Elda sighed and leaned back in her chair.
Elda:
"Fine. You'll have to stay for a few days. I'll investigate this and figure out a solution." 😑
Noel:
"Okay!" 😁
Noel answered so cheerfully that Elda began to wonder whether the girl had fully understood her situation.
She's trapped in a completely different timeline, and she's smiling like she's been offered a free vacation. 😐
Meanwhile, Ashley sat quietly, deep in thought.
Something about this entire situation bothered her.
If the future Noel described was real, then why would she and Elda betray Aaron?
Neither of them had any reason to do such a thing.
At least… not in the present.
Suddenly, Elda narrowed her eyes.
Elda:
"Wait a minute…"
Everyone turned toward her.
Elda:
"Why would I torture Aaron in the future? I only ever wanted to protect him! That's it!" 😤
Her expression darkened as she crossed her arms.
Elda:
"I may be the Shadow Queen, but I'm not some heartless monster who enjoys hurting her own husband!"
Noel quietly nodded.
Noel:
"Okay…" 😶
Beside Elda, Ashley lowered her eyes.
Ashley:
"Forget the 'spy' thing…"
She clenched her fists.
Ashley:
"I never even used to look at other omegas. So how the hell was I a pervert in that version?!" 😤
Noel:
"…" 😶
Ashley looked genuinely offended.
Ashley:
"I HAVE STANDARDS!"
Queen Ether:
"Nobody questioned that, dear." 😌
Ashley:
"YOUR MAJESTY, PLEASE DON'T MAKE IT WORSE!"
Noel watched the two women with the expression of a teacher observing two students arguing over a question neither of them had studied.
Then she raised her hand.
Noel:
"Maybe… the story was untold." 😁
Elda slowly turned toward her.
Elda:
"What do you mean?" 😑
Noel leaned forward, suddenly looking like she was about to deliver a profound philosophical explanation.
Noel:
"I mean… history doesn't show everything. Sometimes half the truth is hidden." 😁
She raised one finger.
Noel:
"Maybe only one person's perspective was written. Not the real truth." 😁
Silence.
Ashley stopped fidgeting.
Elda's expression became thoughtful.
Even Minister 3 leaned forward.
For once, Noel had said something that actually made sense.
Ashley:
"If that's the case… then—"
She looked between Elda, Aaron, and the others.
Ashley:
"We need to figure out whose perspective created that story." 😐
Elda:
"Exactly. If the history book contains only one person's version of events, we can't assume everything written in it is true."
Aaron, who had remained quiet throughout the discussion, finally looked away from the window.
Aaron:
"Then we need to find the original records. Letters, royal documents, witness accounts… anything that might reveal what actually happened."
For a moment, everyone nodded seriously.
Finally, they had a proper plan.
A real investigation.
A chance to uncover the truth before the future repeated itself.
Then Ashley turned toward Noel.
Ashley:
"So…?"
Noel:
"So…?" 😶
Ashley:
"What's the author's name?" 😎
Noel:
"…"
Her confident expression cracked.
Noel:
"😅"
Ashley blinked.
Ashley:
"What?" 😐
Noel scratched the back of her head.
Noel:
"If I studied it that deeply… why do you think I'm working a loading job?" 😅
Ashley:
"…" 😶
Elda:
"…" 😐
Minister 3:
"…" 😶
Even Aaron slowly turned his head toward her.
Noel:
"What?! I READ THE BOOK! I JUST DIDN'T MEMORIZE EVERY LITTLE DETAIL!" 😤
Ashley:
"You literally told us that history might be written from one person's perspective!"
Noel:
"YES!"
Ashley:
"And you didn't check who wrote it?!"
Noel:
"I WAS BUSY TRYING TO KEEP A CERTAIN CRYING KING FROM TURNING MY HOUSE INTO A DEPRESSION ZONE!" 😤
Aaron's eyes widened.
Aaron:
"OI!"
Noel:
"WHAT?! IT'S TRUE!"
Queen Ether covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Unfortunately, her shoulders were shaking.
Elda pinched the bridge of her nose.
Then she looked at Noel with genuine concern.
Elda:
"…Are you illiterate?" 😐
Noel:
"Yeah."
Everyone stared at her.
Noel lifted her chin proudly.
Noel:
"But don't say it out loud. It hurts." 😤
Ashley:
"…" 😶
She slowly turned toward Elda.
Ashley:
"Gone case…"
Elda:
"Completely." 😑
Noel:
"I CAN HEAR YOU!"
Ashley:
"GOOD. THEN YOU CAN HEAR THIS TOO: YOU'RE GOING TO HELP US INVESTIGATE THAT BOOK!" 😤
Noel:
"BUT I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE AUTHOR!"
Ashley:
"THEN YOU'LL REMEMBER SOMETHING ELSE!"
Noel:
"LIKE WHAT?!"
Ashley smiled.
It was a terrifying smile.
Ashley:
"Everything."
Noel:
"…I'm going to die here, aren't I?" 😶
Aaron:
"Probably." 😐
Noel:
"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY SIDE!"
Aaron:
"I never agreed to that." 😎
Noel:
"YOU UNGRATEFUL—!"
And just like that, the royal investigation descended into chaos.
Again.
Queen Ether sighed happily.
Queen Ether (thought):
My son has finally found someone who can argue with him without being afraid of his crown.
How interesting. 😏
Meanwhile, Elda quietly studied Noel.
There was something unusual about this girl.
She was loud, reckless, apparently terrible at remembering important details, and somehow capable of activating an ancient summoning platform.
Yet she had also made Aaron smile.
And perhaps most importantly…
She had given them a reason to question the future instead of accepting it.
Elda (thought):
If that future is real… then we must change it.
No matter what it takes.
But first, they needed to solve one tiny problem.
They had a mystery to investigate.
And their only witness couldn't remember the author's name.
To be continued...