In Place of Losing My Memory, I Remembered That I Was the Fiancée of the Capture Target - Chapter 5.4

The next day after class, I headed to the academy’s library.

I thought I couldn’t just leave everything to Rebecca. She had already checked this library, but maybe a fresh pair of eyes would find something new.

“But still…”

Standing before the rows of books, I felt overwhelmed. How should I even start looking? Which books are about medicinal herbs? There were some books that seemed relevant, but how should I go about it… read them all?

———In my past life, I could have easily searched on my smartphone…

I sighed, picked up a book, and sat down at a desk.

“…It’s already this late.”

Finally finishing skimming through one book, I looked up at the clock on the wall.

When I said I’d go to the library alone, the overprotective Theodore told me not to stay too long. Right now, Theodore was attending a swordsmanship class for boys only. He made me promise to return to the classroom by the time his class ended.

I put the book back on the shelf and left the library.

The academy had several standalone buildings, and the library was one of them. I walked down the path decorated with beautiful flowers on both sides and headed back to the main building.

The first-year classrooms were on the third floor. The second and third-year students had no classes at this time, so most had already gone home. I climbed the empty stairs and reached the third floor.

“Alexia.”

As I was about to proceed to the classroom, someone called out to me. I turned around — and froze.

Standing there was Prince Leopold’s fiancée, Bridget. …The last person I wanted to see… and in such an isolated place…

This is… very bad.

“I have something to talk to you about.”

The sound of her shoes echoed as she stepped closer.

“It’s more of a request than a talk.”

She had a smile on her lips, but her eyes weren’t smiling. I felt like stepping back.

‘The way to avoid her is to never approach the stairs alone.’

Rebecca’s words flashed through my mind. …The stairs were now between me and Bridget. If I backed away, but… there were other stairs at the end of the corridor.

“…What do you mean?”

“I want you to stay away from Leopold.”

She took another step closer.

“Not just stay away. I don’t want you to even show your face.”

“…Even if you say that…”

I had never approached the Prince on my own. Since we were in the same school and relatives, there would naturally be times we’d interact.

“You are in the way.”

The smile disappeared from Bridget’s lips.

“Leopold is always watching you. When he goes to the dining hall, he looks for you, and if he doesn’t see you, he gets restless. When he sees you with your fiancé, he obviously looks jealous. To him, it doesn’t matter if I’m there or not.”

Her last words trembled. A voice filled with a mix of sadness, anger, and various emotions.

Marguerite’s feelings were one-sided. But Bridget… she was his fiancée. She had the right to be closest to him… yet he didn’t care.

I felt both sympathy and guilt. Toward her… and toward Patrick.

Surely, he had felt the same because of the ‘vow’ between me and the Prince———

“…I do not have feelings for the Prince,” I told Bridget.

“Even if you don’t, the Prince does.”

“Then… please tell him that.”

“I have, many times.”

Bridget’s face showed she was holding back pain… yet she hadn’t lost her beauty or strength.

…So, she had been fighting all this time. Without running away from the Prince, who never directed his heart toward her.

———She was a strong person. I thought as I looked at her face.

“I kept telling myself that even if Leopold’s heart wasn’t with me, I’d still be the one to marry him. But ever since you lost your memory, his obsession with you has only grown stronger… I can’t endure it anymore.”

How do feelings for someone arise and disappear? Even knowing it’s a hopeless love… you can’t stop loving them. What should I do?

“———When Patrick graduates next year… we plan to get married right away,” I said. I couldn’t make the Prince’s feelings disappear, but. “Then maybe the Prince will…”

“Marriage?”

Suddenly, a voice interrupted us — Bridget and I turned towards the source of the voice.