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Ayla raised her now-free hand and grabbed Felix's shoulder.
It was an action she would never have dared to do if the sky hadn't been completely dark.
The two, who had been kissing as if possessed, finally seemed to come to their senses and pulled their faces away from each other.
The night breeze constantly rushed in, and the leaves made a whooshing sound like waves.
Ayla covered her flushed cheeks with her hands and looked around. She was worried that someone might have witnessed this scene.
But perhaps because it was so late, all the students seemed to have returned to their dormitories.
Relieved by this fact, Ayla glanced at Felix.
'What did I just do?'
Her face flushed and heated up. The atmosphere became awkward in an instant.
Just a moment ago, they had been talking naturally, but now she didn't know what to say.
But that didn't mean she disliked the kiss with him.
'Rather... I liked it.'
Ayla was startled by the thought that came to her mind without her knowing.
She mustered her courage again and turned to look at Felix. She was so curious about what kind of expression he was making.
But unfortunately, his face was not clearly visible because it was hidden in the shade of the tree.
Felix cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
"So, what are you going to do from now on?"
"...Huh?"
"I was wondering if you were going to return to the Blanche Noble house as it is. Duchess, including Cedric, even know that Ayla is their real daughter."
Ayla hesitated, unable to answer immediately to the sudden question.
But soon she shook her head firmly.
"No, that's not it. I gave up on the idea of going back anyway, ever since I was kicked out of the Noble house."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Right now, revealing that Rosia is a fake and making her pay for the sins she has committed is the priority."
Ayla clenched her fist tightly as if to strengthen her resolve.
Anger surged within her as she thought of Rosia, who was still acting as Princess Consort and living so nonchalantly.
'There's still a lot to do to bring her down completely.'
It was certainly a happy thing that her mother and Cedric had broken free from the brainwashing and accepted the truth.
But there was no room to be complacent or let her guard down.
'The things that happened at the Subjugation Contest haven't all been revealed yet. I asked Darian to investigate, but...'
Ayla didn't expect him to do anything in the first place.
After all, Darian was not a very reliable character even in the original story.
'I have to gather evidence and reveal the truth on my own.'
Ayla vowed to reveal all of Rosia's sins, without missing a single one.
To do so, she had to hide the fact that her mother and Cedric had been freed from the brainwashing until the end.
And above all...
"Even after I finish my revenge, it will be difficult to get along with my family like before."
Felix stared intently at Ayla's resigned face.
He felt sorry for her, who had been teary-eyed with joy at meeting her family just a moment ago, but was now trying to draw a line and turn away coldly.
That alone seemed to tell him how much hurt and pain she had suffered.
'And according to the future the Dragon showed me, Rosia Blanche is not the only enemy.'
There were still many things to do, so she couldn't enjoy complete joy.
He felt sorry, but Felix decided to hide his feelings. Ayla wouldn't want cheap sympathy from him.
'Rather, let's do what I can do.'
More than a few empty words, he wanted to stay by her side and be her strength.
Felix carefully took Ayla's hand again. Her eyes trembled slightly as soon as their fingers intertwined.
"I will also help Ayla until she reveals all the truth."
"..."
"So, tell me anytime if you need anything."
Since some time ago, Felix felt like he could know what she was thinking even if she didn't open her mouth.
Until just a few months ago, she couldn't hide her confusion in front of him and was only busy pushing him away.
But these days, he could feel her opening her heart little by little with every word and action.
"...Okay."
Ayla nodded obediently.
Her appearance, which seemed infinitely solid but was incredibly weak and soft inside, was so lovely.
He smiled slightly mischievously and changed the subject.
"By the way, Ayla. What are we now?"
"Huh?"
"We even did that a little while ago... You're not going to say we're nothing, are you?"
"Wh, what do you mean by that?"
"Well, usually you don't kiss someone you're not close to, right?"
"Ki..."
Ayla's eyes shook violently. Her face looked like she was vividly reminded of what had just happened.
'Ayla can be this flustered too.'
Every time he saw a new side of her, his heart tingled and he couldn't help but smile.
"Piyo, Piyo!"
"Yes?"
"I forgot to give Piyo dinner, so I have to go right away. Sorry!"
Ayla jumped up and hurriedly left the spot.
Felix shrugged his shoulders as he watched her disappear into the darkness.
"...Did I push her too hard?"
Even as he muttered that, an undeniable joy spread across his face.
He raised his hand and touched his lower lip. It felt like the warmth of Ayla's lips was still there.
After returning home late, Cedric washed his face repeatedly.
The servants passing by recognized him and bowed, but he didn't have the leisure to respond to each one.
'I guess even if she pretends not to, she still misses mother.'
Ayla had always maintained a detached attitude in front of him and his brother.
As if she had really become someone else, she drew a cold line.
But the moment Cedric faced Irene's face up close, he didn't expect Ayla to break down so much.
She hadn't said it, but it seemed like she had been longing for her mother all along.
'What on earth have we been doing to that poor child...'
Tears welled up at the thought.
Ever since the Subjugation Contest, Cedric had been so preoccupied with Ayla that he could no longer think straight.
So he went to his mother and confessed all his feelings.
And Irene accepted his words more calmly than he had expected. She looked as if she already knew it.
"Cedric... take me to her. I want to see my daughter after a long time."
To grant his mother's request, Cedric put her in a luggage carriage from her sanatorium far away and went to the academy.
And Ayla welcomed the two who had suddenly barged in more generously than he had expected.
'Considering what we've done, it wouldn't have been easy to do that...'
Perhaps because of the mentally exhausting days, he just wanted to go back to his room, collapse on the bed, and sleep like the dead.
It was then that he staggered across the hallway.
Suddenly, he noticed a man standing at the end of the hallway, holding the doorknob and hesitating.
'Who... Ah, it's brother.'
Gerard was standing in front of Rosia's bedroom.
Realizing that fact, Cedric soon frowned as if displeased.
'That place used to be Ayla's room.'
Rosia had taken everything from Ayla, including the room she had lived in, the attention and love she had received from her family, and even the position of Princess Consort, and was enjoying it as if it were her own.
On the other hand, Ayla, the real owner of all those things, had to leave the mansion with only a few spare clothes and some herbs she had bought.
How unfair and angry would Ayla have been when she had to leave the Noble house without being able to say a single word in protest? How miserable would she have been?
'Rosia threw away all the things Ayla used as soon as she left the mansion.'
Cedric watched it all from nearby, but he couldn't bring himself to stop Rosia.
Because until then, he thought Rosia was his real sister.
'I'm such an idiot.'
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