“This won’t do. You clearly can’t get up. If lying down feels suffocating, at least sit.”

Lloyd carefully covered Melissa’s legs with the blanket and even placed a pillow behind her back. Only then did his hands leave her shoulders.

That careful and warm touch made something flash through Melissa’s mind. She felt like someone had done this for her before she collapsed.

“Your Highness, when did you arrive?”

“I came when you were being treated by the doctor. As soon as I arrived, everyone was in chaos, and when I heard you had collapsed, I rushed straight here.”

“Ah……”

Melissa didn’t respond immediately and closed her mouth.

According to Lloyd’s words, the person who appeared just before she collapsed wasn’t him.

‘I thought it wouldn’t be Lloyd.’

That nullification magic was beyond Lloyd’s capabilities.

Despite knowing this, she had asked because of the words she had faintly heard while collapsing.

[You can rest now……]

The sentence scattered in her mind before completing.

Due to her dazed state, she couldn’t remember well, but Melissa knew the voice speaking to her had been quite familiar.

There weren’t many people who could speak to Melissa Lucid that way.

‘If I think a bit more, I might remember.’

What did they say after that?

Closing her eyes again and tracing her memory, the words she had heard settled in Melissa’s ears as a complete sentence.

Just like recreating that moment.

[You can rest now, Melissa.]

“Gasp……”

In that instant, Melissa’s eyes flew open.

Someone who called Melissa Lucid by just Melissa.

When a person naturally came to mind, Melissa quickly shook her head.

‘No. It can’t be.’

Absolutely. It couldn’t possibly be Edgar.

No, it shouldn’t be Edgar.

Melissa remembered that quite affectionate voice and touch. That careful feeling, like handling a piece of glass that might break with the slightest pressure.

So it absolutely shouldn’t be Edgar.

He shouldn’t treat her like that now.

‘It can’t be Edgar. He wouldn’t come all the way here.’

Edgar Shortiras was a talent likely to become the Tower Master. He should be continuously educated at the Magic Tower and wouldn’t come all the way to the north.

He wasn’t someone who would accept such disadvantages.

There was no reason for him to do so.

‘But……’

Honestly, if it wasn’t Edgar, there was no explanation. Considering the skill level, it could only be him, but considering the situation, it couldn’t be him.

What on earth was happening?

“Lady, what’s wrong? What’s the matter? Are you in pain somewhere?”

Lloyd grabbed Melissa’s shoulders and asked.

Only then did Melissa come to her senses somewhat.

She felt her body had grown cold from tension.

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t say it’s nothing again. With your complexion looking so bad, it can’t be nothing.”

Lloyd raised his hand and touched Melissa’s forehead. After removing his hand, he stood up with a look of determination.

“This won’t do. I’ll call the doctor again. You seem to be getting worse.”

“I’m fine, really. I……”

“Listen to me, lady. This is an order.”

Lloyd, who had insisted firmly, quickly left the infirmary.

He moved so fast that Melissa had no chance to stop him.

Since it would be ridiculous to follow Lloyd, Melissa decided to simply wait comfortably for the doctor who would come with him.

As she leaned back against the bed headboard—

Knock knock.

Something knocked on the window.

The moment Melissa instinctively turned her head with a strange unease, a cool scent she had smelled before collapsing drifted on the wind. The window, which had definitely been tightly closed, was now wide open.

And the person sitting in front of it too.

“Finally, we’re alone. I’ve been waiting for quite a while.”

The man who had been sitting on the windowsill soon stepped into the infirmary. The sight of him walking toward Melissa felt extremely surreal.

The man looked exactly as he did in her memory.

The owner of dark black hair that matched the dark sky and blue eyes that shone like the sparkling sea.

Edgar Shortiras.

“It’s been a while, Melissa.”

Her first love greeted her softly.

It had been six years since they last met.

“……Edgar?”

Melissa swallowed a groan while looking at the man who clearly existed before her.

She wanted to deny what she was seeing. That this must be a dream, that she was having visions like she did right before dying.

But no matter how much she blinked, the scene before her eyes didn’t change. Edgar’s footsteps could be heard clearly.

