I revealed a bit of my desire to dress Fazel in new clothes every day. But Fazel couldn’t possibly know that.

“You like silver.”

That’s not what I meant. I just let him misunderstand.

Shortly after, I also put on a silver dress that matched Fazel’s clothes and entered the party hall. 

In the party hall were nobles who’d been invited to the autumn party before. Rucelina and Royten attended as well. Rucelina looked at Fazel and me and whistled. Royten approached Fazel with mischievous eyes.

“You two match well.”

At his words, Fazel’s face heated up slightly. I quickly took it in with my eyes so I wouldn’t miss it.

“You match well.”

Rucelina also said that and admired Fazel and me. 

“Thanks.”

Others also congratulated Fazel on his birthday. At the previous party he’d been my fiancé, but now he was a Count who’d received the Duke’s recognition.

Fazel seemed to shrink slightly, so I whispered to him.

“Fazel, straighten your shoulders. You’re a Count now.”

“I know, but I keep getting nervous.”

He casually linked his arm through mine.

“I feel better now.”

I was flustered by his sudden move. My heart pounded at his abrupt contact.

“Louelle, your face is red.”

“Well, Fazel suddenly did this.”

“So you get flustered by things like this too.”

What kind of image do I usually have for him to say that? I felt somewhat wronged.

“You’re always confident, cool-headed, and mature, so I’ve never seen a face like this.”

“What kind of face?”

“An embarrassed face.”

At Fazel’s words, I bowed my head. I wasn’t prepared for Fazel’s unexpected actions. He was already a man I liked to death, and when he approached me like this, my heart couldn’t possibly survive.

I shouted this inwardly and started the party. The party was in full swing. We danced and talked with others, then exchanged well-wishes with the adults.

The adults left early, and Fazel and I played with our friends. After the party ended, evening came.

I was taking Fazel somewhere. Of course, Fazel had his eyes covered.

“Fazel, aren’t you excited?”

Fazel sat quietly in the carriage. Even though the blindfold must have been stuffy.

Fazel smiled slightly.

“I’m excited. But I deliberately didn’t ask.”

“Why?”

“Because I was imagining.”

At his gentle words, I sat next to him. I held his hand tightly and spoke to him like whispering.

“I’m glad Fazel came to the territory.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, thanks to you, good things happened to me too.”

My life changed after meeting Fazel. It didn’t become tremendously special, but still, having him there made me feel each moment I lived through.

The carriage stopped and I held his hand tightly so Fazel could get out.

“Just put your legs straight down.”

Fazel lowered his feet and safely got out of the carriage. I held Fazel’s hand and walked slowly. We walked slowly into the forest without even escort knights.

This forest was in Asnel territory. It was safe since there were no wild beasts.

Past where trees grew densely, a bit further ahead was a clearing. Arriving at the clearing, I untied Fazel’s blindfold.

“Here it is.”

Fazel looked around.

“Louelle.”

He stared at me with surprised eyes, seemingly flustered.

“I feel magical energy. What on earth is about to happen?”

At his words, when I gestured, magical energy arose from the surroundings. Light began to emerge from the enchanted thread installed between the trees. The light illuminated our surroundings.

The moment the words made of thread were completed, Fazel read the phrase.

“Please take care of me next year too, Fazel. Thank you for being born.”

It wasn’t anything special. I just wanted to convey good words to him and wondered how to do it, so I borrowed magic’s help to create letters with light-emitting thread and hung them.

I also included the hope that Fazel would be happy reading this phrase.

“It’s truly beautiful.”

Fazel admired looking at the letters.

“The letters are really pretty, right? I worked hard making this.”

He shook his head.

“You who made these words are beautiful.”

“Fazel?”

What he called beautiful wasn’t the letters but me.

“Your heart that made this, you are beautiful.”

* * *

Stars floated in the sky. Under the starlight, the writing attached to the trees gave off a charming light. Though not splendid, a subtle and soft light enveloped Fazel.

The gift Louelle gave wasn’t anything grand. Even though she was skilled with her hands and could make it anytime. A strange emotion surged in Fazel’s heart. 

What had Louelle felt when writing these words?

He smiled and floated the letters in the air with magic. Then the letters connected in a line. The magically glowing words gathered in one line and shone in the air.

“Wow.”

Louelle looked at the air like it was fascinating, then stared at Fazel.

“Amazing.”

“What you did is more amazing.”

He returned the letters to their original places.

“I’m not planning to erase these words. It’s the first birthday party you celebrated after we met.”

Fazel nodded.

“Next birthday, I want to do something meaningful too.”

Fazel clenched his fist tightly.

“I haven’t done anything for your birthday. I should have at least given you a bouquet.”

“Fazel, you don’t like flowers.”

At Louelle’s worried words, Fazel shook his head.

“I’m okay now.”

Beautiful Louelle. Fazel murmured inwardly and gently held Louelle’s hand. At that touch, Louelle remained still with a shy face.

The two looked at the letters in the forest for a long time while hiding their feelings for each other. Fazel’s birthday remained a special memory. And shortly after, Fazel left for winter camp.

Suran set the amount Fazel should study during that time, and Louelle attended classes alone.

* * *

“I’m tired.”

I stretched after class ended. Suran smiled and told me.

“The problems you asked about today are very important, so make sure to solve them again.”

“I’ll review and ask again about what I don’t know.”

Suran nodded. After Suran left, I sprawled on the desk.

