《I Stole the Child of My War-Mad Husband》 Chapter 1 TL: Sibyl Snap! She swung the little whip in her hand. ¡°Please forgive me, madam! Snap! ¡° The maid, who was begging on her knees, got whipped and screamed. While the woman with the whip spat out coldly. ¡°How dare you defy me, get on my nerves and be safe? ¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry! ¡± It was no use apologizing now. The maid in front of her was about to steal a brooch. The woman was unable to let go this matter. Moreover, it was not the reason for the theft, but somehow it felt like a sense of duty to hit this maid to her. ¡®Why?¡¯ She wondered while continuing to move her arms and legs. Like a person who is doing the righteous thing. Snap! ¡°Ahhh!¡± With the sound of tearing flesh, a new scream rang out . ¡± Ma, Ma¡¯am, is everything all right? ¡° People outside the room came to see the cause of commotion. The scene before their eyes, took away their breaths. ¡°Oh, ¡­ ¡± They closed the door again with an awkward gesture. But it couldn¡¯t stop the whispering voice coming from outside the door. ¡°That kid is Mary, what¡¯s going on¡­¡­ ? ¡± ¡°Whatever it is, the lady is catching another innocent maid. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even been a day or two. ¡± Complaints reached her ears. Though she didn¡¯t care because she had to perform the given action. ¡®Wait, given action? ¡® The thought that appeared like a flash in her mind made her hesitate. She suddenly felt an upcoming headache. Why did she think hitting this maid is something like her duty? ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ The woman with the whip was Noel, a noblewoman. She grew up as a daughter of a Countess, and when she became an adult, she married as one. Living freely all through her life and doing whatever she desired to do. But now she feel like doing something she didn¡¯t want to. ¡°¡­..¡± Actually, this was not the first time that she felt this way. She was often feeling this way for some time now. Trying to deny it. But this time it was different. As if today, the reasoning that yelled at her was stronger than the earlier urges of whisper in her head. Eventually, the hand that was swinging the whip stopped. When she found out that the maid was stealing, the right course of action would have been to reveal the facts in front of everyone. Embarrassing her and throwing her out of the mansion. Why did she have to punish a servant in front of so many people and ruin her own reputation? ¡®Why am I being so mean when I know the fact?¡¯ ¡°Ma, Ma¡¯am¡­¡­ ? ¡± The bloody maid lying on her back looked up at her. She couldn¡¯t understand why she felt obligated to continue to be more vicious and mean? ¡®I feel like I¡¯m being manipulated by someone.¡¯ No, more precisely, she felt as if she was under the control of someone else all along. She stopped all of her actions and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s enough, non-sense¡± ¡°Get your stuff and get out of here. ¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes! ¡± The maid barely managed to get up with the support of other employees. The other maids looked at Noel grudgingly, pretending not to show. Because those people did not know why she punished Mary. ¡°Oh, my God. ¡° ¡°Poor Mary. ¡± Right now, she didn¡¯t even feel inclined to say anything to them. That¡¯s because she had a sudden question that was able to get her out of her trance. ¡°Everyone out. ¡± Hearing her words, the maids hurriedly cleaned the room and closed the door while leaving the room. ¡°¡­..¡± She touched her head in the room after being left alone. That was when she felt another strange impulse. She felt like throwing away all the things here and there in a fit of anger and take some action to catch the person. ¡®No, this is not what I really want.¡¯ She clenched her fist and held back all the impulses that came. Digging her fingernails into the flesh of her palm. ¡°¡­.¡± Sitting in the bed while doing nothing. She tried to control all the impulses that came up in her head. Then suddenly, her head started to hurt. It felt like it was going to break. Beep. ¨C .. Then a loud ringing resonated in her ears. Beyond it, the life of a woman with black hair was spread out like a panorama on the snow cover . Who was that? It felt familiar. No, she somehow knew who it was. Afterall, it was her. She questioned herself. ¡®Before, apparently, I didn¡¯t want to hit the maid. Then why did I do it? ¡® As if to contradict herself, someone in her head started giving orders. Now, come on, torment others and trample them . ¡®No.