“Why… is that person coming to Sienna?”

“Well, that’s because it’s the academy’s tradition?”

Thud.

Ashton set down the empty glass on the balcony railing.

“Originally, His Majesty the Emperor was supposed to come, but due to scheduling conflicts, the Minister of Finance is coming instead of His Majesty.”

There were several ways to refer to Duke Dien. Kesnia Dien, Minister of Finance, the right hand of the imperial family, the Emperor’s man. And.

‘My…’

Nigel could not finish the thought.

Instead, she found traces of Duke Dien that she had always kept in her heart.

When she lost the locket engraved with the emblem of the Dien ducal family. When she burned with her own hands the many letters sent to the orphanage.

Moreover, when she read that the saint is born by consuming the life force of her mother.

‘…Sucking the life out of family members to barely survive, it’s the same in my past life and now.’

She felt something indescribable crumbling inside her heart.

“It was an opportunity to make an impression on His Majesty the Emperor, so it’s a shame in many ways. Don’t you think?”

Despite Ashton’s quip, Nigel’s face remained tightly frozen, showing no signs of relaxing.

Whether meeting Duke Dien or the Emperor, both options were equally worst to the point where she couldn’t choose between them.

“Anyway, I should head back now. It was a pleasure to chat with you, even if briefly, my lady.”

Ashton grinned and pulled Nigel’s hand. Just as her hand was about to touch Ashton’s lips, the balcony curtain fluttered, and a clear, fresh forest scent tickled her nose.

“Nigel.”

As she turned around, Noah was gracefully extending his arm towards Nigel, looking impeccable.

As the surprised Nigel looked back and forth between Ashton and Noah, Ashton was the first to let go of Nigel’s hand. At the same time, the magical power drained from Nigel’s hand.

“I can’t interrupt a lady’s time. Enjoy the party, Nigel.”

Ashton bowed his head to meet Nigel’s gaze. That gaze didn’t break until Ashton’s lips touched Nigel’s black hair.

“Always remember that my offer to change partners anytime during the party is still valid.”

For a moment, Noah’s arm, on which Nigel had placed her hand, became as hard as a rock and then quickly relaxed. However, when Nigel glanced up, Noah was still looking down at her with the same gentle smile.

Today’s Noah was not only visually satisfying but also had a destructive power that was almost too much to appreciate for free. However.

“There’s someone I really want to introduce to Nigel.”

Noah’s glance towards the place where people were gathered like a swarm of clouds and his following words were the code to break Nigel’s spell.

It was time for the one-day lady to wake up from her sweet dream full of fantasies and leave the ballroom.

Nigel slowly removed her hand from Noah’s arm and mumbled that she wasn’t feeling well and would step outside for a moment.

There was no need to pretend. She really wasn’t feeling well.

The weight of the fluttering dress suddenly pressed down on her entire body, and her feet, squeezed into high heels, felt as heavy as if sandbags were attached to them.

Noah, with a worried face, quickly supported Nigel and escorted her to the entrance of the ballroom.

Half fear of possibly encountering that person.

Half regret wondering if this night would end with just one dance, emotions mixed and tangled with each step taken.

“Who is it, trying to leave already when the ball hasn’t even properly started yet… Oh my.”

Oliver, who was guarding the ballroom entrance firmly, quickly opened the door wide upon seeing Nigel’s pale complexion.

“Nigel, you brought a teleportation stone, right? I’m fine, so don’t push yourself if it’s too hard.”

Feeling like she might waver at any moment from that kindness, Nigel closed her eyes tightly and nodded without meeting Noah’s gaze.

In the darkness of her closed eyes, she felt the presence and the scent of the forest fading away.

Only when she could no longer sense any presence around her did Nigel feel safe enough to start moving.

Right now, rather than using the teleportation stone, she wanted to walk a bit and feel the fresh night air.

After walking like that for a while without thinking, suddenly the golden dragon statue appeared.

Nigel, who had a deep connection with this statue, frowned and had a staring contest with the golden dragon to release her emotions.

At that moment, there was a sound of trees quickly rustling in the grass.

Nigel quickly summoned a flame of magic power in preparation for any possible situation.

“…Please wait a moment!”

Through the grass, a voice like a small jade bead rolling on glass flowed out.

Then, an invisible transparent barrier blocked the entry of the magic flame. Nigel’s magic flame curved roundly following the shape of the barrier.

