I didn’t want to open my eyes.

It was a voice that was engraved in my ears, more familiar than the distinct accent and gentle tone of the capital, revealing personality rather than pitch.

And it was a voice that tormented Nigel Ars to madness. Sometimes because he didn’t open his mouth, sometimes because he kept his mouth shut tight, sometimes because he gave his fresh laughter easily to everyone but her, it was annoying.

“…Nigel.”

Nigel’s name was called again. This time it was calmer and more persistent than the first.

Nigel couldn’t help but know what that voice wanted. He was stubborn, never changing once he decided on something, despite looking gentle except for his sharp eyes.

Nigel didn’t open her eyes this time either. If she opened her eyes and met Noah’s gaze, she felt like her carefully organized feelings would crumble in an instant. No, she was certain.

“…!”

Suddenly, Nigel’s magic leaked out.

Startled, Nigel reflexively opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a dark coat draped over her shoulders.

And the next thing that came into view was deeply, disgustingly blue eyes that seemed to pull her in. Nigel quickly rolled her eyes down to his well-formed nose and lips that were slightly fuller on the bottom.

Just as Nigel was feeling relieved, the lips tinged with red moved.

“The night air is quite chilly.”

Following his eyes and voice, Noah’s lips now tormented Nigel. At the same time, she became conscious of her shoulders.

Nigel froze for a moment, then lightly shook her head and handed Noah’s coat back to him.

“You seem to have forgotten that I’m from Tillen, not speaking to me and now doing this.”

Despite her confident words, Nigel’s head was facing the ground.

Then a laugh close to a breath entered her ears. In her barely visible field of view, she saw lips beautifully raised upwards.

“That’s right, indeed.”

Afraid of being caught staring at his lips, Nigel quickly rolled her eyes downward.

“But what were you doing out here at this hour?”

“…Couldn’t sleep. As you said, I was reading a book in the cool night air.”

Nigel slightly extended the book she had been hiding behind her back as if making an excuse. Noah’s face instantly hardened.

‘Of course, as expected.’

Nigel no longer had any expectations.

She understood that all those contradictory reactions were for Meriel’s sake. But just because the mind understood didn’t mean the heart would accept it.

Nigel opened her mouth, stuffing down the waves so they wouldn’t overflow outwards.

“What about you? What are you doing here?”

“Likewise, I couldn’t sleep either.”

Lies. If that were true, there wouldn’t be a faint floral scent on his coat.

No matter how polite, to come running at this late hour to give flowers… Wasn’t that crossing a line, considering Meriel?

“Hey.”

“Nigel.”

The two spoke at the same time. As Nigel waved her hand to indicate he should speak first, Noah opened his mouth.

“What’s your relationship with Ashton?”

As soon as she heard Noah’s question, the emotions she had sealed away burst forth. The pent-up feelings gave off a foul odor.

“We’re partners.”

Of course, just project partners. Nigel held back the unspoken words and grimaced.

Nigel clearly knew what misunderstandings her words could cause. She just wanted to give a small wave to Noah who had betrayed Meriel.

No, that wasn’t really it.

‘…Just like I did.’

Yes, mixed in was the feeling of wanting Noah to feel even a little of her emotions and suffer, just as Nigel herself had been captivated and struggled with him all day.

Wishing for him to hurt as much as I hurt – it was self-centered thinking that even orphanage children had long outgrown. Nigel lightly mocked her own immaturity and raised her head.

“…?!”

Noah’s expression was strange. His face was coldly distorted, but his eyes were moist as if about to cry, and his parted lips only trembled without saying anything.

Nigel searched her mind for the emotion reflected on his face. It wasn’t cold like it had been these past few days, nor was it the weak smile from before when their eyes met, nor was it the betrayal from when his secret treatment was discovered.

Hurt. If pressed, it was closest to the face of someone who had been hurt.

‘Hurt? What could I have done to hurt him so much?’

But even as she denied it, Noah’s face was etched with pain.

Then the pitifully trembling lips released a voice as calmly as possible.

“…I see.”

And soon after, he painfully pulled up the corners of his mouth into an arc.

