I know how foolish I was. I let myself be lulled by the King's promise that my husband would love me.
But it turned out to be a trap.
Without realizing it, I had led my husband down the road to his death.
And now, my husband and I sat on our knees with our hands bound. Before us stood a towering guillotine. Its wooden frame looked sturdy, while a massive metal blade hung directly above our heads. Its surface reflected the sunlight, cold and terrifying.
I swallowed hard.
The blade was only a few inches from my neck. Once it fell, everything would be over.
I stared blankly ahead. In a moment, my husband and I would be sentenced to death. In a place meant for criminals.
“Kill the traitors! Behead them!”
The people’s shouts echoed in every direction.
I clenched my fists, holding back the fury boiling inside me.
Because I knew my husband hadn’t betrayed anyone. He had been framed by the King. Everyone knew that my husband had spent all this time helping the struggling citizens suffering because of a devastating wave of drought. He had also won the war alongside his troops.
But look at them now. Shamelessly, they were cheering over the execution of my husband.
I glanced at my husband, who sat there weak and helpless.
Suddenly, guilt pierced my mind.
I wanted to apologize. But my voice caught in my throat, as if something were holding it back.
“Begin the execution,” the King shouted.
Then my husband and I were dragged and forced into a face-down position. Above us, a massive blade hung ready to behead us.
“Behead the criminals!”
The spectators’ shouts grew even more enthusiastic.
Before the blade fell, my husband glanced at me and said,
“I regret marrying you,” he murmured so softly it was almost inaudible.
A moment later, the blade fell. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying silently and wishing I could turn back time.
SWISH!!
Suddenly, everything became pitch-black.
“Huff... gasp...”
I woke up to a room that looked incredibly familiar.
I examined the room carefully. There was no mistake. This was my room—the room I had lived in when I was still the King’s Princess, before my marriage.
Suddenly, I remembered the day of the execution. I instinctively felt around my neck. My neck and head were still connected. I let out a sigh of relief.
That meant I was still alive.
But what about my husband? Was he still alive too?
I got out of bed, intending to find out what had happened. But when I accidentally caught my reflection in the mirror, my eyes widened.
My face was bright, my skin smooth and firm without a single line. There were no dark circles beneath my eyes either—the ones that had once constantly marked my face.
I immediately exclaimed,
“This isn’t my face. It’s my younger face. More precisely, it’s the face I had before my marriage. What’s really going on?”
Suddenly, I heard the door creak from the front. I instinctively looked that way.
There stood Nora, my nursemaid and personal maid from when I lived in the palace. She was startled to see me standing before her.
“Princess, you’re awake. I thought you’d sleep in as usual,” she said gently, just as I remembered.
I stared at her in disbelief. Nora, who should have already been dead, was still alive and healthy. Without realizing it, tears began to fall from my eyes.
“Oh my goodness, what’s wrong, Princess? Is something bothering you?” Nora’s face immediately filled with panic when she saw me crying.
I smiled. Nora had always cared about me. She had sincerely looked after me until I grew up.
“I had a dream that felt so real,” I said softly.
Nora approached and gently rubbed my back.
“It was only a dream. And a dream will remain a dream. So you don’t need to be afraid, Princess,” Nora said.
And I nodded. “That’s right. It was only a dream. I hope it really was just a dream,” I murmured softly.
I hoped the day of the execution had truly been nothing more than a dream.
“Then you need to get ready right away, Princess,” she exclaimed again, startling me.
I had been so absorbed in spending time with Nora that I’d forgotten my purpose in trying to find out what had really happened.
“By the way, Nora, why do I need to get ready?” I asked curiously.
Nora smiled broadly, as if she’d just received wonderful news.
“Of course! Today is Lord Felix’s welcome ceremony after his victory in the war. It’s also the day your engagement will be announced.”
I jolted in shock. An engagement announcement?
That meant I had returned to the past—to the time before my marriage. Which meant Felix, my husband, was still alive too.
I covered my mouth, overwhelmed with joy. If this was real, then I would grant his final wish from the day of our execution.
“This time, let’s not get married,” I thought, smiling in relief.