And, through that barrier, a girl in a dress revealed herself.

“…!”

Rosy cheeks without a single blemish, mysterious blue eyes visible through the mask.

On top of that, blonde hair too bright and shining to be called ordinary blonde – all elements blended together perfectly.

‘Which student is disguised as a princess?’

Nigel couldn’t take her eyes off the lovely girl who seemed like a princess from a fairy tale had slipped into reality.

She was so perfect that it felt like watching an illusion created by someone or wandering in a dream.

At that moment, the girl’s lips parted, letting Nigel know this was reality.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. If you’re a Sienna student, could I ask for your help for a moment?”

As Nigel was still staring intently, the girl quickly added:

“I won’t take up much of your time. Just a very short moment!”

At the voice naturally imbued with kindness and dignity, Nigel nodded involuntarily.

“Thank you! Then, could you perhaps… tell me where the ballroom is?”

The moment she saw the girl’s face blushing shyly while grabbing Nigel’s hand, Nigel’s mouth opened on its own without even thinking.

“…I’ll take you there.”

Along with the words came self-loathing.

‘…Damn beauty trap.’

Whether it was because of her perfect beauty surpassing even Charlotte Primrose, no, even the goddess statue seen in the northern temple, or because of her own nature of being particularly weak to blondes since childhood, or perhaps both.

Even if she regretted it now, the situation was already settled.

Nigel had to return on her own feet to the monster’s lair she had barely escaped from.

“Thank you! That’s very kind of you. …Actually, I’m not good with directions, so I’ve been wandering around.”

A corner of her heart felt uneasy, but she couldn’t just leave this girl with an angelic smile and a sense of direction that wasn’t unfamiliar to her own.

Fortunately, she had a teleportation stone, so she could take her there quickly.

Swish.

Nigel took out the teleportation stone.

“Ah, I think I know what that is! It’s a teleportation stone, right?”

“How did you know?”

“A friend of mine who attends here told me about it. I’ve always been curious after hearing about it from her, so this is what it looks like.”

The girl leaned forward and examined the teleportation stone from various angles.

“Hmm, so I just need to place my hand on top of yours like this, and we’ll move instantly, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Oh my. I never thought I’d actually get to use one in real life, my heart is racing.”

The girl smiled brightly. Strangely, Nigel couldn’t take her eyes off that smile as she slowly opened her mouth.

“Teleport, ballroom.”

In an instant, the surroundings changed.

“Wow…”

The girl looked around and then gazed at Nigel with sparkling eyes.

“That’s amazing. Even more surprising than the rumors.”

The moment she received that shy and excited gaze, Nigel sensed that she shouldn’t stay with the girl any longer.

And Nigel’s instincts like this had never been wrong.

“…Well, I’ll be going now.”

“Oh my, so soon already?”

The girl said in a voice full of regret.

Afraid of falling for that clear face again, Nigel quickly turned her back.

“Wait a moment…!”

Just as she was about to take a step, a soft hand touched the tip of her fingers.

“…My name. Just give me time to reveal my name.”

Nigel, who had already learned that name before the girl could say it, clenched her empty hand tightly.

In fact, there had been several opportunities.

When she felt overwhelmed for the first time after Noah, when she saw the platinum blonde hair that was the symbol of the imperial family, when she knew how to use the teleportation stone, …and finally when she sensed it now.

But in the end, it was herself who had missed the opportunities.

Not because she was weak to pretty faces and blonde hair, but because she wanted to stay with the girl even if just for a moment longer.

Just as the girl’s lips were about to open, the scent of the forest enveloped Nigel.

“…Meriel?”

“Noah!”

The girl, no, Meriel, ran without hesitation towards the source of the voice.

As Nigel slowly raised her head, she saw the man and woman embracing each other so naturally.

Even in that moment, Noah’s gaze was busy checking Nigel’s complexion.

But Nigel, not noticing Noah’s intention, forcibly raised the corners of her mouth to indicate that it was okay to hug.

Complete. Yes, Noah was only complete when he was with Meriel.

To the point where she felt stupid and foolish for thinking she and Noah looked good together when she saw their reflection in the glass window.

‘I told you, you should have just left quickly without any concern.’

In fact, she had known all along.

That the girl was Meriel, the female protagonist of the original story, and that she was her twin sister.

…Now, now she really had to leave.

It was then.

“Meriel.”

A man with black hair identical to Nigel’s spoke in a weighty voice.