Chapter 26

Noah was undoubtedly in a bad mood because of that. I knew it, but I didn’t bother to defend myself.

"You should want to show your proud Noah to your father, shouldn’t you?"

"…Princess"

"Come on, Noah"

Claudia smiled and told this adorable servant,

"You have so many 'possibilities.'"

"…!"

It means you can choose a wonderful future.

You have a lot of magic. You have the innate talent to control it, apply it, and master it in a short time.

You come from the bloodline of a great nation's royal family, and your mind is exceptionally clear. Your flexible limbs move well, and you will grow taller and become a handsome, well-built man.

"Your strength should be recognized by everyone. At the very least, you should be the best king in this country."

"…, I—"

"You might even be desired by Lord Vil and Lord El."

When she said this, Noah furrowed his brows.

(Compared to being the servant of an exiled princess, you would have many more futures if you were a retainer of your father or brothers.)

Did Noah sense the unspoken thought?

"That’s out of the question."

Noah quietly sat up and looked down at Claudia, who was lying down.

His eyes were filled with a smoldering anger.

When Claudia rolled over on her back and looked up, Noah’s eyes were more dazzling than the sky.

"I told you, I’m fine being your dog."

"…Yes, I heard."

Smiling, she nodded slowly.

Noah, with a sincere expression tinged with anger, told Claudia straight.

"I was saved by you."

"———…"

The autumn wind blew through, swaying the out-of-season flowers.

"I thought I would die in that forest, after escaping from my uncle and transferring there in a panic. I felt so miserable, as if everything had been taken from me, and I knew I couldn’t do anything."

She remembered the Noah from when they first met.

She listened to what the young boy, who resisted magic and glared at her while lying on the ground, was thinking in his heart.

"Even after I betrayed you and transferred, I thought I was fine with dying. But you helped me again, and you mourned for my sister. You told me, 'You did well.'"

Claudia smiled and nodded again.

"—At that moment, for the first time in my life, I thought I wanted to keep living."

It was only a month ago, so of course, she remembered it clearly.

At that time, Noah had a face that looked like he was about to cry.

But he held back and swore his loyalty to Claudia. Now, Noah looked at her with an even more earnest gaze and said,

"So, I’m fine being your dog. …I don’t need any other way of living."

Those words made him seem like a truly loyal and devoted dog.

(Noah is always so straightforward.)

Even when he acts tough or tries to act mature, it’s all because he wants to be relied on by Claudia.

She can tell that he’s trying to protect her.

That’s why Claudia decided to tell him clearly.

"That’s because, Noah—"

She gently reached out with her small hand and touched Noah’s cheek.

"You don’t know any other way of living yet."

"…!"

When she said this, Noah’s face contorted.

"No, …I care about you…!"

"Care about me?"

"…!"

When she asked, she could feel Noah clenching his fists tightly.

Noah bowed his head deeply and, with his hand covering his eyes, muttered in a voice like a soliloquy,

"…I’m worried."

"Worried?"

This was a fresh word to hear.

Of course, as the exiled princess Claudia, she had hardly ever been worried about by anyone, not even in her past life as Ardelheit.

But looking back on the past month, Noah’s attempts to protect Claudia could indeed be called 'worry.'

"…Your past self is dead."

"Yes, if she were alive, she’d be a 518-year-old grandmother, hehe!"

"The reason for her death is said to be suicide."

Claudia smiled and narrowed her eyes as Noah spoke about her past.

"The reason is not known to posterity. Your disciples kept it secret."

"Aww, you investigated it for me, didn’t you?"

"I don’t intend to ask why you died. However, the fragility that led Ardelheit, the strongest witch, to suddenly choose suicide is something you’ve inherited."

(…He really looks at me with such sincere eyes.)

Claudia slowly sat up and sat down in the flower field.

Noah touched Claudia’s hair, where a petal had caught, and continued speaking.

"…Why do you deliberately provoke your father?"

"Because it seemed more interesting."

"Really? ——Did you plan to provoke your father, shift his interest to me, and take me away from you?"

"Hehe"

In such a short time, he has come to understand Claudia quite well.

Just as Noah said,

Claudia wants to find a future for this excellent, potential-filled servant, other than being by her side.

(Because you’re such a good boy.)

She truly thinks so.

(Know the wide world, meet many people. ——And open up the vast future that lies ahead of you.)

Without saying this, Claudia touched Noah’s left chest.

"!"

Suddenly, a strong wind blew, and Noah instinctively closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes, Claudia was in the form of a sixteen-year-old, and Noah had changed to look around nineteen.

"…Princess…"

Hearing the exasperated tone of the adult Noah, Claudia, who had also become an adult, laughed from the bottom of her heart.