Alicia found herself in a difficult situation. Sir Alfred was also unable to help her. He tried to speak, but words couldn't come out. They both sat in silence for a long time. Then Sir Alfred said,
"Princess... I think you..... never mind. Please be assured that regardless of the decision you make, I will support it. So, you can take all the time and carefully think about this proposal."
Alicia nodded silently in agreement. Sir Alfred left for the palace after having breakfast with Alicia.
Alicia thought of every memory over the past year. She felt stuck between avenging her family, which she swore she would, and still felt the same, and her current, alarming but quite happy life. She knew going to the mage district was the best and safest option, but she didn't want to abandon this blissful life with Sir Alfred. She needed to choose between her Past and Present families.
After some thought, she decided to write everything about her past life and compare it with her present life. She wrote all about her life in the estate, her chatty maids, her strict but kind nanny, how she used to go on picnics with her friends, how she used to pester the head chef to make sweets, her father, who was terrible at jokes, but it still made her laugh so much, her mother who was very powerful but still elegant and beautiful, how all of her family used hike together, every small detail about her family came pouring down on the sheets one after another. Emotions swayed uncontrollably as she read everything. She thought the past wasn't even close to the present, let alone a comparison. With a heavy but firm heart, she made her decision.
She concluded that this present life was void of everything. Though it had Sir Alfred teaching and protecting her, her grandfather and Uncle might visit her more often, it may have had swordsmanship, which all made her happy, but it didn't have those carefree and jovial moments as her previous life. Instead, it had the constant terror of getting discovered; it was a life filled with rage and revenge. Every time she slept, she could hear his hideous laugh echoing throughout her mind, which brought her insomnia. The nightmares of that evening still brought her headaches. She couldn't even focus on her studies as she constantly remembered her parents' warmth. She realized that her past life was something she couldn't protect, but had sworn to avenge.
With this, Alicia had her answer ready before Sir Alfred even came back. She gathered all her thoughts before dinner, ready for whatever was to come.
After Sir Alfred came back exhausted from the palace. Alicia arranged the dinner table with a firm expression. Sir Alfred realized that it was time. Alicia started speaking.