System vs Rebirth

'Hu… I shouldn't get too worked up. I am supposed to be older than Noel right now…' Anna took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart down. 'I don't know why but whenever I argue with this guy, I can't help but get a bit too excited. I should act more mature…'

'It's probably because I have been too emotionless in the past due to the brainwashing that I haven't got the chance to let go of all my pent-up emotion… And only by bickering like this can I let go of all my frustration.'

'No, no. Why did I make an excuse? I simply have to act like my age.' Anna tried to calm down, but whenever she saw Noel's calm and collected face made her feel slightly annoyed. Noel was supposed to be younger than her, but because of her competitiveness, she thought of his maturity as a little competition in her heart.

She had been like this a lot of times whenever she was with Noel. 'How do I put this in words? I feel like I can become my true self when I'm with him like this?'

Anna had changed a lot from the past her. And Noel was the one who brought that change. It might be because of it that she trusted Noel so much that it was fine to let him see this side of her.

Anna let out a long sigh, thinking this had gotten a bit out of control.

Meanwhile, Noel also had his own thoughts about her. 'I hated her in the past. I hated her for trying to kill my parents and even almost killed me. But when she told me about that alternate world, I couldn't help but wonder what the other me thought about her.'

'She must have been horrible and killed a lot of people. Yet, she told me that the other me tried to help her. Why?'

thought of her. However, I do admit that she is special. My talent was bad before I met Ardagan.

with her. On the other hand, I think I've lost all that hatred. She might have been

think of an answer, Anna actually asked, "Say, Noel… If you receive the chance to peek into the alternate

tilted his head in confusion. "Do you mean

"Yes." Anna nodded.

said, "I don't really care about

the answer. "Why? If you got this kind of knowledge, wouldn't

sounds tempting." Noel nodded

"Then—"

his hand, stopping her. "Listen to this story. There is a son who kills his father. That son is being condemned by the whole village. Do you think the son is a bad guy or not? If he can choose to return to the past

to the past. This way, he won't be condemned by the whole village

and his mother every single day? And that murder is

not being able

mistakes in the past. Just thinking about it makes me so embarrassed that I want to dig a hole to hide. However, that's what defines me. My past has created the current me, and my future is the one that shapes my path." Noel pointed at himself while smiling. "But the present me is the one making a decision. Whether it's right or not, I will make a decision where

contemplated. It felt like Noel was saying she had been running away from her mistake. But this chance was actually given by him as if he wanted her to do