“The moment I arrived in this country, instead of becoming the crown prince’s fiancée, I offered to be his spy.”

I proceeded to inform him that my father planned to start a war, and that I could provide him information about Ismar. Although perplexed, the crown prince agreed.

With that, I thought that the crisis would be averted, but how wrong I was.

My father—who was ahead of the game—still instigated a war.

In the end, war couldn’t be avoided.

However, based on the information I gave, the crown prince came up with an effective stratagem and won.

My father, mother, and sisters all lost their lives when the royal castle was assaulted.

But when I intended to meet the same fate, the crown prince asked if there was anything I desired, and I…

…became a bit greedy.

Thus, I asked if I could spend a year with him—with Kyle.

“Oh, I forgot.”

I removed the colored lens I had in my eyes.

I had borrowed them from the crown prince to conceal my ruby eyes.

“I need to return them.”

After placing them on the table, I quietly gazed outside the window.

A full moon hung in the sky.

“…I was happy.”

The past year was the best time of my life.

After all, not only was I able to do what I set out to do, I was able to make friends, and above all, spend time with my cherished person.

“Therefore, it’s enough.”

I was completely satisfied.

***

“Are you sure about this?”

I nodded to the crown prince.

His forlorn gaze lingered on me momentarily, before turning away.

Truly, he was a gentle crown prince.

Thinking that he’d inadvertently suffer from this, I felt sorry for him.

“Ophelia Ismar will thereby be executed.”

At the voice of the crown prince, people began to clamor.

Urged by the executioner, I ascended to the gallows.

As I felt the noose around my neck, I took a deep breath.

…With this, it’d truly be the end.

“—Wait!”

When I resolved my mind, a loud voice resounded.

I couldn’t possibly mistake that voice.

“Lord Kyle…”

Kyle stood there, out of breath.

“Don’t proceed with the execution!”

“Wha—”

At his unbelievable words, I exclaimed in surprise.

“What are you talking about—!? My execution has already been decided…”

“His Majesty the King has given me a royal decree to revoke the death penalty. Furthermore, these are the petitions to stop the execution, signed by both the citizens of Ismar and Linnenburg.”

Then, Kyle proceeded to throw out a stack of papers.

…Just how many are there?

Did that many people sign just to oppose my execution?

“Why…?”

“Because you haven’t done anything wrong.”

To the stunned me, Kyle spoke.

“While you did pass information, it was for the sake minimizing casualties on both sides. In addition to that, you also established an escape route for the people of Ismar. As a result, the damage to both countries was so small, it is difficult to believe there actually was a war. That happened because you made it so that the target of the attack would only be the royal family of Ismar.”

Certainly, I asked the crown prince to establish an escape route to Linnenburg so that the people of Ismar wouldn’t be involved in the war. In addition, I also asked for those people to not be persecuted, and that they’d be given honest work.

Also, during the battle, I secretly informed the people of Ismar regarding the situation so that they wouldn’t be hostile towards the soldiers of Linnenburg. At the same time, the soldiers of Linnenburg were warned against harming the people of Ismar unless provoked.

Such were my conditions for passing along information.

“Your Highness—!”

A voice echoed from below the gallows.

“Don’t die—!”

“Have mercy on our Savior—!”

“I won’t forgive you if you kill our princess—!”

They were the people of Ismar.

…I thought that people were cheering for my execution.

But in truth, everyone was crying.

“Ophelia—!”

…Then, I heard a familiar voice.

It was Anne.

“What are you doing!? Selfishly deciding to die on your own—!”

Even from this distance, I could tell that she was crying.

Even though we only spent a year together…

Regardless, she was my very first friend.

“…I can’t…”

As I said that, my tears threatened to spill.

“…If I live, I’ll become a source of conflict… Even if I’m like this, I’m still a member of the royal family of Ismar, and am equally as vile as them… While the damage was minor, that doesn’t mean that no one holds a grudge against Linnenburg… If those people try to take advantage of me, it’ll be an unnecessary source of conflict…”

—Hence why, I’d rather die.

After all, not one member of a royal family from a defeated country should be allowed to survive.

“That’s not true.”

Kyle said firmly.

“Look at the people of Ismar. They all love you. If we try to execute you here, it’ll only spark their distrust towards Linnenburg, which would then lead to a rebellion.”

I stared at Kyle.

“If you truly care about both countries, live.”

I bit my lips.

“I can’t—! Because… because I murdered my parents…!”

Even if they didn’t behave exactly like parents to me, they were still my parents.

Yet, I left them to die.

Not only was it terrifying, I felt like I’d be overwhelmed by the guilt.

‘Traitor.’

…I’d never forget what my father said to me as it finally dawned on him.

“Then, I’ll shoulder it.”

As he looked at me, who was crying inconsolably, Kyle said so.

“I’ll bear your sins, retributions, and everything else with you.”

Kyle came up to the gallows and proceeded to remove the noose from around my neck.

Then, he pulled me into an embrace.

In a daze, I asked him.

“What happened to your disdain towards women?”

“I don’t hate you.”

Kyle was never one to outright express his feelings.

As such, towards something he liked—

‘—I don’t hate it.’

Such was what he’d always say.

I let out a sob.

I—

“—want to live…”

***

It was another pleasant morning.

I spoke to my husband, who laid next to me.

“Good morning, Lord Kyle. Today, too, my heart is enraptured by your mesmerizing, drowsy eyes. I love you.”

“Good morning, Ophelia. Apparently, I also don’t hate it when you make a fuss about my sleeping habits.”

All my confessions after the 365^th had been an overwhelming success.

---

***T/N: Ah yeah, is the prince really such a kind guy, tho? He was quite passive even tho he knows that she was going to be executed for the crime of being born in the royal family of Ismar. Does he even know that Papa Kyle will sweep in and save the day?

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