As soon as he was gone, Sterlla sank to her knees, covering her face with both hands, her embarrassment finally crashing over her like a wave. "I said that out loud," she groaned, her voice muffled by her hands. "How embarrassing..." Her heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of relief and mortification swirling in her thoughts.

It was a strange moment, one filled with a vulnerability she hadn’t let herself feel in a long time. But now, perhaps, she wasn’t as alone as she had once thought.

EPISODE 5
CHRONOGUARD

The palace was alive with its usual rhythm, a constant hum of work as the laborers rebuilt the damaged sections. Despite the noise and movement outside, Sterlla sat lost in her thoughts by the window of her lavish room. She wore a beautiful lavender gown, soft and delicate, with a shawl draped over her shoulders, a protection from the gentle breeze. She sat on the window ledge, resting her arms on the stone sill, her gaze fixed on the open sky. The vastness of it seemed a welcome distraction, yet it provided no real solace.

“So, Commander Linone knows my secret,” she muttered, her voice low and reflective. “Well, more or less.” She sighed, her smile bitter as she spoke to herself. “I wasn’t planning on telling him… or anyone… but he managed to hear it, and then…” Another sigh escaped her lips, the weight of her confession lingering. She hadn’t intended for Linone to learn the truth, yet somehow, it had all unraveled before him.

The sound of her chamber door opening broke her reverie. She turned to see Orion entering with his usual confident stride, a soft smile playing on his lips.

“The royal head guard tells me you’ve been sighing a lot these days, dear Sterlla,” he said, his tone light but laced with concern.

Sterlla turned to face him fully, immediately pushing herself off the ledge with grace. She approached him with a playful glint in her eye. “Ah, so Adena told you? Your one true love?” she teased, the jest drawing a flush of color to Orion’s ears.

“Oh, Sterlla. Must you always tease me?” he laughed, though his discomfort was evident. “You can never resist, can you?”

She giggled, a genuine sound that softened the air around them. “Friends are meant to be jested with. I’m simply doing my duty, Prince Orion.”

He smiled, shaking his head at her antics. “Mm, perhaps. But what has you sighing so often?” His expression shifted, becoming more serious as he folded his arms across his chest, his concern more pronounced.

Sterlla hesitated for a moment, glancing away briefly. “Nothing,” she replied, her voice more guarded. “Just… everything that’s been happening has taken a toll on me.”

Orion’s brow furrowed. “That, I understand. You’ve been going through so much.” His arms tightened across his chest, fingers digging into his sleeves. “I apologize for not being here for you more. Even today, I must leave for the east to check on the mines.”

Sterlla forced a smile, gently pushing him toward the door. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine, really.” She gave him a light shove, playfully guiding him out. “Now go and carry out your princely duties.”

Orion stumbled slightly but laughed, his worry still present but softened by her playful demeanor. He knew her well enough to understand that she would never burden others with her troubles. Even so, it was good to see her smile again, even if it was just a mask. Nodding, he left the room, casting one last glance at her before disappearing down the hall.

As soon as the door closed, Sterlla’s smile faded. She leaned back against the door, her thoughts returning to the endless cycle of time that bound her. She slowly walked back to the window and resumed her place, staring out at the sky, lost in her thoughts once more. Hours passed like this, the world outside bustling while she remained trapped in her private reflections.

A knock on the door broke the quiet once again. This time, Sterlla rose from her window seat, adjusting the shawl around her arms as she approached the door. She unlatched it and opened it wide, revealing Linone standing in the doorway, dressed in bright blue clothes adorned with precious jewels, his high boots gleaming. He looked every part the decorated commander, yet his eyes held a softness she had come to appreciate.

“Crown Princess Sterlla,” he said, bowing slightly. “May I have an audience with you in private?”

Sterlla nodded and stepped aside, allowing him to enter. Once he was inside, she gently closed the door behind him. They took their seats opposite each other, each settling into the glossy white chairs placed around a glass table. The table was adorned with an extravagant flower pot, its vivid colors a striking contrast to the pristine white of the furniture. The breeze from the recently repaired window stirred the air, carrying with it the soft scent of fresh flowers.

Linone hesitated before speaking, his gaze serious. “Crown Princess—”

“Call me Sterlla,” she interrupted softly, pouring tea from the elegant white kettle into two delicate cups. She pushed one toward him and took a sip from her own. The aroma filled the room, comforting in its familiarity. “As a friend who now knows the worst of my lucks, there’s no need for formalities, Linone.”

He nodded, lifting the cup to his lips but setting it down without drinking. His expression was contemplative as he cleared his throat. “What do you plan on doing about this… cycle?”

Sterlla’s gaze drifted to the window once more. “I need to find out who is so intent on ending my life that they would keep trying, even as they fail.”

“So each time you were poisoned, you went back three days in time?” Linone asked, his brow furrowed in thought.

“Yes,” she replied, her voice steady. “It’s as if time pulls me back to correct something—some choice I made, perhaps.”

Linone leaned forward, his expression growing more intense. “But you told me that once, you moved forward in time instead of back.”

