“Why did the portal break? We didn’t even use it that much! And even if it’s broken, with that magician’s skill...”

Shh. Khalid put a finger to my lips.

I closed my mouth tight and went back to stacking blocks.

“Who here would know that better than you?”

“...Asha probably couldn’t talk freely because she’s worried about the Kingdom.”

“Yeah. I think that magician is just making excuses to search this place more. But anyway, we’re going back to Zelochs tomorrow.”

I picked up an orange block for the third level and nodded slowly.

“That’s true.”

As I expected, my family said we wouldn’t stay in Ipsen any longer.

Other nobles seemed excited for the hunting contest or the next social parties, but my dad would never care about those things.

Besides, there will be a monster subjugation soon.

“We might run into the magician, so stay inside the mansion today.”

“...I was planning to do that anyway.”

I didn’t plan to go out.

I’d just stay home, tying knots or something.

‘And tonight, I’ll definitely use the herb!’

If I fall asleep again, I’ll just give up and sleep forever!

I made up my mind.

“But what happened in the carriage yesterday?”

Khalid suddenly asked.

He was now sitting cross-legged, arms folded, staring at my face.

“How did you know?”

“Senior Leon said you looked tired.”

I remembered catching a glimpse of Sir Leon’s face through the carriage window.

Wow, he noticed me in that brief moment.

Knights really are observant.

I hesitated, stacking blocks, and then spoke.

“No... It’s nothing much.”

“Okay.”

“Licht thought I was a magician.”

“What?”

“Luckily, it looks like he realized he made a mistake. But Dad asked me about it.”

We sat in silence for a while.

“So did you... tell the Duke the truth?”

I shook my head a little.

“I couldn’t tell him.”

I was about to add the last block, but stopped.

“You know, I feel a little weird and confused.”

My fingers touched the corner of the block absently. As always, Khalid just quietly listened.

“When Dad accepted that I’m a girl, I felt so brave. But now, when I try to tell him I’m a magician, I just can’t say it.”

I was confused.

I really didn’t know when the right time would be.

I don’t want to disappoint Dad.

‘I don’t want to see that same face as yesterday.’

Even for a moment, I didn’t want him to regret becoming my family.

So when is the right moment, and with what kind of face, do I tell him?

‘Why is there no answer for things like this?’

I wished someone could just tell /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ me the answer.

“It’s normal to be careful.”

Khalid’s still-young voice was soft.

He took the block from me and gently placed it on top.

“It’s something important to you.”

“That’s true...”

“And there’s a searching magician outside right now. Of course you need to be careful. There’s an order to everything...”

I stared at Khalid.

“And whatever you decide, I know that’s the best choice for you. So, just do what you want.”

My mouth fell open.

“You...”

“...?”

“Sometimes you sound more like an adult than I do.”

“You’re not an adult either, you know?”

“Oh, uh... That’s true.”

I looked at the finished block castle.

The castle, stacked neatly in order, didn’t shake at all, even with a sudden gust of wind.

“Yeah. There’s a priority for everything.”

The most important thing for me right now is to find out the next part of the original story.

I stretched my back and smiled.

“Okay! I feel better now. You always say exactly what I want to hear.”

“Really?”

Khalid calmly started putting the blocks away.

I looked at his side profile with new eyes.

‘He’s such a good and upright kid.’

Heh. I hope he always grows up like this.

‘But am I the only one always complaining?’

Thinking about it, Khalid almost never asked me for advice. He never really complained about anything.

And yet, he always listened to me without getting annoyed.

I felt touched for no reason.

“Khal, you really are a super, super, super kind and sweet friend.”

“Kind...”

His handsome face twisted a little.

“What’s wrong? It’s like you only heard ‘kind’ from me.”

“No. I mean, I am kind. And sweet too.”

His reaction seemed kind of off. I tilted my head.

We picked up our things and walked together, when Khalid suddenly asked:

“...Isn’t there anything else?”

“Huh?”

“Kind, sweet... and what else?”

“Should there be something else?”

