Chapter 1: Ike Axus (part 1)

One of the characters from “She Heals a Wounded World” – Ike Axus.  

Simply put, he was a minor character.  

If I remember correctly, he only appeared in around 300 chapters, and each of his appearances was tied to the description of the character Reina Rogelia.  

In terms of setting, he was the second son of the Axus Family, a duke’s house in the Astraia Empire, which served as the story’s backdrop. He was also the childhood friend of Reina Rogelia, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Rogelia.  

To be precise, their families had arranged their relationship for political purposes, but it was said that they got along well—until Reina became entangled with the female lead.  

Ike, with his straightforward personality and strong sense of justice, first appeared when he stopped Reina from bullying the heroine. His second appearance had him advising Reina to swallow her pride and let go of her futile resentment. The third time, after the heroine’s true identity was revealed, he was last seen walking away as Reina stood isolated.  

His brief character description was only mentioned in a conversation between the heroine and the crown prince, and he never appeared again. It was, in every way, a fitting role for a minor character.  

Still, because of his personality and role, he was surprisingly popular despite his limited screen time.  

And now, that very Ike Axus… was me.  

***

“You’re really engaged to the crown prince?”  

“Yes.”  

Reina stared at me with cold eyes, forcing me to repeat her words in my head several times.  

She looked exactly as she had been portrayed in the novel—aloof, confident, and untouchable. It was easy to see why even mild criticism directed at her had felt like bullying to the readers.  

“The official announcement will be made at the imperial palace ball next month,” she continued. “You would have found out eventually, but since I already know, I wanted to tell you in advance.”  

“…Are you okay with this?”  

I hadn’t meant to ask, but the words slipped out naturally.  

“What do you mean?” Reina tilted her head slightly, as if my question was unexpected.  

“You don’t even know who he truly is, nor what kind of person he’ll be. Are you really okay with having your future decided like this?”  

I already knew how this would end. Once her engagement with the crown prince was finalized, she would be the one who suffered most. Knowing that, I asked out of genuine concern.  

Reina furrowed her brows for a moment before responding.  

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  

“…Huh?”  

“An arranged marriage is a noble’s duty,” she said firmly. “Of course, second sons and daughters are given more freedom in that regard, but in the end, it’s only natural for us to marry someone of status to maintain our family’s power. Even my parents’ marriage was arranged. That is the way of nobility.”  

“So… you’re saying you’re fine with it?”  

I wanted to tell her everything.  

I wanted to warn her that she would eventually be cast aside and left to die alone.  

I wanted her to understand the reality she was walking into.  

But I couldn’t say a word.  

“I already told you,” she repeated. “A noble’s arranged marriage is a duty. Personal feelings are not important.”  

She spoke as if she had already resigned herself to this fate.  

“Besides,” she added, “the crown prince is considered one of the greatest geniuses in the empire’s history. Marrying someone like him should be an honor. It’s what every noble family desires.”  

I didn’t know what to say to that.  

“Well, I think I understand what you’re trying to say,” she said after a moment. “Your way of speaking is strange, but… I suppose you’re just worried about me as always.”  

And then, she smiled.  

It was faint, barely noticeable—but it was there.  

The Reina Rogelia I knew wasn’t a character who smiled. She was always cold, always composed. Even in her own story, her expression had never been described as anything other than indifferent.  

She had wanted happiness more than anyone, yet joy had never been an emotion she was allowed to have.  

But at this moment, she smiled.  

And it was dazzling.  

“…Thank you.”  

I knew she wasn’t smiling because she was truly happy.  

It was a small, bitter smile—one meant to ease my concern.  

Yet despite that, it was radiant. Beautiful.  

Without realizing it, I lost myself in the moment.  

They say the one who falls in love first is the one who loses.  

If that was true, then I had already lost to Reina a long time ago.  

She was the first character I had ever truly cared about. Reading her story had helped me endure my own struggles in the past.  

Yes. She had been the reason I kept going.  

And now, it was my turn to return the favor.  

For Reina Rogelia, I wanted to create a world where she could be happy.  

And if it was within my power to do so—  

Then I would make it happen.  

That was the first goal I set after arriving in this world.  

***

The first thing I did after setting my goal was organize everything I knew about this world.  

It had been several years since I last read “She Heals a Wounded World”, and my memory was patchy. But that wasn’t going to stop me.  

“The crown prince and the heroine aren’t bad people.”  

Though they played a role in Reina’s downfall, they were also the ones who saved the world in the end. That meant they were essential to the story.  

Above all, the heroine had always tried to understand Reina.  

When the world turned against her, she was one of the few who didn’t.  

There was no reason to fight against them.  

“And Ike’s role… was meant to emphasize Reina’s loneliness.”  

But would I really follow that role?  

No.  

All I wanted was a future where Reina could be happy.  

If I couldn’t make that happen, then nothing else mattered.  

“What can I do with the knowledge I have?”  

That was the question I needed to answer.