Chapter 3

He had practically been shouting, ‘I am the male lead!’ and she had failed to notice something so simple.

It seemed she had lost her wits along with her memories of last night.

“You’ve gone pale.

Are you feeling sick?”

Noel asked, looking at Yvette’s pale face.

Contrary to his worried words, his gaze was sharply observing Yvette.

“Ah, it’s nothing.

I just had something to think about for a moment.”

Yvette, belatedly emerging from her shock, hurriedly shook her head.

“Is that so?

But why does it seem like you can’t meet my eyes?”

“……!”

Noel, who had risen from his seat before she knew it, stepped toward Yvette.

Then the flustered Yvette slammed the bathroom door shut.

Noel muttered something outside the door, but his voice was too soft to hear clearly.

Yvette pressed a hand hard against her pounding heart and leaned her back against the door.

Then she slid down to the floor.

‘Why did it have to be the male lead……!’

In the original work, Noel was written as never having so much as held hands with another woman, with the exception of the female lead, Liliana.

Liliana was also described as developing feelings for Noel because of that clumsy side of him.

Yet before the original story had even begun, she had gone and caused an incident with the male lead.

‘How did things turn out like this?’

Yvette let out a small groan and buried her face in both hands.

‘I had absolutely no intention of ruining the original story!’

She had been too worried about her own life to pay attention to the original work.

But when she opened her eyes, she had become the extra who had thrown herself at the male lead.

‘What do I do now?’

Yvette gnawed at her thumbnail.

She was already bewildered enough just to be alive instead of dead, and at this rate, she was going to change the entire original story.

“Open the door for a moment.”

That was when it happened.

With a ‘knock knock,’ Noel’s voice came again from beyond the door.

Yvette flinched and raised her head, asking in a voice full of wariness.

“……Why the door?”

“Your clothes to change into just arrived.”

At those words, Yvette’s expression brightened at once.

‘Finally!’

She intended to run away the moment she changed clothes.

Because there was nothing good about staying with Noel for long.

‘A one-night mistake must end as a one-night mistake.’

She had not the slightest intention of interfering with the protagonists’ love.

If only she quietly disappeared, the original story would proceed without any particular problem.

She had no memories of last night, either.

There was no reason to cling to anything.

Yvette took a long deep breath and rose from her seat.

At last, she opened the firmly closed bathroom door.

* * *

Noel Averon waited with his arms crossed for the door before him to open.

In his hand was the dress the knight had handed over a short while ago.

At last, after a brief wait, the firmly closed door opened.

And through the gap, the face he had gazed at all night long appeared.

“The clothes?”

Yvette asked him, with only her head sticking out.

Her sky-blue eyes were full of wariness.

“Here.”

Noel uncrossed his arms and showed her the dress in his hand.

“Are you going to change in there?”

At his question, Yvette glared as if dumbfounded.

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“I asked just in case.

If you want, I can close my eyes.”

Noel smiled softly and held the dress out toward Yvette.

Yvette reached out only her arm to snatch the dress.

But before her hand could reach it, Noel lightly stepped back.

“……What are you doing?”

Seeing him already a step away, Yvette asked in disbelief.

Seeing her frown, Noel spoke calmly.

“Did you really not know that I am the Duke of Averon?”

At the sudden question, Yvette furrowed her brow.

“Don’t tell me you’re upset because I didn’t recognize you?”

“As if I would be.”

Noel denied it flatly and shook his head.

“I was just surprised.

You’re the first person to act like you do even after knowing who I am.”

An ordinary person would have fallen to their knees the moment they learned he was the Duke of Averon.

But Yvette only looked flustered; she made no move to treat him with the deference owed to the ‘Duke of Averon.’

“Th-that is.”

At his pointed remark, Yvette flinched.

Her gaze wavered helplessly, and then she spoke.

“……We, we spent a night together, didn’t we!

We did spend time together, so wouldn’t it be too heartless to act stiffly?”

With a single door between them, Yvette poured out excuses desperately.

“Still, if you’re uncomfortable, I can at least show proper courtesy now……!”

“No.

Just keep acting as you are.”

Noel, who had been quietly listening, spoke.

“This is refreshingly different.

Not bad.”

He smiled softly and handed the dress to Yvette again.

