Am I really seeing Sylvia right now?
That’s the first question that came to mind.
“Why are you acting like this, Lord Riad? Is something wrong…?”
“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”
Maybe I was staring too intently.
Startled by her tilting her head in confusion, I hurriedly grabbed the teacup on the table and gulped it down as if it were plain water.
I had no idea about the taste of tea in the first place, so it didn’t matter much.
What mattered more than the taste of the tea was Sylvia’s outfit, as she sat right in front of me.
Before the regression, she always appeared dressed in the darkest colors to cover her entire body.
But what on earth led her to such a daring outfit now?
Is it puberty? Well, fifteen years old is about that age.
“…Hmm.”
No, maybe not entirely.
She might not have noticed it herself, but from my perspective, Sylvia seemed to be pushing herself too much right now.
Even now, she kept glancing down at her outfit and blushing.
Perhaps, with me as a rare guest, she felt the need to put some effort into her appearance after being confined in her room for so long.
Exposure doesn’t equate to beauty, but I wonder where she picked up such skewed knowledge.
If there were someone here who fed her such wrong ideas, I’d punch them right away.
“Ahem… First of all, I apologize for requesting such a sudden meeting when we’ve never met before.”
“It’s alright. Not that it’s something to boast about, but I spend most of my time in my room. I’m actually glad to have an excuse to leave for once.”
I deliberately tried to pull my attention away from Sylvia’s attire and bowed respectfully to apologize.
At that, a faint smile formed on Sylvia’s lips.
As expected, it seemed this version of Sylvia still spent her lonely hours confined in her room.
I’m glad I came to see her sooner rather than later.
“The reason I requested this meeting today is nothing else. I heard that Lady Eleanor is severely oppressed within the family due to the existence of the evil eye embedded in her right eye.”
“Oppressed might be an exaggeration. Considering the harm I’ve caused to others, it’s only natural. But the rumors seem to have spread far. Though, I suppose it’s something known to those who know…”
So, the rumors were more widespread than I thought.
On the way here, Alphe had told me some rumors he’d picked up, and they sounded strikingly similar to what I’d heard from Sylvia before.
Apparently, the rumors about the witch named Sylvia Eleanor being locked up in the castle were well-known among those with sharp ears.
“The truth is, the reason I’m here is to make a proposal based on those rumors.”
“A proposal…?”
“Yes, whether you accept or reject it is entirely up to you.”
I had thought this through as the best course of action, but it might not sound very appealing from her perspective.
If she refuses, I’ll simply find another way.
That’s why I’m here.
“To put it simply… We’ll pretend to be lovers.”
“Are you suggesting an engagement?”
“Yes, if we take it further, it would mean that.”
Since it was merely a contractual relationship, I hadn’t wanted to use such a term.
But Sylvia’s direct question left me no choice but to nod reluctantly.
The term “engagement” would likely remind her of unpleasant memories from the past, so I had wanted to phrase it more gently.
“May I ask why you’re suddenly making such a proposal?”
“It’s simple. I think our interests align perfectly.”
“Interests, you say?”
“It means we complement each other’s shortcomings in an ideal and rational way.”
I pulled out a small piece of paper I had prepared in advance.
It summarized the mutual benefits of this engagement.
Sylvia, scanning the paper with her characteristic calm gaze, nodded as if she understood.
For a moment, as she leaned slightly forward to take a closer look, brushing her hair behind her ear, her graceful movements caught my attention.
“…I see, so that’s what you meant. In other words, what you want is to solidify your position within your family.”
“That’s correct. Have you perhaps heard rumors about me before?”
“Yes, vaguely.”
“Indeed, I was the failure of the cursed Riad family. A rat that nearly crawled into the gutter is now clawing its way back to the light. That’s why I can’t afford to lose this opportunity.”
Deliberately roughening my tone, I growled with eyes full of ambition and greed, pretending to be the next heir.
At that, Sylvia frowned slightly as if discomforted, then firmly spoke with a resolute tone.
“Lord Riad.”
“Yes, please go on.”
It was the first time I’d seen her interrupt someone, so while I didn’t show it outwardly, I was quite startled and nodded.
Did I say something to offend her?
But no matter how much I replayed the conversation, nothing stood out. As I mulled it over, she continued with a stern expression.
“It may be crossing the line to say this on a first meeting, but please don’t demean yourself so easily by calling yourself a failure. There’s always someone who’ll feel hurt hearing that.”
