But there was a commotion outside the door.

Thump, thump, thump!

Urgent footsteps sounded, followed by loud, pounding knocks.

“I heard there was a disturbance inside—has the young lady woken up?”

‘That’s Han Jihyeok’s voice.’

Heidi and Betty glanced at me.

When I nodded, they opened the door.

Han Jihyeok stepped inside and froze when he saw me.

Then he took a deep breath and pressed his forehead.

His hands trembled slightly—this gruff man was genuinely worried about me.

I smiled faintly and said,

“I’m fine.”

“You were asleep for a whole month, though.”

“I really am fine. I’m perfectly fine.”

I said confidently and tried to get up, but then—

Plop.

I collapsed onto the rug like a newborn chick.

“......”

“......”

“You’re not fine.”

“......Could you help me up?”

I wasn’t hurt anywhere, but it felt like all my muscles had weakened.

‘Well, I did lie down for a month.’

Thinking about it, I was lucky not to develop bedsores.

‘At times like this, being a noble lady really is a blessing.’

The servants must have taken exceptional care of me.

They rolled me this way and that, massaging diligently to prevent sores.

That’s probably why I could move this much.

Heidi and Betty looked grim.

“Look, milady, you need rehab.”

“Yes! How can you go to the Duke’s estate in this condition?”

Hearing this, Han Jihyeok frowned deeply.

“Absolutely impossible. It’d be hard enough to even sit in a carriage.”

He lifted me up and laid me back on the bed.

Then he turned to the maids.

“I’ll keep watch, so you two notify everyone that the young lady has woken up. Send telegrams to the master and the young masters.”

“Yes.”

“Yes!”

Heidi and Betty left, looking very pleased.

Bang!

The door slammed shut.

Immediately—

“You idiot—!!”

Han Jihyeok’s scolding barrage began.

“What were you thinking going to meet Ayla alone! Huh?”

“Well, I had monsters after me... and I didn’t expect Ayla to extract the blessing... and then...”

“If Alexis and I hadn’t gone, you don’t know what would’ve happened! And yet you’re just making excuses?!”

“I admit I was careless...”

It was humiliating to have no comeback to his nagging.

But I was careless.

‘I probably underestimated the enemy’s strength.’

Everything had gone my way until then, so I was reckless.

‘Let’s think of it as a lesson learned.’

I hadn’t experienced failure in this life before.

Thanks to the knowledge from my past life.

‘But things have definitely changed from the first life.’

I engraved on myself the need for more thorough preparation.

“I’m reflecting on it.”

“The Duke’s estate, the Daymond territory, even the capital—it’s all in upheaval.”

Han Jihyeok sighed deeply, and I nodded.

“So? What happened to Ayla? What’s the situation at the Duke’s estate?”

“Ayla broke through the barrier and escaped.”

“The barrier was broken...”

The ‘that person’ Ayla mentioned wasn’t Hernan after all.

‘It must be Grimier, that bastard.’

If I was growing my strength openly, Grimier was doing so in the shadows.

‘And with formidable power, too.’

If Ayla broke the Duke of Astra’s barrier, her power was tremendous.

“Ayla’s father, Sylvain, lost his position instead of his daughter.”

“Sylvain uncle?”

“Yes. He was removed from all offices in the Astra estate, and Sylvain territory’s budget was severely cut. It’s said to be about a tenth of the Daymond territory before you arrived.”

I widened my eyes.

That was a huge cut.

“What’s worse for Sylvain is...”

“What?”

“He lost his seat at the Great Council.”

I was aghast.

Not just voting rights, but attendance rights taken away!

‘They’re basically saying he’s not a 2nd generation noble anymore!’

I sighed softly.

“They probably think Sylvain’s the most likely suspect because his daughter was a traitor...”

“I heard everyone in Sylvain territory suffered brutal torture and was left in tatters.”

“And the mages and the Gilar mother and daughter?”

