Chapter 2: “EXTRA life” Part 2
Noir walked down the corridor, holding the fish pot carefully in his hands.
The west wing was quiet. Too quiet.
He was heading toward the kitchen, which meant passing through the garden. As he stepped closer to the east wing, the air subtly shifted.
Cold.
<What kind of bad feeling is this…?>
He glanced at Celi.
Then he stopped.
Footsteps echoed ahead.
Light. Measured. Unhurried.
A girl appeared in the center of the garden, carrying a stack of papers.
Her black hair flowed neatly down her back, tied with a dark ribbon. Her deep amethyst eyes curved gently as she smiled, like a model stepping out of a painting.
Even inside the mansion, she wore an elegant dress. Her posture was perfect—hands folded like a noble lady in a portrait.
She was beautiful.
And she was his half-sister.
She turned her head.
Her voice was soft—too soft.
“Noir… what are you doing here at this hour?” she asked.
Noir blinked as memories surfaced.
<First daughter of House Deon. Genius mage. Top candidate for the High Seat. The future Duchess… Ilyana von Deon.>
The sister from the novel.
<The author used a dere-type aesthetic for main-story character design… and she was yandere.>
Sometimes she was scary, like a villain. Sometimes she was kind. It was unclear whether she was an ally or an enemy in the novel.
<She’s always been polite—even toward the family… even toward me, according to the diary.>
“Ilyana,” Noir said calmly. “What brings you here?”
She tilted her head, her eyes glimmering.
“I heard you were wandering around again,” she said.
“I thought… maybe you were helping me with my work, not fishing in the mansion pond.”
She smiled and paused, then stepped closer.
Noir noticed immediately.
She already knew.
Since possessing this body, he had been careful to avoid attention—but her awareness was too sharp.
<She seems to know everything about the mansion… both west and east wings.>
“Oh… I was just feeding my fish. And please don’t tell anyone I caught her in the pond,” he said, lifting the pot slightly.
“Her name is Celi. Isn’t she cute?”
Ilyana’s gaze dropped to the fish.
For a brief moment, something dark flashed in her eyes.
Then she smiled again.
“How cute,” she murmured. Her fingers twitched.
“A fish that stays close to you… and you think she’s cute? That’s… nice. Don’t worry about anything.”
Noir nodded, oblivious.
“Thank you. Yeah… she doesn’t complain much. She’s not scared like the others.”
“I feel lonely at night, so she’s my partner now,” he added with a laugh, clearly joking.
Ilyana laughed softly.
“Of course she doesn’t,” she said.
“She can’t run away.”
Noir acted as if he hadn’t heard the sharpness beneath her words. He only noticed her stepping closer—too close.
She leaned in slightly.
“By the way, Noir,” Ilyana asked sweetly, “you didn’t come to meet me this morning… Are you sick?”
Noir paused.
“…No? I mean, I woke up late.”
Her smile widened. “That’s alright. I’ll remind you for both of us—after all, Mother gave me that responsibility.”
She reached out and lightly touched his sleeve.
Not his hand.
Not his shoulder.
Just his sleeve.
As if claiming territory without being obvious.
<She’s surprisingly friendly… hard to believe her dere-type was yandere. But now that I think about it, that side was never fully revealed…>
Before he could finish his thoughts, she continued.
“I heard you’ve been acting differently lately,” Ilyana said.
“Going outside, talking more… smiling. Like a child. I’m happy for you. But if anything’s wrong, tell me, okay?”
Her eyes met his.
“I was worried someone might be influencing you…”
“So if you’re pushing yourself too hard, don’t overdo it. Mother would worry.”
Noir scratched his cheek.
“Well… people change over time. I’m not a kid anymore either,” he said.
“I’m just trying to live a little better… in this house, in this family.”
Her pupils shrank.
<Live… better? Without me? Normally, he avoids such words because of Mother. But now… it’s just the two of us. He’s relaxed.>
<Still… this much change. Is it because of the engagement?> she wondered.
“I see,” she said gently.
Behind her back, her nails dug into her palm.
