82

Surprised, Elena hid herself on the wall without even realizing it.

'I didn't see it wrong.'

After following the guard, Elena accidentally found Ren through the door. Without a second thought, she was about to ignore him and walk past him. She was about to ignore him when a hand, thick as a bear's, struck him hard on the cheek. Elena was so startled that she involuntarily turned to face the wall, unwillingly hiding like a stray cat to eavesdrop on the dialogue.

"I've come all the way here, and I see you losing? You pathetic bastard."

The voice from across the wall was profound. It was estimated that he was a middle-aged man, about 40 to new.

"My father doesn't know true satisfaction. I could lose. Do I always win?"

"You're telling me that?"

Slap! Elena flinched. Hearing the sound was so ruthless that her body shrank.

'Viscount Spencer, that's too much.'

Elena's feelings towards Ren were not good. No matter how much she tried to open it up, the relationship was not going to be a friendly one. However, apart from that, Viscount Spencer's behavior of indiscriminately punching him on the cheek because he lost the final match was also not a mature behavior for an adult.

"The Crown Prince has been at the bottom for four years. You've never missed first place in school. But you lost. Because you were idle and lazy."

"Yes, I was idle and lazy."

Ren was still perverse as always.

"You stupid jerk. I've never taught you to lose. I only taught you how to win."

"You're very firm. Is that why you were so hard on my mother?"

"What was that?"

Elena held her breath.

'Mother?'

Come to think of it, she had a bad relationship with Ren from her previous life, but she had no idea about his family and personal life. She disliked and feared Ren, and was busy avoiding him.

"Why do you pretend you don't know? You put my crippled mother in the social world and cursed her for being useless because she couldn't build a decent connection!"

"Your mother is a stranger to the Bastache family. She should have done what she had to do!"

"I told you I'd do it! I'm going to break the neck of the man my father hates. So, just leave my mother alone. But you…."

Emotions were running high and Ren was talking behind his back. That alone gave her an idea of how Ren's mother had ended up. Elena now understood a little better why Ren hated Princess Veronica so much and had such bad feelings towards the Grand Duke. Ren was heartbroken by the family situation. His own wounds were so hard that he tormented and hurt others, and while he was doing so, his own wounds dried up without him even knowing it.

"Foolish bastard. You're stuck in the past! I raised you wrong. I should have raised you harder and stronger."

"Then you should have. I'm going to get more upset and go crazy."

"You idiot."

Viscount Spencer, who had been glaring disapprovingly at Ren, turned away coldly. Until the last minute, he was hard on his child.

"Are you revealing yourself now?"

'Me?'

Elena was taken aback. The conversation between Ren and Viscount Spencer had been too sharp for her to leave her seat quietly. But the way he was calling out now, it was as if he had known all along that Elena was hiding here, eavesdropping.

"Aren't you coming out?"

'I got caught.'

Ren's confirmation shot made Elena realize that she was too late. When Elena appeared in the center of the passage between the walls, Ren smiled with a distinctive smirk.

"What are you. What are you eavesdropping about? Do you know how nervous I was that my father would notice?"

"… Are you alright?"

Elena hesitated and said.

"What? Oh, this?"

Ren grinned, asking back as if it were insignificant.

"I've gotten used to being hit."

"…"

"Why? If I'm hurt, will you come and give me a hug?"

Ren responded playfully and pretended to be innocent. With a face that didn't look good at all. Elena looked at Ren sadly and reached out to him without even realizing it.

"…!"

Elena's hand covered Ren's red, swollen cheek, hoping that his wounded heart would not hurt as much as his gradually swelling face. Ren's twisted personality was also the result of Spencer's own coercion and pressure, so it was pitiful and sad for Ren to live with this kind of hurt.

Ren was embarrassed by Elena's unexpected behavior. It made him feel warm in the corner of his heart. Since he had never learned how to accept the unfamiliar feeling, he snatched Elena's wrist and looked sharp.

"What is this? Sympathy?"

"Yes, I sympathize."

"…!"

"Why are you being beaten up like a fool? You have a big body. You can't even speak well while beating here and there?"

"Are you consoling me now?"

Ren's eyes shook relentlessly as he asked back. Comfort. He grew up under pressure of responsibility and duty. The word consolation was a luxury to him. Elena touched the weakest part of Ren.

"W-will you let go? It hurts."

"Ah!"

Ren quickly let go when he realized that he had clenched Elena's wrist without realizing it. It was a mistake. But when he saw Elena's wrists swollen red because of that mistake, his heart ached. He couldn't do this anymore. Ren swung around because he thought it would be weird to face Elena.