Sterlla set her cup down, her hands crossing over her shawl as she gazed out the window, her thoughts turning inward. “Yes… there are a few things I can think of to explain that. One possibility is that there was a break in the loop. Another, a rift in this cycle…” She trailed off, her voice barely above a whisper as she hesitated to voice her final thought.

Linone’s eyes narrowed in concern. “What is it?”

Sterlla exhaled slowly, her voice trembling with the weight of her words. “The final assumption is that… there was no way of choosing another option to save myself. I went forward in time because I had no other choice. This power—whatever it is that binds me to this endless loop of reincarnation—won’t let me die. Not yet. It’s not my time. But this person, whoever it is, keeps meddling, keeps trying to kill me.” She paused, her gaze distant as she remembered. “The picnic incident couldn’t be avoided. No matter what I did, I would have died. So I was sent forward, and brought back again.”

Linone’s silence was heavy as he processed her words.

Linone studied Sterlla’s face as her words lingered in the air. He pieced her thoughts together slowly, absorbing their gravity. His eyes reflected a seriousness that hadn’t been there before, one that weighed down the already heavy conversation.

“So, what you mean to say is… no matter what, you couldn’t have possibly avoided that situation, and this power—whatever it is—brought you back because of that?” he asked, voice low, seeking clarity.

Sterlla nodded, her expression calm yet resigned. “Yes,” she confirmed, the weight of her response pressing down on her chest like an anchor. The quiet admission felt like an echo in the room.

Linone sighed, the sound carrying his own inner turmoil. He finally lifted the delicate white teacup Sterlla had poured for him earlier, taking a long, slow sip. The steam swirled in the air between them, a temporary distraction from the tension that hung heavy over the conversation.

Sterlla, watching him closely, let out a scoff. Her bitterness broke through her stoic demeanor, a soft, sad laugh that was laced with self-doubt. Her eyes began to shimmer as tears pooled in them, threatening to spill over.

“You don’t believe me, do you?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I mean, I get it. It’s a lot. It’s bizarre, even for me.”

Her words were laced with an unspoken plea, a need for someone—anyone—to truly understand. The burden she carried was invisible but suffocating, and she feared the disbelief that often followed her confessions.

Linone set his cup down gently, its soft clink against the saucer the only sound in the room for a moment. His gaze remained steady as he spoke, his voice firm yet kind. “No,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “I fully believe you.”

Sterlla blinked, taken aback by the unexpected affirmation. Linone leaned forward, his eyes never leaving hers, and in them, she saw a sincerity that touched something deep within her.

“The pain in your voice,” he continued, his tone gentle but resolute. “The sincerity in your eyes… they speak for you. Don’t worry, Sterlla. I believe you.”

A rush of relief washed over her, the tightness in her chest loosening for the first time in what felt like ages. When Linone had first told her he believed in her strange and complex curse, she had felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Now, once more, his reassurance settled her, allowing her to breathe a little easier in his presence.

“It seems it was the right decision to tell you about this,” Sterlla murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Pardon me?” Linone asked, his brow furrowed slightly. “Did you say something?”

Sterlla shook her head quickly, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth as she wiped away the tears that had finally escaped, gently blotting them with the edge of her shawl. “Nothing, just thinking out loud.”

She straightened herself in her chair, smoothing out her gown as she took a deep breath, regaining her composure. The moment of vulnerability had passed, and now, her mind wandered again to the uncertain future.

“I wonder,” she began thoughtfully, her voice soft but laced with a new curiosity. “If I travel back in time again, will you even remember any of this? This conversation, this moment… it would have never happened, would it?”

She leaned back against the plush cushion of her chair, staring up at the ceiling as though lost in the infinite possibilities of time.

Linone listened quietly, his eyes thoughtful. After a moment, he set his cup down gently on the table and stood, pushing the chair back with a soft scrape against the floor. Without a word, he stepped closer to her, crossing the space between them in just a few strides.

Sterlla was startled when Linone knelt down in front of her, dropping to one knee in a sudden, deliberate motion. His hands reached for hers, clasping them gently but firmly. The warmth of his touch grounded her, pulling her back from her distant thoughts.

She sat up straight, her breath catching as she looked down at him in surprise. “Linone…?”

“Princess,” Linone began, his voice steady but filled with conviction. His eyes held hers, unwavering, as if to impress the gravity of his words into her very soul. “Now that I know the truth… now that I understand what you’re facing… it is my duty to ensure nothing happens to you.”

His hands tightened around hers slightly, as if to emphasize his promise. “You will not travel back again. No harm will come to you,” he vowed, his gaze intense. “I swear it, Sterlla. Now that I know what is happening, I will be more vigilant. I will protect you.”

Sterlla’s heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in his voice. She stared down at him, seeing not only her friend but the commander who had pledged his loyalty to her. His words, full of purpose, were more than just a comfort—they were a promise.

A mixture of emotions swirled in her chest. Relief, gratitude, fear—all of them collided as she gazed down at him. She had never truly expected someone to stand with her in this strange, cursed journey, yet here Linone was, ready to face it with her.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Sterlla allowed herself to believe that perhaps she wouldn’t have to bear the burden of this cycle alone.