“You said I can come again……”

“So why!”

“What do you mean, why…?”

“Don’t tell me you’re just accepting it because it’s too hard? Because it seems useless to refuse…?”

No matter how young, Raoul is still Raoul, right? The bewilderment reflected on Diana’s face gradually began to turn into worry.

Did he get hit on the head too much and go crazy? Or did he give up because it was too difficult?

All sorts of thoughts came to mind. Raoul was just as confused by the unexpected reaction.

‘Isn’t she happy?’

Diana, who kept unsettling his heart with unexpected actions, was annoying.

But at the same time, he was very concerned.

Ha, as Raoul let out a small sigh with his eyes tightly shut, Diana’s shoulders trembled. After pondering for a moment, Raoul opened his mouth.

“What are you thinking by yourself. I just… that’s all.”

“…What? Can you say it one more time…?”

“I just…, ha, I just! I’m more worried when you’re not in front of my eyes, that’s all!”

Embarrassed to have said such an awkward thing twice, Raoul blushed and turned his head away abruptly.

Diana’s mind went blank for a moment.

‘I make him worried…? What kind of romantic drama line is this?’

But she soon realized the reality.

‘He’s scared to death that I might try something lewd behind his back, right?’

Thinking of it that way made a little more sense.

‘Being a nuisance whether I’m in sight or not, writer! This character discrimination is too much!’

The framework of this world was unnecessarily solid.

Raoul shook his head as he watched her. How could someone with such extreme mood swings survive in this harsh world?

If only she hid her expressions well, but no, her face changed instantly whether happy or sad.

If this were the snowy mountains, she would have died from the pressure long ago.

‘She’s like a rabbit.’

Silence fell between the two again. Diana was sweating, not knowing when to say goodbye and leave, while Raoul was a bit exasperated.

“Isn’t it about time you asked?”

“Huh? Wh-what?”

“My name.”

Diana thought it would be better to die comfortably early at this rate.

How could she escape the villain family with this brain and acting skills?

Not even asking the name of the boy she liked, it was doubtful if she was really the former crush.

“Are you going to name me after all?”

Raoul lowered his gaze with a somewhat resigned voice. Ugh, it hurts! This time it was clearly visible.

He’s trying to compromise with the unreasonable reality right now…!

But Diana had no intention of leaving it like that. How dare she take away her favorite’s name for any safety.

“Huh? What are you saying? Why would I, when you already have a name…?”

“Then why don’t you ask?”

“I missed the timing…. I’m sorry! Can you tell me now? I really want to know! I’m dying to know…!”

Diana overreacted to smooth over the situation.

Her shaking arms rattled like a rusty robot. Raoul, finding it even harder to watch, hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Raoul.”

But it was strange. Why did that moment seem to move in slow motion?

The instant his lips opened and closed felt like 100 years.

‘Raoul!’

Suddenly, Diana heard the voice of a long-forgotten woman in her ears.

‘Isn’t it hard? Shall I carry it?’

The excitement contained in that gentle voice.

Diana swallowed dryly without saying anything. Those deep eyes that seemed to pull her in if she kept looking met hers.

Why is this happening?

The sound of her heartbeat was loud, as if someone was beating a drum on her eardrum.

This was both the emotion Diana was feeling now and a response learned by cells over a very long time.

“Raoul…”

She rolled his name with her tongue gently touching the hard palate. The air escaping her mouth was so smooth.

Memories related to the name she had called throughout her life rushed in, leaving no room to breathe.

“Why are you calling me?”

Ah, the blueness of her first love, once the entirety of her world, was still present in his eyes.

At that moment, Diana realized that no more acting was necessary.

‘I shouldn’t have met him after all.’

The incident was settled without Diana having to do anything, thanks to the lower-ranking knights’ reports.

As soon as rumors spread that Vincent would be appointed as the next deputy commander, people who had been keeping their mouths shut united.

Ellen lost both his honor and title, and was banished to the northern border teeming with monsters.

The knights who witnessed his end clicked their tongues, saying it was his own doing, but shook their heads to forget the horrific scene.

Angela, who had been the biggest worry, was fortunately quite normal, considering they had only met face to face, and Vincent, who took Ellen’s place, also agreed to stay at the castle for the time being to take charge of Raoul’s lessons, so it was really a perfect ending that couldn’t be better.

If there was just one problem, it was Diana.

From that day on, Diana had mixed feelings.

A desperate love that made her body react automatically just by hearing his name couldn’t be forgotten in an instant like an old story.

It was absurd, but Diana was still in the midst of her one-sided love!

‘Let’s live like a possessed person now! My self! Let’s just clear our karma! This is completely crazy!’

Ten-year-old Raoul may be just a baby, but would seventeen, twenty-year-old Raoul also be just a baby?

Twenty-year-old Raoul, vivid like a photograph, made her heart ache just thinking about him.

Why is he so handsome and all that? Huh?

The emotions that had been suppressed swelled uncontrollably.

‘What, have I just been holding back all this time? This is driving me crazy.’

