I've Tried Going Back to Life After Dying - Chapter 28

Lauren was right.

It was Hildegard who had been fleeing from those sincere eyes.

Even as she recognized that such directness was the mark of youth, she felt an undeniable flutter in her chest that she couldn’t ignore.

“Atrey…”

“We’ll be late.”

Her father’s intervention cut through the sweet atmosphere. The butler watched with mild disapproval. Even Louise, her maid, and for some reason, Lauren’s maid Helen had come to observe their exchange intently.

Her mother lowered her brows slightly before finally smiling, as if to commend Atrey for getting through to her.

“Atrey. We’ll discuss the details tomorrow. I’ll speak to Burton and Penelope myself.”

Burton and Penelope were Atrey’s parents. Her uncle and aunt must have planned to meet at the royal castle afterward.

“Remember, we haven’t publicly announced Hildegard’s succession in place of Lauren, nor your… well, your engagement. So today, conduct yourselves with proper decorum—pure and upright behavior. Understood?”

Her father spoke with an uncharacteristic sternness, but Hildegard knew; he was overjoyed.

In her previous life, after mourning Lauren, both her father and mother had been so worn down that it wouldn’t have been strange if they had followed Lauren soon after.

What kept them alive was the survival of their house. Their noble duty was the only thing sustaining them.

And it was Atrey who had saved them.

Already twenty-six, a young nobleman managing part of his family’s affairs, Atrey had taken on the entire burden of the earldom after Lauren’s death.

Hildegard could still vividly recall the relief on her parents’ faces back then.

Her father had adored Atrey since childhood. Even now, he couldn’t hide his happiness.

“Hildegard, shall we go?”

Accompanied by Atrey, she stepped out of the entrance hall.

Tonight would be their first social gathering together. The beginning of their shared life.

Memories of her former husband surfaced in Hildegard’s mind. She had loved him with all her heart. But that was a story from a life already past.

You too, live a different happiness this time.

She recalled Clifford’s teasing tone when he called her “Madam,” but even that memory was swept away by Atrey’s earnest gaze before her.

Inside the carriage heading to the royal castle, the two sat in awkward silence. Louise and Atrey’s attendant, riding with them, quietly observed the pair.

Atrey stepped out first and turned back, offering his hand to Hildegard.

Though he had helped her down the carriage steps countless times before, this time, Hildegard felt not like a woman in her forties but like a bashful young lady again.

“Hildegard.”

As they walked side by side, Atrey called her name.

“What is it, Atrey?”

She glanced down, sensing a sweet tenderness in the way he spoke her name.

“I’ll make you happy.”

Hildegard stopped in her tracks.

When she looked up, Atrey was gazing back at her.

“I’ve wanted to say that for a long time.”

“Atrey…”

“You never noticed, did you?”

Had she really not? No, that was why Lauren had scolded her sister. Faced with such youthful, straightforward affection, it was stifling yet sweet, resonating powerfully in her chest.

“I knew. Because you’re someone I can truly believe in.”

Her husband had once claimed to love her, yet in the end, he sought love elsewhere. It was her most beloved husband who taught her the pain of betrayal.

But Atrey, he would never hurt Hildegard. That truth had remained unchanged since her past life.

“Take your time. But could you come to love me?”

“I already do.”

“As a cousin, you mean.”

“Yes, for now. But love is love. I’m sure I’ll grow to love you even more.”

“……”

“Atrey?”

“…It’s fine, as long as you care for me.”

Atrey abruptly turned forward again. “Let’s go,” he said, and they resumed walking.

“Shall we dance two songs in a row?”

“Of course.”

Dancing a second song after the first was a declaration of commitment, a promise of the future.

With a refreshed resolve, a maidenly shyness, and emotions she thought she’d never feel again, Hildegard entered the venue.

“Uh… you look beautiful.”

Atrey, finally managing to compliment her appearance, did so under the dazzling chandeliers and the ballroom’s fervor.

“Only now?”

“Sorry.”

“You look wonderful too. This is the first time I’ve seen you wear my colors.”

“…Yeah.”

Atrey looked down at her and smiled. They had faced each other like this countless time, growing older together.

But that was all in the past. Now, the sixteen-year-old Atrey stood before her, gazing at her with unconcealed adoration.

“Atrey. Thank you.”

“Hildegard?”

“Because of you, I can finally step into a new life.”

The love he offered now might not last forever. The future was uncertain. A truth she had learned in her past life, even after exchanging vows of eternal love.

Would Atrey do the same?

Though she swore she’d never endure betrayal again, she believed that if it ever came to that, Atrey would part ways with dignity unlike the cruel, ambiguous kindness that had kept her bound for eighteen years after Helen entered the picture. He would surely make a clean break, true to himself.