"We haven't kept our promise, so let's eat out next time. I can't wait until then."

"Senior."

Elena's low voice was touching his heart today. Ren turned around and took a couple of steps before stopping.

"I'm warning you, don't comfort me."

He couldn't bear to see Elena, so he didn't look back and took out his mind.

"I might cross the line."

"…!"

After Elena was surprised, Ren stuck his hand in his pants pocket and left. It was a very good exit.

***

"I'm sorry, I'm late, aren't I?"

Elena arrived late in the waiting room with Sian.

"You're here? I was just talking about you."

At a glance, she could feel that Khalif was the mood maker. He played the role of licorice even in situations that could be awkward because he has a good attachment and a flexible personality. Thanks to him, the atmosphere was not awkward even though Elena came late.

"Why are you talking about me? We need to celebrate."

"I've already got my mouth worn out. Except for you."

When Khalif pointed, Elena faced Sian sitting in his chair. The mischievous tone she had used earlier had vanished without a trace, and she had become an elegant young lady, more aristocratic than a noblewoman.

"Congratulations, Your Highness."

"Thank you."

Sian accepted this as a matter of course, as he was used to Elena like this. It was time for Elena with her head up to sit in an empty chair next to Khalif.

"I have something to say to Lady Lucia, can you excuse us for a moment?"

"Yes? Oh, I see, Your Grace."

It was Sian who even showed the sincerity to invite Elena to the finals. Khalif left the waiting room, directly coordinating with Raphael and Cecilia, in order to create an atmosphere where only two people could talk. An awkward silence fell in the private space. It was Sian who opened his mouth first.

"I wondered what I would do if you didn't come."

"What?"

"I was in the stadium and saw you. I felt relieved and my nerves went away."

"…"

Elena didn't know what to say. From the invitation to the finals to the words that his tension was relieved, it made her feel good, but it put the pressure on.

"You look like you have a lot to say."

"I'm a little surprised."

"Do you mean by me? Or that I beat Ren and won the championship?"

"Both."

When Elena answered honestly, Sian held his chin and said with a wistful look.

"Because of you."

"…!"

Elena's pupils shook, unable to find focus, as if an earthquake had occurred. Sian's gaze was more serious and deeper than ever, and she didn't know where to place her eyes.

"Didn't you say that? Take advantage of the new era."

"Ah."

Sian didn't listen to Elena's words in the dormitory in vain. The decision was made by listening to each word and making his own judgment.

'It was all because of me. The original history was wrong…'

She had a vague idea, but now she could fully admit it. Elena's words and actions had a great impact on Sian. The future was likely to be much different than the original history. As well as Sian's victory in the sword fighting championship, Cecilia was not chosen as the Crown Princess. She had no idea how far the "butterfly effect," as they call it, would take the changes.

'Whatever it is, I don't regret it.'

Elena was determined to tolerate and endure whatever variables occurred. It was because she was so proud of Sian, who had become mature after winning advice from Elena.

"Accepting your will, I have chosen to stand at the symmetry point of the nobles. I made up my mind by enduring the checks and balances of the nobles to the end. Only by doing so…"

"The people will be on your side."

When Elena took over, a slightly surprised smile hung around Sian's mouth.

"It sounded alive. The people's enthusiastic cries for me."

"Your Highness."

"The people are not on my side. I'll be on their side."

Sian became mature as a completely different person. Instead of regaining the imperial authority that had been taken away by the nobles, he took up the cause of the people, which was the foundation of the empire.

"It was a demonstration of that resolution."

"Your Highness finally proved it. You beat Ren and won."

The victory in the swordsmanship tournament would attract the attention of the nobles who had been treating Sian as an incompetent Crown Prince. This was because he had defeated Ren, who, despite his young age, was no match for many knights. From now on, they would check and oppress Sian regardless of means and methods. On the contrary, Sian's sword talk would spread among the people, and they would have confidence that the Crown Prince could gouge out the corrupt nobles.

"I have a question for you."

"Speak."

"Ren said. You promised to eat with him if he beat me. Is it true?"

Elena's cheeks poked.

"I didn't promise."

"It must have been a one-sided coercion."

Was it her mistake? She felt like the corners of Sian's mouth went up.

"I didn't know what was going on before and after, but I got angry when I listened to him."

"… Your Highness?"

"I don't want you to meet him. Now and ever."

"…!"

Elena's heart skipped a beat.