“Noir,” she whispered,
“you don’t need to try so hard. You already belong here… this family, and mine, as a brother. We promised that when we were kids.”
Noir laughed lightly.
<That’s heavy… and I don’t remember any promises. Sorry about that.>
He stepped past her.
“I need to go feed Celi. Elric will yell if I don’t. See you tomorrow, Ilyana,” he said, heading toward the kitchen.
Ilyana watched him leave.
Her smile didn’t fade.
But her eyes—
They followed him. Every step. Every breath. Every movement.
<Someone touched what’s mine. That engagement… so annoying.>
<Mother decided it, but there’s still a chance for me. And he’s still here… nothing has changed.>
Her fingers slowly tightened.
It didn’t matter who it was.
Maid.
Guard.
Fiancée.
Even the world.
“Anyone who tries to take him away… or make him cry… will disappear.”
That was the promise they made as children.
“Sleep well tonight, Noir,” Ilyana whispered to the empty hallway.
“I’ll make sure nothing disturbs you.”
Noir sighed.
<What bad luck… meeting her today.>
---
The next morning came quietly.
Too quietly.
Noir stood in front of the mirror in the west wing, adjusting the collar of his simple but neat noble outfit. Nothing flashy. Just presentable.
Elric chuckled behind him.
“You look ridiculous. If you go see the Duchess like that, she’ll probably laugh,” he said.
“Enjoy this, idiot knight,” Elric added with a grin. “You look funny trying to act noble.”
Noir ignored him.
Today… he needed permission. He couldn’t just wait for the Duchess.
If she died, he died too. Waiting until next year to gain talent was useless—he had to act first.
The plan was simple.
Meet the Duchess.
Ask permission to go outside.
Use the excuse of preparing a gift for his fiancée—a harmless, noble reason no one could object to.
<But… the Duchess is always hard to deal with in the novel,> he thought.
Noir took a slow breath and stepped out.
---
The central hall was busy.
Servants moved in disciplined lines. Maids bowed lightly as he passed.
But something felt… off.
He stopped a senior maid.
“Where’s the head maid who’s always with the Duchess? Is the Duchess in her office?” he asked.
The maid hesitated.
“My apologies, Young Master Noir,” she said.
“The Duchess left the mansion a week ago… I don’t think you knew.”
Noir blinked.
—Left?—
“I… I didn’t know. Elric, why didn’t you say anything?” he muttered.
Elric looked away, pretending to act normal.
Shock flashed across Noir’s face.
Not that he disliked it… but this was troublesome.
“Yes,” the maid continued.
“She departed for an emergency council meeting in the capital. She won’t return soon.”
Great timing.
<I can’t leave without approval. If I do, it’ll raise suspicion—and she’ll be angry.>
His gaze shifted naturally toward the east wing.
There was only one option left.
The office of the first-born heir—on the highest floor of the east wing. Noir rarely went there.
<I have a bad feeling… but if the Duchess and Duke aren’t here, she’s my last option.>
“Master, why don’t we wait for the Duchess to return?” Elric asked carefully.
“I know,” Noir replied. “But this is better than asking the Duchess.”
<Ilyana isn’t scary… at least not to me,> he thought.
Elric frowned.
“She’s only gentle and kind in front of you,” he muttered.
Everyone in the mansion knew it.
Lady Ilyana was especially kind toward Noir.
The atmosphere grew sharper. Colder. Heavier.
Noir knocked.
“Come in,” a calm female voice replied.
The office was spacious, lined with towering bookshelves and various magic tools.
Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, illuminating the large desk where Ilyana von Deon sat.
She was already working. Ink-stained fingers. Neatly stacked documents.
Faint magic circles floated beside her—perfect, precise, and controlled.
She lifted her head as Noir stepped inside.
“Noir?”
A flicker of surprise crossed her face before a gentle smile appeared.
“What brings you here so early?” she asked. “Did you miss me this morning?”
Noir straightened his posture.
“I was looking for the Duchess,” he said honestly.
“The maid told me she’s not in the mansion.”
Ilyana nodded.
