Chapter 43

[..............!]

The man, realizing what the men were about to do, twisted his body in a mad frenzy and resisted.

[Uhgh! Ugh!]

[Stay still!]

[Hey, hold him tighter!]

He shouted for help with his mouth muffled, but he couldn't fight off the more than ten men.

The silver blade touched his fingers.

Swoosh.

It was a very soft, clean sound, sending shivers down his spine.

[AAAAAAA!]

It was a scream that seemed to be choked with blood.

Aristine's face, watching the water mirror, turned pale and rigid.

Red blood gushed endlessly from the cleanly severed finger.

The man, who had shaken off the men pinning him down, clutched his blood-soaked hand.

His green eyes turned pitch black with despair.

His face wavered like rippling water.

The water mirror reflecting him began to shake.

* * *

The waves grew more intense and then finally calmed down.

The still water now only reflected Aristine's face, as if it had never reflected anything else.

Aristine, looking at her reflection in the water, lifted her head.

She took a step as if nothing had happened.

"Ah, you're out?"

"Please lie down comfortably, Your Highness."

The palace attendants welcomed Aristine with delight.

She closed her eyes, feeling the hands that gently relaxed her muscles as she lay on the bed.

The man's name was Lireten.

He was the man Aristine had seen at the welcoming banquet.

[Please accept me, Your Highness.]

[Good, you're mine now.]

[You will become the best blacksmith in this country, no, on this continent.]

The images she had seen in the Emperor's Eye floated before her closed eyes.

At that time, the man's right hand was missing a thumb.

A hand that couldn't handle a hammer, vise, pliers, or tongs.

A hand that had reached the end of its life as a blacksmith.

Yet, her future self was certain he would become the best blacksmith.

‘When I saw him at the welcoming banquet, there was no problem.’

Lireten ate with his right hand without any issues. Of course, his thumb was fine.

‘I thought it was an accident, but it wasn't.’

She thought he might have been injured while working, as blacksmithing is a dangerous job.

‘...The magnolias were in bloom.’

In the image she had just seen, a magnolia tree was visible behind the men fighting.

‘And it was almost in full bloom.’

Only a few petals remained.

‘It's spring. This year? Or next year, or later?’

The man's face and hairstyle were not significantly different from what she had seen at the banquet.

But it was so distorted that it was hard to be sure.

Adult faces change slowly.

‘I wanted to find a blacksmith quickly, so it's likely this year.’

Her future self must have contacted Lireten before the end of this year.

It was exactly this time of year in the spring.

‘Is it something that has already happened, or something that will happen soon in the future?’

If it had already happened, there was nothing she could do. If it was in the near future—

‘I can prevent it.’

If she, as the princess, had even a slight connection with him, people wouldn't dare to torment him rashly.

But.

‘Is that really the right thing to do?’

Doubts sprouted in her heart.

The hands that were massaging her back stopped.

"Your Highness, please turn over."

Following the attendants' words, she turned over and lay straight, and they placed a lavender-scented hot water bag on her eyes.

However, the lavender scent did not calm Aristine's mind.

‘If I save Lireten and it leads to an even worse future...’

Aristine had seen countless scenarios through the Emperor's Eye since she was young.

But, having lived in confinement, she had never taken action to change a future she had seen.

No, there was one future she had changed.

The future where her father, the emperor, learned about her ability.

After seeing how that future unfolded, Aristine decided to keep her ability a secret no matter what.

But that was over ten years ago.

When Aristine was very young.

At that time, she didn't think as much as she does now.

She knew that her decisions could cause many changes, and she made her decisions while hoping for those changes.

‘But I didn't know that it could lead to completely different results.’

Aristine smiled bitterly.

Now she knows.

‘So, will I just stand by?’

The attendants' hands, massaging her arms and legs, were gentle.

Aristine felt her own arms, legs, fingers, and toes.

If she did nothing, Lireten would never feel this sensation.

‘If I save Lireten, it might lead to an outcome I can't even imagine, which could be worse.’

She wasn't denying this.

She wasn't arrogant enough to think that her choices are perfect and will only lead to good results.

‘But Lireten's hand will be fine.’

He will be able to handle a hammer, vise, pliers, and tongs perfectly.

He will be able to pick flowers with his fingertips, feel the wind between his fingers, and lift his own child.

That alone is worth it.

Even if the future turns out badly.

‘I can fix it again.’

She knows it's not as simple as that.

‘I'll try.’

She wanted to be someone who takes responsibility for her actions.

After finishing her thoughts, she felt better.

Her body melted under the attendants' hands, and the gentle lavender scent was refreshing.

The attendants stretched her body and smiled as they helped her up.

"Hehe, Your Highness is really flexible."

"Yeah, you're really flexible."

"Really, that's great."

"Have a good night."

"Uh, sure."

Aristine responded vaguely to the attendants' encouragement (?) and left the room.

"I know I can't control myself, but at least try to restrain yourself for the bed."

"Oh, that's something His Highness Tarcan should do!"

"But can you restrain yourself when you see our Your Highness?"

Even as she walked away, she could hear the attendants chattering.

‘They are really energetic.’