“I was just wondering who Nigel’s dance partner would be… So it’s Ashton.”

I should have been pleased that the one who tormented me was hurt as intended. That would have been proper.

However, Nigel’s heart took on a different color.

The hurt Noah received stung all over as if she herself had received it. Especially her chest ached sharply, and from the wounded corner of her heart, a base sense of superiority crept up.

The vulgar bragging rights that could never be revealed to anyone in the world – that I had hurt Noah Beselion.

Suddenly, self-loathing struck. Even though all questions had been resolved, why were all her nerves still searching for Noah Beselion and swayed by all sorts of strange emotions? The self-loathing was an ugly by-product of this.

“…Then he will surely be a good partner. I’ve seen Ashton skillfully escort ladies at dances several times.”

“…You’re quite popular yourself. Senior Oliver said the person who receives the most dance invitations gets extra department points, that must be you.”

Nigel rambled on incoherently.

Noah listened silently to those words with a faint smile, then turned his body abruptly. And without giving Nigel a chance to speak, he immediately opened his mouth again.

“Well then, I’ll head in first. Nigel, don’t stay out too long either, you might catch a cold.”

It was a quiet and calm tone. But strangely, Nigel felt hurt in that voice, and then pity.

Thump. Thump.

Watching Noah disappear quickly with his wide strides, Nigel fell into an indescribably complex mood.

With her head full of unanswerable questions, she stared blankly for a long time at the place where Noah had disappeared and no one remained.

“…The night air is cold.”

It was the first early chill she had experienced since coming to the capital.

The wind that ruffled her hair as it passed by, the air that clung stickily to her bare skin, even the moonlight shining brightly from the sky – everything was cold.

Now, it was time to return.

She lifted her feet that felt as if they were stuck to the ground and carefully took a step forward.

Rustle.

At the same time, something was stepped on under her foot.

“…?”

Nigel slowly lifted her foot and checked the object.

There was a small card with footprints on the corner and a flower barely maintaining its shape.

Nigel picked up the card and flower that were hard to see in the dark shadows of the bushes and extended her arm to hold them up to the moonlight.

In the moonlight, a small card with [To Nigel] written in an unidentifiable handwriting and a splendid purple flower that exactly matched the color of Nigel’s eyes revealed themselves.

“What on earth is this…?”

These were things Nigel had never received from anyone before, and at the same time, things that hadn’t been visible when Nigel was walking towards the stars.

Nigel slowly raised her hand and smelled the flower. And at that moment, Nigel’s eyes widened.

…It was the same. The same scent that had come from Noah’s coat.

Nigel’s mind became even more complicated.

Monday morning after the weekend had passed.

“Lady!”

Nigel grabbed Ashton’s collar as he approached cheerfully and pulled him close. Ashton’s forehead came close to touching Nigel’s.

“…Are you done with puberty? Have your eyes opened to romantic relationships now?”

Far from being flustered, Ashton met Nigel’s gaze and grinned. Regardless, Nigel brought out a fiercely burning magical flame and held it up to Ashton’s face.

“If you want to live long, let’s have a quick chat, Ash.”

“…Am I being threatened right now?”

Nod.

Seeing the purple eyes without a trace of playfulness, Ashton let out a dejected laugh.

“Alright, Lady. I want to live long and inherit my father’s title, so I’ll obediently follow. Just let go of my collar.”

Thud.

Nigel released Ashton’s collar. Instead, she grabbed the hem of Ashton’s shirt with her empty hand and dragged him into an empty classroom.

“By the way, there was an interesting rumor going around. That you and I are dance partners…?!”

Ashton, who had been speaking with a grin, trailed off as his vision suddenly darkened. He picked up the paper blocking his view.

“To Nigel…? Ah. Are you bragging about receiving a partner request? You’ve gotten so many requests, why make a fuss over this one?”

Nigel’s bloodshot eyes widened in confusion.

“…Many people requested me as their partner?”

“Yeah, how many people put flowers in your locker?”

Nigel’s face tilted to the right.

“I… never saw any.”

“What?”

This time, Ashton’s mouth fell open.