“What brings you here……”

“I came from the Magic Tower for support.”

Edgar answered the words Melissa had muttered to herself.

At that, a hollow laugh escaped her lips.

“You came for support?”

“Yes, it’s not strange for a Magic Tower mage to come to the north. It’s been happening continuously for the past few years.”

“No, this is strange. It’s you of all people, Edgar Shortiras.”

Melissa immediately retorted.

She gripped the blanket tightly to hide her trembling hands. The white blanket crumpled miserably in her grasp.

“Even though I may not know much about what’s happening outside, I know that Magic Tower mages who come to the north don’t hold high positions within the tower. I also know they wouldn’t send their precious future Tower Master over all those people.”

“Then you must also know that the future Tower Master can leave the Magic Tower whenever he wants.”

Edgar tilted his head slightly.

His blue eyes curved gently. It was the smile Melissa had always loved, one she couldn’t easily forget even after being abandoned by him.

‘Why is he smiling like that?’

Six years ago, the final encounter between them had been terrible.

He couldn’t have forgotten what she had said back then. Yet he smiled while looking at her.

Looking at that face made it feel like nothing had ever happened between them, leaving Melissa unable to respond immediately, just breathing shallowly.

She couldn’t understand this situation at all.

Melissa squeezed out her voice and asked,

“Was it you who saved me?”

Edgar said nothing.

But Melissa got enough of an answer from that alone.

She hadn’t asked because she didn’t know.

[You can rest now, Melissa.]

The familiar voice. The familiar tone. The familiar scent.

Everything that made up Edgar was something Melissa could never forget. In her previous life, she had lived thinking only of those things. Like she had been enchanted.

And this life seemed no different.

The moment her eyes met Edgar’s, her heart beat violently, and Melissa raised her hand to clutch her chest. She felt like curses might spill out.

Because the outcome of this emotion was all too predictable.

‘I thought I was starting to get better.’

I thought I could live well.

Why, why on earth.

“……Why did you come?”

Edgar’s appearance alone instantly threw everything into disarray. It made all her struggles until now feel useless.

Not wanting to meet his eyes anymore, she lowered her head, but Edgar approached again.

“I told you, Melissa.”

He sat lightly on the edge of the bed.

Soon after, his large hand carefully lifted Melissa’s face. Their gazes naturally met.

“That I would always protect you.”

The blue eyes she met shone strangely.

Melissa couldn’t say anything and just swallowed dryly.

She knew those words were meaningless. Once again, her childhood friend had calmly told a lie.

‘Yes, that must be it.’

But meeting those eyes, strange thoughts kept rising. She felt those blue eyes contained only her. She felt like she might be swallowed whole by that gaze.

Just when Melissa was trying hard to gather her thoughts,

“I missed you, Melissa.”

Edgar leaned closer and whispered softly.

His voice settling in her ear was sincere and affectionate.

Just like it was an unchanging truth.

Making her want to let go of everything and cling to him.

* * *

Edgar left after saying those words.

Melissa didn’t ask him anything more.

She simply realized he had left because Lloyd was bringing a doctor, knowing they were coming.

Melissa remained still even after the examination ended and Lloyd left the infirmary, telling her to rest well.

Edgar’s words kept circling in her mind.

[I missed you, Melissa.]

She thought a lot about those words.

After much contemplation, Melissa reached one conclusion.

It was a lie.

‘If he really missed me, he would have at least written a letter.’

But for the past six years, Edgar had never contacted her once.

Not when rumors spread that Melissa was being abused in the Shortiras ducal family, nor when she headed to the north because of it.

No matter how far the distance between the Artzen Empire and the Magic Tower, there’s no way he hadn’t heard of such a well-known incident by now. He should’ve at least sent a letter to ask if she was okay.

His current behavior might be due to some other purpose.

‘Could it be because I’m not moving according to plan?’

That was the most likely reason.

Unlike her previous life where she lived completely submissively, the current Melissa had defied Lionel’s wishes, left the Shortiras ducal mansion, and came to the north.

Perhaps Lionel, unable to bear it anymore, had contacted Edgar. Telling him to go to the north and do something about it.