Aristine sighed and walked down the corridor leading to her bedroom.

It was a warm night despite the season.

The remnants of spring sunlight seemed to still color the corridor.

‘What did my future self see in Lireten to recognize his potential?’

The reason she was certain that a man who couldn't even hammer would become the best blacksmith.

The information about Lireten that she received from the attendants didn't show any particular potential.

Lireten was a thorn in the side of the Catala blacksmith shop.

He was so bad that he was a disgrace to the blacksmith shop.

As evidence, none of the many famous swords produced by the Catala blacksmith shop bore Lireten's name.

‘Could he have awakened his talent by losing his thumb?’

It's a common story that a person who falls into despair overcomes it and reaches a new level, especially among geniuses.

If she saves him, will that opportunity be lost?

‘But the talent of a blacksmith doesn't bloom in an instant, right?’

Creativity is important, but more so is the support of skill and expertise.

If he lacks the technical skills even with all his limbs intact, will losing his thumb improve his skills?

‘...I have to believe in myself. He is a key member of the future I chose!’

Aristine clenched her fist.

She might be making a mistake.

‘But I'll try anyway.’ She had never even had the chance to make a mistake before.

She wasn't given the opportunity to fail or succeed.

Failure would be a new experience of freedom for her.

‘The freedom to fail.’

With that thought, Aristine opened the door to her bedroom.

But the state of the bedroom was......

* * *

“...........”

Today, it was pink rose petals instead of red ones.

The candles were still there, but the lighting was even dimmer and more secretive.

‘How long does he plan to keep this up?’

The attendants were busy preparing this while tending to her.

Tarcan, who had arrived in the bedroom first, was glaring at the bed as if he was about to go mad.

“Tarcan.”

When she called his name, he slightly flinched and turned to look at her.

Aristine closed the door and approached the bed.

Standing next to Tarcan, she could smell a pleasant scent.

It was crisp yet soft, and strangely sweet.

He must have taken a scented bath.

“The scent is nice.”

“W-What?!”

Tarcan took a step back, clearly surprised.

“Why are you reacting like that? I was just complimenting the scent. It's like you think I'm going to molest you...”

Aristine stopped mid-sentence.

She shouldn't say that, having treated someone's chest like a fresh loaf of bread.

“......Sorry.”

She had no right to speak, given her past actions.

Tarcan frowned.

His solemn apology made her feel as if she had really toyed with him.

Well, she had.

“I forgot to ask for a wider bed when we got a new one.”

Aristine pressed the mattress, which felt soft but not as soft as yesterday's.

It must have been the best they could get on short notice.

‘That mattress must have been extraordinary.’

Aristine shook off the rose petals and got into bed.

Lying down, she looked up to see Tarcan still standing by the bed.

There it was again.

A black panther with its fur on end, full of caution.

After a moment, Aristine extended her hand.

“Here.”

Tarcan looked at her hand with a doubtful expression.

“I'll really just hold your hand tonight. I won't let go until morning.”

Tarcan looked at Aristine's face, which was smiling reassuringly, without saying a word.

Her small face, with her violet eyes staring directly at him, glowed like a new star.

“Do you trust me?”

Tarcan finally smiled and got into bed.

He took Aristine's hand.

“Don't treat other people's chests like bread.”

His small, soft hand fidgeted in hers.

It felt like something was fidgeting in his chest too.

He was just holding her hand to prevent himself from touching her in his sleep.

That's all.

Tarcan closed his eyes.

Aristine's scent washed over him.

It seemed to seep into his chest with each breath, layering inside him.

The strange feeling made Tarcan shift.

Was this woman feeling the same way?

Then, Aristine opened her eyes and looked at him.

“What's wrong? Can't you sleep?”

She tilted her head and asked.

“Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?”

“...What?”

Tarcan was speechless.

‘She has no sense of subtlety whatsoever.’

He was certain.

This woman was probably just thinking, ‘The bed isn't as soft as yesterday’s.’ It was clear.

At the wedding and on the wedding night, Tarcan had more complex and sentimental thoughts than Aristine.

“I hate the role of a nanny, but I can sing for you.”

Not sure what to think of the silent Tarcan, Aristine said,

“You're a high-maintenance husband.”

Tarcan chuckled.

He was probably the only one who called him high-maintenance.

“...Fine.”

He closed his eyes, and Aristine squeezed his hand.

Feeling something, he turned to look at her.

In the dim darkness, Aristine was grinning.

Tarcan turned his head away.

It felt strange. Very strange.

Silence continued for a while.

Tarcan, who had been silent, quietly glanced at Aristine.

She was lying on her back with her eyes closed.

The moonlight and candlelight painted her face with the light of the night.

Her eyelashes were long and lush.

Tarcan didn't turn his head.

Sensing his gaze, Aristine's lips moved.

“Good night.”

The greeting was so strange.

Tarcan had never exchanged such a greeting before.

“...Good night.”

He replied, his voice low and hoarse.

Chapter 13. It wasn't combat rations, was it?

Aristine lounged on the sofa, sipping her drink.

Her gaze was on the people kneeling at her feet.

Forget being a husband, I just want to make money.