Every night, she would tear at her hair, but then try to pull herself together once again.

She couldn’t face another miserable ending in this life.

But Raoul, far from helping, suddenly changed his attitude and started monitoring Diana all day long.

Except for the time spent in the training ground, he always followed Diana to the library, and before she knew it, they were even eating meals together.

“Sharing a table? Sharing a table!”

As Raoul wedged his way into Diana’s daily life, Angela became increasingly sensitive day by day, and Diana was also spending newly tiring days as a lonely mediator between emotions and human relationships.

‘I’m possessed, okay? The past life was just following what the novel dictated, okay?! Why am I suddenly re-entering fandom?!’

“Where are you going?”

Ha, it was no use. No matter how much she tried to deny it, just look at those cute chubby cheeks. She wanted to stretch them out like rice cakes right away.

She saw Raoul approaching Diana after just finishing sword practice in the training ground.

Due to the cold weather, every time he exhaled, white breath spread hazily around his mouth like a drama effect.

The main character is different from a young age. It was so pretty that tears seemed about to stream down.

‘Maybe I lived the future in advance through the novel? He’s already this cute. Just wait till he grows up a bit more. When all that baby fat is gone? When he puts on muscle and becomes an unparalleled beauty!! How could I survive without falling in love?’

“This is cheating… huh?”

“What are you suddenly saying?”

Raoul glanced at her profile with a puzzled look.

Okay, okay. Just don’t ever grow up. She quickly turned away from his face before she could start singing praises.

“Why do you always go to the library?”

“No special reason. Just because I’m bored…”

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Diana lived with books after her regression.

At first, she tried to do business.

She looked through books to find profitable magic stones, or racked her brains to develop groundbreaking items to prevent famine or epidemics.

But Diana was on awkward terms with her father.

Because of her tiny mana and almost non-existent holy power, she was always outside her father’s interest.

There was no reason for the cold and overflowing-with-money villain to provide business funds to his young daughter.

Above all, the duke is a delinquent parent who leaves his daughter to a maid and enjoys dates with the imperial princess.

Would there even be time to have a serious conversation?

She needed a more certain move.

As she was trying to picture her future plans in her head, complicating her thoughts, she felt a piercing gaze from the side.

“Why… why?”

“What are you thinking about?”

‘Now, now you’re even trying to monitor my thoughts?’

Diana awkwardly answered, turning her gaze sideways.

“I was thinking about what book to read today.”

Diana got up and climbed the ladder. She picked up a few books on childcare and fairy tales.

“What’s that?”

“Oh my, you startled me!”

Not knowing he was waiting right below the ladder, she turned her head and was startled by how close his face was.

Move your face away! You handsome guy!

“Were you surprised?”

“Uh, yeah. It’s okay. I was just surprised because you’re so handsome.”

“What did you say?”

“I didn’t say anything… You should read a book too. You’ll be bored just monitoring me.”

Diana hurriedly ran to the window seat and opened a book.

Due to her nervousness, she opened a random page and kept an eye on Raoul.

‘Why has he been following me around like this lately?’

‘I can’t see him. I can’t see him! He’s an invisible man! I’m the only person who actually exists in this room!’

As she was turning the pages, she felt a gaze from the side again.

When did he come here? Raoul, who had taken a seat next to Diana, was staring at the book she had opened.

“Why are you reading this…?”

“Um, wh-what?”

This is just a fairy tale book, huh! Diana was startled and quickly closed the book.

“Th-this is, I mean! It’s not! I brought the wrong one!”

“…Do your parents know you read books like this?”

Urgh. Why is this kind of book shelved with fairy tales anyway?

The book Diana had brought was a high-level fable collection for adults.

‘The hidden stories behind fables,’ it said! Even at a glance, the embarrassing illustrations were not cute content suitable for children.

A rabbit with its straps lowered to its shoulders was winking seductively in front of a hungry wolf.

Fortunately, Diana closed the book before any further scenes appeared.

There were no illustrations shocking enough for Raoul, but it was too embarrassing. I must have a streak of bad luck in my life! Sob sob.

“Don’t think weird thoughts! Read this once! What does it say?”

“…I don’t know.”

“It’s a fable, a fable! Hm? What did you say?”

“I can’t read.”

Wh-what? Diana was momentarily speechless. ‘Raoul can’t read?’

“You’ve never learned?”

“Yeah…”

Oh my. Most imperial citizens would have mastered reading by the age of 10.

Why did I believe Raoul would be the same? Because he’s such a perfect character?

“Who would teach a slave to read.”

No! As Raoul lowered his gaze, shadows fell beneath his long eyelashes.

Why did he look so pitiful? Diana wanted to hit herself on the head.

‘How dare I! Making Raoul feel down! I should go die!’

“I, I will! Shall I teach you?”

“You?”

“Yeah yeah! If I dare to… Even though I’m a blockhead too…”

“…Okay.”

Where on earth is our life flowing to?

Diana just gave up thinking. It’s okay because he’s still a child. He still has a long way to grow up.

For now, it seemed she needed to save this poor child first.