The morning after the near-disastrous incident outside Noah's room...
I decided I had one mission.
Avoid Noah.
Simple.
Reasonable.
Perfect.
Because every time I saw him, I almost cried.
Every time he spoke to me, my heart warmed in the strangest way.
And every time my heart warmed...
I drifted further and further away from being the original Alice.
Which meant danger.
A lot of danger.
So yes.
Avoiding him was clearly the best decision.
Unfortunately...
The universe had other plans.
I managed to avoid Noah during breakfast.
Mostly because I woke up before sunrise.
The servants stared at me as I quietly finished my meal.
The head butler tilted his head.
"Lady Alice..."
"Yes?"
"You've never woken up this early of your own accord."
"I couldn't sleep."
"And you finished all your vegetables."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Why did the servants notice everything?
Did they hold weekly meetings?
Today's report: Lady Alice ate carrots.
I was starting to suspect they actually did.
After breakfast, I escaped to the library.
Books couldn't interrogate me.
Books wouldn't notice my personality changing.
Books wouldn't ask suspicious questions.
Books were wonderful.
I had just opened a history book when—
Knock. Knock.
A servant entered.
"Lady Alice."
"...Yes?"
"Sir Noah is looking for you."
I immediately stood up.
"I just remembered I have something else to do."
The servant blinked.
"But you were reading just now."
"I have an appointment."
"With whom?"
"...With myself."
The servant looked unconvinced.
Honestly...
So was I.
---
Ten minutes later.
I was hiding inside the greenhouse.
Flowers.
Plants.
Fresh air.
The perfect hiding place.
I let out a relieved sigh.
"I'm safe."
"Safe from what?"
"AAAH!"
I nearly threw the watering can.
Noah stood only a few steps away.
He was dressed casually instead of wearing armor.
Fresh bandages still wrapped around his shoulder.
He looked much healthier than yesterday.
Good.
Very good.
Wonderful.
Unfortunately...
He was looking at me.
Again.
Why did this man always manage to find me?
Did injured knights develop tracking abilities?
"...Lady Alice."
"...Sir Noah."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The silence became awkward again.
Why did every conversation between us end up like this?
Noah glanced at the watering can in my hands.
"...Are you watering the flowers?"
I looked down.
The watering can was upside down.
There wasn't even any water inside.
"...Yes."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Noah calmly reached out...
Turned the watering can upright...
Then said in his usual calm voice,
"I think flowers usually prefer water."
...
...
...
I wanted to disappear.
Immediately.
Wait...
Was that...
A joke?
Did Noah Alden just make a joke?
I stared at him.
He stared back.
His face remained completely expressionless.
Not even the slightest hint of a smile.
Somehow...
That only made it funnier.
A laugh escaped me.
Softly.
Then another.
And before I knew it...
I was genuinely laughing.
Not loudly.
Just enough for my shoulders to shake.
Noah blinked.
"...Was it funny?"
"You..."
I covered my mouth.
"You just made a joke."
"...Did I?"
"You did."
"I wasn't aware of it."
Of course he wasn't.
For some reason...
That made him even more adorable.
For the first time since he had returned...
The atmosphere became light.
Comfortable.
We didn't speak for a while.
Instead...
We slowly walked through the greenhouse together.
It felt incredibly peaceful.
Until...
Noah suddenly stopped walking.
"...Alice."
Danger.
Immediate danger.
Every time someone called my name in that tone...
Something bad always happened.
"...Yes?"
He looked up at the glass ceiling.
"I want to ask you something."
"...Go ahead."
"You've been avoiding me."
...
...
...
Direct hit.
Critical damage.
Instant defeat.
"What?"
"You've been avoiding me."
"I haven't."
"You left the dining room before I arrived."
Coincidence.
"You left the garden when I entered."
Coincidence.
"Yesterday you walked in the opposite direction."
Coincidence.
"You hid behind the bookshelf."
"..."
"..."
"..."
He saw that?
I thought the bookshelf was thick enough.
Apparently not.
Noah looked genuinely confused.
"...Did I do something wrong?"
My chest tightened instantly.
No.
Not at all, you kind puppy-like man.
You didn't do anything wrong.
The problem was me.
Entirely me.
"I just..."
I desperately searched for an excuse.
"...didn't want to interrupt your recovery."
He fell silent.
Then quietly replied,
"You aren't interrupting me."
Four simple words.
Yet somehow...
They hit far harder than the most dramatic love confession.
I quickly turned my face away before my expression betrayed me.
Unfortunately...
Someone was watching us.
Very carefully.
From the second-floor balcony overlooking the greenhouse.
Ace de Rubius.
His blue eyes followed the two figures below.
The distance between them.
Their expressions.
The pauses in their conversation.
Their silence.
Sometimes...
Silence revealed more than words ever could.
Standing beside him was Marquis Schuberg.
The older man crossed his arms.
"So?"
Ace answered calmly.
"Something has changed."
"I know."
"But I can't tell what yet."
The Marquis sighed.
"Neither can I."
Ace shifted his gaze toward Noah.
"Sir Noah seems happier."
"..."
"He smiles more often."
The Marquis looked genuinely surprised.
"He smiles?"
"A little."
"...I missed it."
"You blinked."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Ace looked at Alice again.
"...She smiles differently too."
