The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

Thump, thump.

Inside the shaking train, Marigold curled up and lay down.
The luggage car was packed with sleeping people.
There wasn’t even enough space to stretch out her legs, and in that hot, stifling place, Marigold curled up like a hedgehog and closed her eyes.

The stench and dampness, the snoring and teeth grinding — it was a place she wanted to escape from immediately, but Marigold found this sleepless night rather alright.
For her, nights like this were a time to carefully reflect on everything that had happened in her past lives.
“Mary.”

Marigold recalled one presence who always appeared throughout her many lives.
In times of poverty, in childhood, right before death, even during the times when she was a blind beggar — Ransell Dante always appeared and stayed with her.
In her life, after her family had fallen and she became penniless, Ransell was always an excessive presence. Honestly, calling it fate felt a little embarrassing.

She needed Ransell Dante.
But Ransell Dante did not need her.
“Mary.”
“Mary.”

“Mary.”
“Ugh!”
Marigold squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears.

Like a dam breaking, Ransell Dante’s voice repeatedly echoed.
A voice that came to Marigold in different forms and tones every time, weakening her heart.
“This time, we’ve spent enough time together. I’m satisfied now. Whew.”

Marigold hurriedly stammered out words, as if trying to escape the overflowing memories, muttering to herself without realizing it.
“I got married, traveled, did everything I wanted — now there’s nothing left I want to do. Good, good. Heh heh. I did everything I wanted with Lord Ransell.”
In Forland.

In the Shining Forest.
In the desert, the volcano, the flower field.
Marigold no longer had any regrets.

“Whew, I’m glad I lived hard. It would have been better if I had lived even harder… No, this is enough hard work. This will do.”
“Quiet! Let me sleep!”
“S-Sorry.”

Marigold hushed her voice quickly at a sound somewhere in the luggage car.
“So, Lord Ransell.”
Marigold curled up even deeper.
Gently stroking the head of Pina, the sleeping fairy right in front of her.

“From now on, I will give you the rest of my life.”
A smile lingered on Marigold’s lips.
“Just like Lord Ransell did.”

.
.
.
“Mary. Our lives are really dizzy.”
Ransell once again glanced over the notebook left by Marigold.

He had lost count of how many times he had done this.
It contained her final wishes.
Honestly, there was nothing impressive in it. Just small, everyday things one might experience while traveling.

More than half were marked as failures.
“An anemone flower field you can only see this season — what a shame if it’s already gone.”
“It was indeed incredibly vast, just as the rumors said.”

“Ugh, I wish I had come earlier…”
“Well, you can always come again next time, right?”
The image of Marigold’s somewhat lonely expression in the vast flower field kept tormenting his mind.

Time.
Something abundant for someone who loops.
Ransell didn’t particularly care whether the loop failed or not. Even if he died screaming from a foolish mistake, or was tied to a stake and burned alive, it was fine.

“After all, I’ll just resurrect!”
But Marigold was different.
Contrary to Ransell’s thoughts, every moment was the last for her. At festivals, in hot springs, and flower fields.

She was stacking memories of every moment with Ransell into a final album.
Why she did this was obvious to anyone.
Because she believed it was for Ransell Dante.

“Mary. If you get caught, I won’t let you off.”
Ransell’s fists trembled. He was struggling to hold back the urge to strike Marigold right on the crown of her head.
He wanted to swing his fist quickly at this arrogant rookie looper who acted without asking him.

He didn’t know how many months this grudge had been bottled up.
“Ransell Dante. Saying this now is probably meaningless, but this could definitely be considered treason against the royal family. If reported, immediate execution by burning at the stake, so take note.”
“That’s really ‘now,’ isn’t it? Technically, Your Highness, you are currently kidnapped by me.”
“Kidnapping... Gaining a person's loyalty is always difficult, so I was prepared for anything... but I never wanted to endure this humiliation, Ransell Dante.”

Ransell glanced at the woman dressed like an ordinary lady sitting next to the coachman’s seat.
Beyond the veil covering her face, he caught a glimpse of blue hair.
“Consider it life experience. This empire’s peaceful times won’t last long. There will be many more days of humiliation ahead — you might even die from bad luck.”

“Have you ever heard that those in power fear living even a single day without power more than death?”
“Such tiresome people. Busy lives where fearing death isn’t enough, and there’s something even more frightening.”
“Tiring. Exactly. You know well. This is all a life of self-inflicted suffering.”

At that moment,
Ransell stopped the carriage he was driving.
“Stop it!”

Armored knights blocked the way.
“We’re searching carriages passing through this area. Cooperate.”
Before Ransell could ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) answer, the knights approached.

“What are you carrying?”
“Animal skins.”
They overturned the animal skins loaded at the back of the carriage, searching for something.

“Hey, woman, show your face.”
“She’s my wife. Is this really necessary?”
“Wife?”

The knights frowned.
Checking the face of a strange woman was against chivalry.
“Hmm. Wait here.”

At that moment, the woman sitting beside him chuckled.
“The Imperial Knights. What will you do, Ransell Dante?”
“...”

“What if I scream here? You’ll be branded a traitor immediately, accused of kidnapping the great bloodline of the empire.”
Ransell said nothing.
He already knew what she would choose.

