Chapter 20

Sharing a Secret

The two stood with Sid between them, silently staring at the lake for a long time.

They had said it was a full moon, and the moon reflected on the lake was dazzlingly—almost disgustingly—beautiful.

“…Did you see it? No… don’t answer yet.”

Nigel covered his head with one hand.

Noah, who only bit his lips as if troubled, had already given him the answer.

“Since when were you there?”

“I was training nearby when I sensed something. I followed the presence and saw Sid Cromwell, so I watched him for a moment. Then suddenly, he lost consciousness and collapsed. So…”

“So you saw everything. From the beginning.”

“…”

Noah lowered his head silently.

“Uh… anyway… yeah. Looks like both of us have a lot to talk about, but first… let’s move Cromwell.”

Fortunately—or unfortunately—the sleeping potion hadn’t been a scam. Cromwell slept soundly without waking.

Nigel waved his hand casually at Noah, who returned empty-handed.

“What about Cromwell?”

“He’s sleeping well.”

“That’s a relief…”

Muttering that over and over, Nigel pulled a pocket watch from his coat and activated it.

“…It’s a soundproof magic tool. Now, shall we talk comfortably? Besselion—what exactly were you doing here?”

“I felt my training was insufficient, so I was training.”

“Instead of using a perfectly good training ground? …Well, I guess I’m not one to talk after going this far just to mess with Sid Cromwell.”

“Cromwell did speak rather harshly…”

“No, don’t try to understand him, Besselion. Just forget it!”

Nigel pressed his forehead, his face reddening.

‘…Who would’ve thought anyone would see this.’

“Then Nigel, are you really a sa—”

“Yeah, that’s right!”

Nigel cut him off quickly. Even if it was already revealed, he didn’t want to hear that word from someone else’s mouth.

“Haha… hahahaha!”

Suddenly, Nigel burst into laughter.

Allen’s words and the current situation overlapped in his mind.

“…Did you know? Valentine’s Day is famous for the story of Valentine confessing to the one he long admired—but in truth, Valentine first approached that person to silence them after they discovered his secret.”

Noah’s brows twitched at the cryptic remark.

“So, do I have to date you too, like Valentine did, just to keep your mouth shut?”

Nigel smiled, eyes narrowing. In his innocent purple eyes, the full moon shimmered.

Soon, clouds covered the moon, and its reflection disappeared from Nigel’s eyes. Noah felt a strange sense of disappointment.

“I… suffer from mana deficiency.”

“…What?”

Nigel’s eyes widened at the sudden confession, and as the moonlight returned to them, Noah smiled softly.

But Nigel couldn’t see Noah’s expression clearly, as he stood with the moonlight behind him.

“Why… are you suddenly telling me that?”

“Since your important secret was unintentionally revealed, I thought it only right to tell you a secret of equal weight.”

“…”

This time, Nigel’s eyes trembled before he lowered his head.

“You… really are foolish. Who in the world reveals their own secret just because they learned someone else’s?”

He let out a hollow laugh.

Still—he had to use every card he had.

Nigel clenched his fist again.

“Fine. Since you’ve found out anyway—if you just keep my secret, I’ll help fix your mana deficiency while we’re at the academy. If you don’t trust me, we can even sign a contract.”

Nigel stepped closer and placed a hand on Noah’s firm arm.

In an instant, a vast amount of mana flowed from Nigel into Noah.

Noah quickly stepped back.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you without permission.”

“…It’s fine.”

Was he surprised? Angry? Both?

Nigel still couldn’t read his expression.

“I will keep your secret.”

“Then should we write the contract tomorrow? I’ll prepare everything.”

“No.”

Noah shook his head.

“Ah, something this important should be a mana contract.”

A mana contract required both parties to infuse their mana instead of signatures. Unless both did so simultaneously, it could never be broken.

“No, it’s really fine, Nigel. I swear I’ll keep your secret.”

“…What?”

“But if you’re worried I might reveal it, we can write one.”

Of all kinds of people in the world—

Nigel had never met someone like Noah Besselion.

Someone who revealed his own secret first, expecting nothing in return, simply for the sake of another.

‘…So this is why you’re the protagonist.’

In the original story, many had mocked Noah for always putting others before himself, calling him a fool.

Nigel had agreed with that to some extent.

After all, who in the world values others more than their own safety?

And yet—

Now that kindness stood before him, real and undeniable.

Noah’s unwavering blue eyes showed no trace of deceit.

‘Is this why Withrun told me to stay away from Noah…?’

More than magic, more than divine power—Noah’s heart felt almost unreal.

“…Thank you. I’ll trust you.”

“Yes, of course.”

Warmth spread through Nigel’s chest.

“Oh—but in return, let me help treat your mana deficiency.”

He still needed to gain something. Thanks to Noah making the first move, he now had a perfect excuse.

Noah smiled gently.

“It’s alright. This is purely my issue. You don’t need to waste your precious mana helping me.”

