The flowing tears dried up in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, an elegant silver ring adorned the ring finger, the Beselion family crest engraved on it exuding a heavy presence.

“What… does this mean?”

“What do you think it means?”

Noah’s eyes curved gently.

It was a splendid smile that could have come straight out of a fairy tale prince’s illustration.

And as their gazes met, his flushed cheeks and blue eyes that slightly averted to the side, things that weren’t visible before started to become apparent.

“Noah Beselion, you… like… me…”

Understanding Nigel’s stammered words well, Noah’s pink cheeks bobbed up and down.

Really?

But… you shouldn’t like me.

Piercing through the thickly layered guilt, a small joy bloomed on its own.

Although she should reject him, the small budding feeling in her heart stopped her mouth. In the end, Nigel couldn’t make any choice and just stared at Noah.

“You don’t have to answer right away.”

“…”

“It’s because I confessed my feelings on my own.”

Noah reached out and touched Nigel’s fingers. Unlike usual, no magic flowed out.

Noah removed the ring that was about to slip off, and placed it on Nigel’s palm. Then he gently closed Nigel’s tiny fingers, making her grip the ring tightly.

“Keep it safe, and return it when you feel comfortable. My feelings won’t change no matter when.”

At his usual gentle smile, Nigel’s hardened heart softened and she nodded. Then a refreshing laugh was heard above her head.

“…If you’re done talking, can I butt in now?”

At some point, Allen, who had been standing a step away, approached with a mischievous grin.

“Really, it was quite a spectacular scene.”

Clap. Clap. Allen slowly clapped his hands towards the two.

“I had expected something like this would happen someday… but I was thinking of old-fashioned things like a nice restaurant with roses and such. As expected, the spirit of chivalry protecting the weak is different, huh?”

Allen grinned broadly and put his arm around Noah’s shoulders.

“Right. What’s a cliché diamond when you can give a signet ring if you really have feelings? Nigel, seeing your flushed face, it seems you weren’t displeased either, huh?”

And with his free hand, he ruffled Nigel’s black hair roughly.

Nigel and Noah’s faces turned red as if they were about to burst into flames.

Regardless, Allen’s mouth didn’t stop.

“Hmm… I wonder if I should give the wedding gift to the groom or the bride at the wedding?”

After holding back for so long, when Allen finally crossed the line, Nigel opened her mouth.

“Cut it out, Allen.”

“Allen, that’s enough.”

And it wasn’t just Nigel who spoke up.

Nigel and Noah looked at each other awkwardly.

Allen’s mouth, which wouldn’t miss this chance, started up again.

“Oh, your breathing is perfectly in sync. It’s like… mmph!”

Noah quickly covered Allen’s mouth, and the situation was settled for now.

“…Ahem, so what do we do now?”

“I thought you said it was fine since we’re not inside a demon’s belly.”

“That’s right. Ah, isn’t there a demon’s habitat further north from here?”

Nigel nodded and stared at Allen intently.

Noah also smiled fiercely while staring at Allen. With the momentum as if he was about to be thrown into a demon’s belly, Allen raised both hands.

“I’m sorry, I said I’m sorry! But now it’s really not the time to hold grudges!”

Only after Allen shouted that he was sorry for over 5 minutes did Nigel and Noah feel satisfied and show mercy.

“Huff… huff…. So, how do you think we can get out through the magic door?”

“Like with the teleport stone, shouldn’t we be able to go through the door while in contact with Nigel’s body?”

When Nigel put her hand on Noah’s arm and then removed it but nothing happened, Noah gave a bitter smile.

“…Don’t tell me you two are planning something behind my back again?”

“No….”

When Nigel glanced at Noah, he nodded obediently.

“This guy Noah is magic deficient, so he can only absorb my holy power.”

“Oh my, Kirellia! At this rate, you might as well say Nigel is royalty!”

Allen scrunched up his face as if disgusted.

“Still Allen, try sensing the magic again.”

Even after frowning deeply, Allen closed his eyes obediently at Nigel’s words.

“…It’s still the same. I can’t sense your magic, Nigel.”

“If my magic can’t be sensed, then there’s no way to leave through the magic door.”

Regardless of the two men’s wishes, it became clear that Nigel had ultimately put them in danger.

‘At this rate, I might need an even stronger sacrifice than my palm.’

Nigel looked down at her palm with a completely stiff face.

At that moment, two hands of different shapes gently wrapped around Nigel’s hand.

“Again, again, are you about to fall into that strange thinking that everything is your fault?”

