After clearing the reception table, she sat at her desk and was about to start work when she sighed.

‘I feel dizzy…’

Her head had been throbbing a bit since earlier, and it seemed to have gotten worse after facing Serena. Thinking it might be due to lack of sleep, she tried to close her eyes for a bit, but sleep wouldn’t come easily.

It seemed that overworking herself lately and stress were the problem.

‘My constitution really is my enemy…’

No matter how outstanding her magical talent was, Aris’s body remained as weak as ever. Of course, it had improved compared to the past, as her capacity had grown and she could now utilize magical power.

However, her body still couldn’t handle large amounts of magical power well, making her more frail than others. Even her mentor Andre had tried to solve Aris’s constitution, but for some reason, it didn’t improve much.

After some deliberation, Aris went outside. She wanted to get some fresh air, and she also needed to ask permission from her superiors for something.

After inhaling the clear air, she sighed.

‘My research room, at this rate, isn’t it public property…? Strange people keep coming in.’

Even if she locked the research room door, it was useless if people like Serena Frencia could unlock it with magic. But it felt awkward to tell Kalaian, who was in charge overall… Considering the relationship between the two, she didn’t think he would take her side either.

Aris tilted her head back and took a deep breath with her eyes closed. Breathing in the fresh air seemed to ease her throbbing headache a little.

‘I’ll quickly get permission from my superiors for the geological survey and go on a business trip.’

With that determination, she suddenly opened her eyes. At that moment, her vision swayed and her head spun. She wanted to regain her balance in panic, but her whole body felt drained of strength and she couldn’t move. She didn’t even have the energy to squeeze her eyes shut.

It felt just like that time. In her past life, the day she was going to meet Kalaian carrying a file folder. When she collapsed from overwork.

‘Why am I remembering that memory of all things…’

It was a memory with no good aspects at all. It’s always like this… when her heart weakened, that person appeared in her memories and was carved into her chest. The man who hurt her terribly and kept coming to torment her so inconsiderately…

Suddenly, someone hurriedly embraced Aris’s collapsing body.

‘Kalaian…?’

Aris unknowingly called for him, feeling as if trapped she was in the past. But the person before her eyes was not the one she thought of.

“Are you alright?!”

“……”

“Get a hold of yourself!”

The man’s voice gradually faded away. She could barely make out his face through her blurred vision, and couldn’t remember it.

But his gentle yet firm baritone voice remained in her memory for a long time, enough to replay even in her dreams.

* * *

Aris frowned and then struggled to lift her fluttering eyelids. As she did, her vision was filled with trees full of verdant leaves embracing the sunlight.

Still in a daze, she blinked slowly, wondering where she was.

“Are you awake?”

A voice came from beside her head. Aris turned her head and gaze slightly to look towards the source of the sound and widened her eyes a bit. Someone with bright golden hair like daffodils was leaning against the tree at her head.

Sunlight poured through the gaps in the tree shade, and fragments of irregular sunlight seemed to shimmer brilliantly across his face.

Aris murmured in a dreamy mood.

“An angel…?”

The angel then furrowed his neat golden eyebrows beautifully. Even that was so exquisitely beautiful that Aris almost lost herself for a moment.

His ruby-like red eyes shot a look of discomfort. After staring blankly for a while, Aris snapped back to her senses as if she was splashed with cold water.

“Is this… not a dream?”

“No, it’s not.”

At the indifferent reply, Aris opened her eyes wide and abruptly sat up from where she had been lying. It was the bench under a tree in a deep garden of the annex, where Aris often came to eat her lunch quietly.

“W-why am I here…”

“I happened to be passing by and found you in poor condition, so I helped you.”

“Ah, I see, thank you…”

The angel, no, the man looked at Aris with an uninterested expression.

Aris knew this man. Although from his perspective, this might be their first meeting, she, having lived her past life, knew who he was and how great a person he was.

The man appointed as the captain of the First Knight Order after Kalaian became emperor. A man from the East, like Aris. Yet despite that, he was outstanding in many ways and acknowledged by everyone.

His name was Mishuan Clanef.

In her past life, Aris had secretly envied him whenever she heard his name. And every time she compared herself to him, she despaired.

Unlike her, who she thought was hated for being from the East, he was a man who was recognized despite being from the East.

Then what did that make her? She tried hard too. She desperately wanted Kalaian’s recognition…

At that point, Aris abruptly stopped her thoughts. Was it because she had just woken up? She kept getting lost in memories and feeling depressed. Hurriedly standing up from the bench, Aris bowed to him.

“Thank you for helping me. I will properly repay this kindness next time.”

Mishuan was probably a busy person, and she couldn’t take up his time like this.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

When she was about to turn away under his calm gaze, 

Grumble!

A loud sound echoed. Aris, who had reflexively stopped moving, opened and closed her mouth in embarrassment, and her face instantly flushed red.

“I-I’m sorry…”

Grumble grumble.

As her stomach clock rumbled again like thunder and lightning, Aris closed her mouth. She was so embarrassed she couldn’t lift her head.

‘Please, not now…!’

To be in such a shameful situation with someone who she wasn’t even close with, and not to mention, a stranger. Aris, looking dejected, quickly turned around with the intention to flee.

At that moment, a voice tinged with laughter stopped her.

“Did you skip a meal?”

Unable to ignore his question and run away, Aris looked at him sheepishly and answered in a small voice.

“Yes…”

“Then, wait a moment.”

“Pardon?”

Wait a moment? Puzzled, Aris turned to look at Mishuan, but he had instantly disappeared somewhere. She opened her mouth, dumbfounded.

‘W-where did he go?’

Although he had told her to wait, she was wondering if she should really do so when he suddenly appeared from the tree above. Aris’s eyes widened in surprise.

Mishuan, with his medium-length golden hair, casually brushed off the leaves stuck to his golden hair with one hand and gestured with his eyes towards the bench where Aris had been lying until just now.

“Here.”

“…Do you mean for me to sit?”

Mishuan nodded. Aris glanced at him and then sat on the bench as instructed. Then he handed her something.

“Eat this.”

What she ended up receiving from him was two pieces of sandwich wrapped in thin brown paper. After confirming this, Aris blinked, looking up at him.

‘Could it be that he brought this because I said I hadn’t eaten?’

Her eyes were filled with pure curiosity and deep emotion for his kindness.

Both in her past life and now, he always seemed to have an uncomfortable expression, so I didn’t know, but he must be a good person.

Even though this is our first meeting in this life. To think showed such kindness.

“Thank you. But one is enough for me. You should eat the other piece.”

“No, it’s fine…”

“Here, you can sit next to me!”

Aris moved from the center of the bench to the edge and looked up at him. Seeing her bright smile, Mishuan looked troubled for a moment before sitting on the bench.

“Here you go!”

“…I didn’t expect this.”

Mishuan laughed briefly. Then he greeted her.

“Thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you…!”

Aris and Mishuan sat side by side and began eating their sandwiches. Mishuan took a casual bite of his sandwich while glancing at Aris sitting next to him.

Seeing Aris was munching on her sandwich vigorously, he thought that she must have been very hungry. But because of her small mouth, she had eaten less than the few bites Mishuan had taken.

‘A squirrel…’

Mishuan thought this as he watched her.

Aris finished one piece of sandwich and turned her head. He, who had been still, watching Aris intently, finished his in just two bites when their eyes met and stood up from his seat.

“Sir Knight, thank you for today.”

“I think you’ve already thanked me earlier.”