¡¯ She kept resisting. ¡®No!¡¯ She never wanted to live as a bad person. ¡®I don¡¯t want to live like this anymore!¡¯ She felt something shattering in her head. That is when the voice that was ordering her some time ago disappeared. Finally, a hazy afterimage like fog passed by with a whisper. [My little angel, now your heart is about to be filled with cold ice pieces¡­ ] ¡®Who the hell was that whispering¡­¡­ . ¡¯ Leaving the question behind, all the senses and questions she had just felt had faded. Like the scattered puzzle piece, all the scenes reason werere-aligned A buzzing sound resonated like a warning bell. Making her blink slowly. ¡°Uh¡­.?¡± ¡®What have I been doing so far? Yeah, she just remembered. Originally, she was a Korean. Ever since a young age, she lived alone with her mother. After graduating from college, she worked as a nurse. It was hard at first, but after sometimes it hit me. I felt a sense of pride in saving lives. After a few years or so, everyone worked hard with passion, as they were recognized by their colleagues and offered a lecture. It was a happy life. Then, suddenly she died. Born and raised in a completely different world at the same time. Her current name was Noelle Ainel. She was a well-known wife of the Marquis who was said to be very vicious and vile in the mansions and social circles. ¡°Huh?¡± She was bewildered to see the scenes of her present life that were passing through her head. Why are you so mean? ¡­.. were you crazy? *** She must have lost her mind. There was one thing that came to her mind from the memory of her previous life. That is, she was reincarnated as one of the characters in the Harley Quinn novel. All the current situations have been read in her previous life. It was really strange. Until she recalled her past memories, she was swept away by a compulsory sense of duty to bully people. She felt like she was being manipulated by someone. What was the reason? There is no way to tell the cause of this. Besides, it was not the most urgent thing. There were much bigger problems to handle. Now my name is Noelle Ainel. The reason this is important is because that was the name of wife of Rupert, the owner of the Harley Quinn. ¡°Noel Ainel. ¡± She turned her head to the voice of a man who suddenly appeared behind her. There was a familiar face standing in front of her. Speak of the devil and he appeared. The person who called her was none other than Rupert, the man she was just thinking about. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The main character and her current husband. He was a man with a very cruel personality, he was a warmonger. When a sword was in his hands on the battlefield, he was undefeated. There was a ridiculous rumor that his armor was always stained with blood. For this reason, people called him this with awe and fear. The Devil. Of course, he¡¯s a war fanatic and will still fall in love with all of his heart in the future. ¡­¡­So she was his current wife, the one who changed him, the heroine to put it in an easy way? ¡°Rupert, is there anything important? ¡± He looked down at her with a deathly stare. ¡°I don¡¯t remember having a relationship, where you called me by my name. Did we?¡± Well, not at all. ¡± I understand, Marquesss Rupert Ainel. ¡± He spoke bluntly. ¡°They said that they suffered from injuries in a week since starting to work and whipping Yongin. I have something to say to you, so come to my office. ¡± That was it. Now she was his ¡®evil wife¡¯. ¡®The bigger problem is.¡¯ About a month later, she will be killed by her husband, Rupert along with her real daughter. *** Chapter 2 Translator: Sibyl She couldn¡¯t understand why this was happening to her. For one instant she was whipping people around, and just like that suddenly she was going through the memories of her past life. ¡®Was there some reason behind it?¡¯ She organized the plot of the novel that she remembered as much as possible. First of all, it was the love story of Rupert and Aishia Ren, the heroine who dreams of becoming a knight. The original story begins when Aishia, who ran away from her house dreaming of becoming a knight, dressed as a man and joined ¡®The Knights of the Raven¡¯. ¡®I¡¯m the problem.¡¯ Rupert¡¯s wife, Noel, or she was killed by her husband. ¡®This makes no sense.