“By the way, you two went out alone to talk last night? I didn’t know anything about it…”
The sense of crisis and betrayal that had welled up inside Alice drove her, making her want to get a definite and truthful answer as soon as possible.
Her tone was sour, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible blame.
“Well… last night…”
The ambiguous atmosphere from just a moment ago was suddenly broken by Alice, and Liyakade seemed a bit flustered.
She really didn’t want Alice to know about how she had cried to Field last night.
After all, the reason she was so sad and upset had a lot to do with Alice.
Her fear of the Light Element and that strange dream had been troubling her all day yesterday.
Liyakade was worried that if she spoke about it, it might make Alice even more upset.
After all, Alice had already been acting a bit strange before.
Therefore, when Alice suddenly asked what she and Field were doing when they left the camp last night, Liyakade instead hemmed and hawed, not knowing what to say, acting somewhat evasive.
“I-it’s just… I was suddenly in a bad mood last night, that’s all. And, Alice, you were already asleep by then. Talking right next to you would have woken you up, so we went outside to find a spot.”
“In a bad mood suddenly… why? Did something happen?”
These excuses were actually not much different from what Field had just told Walter.
It was essentially the same thing, just phrased differently.
Walter, as an outsider, even if he was a noble, it was still a very presumptuous thing to ask.
Moreover, Liyakade’s status in the caravan was also that of a noble, so such behavior would naturally be refused by her.
But Alice was not an outsider.
She was someone very close to both Liyakade and Field.
Alice knew both of their identities completely, and she was in a romantic relationship with Liyakade.
Wanting to know a bit more detail was not a problem at all.
“This… it’s just that I was suddenly in a bad mood. Anyway, it’s already in the past, it’s no big deal.”
Faced with Alice’s pressing questions, Liyakade still chose not to tell her.
After all, in Liyakade’s view, this really was just a minor matter, and one that might make Alice sad.
So, letting it pass seemed like the better decision to Liyakade.
However, Liyakade’s evasive behavior at this moment only fueled Alice’s unease.
This matter also seemed like a minor thing to Alice, yet now Liyakade couldn’t even satisfy her on something this small.
After hearing Liyakade’s continued evasive words, Alice felt her heart skip a beat.
She suddenly felt an emptiness in her chest.
“Wh-why won’t you tell me… Liyakade? I just want to know why you were sad…”
Alice’s tone was somewhat urgent, even carrying a hint of blame this time.
Not only Field, but even Liyakade could hear the oddness in Alice’s tone.
“Alice? What’s suddenly wrong with you?”
Liyakade showed a puzzled expression.
She furrowed her brows, her crimson eyes filled with questions.
“I was just suddenly in a bad mood yesterday, and it’s over now. I’m not sad anymore. It’s such a small thing, why are you so worked up?”
Liyakade found Alice’s sudden emotional change rather baffling.
Before, Alice had always been very understanding of her.
If she didn’t want to talk about something, Alice would just show understanding and not press further.
But today was completely different.
“Right… it’s just such a small thing…”
Hearing Liyakade emphasize it was just a small matter, Alice not only didn’t calm down, but the emotion in her tone became even harder to control.
Her voice even carried a trace of desperation as she continued questioning Liyakade.
“But… if it’s just such a small thing, Liyakade, you’re not even willing to tell me anymore?”
“What are you even angry about?”
After hearing Alice’s continued pressing, Liyakade grew even more puzzled inside, even feeling a bit impatient.
She was keeping quiet precisely to avoid making Alice sad, but Alice didn’t understand her at all.
With a touch of impatience, she voiced her confusion and true thoughts.
“Alice, you weren’t like this before. Before, you wouldn’t nitpick over such small things. What’s wrong with you? Are you in a bad mood?”
Far from calming Alice down, Liyakade’s words were like lighting the fuse on a powder keg, breaking through the last of Alice’s mental defenses.
“Before? Liyakade…”
Alice’s tone grew even more melancholy, shifting from melancholy to a note of pleading.
Liyakade wasn’t like this before either.
The old Liyakade wouldn’t have deliberately avoided her, nor would she have kept hiding things like this.
She no longer cared that Field and Natalia were nearby, nor that they were right there in the camp.
She let out all the resentment in her heart.
“But you weren’t like this before either! Why… why can Field know what you’re thinking and go comfort you, but I can’t? You can let Field know, but you can’t let me know. Why is that?”
The commotion from their side grew louder and louder.
The travelers who had dispersed earlier noticed the disturbance and couldn’t help but sneak glances in their direction.
From their perspective, Liyakade and Alice were undoubtedly having an argument, and the reason for their quarrel was likely jealousy over Field—at least, that’s how it looked to these outsiders.
But in reality, Alice was jealous.
However, the main subject should have been Liyakade, not Field.
Those sneaking glances were clearly ready to watch the drama unfold.
This kind of noble family drama was exactly what these commoners loved to see.
“Because this matter has nothing to do with you!”
Liyakade’s tone also became a bit urgent.
She once again said something that wasn’t entirely truthful, wanting to brush the matter aside.
“What does my bad mood have to do with anyone else? Isn’t it normal that I didn’t let Alice know?”
“Then why exactly can Field know?!”
“Because Field is more observant! She noticed I was upset, so she comforted me on her own! Are you satisfied now?!”