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Chapter 78
Noah wore a mischievous grin.
He was handsome when wielding a sword or carrying himself with quiet confidence, but when he smiled like this, he somehow looked twice as attractive.
I pressed my burning cheeks.
“Now you’re making fun of me…!”
“Haha. If someone else saw you right now, they’d think you were a rose. Your cheeks are such a pretty shade of red.”
Noah laughed out loud.
Ever since his confession, things between us had felt awkward. Seeing him laugh so naturally finally eased some of the tension in my heart.
I found myself smiling along with him.
Then Noah’s eyes widened slightly.
“Oh, by the way…”
“What I told you before hasn’t changed.”
“…Is that really something to bring up right now?”
“I just don’t want you to misunderstand.”
“If we get too comfortable, you might mistake this for family… or friendship.”
He knew me frighteningly well.
“But I’m done keeping my distance.”
“It’s hard on me when you keep acting that way.”
“And every time I leave your side, there are too many people trying to take my place.”
“I can’t help feeling anxious.”
I didn’t need to ask who he meant.
Looking satisfied, Noah continued,
“It’s getting late.”
“Go get some rest.”
“I have a feeling tomorrow’s going to be rough.”
“…Yeah.”
“I think so too.”
“You should…”
“…take care of yourself.”
I turned to leave.
Then Noah called after me again.
“Isabella.”
I was about to turn around and scold him for calling me that.
Instead, he looked at me with complete seriousness.
“I doubt I’ll ever take my eyes off you.”
“But…”
“Be careful.”
“I don’t like the feeling I get from that woman.”
“…”
All traces of teasing had vanished.
It was nothing but sincere concern.
—
### *****
—
Just before we departed…
I stood frozen, as though I’d witnessed something impossible.
The avalanche unit was preparing to leave.
Naturally, I had assumed we’d be riding horses to reach the mountain quickly.
Instead…
A four-wheeled carriage fitted with snow chains stood waiting.
I stared at Yurielle, wrapped in luxurious fur.
“…We’re going in *that?*”
She tilted her head.
“Is there a problem?”
I quietly looked her over.
She wore a thick winter coat that looked cumbersome to move in, heavy leather boots, and even a fur hat decorated with an animal’s tail.
She didn’t look like someone heading into battle.
If anything…
She looked as though she’d dressed this way specifically to annoy me.
One of Adrian’s trusted retainers approached and opened the carriage door.
“House Eblon maintains a road through the mountains.”
“It takes a bit longer, but it’ll safely bring you to the entrance by carriage.”
Taking the sword her maid handed her, Yurielle climbed inside.
I glanced at Noah.
With little choice, I followed after her.
—
The carriage was surprisingly spacious.
Even sitting across from Yurielle in our heavy winter clothing, there was still room between us.
I’d been told the journey would take less than an hour.
Planning to review the operation during that time…
I suddenly felt Yurielle’s gaze fixed on me.
Come to think of it…
This was the first time we’d ever been alone together in such an enclosed space for so long.
Realizing a problem I’d never considered before, I nervously bounced one leg.
Yurielle spoke first.
“I was rather rude to your knight yesterday.”
“Did you hear?”
She spoke casually, as naturally as breathing.
I briefly considered pointing that out, but seeing her practically buried beneath layers of winter clothing somehow drained my motivation.
“…I heard.”
“It sounded like you wanted to tell him some kind of secret.”
Yurielle smiled without the slightest hint of embarrassment.
“A secret?”
“That’s a cute way of putting it.”
“It certainly hides the true contents of the conversation.”
She chuckled.
“I suppose you could call it a secret.”
Then she narrowed her eyes.
“Do you know what it was?”
“…”
I glanced out the carriage window.
Since leaving the duke’s castle, the snowstorm had only grown fiercer.
Just as Noah had predicted…
Today was going to be difficult.
Turning back to Yurielle, I answered quietly,
“Yes.”
“I know.”
As time passed and my new life settled into something stable…
More and more of Isabella’s memories had become my own.
Among them…
One particular incident resurfaced.
It was the event in the original story where Yurielle took away my title of Archmage.
The novel had only mentioned that Isabella lost the title because of her unhealthy obsession with mana and her abuse of it.
It had never explained the trial itself.
Only through Isabella’s memories did I finally learn what had actually happened.
