Though their wording was brutal, Amelia agreed that they did have a point.
Luke, who’d been all smiles as he watched the two women, tightened his curling lips into a displeased line. “Are you insinuating that you have objections toward the betrothal between the royal family and House Klein, which was recognized by His Majesty himself?”
Prisca’s smile stiffened slightly. “O-Oh, I would never…” She was still cute that way, though. Perhaps Amelia shouldn’t have expected anything less from the heroine.
“As Amelia’s official fiancé, it is only natural that I have the right to see her and send her gifts,” Luke spat. “If you intend on interfering in the future, I shall respond as I see fit.” He took Amelia’s hand, his tone gentler. “Let’s go, Amelia.”
There were many—no, there were only questions in Amelia’s head, but she’d rather not be left behind in this room. She nodded awkwardly.
Smiling softly as he watched her, Luke guided her by the hand, led her outside the room, and advanced down the corridor. He was likely heading to the party venue, but Amelia wanted to confirm a few things first.
“Lu—” She caught herself. “Lord Luke. Excuse me, there is something I wish to ask…”
Luke’s steps ground to a halt. His golden eyes turned in her direction. “Just Luke is fine. That’s what you’ve been calling me, isn’t it?”
“So…you really are the Luke I met in the city?”
He nodded with a calm expression. At that, the confusion surging within Amelia’s heart only accelerated. She should have asked him something, but she lost track of what she’d wanted to say. With a sigh, she tore her gaze from him.
“I’ve wanted to see you all this time,” Luke said in a subdued voice.
Amelia turned toward him.
A smile tugged at Luke’s lips. He enveloped Amelia’s hand in both of his own. “Since the day of our betrothal four years ago, I have never received any response from you, no matter what I tried. I was convinced that you didn’t want to be my fiancée—that you hated me.”
“I…” Amelia hesitated. “I thought the same thing, Lord Luke—no, Luke. I assumed that you weren’t interested in me at all.”
The letters she’d sent received no replies. Her requests for meetings had been ignored. And yet, even if it was only a betrothal on paper, it was still a precious bond to her. That was why Amelia was stunned—Luke had thought the same thing?
He gazed earnestly into her eyes. “Ever since the moment I met you, Amelia, there hasn’t been a day that you’ve left my mind. I secured our betrothal by going up and appealing directly to the king.”
“You…did that?”
She’d been under the impression that it was a connection of convenience for political reasons or something similar. Still, when she’d thought that Luke had been willing to accept this bond, that alone had been enough to send her over the moon.
“I thought that I might be able to see you at your debutante ball, and I made preparations, but even all of that came to nothing. I wanted to catch at least a glimpse of you, and I headed to the Fifth Palace, but the fourth consort and the fifth princess stopped me. That was when I saw a shadowy silhouette run across the top of the Fifth Palace’s wall.”
Amelia’s eyes widened. “Wha…”
The debutante ball. To Amelia, it was also the start of each time loop.
Now that he mentioned it, she did remember seeing people other than the fourth consort and Prisca from on top of the wall. So that means Luke was among them?
The first time he’d seen Amelia in four years was when she sprinted on top of a wall. She honestly wasn’t sure how she should feel about it.
He continued, “It was from afar, but I could never mistake your enchanting silver hair for anyone else. I arranged for people to stand watch around the Fifth Palace in secret, and I received a report that a girl with silver hair went out into the city.”
“Then… You were in the city that day because…”
“When I thought that it might be you, Amelia, I couldn’t just sit around. I went to see you.” He paused. “But you looked like you were full of energy, even though I heard you were sickly. If anything, it sounded like you were treated unjustly in all kinds of ways. I was stunned, and I regretted that I wasn’t able to help you at all until now.” He cast down his eyes with sorrow.
Amelia, however, was more concerned about something else. “You could tell it was me, Luke?”
“Of course. You are an adorable and precious lady with silver hair and strawberry eyes. I could never forget you.”
Luke smiled, as if to say it was only natural, but Amelia hadn’t remembered anything about him other than the color of his eyes—she’d even admitted that to his face. Actually, speaking of things she’d blurted, she had the vague memory of letting her tongue slip that she liked him right in front of him.
Amelia was stuck on what she should say. She was overwhelmed with both remorse and shyness. She hung her head to hide her feverish cheeks, and a small chuckle reached her ears.
“I was somewhat shaken when I realized you forgot about me, but that doesn’t matter, because I can see you now. Not to mention…even though you forgot my face, I learned that you’ve always had me in your heart.”
“I, well—!” She whipped her head up to see a warm smile on his face. Her pulse skyrocketed.
Luke released her hand. He knelt before her and gingerly lifted her hand again. “Amelia Glaisharle. My heart has been yours since the moment I met you. Will you please marry me?”
Under his earnest gaze, Amelia’s throat felt parched for seemingly no reason. She couldn’t find her voice right away. Her pounding heart was making such a racket that she feared even Luke might hear it.
“I-If you’re willing to have me, then yes.” She somehow stammered as her heart threatened to leap out of her mouth with nervousness. “Luke Klein, I adore you.”
Luke’s face softened into a big smile at her answer. If she wasn’t imagining things, his golden eyes began growing moist.
She tilted her head. “Luke, are you crying?”
“I’m not.”
That was what he claimed, but she could clearly see his eyes wavering with something that threatened to spill over. It intrigued her more than her elation from her feelings being returned, and she stared at him intently.
Luke stood up and hugged her tight. “Amelia. I’ve wanted to see you for so, so long. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to save you until now.”
The sound of something dripped down little by little, like the first rain after a long drought. Subconsciously, even Amelia’s eyes grew teary. “That’s not true. Thank you, Luke.”