Chapter 5: My “Allies” Want Me Dead Part 2

“Good morning, Milady! Are you excited for the party tonight?”

I stared at the ceiling for a few long minutes after hearing those words, desperately trying to figure out how exactly I had died in that last loop. Did I trip and fall while trying to escape? Did Roman kill me while my back was turned? Did I somehow fall unconscious and get killed by the prince? I wasn’t entirely sure, and after thinking about it for a bit, I decided it didn’t really matter. Either way, and as much as I hated to admit it, Roman was my enemy, perhaps even more so than the prince, and I could only hope that Aster or Atlas would join my side.

Unfortunately, Aster quickly disappointed me as the invitation I sent to him was met with a very formal response, saying that he would be available to meet in three days. This was technically the proper response for a noble. Still, given how long we’d been friends and the clear desperation in my letter, I hoped that he would make an exception just as Roman had. Sadly, that was not the case, and as a result, I had only a single hope left, Atlas.

Atlas was my last choice, as, despite us getting along far better than Aster and I did, he was not part of a major faction that could pressure the royal family. Instead, as a man aiming to be a knight, he could be considered part of my own faction. My family was responsible for training every knight in the country and assigning them to work in various parts of the kingdom, while also having them return regularly for continued training and evaluation. This ensured my father always had the latest information and a strong connection to every knight, including Atlas’s father.

They were old friends, and my father still used him as an example when giving young knights some tough love in training. He’d scream that those knights couldn’t hold a candle to the man, and that wasn’t just him being sentimental, either. After the man’s training, he’d been immediately recruited to join the Royal Knights, widely considered the best in the kingdom and charged with patrolling and guarding both the capital and royal family.

This was why Atlas always stood by the prince’s side. Though he was not yet a knight, he had been raised alongside the prince with the expectation that he would one day serve as his guard knight. The two were basically brothers, and if anyone could convince the prince to spare me, it was Atlas.

Luckily, I did not need to worry about Atlas agreeing to a meeting, as he always spent his early hours training in the school’s practice field. This was not unusual behavior for those striving to be knights, but Atlas was certainly a cut above the rest. He rose before dawn and trained for two hours every day, regardless of the weather. According to Leo, he had once even trained in a blizzard until the snow was over his head and had to dig his way back inside with his sword. I assumed this was a joke at first, but Atlas just shrugged and called it an excellent workout.

Overall, Atlas spoke very little, but with those words, he demonstrated a rock-solid devotion to the prince and me. While the outside world tended to make me anxious, I always felt safe with Atlas behind me. So as I rushed to the training hall, without even having breakfast, I was certain he would help me. Meanwhile, Sally was not particularly happy that I was skipping breakfast, but I just couldn’t eat that same cheese omelet again.

Thankfully, Atlas was as dependable as ever, and I found him practicing his sword swings with an almost surreal focus. Atlas was never what I would consider a profound thinker, and he often grew bored in class, resulting in poor grades. Still, when he trained, he put his entire being into each swing of the sword. He didn’t even notice I had approached him until he stopped and sheathed his sword. Once he did, he looked a bit surprised and immediately asked if the prince was okay.

“The prince is fine,” I assured him, feeling a bit conflicted. I once would have admired that devotion, but I couldn’t help but flinch a little as I realized it was directed at a man who was trying to kill me. “However, I believe someone may be tricking him. How much do you know about his relationship with Holly?”

“Roman asked the prince to look after her, so I guard them when they’re together.”

I couldn’t help but sigh. Atlas wasn’t trying to deceive me or make light of the prince’s actions. The man just truly didn’t think of anything beyond his duty and likely had no idea that the two were having an affair. I wasn’t even sure if he would care if he did know, but surely he would still value my life after all the time we had spent together.

“I worry that Holly is seducing Leo and trying to get him to turn on me. If I’m right, they may even try to frame and execute me tonight.”

“The prince wants you executed?”

“Thanks to Holly, yes.”

“Good morning, Milady! Are you excited for the party tonight?”

I bolted up in bed, shocked to be hearing those words again. Just like last time, I had no memory of being killed. I briefly considered the possibility that I was now looping randomly or after a certain amount of time had passed, but somehow I knew that wasn’t the case. I had no idea how it had happened, but I had definitely died in the last two loops. I didn’t think there was much to gain from facing Roman again, but if I could catch this culprit in front of Atlas, I might be able to convince him to help keep me safe. Thus, I decided to return to the scene of the crime. I ensured that things went exactly as they had the first time, while keeping a much closer eye on the environment around me.

“Good morning, Milady! Are you excited for the party tonight?”

However, my efforts made little difference. Just like last time, I died at the same point in the conversation, but I did notice something strange. In the split-second before I died, I saw Atlas’s hand reach for his sword. Surely, he had spotted some enemy approaching and failed to stop them before they killed me. Perhaps Holly had moved to end me sooner when she saw me approaching Atlas for support. I couldn’t be sure, but if I could catch her in the act, that could be my escape, so I repeated things once again.

I ensured the conversation went exactly the same, while keeping a careful eye on Atlas’s eyes. If he drew his sword in the previous loops, he must have spotted her, and if I knew what direction she was coming from, I could make moves to protect myself. However, as the conversation progressed, his eyes never strayed from me, and as he reached for his sword, he looked at me with the same overwhelming intensity I had seen while he was practicing his swings.

“Good morning, Milady! Are you excited for the party tonight?”