Chapter 5: The Power Source of the Time Loops
I gave Luke a rundown of my entire situation.
Prisca had dragged me into her time loops, and I was repeating the same year over and over again. There were things called “routes,” and each corresponded to the respective man whose affection she was trying to win over. So far, it had been a given that her love interests would propose to her at the end of every route.
In this timeline, her target and love interest was Luke Klein, the son of Duke Klein. Apparently, this was the last time loop.
After hearing my explanation, Luke crossed his arms and fell into contemplative silence. “I don’t mean to doubt your words, but how is the fifth princess capable of turning back time?”
Amelia was actually surprised that he wasn’t going to doubt her, but she was delighted that he was willing to hear her out and take her seriously. A small smile wormed onto her lips.
“In the previous time loops, Prisca was given the title of Saint. That might be the reason,” she said. “Unfortunately, I can’t pinpoint one clear reason.”
“Amelia, you are the only one who has noticed the time loops and is going back in time with her. That might be because your mother, the fifth consort, was also a Saint,” he speculated. “Assuming that the cause is the fifth princess’s Saint powers, it makes sense that you’re the only one who isn’t affected because you have close ties with it.”
Saint powers… If her mother’s powers were indeed involved in Amelia’s resistance against the resets in some way, what kind of role did they even play? Of course, part of it was probably her bloodline, since Amelia could summon strawberries like how her mother had summoned watermelons. But was that all?
An idea sprang up in her mind. “That reminds me. Prisca snatched away my necklace, my mother’s memento. The time loops start from that exact scene, but I can’t do anything because I’m in a daze. She ends up taking it away from me every time.”
If she could recover it, Amelia would in a heartbeat, but her current priorities were protecting Luke and trying to prevent her own death, so she had to put the necklace lower on the list.
Luke frowned. “If we count the four years starting from our betrothal, as well as the four timeline resets, a total of seven years have passed. I wasn’t able to see you for four years, Amelia, but you had to endure almost twice as much as I did, I see.”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
She felt a sense of loss without it, naturally, but a sense of resigned enlightenment had been thrown into the mix during the later timelines, so saying that she’d endured and persevered didn’t seem quite right.
“Amelia,” Luke began, “do you think that I’ll propose to the fifth princess in due time because you can’t believe me when I say that I like you after seven years of absolute silence?”
“That’s not it.” She shook her head. “The issue is that you’re Prisca’s target this time. Apparently, in this case, you’ll dote on me first, then…th-throw me away.”
Like anyone else would in her shoes, Amelia had reservations about bluntly telling him that he was going to murder her. If Luke truly cherished her wholeheartedly, it would be rude to him. Furthermore, if everything was proceeding according to the route’s plot, such a statement might backfire on her and become the catalyst for him to make that choice.
“Even so, I don’t see how you’d need money,” Luke pointed out.
“Huh? Well, uh…”
Yikes. Did I mess up somewhere? The conversation seemed to be going in a wayward direction once more.
Possibly because her thoughts showed on her face, Luke stared at her intensely before smiling widely at her. “Looks like you still have a secret or two.” He reached out, took her into his arms, then leaned into her ear. “Tell me, please, Amelia.”
Luke’s breath tickled her ear, and Amelia shuddered on instinct. At the same time, he pressed his lips against her ear. There was the faint smack of his lips, the sensation of something soft, and more than anything… He’s way too close!
Turning bright red with embarrassment and panic, she raised the white flag of surrender. “She said that! You’ll kill me, Luke! That’s why!”
Luke’s movements stilled abruptly. “I’ll kill you? That’s ridiculous. Why would I?”
Amelia’s heart was beating so fast that tears prickled at her eyes, but she scrambled to answer him. “The plot dictates that you’ll kill me after doting on me. Maybe I’ll become a thorn in your side once you get to know Prisca.”
Frankly, Amelia couldn’t wrap her head around the violent shift from doting to murder either. “That’s why I thought I’d be safe if I prevented the doting part, but you keep coming to me, and being with you makes me happy, too. Choosing to seclude myself in the palace is exactly what I’ve done until now, so that probably won’t move me out of the route either. At this point, I figured that when push comes to shove, selling strawberries and living as a commoner isn’t too bad, so I’ve been gathering funds…”
During her explanation, Luke had been listening to Amelia with a clouded expression, and gradually, he furrowed his brows. The next thing she knew, his eyes grew misty in a flash.
Startled, Amelia stammered, “Wh-What’s wrong?”
“You weren’t even given proper meals, you were imprisoned in the Fifth Palace, and your fiancé didn’t respond to you for seven years… But as if that wasn’t enough, you’ll be murdered after being doted on, so you want to live as a commoner? No, that can’t happen.” He fervently shook his head. “There can’t just be painful things in your life, Amelia.”
“Huh? Uh. Please don’t cry.” Frantically, she moved to take out her handkerchief, but Luke gathered her into his arms and hugged her tight before she could find it.
After taking in a breath, he whispered, as if making a vow. “I’ll protect you. The Saint’s powers or whatnot don’t matter—I won’t lose. I’ll make you a happy woman, Amelia. So trust me. Let’s fight side-by-side.”
There was a moment of hesitation before Amelia nodded. “Yeah.”
Luke’s hand gently stroked her head before he hugged her close to his chest again. Her heart was making a racket, and so was her pulse, but oddly enough, she felt as if she were in the safest place in the world.
Even if his overflowing adoration stemmed from Prisca entering Luke’s route, it didn’t change the fact that Amelia loved him. If Luke truly returned her feelings, then perhaps…choosing to rise up against their adversities hand in hand was also an option.
Finding her resolve, Amelia nodded firmly again. “Yeah. I’ll also give it all I’ve got. You can do anything as long as you have strawberries, after all.”
As she raised her face within his embrace, the golden eyes right in front of her slowly softened with fondness. “Strawberries, huh?” He paused. “Amelia, could you give me one?”
“Sure.”
Hearing that reply, Luke’s hold on her loosened, and Amelia held out her palm. This strawberry was going to be special—the embodiment of her determination to fight and stay by Luke’s side after finally meeting him and learning that her feelings were returned.
The fruit that she poured her heart and soul into glimmered dazzlingly as it reflected the light.
“What a beautiful strawberry,” Luke commented. “It’s so pretty that I can’t bear to eat it.”
“No, you’ve got to eat it.” Amelia pouted. “That reminds me, you said something similar a while ago… Did you eat the strawberry I gave you back then?”
“Honestly, I wanted to put it on display, but I ate it because it’d be a disaster if it spoiled.” Luke’s smile was radiant, but his words were far from it.