—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Elena was confused.
The moment she understood what Rudrick meant, she gave up trying to think rationally.
What did Rudrick just say?
It wasn’t difficult to understand, logically speaking.
In fact, it would have been stranger if she hadn’t thought of it already.
Elena had considered the possibility, if only briefly.
“It’s absurd that we’re all so infatuated with one man.”
She had once muttered those words to herself, a testament to her own disbelief.
All five of them, including herself, were exceptional women.
Even excluding the non-humans, Sylvia and Arwen, the remaining three – Eileen, Lassiel, and herself – could easily marry into any noble family they desired.
They could have any man they wanted.
Furthermore, they had experienced a miracle, a regression brought on by some unknown force after failing to prevent Rudrick’s death in the previous timeline.
Rudrick wasn’t exactly a heart-stoppingly handsome man that turned heads wherever he went, but he was attractive enough.
The fact that he had captivated all five of them spoke for itself.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if they had resorted to violence over him.
“…”
Elena remained silent.
She understood Rudrick’s concerns.
If she were an outsider looking in, she would have agreed that his solution, while unconventional, was the most logical one.
The problem was, she was directly involved.
She had considered the possibility of being the one left behind, the one who had to offer her blessing with a heavy heart, but she had never imagined this.
‘…Share him? Why?’
Conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind.
Her pride wouldn’t allow her to accept such an outrageous proposal.
However, the fact that the other four had already agreed made it difficult for her to refuse.
Rudrick anxiously observed her reaction.
‘…Did I go too far?’
He knew that it was a ridiculous proposition, a power play on his part.
It was essentially a “take it or leave it” situation.
But with the other four on board, Elena was the only one who would lose out if she refused.
Trapped in this impossible dilemma, Elena remained silent for a long moment.
“…Rudrick.”
She addressed him by name, dropping the formal title.
Rudrick’s heart sank.
He knew from her tone that things were about to get complicated.
“Yes?”
“You realize how absurd your proposition is, don’t you?”
“…It’s not exactly conventional, I’ll give you that.”
“…I’m glad you realize that.”
Elena sighed, shaking her head.
Relieved by her relatively calm demeanor, Rudrick let out a sigh of his own.
But before he could relax completely…
“Elena, the Second Princess of the Esgelant Empire, would think your proposition is quite logical. It eliminates any possibility of conflict, and if everyone agrees, it’s the most ideal solution.”
Elena spoke in a calm, almost detached tone, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor.
Rudrick was taken aback by her words.
Just when he thought she was taking it well…
“But do you think I, the woman who loves you, would agree to such a thing?”
“What?”
“Why? How did you even come to this conclusion? What were you thinking?!”
Elena grabbed Rudrick’s shoulders and shook him, her usual composure gone.
This wasn’t the composed and elegant Elena he knew.
This was Elena at her most vulnerable, a woman grappling with the realization that the man she loved had just suggested something unthinkable.
“…I’d rather you choose no one. You want me to share you with them? It’s absurd. The very thought of it makes me sick to my stomach. How could you even suggest such a thing?”
“…”
“…Just look at me.”
Elena buried her face in his chest, her voice barely a whisper.
This was the normal reaction.
Rudrick had been caught off guard by her initial calmness, but this was more like it.
He realized that this was a normal, human reaction to his outrageous proposition.
Elena continued, her voice muffled against his chest.
“…I said I would accept your decision. But those were just words…”
“…”
“…I thought… I thought you would choose me…”
“I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Does it even matter? What good is blaming you? It’s not going to change anything.”
“Is that so…?”
Elena punched him lightly on the chest.
Even in her anger, she held back, a testament to her true nature.
They sat in silence for a long moment.
Elena needed time to process her emotions, and Rudrick could only offer comfort.
‘…I didn’t realize she would take it this hard.’
The usually confident and composed Second Princess was nowhere to be seen.
In her place was a woman heartbroken, grappling with the complexities of love.
Her usual way of speaking had vanished, replaced by a softer, almost childlike tone.
As if snapping out of a daze, Elena spoke.
“…I’m alright now.”
“What do you mean?”
“It was a proposition I couldn’t refuse. It wasn’t even a proposition, it was an ultimatum.”
Elena slowly lifted her head.
Rudrick was relieved that she wasn’t crying.
“I might have said I would accept your decision, but… Ultimately, my refusal would only be a matter of pride. It wouldn’t change anything. In the end, I’m the only one who loses.”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“I’m not ready to give you an answer… You can call it stubbornness, but I just… I just…”
“You need more time to think about it?”
“…Yes.”
Elena mumbled, nodding slowly.
Rudrick sighed.
He had been prepared for the worst, but if this was as bad as it got, perhaps it was a good outcome.
He gently rubbed her back, offering comfort.
“Just tell me when you’ve made up your mind.”
“…This is so strange. You’re supposed to be the one being comforted.”
“Let’s just say this is a special case.”
“I guess having five women marry one man is a special case, even in this day and age.”
“Haha…”
Rudrick chuckled awkwardly at her pointed comment.
Elena stared at him for a long moment before speaking.
“You know…”
“What is it?”
“…Since our regression, you’ve never been this kind.”
“…Today?”
“You were kind, but your words were cruel. It’s ironic, don’t you think?”
And with that, Elena turned and left the room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[]
