System vs Rebirth

"Is she the famous Anna Stargaze?"

"She shouldn't be here."

"She must be trying to ruin everything. Don't forget about that rumor, she was the one who requested the royal family to execute the former master and mistress, and she even tried to kill the current lord."

The people were discussing Anna's appearance. Only a few people, like Dimitri and Rose, knew the truth.

Unfortunately for them, Noel had asked them to pacify the rest of the people while he dragged Anna to the house in the center of the village. They hadn't specified the living quarters of the mansion and other things, so he just used the one in the middle to talk to Anna.

"Seriously… Do you even need to do something like that?" Noel let out a long sigh while closing the door. He even covered the windows with ice, preventing anyone from seeing or listening to their conversation.

"I have to. I don't know if there are any spies or not. And I go all the way here with that kind of excuse, so I should at least put up that kind of show." Anna shook her head helplessly.

"Well…" Noel paused for a moment. "You've gotten good with your acting."

"Thanks to you." Anna chuckled while pointing at the table. "Why don't we have a seat?"

"This is not going to be long. If we talk too long, people will suspect something." Noel rejected the invitation and asked, "Still, what are you doing here? I thought that staying with the royal family shouldn't pose any problems for you, right?"

"Does that mean you don't want me here?" Anna couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows.

"Of course not. I don't mind having you here. It's just… you will be tired if you have to put up the act every single time." Noel explained his concern. It was rare that Noel was this considerate. In fact, she felt Noel had changed somehow.

"I…" Anna scratched the back of her head. She recalled what her father said back then and the realization that came afterward.

was an urge to talk about everything, but

accompany him was because that person was bound to become a burden. What if

Anna was different. Her strength, experience, and

he didn't know whether he could win against Anna or not. Though, he

he had experienced a lot with Anna. That memory

said about telling him that not all matters could be solved rationally. Sometimes, he just had to

question… Have I caused you any inconveniences like acting

raised her head. She had a hard time saying

inside the previous Ardagan's mansion. At that time, Anna was

"I'm sorry. In the past, you've never wanted me to say it, and the longer I wait, the harder it becomes for me to say it.

of asking for forgiveness, I turned out to be forcing you to change. Yes, instead of taking

I had been considerate, but it appeared that you were more considerate. I simply used my strength to force you to be

life. With Noel's schemes, there were a lot of times he could kill her. Yet, he didn't do it. To put it simply, he had the strength to do it but chose not

hand, the current Noel didn't have the strength and was forced to abandon that thought. Of course, if one looked from her perspective, she also had the strength but chose not to kill him. But the problem came from her, not the other way around. Ultimately,

biting her lips. "I am

say something like this. He froze, trying his best

She wanted to end everything and become his ally like Dimitri and the others

big burden on your shoulders." Noel closed his eyes for a moment. "As you said earlier, my parents' execution tore me, and my exile broke

longer I know you, the more I realize that you are just

if I actually pushed aside my laziness from the beginning and worked hard to become strong? Would my family get bullied to that extent? Would my father create this

this happen?" Noel scratched the back of his head. "How do I

he actually trained with Ardagan from the beginning. His family might even go beyond this, and his father wouldn't have to create this scheme. In fact, he

that time, he and Anna might be best friends

nothing could change the