Chapter 17

"Angeline, how hateful..."

At the end of the first semester, the final exam rankings were posted for each grade.

And upon seeing the results for the first-year students, Leonhardt muttered to himself.

Leonhardt himself had secured the top position in the second-year exams without any trouble, demonstrating his strength as the crown prince.

His grades were even slightly higher than they were at the same time in his previous life.

(Merck has worked hard this time too...)

Leonhardt had come to check Merck's current grades by looking at the first-year results.

The first name he saw was Angeline's, which made him say "how hateful" out loud.

For Leonhardt, the exams at this time were taken "last time" five years ago.

The content should have been the same, but his detailed memories had become vague.

His memory of individual scores was also vague...

(Angeline getting the top position at this time is the same result. But a perfect score? That shouldn't have happened.)

Even if he had some thoughts about Angeline.

He wouldn't forget a result where she got a perfect score.

Her position as the top student in the grade hasn't changed, and her ranking among the first-year students was the same as last time.

However, there was a small difference in the "scores."

"...Is this one of the 'differences'?"

Leonhardt is living his life again, and this is his second life.

When he rewound time, Leonhardt first "changed history."

He refused the engagement to Angeline Steizen, which he had in his previous life.

-- "That's why."

The effects of Leonhardt's "choice" are now manifesting in various ways.

First, there is a difference in the people who were close to him in his previous life.

Carlos Steizen, the duke's son.

Perhaps due to the impact of Leonhardt refusing the engagement to Angeline, i.e., the Steizen family.

Compared to "last time," Carlos has kept his distance from Leonhardt.

In the time before the rewind, Leonhardt and Carlos had deepened their friendship thanks to Merck's mediation.

Now that Merck is no longer in the picture, and Leonhardt has refused the engagement to Carlos's sister, it was inevitable that a gap would form between Leonhardt and Carlos.

(At this time, does Carlos hate his sister Angeline even more than before? ...If so, this is a natural reaction.)

After winning Merck's heart, if Leonhardt could get Merck to mediate between them again as he did last time, their relationship might improve somewhat.

Since he won't be engaged to Angeline, he wants to deepen his friendship with Carlos and keep the Steizen family in check.

"And Fried and Dennis too."

Fried refused to become Leonhardt's bodyguard knight.

He said it was because he wasn't satisfied with his own abilities.

Leonhardt thought this wasn't the case and told him so, but Fried's answer didn't change.

"What's the difference between this Fried and the one from last time?"

What impact did refusing the engagement to Angeline have on him?

(Fried was clearly attracted to Merck. He shows his feelings easily and is a simple man.)

So, last time, because Merck, whom Fried felt he needed to protect, was by Leonhardt's side.

He had pledged to become a bodyguard knight and later a royal guard, and worked hard for it?

Or, even if it wasn't Merck, the fact that the crown prince had a fiancée, and would definitely become king in the future, made him accept it?

This time, Leonhardt still has no fiancée.

So, he might think it's not necessary to become a bodyguard knight yet?

"...In any case, the trust and evaluation of me are weaker and lower than last time."

Or maybe something happened in Fried's life that wasn't directly related to Leonhardt.

His memory differs from reality; Fried defeated his brother earlier than Leonhardt remembers.

For Fried, his brother and father were a source of inferiority.

He was only good at swordsmanship, and he struggled with the gap between himself and his brother, who was the next in line to be the head of the knights.

So, for Fried, "defeating his brother in a fair fight" was important.

This victory happened a year earlier than Leonhardt remembers.

"...Did his heart not accept the victory over his brother?"

That's why he refused to become Leonhardt's bodyguard and confidant.

He has his reasons. Leonhardt intends to eventually make him a royal guard.

But, well, if that's the case...

"Fried's situation is fine for now."

Fried was attracted to Merck last time, so it's likely he will be this time too.

Last time, it was after Leonhardt had won her heart, but there's a possibility.

So, it's better to deal with Fried after his relationship with Merck is established.

Next is Dennis Colden.

Dennis, like Angeline, has improved his grades compared to Leonhardt's memories.

He didn't get a perfect score, but he almost did in the final exams.

"If he had achieved these grades last time, he wouldn't have let Angeline get the upper hand."

This time, Dennis refused to become one of Leonhardt's confidants, saying he wanted to focus on his studies.

Probably, this led to this result.

But even this time, he couldn't match Angeline.

"Does history and the result lead to the same thing?"

No, it's not clear.

As a second-year student, Leonhardt didn't feel any significant difference in the final exams at this time, but perhaps the content of the first-year exams was different from last time. Such a difference is entirely possible.

If there is such a thing as fate, it would be a welcome development.

Then, surely, he and Merck will win true love again.

"Merck"

Leonhardt was able to meet her again in this time. He feels it is fate.

This time, he couldn't wait to meet her and appeared much earlier than when he met Merck in the courtyard in his previous life.

He didn't just wander into the courtyard as he did last time; he went there specifically to meet Merck. Of course, he intended to wait for her to appear, no matter how long it took.

In fact, they were supposed to meet much later.

Even though Leonhardt acted early, Merck Schrengen was already there.

As if she was waiting for their fated meeting.

Leonhardt will never forget the joy and emotion he felt when he saw her in the courtyard.

He felt that their love was indeed "fate."

And Leonhardt and Merck had their "second" meeting.

Like actors performing the same play and reciting the same lines multiple times.

Leonhardt Bartzur and Merck Schrengen met in the "exact same" way as last time and said the same words to each other.

"Hmm..."

So, it must be fate.

No matter how many times time repeats, they will be together.

In a year, by the summer of their second year, they will be together.

Before that, they will share the same time.

"Maybe I can make the time when Merck and I become closer come a bit earlier."

This time, Leonhardt has no hateful fiancée.

So, he can date Merck without worrying about anyone's eyes.

Thinking this, Leonhardt decided to... start moving. He feels a sense of accomplishment. He is confident.

Merck must have feelings for him, he thinks.

So, this time, Leonhardt decided to take the initiative and approach her.