“......”

Han Jihyeok pressed his lips tightly.

He didn’t seem unaware of their fate.

Being the smart one he was, he must have been closely monitoring things while I was unconscious.

His expression said he couldn’t bring himself to talk about it.

“Han Jihyeok.”

I called him, and he sighed.

“Ayleka’s lost her mind.”

“What?”

“The mages said it was only natural, since she was controlling artificial ancient monsters.”

It had seemed strange that Grimier hadn’t taken measures despite Ayleka’s capture.

‘They must have expected this.’

No need to intervene, so they left it alone.

“I see... what about the others?”

“They’re dead.”

“...What?”

“A fire broke out in the underground prison, and they all died. The same night Ayleka broke the barrier.”

I gritted my teeth.

‘Grimier, that bastard, went to the underground prison for that reason.’

He wanted to kill all who had knowledge.

I chuckled bitterly.

“Unbelievable.”

“Right? Even so, to kill so many.”

“Besides that...”

“Hm?”

“Ayleka turning into a monster and breaking the barrier was unexpected.”

That happened because ‘I accidentally found out Ayleka would kill Milan.’

So even Grimier couldn’t have foreseen it.

“But instead of panicking at the unexpected, he used it as an opportunity to set fire to the underground prison.”

“...That’s brutal.”

Indeed, someone with such power lurking behind grandfather.

‘Not someone to take lightly.’

I clicked my tongue.

“Ah, what about Milan?”

“You owe Alexis a favor.”

“What?”

“As soon as Ayla broke the barrier and escaped, Alexis went to rescue Milan and her mother from the underground prison... He said there was one thing he had to protect before you woke.”

“......”

“He jumped into the fire and carried Lady Canaria and Milan out, you know.”

Han Jihyeok smiled seeing my silence.

Then he pressed the palm of his hand firmly on my crown.

“Alexis was your dedicated guard.”

“Yeah.”

“You were knocked out by the monster Ayla became, so naturally, he was interrogated.”

“......”

“He suffered harsh punishment with no defense.”

“......”

“Even from your raging father and brothers.”

“...Why?”

Dad and brothers could have been told.

That it wasn’t their fault.

That everything happened because I acted alone.

They could have blamed me.

Han Jihyeok continued in a flat tone.

“He couldn’t forgive himself for failing to protect you.”

“......”

“Be sure to apologize.”

“...Call Alexis.”

“Right.”

Han Jihyeok hurried out.

Silence fell in the room.

I leaned against the headboard, listening to the ticking clock.

It felt like something heavy was pressing on my chest.

A strange feeling—part guilt, part sadness.

After a while—

Knock, knock.

Then Han Jihyeok’s voice.

“He’s here.”

“Okay.”

The door opened, and Alexis entered alone.

Han Jihyeok seemed to make way for him.

After a month, Alexis looked—

“Why do you look so thin!”

I shouted.

Even shouting took effort; the impact made me furrow my brows.

Alexis hurried to me.

“Are you okay?”

“......”

“Should I call a doctor?”

“...You, not me.”

“What?”

“Why are you so thin?”

“......”

Alexis stared at me.

His clear blue eyes reflected my tightly pressed lips.

“Why are you the one suffering...! Ugh.”

“Don’t shout. It’s my fault. Whatever happens, it’s my fault... don’t shout.”

“What did you do wrong...?”

“......”

“Why do you suffer all this without complaint? Why is this unfair?”

“......”

I remembered the violet hairpin he gave me.

The truth was, I knew you’d get hurt.

I did it anyway.

Because I didn’t want to be the one hurt in the distant future.

‘I hurt you because I was afraid I’d get hurt.’

I knew the gaze always following my back.

That deep, dark, pitiful gaze.

Even knowing, I ignored it.

Because I was young, ignorant.

Thinking you liked me because, like a chick imprinting on its mother hen, you liked your ‘first.’