“Ahhh! A villain kidnapping the princess! Knights, kill him now! Rescue me!”
“...?”
“What was that?”

“What did you just say?”
The knights were dumbfounded as a group.
“Save the princess!”

They had fallen victim to this woman’s pranks more than once. Ransell muttered curses in his mind as he drew his sword.
Though there were only a dozen or so knights, the main force was surely somewhere nearby. If reinforcements came, it would be a problem.
Shing!

The flashing blade scattered over the bewildered knights. Two knights who had boarded the carriage immediately fell.
“Argh!”
“This bastard drew his sword!”

Ransell whipped the carriage. The two horses reared and started running.
The knights blocking the way were suddenly trampled and thrown aside by the rushing horses.
“Gah!”

“He’s running away!”
“Catch him! Hurry!”
The shouts faded away.

He hurriedly urged the horses on, and saw the pursuers chasing from behind.
Right beside him, the woman who claimed to be a princess was clutching her stomach and laughing.
“Ahahaha!”

Bang!
Despite crossbow bolts flying and sticking around the carriage, she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes.
“Ransell Dante, you’re a scoundrel daring to threaten the royal family and bring me humiliation, but I quite enjoy teasing you.”

“If you don’t want an arrow in your head, just lower your head.”
“You’ll just block it anyway, right?”
No sooner had she said that than Ransell raised his arm and covered the back of her head.

The sturdy gauntlet deflected a flying crossbow bolt.
“Awesome! You looked like a knight straight out of a story, Ransell Dante.”
“...Are you sane? I spared you because you’re needed by me and Marigold.”

“Oh. Marigold, you’re truly a lucky woman. When I was young, I dreamed of a romance with a knight like you.”
“...”

After arriving at the capital, Marigold immediately sought out Baron Evil Shen, who often appeared in her memories.
“I’m planning to attend the royal ball next week and need some money. About five gold coins… For now, please put it on Ransell Dante’s tab.”
“So, you’re borrowing money from me? Just like that? At dawn?”

“Yes.”
“...We haven’t met before.”
“Yes!”

Baron Evil Shen broke into a cold sweat.
A woman knocking on his door late at night, suddenly mentioning Ransell Dante’s name and demanding money.
She was confident enough to make it seem as if the money had been entrusted to her.

“I want to borrow gold coins.”
At this point, Baron Evil Shen felt as if it was only natural to give it to her.
“You said five coins?”

“Yes!”
“...But why do you need such a large amount to attend the royal ball?”
“Well, I need to buy a dress, decorations, and... um... since I’m here in the capital, I want to eat something delicious, too...”

Baron Evil Shen narrowed his eyes.
Since she mentioned Ransell Dante’s name to borrow money, she couldn’t be a commoner.
No commoner would know he owed a debt of gratitude to the Dante family.

“She seems like a noble young lady who doesn’t know the ways of the world...”
Though she looked rather shabby.
Almost like a beggar.

“We’ll need to write an IOU.”
“Of course! I’ll definitely repay you. Ten times... no, twenty times!”
“...I’m not the type to lend money to just anyone...”

Feeling uneasy, Baron Evil Shen handed her the gold coins and the IOU.
The name written on the signature line was “Marigold Curtain Marigold.” It was a name both familiar and strange.
“That sounds familiar. Have we met somewhere?”

“No, this is the first time.”
“...Is that so?”
“Thank you! I’ll definitely repay you!”

Marigold left quickly like that.
“...?”
Baron Evil Shen spent the whole day feeling unsettled after lending five gold coins to a complete stranger.

Returning to bed, he was woken up the next evening by someone knocking on his door again.
“Here to borrow money.”
“...Ransell?”

This time, it was Ransell Dante himself at the door.
“Give me money. Money.”
“It’s the middle of the night...”

“Five gold coins. I’ll repay tenfold in five years, so just give me some now. Hurry. Right now.”
“...You came from far away, so why not come in for some tea...”
“I’m a bit busy. I have to prepare for the royal ball. Also want to eat something delicious.”

“...Again?”
“Yes?”
Baron Evil Shen slapped his own cheek. ‘Is this a dream?’ he seemed to wonder about the situation.

“What are you doing?”
Ransell’s expression grew strange, and Baron Evil Shen hurriedly explained.
“Ah, I’ll lend you the money. You’re from the Dante family, so I have to trust you. You’re not the type to not repay.”

“...”
“You’re not the type to not repay.”
“...”

“You’re not the type to not repay...”
“Just give me the money already.”
Eventually, Baron Evil Shen handed over the gold.

Ransell casually put it in his pocket, as if he had borrowed money from him several times before, as if it was a natural flow.
“...Have I become known as someone who lends money easily? Someone else came yesterday and borrowed money too. Also mentioning the Dante family name.”
“What nonsense is that?”

“They said it was also for the royal ball. Feels like I’m possessed by a ghost. I’m notorious in the capital for being stingy, so I wonder if there’s a rumor about a money source somewhere...”
Ransell’s eyes suddenly opened wide.
“Did someone come by? Who was it?”

“Uh... who was it? Me... Me... Mar...”
Before his words finished,
Ransell Dante was already gone. He took the money without even signing the IOU and disappeared far away.

“...?”
Baron Evil Shen had to spend yet another unsettled day.