Regnum Aetern: Dual Rebirth

Watching Lilias cry while tightly clutching the painting, Evangeline’s lips unconsciously curled up into a smile.

The way she had found the note was largely due to coincidence.

The more loops passed, the more desperate Evangeline had become. It was as if the loops were affecting her psychologically.

So when she was searching this royal crypt, she was not careful in the slightest. After all, whatever damage she would do was going to vanish when the next loop started. And that was how she had broken the painting and found the note on the back.

’I couldn’t possibly have found it otherwise. I mean, who could’ve guessed that a note was hidden in a painting like in those spy movies back on Earth.’

When she had read the note, Evangeline could clearly feel the love and worry Lilias’s mother was carrying while writing it. Lilias must’ve felt that too.

Seeing the young ruler cry like a little girl, a warm feeling enveloped Evangeline’s chest. It was not because she had given Lilias the answers the girl had been desperate for. It was because Evangeline had delivered a mother’s note to her daughter, who was suffering alone.

Evangeline walked with quiet steps and stopped in front of the underground hall’s door.

She could hear the loud noises akin to explosions and shouts of multiple people.

’They’re almost here.’

She hurriedly turned around and approached the sobbing girl.

"Lilias, we need to go. They might reach us at this rate. We should hide in the hidden underground room for this loop."

Lilias raised her head to look at Evangeline but didn’t reply, still seeming somewhat out of it. But Evangeline didn’t have time to wait, so she grabbed the girl’s hand and walked out of the royal crypt.

They encountered some attackers on their way, but Evangeline had become quite good at hiding at this point, so she and Lilias were able to evade them with relative ease.

After finally reaching the hidden underground room, Evangeline let out a tired sigh.

’Ah, that was so exhausting. But looks like the search part is finally over.’

They finally knew the truth behind the loops, even though Evangeline was not quite sure what or who the Coin of Time was.

’Feels like I am just about to reach the end.’

Aside from the fact that she had time-traveled to the past for some unknown reason into a day that was looping without end, there were several other strange things about her situation.

Evangeline was aware that Lilias was speaking in the ancient language. The same was true for the language used in the books. And Evangeline had never learned the ancient language, yet she could understand and communicate perfectly.

It was as though the language were being automatically translated in her head. The same must’ve been true for Lilias since she could also understand what Evangeline was saying.

’There are just so many strange things about all this. Well, whatever.’

At this point, Evangeline didn’t really care what the deal about all this was.

She turned her gaze to Lilias, who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed.

In her previous life, Evangeline had always wished that someone would come and save her from her suffering. She knew how it felt. So in this life, she wanted to be that person for those who were suffering. In a way, she could see herself in them.

And so, she had developed a tendency to help others if she were able to.

But this time... it was different.

After getting to know Lilias, understanding her pain, and seeing her still walk forward despite it all, Evangeline wanted to help her. Not because she could see herself in the girl, but because she could sympathize with the person named Lilias.

’I don’t know what happened in the original timeline, but from the abandoned state of the kingdom, it doesn’t look like things ended well.’

It was clear that the skeleton on the throne had belonged to Lilias.

’But whatever happened in the original future doesn’t matter. Because I... can change it. I can give Lilias a better future.’

She turned to the girl lying on the bed and gently rubbed her hair.

"Lilias, do you trust me a bit more now? I am on your side. So please work together with me, and I promise to help you get out of the loop... just like your mother wanted."

Lilias didn’t react to her words, nor did Evangeline press her any further.

But after a while, the girl’s barely audible words entered Evangeline’s ears.

"...Fine. I agree to work together with you."

Evangeline’s lips stretched into a wide smile as she internally cheered.

’Yes! Finally!!!’

But Lilias wasn’t done talking.

"I am sorry for being harsh on you all those times and disregarding your goodwill. And... thank you so much. I don’t know if I would’ve found Mother’s note if not for you."

Evangeline smiled softly.

And so, they spent that entire loop in that underground room.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Opening her eyes to the room’s ceiling once again, Evangeline removed the blanket and turned her gaze to Lilias.

"I want to do something in this loop, but I would need your help to do it perfectly."

Hearing her, Lilias furrowed her brow.

"What is it that you need to do?"

Evangeline smiled.

"Oh, nothing much. I just... need to kidnap someone."

Lilias made a strange face, but Evangeline ignored it.

Without wasting any time, the two of them left the room before the window could even explode. But this time, their destination was different from the recent loops.

Evangeline brought Lilias to the same room where the girl had locked her up ‌the first time. It was the same storage room, filled with various kinds of metal objects.

Inside, the two of them stood in silence, trying their best to suppress the mana leaking from their bodies to hide themselves better. Lilias seemed rather good at that, but it wasn’t that easy for Evangeline. Trying to suppress her presence felt like she was trying to hold her breath. The longer it continued, the more unbearable it became.

But she didn’t have to wait very long.

The castle soon began to shake, and the voices of people could be heard along with the sounds of multiple footsteps.

Evangeline opened the door very slightly to see the hallway without exposing herself. More and more people were passing through the hallway. She could even recognize some of them, having seen them in the previous loops.

And finally, she spotted her target. It was the same old woman Evangeline had interrogated in the second loop.

’It’s time.’

She turned to her ’partner in crime’ and whispered.

"Lilias, get ready. We need to be swift for this."

Lilias nodded firmly. Turning her attention back to her target, Evangeline took a deep breath and spoke.

⪡"Close your eyes."⪢

Her words caused an invisible ripple to spread as all people present nearby—except Lilias—suddenly closed their eyes all at once.

In the next moment, they all began acting confused or panicked.

’Now!’

Evangeline and Lilias suddenly ran out of the hallway and rushed toward the old woman.

The elderly lady seemed to have sensed them, but before she could react, Lilias closed the distance and hit her at the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.

Without wasting any time, she lifted the now-unconscious old woman and ran away as Evangeline followed behind.

After entering the hidden underground room, Evangeline released the effect of her command, which stopped the drain on her mana.

Her lips curled up into a smile as she made a victory pose with her hands.

’Mission accomplished!’

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