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Ayla paused, unable to answer Felix's question immediately.
Of course, she had expected to receive such a question someday, from the moment she hastily intervened in the Duke Argenta's affairs.
But when that moment actually arrived, she felt a tightening in her chest.
'Besides this, Felix must think I'm hiding a lot.'
The fact that he had waited silently until now was probably out of consideration for her.
It was a good thing, rather.
'I should tell him the truth now.'
She had to confess that she had deliberately approached Felix, knowing that he was Duke Argenta's son.
That way, Felix would completely turn his heart away from her.
'Felix said he would help me and Peony, but...'
Felix and Peony are in different situations. He overcame Mana insensitivity and even regained his original status.
Even if he offered to help her with her revenge, he would only suffer unnecessary losses.
'I know that everything Felix said is sincere. But the more he is, the more I have to distance myself.'
He doesn't yet know what it truly means to be on the same side as her.
While Ayla was busy organizing her thoughts, Felix opened his mouth gently.
“Don’t worry, Ayla. I’m not upset about it.”
He slowly approached her, who still had her back turned. Even so, Ayla didn't move.
“I’m just curious. How am I supposed to understand this situation?”
His footsteps stopped right behind her. Only then did Ayla finally turn around.
As if realizing that she could no longer avoid it, she slowly opened her mouth.
“…I’m sorry. Actually, I knew from the beginning that you were the Duke's son. Knowing everything, I approached you to use you.”
Her voice was calm, but the end of her words gradually faded.
“I know you’ll be disappointed in someone like me. So…”
So, from now on, let's consider the contract void, and you are free to live as you please.
Just enjoy your new life as the Heir of Argenta to your heart's content.
Just as she was about to say that, Felix shook his head firmly.
“That’s not what I’m curious about.”
He hesitated for a moment before quietly continuing.
“Ayla, you’ve always been strangely confident. To the point where you know everything, even things I haven’t told anyone. How can you do that?”
At his sharp question, Ayla frowned slightly, looking perplexed.
“Please answer me, Ayla. It’s an important matter.”
Felix watched her expression closely and added quietly.
“Perhaps… are you from the future?”
At the unexpected question, Ayla's eyes widened.
She never expected to hear such words from him.
'At best, I thought he would accuse me of investigating him...'
Ayla, who was wondering how to answer, soon let out a deep sigh.
The future. In fact, it wasn't far from the truth.
The memories of the original work that had begun to emerge since some time ago were, in a way, a branch of the future she should have experienced.
She had often thought that she might have gone through all those things and returned, only forgetting it for a while now.
'Returning to the past to twist an unfortunate future is a common setting in novels.'
But the memories of living in modern times were too vivid, and the memories of the 'original work' felt distant, as if she were looking into someone else's life.
Above all, there was no definite proof that she came from the future.
'But why is Felix suddenly saying this?'
His face was strangely confident, as if he wasn't just testing her. It seemed like he wouldn't be easily persuaded no matter what she said.
'…Maybe it would be faster to just go along with Felix's words.'
Having come to that conclusion, Ayla opened her tightly closed mouth.
“If I said that, would you believe me?”
Once she said the words, it was ridiculously absurd.
Someone from the future.
It was a story that no one would believe, no matter who she told.
'I'd only be ridiculed.'
That was why she asked as if she was testing him.
She didn't care if other people ridiculed her, but she couldn't bear to be ridiculed by Felix.
She had decided countless times to distance herself from Felix, but she didn't want to be branded as a strange person by him.
But the other person's reaction completely deviated from Ayla's expectations.
He gave her a somehow sad expression and took a step closer to Ayla.
“I believe you. I told you, you can rely on me as much as you want.”
Felix gently lifted Ayla's hand. Then, he briefly kissed the back of her hand and brought it to his cheek.
His body temperature seemed to slowly melt her coldly frozen hand.
Ayla froze in surprise at the sudden contact.
“…You’d believe that I came from the future?”
Ayla asked back in a voice mixed with absurdity. Felix shrugged as if it were nothing.
“If Ayla says so. Actually, it’s the only thing that can explain it.”
“Aren’t you upset? I knew everything and deliberately approached you.”
“Are you asking if I’m upset that you know everything about me? Not at all.”
Felix shook his head, smiling as if it were nothing.
“If you had simply approached me to get herbs, you could have just taken them and pretended not to know me. But what’s the reason you went out of your way to share the Cure you worked so hard to make?”
“That’s…”
“Or do you really hate me so much that you deliberately drew a line and told me not to interfere? Even though I told you to use me as you wish?”
Ayla's heart was pounding.
She thought she had to refute it somehow in her head, but she couldn't get the words out.
'…How could I dare to do that?'
When she didn't really hate him. When she didn't have the courage to say hurtful things.
Rather, she wanted him to stay by her side, but she had an ominous feeling that everything would go wrong the moment she uttered that feeling.
Felix smiled at Ayla, who was hesitating.
“See? I know that whatever reason Ayla tried to use me for, your heart to worry and care for me is genuine.”
“Felix…”
Ayla pressed her lips shut, not knowing what to say.
Felix paused when he saw tears welling up in her always confident eyes.
Then, as if exhaling a sigh, he opened his mouth halfway impulsively.
“I like you, Ayla.”
At the sudden confession, Ayla blinked blankly. Her heart was strangely fluttering.
She wanted to avoid the situation, but Felix's eyes stubbornly held her, as if waiting for an answer.
She felt like she was suffocating.
'When did we get this close?'
She hadn't realized it until just now, but Felix's face felt too close.
She was afraid that her heartbeat would be heard by him.
She thought she had to reject him firmly, but her body wouldn't move.
It was the moment she was about to close her eyes tightly without realizing it.
“Piyo! Piyooh!”
Piyo's louder cry than ever broke the silence.
It was as if she had been awakened from a deep sleep by a splash of water.
“Pi, Piyo must be hungry. I have to get some food.”
Ayla's face was all red.
She hurried out of the Greenhouse like someone who was afraid to continue the conversation any longer.
It was a very urgent step to say that she was going to find Piyo's food.
Felix glared at Piyo, who had disturbed the rare atmosphere, with dissatisfied eyes.
“You… did you do that on purpose?”
“Piyot?”
Piyo tilted its head with an innocent face as if it didn't know anything. Felix let out a deep sigh.
In fact, he didn't even think about confessing to Ayla until just now.
He was planning to approach her more slowly so as not to be treated the same way as Kadin...
'How am I supposed to hold back when you look at me like that?'
The moment he saw Ayla's face, who didn't know what to do, he impulsively said the words.
Felix's face turned red.
He messed up his hair in embarrassment. Even after that, he couldn't calm down, so he slapped his cheeks a few times.
Only when his cheeks were red and swollen did his heart, which felt like it was about to burst, finally calm down.
'Still, she didn't seem to be burdened.'
His heart was still tickling.
He remembered Ayla's face, which was as red as his.
Maybe she feels the same way as him?
Felix stared at the door where Ayla had disappeared with expectant eyes.
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