“…”
The moment I heard those words, it felt as if my consciousness had briefly stopped.
It was because they were exactly the same as what Sylvia had told me before the regression.
Her usually gentle and soft gaze turned stern for a moment, with lips slightly pouting as if sulking.
However, her expression conveyed not anger or fury, but rather sadness and compassion.
The sight was so familiar that I almost mistook her for the Sylvia I remembered, almost rushing to embrace her.
Barely restraining myself, I clenched my fists tightly, out of view.
Don’t be mistaken, Kyle Riad.
The reason she’s reacting this way is simply because she’s kind and compassionate enough to be considered a saint.
The Sylvia Eleanor of six years later, who cherished even a worthless lowlife like you, no longer exists.
If, by some miracle, she had truly regressed with you to the past, she would have torn your hide apart the moment she saw you.
So, put aside your foolish desires and focus on what you need to do.
“…I apologize. It seems my words became too heated as I explained my pitiful circumstances.”
“No, it’s fine. I should be the one apologizing for interrupting you so suddenly.”
When I apologized, Sylvia’s expression finally returned to its usual calm demeanor, and she gestured for me to continue as if to say, “Please finish your story.”
Thus, I resumed my explanation.
“In any case, my last resort is to use this body of mine.”
“So that’s why you chose an engagement. Forming a connection with the Eleanor family is a card too good not to use.”
“That’s correct.”
To me, it’s merely a justification to get her out of this cage, but there’s no denying that her words make sense.
It’s no wonder my father, who was so vehemently opposed to my meeting with Sylvia, arranged it as soon as I promised to create a connection with the Eleanor family.
Thus, Sylvia wouldn’t see any glaring flaws in this proposal.
“Lord Riad would solidify his position within the family, and I would use Lord Riad as justification to escape this cage. It’s certainly a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
“Yes, although I doubt the Eleanor family would so easily permit the lady’s departure on the basis of an outsider’s proposal… I will do everything in my power to make it happen.”
For me, the position within the family isn’t important at all. The latter—the part about getting her out of here—is the main point, so I have no choice but to give it my all.
However, from Sylvia’s perspective, there’s a chance she might worry that I’d exploit the engagement while neglecting her and her circumstances.
So I expressed my determination in my own way.
“Hmmm…”
Hearing this, Sylvia studied the paper intently for a while.
Then, she set it back on the table with a loud sound and suddenly stood up.
Could it be that the negotiation has broken down?
Her abrupt action sent a flurry of thoughts racing through my mind.
Is it no good, after all?
Well, it’s true that the proposal is beneficial to her as well, but ultimately, it’s a strange man trying to use her and her family for his own selfish gains.
It wouldn’t be strange if she found it distasteful.
I had made the suggestion under the assumption that she might harbor ill feelings toward her family, as I do, but it seems she doesn’t think of her current family as badly as I thought.
Before the regression, we’d had a similar conversation, so I’d vaguely guessed as much.
If that’s the case, I’ll have no choice but to revise my plans.
“Lord Riad, do you know much about flowers?”
“Pardon? Flowers…?”
Just as countless thoughts were flashing through my mind, Sylvia suddenly asked a somewhat random question.
If it’s about flowers, I know a bit.
Before the regression, when Sylvia visited our family, I showed her around the garden.
Since neither of us knew much about flowers, we just crouched down and stared at them blankly, wondering, “What kind of flower is this?”
After that day, I grew a bit curious and started flipping through various books or occasionally asking the gardener, building up some knowledge.
“I know a little. But why do you ask…?”
“Since I’ve spent most of my time in my room, I don’t know much about flowers. I’d like to visit the garden now. Would you mind helping me?”
“If you can help me with that, I’ll consider your proposal favorably,” she added with her hands behind her back, flashing a bright smile.
Before I knew it, I found myself standing up from my seat.
I still vividly remember the flower you couldn’t identify that day you first visited our family’s garden.
The regret of not being able to tell you its name lingered in my heart.
When you eagerly described the flower you’d seen in the garden of Kaintrache Castle and asked if I knew what it was, I pretended not to know on purpose.
That regret never left me.
I know it’s selfish to hope for another chance to love you.
But at the very least, telling you the name of the flower I couldn’t before—surely, even the gods wouldn’t deem that too greedy of a wish.
“If that’s the case, I’ll gladly help you.”
“Hehe, thank you.”
Suppressing the overwhelming emotion welling up in my heart, I quickly followed her out of the drawing room.