The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

---

The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

Interlude: Second Round②

Lewis and the others, arriving from the garden to the reception room, sat facing each other on the sofa, sipping tea that Miria had prepared while chatting.

“Is there a food you particularly like, Iris?”

“A food I like? I enjoy sweets like cakes and confections. On the other hand, I’m not really fond of rich flavors like meat.”

“I see. In that case, there’s a famous cake shop in town. Apparently, it was opened by a patissier who previously specialized in desserts at the Imperial Castle. It’s a new place and quite the talk of the town.”

“That sounds really enticing. I definitely want to try it sometime!”

They continued to talk about how she spent her time at the mansion and the Pestrose Territory, asking questions to learn more about her.

Lewis found everything Iris shared fresh and exciting, and he felt happy to discover a new side of her while also regretting that his past self knew nothing about her.

(I truly didn’t think about her at all; I didn’t observe anything.)

Having come to realize how foolish he had been in the past, he made a vow.

(I will become a man worthy of Iris. So she won’t feel embarrassed being by my side, I will be able to protect her. And… I’ll ensure her smile never gets clouded again.)

Lewis had fallen in love at first sight with the smile Iris showed him when they first met.

However, the past Lewis had stolen that smile from her because of his actions.

Determined to make the most of the precious new opportunity he had gained, he decided to put effort into studying, magic, and martial arts training—things he had previously disliked—so he could finally make his beloved Iris happy.

(But for now, let’s enjoy this time.)

Having reaffirmed that spending time with Iris was an irreplaceably happy time for him, Lewis focused on cherishing the moments he could spend together with her.

A week after their first meeting, Lewis was lying on the ground in the training area within the mansion.

“Hah, hah…”

“Young master. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. More importantly, I’m sorry for always bothering you, Zephal.”

“No, no. I’m just glad that you are interested in swordsmanship, young master! It is a true honor for me, Zephal, to teach you swordsmanship.”

Zephal was the captain of the knight order belonging to the House of Valentine, a man with striking blue hair and a rugged face marked by scars.

“I used to train with Sir Edward back in the day, but he was more skilled in magic than swordplay. I’m really happy to be teaching you like this.”

“Well, our family has many skilled magicians, to begin with. It’s rare for someone like me to excel in both.”

Zephal and Edward were close in age, and during their childhood, he often learned swordsmanship under Zephal’s father, who was the former knight captain.

However, the House of Valentine tended to produce children with magical talents rather than swordplay skills, making Lewis’s aptitude for both truly exceptional.

“That’s true. When it comes to swordsmanship, the House of Holstein, renowned as the Sword Saints, is overwhelmingly superior. But I believe you possess talent that rivals even theirs.”

“I’d be glad to hear that.”

“Absolutely! Now then! Let’s get back to special training after this break!”

With Zephal’s words, Lewis lifted his heavy body and resumed practicing with his sword until he was utterly exhausted.

A year had passed since Lewis and Iris got engaged, and that day, the two were wandering around the town within the Valentine Duchy.

“It’s been a while since I’ve walked around the town with Iris.”

“That’s right. The last time was when you visited the Pestrose Territory about two months ago.”

Over the past year, Lewis and Iris had visited each other’s territories several times, with Lewis having last visited Iris’s Pestrose Territory.

“I really wish I could see Iris more often, though…”

“Hehe. It can’t be helped. Our territories are far apart and we have things to do. But I’m just happy to receive letters from you, Lewis!”

“I’m thrilled to receive letters from you, Iris. I always keep them safe.”

“Thank you.”

Since their engagement, the two had been steadily deepening their bond, writing letters to each other frequently.

Today was the day they had promised to explore the ducal territory together, and Lewis had been pumped since morning.

(It’s fine. I made sure to scout beforehand, and I’ve asked the mansion staff for recommendations. Now, I just have to make sure not to bore Iris!)

Following the pre-planned itinerary, Lewis took Iris around the town, checking out the cake shop he had mentioned before, a jewelry store, and a scenic hotspot popular for dates.

“I had so much fun today. Thank you, Lewis.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, Iris. I had a lot of fun too.”

Under the vermilion-tinted sky, the two were walking through the still-bustling town, heading back to the ducal mansion.

“Ah…”

“Is something wrong?”

“Iris, I’m sorry, but could you wait on that bench for a moment?”

“That’s fine, but is something the matter?”

“No, I’ll be back soon, so please wait here.”

After saying that, Lewis had Iris sit on the bench and signaled to the hidden knight guards nearby to protect her. Then, Lewis retraced his steps.

“Oh? What brings you here?”

“Could I request one of these hair ornaments?”

“Of course!”

Lewis stopped by a stall selling hair ornaments for women, returning to buy one he had noticed when passing by earlier.

“Is this a gift for your girlfriend?”

“Well, something like that.”

“I see! Then make sure to cherish it!”

“Absolutely.”

Receiving the wrapped hair ornament from the woman running the stall, Lewis hurried back to Iris’s side.

“Iris, I’m back!”

“Lewis!”

After returning to Iris, Lewis sat beside her and took a moment to catch his breath from running.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. More importantly, Iris. Here you go.”

Lewis handed Iris the wrapped item containing the hair ornament, and she received it with a slightly surprised expression.

“You went out to buy this for me?”

“Yes. I hope you like it.”

Taking the hair ornament out of the package slowly, Iris was at a loss for words at its beauty.

“Uh, didn’t you like it?”

“…No, I love it! I’m so happy!”

“That’s great! The moment I saw this flower, I thought it would suit you perfectly.”

“Thank you… Does it really suit me?”

“Yes. You look very beautiful.”

The hair ornament Lewis gifted Iris was adorned with a white iris flower, perfectly complementing her golden hair and the white flower.

“I’ll cherish it for a lifetime.”

Iris said this as she gently caressed the hair ornament and looked at Lewis with a smile like a flower.

The two then quietly admired the town for a while before, almost instinctively, they held hands and headed back to the ducal mansion together.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

I’m sorry! The second round was planned to end in two parts, but I got carried away writing a sweet development since it’s been a while!

Stay tuned for the third part!

I apologize to everyone waiting for the main story, but I would appreciate it if you could bear with me a little longer for this past arc.

You can easily show your support by clicking the heart! (Login required)