System vs Rebirth

'What in the world is currently happening?'

For just a moment, Noel's brain felt like it was struck by lightning. He couldn't think of anything. In fact, even the gentle kiss from Anna completely felt nothing.

He was completely confused to the point he could only ask what was happening. This was Anna he was talking about.

On the one hand, Noel thought Anna was his friend after all the things they had experienced together. On the other hand, he never thought of Anna more than that, considering he had sworn not to bother with any relationship first before rebuilding his family. After all, it would just cause more problems with his swordsmanship and family.

Yet, this one kiss took him completely by surprise.

Anna gently moved away from him. Looking at how shocked Noel was couldn't help but make her chuckle. This was the first time she saw Noel like this.

The calm and composed Noel was nowhere for a moment.

And before he recovered, Anna waved his hand and put on the best smile she had.

It might be due to the kiss, but Noel's eyes were fixated on her lips. It ended up making him more conscious about the words she was about to speak.

"I have told you everything. All I can say is that I will continue to follow your news. This time, I have found a new goal for myself and I will seriously aim for it. Thank you, Noel."

The words 'Thank You' had only one meaning. She wanted to thank him for everything he had done for her, including the fact that he considered her his friend and ignored the friction between them.

However, when it reached Noel's ears, the words 'Thank You' seemed deeper than he thought. It struck deep in his heart. It sounded nostalgic yet lonely; it sounded sweet yet afar.

He didn't know why, but he wanted to cry at this moment.

The image of Anna in his mind completely shattered after this. He couldn't help but wonder why Anna did all this. Why her words struck so deeply? It felt like they had been together for a long time… far more than the two years they had spent together here.

Noel didn't realize that Anna saw him like the Noel in her memory. Noel had a more mature look.

Despite his cold face, there was a gentle and caring gaze hidden underneath. Noel looked battered, and all of it was due to her. He was exhausted because he tried to change her.

And in this life, she had changed. So, she wanted to thank the past Noel for giving her this chance.

If not for Noel trying to change her in the past life, even with this second life, she wouldn't be able to do anything.

It was because they were separated between two timelines that her voice felt so far.

After saying those words, Anna gracefully nodded her head before she jumped to the side, leaving the shocked Noel alone.

It didn't take too long before she stopped because she could see two figures who were watching them from a distance.

They were Dimitri and Kevin Stargaze. Both of them were still staring at Noel with their jaws wide open.

They simply couldn't believe what Anna had done as well.

"A… Anna…" Kevin tried to call her name, trying to understand the situation. He couldn't help but remember what happened during the expedition.

They had been observing them from outside the demon's range, wanting to know the progress of the exploration.

Though, it was Anna's request that made him stay a bit longer.

Anna was staring intensely every time there was an action. It looked like she had felt something from the expedition.

Eventually, she saw Dimitri acknowledging Noel as his master. When that happened, Anna was standing still for a while.

Even when he called her name, she gave no reaction.

Once everything was over, Anna's expression became serious. She said, "Father… I think I have understood my purpose and my goal. No, should I say that I have found them?"

"Anna? What are you talking about?" Kevin tilted his head in confusion.

"I don't know how to describe it. However, it feels like I know what I should do…" Anna took a deep breath and turned to her father. "Can we wait for a while, at least until the expedition is over? There is something I wish to tell Noel."

Kevin couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows. They had gone for a while, so it might cause some problems later.

But this was the first time her daughter had requested with such serious yet sincere expression. It made her father's instinct to accept it. This might be the first time Anna asked something like this.

Kevin didn't care if there would be any problems due to this decision. Since his daughter had decided, he nodded in agreement. "I understand. If it's the past you, I would have been worried. But looking at your expression right now, I know that you are on the right path. So, I shall support you to the best of my ability. This is what I should do as a parent."

Anna smiled, thanking him.

Remembering that scene couldn't help but startle him. He didn't expect that Anna would do something like this with such a serious expression. He wanted to know what exactly had happened to her when observing the exploration. The change was so drastic that it was unbelievable.

However, Anna politely bowed to him and said, "I apologize for making you wait. I have finished my business. Let's go back, Father."

"Y-yeah?!" Kevin was still speechless, but seeing how his daughter had started to leave, he couldn't do anything other than return with her.

He glanced at Dimitri, who was as shocked as him. In the end, he could only pat his shoulder, indirectly telling him that he didn't know anything either.

After all, this kind of situation would be reported to Noel's parents, so he made his stance clear first.

Unfortunately for him, Dimitri still didn't know how to react. He could only see them off while scratching the back of his head, wondering what he should say to his young master since he was the one making this meeting possible.