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“Where were you going, princess?”
“I was on my way back because His Highness, the crown Prince, asked me to see him for a while.”
“Haha, you two are really close. Isn’t it a blessing for Ubera because the two members of the royal family have such a good friendship?”
“Not really, we’re not close.”
Dorothea replied indifferently.
Even with her words that sounded like a joke, Ethan’s mouth was dry.
The Duke of Bronte looked at the stiffened Ethan and chuckled.
“A guy who did well in front of the Emperor becomes a coward in front of the Princess!”
Perhaps he thought Ethan was shy in front of the woman he liked, the Duke of Bronte patted Ethan on the shoulder and smiled.
“Come to think of it, our Ethan wanted to see the princess a lot. I was wondering if you could spare some time today if you don’t mind
”
“Father.”
Ethan hastily stopped the Duke of Bronte.
Of course, he wanted to see Dorothea, but he’d never told the Duke or shown it.
He’d been making up stories to try to connect Ethan with Dorothea somehow.
He didn’t even know it would put the two of them in trouble.
Ethan still had a hard time talking to Dorothea with a smile and surely Dorothea wouldn’t want to talk to him

“Okay. There was something else I wanted to talk to you about, Ethan.”
“What?”
Ethan’s eyes widened at Dorothea’s answer.
“Haha, I think so.”
The Duke laughed out loud and tapped Ethan’s shoulder.
Unspoken pressure to get along with Dorothea.
“The princess seems to only want Ethan, so we’ll get going now. My wife and I have to go back to Cerritian soon.”
“Yes, you’ve come a long way to Lampas, and I hope you’ll be comfortable and return safely.”
At Dorothea’s greeting, the Duke and Duchess and Jonathan bowed and left.
Ethan looked at the back of the Duke of Bronte and then turned his gaze back to Dorothea.
“Princess, what my father just said
”
“Ethan.”
“Yes, Princess.”
“Let’s go inside and talk.”
Dorothea quietly took the lead, and Ethan followed her without a word.
He had always known Dorothea well, but now he had no idea what she would say.
They didn’t speak until they reached Converta Palace.
The only thing he could hear was a muttering noise as he followed Dorothea.
“Look over there! It’s Ethan Bronte!”
“The young master of the Bronte family?”
It was the same when entering Dorothea’s palace.
The servants who served Dorothea from Cerritian’s detached palace could not keep their mouths shut when they saw his mature appearance.
“Unbelievable! He has grown so perfectly!”
“Oh my God, he’s even more handsome, isn’t he?”
Dorothea didn’t check to see if Ethan was following, but people’s reactions indicated he was following well.
However, even in a situation where Ethan would be delighted by people’s praise, He just looked at Dorothea’s back with a firm expression.
He nervously touched the brooch inside his jacket pocket.
* * *
Dorothea arrived at the Parlor and looked at Ethan who was following him.
“Sit down, Ethan.”
Dorothea sat first on the sofa, and Ethan sat across from her.
Clara gave them tea and snacks for them.
“I have something to talk to Ethan about in a moment.”
At Dorothea’s words, Clara and Stefan left the parlor.
As Clara and Stefan left, the parlor became so quiet that even the sound of dust flying could be heard.
Ethan sat as still as a man waiting for orders, not even lifting his teacup. Every minute weighed on him like a heavy weight.
Sitting across from him, Dorothea sat as beautiful as ever, dominating his time.
It was he who turned back the clock on Dorothea’s life, but it was Dorothea who made his clock turn again.
Whether this time will be joy or sorrow, exactly when that moment will come upon him. Only the woman who is silent in front of him knows it.
In the horror of ignorance, the only world he could see was Dorothea Milanaire.
Ethan’s world opened her mouth after swallowing a sip of warm black tea with white steam rising.
“Ethan.”
His name was called out of her mouth, and the time that had stopped in silence began to flow again.
and.
“I always thought this second life was my punishment.”
Her voice flowed in along with the small sound of setting the teacup down.
She defined her life and her time as well. The time he wanted to give her was punishment.
“It was always painful. Why am I the only one who came back with memories? Why can’t Rey and Theon remember their first life? How come I don’t even have a chance of atonement?”
