Ch.205204. Diary (2)

# 204. Diary (2)

-October 15, 674, Today I saw a very interesting child. That child… was strong.-

October 15, 674.

That was the day I took the entrance exam for the Imperial Academy.

-It was the first time I had such a thought about someone other than Father. Why is that? Certainly, that child is strong. But when viewed objectively, they’re still woefully lacking.-

That assessment was correct for me at that time—the harsh criticism that I was woefully lacking.

-I don’t know if it’s because they don’t have skills or because they don’t need to use them, but they didn’t show any special skills. Nor did they display overwhelming force. Yet I still got that feeling. It was fascinating.-

This day’s diary entry was quite long.

It was about three times longer than usual.

-The way they moved freely across the battlefield with a cheap sword probably not even worth 50,000 won was impressive. Could any other child my age do that? I’m not sure.-

It seems my appearance back then had given her quite a shock.

For her to write this much in her diary.

-And… I think they might be my type… Anyway! I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ll show in the future.-

That day’s entry ended like that.

I continued flipping through the diary.

Certainly, I shouldn’t be freely reading someone else’s diary like this, but I was too curious.

The next entry was from a date not much different from the previous one.

-Today is the day for the ranking matches. Watching in person, I can tell this year’s freshmen are of high caliber. Everyone did well. However, no one particularly caught my eye.-

A cold assessment.

But it wasn’t incomprehensible.

After all, she herself was unbelievably strong and had seen monsters like the Emperor and Andres.

That’s why I was even more surprised by the next sentence.

-Except for that child. They were lacking in many ways compared to Raicle. The difference seemed quite significant. Yet they managed to bridge that gap with combat sense and skill utilization.-

At that time, I really almost lost because my opponent was no pushover.

-And what’s surprising is how much they’ve grown compared to before. It’s only been 1-2 weeks. And they even rejected my party invitation. I was genuinely taken aback for the first time in a long while.-

It seems that hadn’t happened to her often.

-But that child was strange. Not only did they recognize me from afar, but they were also crying when they saw me. I wonder why?-

Imagining her tilting her head while writing these words made me smile.

“She’s so damn cute…”

I hurriedly read the next entry.

After the ranking match, the next entry was from the day before enrollment, when I first went to the academy.

-This person is strange. Extremely so. Suddenly asking me on a date, saying those things… They’re definitely strange.-

She thinks I’m strange.

But I can understand why she would think that.

From her perspective, someone she had just met was coming on to her like that.

And considering she was the future empress of this country, she would have been even more suspicious.

-Why are they so forward? Unlike usual, I was curious about that. It seems like they genuinely like me, not with some ulterior motive. Why?-

It seems that normally, even if someone actively pursued her, she wasn’t particularly curious.

I would probably be the same.

With so many people like that, their intentions would be too easy to see.

-April 3, 675, Today… Mother almost died. I was shocked. Confused. Scared.-

I was scared then too.

I almost died. Looking back, I lived quite a dynamic life back then.

Though I suppose things aren’t much different now.

-Fortunately, it wasn’t too late. But without that child, it would have been, right? What kind of person sneaks into the imperial palace? Why did they save someone else’s mother while covered in blood?

If I hadn’t done that, things would have gone back to how they were before.

And thanks to that, her second awakening had progressed, so there was nothing bad about it.

It was a beneficial action no matter how you looked at it.

-And even in that situation, they smiled at me. Even as they were about to die. Regardless, I’m truly grateful. If it weren’t for them…-

That day’s entry ended there.

And next to those words was a mark.

A mark that looked like it had been wet and then dried again.

She couldn’t have written those words herself.

I wouldn’t want to imagine it either.

“If I hadn’t saved her then… I’d probably be suffering terribly now.”

I didn’t want to imagine that either.

So I quickly turned the page.

-Today, he suddenly held my hand… for a very long time… Since becoming party members, he seems to have grown even bolder…-

Reading that reminded me of those days.

I was just trying to use [Returner’s Privilege], but that’s what happened.

Looking back now, it was really nothing, but back then it felt like a big deal.

-He did it again, a date… At first, I didn’t know what to do, but as we spent time together, I found myself getting comfortable and having fun. And for some reason, Albert doesn’t seem to see me as a princess. Despite constantly calling me “Princess”…-

That seemed to have worked in my favor.

Of course, I was just being comfortable with her because we were originally close.

-Riel keeps telling me to just date Albert… At first, I scolded her for saying such things, but now… it wouldn’t be bad. His skills, his appearance, his personality—there’s nothing wrong with any of it. And above all, he likes me, me…-

It was content that couldn’t help but make me smile.

“She’s really cute…”

Just as I said those words, I suddenly heard the door opening.

-Creeeeak!-

I immediately closed the diary at that sound.

But it was too late.

I looked at the scene and saw her with a bright red face.

She looked back and forth between me and her diary and spoke.

“Did… did you see that?”

It wasn’t a question she didn’t know the answer to.

It was to confirm what she had seen and realized herself.

So I nodded obediently.

“I saw the diary and was too curious… so…”

“How far did you read?”

“Up to our first date…”

She hurriedly gathered her diary.

Only then did she scold me.

“Why did you read it…?”

“I’m sorry, I was just curious about what was in it…”

I bowed my head.

She didn’t know how to react.

“You… you don’t need to go that far…”

“Really?”

“Yes… It’s a bit embarrassing, but it’s okay since it’s Albert who saw it.”

“I’m still sorry.”

What’s okay is okay, but an apology is still necessary.

A wrong is a wrong.

Just because the other person is okay with it doesn’t mean the wrong isn’t a wrong.

After accepting my apology, she raised her head again and spoke.

“Alright, don’t do it again next time. If you really want to see, just ask me directly… I might show you then…”

“Okay.”

“But was it interesting?”

“What?”

She looked at her diary after hearing that question.

“Oh, that? It was interesting.”

“Doesn’t Albert keep a diary?”

“A diary… I don’t.”

I think I used to write one, but at some point, I stopped.

Living a life of emotional deprivation led to that.

“I should have started writing one now.”

“You should. Albert’s diary… I think it would be interesting.”

“It probably wouldn’t be. I’m not particularly good at writing.”

“Then just tell me verbally.”

I tilted my head.

She had an excited, bright expression.

“I heard a bit before, but I didn’t get to hear in detail, so I’m curious. How did Albert live in his previous life?”

“It won’t be interesting.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

With that confident tone and an expression that seemed to ask, “Please?” I couldn’t help but tell her.

I searched through my memories.

Stories from long ago that I could barely remember now. I managed to recall and recount those stories.

“I’m not sure where to start… but I was bullied. A social misfit without even a single friend.”

With those words, I began to tell my story in detail.

Just like that diary.

“Going to school itself was painful.”

***

Late at night.

Despite the situation, two people, a man and a woman, were engaged in quite wholesome activities.

A middle-aged woman was pressing her ear against the door of their room.

A lady estimated to be in her early twenties at most was doing the same.

“But is it okay for us to listen to this?”

“Of course, I do this all the time.”

“Is the regression… real?”

“Probably.”

A top-secret information was leaked through an unexpected channel.

But it didn’t matter since the people who found out were the Empress.

“How fascinating, so such things really happen?”

“To be honest, I can’t believe it either, since I haven’t seen it myself.”

“It doesn’t seem like a lie.”

“But being bullied with that face? Is that even possible?”

The Empress and Riel continued to listen to their conversation from there.

And they continued their conversation, unaware of the eavesdroppers.