Episode 121: Ex-Wife #3
“Polygamy…?”
Rudbeckia blinked as she looked at Francia. Polygamy? That Yohan? She couldn’t believe it. Just how had the future changed for him to end up in a polygamous relationship?
Of course, polygamy wasn’t common, but it wasn’t unheard of either. It often involved issues of succession, securing heirs, power, and economic reasons.
Rudbeckia blinked blankly.
She had considered many possibilities as to why Yohan, the second duke of the empire who had even gained the radiance of Fervache, had chosen polygamy. But all of her reasoning led to one conclusion.
Yohan had done it of his own will.
That, too, was hard to understand. Yohan had never been one to chase after women.
“…Why would Yohan practicing polygamy?”
So she asked. Rudbeckia’s green eyes fixed intently on Francia, hoping for an explanation.
“…There were circumstances. I’ll tell you if the opportunity arises later.”
Francia spoke with a bitter smile.
“Anyway, what I want to say is that you still have a chance. But you have to do it with your own strength. Of course, I’ll help you, but in the end, you have to win Yohan’s heart yourself.”
Yohan was not an object. His emotions weren’t something that could be traded like a commodity.
Just because there was an opportunity and someone was willing to help didn’t mean his heart could be won.
“…What are you thinking?”
“What do you mean?”
“Weren’t you trying to keep me away from Yohan?”
That was what puzzled Rudbeckia. Why had Francia changed her mind? Just a moment ago, she was full of scorn and seemed determined to push her away.
“…As you know, I’m not exactly innocent either.”
Objectively speaking, Francia was the “villainess.” And she was well aware of it.
That was why she decided to accept Rudbeckia. Partly because she felt sympathy for the way Rudbeckia desperately searched for Yohan, but more than that, she couldn’t ignore the pangs of guilt weighing on her.
“…”
Rudbeckia remained silent, observing Francia’s reaction. Her crimson eyes trembled slightly, but she did not avert her gaze. She didn’t seem to be lying.
With a hardened expression, Rudbeckia nodded.
“If there’s a chance, I have to take it. I can’t live without Yohan.”
There was no reason to give up. After all, the reason she had returned to the past was to see Yohan once more.
Francia cast a healing spell, soothing Rudbeckia’s swollen cheek, and spoke.
“Then get up. We need to move.”
The café where they had fought was in complete disarray. Tables were overturned, and teaware was scattered everywhere, shards of glass glinting on the floor.
“…Alright.”
“Get ready. We’re heading to the Fervache estate in the imperial capital.”
After confirming that Rudbeckia’s cheek had healed, Francia approached the counter and spoke with the shopkeeper.
“My apologies for causing such a commotion.”
“N-No, it’s fine…”
“Take this as an apology.”
Francia placed three coins on the counter.
“T-This is…!”
Platinum coins.
A currency known by all, used exclusively by the great noble families. Even a single coin was enough to live comfortably for two years without working.
And she had given three of them?
“Th-Thank you…!”
“There’s no need to bow so much.”
With her slender fingers, Francia lightly dusted off her dress and addressed the shopkeeper.
“If anyone questions you, just mention my name.”
“Your name is…?”
“Francia Fervache.”
“Ah…!”
The shopkeeper bowed repeatedly in gratitude.
“Thank you…!”
“It’s nothing. I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
After settling matters, Francia returned to Rudbeckia and looked at her.
“Let’s go. This conversation is going to take a while.”
The two of them arrived at the Fervache imperial mansion.
Since the construction of the Lahart imperial mansion, Francia no longer visited this residence. However, as the head butler and servants always maintained it, nothing had changed.
Thus, in the reception room.
Francia and Rudbeckia sat facing each other.
“…So.”
Rudbeckia put down her teacup and looked into Francia’s red eyes.
“How exactly do you plan to help me?”
“To be honest, my help won’t be much.”
Her calm voice continued.
“At most, I can turn a blind eye so that Yohan can accept you without hesitation.”
Ultimately, it was up to Yohan to accept Rudbeckia. Francia couldn’t force his decision. She had no intention of doing so, either.
“You’ll have to win Yohan’s heart with your own power.”
At those words, Rudbeckia furrowed her brows and asked,
“Can’t I just tell him that I’ve returned from the past?”
“That wouldn’t work. Haven’t you read the warning from the Celestial Mage?”
“I was too busy deciphering the regression formula to read that…”
As Rudbeckia averted her gaze and trailed off, Francia let out a sigh and continued speaking.
“The warning in the Celestial Mage’s regression spellbook clearly states that one must never reveal to others that they have returned from the past. I don’t know the reason, but…”
The warning, written in red rune letters in the regression spellbook, was not merely a recommendation—it was an absolute rule that had to be followed.
“We, who have both broken the law of causality, are exceptions, but Yohan in this timeline has no knowledge of regression magic. If you tell him, who knows what might happen?”
Of course, this rule didn’t apply to Francia and Rudbeckia, who had both regressed and arrived in the same time period.
