“Because you’re Nigel.”

Allen spoke as if it were obvious.

“You just said my intuition is pretty good. I just had a good feeling the moment I saw you. And now I like you even more.”

Allen smiled, crinkling his green eyes.

“Are you perhaps trying to hit on me…?”

“You need to work on your intuition. Do I seem so frivolous that I’d hit on someone I just met? My feelings are purely innocent friendship without a speck of dust!”

“Even so, it’ll just be a one-night friendship. We’re parting ways tomorrow morning.”

“Ugh, you’re so unromantic. My intuition tells me we’re destined to be lifelong friends. Just you wait and see.”

“Sure, sure.”

Nigel half-heartedly replied and picked up the book she had been reading earlier.

The silver train ticket tucked deep in her pocket had long been forgotten.

“By the way, it’s wonderful that young master has made such a splendid new friend. Your parents will be so pleased.”

Sebastian looked back and forth between Nigel and Allen with a fond smile.

“Friend…”

That’s not it. Nigel couldn’t bring herself to speak the words she wanted to in the face of Sebastian’s warm gaze.

“Of course! My mom and dad will probably be even happier than when I got accepted to Sienia!”

A word Nigel couldn’t ignore flashed through her mind.

“…Sienia?”

“Yeah. The reason I’m going to the capital is for the Sienia Eve party next week.”

Allen pulled out a crumpled paper from his chest and unfolded it to show Nigel.

The familiar letter format. It was unmistakably a Sienia acceptance letter.

“Magic… department?”

Allen nodded his head vigorously.

“Believe it or not, I’m really interested in magical tools. I think learning about them will be helpful in many ways in the future.”

…Is this really fate?

“…Nigel? Your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you suddenly feeling unwell?”

Allen jumped up and frantically moved around, examining Nigel from various angles.

“It’s nothing…”

Nigel let out a deep sigh and pulled out a crisp paper from her chest, placing it on the table.

Whether it’s revealed now or next week.

Allen’s mouth gradually fell open as he unfolded the paper.

“Oh my…!”

He eventually covered his mouth with his hand as if he had learned a secret of the world.

“…I told you we’d be seeing each other for a long time. Meeting on the same train and becoming close so quickly was already amazing, but to think we’re going to the same academy, even the same department…?”

Allen continued speaking without giving Nigel time to respond.

“If this isn’t fate, then what is it, Nigel? Huh?”

Allen grabbed Nigel’s shoulders and shook her roughly back and forth.

“Surely the goddess Kirelia must have arranged for us to meet. There’s no doubt about it.”

Allen released Nigel’s shoulders and clasped his hands together, gazing reverently at the sun outside the window.

‘What goddess?’

“Wait a minute. Nigel, have you found a place to stay in the capital? Oh, do you want to go shopping for supplies together? I know a lot of good places…”

“Young Master Allen.”

Allen, who had been chattering rapidly in a high voice, closed his mouth at Sebastian’s brief call.

“I understand you’re excited, but you shouldn’t burden your friend.”

Nigel was too tired to correct that they weren’t friends anymore.

“I’m sorry, I got carried away because I was so happy.”

Still, Nigel didn’t dislike Allen’s honesty about his feelings in everything.

“…I’m not going anywhere until tomorrow, so we can talk slowly.”

“Okay!”

And so the train continued its journey toward the capital.

[This is the timeline separator]

“…Are you really not going to come with me?”

In front of the central station of the capital city Soleffe, Allen had been unable to board the carriage for 30 minutes.

“Your luggage is heavy too. I’ll at least give you a ride to somewhere near where you’re going.”

“I told you I’m fine.”

“No, I’m the one who’s not fine.”

From getting off the train to coming out in front of the station, Allen and Sebastian had lost sight of Nigel five times.

The fifth and final time, Allen and Sebastian, unable to bear it any longer, had linked arms with Nigel on both sides and practically escorted her out.

“…There were just too many people inside the station to keep sight of you. It’s fine out here where it’s more open.”

“Hmm…”

Allen’s face still showed signs of doubt.

“Really. You should hurry and go now. Your family is waiting, right?”

“…You’re sure you memorized my communication stone number? If anything happens, go to the nearest communication office and contact me. I’ll help you anytime.”

“I got it already.”

Nigel said while rubbing her dark under-eyes.

Thanks to Allen’s nonstop chatter last night until bedtime, Allen had even appeared in Nigel’s dreams to torment her.

It wasn’t that she disliked Allen, but she didn’t want to see him for a while.

“Alright then, I’ll see you at the party next week. Or earlier if you’d like.”

