1.
“Haah…”
A quiet medical room.
Francia slumped over the desk.
Sighs kept escaping from her lips.
“To think I wasn’t even given a chance…”
It was the first time she had taken an interest in a man, but that interest was cut short before it could grow into affection.
It wasn’t hard to accept. After all, his wife was truly a “good” person, and if Yohan loved her, then it made sense.
“Yohan didn’t seem particularly fond of her, though.”
Francia could tell instantly from Yohan’s expression. Though they were married, the truth was that their relationship was one-sided on Rudbeckia’s part.
The chances it was just her own misunderstanding? She was confident there was none. How many men had gazed at Francia over the years? Her intuition was sharp.
“Is there no way…?”
She wished Yohan could be her man. She wished his gentle gaze was always directed at her. She wanted to possess everything about him his body and his heart.
All of it. Only for her.
“He said he got married at twenty-one, didn’t he?”
At the time, Francia had also been twenty, just starting her job as a civil servant.
If only she had met him first…
“He could have been my man.”
A cold shadow darkened Francia’s eyes.
If they had met earlier, before any of this—
She could have made him a duke of Ferbache, not the lord of some insignificant rural count’s estate.
He wouldn’t have to work like he does now.
He wouldn’t have to do anything at all.
She could’ve given him expensive clothes, delicious meals, a fine house, vast lands, and the title of duke.
All he’d need to do was smile for her.
“…”
Then suddenly, Francia’s eyes widened, and she shook her head violently.
“What am I thinking…!”
He was a married man. True, he didn’t seem to have any children yet, but the fact remained—he was someone else’s husband.
Wanting a man like that? How shameless!
But the human heart wasn’t ruled by logic alone. And Francia was no exception. She couldn’t let go of her impulses and desires.
“…As long as I only like him, it should be fine, right?”
She wasn’t committing adultery, just holding onto her unrequited feelings. That couldn’t be wrong, could it? Francia genuinely believed this.
It was self-justification.
“Yes, if it’s just that, it doesn’t matter… Right?”
After all, wasn’t Rudbeckia’s love unrequited as well? Sure, it had led to marriage, but Yohan’s heart didn’t belong to her.
If that was the case, surely Francia would get her chance eventually.
And then—
“Rudbeckia.”
Francia hadn’t forgotten the look that woman had given her. The way her eyes were filled with wariness, like she was staring at a rival.
“You’ve got something to be nervous about, don’t you?”
If they were truly a happily married couple, Rudbeckia wouldn’t have been so guarded around Francia. If their bond was unshakable, there wouldn’t have been any room for Francia to interfere.
But Rudbeckia was wary. She feared Yohan’s heart might waver.
And what about Francia? She had once been the celebrated “Obsidian Saint,” a beauty who captivated the hearts of all men. Of course, Rudbeckia had every reason to feel uneasy.
“Hehe.”
A sly smile tugged at Francia’s lips.
In a love she thought was hopeless, a faint glimmer of possibility seemed to have appeared.
2.
It was the day Yohan returned injured after dealing with the monsters that had surged out during the flood.
“What are you reading? I don’t think I’ve seen that book before.”
He asked.
“It’s… a magic book.”
Francia mumbled in a near-whisper, unable to meet his gaze. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him properly.
Because his upper body was completely exposed.
Of course, it was wrapped in bandages, but even so, everything that could be seen was visible.
The beautifully sculpted muscles, as if carved by a master sculptor. His pale yet firm skin. The subtle, lingering scent of him… Every bit of it was overwhelming for Francia.
Even though it was for treating his wounds, touching and gazing at the bare body of the man she had fallen for—it was too much for her to handle.
Her face flushed bright red, burning with embarrassment. She was well aware of it herself, which was why she buried her nose in the unreadable magic book, pretending to focus.
“Hmm…”
Yohan narrowed his eyes, fixing his gaze on the magic book. Then, tilting his head with a puzzled expression, he spoke.
“‘Regression’?”
“…What?”
“The cover. It says ‘Regression.’”
“You… read this?”
Francia’s eyes widened in astonishment. Even she, well-versed in runic script, couldn’t decipher the celestial magician’s writings. Yet he managed to read it?
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I just could.”
“…What?”
When she stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, her lips slightly parted, Yohan let out a light chuckle and added,
“I’m kidding. There was a time when I studied runic script. I wanted to use basic life magic, at least.”
But his explanation only left Francia even more incredulous.
“You read this book’s runic script with just that knowledge…?”
“…Was it difficult?”
Yohan blinked, genuinely clueless. How could someone look so handsome while being so oblivious? And his body—what a sight. Simply gazing at him was enough to bring a smile to her face…
No!
Francia snapped herself back to her senses. She almost lost her rationality in the middle of an important conversation.
“Would you, um, like to take a look?”
“Sure.”
As she quietly handed over the book, Yohan furrowed his brows and focused on reading the magic tome. His deep, blue eyes darted back and forth without pause.
“This is…”
“What does it say…?”
“It’s… exactly what it seems: regression.”
Regression (回歸).
It was magic to turn back time.
“Where did you get this?”
“Uh… in the library at the center of the continent…”
“…There’s a library there?”
“Yes, yes.”
“That’s strange.”
Lightly skimming the book, Yohan soon shook his head and handed the magic tome back to Francia.
“The foundation is solid, and it’s even been verified. It doesn’t seem like a mere prank. But… whether it can really turn back time is another matter.”
