Even in the midst of almost falling, Liria stared at Noah’s eyes, completely entranced.

It was hard to look away from those blue, rippling eyes.

Adrian’s portal eyes were evidence of Eternal’s power manifesting in physical form.

In other words, awakening marks.

Noah’s eyes now were shining so brightly that they reminded her of Adrian’s eyes.

Liria’s heart pounded.

‘Could Noah… really be Adrian?’

In the original story, Adrian was nine years old, three years older than Liria.

Noah also looked about that age or a little younger. Come to think of it, they still didn’t know each other’s ages.

“How old are you, Noah?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

“At least older than you, squirt.”

Noah, who had been looking down at Liria for a while, unconsciously touched her puffed cheek slightly, then pulled his hand away in surprise.

“Hmm, suddenly? Okay, I’ll guess. Eight years old, no, nine years old?”

“I’m nine. You?”

As Noah turned his head away while answering, Liria exclaimed in her heart.

‘The same age as Adrian…! This increases the possibility that Noah is Adrian…’

If the lodge keeper was Osdel’s subordinate, and Noah had already been kidnapped, she needed to somehow rescue him from here.

‘But how?’

Should she return to the Duke’s castle and ask for help from an adult who would take her side?

Meanwhile, when Liria didn’t respond, Noah’s eyes narrowed.

“What? You’re thinking about something else. You look about four years old.”

Liria raised her eyebrow sharply.

“Oh, sorry. But me, four years old! I’ll have you know I’m six years old.”

“That’s because you’re too small.”

Noah said, looking at Liria. As he said, there was quite a height difference between them.

Noah was thin but quite tall. Liria’s height didn’t even reach his shoulder. She looked up at him.

His eyes were truly mysterious no matter how many times she looked at them.

“But your eyes are incredibly bright.”

“Oh, that’s probably because it’s night, and the lantern light is reflecting.”

Noah hurriedly took out his eyepatch to put it on but couldn’t find it no matter how much he searched his pockets.

“…Huh? Where did it go?”

It seemed he had dropped his eyepatch when he climbed up the tree earlier.

He hadn’t even realized the eyepatch was gone until now.

During the day, he could see somewhat even with the eyepatch on as light came through, but at night, even with slight coverage, he couldn’t see well.

Trying to see clearly when Liria would arrive, he had completely forgotten both to wear the eyepatch and to keep his eyes closed.

How stupid.

Noah became rapidly depressed.

Would this child also look at his eyes as if seeing a strange monster?

Liria was staring intently at his eyes.

She must surely find his eyes strange and scary like everyone else.

But…

“Noah, your eyes are really sparkly and beautiful!”

“What…?”

Liria tilted her head and lowered her eyebrows for a moment.

“But why did you hide such beautiful eyes? Does your eye hurt?”

An unexpected reaction.

Noah was speechless at the unexpected comment, then barely managed to mumble.

“…No. It doesn’t hurt.”

“Really? That’s good. Then why do you wear an eyepatch?”

“I-I don’t like seeing light. I have a condition where I shouldn’t be exposed to sunlight. …R-right now, it’s night, so it’s fine.”

Another lie.

Somehow, his lips seemed to move on their own.

“Really? Then, since it’s night now, you can take it off. Next time when you meet me, don’t wear the eyepatch. There’s no need to hide your handsome face.”

“……”

Liria shook Noah’s wrist while smiling brightly.

Noah awkwardly stepped back and quickly shined the lantern light behind Liria.

“…By the way, what’s that following you?”

Looking at the firefly that was following Liria, Noah narrowed his eyes, feeling like he had finally found an escape route to change the subject.

“I don’t know. It’s been following me for a while.”

Noah, who was chuckling, casually asked Liria.

“Are you allowed to be out this late?”

“Ah, did I set the appointment too late? I’m a bit busy.”

“…I guess that’s how it is when you serve nobles.”

When Noah made this assumption, Liria opened her eyes wide, clearly not understanding.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Nothing. More importantly, what did you bring this time?”

Noah showed interest in the basket Liria was holding.

He looked quite expectant.

Like a dog waiting for food.

“Ah… wait a moment.”

What came out of the basket was, as always, fragrant and delicious-looking food.

Sandwiches, scones, roast chicken, and jam that Marit had made with the raspberries and wild strawberries Noah had picked last time.

“…How does so much keep coming out?”

“Hehehe, looks delicious, right?”

Liria picked up a chicken leg and held it out.

“……”

Noah quickly took it and muttered with an expression of being completely absorbed in the taste.

“…Next time, you could just bring a basket full of this.”

“What, such a little thing shouldn’t be picky already.”

“Who’s calling whom little?”

“…Well, obviously you, no, never mind. Let’s just eat this!”

To Liria, who remembered her past life, Noah looked like a completely soft baby, but from Noah’s perspective, Liria was the smaller little sister.

Liria just quietly closed her mouth.

They shared the rest of the sandwiches and scones. They were getting full.

“Peep!”

Then Kiki also gestured for something to be given to him.

“Kiki, you already ate ten pieces of jerky and you want more? Sigh, no. I need to fill up the count quickly.”

Liria rummaged through her bag, took out some jerky and tossed it, and Kiki jumped to catch and eat it.

Chomp chomp chomp!

Noah found Kiki cute as he diligently chewed the jerky and reached out his hand toward the creature’s body.

Then Kiki glared with his black eyes and hissed.

“W-what?”

“…Ah, don’t touch him when he’s eating. He has a history of biting people.”

“…You’re carrying around something dangerous.”

“Pfft, he protects me when there’s danger.”

“That thing?”

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s true! At first I thought, what is this thing that suddenly appeared, but now I’d feel empty and bored without him.”

Noah put down the food he was eating and responded to Liria’s affectionate gaze toward Kiki, who was eating jerky.

“You’re lucky. To have such a pet.”

“Noah will get a friend like this, too.”

“…No thanks, I haven’t made anything like that in a long time.”

“Don’t you have friends?”

“…Isn’t that a rude question?”

“You made one here, me! Am I not your friend?”

“…Just someone I met in passing.”

It was true, but somehow, it felt disappointing.

“Hmph, that’s mean. After all the bread and meat I brought you… Huh? You eat all the delicious things and now you say we’re not friends?”

Noah, who had been quietly looking at Liria with her puffed cheeks, laughed to himself.

“…You look like that thing. Soft, plump, and pink.”

Like a sweet summer gift with fluffy fur.

Noah swallowed the rest of his words.

After thinking for a moment, Liria suddenly demanded.

“What, are you saying I look like a pig?”

“……”

While the three of them were eating their fill and chatting for a while.

Before they knew it, clusters of stars began to descend. The forest, covered in deep darkness, was quite chilly.

As the wind blew, Liria unconsciously hunched her shoulders and shivered slightly.

Noah noticed this and said, erasing his regret.

“It’s too late. Go quickly.”

“Ah… but playing with Noah is so much fun! I’m sad to go back. I want to stay together longer.”

Liria smiled gently and thought to herself.

‘I’m too worried about Noah to leave first like this. I want to save him.’

“What?”

Suddenly, Noah’s pupils dilated, and his mouth twitched, nearly forming a slight smile.