“Okay, got it. Now please go.”

Nigel waved her hand dismissively.

The coachman seemed to share Nigel’s desire for Allen to leave, as the carriage quickly departed as soon as the door closed.

Nigel felt utterly relieved as she watched the carriage grow smaller and smaller.

“Now, shall I go?”

It was then.

Someone tapped Nigel’s shoulder from behind.

Nigel whirled around and confirmed who it was.

‘…Again?’

It was none other than the young man about Nigel’s age whom she had met once at the train station yesterday and once in front of the train.

If, as Allen said, even she and Allen who had just met were destined to see each other for a long time, then there could be no fate more intense than with this man she had encountered three times.

“Do you need something?”

Nigel said, crossing her arms.

“Ah, actually I picked this up yesterday.”

He smiled and pulled out a handkerchief with a round bulge at the top from his pocket.

When he unfolded the handkerchief, Nigel’s locket was revealed.

“It looked important, so I tried to give it to you right away yesterday, but our timing was a bit off.”

Ah, this again.

It seemed the old suitcase that would open up gaps even if locked had caused trouble again, not lasting even half a day.

“Ah, I just picked it up and kept it safe. I didn’t open the locket, so don’t worry.”

“…Thank you.”

Nigel sincerely thanked the man and carefully tucked the locket deep into the inner pocket of her coat.

It was entirely her fault for mistaking the man for a con artist, but Nigel’s uneasiness still hadn’t dissipated.

‘My bad feelings have never been wrong before… What is this feeling?’

Whenever she looked at him, an inexplicable familiar discomfort would creep up.

‘…Well, whatever. It’s not like I’ll see him again after this.’

Nigel quickly brushed off the discomfort, unlike her usual self, as she was still not recovered from the carriage fatigue that had built up over the past two days, and had tossed and turned with nightmares yesterday.

Nigel thanked him once more and entered the first inn she saw.

‘I don’t even have the energy to think anymore…’

As soon as she reached the room, all strength left her body.

Nigel barely managed to change clothes before collapsing into a deep sleep.

[This is the timeline separator]

When she opened her eyes, the room was still dark.

Having slept straight through, even skipping lunch, it was probably dawn.

Nigel lit a candle, sat at the desk, and took out writing paper and an envelope from her suitcase.

‘I hope nothing’s wrong…’

It hadn’t even been a week since she left the orphanage, but she was already worried.

Still, she had prepared the check in time, so the orphanage wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.

Ron and Handel would probably use that money first to buy the leather ball the children had been singing about wanting, and to replace the anthology whose cover and pages had become tattered from overuse.

Ah, and each child would get a new shirt for school to replace their worn-out ones.

The youngest children at the orphanage would smile brightly, saying it was new clothes, not hand-me-downs from their older brothers…

Nigel found herself smiling without realizing it as she imagined the scene.

Yes, they would be living well without any troubles.

‘Because I’m not the original Nigel.’

The Nigel in the original story had hurled insults at a priest who came to thank the orphanage and spat in his face, leading to her being dragged off to a religious trial.

And on the day of the trial, the brilliant golden light that burst forth from the magic measuring device used to determine her identity was enough to bring everyone present at the trial to their knees.

The first order Nigel gave, sitting arrogantly atop the constellation intricately carved with symbols from the founding myth of the goddess Kirelia, within half a day was…

None other than to secretly find and kill everyone associated with the orphanage.

Though she hadn’t done it herself, she couldn’t stop the bitter taste from rising in her mouth.

There were many reasons why she chose the Imperial Academy far from Tillin among the many academies, but one was to avoid any harm coming to the orphanage.

She feared that if she stayed at the orphanage, her identity would be revealed and the people there would be arrested for harboring a saint or some such crime.

Nigel fiddled with the innocent pen before finally managing to write the address and recipient’s name.

Once she wrote the name, the rest flowed more smoothly.

First, she wrote that she had arrived safely in the capital without getting lost.

Then, after some hesitation, she wrote a line, no, three or four lines about Allen.

She ended by asking after the children, Ron, and Handel, then carefully folded the letter and placed it in the envelope.

Next was Zeronin’s turn.

Unlike when writing the letter to the orphanage, her face tensed up even before she started writing.

Nigel deliberately took out Zeronin’s unread letter.

There were no less than three pages remaining, surely filled with unavoidable and specific nagging.

Nigel held back the sigh that threatened to escape and unfolded the letter.

[I know you’ll only look at the gift certificate.]

Sure enough, from the very first line, a wry laugh escaped her.