Dorothea said to Ethan.
The sin of having nowhere to turn for wrongdoing clung to her ankles like shackles on a prisoner.
And every time she ran toward happiness, it hung heavy around her ankles and she asked,
‘Do I deserve to be happy when I made so many people unhappy?’
‘Do I deserve to be loved?’
In front of that question, Dorothea was never confident, and in the end, she stayed in place, unable to take off her shackles.
‘I thought I had to endure this life. With one mind that I will pay for my sins and turn everything right.’
Ethan forced himself to keep his expression at those words.
Were all his efforts to make her happy in vain?
He just wanted to give her a new life.
He just wanted to give her wings, who had to fall because she had no spirit, and send her back to her dream. And if he was greedy enough, he wanted to be by her side.
But Dorothea had told him that his love, his efforts, were
punishment. No different from his previous life.
Ethan clenched his teeth and tried to ignore the pain in his crushed heart.
Dorothea looked at him.
“But now I’ve changed my mind.”
Dorothea’s voice sounded different.
Ethan raised his eyes slowly with fear.
Dorothea was looking at him and she told him.
“This life was an opportunity you gave me.”
Boom, her words resonated in his darkened heart.
Obviously, there were many days when Dorothea had to swallow her tears after returning. She’d wanted to die again, and she’d resented every day.
But now she understood. This life is a new opportunity Ethan gives her.
It’s a chance to know Raymond’s sincerity, save Theon, and protect those she loved, like Stefan and Clara, Joy and Po.
At her words, Ethan’s heart throbbed and warmed. He bit his trembling lips, holding on not to be swayed by his emotions.
And finally.
“Thanks, Ethan.”
At her words, he lowered his head and covered his face with his hands. He tried to hide his tears in front of Dorothea, but he couldn’t even cover his trembling shoulders.
‘I have to hide it
’
His frustration that she didn’t need the most enticing gift he could offer, a spirit. The agony of feeling his sins killed Dorothea, the woman who dreamed of becoming emperor.
Don’t let Dorothea find out about all of that.
‘She wouldn’t love or care about my ugly feelings.’
Then, a warm arm wrapped around his trembling shoulder.
A familiar scent wafted. And her voice whispered in his ear.
“I’m so sorry
”
Dorothea said, pulling Ethan into a hug. He couldn’t hold back his tears
In the end, he couldn’t hide his tears and poured them down on her shoulders.
‘It wasn’t her fault, it wasn’t her sin.’
Still, he is swept away by her words.
Dorothea couldn’t help but hug Ethan quietly. She never learned how to comfort him, but this was what she wanted most when she was in trouble.
She decided not to blame Ethan.
Now she realizes why she has returned, and she has a new opportunity that Ethan has provided for her.
* * *
After shedding tears, Ethan cleaned up the red eyes.
After pouring out a lot of emotions, he turned his eyes away for no reason, perhaps because he was embarrassed.
Dorothea stared at Ethan, who had cried.
One of the important realizations was there.
‘I definitely thought that I wasn’t loved by anyone
but there was someone who loved me.’
Dorothea couldn’t take her eyes off Ethan, who was quietly organizing his emotions.
‘As I had long thought, he was too good-looking. He is a beautiful person even if I see every part of him.’
So she was curious.
Why do you like me, Ethan
?
She didn’t understand why, out of all the women in the world, he liked the ugly, insignificant Dorothea Millanaire.
She doubts his sincerity, wondering if he was just acting when he said he liked her.
He even remembers Dorothea before the return.
Dorothea Millanaire who had become tyrannical, ugly, and irresponsibly ended a life she couldn’t afford.
That figure was the epitome of ugliness that even Dorothea herself had no choice but to hate.
‘Every time I think of it, I feel ashamed, guilty, and regretful, the images I want to erase.’
Ethan was the only one who remembered Dorothea like that.
‘So why
’
“You made me like you.”
At Dorothea’s question, Ethan slowly turned his gaze to her.
The look in his eyes made Dorothea’s heart pounded.
After being wet with tears, the golden eyes which became transparent, were more dangerous than the golden lumps that stimulated the lowest human desires.