Richeli’s episode. This is her POV before the first swap, which Rin has forgotten.

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“Your Highness, it’s a boy! Congratulations!”

“Ah, thank you.”

“I’m glad I could give birth to a boy for you.”

“I would have been just as happy if it was a princess. She’s the child of my beloved you.”

“Ha, you say that now, but deep down, you must be glad it was a boy.”

In the darkness, the still youthful Zinon, sitting next to me and watching the stage below with me, muttered with a sneer.

“My salvation in life was meeting you. Like this newborn baby, you’re pure, lovely, and peaceful. Because you can truly love me, I am the happiest man in the world.”

“Hmph, how dramatic.”

“My love, I’m truly happy to share my life with you, loving each other.”

“Still going on about it, what a sentimental man.”

“Zinon, be quiet. You’ve been going about it for a while now. I find it interesting, so be quiet for a bit.”

I whispered quickly, silencing Zinon.

“If I hadn’t met you, how empty my life would have been.”

“If I had to carry out my dutiful commitment to my kingdom without our love, I couldn’t have stayed sane.”

“…”

“Come here, my dear.”

On the bed on stage, the wife, listening to her husband’s monologue, extends her hand with a lovely smile.

“I will love and cherish you for all my life, my dear. I truly love you. I will always listen to your heart burdened with the important duty of being the father of this nation, pamper you, and heal you every day.”

“Wait, are you crying?”

“Why would I be crying? That actress is a good performer. I’ll reward her later.”

“Zinon, you’re jealous, aren’t you?”

“Don’t joke, Richeli. I think it’s pathetic for a king to beg for a woman’s pity by making a big deal out of the burden of being king.”

“You’re contrary.”

As my life flashes before my eyes, I recall a scene from a play Zinon, and I watched when we were children. Young Zinon, his blue eyes moist with emotion, was probably feeling intense jealousy as he observed the displayed happiness of love, even if it was just a play, knowing he would likely never experience it.

Young Zinon had accepted and resigned to his fate of being a king. But I, on the other hand, had nurtured a longing for love. I didn’t want to give up on my own life.

But it seems I’ve died. When I opened my eyes, I realised I was above the clouds. I had just finished watching the never-ending flashback of my life and was filled with rage.

“What is this?! So this was it! That bastard! He tricked me! Shall I curse him?!”

I stomped my foot on the clouds. He drugged me with a love potion and even manipulated Reginald with magic. I feel nothing but murderous intent towards Eloise, who toyed with my feelings of love.

I had no idea I was being drugged with a love potion. It’s ridiculous how much I worried about it.

“Darn it, if I had realised sooner! I could have brought that woman down!”

“Do you want to go back?”

I was surprised by the grim reaper who was suddenly by my side and asked me nonchalantly.

“What did you say? What did you just say? I’m dead, and while I’m waiting for my pickup from heaven, the Grim Reaper told me to watch my life’s flashback, right?”

As I said that, the grim reaper, glowing brightly white, shrugged and lowered his eyebrows.

“I’m not a grim reaper, Richeli. Neither is the one who showed you the flashback. We’re messengers of God.”

It doesn’t make any difference to me, but…

“Can I go back to my original world?”

“Yes. You had a special kind of death, so we’ll give you preferential treatment.”

“Preferential treatment?”

“Yes. Recently, those whose hearts have stopped and have died are allowed to reincarnate. It seems you were about to be caught up in a minor conspiracy, so if you want to go back for revenge, we’ll allow it.”

What a system. I’m shocked by the freedom of the afterlife. But if I die now, I’ll only make that brat happy. Of course, Eloise will try to become Zinon’s fiancée by any means necessary. Letting her get carried away as the leading duke’s daughter is annoying.

“What’s the matter?”

The grim reaper peered at me as I fell silent, lost in thought.

“Hmm. Just curious, how much can I choose? What other options do I have besides returning to my original world?”

“Your soul is quite mature, so you have several options. You can become an angel and live in heaven, take a rest in heaven for a while, start a new life from scratch in another world, or reincarnate in the middle of someone’s life who also died from heart stoppage.”