I Proposed to My Childhood Friend After Regressing - Chapter 68

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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After My Regression, I Proposed to My Childhood Friend
Chapter 68
Valois watched Beatrice’s hesitation with understanding, nodding gravely.
“Well… truthfully, it’s not easy to answer right away even when something is said so suddenly. You have your own position to consider, and honestly, I worried about this conversation long before coming to tell you.”
“…….”
“How about this, then? I heard that Grand Duke Alec is inviting you and Clyde Dalton to dinner. Could you give me your answer then? I’ll buy us some time before that!”
“You mean Princess Elodie’s proposal?”
“Yes. Even if it seems difficult, I’d hope you’d consider my first proposal positively, at least…….”
The way her voice trailed off still felt foreign to Beatrice. As she watched her, Beatrice found herself nodding without quite meaning to.
“Yes. I’ll think about it. And… the way home too.”
“Really? Truly?”
“Yes. But are you really sure about this? I mean, even if you’re going back, while your hand is joined with ours, you’ll only face hardship and danger.”
“Ah, I think of it as the price I pay to return home. The rarer the thing, the steeper the cost. There’s no reward in this world without a price. Besides…….”
Valois paused, then shrugged slightly and continued.
“If I think of it as serving society and upholding justice too, it seems worthwhile in its own way.”
Serving society? Upholding justice?
At the confused light in Beatrice’s eyes, Valois pointed at herself with her finger.
“Once I’m gone, the real Valois Crofford will return to her own body, won’t she?”
And she’ll discover that it was none other than herself who dug that grave and walked into it with her own two hands.
“I don’t take pleasure in another’s misfortune, but for personal reasons, I truly despise someone like Valois. I disliked her even before the Possession, but after experiencing it firsthand, I’ve come to hate her even more. She’s far worse a person than I imagined.”
With that, Valois brought up an anecdote that had shocked her after the Possession.
“The day after the Possession, I think? At dinner, servants brought out a meal, and I ate while thinking, ‘Hmm, this is delicious.’ But as I ate more and more, the servants’ faces grew pale.”
“Perhaps Miss Crofford originally didn’t eat meals…….”
“I wondered the same thing, so I put down my utensil. The moment I did, the servants trembled and fell to their knees? Turns out, whenever Valois said nothing and let something pass—whether it was meals or her appearance—someone was always fired or severely punished the next day.”
The expression Valois Crofford frequently wore naturally came to mind.
When you thought about it, it made perfect sense.
Valois Edvain Crofford was someone who abused her power not just to nobles, but even to members of the royal family.
Someone who acted recklessly even toward those her equal or above would never be gentler to the weak—only crueler.
“Repentance? Redemption? I believe some people are beyond such things. And an arsonist who sets fires because of a broken heart falls into that category for me.”
She spoke with a somewhat cynical expression before pausing and continuing.
“Well, if by some chance I’m wrong and Valois does recognize her mistakes, then she’ll reflect that it’s because she never lived righteously. And I don’t think it’s too late to judge that when the time comes.”
As she finished speaking, Valois glanced out the window, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Ah, well then, we’ll discuss the details another time… shall we wrap up today’s meeting for now?”
“Pardon? Wrap up…? Oh, I need to untie things. Just a moment, I’ll call someone…….”
“No, that’s not it.”
Quickly negating Beatrice’s assumption, she pointed at a Vase barely within Beatrice’s reach.
“Would you be willing to hand me that Vase? As long as it’s not something terribly expensive or rare.”
“……Yes, but…….”
“Thank you. I’ll make a scene throwing this now, so please send the bill to the Grand Duke’s Residence later.”
“What? Wait, so suddenly?”
“Well, yes? Valois Crofford and ‘suddenly’ go hand in hand, after all. And this way, it’ll be easier to avoid Princess Elodie’s suspicion, won’t it?”
With that, she took the Vase from Beatrice and hurled it, then began thrashing about like a madwoman.
She shrieked and kicked at nearby objects, flailing wildly.
And as expected…….
“Miss!”
“Beatrice!”
The servants who’d been on edge outside and Hartwell burst through the Reception Room door at once.
“I’ve had enough! Coming without notice and causing such rudeness to my daughter in my own home? What do you take Hartwell for? What are you doing? Take her out of this house at once! No, never mind. I’ll go with you.”
“Let go! I told you not to touch my body without permission! I’ll leave on my own feet!”
“Miss, are you alright? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? Ah, I shouldn’t have left you alone…….”
As Valois was pushed toward the door, she glanced back and caught Beatrice’s eye.
Surrounded by tearful maidservants checking her over, Valois gave one of her eyes a quick wink. Beatrice squeezed her eyes shut.
She was going truly insane.
* * *
“Bea!”
“Beatrice, are you alright?”
The Reception Room door flew open and familiar voices followed one after another.
It was Clyde and Crown Prince Crowell, who’d heard the news of Valois’s visit and rushed over at once.
She, who had been sitting on the sofa staring blankly at the destroyed Reception Room, turned her head to greet them.
“Oh, Clyde……. And Your Highness too? How did you both come together?”
“I was finishing something nearby with Clyde. I came along in case any situation arose where I might need to intervene… though that doesn’t seem to be what matters right now, does it? Are you alright?”
As the Crown Prince looked around with a serious expression, Clyde knelt to match her eye level.
Without a word, he locked eyes with Beatrice and squeezed her hand firmly. Then, as a habit, he checked the pulse at her wrist and the warmth of her palm.
Only then did he let out a breath of relief, bowing his head and murmuring softly.
“……The Ring is blue again now…….”
It was only then that Beatrice realized she was wearing the Ring.
‘Ah, I should have taken it off beforehand!’
Everything had unfolded so chaotically that she hadn’t had the presence of mind to think of it.
Only after seeing Clyde and Crowell did Beatrice regain some composure, and she cleared her throat lightly.
“Ahem, well… it wasn’t actually as serious as it looks. I’m not hurt or anything.”
“Are you certain? I’ve never seen the Count so angry.”
“Ah……. Mother didn’t…….”
“She left for the Grand Duke’s Residence with Valois Crofford. She said she needed to have it out with the Grand Duke directly.”
“Oh…….”
The Crown Prince examined Beatrice’s dazed expression and Clyde, who silently held her, alternately, then gave a light cough and asked.
“So then, what exactly happened?”
“Well…….”
At the Crown Prince’s question, Beatrice let out a groan.
She had no idea where to begin or how to explain. Honestly, she herself hadn’t fully processed it yet.
“Um. Just a moment…….”
Raising her free hand as she thought, Beatrice uttered words that sounded insane even to her own ears.
“I think… I might end up on the same side as Valois…….”
Words that truly sounded insane.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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