Chapter 2

”I am the Crown Prince’s consort. How dare you lay a hand on me… Ah!”

The sharp blade sliced across my cheek. Beads of blood trickled down my neck.

Bayram and Rio closed in on me step by step. The blade was about to pierce my throat.

Messengers from the palace arrived.

A loud voice rang out. “I have come by the Crown Prince’s command to deliver Ms. Savoy’s wedding gown.”

When the butler, Mr. Smith, showed up, it sent everyone present into a panic. They all bowed in fear.

“Could Reverie Savoy truly be the Crown Prince’s consort? The palace even personally sent someone.”

“Are you crazy? How could His Majesty allow a spy from an enemy nation to marry the Crown Prince!”

“Enough talk! Can’t you see how dark the Crown Prince’s expression has turned!”

...

I paid no heed to their speculation and only thought of escaping the nonsensical situation as swiftly as possible.

After all, the Crown Prince had searched the entire realm for the finest embroiderers to create this wedding gown for me. If some reckless fool were to ruin it, he would surely be furious.

“General, His Highness the Crown Prince, may I leave now?”

Rio hesitated momentarily, but he eventually released my hand.

Mr. Smith quickly sensed the awkward atmosphere and smiled. He bowed slightly to me.

“Ms. Savoy, His Highness has specifically asked me to pass on a message to you.

“His Highness knows that you love magnolias the most. This is a pendant in the shape of a magnolia that he had crafted by artisans. He hopes you’ll like it.”

He handed the pendant to me. But before I could take it, Bayram, standing nearby, seemed to realize something. He raised his hand and used his powers to shatter the pendant.

He sneered in disdain.

“Such a clumsy trick might fool Rio. How dare you, imposter. Do you actually think of yourself as the Crown Prince’s consort?!”

“I’ve looked into this butler. He entered the palace the same year you returned. That could only mean he’s a spy, just like you!”

Bayram was confident in his assessment. He ordered for Mr. Smith and myself to be arrested.

“Your Highness, I am a direct servant of the Crown Prince! How dare you…. Ah!”

Mr. Smith’s loud voice rang out as Bayram raised his blade to the man’s throat.

“Rio, take him away.”

I wanted to struggle, but since Rio commanded an army of 100,000, I had no choice but to give up.

Mr. Smith, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded. He shouted loudly about “mutiny!” In the end, one of his arms was chopped off by Bayram’s men.

“No matter who you really are, you must know where Reverie is!

“If you confess of your own accord, I just might spare your life!”

In the dungeon, I turned my head away and ignored Bayram’s threats. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

In my previous timeline, I had believed Bayram’s words.

Just as I was about to be buried alive, I had confessed that I had no memory of my past. The only thing I remembered was that I was a spy sent by the enemy nation.

But Bayram had believed I was lying and cut out my tongue.

Meanwhile, Rio, who was standing nearby, showed not a shred of compassion in his eyes.

Ever since I lost my memory and arrived in the capital, they were the only two who had shown me any warmth.

They said my father and brother were heroes who had died on the battlefield. They had made it their duty to take care of me, an orphaned girl.

When faced with a young general whose presence was as refreshing as a spring breeze and a prince who was aloof yet secretly kind to me, my young heart naturally blossomed.

Later, when Bayram discovered my identity as a spy, he merely held me close in his arms as his heart ached for me.

“Reverie, that’s not your fault. The fact that you’ve returned alive is heaven’s greatest blessing to me.”

In contrast to those words, the agony I endured before dying in my previous two timelines was a constant reminder to me. I had been used as a decoy!

When I thought of this, I smiled.

“Just kill me if you dare!

“You two claim to be deeply in love, yet you went and staged fake deaths! Even if I’m not the real Reverie Savoy, I still wouldn’t stand for your dirty tricks!

“Using women as bargaining chips is truly disgusting!”

“Shut up!”

With a sharp slap, Rio, who had trained in martial arts for years, struck me with such force that half my face swelled up.