”

“For you, Cheryl—anything.”

After Franz left, only Prince Camus and I remained.

There was still one thing I hadn’t confirmed.

“On that day, when I tried to jump from the rooftop… you weren’t up there, were you? ”

“No. I was directly below you—right beneath where you were standing.”

Just as I suspected.

There was no one there to stop me.

But still, I survived, which meant…

“When I saw you about to jump, I panicked and stopped time. I couldn’t hold it long, so I rushed to the rooftop and pulled you to safety.”

I knew it.

“I really am loved… so deeply by you, Prince.”

“I’m glad you finally understand. Say, can I kiss you?”

“P-Please don’t ask…”

“Okay. Then I won’t ask.”

As Prince Camus leaned closer, I gently closed my eyes.

Our gentle first kiss filled my heart with warmth and happiness.