This Time, I Am A Mob's Potions Teacher Who Has Become Engaged To The Mastermind Of The Otome Game - 10 - Side Story: I Can't Take My Eyes Off Her (From Noel’s Perspective)

It didn’t take long to find who I was looking for at the knights’ training ground within the royal palace.

Since it wasn’t a place civil officials usually visited, the knights looked at me with open curiosity.

I didn’t enjoy being stared at, but right now, it worked to my advantage.

Let them watch—let them see clearly. I’ll make it known so that no one approaches her again. I’ll show them who she belongs to.

I approached my target and spoke.

“Sir Castanier, thank you for looking after Leticia the other day.”

“No need to thank me—I didn’t do anything worth mentioning.”

The captain of the knights gave a cheerful smile, one completely devoid of ill will.

Ah, he’s nothing like me.

He’s the kind of person who can say things like that with complete sincerity.

A man with a pure heart and genuine goodwill.

You can’t compete with someone like that.

If Leticia had met him before she met me, she probably would’ve accepted a marriage proposal from him instead.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a black wave of emotion rose up in my chest and started to churn violently.

“From now on, I’ll be staying by her side, so please refrain from approaching her. She’s newly engaged. Being seen with another man could harm her reputation.”

“My apologies. I only wished to be of help to Professor Bellecour, and I failed to consider the implications.”

He must have developed feelings for her too.

“I’ll watch over her from afar from now on. Please take good care of Professor Bellecour.”

Even though I’d achieved what I came here to do, I felt like I’d lost.

An overwhelming sense of inferiority to a man with genuine goodwill.

“You don’t need to tell me. I already intend to.”

Sir Castanier could no doubt give her a peaceful, happy life.

But she’s my fiancée now. That fact won’t change.

When I heard from Jill that Leticia was with Sir Castanier, dark feelings began to swirl inside me.

Anger. Sadness. And for some reason… loneliness, all tangled up together.

At first, I didn’t even understand why I felt that way.

Was it because I didn’t like her speaking to a member of the royal court?

No, I knew that wasn’t it.

From what I’d heard, Sir Castanier wasn’t aligned with the king or my father’s faction. He was too righteous for them to corrupt.

So then why… why did these feelings keep intensifying?

It hurt. My thoughts were a mess. I even felt a faint sense of irritation.

Would talking to her clear it up?

I went to see her, barely able—or willing—to hide my anger.

—“For the record, I wanted to go out with you. If you don’t want me with someone else, then stop refusing my invitations!”

So… I didn’t like it?

Was I seriously jealous of the knight captain like a child?

Still uncertain, I asked her to repeat herself, and she just got angrier.

But when I asked my own heart, just like she told me to… it was true. I was simply jealous.

This can’t go on.

If I let her sway me like this, I’ll never be able to save Professor Roaek—and worse, I’ll be handing the king and his men the perfect weak point to exploit.

I swore I wouldn’t let them win.

This is dangerous.

That’s why I thought—I should make Leticia disappear. But the thought never became a firm resolve. I learned that the hard way.

That morning, in the empty preparation room, I tried to do it. But when I saw her face, my body froze.

More than that… I found myself waiting for her to say something.

In the end, she walked past me without a word, and the helpless feeling gnawed at my heart again.

Then, Jill rushed in with the news that Leticia was being attacked by a treant in the Forest of Finis.

Before I knew it, I was already flying toward the forest on my griffin.

I couldn’t bear to lose her. That was the truth—I knew it then.

The moment the treant disappeared, she immediately turned to check on the students, expressing her concern for them.

She always puts the students first. That’s the kind of person she is. I’ve come to realize that over the past few days.

And I also had to admit—I’ve completely fallen for her.

The whole “wanting to take a break and go on a date” excuse… it was just that. An excuse. What I really wanted was to know more about her, to be with her.

And every time I saw a new side of her, I felt genuinely happy.

When her hair was down, it made her quiet beauty even more striking. Watching her browse books, totally absorbed, made me want to reach out and touch her over and over again.

The first time I touched her hand, it was so slender and soft.

Her warm words felt like they were melting something inside me.

I want to be with her more. I want to touch her again.

“Jill, is Leticia sleeping properly?”

yawn “Master, I’ve told you already… I’ll let you know if anything happens. Please just go to sleep… mmm…”

Jil’s sleepy voice answered.

Hearing it made me realize I must’ve asked about Leticia so many times I’d kept him awake.

These feelings really are a nuisance.

I keep thinking about her—what she’s doing, what she’s thinking.

“You promised not to do anything that would put me at a disadvantage.”

She only made that contract with me so she could keep teaching. She has no interest in me whatsoever.

“…Take responsibility.”

I swallowed the bitter words that threatened to spill out and closed my eyes.

Please let morning come quickly.

If I see her first thing tomorrow, maybe my heart will calm down a little.