Yvette looked back and forth between him and the dress, then cautiously reached out.

Noel waited until she grasped the dress, then lowered his arm.

Then he said with an inscrutable face.

“Change and come out.

I’ll be waiting.”

* * *

‘……It looks more expensive than I thought.’

Yvette, back in the bathroom, let out an exclamation of admiration as she looked at the dress Noel had handed her.

The high-necked dress had a bluish sheen overall.

It had no lavish ornaments or patterns, but the fabric was soft and thick.

It was a dress perfect for the chilly autumn weather they were having.

Yvette checked that the door was properly closed, then quickly changed.

At first she worried the size might not fit, but strangely, it fit as if measured.

‘……This should be enough, right?’

After checking her appearance one last time, Yvette opened the bathroom door.

Then Noel, perched on the edge of the bed, smiled slightly and spoke.

“The clothes seem to fit well.”

“Yes.

Fortunately, they fit well.”

Yvette nodded.

“By the way, I don’t see the knight who bought this?”

Seeing Yvette look around, Noel said.

“I took the clothes and sent him back.

I thought it would be awkward to run into him in a situation like this.”

“……Ah.”

At those words, Yvette faltered.

Right.

I did something reckless with that man.

As she recalled the fact she had forgotten, her face burned hot.

Yvette fanned her face with one hand and quickly changed the subject.

“Um, may I pay you back for the dress later?

Right now I only have enough for fare…….”

“There’s no need to pay me back.”

Noel shook his head.

“I bought the clothes for you anyway, so consider it a gift.”

“But it looks quite expensive……”

When Yvette trailed off, Noel subtly curled the corner of his mouth upward.

“If it really bothers you, pay me back with something other than money.”

“……Something other than money? What kind of thing?”

In that moment, many imaginings flashed through Yvette’s mind.

As if he had noticed what she was thinking, Noel added calmly.

“It’s nothing difficult.

Just tell me your name.”

“……My name?”

Yvette pondered for a moment.

‘I suppose it’s fine to tell him my name?’

After all, they would never run into each other again after today.

Noel had told her his name, so it seemed impolite to keep hers a secret alone.

Having finally made up her mind, Yvette gave a small nod.

“My name is Yvette Blanche.”

“……Yvette.”

Noel recited her name lowly.

“I’ll remember that name.”

Noel nodded with a soft smile.

He had merely smiled, yet it felt dazzlingly radiant.

‘He really is the male lead—annoyingly handsome for no reason.’

If he were not the male lead, she might have seriously tried to win him over right then.

But the other party was Noel Averon.

He was not someone a mere extra like her could dare to aspire to.

“……I’ll be going now, then.

My family will be worried.”

After a brief silence, Yvette spoke.

She had changed clothes.

Now it was truly time to part ways with him.

“Shall I take you home?”

“No, I can get there fine on my own.”

Yvette hurriedly waved her hands and declined his offer.

She wanted to escape this situation as quickly as possible.

“I’ll wear the dress well.

Thank you.

Well then, goodbye!”

With those words, Yvette practically fled the inn.

Then she quickly stepped out onto the street and hailed a passing carriage.

“Here, please stop for a moment!”

* * *

‘I’m saved.’

On the way home in a hired carriage.

Yvette leaned limply against the wall and slowly retraced the events that had happened to her.

‘……What kind of extra’s life is this turbulent?’

First, suddenly possessing a character in a novel.

Then spending a night with the male lead while drunk.

She could not believe all of this had happened within a week.

Having barely calmed herself, Yvette looked out the window.

Only after being left alone did reality begin to slowly sink in.

‘What should I do from now on?’

Since becoming ‘Yvette Blanche,’ she had never once thought about the future.

Because she had thought her life was doomed anyway.

As a result, she had no particular plan for how to live going forward.

‘……For now, I’ll go home and think it over slowly.’

Yvette stared blankly at the passing scenery.

Just yesterday, she had envied people living ordinary everyday lives.

Yet in a single night, she too had come to enjoy an ordinary daily life like theirs.

‘I really am alive.’

Yvette, who had kept her gaze fixed outside the window the whole time, closed her eyes.

She had thought nothing could be more unreal than possessing a novel.

Now, simply being alive and breathing felt like a dream.