Yohan gave a small laugh. His face didn’t show much trust in it.
“…How does one use this magic?” Francia cautiously asked, her voice trembling slightly. If time could really be turned back, things couldn’t continue like this… could they?
She harbored such vague hopes.
“The conditions are too demanding. It requires a vast amount of magic power, and its purity must be extremely high. Even a transcendental mage wouldn’t be able to cast it. It’s likely impossible to even attempt.”
Yohan’s response was dismissive.
“Is that so…”
Francia’s shoulders drooped.
“Do you want to turn back time?”
“Of course. In some ways, it wouldn’t be wrong to say it’s my fault the country ended up like this…”
“Hmm…”
Yohan stroked his chin briefly before making a curious expression and asking,
“There’s someone else responsible for this. Why are you burdened with guilt?”
“They’re the ones who did wrong. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
His casual words struck her heart once again.
No one had ever said that to her before. Francia had always blamed herself, thinking it was her fault things had turned out this way.
But Yohan immediately denied that and gave her the words she had most wanted to hear.
“I can assure you it’s not your fault. So don’t blame yourself.”
With a gentle yet slightly pitying smile, Yohan patted Francia’s head.
Thump.
Her heart pounded again.
Deep within her, Francia felt something bubbling up. It was desire, yearning, and an impulse.
Fortunately, this time, tears didn’t fall as pathetically as before. She held them back with all her might. Her heart overflowed, but she didn’t want to cry in front of Yohan.
She only wanted to show him her smiling face. She wanted to express how much she had been able to endure thanks to him, how grateful she was.
Francia spoke softly.
“…Thank you for saying that.”
“Well, it’s the truth, so there’s no need to thank me.”
With a small laugh, Yohan withdrew his hand from her head and stretched his back.
“I seem to be fine now. Quite a bit of time has passed, so I should be on my way.”
“Yes, yes…”
“Please take care of yourself today, Miss Francia, the only healer in the Fritsche territory.”
“Of course! Leave it to me…!”
After seeing Yohan off as he exited the infirmary, Francia sank into her chair, covering her face with both hands. Her ears burned bright red.
“Ah…”
What should I do?
I’ve truly fallen in love.
3.
It was a day like any other.
The sun was shining brightly, and the cheerful laughter of the villagers filled the air.
Thud!
The infirmary door burst open with a loud bang. Startled, Francia quickly turned her gaze toward the entrance. Yohan stood there, gasping for breath, and shouted urgently,
“We have to run!”
“W-what? Why?”
“They’ve caught on to us.”
“…What?”
Francia’s eyes widened in shock. If Yohan was referring to them, there could only be one group he meant—those men.
“W-where to?”
“I don’t know. But we need to move right now.”
Yohan strode over to her and grabbed her wrist. Despite his urgency, his grip was gentle, showing his care for her.
Francia’s heart pounded wildly for a moment, a flicker of excitement surging within her. But this wasn’t the time for such feelings. Yohan continued speaking, his tone firm.
“We need to get out of the Fritsche territory immediately. The decree to hand you over has just been issued, and they’re bringing an army with them.”
“My goodness…”
Francia’s crimson eyes quivered with fear.
“An army… Does that mean the Grand Duke’s household and the Empire?”
“The Mage Tower and the Holy Knights are involved too”
“Let’s go. Do you have anything you need to take with you?”
“Yes, yes! I have a few artifacts that might help.”
“Grab them. I’ll prepare for departure.”
Once Francia finished packing only the bare essentials, she stepped out to find Yohan already on horseback, extending a hand toward her.
“Get on.”
Without saying a word, she took his hand and climbed up behind him.
Just as they were about to set off—
“Y-Yohan! Where are we going?!”
Rudbeckia came running, panting heavily. Her green eyes darted around, filled with panic. Her face was deathly pale, and her expression stiffened.
Francia realized it immediately.
She was trembling with anxiety.
There could be many reasons for her unease, but the biggest one was likely her fear that Yohan had been taken from her.
“Stay put for a while. I’ll be back soon.”
“Where are you going?” Rudbeckia raised her voice, but he didn’t answer her question. Yohan simply looked at her with a light smile.
“The army will come. When they ask, say you don’t know anything. If they claim to know the truth, say it was all orchestrated by the lord alone.”
He was prepared to take all the blame on himself.
“That’s…!”
“I’ll be back soon.”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The gates of the castle creaked open. Yohan pulled the reins tightly in his hands and set the horse in motion.
Clatter! Clatter!
The sound of hooves echoed continuously. The wind swept past, but Francia, shielded by Yohan’s broad back, didn’t feel the chill.
“Where are we heading?”
“For now, I plan to get as far away from here as possible.”
“I know a good hiding place.”
“Where is that?”
“The Celestial Mage’s Archive.”
“…The Celestial Mage?”
Even without seeing Yohan’s face, it was clear from his voice that he was puzzled.
Francia quickly added,
“There’s a huge ruin in the center of the continent. Beneath it, there’s an archive. I know the way, so as long as we get close, we shouldn’t have trouble finding it.”
The Celestial Mage’s Archive cannot be found unless guided by its magic. Francia had reached that conclusion.
“Very well. Let’s go there immediately.”
Without pausing to rest, the two rode on, heading toward the Celestial Mage’s Archive in the heart of the continent.
The Emperor, the Grand Duke, the Tower Master, and the High Priest—
These four men were leading armies in pursuit of Francia.
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