Chapter 10

"What is this...?"

Dennis Colden, the third son of the Marquis Colden, found himself having traveled back in time to five years ago, still retaining his memories of the future.

What he remembered was the quiet condemnation of Angelina. And the fact that Merk Schrengen and Leonhardt were united. As for their official 'engagement,' while Dennis had his own thoughts about it, everything seemed to be going smoothly...

"It's not. It didn't... go well."

Leonhardt and Merk Schrengen did not end up together. The cause was...?

"Damn...!"

Dennis almost remembered, but the headache became so severe that he couldn't recall it accurately.

Dennis first tried to grasp the situation. It seemed that time had indeed been rewound, and everyone was repeating their lives from five years ago.

Next, Dennis wrote down all the events that had occurred in the Kingdom of Beltsuri, based on his memories. The 'information from the future' had to be used effectively, though it was only knowledge of the next five years.

"Merk..."

Dennis recalled the girl he had met in the time before the rewind. She once admired her own lord and never looked at him.

Dennis was intelligent, with a high sense of pride, and he didn't think highly of those who were inferior to him in intellect. Despite this, he could accept Merk sincerely. She was among the top students in the academy, and one of the few people Dennis acknowledged.

Moreover, they often had good conversations. Sometimes, she would repeat words as if they were pre-determined, giving Dennis exactly what he wanted to hear. Each time they spoke, Dennis found himself more and more attracted to Merk.

The only slight dissatisfaction was that she kept a certain distance from him. Whenever Dennis felt their relationship was getting closer, she would suddenly pull away.

As if teasing him, she would come near and then retreat just out of reach.

(If she had taken one more step closer, I...)

Perhaps she felt something for him. Dennis had thought this many times. But that one step never closed.

If only that detestable fiancée hadn't been there. If he had secured Merk Schrengen before Leonhardt, Dennis might have felt differently. Thinking about it made him feel helpless.

"...That woman."

Dennis had a fiancée in the past.

Misha Traimer, a viscount's daughter, was one of Angelina's followers.

Before the rewind, Angelina was the fiancée of Prince Leonhardt. The Traimer family, fostered by the Duke Steizen, and the Colden family had a marriage arrangement. Despite the difference in status, Dennis was the third son, and his older brothers were also excellent, so he wouldn't inherit the marquisate. The arrangement was made with the future in mind.

Dennis and Misha, who supported Leonhardt and Angelina respectively, were to be united to support the future king and queen. However, this was not what Dennis wanted.

A marriage arrangement he didn't desire, forced upon him by political strategy. The cause of this unwanted engagement was the Duke Steizen family. That 'villain,' Angelina Steizen, had used her power to arrange it. Because of Angelina's actions, Dennis and Misha's engagement was decided. He had heard that Misha wanted him and had asked Angelina for it.

"...How detestable."

Dennis had a reason for disliking Misha. In the time before the rewind, she was one of the people who persecuted Merk. As one of Angelina's followers, she had participated in the persecution, which was a significant factor in Angelina's downfall.

"Ultimately, Angelina didn't provide any evidence."

Despite harming Merk, Angelina managed to escape without being caught. The persecution was attributed to Misha's personal actions. The most they could do was question Angelina's lack of supervision and her inability to control her followers, which was a point of criticism regarding her suitability as a queen.

Angelina was accused as the mastermind, which led to the annulment of her engagement to Leonhardt. However, it was not a fitting end for a villain.

Dennis wanted to corner Angelina in a public setting and have her expelled from the academy in front of everyone.

This would eventually be resolved by the Duke Steizen's decision, leading to her voluntary withdrawal, which was a much softer punishment.

To Dennis, Angelina was a detestable existence. Not only because of the engagement with Misha, but for other reasons as well.

Angelina's presence had tarnished his pride in his intellect.

In their first year, during the first semester, Angelina, Dennis, and Merk all entered the academy. Angelina, not Dennis or Merk, was the top student in the final exams.

Dennis later reclaimed the top position, but it was because Angelina's time was taken up by her education as a future queen. If she had focused on the exams, the results would have been different, according to rumors.

No matter how well Dennis performed, it seemed that Angelina was always better. This greatly wounded his pride. Her very existence was a humiliation to him.

"Angelina... This time, I will definitely..."

While writing down his memories of the future, Dennis set his goal. First, he aimed to be the top student in the first semester's final exams.

With the knowledge of the future, he was confident he could succeed this time. He would definitely obtain the evidence of Merk's persecution.

"No, that's..."

He reconsidered. Before that, he needed to prevent his former fiancée from getting close to him. This time, he would not accept an unwanted engagement.

"Hmph! It's jealousy... Misha. This will make me feel much better."

Through his father, the Prime Minister and Marquis, he protested to the Traimer family. As a result, Misha was forbidden from getting close to Dennis.

Misha, who had used Angelina to become his fiancée and then participated in Merk's persecution, was easily distanced. With the knowledge of the future, he could achieve much more.

"First, the top student in the first semester."

He considered immediately approaching Merk Schrengen and winning her heart, but this was a chance to erase a significant 'blemish' on his record. Therefore, he prioritized improving his academic performance.

"This time... I will beat Angelina."

He already knew the exam content from the future, but it could change. He needed to prepare more thoroughly this time.

"Yes, I was careless then."

He was confident in his abilities, so he thought the final exams would be easy. He never expected to be outperformed. This was the reason. It wasn't that he was inferior to Angelina.

"...Ah, right. And..."

He needed to 'warn' Angelina. She was a villain, as he knew from the future. She might use unfair means in the first semester's final exams.

Therefore, Dennis sought the help of a certain person when he entered the academy.

"– Mr. Drought?"

"Huh?"

Neil Drought, a teacher at the academy, was known to be an ally of Merk and had a strong dislike for Angelina, making him a trustworthy teacher for Dennis.

"Regarding the final exams. I request that you strictly monitor for 'cheating,' especially the Duke Steizen's daughter."

"Cheating? Why?"

"Yes. I've heard some suspicious rumors, so I'm asking for this."

"Rumors? The high nobles are all full of rumors. Besides..."

Neil looked down at Dennis, seemingly unimpressed.

"That princess doesn't seem like someone who would cheat. She's already excellent. Why would she do that?"

"...What?"

Dennis was shocked. This was an unthinkable response given Neil's previous attitude towards Angelina.

"What? I'm not going to slack off in my duties. But to take your word for it and specifically target someone is a bit much, Dennis."

"But... Mr. Drought?"

Dennis was visibly shaken by Neil's attitude. He seemed like a completely different person from the past.

"Ha... Fine. You have your reasons, I guess. I won't deny your concerns, but the exams will be fair. I won't let anyone cheat, not just the princess, but you and the other students as well. This is the Royal Academy, Marquis Colden's son."

"Yes, I understand that, but..."

"Good. If you understand, leave it to me. Focus on your own studies. You don't have time to drag others down."

With that, Dennis was dismissed with a wave of Neil's hand.

"...What's with that teacher?"

His attitude was completely different from what Dennis remembered.

"No, right. ...Not yet."

His attitude towards Angelina changed after the persecution of Merk began. So, at this point, Neil's behavior was appropriate. It seemed that Neil Drought did not have the memories of the future, despite his dramatically different attitude.

"...Well, fine."

The rest was about improving himself. This time, he would be the top student in the first semester's final exams. He would walk the path he was meant to follow.

With this resolve, he worked hard. When the first semester's final exams ended, the results were –