n

n

n“I’m relieved to be in the Empire.”

nWhen the carriage stopped, Alicia got out of the carriage first and spoke to Noel.

n“The princess told me that she made a good friend. She looked very happy.”

nNoel got out of the carriage and looked at Alicia.

nIt was a little unpleasant for Noel to have to look up to make eye contact with Alicia, but he couldn’t help it.

n“That’s me, no?”

n“Of course, young master.”

n“Well, I’m sure it’s a pleasure to have a friend like me.”

n“Yes, I think so, too.”

nAlicia nodded gently at Noel’s words.

n

n

nHe said the right thing, so it was natural that he had that reaction.

n‘—Is this, kind of something weird?’

nWhy did he have these strange doubts?

nHe and Rieta were pretty good friends. Yeah, that was clear.

nBut it felt weird that Alicia knew as well.

n—It was strangely unpleasant.

n“Please take good care of her in the future. As a best friend.”

n“……”

nNoel did not respond to Alicia’s final request.

nDid it matter?

nAlicia left without hearing Noel’s answer.

n******

nWhile Noel and Alicia were at the academy, Rieta’s luggage arrived at the Duke’s house in the evening.

nWhile Rieta inspected her luggage in her room, Noel solved one of the wooden puzzles sent to her.

nNow, he was making the easiest first stage, the square.

n“Wow, Noel, I think you’re almost there?”

n“Don’t mind me, just clean up.”

nNoel frowned, fiddling with the pieces that didn’t fit.

nHe couldn’t believe this was just the first step.

n“Yeah, I’m almost done. In fact, I don’t own much… Oh, it’s Sweet Squirrel.”

nRieta found a nostalgic book and picked it up.

nThe book was covered in affectionate fingerprints, likely from Rieta when she was young.

n“What a relief, they took good care of this.”

n“Of course they would, since it’s your squirrel book.”

n“Kk, is that so?”

nActually, she liked it when she was very young, but she stopped reading until she came to the Empire.

n“Alicia bought this for me for my fifth birthday.”

n“Ah… Really?”

nNoel put down the little puzzle for the last time.

nThe completed product was a distorted square. Unfortunately, it was yet another failure.

n“You’re very close, aren’t you?””

n“With Alicia? Of course we’re close.”

nNoel felt somewhat offended.

nOf course, it was because the puzzle was too difficult.

nHe couldn’t believe that even the first step of the puzzle was so difficult.

nNoel slowly swept the pieces of the puzzle he had painstakingly assembled with a crash.

n“You know, actually…”

nThen suddenly, Rieta’s calm voice came through the loud noise.

nNoel stopped for a moment.

n“It’s a secret—”

nRieta, hugging “Sweet Squirrel,” approached Noel and sat facing him.

nNoel gazed at Rieta for a bit, but was soon absorbed in the puzzle again.

n“When I was very young, I thought Alicia would hate me.”

n“No way.”

nNoel smirked as he recalled the conversation he had with Alicia that afternoon.

nFar from hating Rieta, Alicia seemed to revere her like a religious figure.

n“I know that’s not the case now. I was a little worried when I was younger.”

n“Why would you worry about that?”

nBeing hated by a maid’s son wasn’t that important.

n“That’s… I’m..”

nRieta picked up a puzzle piece that Noel had been pondering about and slotted it in.

nIt fit perfectly.

n“I feel like I took Alicia’s mother away.”

n“You mean your maid?”

n“Yes.”

nRieta liked being with her maid, who took care of her from sunrise to sunset, but on the other hand, she was worried about Alicia.

n“Alicia would have needed his mother’s touch.”

n“Well… I understand, but.”

n

n

nNoel put another puzzle piece next to Rieta’s contribution.

n“Anyway, it’s clear that Alicia doesn’t hate you. Don’t you think so?”

nRieta nodded, quite grateful for that.

n“Yes, so now I wish to shelter Alicia and his dreams.”

n“Do you know what he wants?”

n“I’m not sure.. Alicia rarely talks about himself.”

nStill, after she observed him for a while, Rieta thought she had an inkling.

n“Alicia said he respects his grandfather. So, perhaps he would like to become a knight—?”

nBesides, he even wanted to visit the Empire’s military academy.

nNoel nodded, agreeing. He felt the same from the way Alicia admired knights.

n