Falling from that high cliff, rain pouring down endlessly, blood dripping from my forehead—
the last thought that crossed my mind as my eyes slowly closed was:
"My friends… they abandoned me."
That was all.
The final scene flashing before my eyes was them—chatting, laughing wholeheartedly.
Moments I once cherished, moments I thought were precious, shattered in an instant.
Two years of memories… gone, just like that.
Gasp—
I jolted awake.
"Hah… hah… aghh—!"
My breath was uneven, my chest rising and falling rapidly. Sweat drenched my clothes, my hands trembling as tears filled my eyes.
"Am I… a-alive?"
The pain from the attack was still vivid.
The fall from that cliff—
Just thinking about it sent goosebumps all over my body.
I raised my trembling hand to my forehead.
It hurt.
But there was no blood.
No wound.
Not even a scratch.
"How… is this even possible?" I whispered.
Suddenly—
Knock knock.
"My lady, are you awake?"
The voice froze me in place.
That voice…
It was familiar.
Before I could think further, the door opened.
"Lily?"
She entered, holding a bowl of water.
My heart skipped.
"L-Lily…?" My voice trembled. "How… how are you alive?"
Fear and confusion crashed over me all at once.
Lily—my maid—
She died two years ago.
Killed by monsters while returning to her hometown.
Yet there she was, standing right in front of me.
"How… is this possible…?" I covered my mouth as tears spilled endlessly.
"My lady!" Lily hurried to my side, holding me tightly. "Did you have a scary nightmare?"
I couldn't answer.
"W-wait—why are you crying?" Her voice shook with worry.
She was worried about me…
The same Lily who died because of my ignorance.
Even if this was a dream, I didn't want to wake up.
"Oh dear…" she said softly. "You must've had a terrible nightmare. The first thing you did after waking up was cry like this. Don't worry, my lady—it was just a dream."
A dream…?
"Come now," she continued gently. "Let's wash your face. Otherwise, you'll be late for the congratulation ceremony."
"…Congratulation ceremony?"
Confusion hit me.
"What are you saying, Lily?"
"You even forgot?" she said with a small pout. "Today's the victory banquet!"
My heart dropped.
"Lily," I grabbed her shoulders tightly, "what day is it? Tell me the date—now."
"I-it's December 14," she answered quickly. "Imperial Year 544. And it's also your birthday, my lady."
December 14…
Imperial Year 544.
The day I died was December 14, Imperial Year 546.
Two years later.
My breath caught.
So it wasn't a dream.
I returned.
Returned to the past I hated the most.
The betrayal.
The growing distance.
The ignorance.
The false accusations.
Everything began from this very day.
Do I have to face it all again?
Those so-called friends who watched me die without lifting a hand?
"No—!" I screamed.
"No… I can't…"
Tears overflowed, my vision blurring as my body shook violently. Lily's voice reached me, trying to comfort me, but I couldn't hear it anymore.
I had returned.
Some time later
My eyes were still puffy from all the crying. Lily pressed a cold, wet towel gently over them, treating me with a worried expression.
"Goodness, my lady! If you go to the victory banquet looking like this, everyone will laugh at you!" she scolded softly as she pressed the towel.
"No one would dare laugh at a Duke's daughter, Lily," I replied quietly. "So don't worry."
But my mind was far from calm.
Why… why have I returned?
The question kept circling in my head, again and again, without giving me a moment of rest.
"I don't want to attend the banquet, Lily," I said, turning my face toward the other side of the bed. "I just want to stay home and rest."
Lily hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Considering your condition, resting would be best… but it would be extremely disrespectful to the emperor if you didn't attend," she said gently. "Especially since the banquet was held for you, my lady."
She didn't know.
She didn't know that this banquet was where everything began to change.
Where smiles turned distant, where bonds quietly broke.
And this time… it would happen all over again.
Yet, as Lily said, I couldn't simply stay home.
I was the hero who slew the monsters.
The founder and captain of the elite 'White Knight' order.
I had no choice.
"…Alright," I finally said. "I'll attend."
But only briefly.
"I'll stay until the opening of the banquet," I murmured to myself, "and then I'll leave without delay."
As I prepared for the banquet, one thought refused to leave my mind.
If I had truly returned to the past… didn't that mean I had a chance to change things before they unfolded?
Yes.
I could.
I knew the dates.
I knew the places.
The monster outbreaks that appeared before any report reached the capital—the disasters we were always too late to stop.
If I acted early, I could prevent them.
And more importantly—
Ah.
Why hadn't I thought of it sooner?
I could ask for the Aegis Core.
The relic that sealed dimensional paths and blocked monsters from entering this world. If I requested it as a favor during the victory banquet… the emperor couldn't easily refuse a war hero.
With the emperor's backing, I could do even more.
For the first time since waking up, my chest felt lighter.
After calming myself, I finished getting ready. Everything was set.
As I stepped out of my room, I saw them waiting downstairs.
Eleck Valenrose and Ian Valenrose.
My two brothers.
Members of the White Knights.
Two and three years older than me.
And also—
The ones who stood there that day.
When I reached the stairs, they looked at me. I felt their gazes clearly—but I ignored them and continued walking.
There was no reason to be close anymore. I already knew what awaited me in the future.
"Lina—!"
Eleck called out.
I stopped and turned slightly.
"Yes, Lord Eleck?" I asked calmly.
"What?" He frowned. "Why are you calling me lord?"
"Hah." Ian scoffed. "After ordering us around, now you're suddenly being formal?"
I could hear the irritation in their voices.
I had endured that tone for two years in my previous life.
This time, I wouldn't.
"I will address you both formally from now on," I replied without emotion.
"Lord Eleck. Lord Ian."
Their expressions stiffened.
"And if you prefer," I added lightly, "I can be even more proper—Young Duke Valenrose."
It was only a few words.
But they hit their mark.
Eleck liked formality.
Liked authority.
So I gave him exactly what he wanted.
Without waiting for a response, I turned away and stepped outside, entering the carriage.
A fresh start.
This life—
I would live it without them.