I was bored without Fazel. Even though I was busy with lots of work, I felt bored. The moments we spent together attending classes, chatting, and passing time simply came to me with new meaning.

“Fazel must be doing well.”

I wrote a letter to Fazel who’d gone to winter camp. A reply came right away. He conveyed the story that Godfather Garen was working him harshly. And he also added that he was doing the best there.

Well, Fazel’s talent and effort are beyond what ordinary people can follow. He didn’t become the mastermind for nothing.

I looked at the sunlight and recalled the content of the novel I’d read. Falling for the female protagonist, Fazel, the mastermind, schemed to possess her. 

But the female protagonist ended up well with the male protagonist, and Fazel stepped down from his position as mastermind and went to subjugate the demon dragon. Then he died in place of the male protagonist.

Saying this was the only thing he could do. He ended his life like that, hoping the female protagonist would acknowledge him.

“That won’t happen now.”

Because I’m by Fazel’s side. And because he’s giving his heart to me.

I smiled thinking that. I hoped he’d live happily with me.

Then Marlene came in carrying tea.

“Class is over.”

“Yeah, I had a hard time learning difficult things today.”

“I thought so. At least have a cup of tea.”

At Marlene’s words, I smiled and drank tea. The sweet tea leaf fragrance entered my nose.

“Phew.”

I shook my head and looked at the book again. I had to master this book completely before Fazel came.

Fazel said he’d ask me about things he didn’t know, so to teach him, I had to understand perfectly. I picked up the books and headed to the study room. Marlene also helped carry books.

Winter was passing like that.

* * *

Fazel was swinging his sword. The sword received from Asnel territory sparkled in the sunlight. 

The reason winter camp was popular was because graduating with excellent grades from camp meant receiving a sword made by an imperial craftsman as a gift.

A good sword was naturally better for displaying skills, so everyone coveted the sword. Fazel was also aiming for the sword.

“Fazel, good posture.”

Garen nodded watching Fazel practice basics. Then everyone looked at Fazel and slightly corrected their posture.

“Those whose posture isn’t correct will do 100 more swings.”

At Garen’s words, those who’d been hesitating all followed Fazel. Fazel swung his sword without being shaken by Garen’s words.

Students who’d finished swinging 1000 times collapsed. But Fazel and a few children were standing.

“Students who can do more, just do 500 more.”

At Garen’s words, Fazel started doing more. Garen had them practice basics until they could endure.

And after a while, several students collapsed on the ground, and Fazel and one more remained. Fazel looked at the boy who remained just like him. The boy’s hair was black. Also, blue eyes resembling Louelle were shining. The handsome-looking boy was also staring at Fazel.

“Two remain.”

Garen smiled broadly and called the boy’s name.

“Caslan Jennell. Fazel Asnel. Well done.”

Caslan Jennell. Fazel heard the boy’s name and murmured it.

The Jennell family was a family that had held important positions in the Imperial Knight Order for generations. They were also famous for unique swordsmanship passed down in the family. And Caslan was called a swordsmanship genius even in that family.

When basic training ended, Caslan approached Fazel.

“Count Asnel, I greet you for the first time.”

Fazel was a famous person in the capital. Since Duke Zieten directly granted him the Count title, he received special treatment even though he was the Duke’s illegitimate child.

“Hello.”

Caslan extended his hand. Then Fazel took his hand and smiled broadly.

“Nice to meet you.”

Fazel treated Caslan politely. The meeting with Caslan Jennell wasn’t special. At least not for Fazel.

* * *

A reply Fazel sent arrived. I prepared tea and sat on the sofa to read the letter. What news would there be today?

Reading the letter, I was startled to learn that Fazel had met Caslan Jennell.

“Good heavens.”

He met the male protagonist who seemed like they’d have no connection at all. To think they’d meet each other at winter camp.

“Hmm.”

Fate had already diverged. I thought there’d be almost no chance for the male protagonist Caslan and Fazel to meet since it had twisted from the original.

They might have been made to meet by the power of fate. The letter said Caslan was truly amazing, that he seemed to have deeper knowledge of swordsmanship than himself, and that he should work harder.

“Fazel always works hard.”

Even knowing he’s outstanding, he doesn’t become arrogant and tries to move forward. The male protagonist was someone with swordsmanship skills superior to Fazel’s. Fazel didn’t become a Sword Master, but Caslan became a Sword Master.

It was Trean who helped him become a Sword Master. Now Trean was by Fazel’s side.

“Will the female protagonist also meet Fazel?”

If fate flows, it would be like that. I was lost in thought for a moment.

What would happen if Fazel met the female protagonist and fell for her at first sight? Would fate lead Fazel back into the swamp of misfortune?

Anxiety surged.

“Phew, this is something.”

Fate wasn’t welcome. Things were barely going well, yet it seemed to be trying to return fate to its original state.

“Well, it’s not certain yet.”

I narrowed my eyes for a moment. No matter how fate turned out, I had to keep Fazel by my side. To do that, I had to make Fazel love me.

Fazel was originally fated to love the female protagonist.

“It won’t be easy.”

I stared at the teacup. I hoped at least Fazel wouldn’t die miserably like in the original.

“Ah, that’s right.”

I thought of a method. In the original, the person Fazel cherished was Suran. But when the female protagonist had a fling with the male protagonist, Suran died, and Fazel had no one left.

The female protagonist married the male protagonist, and Fazel never won her heart. That’s why he easily decided the end of his life.

I can’t let that happen. I put down the teacup.

I didn’t know how fate would flow, but I planned to resist it as much as possible.