“She left at dawn,” she replied.
“Annoying council matters… she dislikes them, but they’re unavoidable.”
She tilted her head slightly.
“Did you need something? Something related to my mother?”
Her eyes sharpened.
Noir hesitated.
“Yes. I want permission to go outside the mansion today.”
Ilyana’s pen paused.
“…Outside?” she repeated.
“That’s… difficult for me as well. Are you planning something important?”
She continued slowly, “You’ll need to give a proper reason for such permission.”
“Yes,” Noir replied, keeping his tone steady.
“I need to prepare something.”
“For… what?” she asked softly.
“There’s no ball or party this month,” she added.
“I don’t recall anything important either.”
“For my fiancée, i was thinking to buy gift” Noir answered, hesitation slipping into his voice.
Silence.
Not awkward—dangerous.
The magic circle floating beside Ilyana trembled faintly.
Her smile didn’t fade, but something beneath it shifted.
“I see… your fiancée,” she said slowly.
“You’re adapting quickly, even without meeting her.”
Her fingers tightened around the pen.
“A gift? You say”
Noir hesitated.
<If the Duchess can’t give me permission, then she needs to approve it.
I don’t want to trouble her… if she refuses, I’ll back off.>
“Yes,” Noir nodded.
Proper. Necessary. Survival.
Ilyana leaned back, amethyst eyes studying him closely.
Fiancée… gift… outside…
Each word stacked neatly in her mind.
<Why is he thinking about her when they haven’t even met?
Is he lying to me? His eyes won’t meet mine today.>
Her smile softened.
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Noir,” she said.
“I didn’t know you cared so much about someone you’ve never met.”
Noir scratched his cheek lightly.
“Well… it’s expected, right? I don’t want her to think I’m uneducated in etiquette.”
“So I thought I should prepare a gift.”
Ilyana stood, moving gracefully around the desk. Each step echoed softly.
“I suppose…” she said, stopping in front of him,
“You are trying hard because Mother wants this marriage so badly.”
She studied his face.
“You’ve really changed. Is this because of your fiancée?”
Noir’s face turned crimson.
Focus, Noir.
“I—I don’t think about it like that…”
She raised her hand and adjusted his collar.
Too close.
Her fingers brushed his neck—just barely.
Her eyes lifted to meet his.
“As the first-born heir,” she said calmly,
“I can grant permission in her place.”
A chill ran down Nox’s spine—her closeness, and that authority.
He coughed lightly.
“…Thank you, Ilyana. I really appreciate this favor.”
She smiled.
“Of course.”
Then, casually, she asked,
“Where do you plan to go?”
Noir paused.
“…The Senfors Market District.”
“I won’t be gone long.”
She nodded.
“Not far… but still, it takes time. One week is all I can allow.”
Her fingers slipped away from his collar.
“But… Noir” she added sweetly,
“You won’t be meeting her directly, right?”
Nox blinked.
“It’s just for the gift. I won’t meet her.”
Then, awkwardly, he added,
“And… you look pretty in your working clothes. Please help me again when I come back.”
Her smile widened. Her face turned crimson as she quickly looked away, burying herself in paperwork.
“That’s fine,” she said softly.
“But that’s a favor… I can help you anytime.”
“Very good,” Noir replied.
<I’m pretty… my little Noir said that.>
she thought.
Aloud, she said gently,
“Be careful. The outside world can be… dangerous.”
Noir nodded.
“I will.”
He turned to leave, Elric waiting outside.
“You’re alive,” Elric muttered.
“Shut up. Let’s pack. You’re coming with me,” Noir replied.
They left.
Inside the office, behind the closed door, Ilyana stood still.
Her smile slowly faded.
<Fiancée… gift… all a lie.
What is he planning now? Is he lying to me too?>
She hoped nothing dangerous would happen.
He had no magic. No aura.
Her fingers clenched.
The floating magic circle beside her cracked—then vanished.
<I have a good feeling… something good happened.
When Mother returns…>
She exhaled softly, smiling once more.
“Enjoy your outing, Noir,” Ilyana whispered.
