The First Prince of the Kingdom of Beltsuri, Leonhardt Beltsuri, had been thrown back in time to five years ago.
A regression in time. He had been given the chance to start his life over.
"Why has this happened...?"
It had happened just as he was about to be united with the one he loved, Merc Schliegen.
He didn't remember exactly what had happened before time was rewound.
From which point had his memory faded, leaving him in the present situation?
He remembered breaking off his engagement with Angelina Schteizen, the woman who he was engaged to.
He had received approval from the King and the Duke and had made everything official.
He remembered Angelina's cold expression when he had broken off their engagement.
She hadn't cried nor clung to him, nor did she lash out in anger, she had simply accepted it in silence and walked away.
This had happened a week before the graduation party.
Before time had rewound, his beloved Merc had been persecuted within the Academy.
He hadn't been able to obtain proof that Angelina herself had given the orders.
But there had been solid proof that those in her clique, as well as her followers, and supporters had been mistreating Merc.
At the very least, Angelina had turned a blind eye to it all.
For Leonhardt, that had been unforgivable.
That was why he had planned to expose her in public, at the graduation party, but...
The kind-hearted Merc had shielded Angelina, the very person who had bullied her, and so the confrontation ended up taking place in a quiet school office.
"Merc... I want to see you."
No matter how he struggled or how much he investigated, he had been thrown back five years into the past.
Leonhardt had ended up in a situation where he had "not met" the one he loved most.
So even if he were to go see her right now, she might find him creepy and end up hating him.
The only thing he could prevent was his engagement to Angelina.
What Leonhardt had to do from there was, above all else, to negotiate with the King and Queen.
He must prevent them from forming a betrothal with the Schteizen house.
Honestly, he wanted to take Merc as his fiancée at once.
But, at this stage, that was difficult. The current Merc was, after all, a mere commoner.
However, she would later be revealed to carry the bloodline of the "previous royal family."
The predecessor of the Kingdom of Beltsuri, the Alstroemeria royal family.
The previous royal family, beloved by the people, had had its bloodline fall to illness, and had ceded the throne to the Beltsuri family, which had been a duke's house at that time. Time had passed since then, and the kingdom's name had changed to Beltsuri.
Merc was a "descendant" of that very Alstroemeria royal family. The proof lay in her special magical power.
The "Magic of the Sacred Flower," the symbol of the previous royal family that appeared whenever high-level magic was used.
That had been seen in Merc's magic.
Hers was an exalted bloodline. And at the Academy, she had worked hard. Her grades had been excellent.
What's more, she had cherished Leonhardt from the depths of her heart.
Yes, there was no problem with her origins. If there was a problem, it would be...
"... Will I be able to win your love again?"
At this point in time, Leonhardt and Merc had not even met.
Without any prior connection, if he went to see her, she might end up hating him instead of liking him.
So Leonhardt intended to "repeat" his encounter with her once he returned to the Academy.
Just like the last time. So that they could share the same memories.
That was why he had put his own engagement on hold, and kept himself unattached.
He was keeping his distance from Angelina so that she would not misunderstand him, and this time, he had no intention of letting her hurt Merc.
"If possible, I would like to finalise the engagement as soon as possible, and learn alongside her."
He knew for certain that she was safe right now.
He had moved his subordinates, and instructed them to protect and support Merc from a distance.
Things should be far easier for her this time.
Even if Angelina were to reach out her wicked hand, this time, he would definitely protect her.
There was, however, one thing that Leonhardt was a little worried about.
It was that his own close aides had been drawn to Merc as well.
If the course of fate were to shift, then she might end up with someone else.
The mere thought of it felt as though it would tear his chest in two.
"... I won't let anyone take her from me."
She had loved him in the previous timeline.
So he was certain that she would come to love him again in this second life if he just redid everything.
As though pursuing the phantom of the previous time, Leonhardt resolved himself.