"I'm back～"

  "Welcome back～"

  "Welcome back."

  "…………"

  "???"

  "Thalia, who is this guy?"

  As soon as she stepped through the gate of Thalia's house, Alice immediately saw Thalia standing not far from the door, waiting to receive her.

  That wasn’t strange at all. After all, ever since she heard the “Magical Girl” would be taking action that night, Thalia had been so excited that she couldn’t sleep before eleven. That was normal.

  But… the second voice saying “welcome back” was definitely not normal, because Alice clearly saw that beside the dining table, where there shouldn’t have been anyone, there was a slender young man, looking like a high schooler, sitting and devouring pineapple pie as if it were the best thing in the world…

  Yes, that young man, dressed in a tailored suit, impeccably elegant, even wearing a watch reserved for nobility, was savoring a steaming pineapple pie?

  Just by the absurdly expensive clothes and the almost exaggerated refined table manners, Alice could say with certainty that this guy was neither a relative nor a friend of Thalia.

  He was, one hundred percent, a noble.

  So, why was a young noble in Thalia’s house? And how did he get there?

  “Huh? Alice, you don’t know him? He said he was a great friend of yours. He even knew you got hurt last week and about the ‘secret mission’ tonight. He said he could help a lot, so I let him in… Could it be…”

  Sensing the sudden tension in the air, Thalia ran up to Alice, who stood at the door with a clearly alert expression.

  Not expecting such a reaction from Alice, Thalia also seemed to notice something was wrong. Hiding behind the “Magical Girl,” she asked in a near-crying voice:

  "Did I... did I do something wrong? Did I let the enemy into our secret base?"

  Yeah. Little Thalia, with her overly dramatic personality, seemed to be blaming herself quite a bit.

  "It’s okay, Thalia. For Nisha, any enemy would just be falling into their own trap. This guy won’t be an exception either. Hey, you there, liar. You're a noble, right? What are you doing here?"

  While comforting Thalia with a gentle tone, Alice didn’t forget to question the man who had already devoured half the pie.

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  Even though a confrontation here could end in a bloodbath, if that guy, who knew so much about her and tricked Thalia into letting him in, didn’t give a convincing explanation… she wouldn’t hesitate to have Nisha cut off his head.

  When it came to enemies, Alice never hesitated.

  "I’m truly sorry for the forced lies I used. After all, I took advantage of the innocence and kindness of a child and even ate the snacks she had prepared with so much care. That kind of behavior is despicable and shameful, and I’m willing to sincerely reflect on it."

  Despite the threatening glares from the two girls at the door, the young noble, after calmly swallowing the last bite of pie, showed neither fear nor arrogance.

  On the contrary, he stood up calmly, set the cutlery aside, and continued:

  "Please, don’t be hasty, Miss Entropist. I can assure you this is not a trap. I used this method only because I didn’t want to stay at the door too long and end up drawing the attention of the guards. I believe what I have to say will interest you greatly, so please, control your emotions, okay? I risked my life to come here because I trust in your rationality, lovely Alice Seraphio."

  "…………"

  "Seraphio? I have nothing to do with the Seraphio family! Who are you, anyway?"

  "Seraphio? Isn’t that one of the Sixteen Ducal Families? Alice? Does that mean you..."

  "Don’t jump to conclusions, Thalia! This is a serious moment, got it? Stop acting like you’re in an anime!"

  "…………"

  Thalia was clearly already imagining some epic drama involving a bloody succession dispute between nine siblings, fights for the throne, and a princess fleeing from marriage.

  Her mind, full of fantasy ideas, was completely detached from reality.

  Fortunately, Thalia’s dreamy attitude didn’t interrupt the dialogue between Alice and the mysterious noble.

  Thus, when Alice asked her question, the young noble answered without being bothered by Thalia’s curious and intrusive gaze:

  "Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Klein Nomeka, former head of the Nomeka family. Of course, most likely after tonight, my expulsion from the family will be announced in the newspapers. So, just as you should forget the name Seraphio, forget Nomeka as well. You may call me just Klein. I’ve been following you for a while, Alice, which is why I know many things about you. And today… I came to Miss Thalia’s house precisely to ask for help. Yes, I really need your help, Miss Alice."

  It was no wonder he seemed so calm.

  A true noble with refined manners knew how to maintain a soft tone even in tense moments.

  But Klein’s words piqued Alice’s interest.

  "Help? Aren’t we enemies? Why would I have any reason to help you, Mister Nomeka?"

  With a slightly furrowed brow, Alice stepped into the living room and closed the door, completely confused by Klein’s words.

  Until recently, she was certain that the Nomeka family was an ally of the Astralis court and her direct enemy, especially that Kastiel Nomeka, who had been one of the main traitors in handing over information about Alice’s father.

  And now… who was this so-called “former head of the Nomeka family”?

  Alice couldn’t say for sure whether what he said was true.

  Nor could she confirm if he really was who he claimed to be. But she had to admit, what he was saying was at least worth listening to.

  "Like in the movies, you have five minutes to tell me everything. Explain from the beginning and give me a good reason not to kill you… And give back the pie! Thalita made it for me!"

  Speaking like a little adult, pressing the negotiator with a time limit and death threat, Alice took what was left of the pineapple pie, just half the plate.

  Honestly, seeing that the pie that was supposed to be all hers was now reduced to half made Alice a little upset.

  After all, Thalia’s culinary talent was remarkable. From the very first bite last night, she had already fallen in love with the taste of the pie.