…No. No. No no no.

Noah Besselion.

You shouldn’t say that.

You need to be a little more selfish.

“…You really are a pushover.”

Nigel muttered weakly under his breath.

“Pardon?”

“…Nothing. Let’s head back to the dorm.”

“Yes!”

Noah answered brightly.

That innocent voice only made Nigel’s thoughts more tangled.

For Nigel—

This night felt like it had only just begun.

“Hey Nigel, did you hear?”

“…What?”

Nigel barely managed to scoop up some soup as he replied to Allen.

“Uh… Nigel, you look really tired today. Want to go see the healing priest after we eat?”

“No. I just didn’t sleep well.”

Nigel stabbed half a boiled egg harshly with his fork.

Damn Noah Besselion.

That guy seriously needed to be more selfish.

Much more.

Nigel stuffed the egg into his mouth and chewed.

It was fortunate Noah’s morning training had run late.

If he had been in front of Nigel right now, Nigel wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from grabbing his collar.

“So, what happened yesterday?”

Nigel swallowed the egg.

“Well, actually…!”

Allen hesitated, glancing at Nigel.

“Is it about Cromwell?”

“Yeah. I forgot for a moment how rude Sid was to you. Sorry—it must’ve bothered you.”

“No, it’s fine. Did something happen to Cromwell?”

Nigel picked up some fruit salad.

“Well… Sid said he was possessed by a ghost yesterday!!”

“…A ghost?”

Nigel paused mid-bite.

He had expected rumors—but a ghost?

Things were getting interesting.

“Yeah. Apparently, Sid got a letter from a female student a few days ago. It said to meet by the lake behind the dorm on Valentine’s night.”

“And then?”

“So he went at the appointed time—but after arriving, he remembers nothing! Like someone erased his memory! Does that even make sense?”

Yeah, Allen. While invisible using your magic tool, I knocked him out and fed him your sleeping potion.

“…That really doesn’t make sense.”

“And when he woke up, he wasn’t at the lake—he was back in the dorm! His clothes were dirty like he’d rolled on the ground, and his face was covered in creepy scribbles like he’d been cursed…!”

…That’s just because my drawing skills are terrible. And Noah helped carry him back.

“…That’s unbelievable.”

“The craziest part? When he checked the letter today—there wasn’t a single word on it!!”

…That’s the disappearing ink paper you bought.

“…Wow. That’s amazing.”

“I know, right?! I didn’t believe in ghosts before, but now I think they might be real!”

Allen’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Thunk.

“What are you talking about?”

Noah sat down, his damp hair dripping, holding an apple.

“Oh, Noah—you’re here! We were talking about Sid.”

At Allen’s words, Noah glanced at Nigel.

Nigel subtly pressed a finger to his lips when Allen wasn’t looking.

“…Yes, I heard. They say he was possessed… by a ghost.”

Noah replied with an ambiguous expression.

“So you two—don’t even go near the lake, got it? Who knows, you might actually get possessed!”

Allen spoke seriously.

Nigel and Noah nodded obediently, exchanging a glance.

No words were needed.

This would remain a secret from Allen.

Forever.

‘…Allen, you were right.’

Having a secret just between them created a bond between Nigel and Noah that hadn’t existed before.

“Allen, then where is Sid now?”

No wonder breakfast felt so quiet—Sid hadn’t picked a fight today.

“He’s in the infirmary. His roommate said he fainted this morning after seeing the blank letter.”

“Ah…”

What delightful news.

Nigel barely suppressed a smile.

His madness under the moonlight hadn’t been for nothing.

Thinking of Sid lying pale in bed somehow improved his appetite.

Sid Cromwell only regained his senses around lunchtime.

His mind was in chaos, but strangely, his body felt refreshed—as if he’d slept deeply all day.

After thanking the healing priest, he headed to the dining hall.

Rumors had clearly spread—students glanced at him everywhere.

For the second son of the Cromwell family, known for their pursuit of knowledge and truth, to be fooled by a “ghost” and toyed with like this—

It was unbearably humiliating.

Still, Sid ignored all the stares and walked straight ahead.

Amid the crowded hall, finding Nigel was easy.

All he had to do was spot the tall figure with bluish-silver hair.

Nigel was always beside Noah Besselion.

And Allen Evans as well.

Sid had resented Nigel—not just for the insult at the entrance ceremony, but also out of envy.

Everyone wanted to be close to those two.

And Nigel—just a commoner and an orphan—was closer to them than anyone.

But Sid knew.

All of that came from his own ugly feelings.

Step. Step.

Sid approached Nigel.

“Nigel.”

For the first time, Sid called him by name instead of surname.

“I’m sorry.”

Sid bowed his head.

In his entire life, this was the first time he had bowed to a commoner.

Yet—he felt no shame.

“…Alright. I accept.”

“…!”

His apology had been accepted.

For the first time—

Sid smiled.