"Someone's coming in."

"Huh?"

Hearing the Bookkeeper's voice in his mind, Lorin jolted awake from his half-asleep state. His body shot up from the bed like a leaping carp.

In the dim light, Lorin saw Xueyi—wearing the maid-prepared pajamas—rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning. "It's you," she mumbled.

This was the Bookkeeper's first such alert, making Lorin suspect something unusual.

Hearing disappointment in Lorin's tone, Xueyi frowned. "What? Is it a problem that it's me?!"

"Nothing." Lorin stepped off the bed and grabbed the water glass on the table for a sip. Keeping water by his bedside was an old habit, unrelated to this world.

"So, do you have a habit of having maids serve you in bed?"

"Uh—cough, cough..." Lorin nearly choked. Recovering, he stared at Xueyi in shock.

Xueyi shot him a disdainful look. "Did I hit the mark?"

"No. Where did you even learn that?"

Logically, Xueyi—a sheltered noble girl raised in a greenhouse-like academy—shouldn't know such things. Her sudden remark caught him completely off guard.

Realizing her words were awkward, Xueyi avoided his gaze, scratching her cheek. "Don't boys love those illustrated books?"

Lorin narrowed his eyes. Given her personality, he doubted she'd only read the "serving in bed" parts. Where she found those books remained a mystery.

Wiping water from his lips, Lorin asked, "So why are you here?"

He didn't believe she'd come just to chat. A punch seemed more likely.

Xueyi grew fidgety, twisting her pajama hem.

"That..."

"Hmm?"

"About today..." She just wanted to thank him. Without his help, she'd still be stranded at the academy. Her father wouldn't care if she never returned.

Lorin sighed. "Don't say it. I believe you."

Xueyi froze, surprised. His answer didn't match her unfinished words.

Seeing her stunned silence, Lorin added, "I know you're not the type for underhanded tricks. Lilith's incident was someone else's doing."

From the original story and their time together, Xueyi was abrasive but not scheming.

"..."

To Lorin's shock, Xueyi's fidgety expression shifted to disbelief. Like a puppet with cut strings, she didn't notice large teardrops slowly rolling down her cheeks.

Lorin shook her shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?"

He replayed his words—nothing harsh. Why was she like this?

Snapping out of it, Xueyi wiped her face with her wrist. "S-sorry. For showing you this rude side."

Her sudden politeness unsettled him. "This isn't about manners. You—"

"I'm fine," she insisted, head down, wiping tears.

"You don't look fine." Her denial only deepened his worry.

Just as Lorin considered asking the Bookkeeper, Xueyi burst into loud sobs. Tears flooded down her face like a breached dam.

"Hey, hey—"

Seeing her sway, Lorin caught her, letting her collapse into his arms. She kept sobbing, unable to speak.

"Your Highness, is something wrong?" A maid pushed the door open, gasped at the sight of them embracing, and slammed it shut. "Sorry for the intrusion!"

Lorin ignored the misunderstanding. He needed to understand Xueyi—but she couldn't answer yet.

He stayed half-holding her as she cried. After minutes, his legs ached, so he sank to the floor, pulling her down gently. His shirt grew damp under her tears.

Her sobs softened to whimpers.

When she calmed, Lorin asked, "Can you tell me now?"

"I'm fine..."

"You weren't fine earlier. Need more time to cry?"

"N-no."

"Talk." He kept a hand on her shoulder. Her body felt limp, drained from crying.

"...You'll probably laugh." Her voice was hoarse. "You're the first person to say you believe me."

No one had stood by her during Lilith's incident. Her abrasive nature made everyone assume she cheated. The first prince's subtle nudges encouraged their cruelty—even her brother abandoned her.

Lorin gently stroked Xueyi's snow-white hair. It felt softer than he imagined.

Unlike her usual fiery self, she resembled a stray kitten brought home, not resisting his touch. Normally, she'd have drawn her sword by now.

"I said it wasn't you, so it wasn't you. No 'belief' needed." Lorin sighed softly. "Leave it to me. We'll find the truth."

Xueyi just nodded against his chest. Exhaustion weighed her eyelids shut.