‘I belittled your feelings.’

“I know you like me.”

“......”

Alexis’s eyes wavered.

I gripped the blanket tightly and muttered,

“I pretended not to know. Cowardly.”

“......”

“I kept pretending not to know, using you. I thought if you liked me, you wouldn’t betray me, so I felt reassured.”

“......”

“Why would someone as kind and bright as you like a cruel person like me?”

‘That’s why I’m scary.’

I contorted my face and cried.

Alexis was the one who made me look back at my wounds.

At the first life and at Yoo Hyemin.

The me who had nothing.

The me who desperately wanted to be loved.

The me starved for affection.

The me scarred and crushed by people who never looked back no matter how hard I tried.

And so I realize—

‘Ah, I still haven’t overcome my first life.’

Alexis quietly looked at me.

“You’re not wrong.”

“What?”

“Just because I like you doesn’t mean you have to repay me.”

“It’s bad to not clearly refuse and leave room.”

“Who says that?”

“Everyone!”

“Would you die if everyone told you to?”

Alexis frowned.

I stopped crying abruptly.

“No?”

“Exactly. I’m fine, so don’t listen to what others say. Only give room to those who think like that.”

“......”

“I like waiting for you. Thinking about what you’ll yell at me next is kinda fun too.”

“...Pervert?”

“Maybe.”

He smirked mischievously.

“I take care of my feelings myself; you don’t have to. But you—”

“Yeah?”

“—that expression is ugly. Want a handkerchief?”

“Damn it.”

I looked in the mirror on the wall.

I looked awful crying with a sour face.

Other boys said I was pretty, but thinking back, Alexis only ever saw my ugly expressions.

Scheming, sly smiles.

Messy crying.

Pretending to be brave, a nasty smug look.

Alexis handed me a handkerchief from the nightstand.

I wiped the snot dripping under my nose and said,

“Why do you like me?”

“You’re funnier when you’re ugly.”

“Damn you...”

I glared, then sniffed and blew my nose.

But my back hurt, so I had to bend over.

“Ugh.”

“You cry right after waking up. I’ll get a doctor.”

He got up quickly and headed to the door.

I shouted after him,

“Eat! ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Don’t come back all skinny again!”

“That nagging again.”

“Eat already... Ugh.”

“Alright, alright, stop yelling.”

Alexis left.

After a while, heavy, urgent footsteps sounded.

Bang!

The door flew open, and dad and brothers appeared.

“......”

“Erilot...”

“Ha.”

“......”

It was the second tearful reunion.

At that moment, I realized.

In this life, there was a foolish boy who didn’t mind how cruel I was.

There were family members whose hearts twisted at my every cough.

People who stayed up all night worrying about me.

So naturally, I came to know.

I had successfully changed my misfortune.

I no longer had to fear anything.

Ten years had passed in my third life, and my old wounds finally healed.

Rehab lasted more than two weeks.

Though I had only lain down for a month, it took a long time to regain muscle strength.

‘Even with magical assistance...’

I entered the Duke’s estate exactly 17 days after waking.

“Erilot!”

“Ugh, Erilot...”

Liantin and Dionera ran out upon hearing I had arrived.

Dionera burst into tears and gave me a big bundle of things.

“Ugh! What is all this?”

“Muscle supplements and tonics. These are good for your eyes, this for your back, and also...”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you seem so weak. You’ve lost consciousness several times.”

Only twice—in early childhood and this year.

But Dionera treated me like a fragile twig blown by the wind.

“You’re so weak... really weak...”

“I really am fine.”

Liantin joined in beside her.

“Take it when it’s offered. Dionera stole these from the Mage Tower before they were released.”

“Are things like this even released?”

“After the Gilar incident, we searched the Mage Tower a lot. We found out they developed amazing magic but didn’t report much to the estate.”

“I see.”

As we talked—

“Erilot.”

A familiar voice called from behind.

That chilling voice now...