The Marquis rubbed his forehead.
"I preferred my daughter when she threw teacups."
Inside the greenhouse...
Neither Noah nor I realized we were being watched.
Maybe it was better that way.
Because at that moment...
I was dying inside.
Again.
---
We walked slowly along the flower-lined path.
Neither of us spoke.
Oddly enough...
The silence no longer felt awkward.
It was comforting.
Golden afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass ceiling, bathing the greenhouse in warm light.
Noah suddenly stopped.
"...Alice."
My heart skipped a beat.
That tone again.
The one that always warned me a dangerous question was coming.
"...Yes?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at the sea of flowers before speaking softly.
"...I'm sorry."
I blinked.
"...Sorry?"
He gave a small nod.
"For leaving you alone after our wedding."
I froze.
"It was my duty."
"But..."
He let out a quiet breath.
"...I still left you behind."
My chest tightened.
In the novel...
Noah was always like this.
Always blaming himself.
Even for things that weren't his fault.
Without thinking, I shook my head.
"No."
Noah turned toward me.
"It wasn't your fault."
"..."
"You were only doing your duty."
He remained silent.
Then whispered,
"...Even so."
"I should have stayed longer."
"At least for a few days."
"I didn't even ask whether you felt comfortable living here."
I bit my lip.
Did this man realize...
How dangerous words like those were for my heart?
I forced a smile.
"You came back."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
The moment I realized what I'd said...
I froze.
Oh no.
Why did I say that?
I hurriedly added,
"I mean... you came back safely..."
Noah looked at me for a long moment.
His gray eyes gradually softened.
"...Yes."
"I came back."
Four simple words.
Yet somehow...
They warmed my heart.
Noah resumed walking.
"I thought..."
He paused.
"...you'd be happier if I stayed at the border longer."
I nearly tripped over my own feet.
What?
Who made him think that?
The original Alice.
Right.
The original Alice hated this marriage.
She probably wished Noah would never return.
The thought made my chest ache even more.
I lowered my head.
"...No."
My voice was barely audible.
"I..."
I stopped myself.
No.
I couldn't say too much.
So I simply smiled.
"...I think... the house would feel lonelier without you."
The moment those words left my mouth...
I wanted to hit myself.
What did I just say?
The real Alice would never say something like that.
I'm doomed.
Completely doomed.
Noah looked slightly surprised.
Very slightly.
Almost impossible to notice.
But for someone like Noah...
That was already a very obvious reaction.
After several seconds, he quietly said,
"...I understand."
Then...
For the first time since returning from the border...
The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly.
A tiny smile.
But enough to change the entire atmosphere.
For some reason...
Seeing Noah smile made me smile too.
Naturally.
Without forcing it.
Without pretending.
For a brief moment...
The greenhouse felt incredibly peaceful.
As if there were no prophecy of death.
No monsters.
No suspicious Duke.
No reincarnation.
Just two awkward people...
Slowly learning how to talk to each other.
Unfortunately...
The peace didn't last long.
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside the greenhouse.
A knight rushed inside, breathing heavily.
"Sir Noah!"
Noah's expression immediately turned serious.
"What is it?"
"The military headquarters has sent an emergency summons."
The warm atmosphere vanished instantly.
The knight continued,
"Another monster attack has occurred on the northern supply route."
Noah frowned.
"So soon?"
"Yes."
"The casualties?"
"We don't know yet."
Silence filled the greenhouse once again.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
I recognized that expression.
The one Noah always wore whenever he chose duty over himself.
Even while still injured...
He was already thinking about returning.
No.
Please don't.
Not yet.
The physician had only just allowed him to walk.
Noah turned toward the knight.
"I'll prepare—"
"No."
The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it.
Both men turned toward me.
Oops.
Too emotional.
Again.
I forced myself to take a breath.
"You..."
I lowered my voice.
"...You're still injured."
"It's not that serious."
"It was serious enough to nearly kill you."
The greenhouse fell silent.
The knight looked painfully awkward.
Very awkward.
He slowly turned his gaze away.
Pretending the flowers had suddenly become fascinating.
Noah looked at me calmly.
"...Alice."
"No."
"..."
"You promised you'd recover."
"I am recovering."
"This isn't recovering."
"..."
"This is called being stubborn."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Wonderful.
The original Alice would never scold Noah like this.
I'm doomed.
Absolutely doomed.
Noah remained silent for a long moment.
Then...
To my complete surprise...
He lowered his gaze.
"...You're right."
...
...
...
What?
He admitted it?
Just like that?
The knight looked just as shocked as I was.
Noah let out a quiet sigh.
"I'll wait until the physician clears me."
Relief flooded my chest so suddenly I almost cried again.
Not now.
Please.
Not again.
Noah glanced at me.
For a brief moment...
Our eyes met.
No smiles.
No words.
Yet somehow...
It felt as though we understood each other without speaking.
Unfortunately...
From the balcony above...
Ace de Rubius witnessed everything.
He watched Noah accept Alice's words without argument.
He saw Alice instinctively worry about Noah more than anyone else.
His blue eyes narrowed slightly.
Then he murmured,
"...Interesting."
For the first time...
The Duke was certain of one thing.
Lady Alice Schuberg...
Had changed.
The only question remaining was...
Why?