“That’s right. Instead of just trying to protect me and Allen, it would be nice if you could rely on us.”

Then Allen held out the sleeve of his shirt with a ‘swish’, and Noah chuckled and tore a long strip off his sleeve, using it to wrap Nigel’s palm.

“Did you forget that we didn’t come here to be protected by you, but to leave together with you? Now that your body has shrunk, has your brain shrunk too, Nigel?”

“…No, it hasn’t.”

At Allen’s playful tone, Nigel steeled her resolve.

“Right, now that I see that strong look in your eyes that used to devour the political science department, you look like yourself again.”

At this point, Noah bent his knee to meet Nigel’s gaze.

“Think calmly, Nigel. What was the trigger for your magic disappearing, was there anything strange at all?”

“Right, for someone who entered with a perfect score on the entrance exam and ranked top of the year at Sienia, this should be like eating cold soup. Isn’t that right?”

Allen’s hand lightly pinched Nigel’s cheek.

At that warmth, Nigel nodded and began to trace her memories.

From when she first met Nicks, to becoming friends with him and sharing their dreams. Falling into a sense of helplessness at not being able to do anything for the sick Nicks.

And then.

“…I found it.”

Nigel discovered the strange point.

It was the door shining right in front of her eyes that held the key.

“…Right, since that appeared, I’ve been able to move this body.”

“What do you mean?”

“Originally, only my mind was free, while my body was following the memories. But…”

Nigel stretched out her hand and pointed at the brightly shining door.

“After that door appeared, I became able to move my body freely.”

Allen closed his eyes and thought deeply, then slowly opened them.

“I think I understand.”

“What?”

“Well… it’s hard to explain, but this door is just showing us memories we had forgotten, right?”

“That’s right.”

“When I stepped out of the door from old memories like you, I turned back for a moment out of curiosity. At that time, everything was motionless, as if time had stopped. But your memory, Nigel…”

“It’s moving.”

Even now, the small gasping of Nicks lying on the bed and the busy footsteps of the servants outside the room could be clearly heard.

“And we, who shouldn’t be in Nigel’s memory, are moving without any restrictions.”

“Argh! It’s hard to explain with my poor speaking skills! What I mean is, only the memory of when the person themselves enters this door and leaves it is real.”

Allen ruffled his messy hair in frustration.

“…In other words, you’re saying this current memory is a fake created by my subconscious?”

Allen nodded lightly with a relieved expression.

“Yes! That’s exactly what I mean! Your subconscious changed this space.”

Allen suddenly closed his eyes after finishing his words. Then he opened them, his eyes sparkling.

“…It’s definitely there, your magic.”

“What?”

“I didn’t notice because I was concentrating by limiting the range to you… but I can feel it.”

Allen’s green eyes looked around lovingly.

“Noah, can you try focusing on the surrounding air and breathe?”

Noah’s ribs moved up and down slowly.

And then.

“…I can feel it, though faintly. Nigel’s magic coming in.”

“Great! Nigel, right now your magic is spread out widely in this space, very weakly. Your subconscious, sunk in self-loathing for not being able to protect that child, made it that way. So, you can do the opposite too. You can save Nicks, and save us!”

Nigel met the two unwavering gazes looking straight at her.

“Can I… really do it?”

“Yes.”

“Of course.”

The answers came back as if scolding her for asking something so obvious.

“I know. What truly moves you, Nigel, isn’t feelings like helplessness or desire for revenge, but the desire to help someone.”

“We’ve all watched you in Histon, at the academy, and in Obeliu. How you cared for me, Miss Andy, Her Highness Yenica and Nox. So, you can do it this time too.”

“…”

“Yeah, that’s why Noah entrusted you with his signet ring. Right?”

“Allen!”

At the light bickering, Nigel found herself smiling without realizing it.

The doubt of whether she could do it melted away like snow before them.

Being with them, it felt like Nigel’s empty heart was being filled. No, she became certain that with Allen and Noah, she could stand up no matter what.

Nigel slowly opened her scarred right hand.

On that hand was the bandage that Allen and Noah had tightly wrapped.

Nigel closed her eyes and concentrated.

Not because she was a saint, not to alleviate her guilt.

She just wanted to see their smiling faces.

Noah and Allen.

Nicks beyond her distorted memories.

She smiled, imagining what it would be like if Nicks, Noah, and Allen met.

Allen would argue about who became friends first, and Noah would be sparring with a healthy Nicks – she could see it clearly.

Yes, that’s surely how it will be.

Nigel opened her eyes with a happy smile.

On her scarred palm, a small spark blossomed.