“Not really, but...”

He mumbled.

I thought for a moment and added:

“Oh, you’re handsome! And strong!”

Khalid suddenly stopped walking. I giggled and remembered the girls I saw at the banquet yesterday.

“The girls were whispering about you a lot, you know?”

You were the winner of the horse-riding contest, after all!

“...What about you?”

“Huh?”

I looked at him. Khalid was turning his head away, not making eye contact.

Maybe it was the spring sunlight, but the tips of his pretty ears were turning red.

“What do you mean, me?”

“Did you talk about me too? You know... while they were talking about me.”

My eyelids fluttered a few times.

“No? I didn’t say a word.”

Well, it’s not that I didn’t want to... but I couldn’t.

They didn’t let me join them. I couldn’t even sit at the same table...

‘If I could, I would have bragged so much.’

That he’s my friend.

‘Wait. Maybe that’s a bit much?’

Even if it’s a compliment, it’s not good to talk behind someone’s back, right?

‘Oh no. Is he upset about that?’

I quickly moved so Khalid could see my face.

“Khal, Khal! Calm down. From now on, I swear, I’ll never, ever talk about you again!”

“Why would you say it like that...?”

His face looked even colder.

Eh? That’s not right.

“What do you want then?”

“I just want you to talk about me a lot...”

“Huh?”

“And think about me a lot... No, what am I saying?”

He couldn’t even finish his sentence and started mumbling nonsense. He didn’t look well.

I got worried and started fanning Khalid’s red face with my hand.

“You must be too hot already. What are we going to do?”

He stared at me, then suddenly hid his face in his arm.

“Young Lady!”

Just then, Hazel called from far away.

“There’s a guest for you!”

“A guest?”

“It’s Count Carmelan! He brought his youngest daughter!”

“Oh, Titi!!”

I ran off as fast as I could. I was so happy because Sortie, who’d been very sick after the kidnapping, had come to visit.

“Khal, aren’t you coming?”

I shouted to Khalid.

He was looking at me now with a strange, frustrated face.

He looked... annoyed and a little hurt?

“I’m going ahead!”

Only then did Khalid walk after me, his steps heavy.

“...So in the end, I have to be kind, sweet, and handsome.”

“What did you say?”

His blue-grey eyes looked at me sharply, like there was a fire inside them.

“Just wait. I’ll be even kinder, sweeter, and more handsome from now on.”

What is this, a declaration of war?

“Uh... Okay, do whatever you want?”

Geez.

Careful, you might really grow up to be a perfect gentleman!

As I went out into the mansion’s garden, Sortie, who was sitting on a bench, jumped up.

“Rubian!”

“Titi!”

We ran to each other and grabbed hands happily.

“Oh? Licht, you’re here too!”

“Hello, Rubian. I met Lady Carmelan just outside.”

Licht smiled at me.

Sortie looked at me for a moment, then her mouth fell open.

“You really are a girl!”

Her sky-blue croissant-shaped hair was extra puffy today.

“I was so surprised when I heard the news. But... now everything feels right!”

“Hehe.”

“Actually, I always felt you were really friendly from the start. You were so different from the naughty boys.”

Sortie whispered the last part, as if worried Licht might hear. I grinned.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m all better! It’s too bad I missed the Green Festival... Oh! Congrats on winning! You’re really, really amazing, Rubian!”

Sortie jumped up and down like she was happier than I was.

I rubbed my nose.

“It’s not a big deal...”

Ah, geez. Now I can’t help but show off my gold badge...

“The masked Northern Lady’s amazing adventure! That’s what everyone was talking about.”

“Uh, that’s a bit...”

That title sounds weird.

I seriously worried about my public image.

Just then, Hazel appeared with a gentle smile.

“Alright, cute young ladies. This way, please! The tea table is ready.”

“Oh! I brought tea snacks!”

“Oh my, will you give them to me?”

“Sure!”

Sortie took Hazel’s hand and led the way.

Then I met Licht’s eyes, as he’d stepped back a little.