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ONE of Reynaldo’s guards raced to the castle on the brink of death. Despite his severe wounds, he recounted how their party had been attacked while transporting the coffin. Reynaldo had remained hidden in the mountains rather than returning to Rose, ordering anyone who escaped to deliver word to the palace or the McClain region.
Albert ordered a knight on standby to treat the escaped guard’s wounds. Furthermore, he ordered someone to bring word of this situation to King Rizel.
“First, we need to rescue Reynaldo,” Albert said. “I’ll head there right away. I leave the capital in your care, Phil. May I borrow the first and second units?”
“Of course,” Sir Eva agreed. “If you find yourself in need of reinforcements, please send word.”
“I will. Mary, you stay here in the capital and wait.”
“No, let me go with you!” I cried, unable to bear waiting while Reynaldo was in danger. “I’m begging you!”
“But…”
“I agree with Mary, boss,” Sir Eva chimed in, coming to my aid. “She was attacked not that long ago. If something of the sort happened again, there’s no guarantee I’d be able to rescue her in time. Taking her with you and protecting her yourself would be much safer.”
While mentally thanking Sir Eva, I moved closer to Albert. I couldn’t sit around in the palace and do nothing, even if I’d be a hindrance.
“Understood,” Albert said. “We’ll leave immediately, then. Whatever you do, don’t stray from my side, Mary.”
“Of course!” I agreed, giving Albert’s hand a tight squeeze. “Thank you so much!”
I joined Albert and his men as they hurriedly prepared to depart. The castle was in a state of pandemonium. That morning, sleepy-eyed people awoke to the uproar, trying to make sense of the commotion.
After I finished preparing, I mounted the same horse as Albert, bringing only basic necessities. Albert shouted an order, and the knights departed the capital. Reynaldo, please be safe, I prayed as a unit’s worth of horse hooves echoed across the castle town.
Still, I knew Reynaldo all too well. The enemy using Rosemary’s remains as a shield would paralyze him. Whoever devised this assault even included that in their calculations. Worse, the place of the attack took a few hours to reach from the capital by horse.
“Mary,” Albert said.
While galloping the horse at great speed, he held onto me tightly from behind to prevent me from falling. Despite the situation, my heart fluttered with something other than anxiety.
“Yes?” I responded quietly.
“Whatever you do, don’t stray from my side,” Albert repeated.
I nodded. It might have been inappropriate for the situation, but Albert’s warmth calmed my heart. Despite being terrified a while ago, being close to Albert put me at ease. I wouldn’t want to leave his side, even if he told me to.
When had I become so dependent on him?
When I first remembered Albert from my past life, I hadn’t felt these emotions. He’d been Rosemary’s first love during her youth, and these feelings bloomed quietly in her heart. However, because their love could never come to fruition, Rosemary’s feelings disappeared, becoming nothing more than memories.
Upon regaining my memories and having my identity exposed to Albert and Reynaldo, I gained more opportunities to speak with them. Before long, both of them being by my side had come to feel natural.
Albert and Reynaldo had borne the curse of vengeance, but after learning Rosemary’s deepest wish, both men started looking towards the future. Their transformations filled me with joy. After all, Rosemary had wanted them to break free of her ghost as well.
I came to love eating with Albert and Reynaldo, as well as laughing over trivial matters. By reincarnating as Mary, I’d been able to grant Rosemary’s unfulfilled wishes. At the same time, a new fear wormed its way into my mind. Did Albert and Reynaldo need me in their lives, or did they need Rosemary? This worry arose precisely because the time I spent with them was so precious.
Even so, I wouldn’t hesitate any longer. I was myself. As Mary Edigma, I accepted everything, including Rosemary’s past. That was the sum total of who I was.
I felt so much lighter after coming to this realization. As my horse raced on, I reflexively closed my eyes against the dazzling light of the rising sun. The pleasant wind, the sun’s rays, and Albert’s warmth were all so precious to me. To protect everything dear to my heart, I would have to face down Queen Tia—the binding curse from my past.