I slowly closed my eyes.
Then opened them again.
“You want to talk about the masquerade party from our academy days.”
Yurielle smiled brightly.
“So you remembered.”
“I thought I was the only one traumatized by it.”
“As if.”
“I’ve wanted to talk to you for a while.”
“I think you’ve been seriously misunderstanding something.”
“Really?”
“That’s good to hear.”
“What exactly have I misunderstood?”
“Your obsession with mana?”
“Or…”
“That depraved orgy you were trying to hold?”
My mouth fell open.
“…That’s exactly the misunderstanding.”
“It wasn’t that kind of party.”
“If I hadn’t walked in…”
“It would’ve become one.”
“Wouldn’t it, Isabella?”
“…”
Back in our academy days…
The reckless Isabella had spent her time flirting with one person after another.
Eventually, she decided she wanted a more efficient way to gather mana.
Just like she’d done at Monteo Garden.
So she hosted a masquerade party, inviting the classmates who had been captivated by her beauty.
After absorbing mana through repeated physical contact…
Her mind had become clouded.
She’d nearly lost control and injured another student.
If Yurielle hadn’t mistakenly entered the room…
I rubbed my aching forehead.
Yurielle’s cheeks flushed as she remembered the incident.
“You’ve always been so bold, Isabella.”
“You did things I’d never even dare imagine.”
Even so…
The exact circumstances leading up to that party remained blurry in my memories.
What mattered now…
Was that if the truth ever became public, I could still lose my title.
The Magic Tower regarded obsessive dependence on mana as one of the gravest offenses.
I stared silently at Yurielle before running a hand through my hair and leaning back.
“What do you want?”
“Why bring all of this up now?”
She looked genuinely surprised.
“I’ve been thinking this for a long time.”
“You’ve changed.”
“…”
“I thought it was just a rumor.”
“But now that I’ve seen you myself…”
“It’s true.”
“You’ve changed.”
“You used to be so simple.”
“So simple it felt like a waste of your talent with mana.”
“…You’re very different from what I expected too.”
Yurielle smiled exactly as she had been described in the novel—
warm as spring sunshine.
Then she suddenly burst into laughter.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why are you treating me like everyone else does?”
“You don’t have to hide your true self from me.”
“I won’t be hiding mine either.”
Only then did I finally understand what Ebl had meant.
The simple, kind-hearted Yurielle everyone admired…
Didn’t actually exist.
That was merely the version Adrian wanted to see.
Suddenly the carriage jolted violently after hitting a large rock.
Yurielle lurched toward me.
I instinctively caught her.
For a brief instant…
My vision blurred.
Someone else’s image overlapped with hers.
“…Would you let go?”
Lost in that lingering afterimage, I hadn’t realized I was still gripping her hand tightly.
Startled, I immediately released her.
Yurielle glanced at the hand I’d held before looking back at me.
“I approached Noah because I wanted him.”
She admitted it far more openly than I’d expected.
“Don’t you think so too?”
“He’s far too capable to stay by your side.”
“That isn’t for either of us to decide.”
“It’s Noah’s choice.”
“You certainly have a smooth tongue.”
Just then the carriage gradually slowed.
We had arrived.
Yurielle straightened her clothes.
“Isabella.”
“That incident belongs to both of us.”
“I have no intention of telling anyone about it.”
“…”
“So don’t worry.”
“Just as you said…”
“I’ll make Noah leave you.”
“By his own choice.”
As she finished speaking…
She removed the thick fur cloak covering her body.
Beneath it was a suit of armor custom-made to fit her perfectly.
Its sleek design made her appear swift and deadly.
It was as though everything she’d shown me until now had been an act.
She extended one hand toward me.
“So…”
“Let’s settle this fairly, Isabella.”
Before me stood not a delicate flower…
But the Empire’s famed sword of House Rosenberg.
I’d been completely fooled.
Seeing that I simply stared at her, Yurielle pouted playfully.
“My arm’s going to fall off if you keep me waiting.”
With little choice, I reached out and shook her hand.
The instant our hands met…
A sharp sting ran across my palm.
Yurielle stepped out of the carriage first.
Looking down, I examined my hand.
The cold had split the skin in several places.
*Is that why it stings?*
I slowly opened and closed my fist…
Then followed Yurielle out of the carriage.
