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n“So, you don’t have to force yourself to do things that you don’t want to do in front of me.”

n“. . . If that’s the case, I don’t want you to recommend I eat something I don’t like in the first place. Do you know how hard it was to eat something so sweet in the morning?”

n“Who told you to eat it?! You just have to insist on not eating as usual.”

n“Look. Is it better for me to be angry with the Princess?”

nRieta was startled by the sound of him laughing.

n“Noel, you’re really mean.”

n“But the Princess will cry if I’m not mean, so there’s nothing I can do about it.”

nRitea opened her eyes sharply and slapped Noel’s shoulder quickly.

n“If you act so mean, I will cry.”

n“Then, you want me to treat you like a gentleman, right? Princess.”

nRieta’s face was distorted as if she was really crying at the polite tone that came back.

nNoel was startled and quickly waved his hands.

n“I won’t, I won’t. Uhh. Princess, are, are you crying? Uhh, that, that’s a joke.”

n“. . . I’m not crying. Sniffle.”

nRieta’s false tears nearly became genuine at the thought that this situation was somehow amusing, because of Noel’s bewilderment.

n“Okay. I can’t help it. I will make an exception for our troublesome Princess.”

n“Exception? What exception?”

n“Hey, I’m Noel Mayer, so of course I have to be the perfect gentleman.”

nHe raised his chin with a slight smirk.

nHe must have been deeply absorbed in the behavior he had shown in the past few days.

n“Everyone is expecting that from me, and I like to live up to it.”

n“You keep pretending to be that strange gentleman, don’t you?”

n“It’s not just a pretense. My father used to say that there’s nothing wrong with imitation, so if you copy a great posture, one day you will really become like that.”

n“Yes . . .”

nIt seemed the Duke was right, though.

n“But the Princess is my friend and your language is a mess.”

nHe stroked Rieta’s hair.

n“I’ll just play with the Princess as Noel, not the gentleman.”

n“. . . Really?”

nWhen Rieta asked with her eyes wide open, he chuckled and laughed.

n“Really.”

n“Well then, are you still going to be gentle with other people?!”

n“Yes, of course. I told you so many times.”

nRieta summarized Noel’s words.

nGentleman Noel, just like the male lead, would show himself to other people.

nAnd the real Noel, rude and barbaric Noel, will belong to Rieta alone.

nThat’s great!

nRieta felt very good, and with both of her arms she grabbed Noel and hugged him tightly.

n“Noel, I really like that!”

n“Why, why do you like it so much . . .”

nNoel, who was embarrassed for nothing, answered bluntly unknowingly, but he didn’t hate Rieta, who was still so happy.

nNo, rather, her hugging him like this made him feel relieved and happy.

nAs expected, Rieta can’t live without me.

nHe smiled with pride.

n“By the way, Noel.”

n“Huh?”

n“I want to ask you something.”

n“What? Tell me. I will answer anything today.”

nNoel was in a good mood and decided to give a big favor.

n“Well, you know . . .”

nRieta did not hesitate, and released the arm that was holding him.

nThe two of them sat face to face again on the floor, looking at each other.

n“Noel, have you ever lied to me?”

n“Gasp . . .!”

nNoel was startled enough that he crawled away from Rieta.

nHe wanted to take a bite out of his mouth, which had said ‘I’ll answer anything’ a while ago.

nWith what confidence did he say that?

nBut since a promise was a promise, he had to be honest about it.

n“There, there is.”

nHe dropped his head to the floor.

n“Huh.”

nThen Rieta came up to him and grabbed his face tightly.

nThe same way that he had grabbed Rieta’s cheek a while ago.

n“Ung.”

nAs their eyes met, it became difficult to speak for some reason, and he turned his gaze to a slightly different direction.

n“What is it that makes it so difficult for you to say?”

n“I mean, the Princess is going to get hurt. No, you certainly will.”

n“Me?”

n“Yes.”

n“Did you become friends with my father?”

n“Are, are you crazy? Why would I exchange letters with the King of Liz!”

n“Then what is it?”

n“Uhh . . .”

nNoel murmured, eventually made up his mind, and began to tell Rieta everything frankly.

nThat he threw the puzzle himself.

nWhile he was talking, Rieta only nodded her head, listened without much response.

nNoel thought it was even scarier.

nHe’d rather she pinch the cheek she was holding now.

n“Umm.”

nWhen his story was over, Rieta let his face free and seemed to ponder something for a moment.

nNoel was worried that maybe he had broken Rieta’s heart so badly that she was choosing what to say.

n“It . . . didn’t hurt your feelings?”

n“Right.”

nRieta smiled a little and shrugged her shoulders.

nAlthough she once said, ‘If Noel threw the puzzle on purpose, I’d be hurt.’ . . .

n“It didn’t hurt at all, so I was thinking it was okay.”

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