Looking up from my lunch tray, I saw a girl about the same height as me standing next to the bench.


    Her golden-blonde hair and matching golden eye color sparkled in the sunlight,making it seem as if she was the reincarnation of the sun itself.


    However, my eyes weren''t drawn to her looks at all... instead, I saw a particr badge that was hanging on her chest.


    A gigantic cube that seemed to be alive as it had four legs and a pair of eyes was disyed on the badge.


    ...was that a Pokemon?


    Nope, it was the badge given to members of the royal family currently presiding over the human empire.


    Charlotte.


    The empire''s famed princess was known for her ability to manipte light magic, using reflections and sunlight to create various new spells at just the age of sixteen.


    ncing at my tray full of food, I shook my head before standing up.


    "I''ve just finished, it''s all yours."


    On the outside, Charlotte would have seemed like a kind and amicable person to anyone as she always wore a smile and brightly colored clothes.


    Here she was right now, even daring to sit next to a fallen noble like me, who had been disowned by their own father.


    A member, even being in the vicinity of someone with my reputation, was unthinkable, yet here she was.


    She seemed to have a gentle aura surrounding her as she passively gazed at me, not making any assumptions or insultingments in her head despite the countless negative rumors surrounding me.


    However, as an avid book reader, I knew it was all an act.


    The real Charlotte was... very different.


    She was definitely not someone I wanted to get involved with right now, especially when I already had so many things on my te.


    Standing up with my tray, I began walking away, not ncing back at Charlotte to see her reaction.


    Walking around my tray, I finally found a new spot to eat in a somewhat secluded area in the park surrounding the building.


    Hiding from the "sun" in the shade of the trees, I sat down on the bench before picking up my fork once again.


    *CRASH*


    However, just as I picked up another piece of food with my fork, a sudden loud sound sounded in front of me.


    Almost falling off the bench from shock, I put down my fork, ensuring none of the food that I had waited ages for spilled, and looked up.


    Peering through the forest with my eyes, I saw a familiar figure slumped against a tree in the distance.


    She seemed to be interacting with the air in front of her as she waved her hands around and opened her mouth, but my eyes couldn''t see anything there.


    Well, if it were anyone else, I would have just thought they were some loser talking to their imaginary friend... but it was an Elven princess.


    Carefully setting down my tray on the bench, I got up and started walking towards the source of the sound.


    Surprisingly, it wasn''t Liam who had the biggest change after my fight with him... but Alya.


    She had probably thought it was all her fault as she was the one who voluntarily contracted with the spirit, starting everything off.


    Of course, that also meant she was the one who got us out of the loop, as she allowed me to kill the spirit, but I doubted she saw it like that.


    All of Zach''s external injuries had healed as he had incurred them with his fight with me in the dream... but from the spirit''s possession, there were some internal issues.


    From what I observed in ss, he seemed to have major attitude swings pretty often, and asionally, his feet would start trembling for no reason.


    The guilt weighing on Alya must be immeasurable as Zach could suffer from this internal problem for the rest of his life... and in Alya''s head, it was all her fault.


    Since nothing like this was ever mentioned in the book, I couldn''t do anything to help Zach but just observe from a distance.


    Looking at Alya from a distance, I started wondering.


    Alya had been possessed by the spirit, but she wasn''t suffering from any side effects like Zach.


    What was the reason?


    Shaking my head, I got even closer to Alya, watching her fully lie down against the tree trunk and emotionlessly staring upward at the sun.


    "...well, I guess that''s another thing added to my list of things to do."


    Recalling Zach''s happy face in the ssroom despite the side effects of the spirit''s possession, I sighed.


    Why do bad things always happen to good people?


    If it was some evil viin who was suffering the side effects, I wouldn''t feel a thing of guilt or sympathy.


    I could just ignore it and go on with my day.


    But looking at Zach, who was putting on a false facade and a mask of happiness to stop his friends from worrying, and Alya, who was being crushed under an immense of guilt, my chest began to ache.


    "tsk, I really hate this."


    Why was I feeling this guilt in my chest?


    I had simply done what I was supposed to do...none of the things I had done to Zach mattered, as those wounds had all healed after his dream.


    "Guilt is a weight that will crush you whether you deserve it or not."


    Shaking my head, I emerged from the protection of the trees and walked towards the oblivious Alya.


    Stopping a few steps in front of her, I hesitated, watching her silver hair sway in the breeze, and her eyes remain motionless, locked onto the sky.


    What was I doing?


    Taking on more tasks while I can''t evenplete the ones I already have?


    Was this even worth it?


    *WHOOSH*


    As the breeze flew by, brushing Alya''s hair back and revealing her face, she finally looked away from the sun, slowly shifting her gaze downwards.