“But there’s something I want to ask you.”
“…What is it?”
“How did you regress? You couldn’t have done it alone. Did you have a benefactor?”
It was a question she had been pondering for a long time.
She could understand Rudbeckia deciphering the runes—after all, she was a First-Class Mage.
But where did she obtain the immense amount of mana required to activate the regression spell?
“…I didn’t have a benefactor.”
Rudbeckia let out a small breath before continuing.
“I deciphered the runes based on what Yohan had taught me before and what I had studied on my own. Compared to other magic tomes, it was manageable. Though still difficult.”
Francia remained silent, listening intently.
“And as for the mana… I used the corpse of the Tower Master that had been abandoned in the archives. The Tower Master’s mana had seeped into the library.”
Francia’s eyes widened in shock.
“…The Tower Master was dead? That Rein Adriche?”
Rein Adriche.
The master of the magic tower founded by the Celestial Mage and the most powerful transcendental mage on the continent.
She couldn’t believe that he was dead.
“What happened?”
Rudbeckia frowned.
“You don’t know? This all happened because of you.”
“…I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened after I left.”
As Francia lowered her head and apologized, Rudbeckia sighed and continued explaining.
“To the world, it was known that Yohan and those four men disappeared on the same day, leaving them missing. But after seeing the Celestial Mage’s archives, I learned the truth.”
She continued,
“The library was completely destroyed. Yohan was dead… and those four men were brutally killed as well.”
Grief filled Rudbeckia’s eyes. Even now, the image of Yohan’s cold, lifeless body lingered in her mind. The shock had been so overwhelming that she had fainted.
Struggling to continue, she added,
“…Judging by the traces left behind, a great battle must have taken place after Yohan died and you disappeared.”
“An internal conflict, then.”
It was the only explanation for how all four men died at once. After all, they were powerful beings who had reached the rank of Special-Class.
“And what do you think happened after that? The world completely fell apart. Dark Mages ran rampant, demonic beasts flooded the land.”
There were still survivors, but it was only a matter of time before they perished. No one could survive in that hellish, apocalyptic world.
“That’s the world that existed after you regressed.”
Finishing her explanation, Rudbeckia quietly lifted her teacup. White steam rose before her face.
“My god…”
Muttering under her breath, Francia clenched her fists. As expected, Yohan had been killed by those men. To protect her, to send her back into the past…
“Now, I’d like to hear your story.”
Rudbeckia narrowed her eyes and stared at Francia.
“…It’s a long story.”
Francia finally opened her mouth to speak.
***
A few days had passed since the banquet ended.
As always, Yohan went to work at the Purification Bureau.
It was now time to head west of the empire to close the demonic lairs, and since the reinforcements from the Holy Kingdom had already returned, preparations had to be even more thorough. In the process, he also needed to form an elite unit within the Purification Bureau, composed of those ranked first-class and above.
Thus, Yohan sat in his office, sipping the tea brewed by his aide, Elena, as he reviewed documents.
“Eris, you will be in charge of the elite unit.”
“Me… sir?”
“Yes.”
Eris was a rare special-class knight within the Purification Bureau. Originally from the Inspection Bureau, she possessed outstanding martial prowess. There was no one more suitable for the position than her.
“I trust you with this, so do your best. You are the knight I trust most in the Purification Bureau.”
“Y-Yes…!”
When Yohan gave a small smile, Eris averted her gaze and hastily responded. Though her skin was pale as snow, the tips of her ears flushed red.
“I will send you a finalized list of names. For now, just take it easy—there’s not much to do yet.”
“…Understood.”
Eris felt a strange sense of disappointment but couldn’t find an excuse to linger in the office any longer.
“…Please call me whenever you need me.”
With a polite bow, Eris left the office without making a sound.
Click.
As the door closed, Yohan flipped through the documents, glancing over the personnel details. Some names were familiar, and others exceeded his expectations.
‘They all seem promising.’
Everyone listed had the skills of a first-class rank or higher—warriors who were more than qualified to be part of the elite unit. Among them were also new applicants hoping to join the Purification Bureau.
‘Let’s keep looking.’
Yohan continued scanning the documents, reviewing the personal details of those who wished to join the elite unit. The pages turned rapidly as his keen eyes absorbed the information.
After roughly finalizing a list, he leaned back for a moment. His eyes felt strained.
‘Even if their rank isn’t the highest… I need people who can contribute in multiple areas.’
Yohan rubbed his forehead with one hand. Though he had the assistance of administrative officers, the newly established Purification Bureau was facing a manpower shortage. As a result, much of the workload fell on him.
His aide, Elena, helped him in every possible way, yet there was still too much work.
‘It would be great if someone skilled in both combat and administration could join. Even if they were just at first-class level.’
Just as Yohan was about to return to his work and turn another page—
‘Hmm?’
His gaze stopped on a particular name.
The person had an impressive track record and exceptional abilities, someone who could assist him closely…
[Rudbeckia Freeche]
For some reason, the name kept lingering in his mind, making it impossible to look away.