¡¯ She disheveled my hair feeling frustrated by thinking of this injustice. No matter how mean a woman is, the man who killed his wife and daughter is the main character of this novel! It¡¯s a huge mess! This is a real shitty novel. But right now, it wasn¡¯t time for her to discuss her bitterness. For now, it was urgent to clean up this situation. ¡®First, let¡¯s try to get things straight with my troublesome husband.¡¯ Her relationship with him was at the worst point right now. Rupert and Noel were connected through a political marriage. So there was no love. Seven years ago, 20-year-old Rupert beat his brothers and inherited the title of Marquess. At that time, he had just become a second-generation Marquess and lacked foundation. In the end, Rupert signed an agreement with her goddamned family on the condition of marriage. At that time, Noel hated him a lot. A man who was born out of wedlock and was later conferred a title. It was so obvious. An unlucky aristocrat married to a posthumous work of illegitimate children, with the typical aristocratic way of pedigree-oriented thinking. [T/N: The above sentence is trying to depict that the marquess¡¯s death left behind his illegitimate child as his posthumous work. Or so I think.] ¡­¡­ means that from the first meeting, she showed contempt for him. Her one-sided contempt was the first step in their relationship. She even used her luxury to bully others, causing all kinds of accidents she could with her authority. In a word, she was an open lunatic in this mansion. Don¡¯t touch her! She will bite you! After a common political marriage, there was no way that she would have fallen in love with a husband with a sick past. Why, because her personality was so lovely! ¡± Ugh¡­¡± She really wanted to hide in a rat¡¯s hole. She had done too many shameful things. But it wasn¡¯t by her will. She really doesn¡¯t know why. But she felt like she was being held up by something. It is natural that Rupert despises her anyway. Now he didn¡¯t even like her calling his name. ¡®What do I do? ¡¯ There¡¯s not much time left until the story begins, and then everything will be gone. Of course, Noel was guilty of her misdeeds such as lashing out on the servants, spending all the money allocated to her in vain, and so on. But now, to Rupert, she was the one to do all those things that Noel had done before, but it¡¯s not what she really wanted to do. With a worried look she repeats these words in her mind, ¡®¡­and I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t work.¡¯ So far all the wrongdoings have been her responsibility. ¡®Let¡¯s at least lower Rupert¡¯s hostility toward me.¡¯ She is the wife hated by a war hero after she was reincarnated. That¡¯s perfect. Fortunately, she found her memories and got some knowledge about the future. It¡¯s filled with hazards, but how can it not be helpful in any way? ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start with Rupert¡¯s office. ¡± She headed straight to her husband¡¯s office. As she stood in front of the door, she could feel cody tensing up all over again. ¡± ¡­¡­let¡¯s do it.¡± She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A low voice came from inside. ¡± ¨C Come in. ¡± A squeaking sound could be heard as she slowly turned over the door knob. *** When she opened the door, Rupert was staring at her with a cold stare. It seems he has a lot to say. ¡°You whipped the maid because your hair got tangled. ¡± It was the first thing she heard as soon as she entered the Oval Office. She raised my head in wonder at the remark. Something¡¯s not right. ¡°Your hair got tangled and you whipped her, didn¡¯t you? ¡° This was clearly a misunderstanding. The reason she whipped the maid was because of the theft. ¡°Yeah. Isn¡¯t it as worst as it possibly could be already? ¡± Indeed, the other servants who witnessed her actions seemed to have spread a false rumour. Madam was so mad at her tangled hair that she turned a maid of honor into a dead body. ¡®But who could have spread this rumor out of malice? ¡® Well, there¡¯s not one or two people who hate her. ¡°I didn¡¯t hit her because my hair was tangled. ¡± ¡°So what is it? ¡± ¡°Because she was trying to steal my brooch. ¡± As she was talking she felt a little weird. She couldn¡¯t believe it, she whipped someone. Rupert gave her a look and laughed. ¡°You¡¯re telling a meaningless lie to me. ¡° ¡­¡­what? ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from witnesses, so you don¡¯t have to say that. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re lying in the first place. It¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve ever done this. ¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Her credibility in Rupert¡¯s eyes had seemed to hit the rock-bottom. He believes more in the words of the servants, as compared to her wife. Her relationship with Rupert was at absolute low. So for now she must accept this as her loss. ¡®And I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll believe me.¡¯ She changed her plan. For now it¡¯s important to make him realise that she is different from before . First of all, even if there is a false charge, she must admit that whipping someone so ruthlessly was wrong. ¡°Yeah, I think I went too far. I¡¯ll give her a position and pay her a certain amount of compensation. ¡± ¡®Because it¡¯s hard to take the whip blow this much must be done.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­..¡± Rupert was silent for a moment, like he didn¡¯t expect her to admit that she did something wrong. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not going to whip the servants anymore. ¡± Even if you do something wrong, you will be fired. No more using whip. She doesn¡¯t have that kind of awful taste. Rupert retorted suspiciously. ¡°How are you going to pay the compensation? You used up all of your allowance in a week. I¡¯m not going to give you any more money for all that luxury.¡± Money. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s a problem too!¡¯ It¡¯s not one or two of the extravagances and accidents that she had caused so far. He was a duty-bound husband even to his hated wife. It means that he paid her enough money anyway. ¡®Realistically, it¡¯s too much to ask him for more money right now.¡¯ She can¡¯t ask for more budget like she used to. ¡®I have to show you I can do things too.¡¯ Or his assessment for her will go down even more. ¡®Think, turn the wheels of your brain.¡¯ There was some information about the future that was related to money. The problem is that it is something that will need his help. She glanced at him. ¡°What if I say I¡¯ll make it?¡± Naturally, this caught his full attention. ¡°You? You¡¯re gonna make money?¡± She knew it. She must hold onto this firmly. ¡°Yes.¡± Rupert laughed. ¡°How on earth? I wonder if you even know how to make money. ¡° Then he moved towards her, grabbed her wrist and said sarcastically. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly go to war with this pulsating wrist. ¡° ¡°That¡¯s right. The same way you do it is impossible. ¡° It wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. The original ¡°Noel Ainel¡± didn¡¯t know how to make money. ¡®However.¡¯ If you combine the memories of her living in this capitalist society with the information in her head, it is not much of an issue. ¡°Will you listen to me properly?¡±¡¯ There¡¯s no other way, so let¡¯s ask him for that first. She laughed as kindly as she could. [T/N: While feeling as awkward as she could inside.] ¡°First of all, Marquis. ¡° Hoping that she doesn¡¯t look like a weirdo to him, she uttered the dreadful words. ¡°Will you lend me some money?¡± *** Chapter 3 ¡°¡­¡­¡± Naturally, Rupert looked at me as if he heard some mad dog barks. Immediately, a cold answer followed. ¡°I must have just said it, but I have no intention of giving you more money for the indemnity.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that. I¡¯m asking you for a loan.¡± I knew he would give this kind of reaction. Objectively it will sound crazy. Still, I added calmly. ¡°Of course I also use the borrowing card.¡± He has a sharper tone of speech. ¡°What the hell are you up to? Do you really think I¡¯ll listen to that?¡± ¡®I guess so.¡¯ His wife, who was in the worst relationship with him suddenly asks for money. I glad that I didn¡¯t get to hear any cursings. But I brazenly maintained a ¡®good face¡¯. First, let¡¯s push it! ¡°Come on, listen to my explanation first, I have an idea this time-¡° ¡°So what do you make up for?¡± My words were cut off in the middle. Rupert said he was very sick and tired of it. ¡°Just summarize your ulterior motive in ten letters right now. Before I kick you out because I hate to hear your bullshit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rupert¡¯s patience for me was very short. ¡®Isn¡¯t this my last chance?¡¯ The difficulty level is too high from the start! ¡°If you can¡¯t do it right now, I¡¯ll-¡° I spit out in a hurry. ¡°I want to invest in the land.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I thought he wouldn¡¯t understand. ¡®That¡¯s why I said I¡¯d explain.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to use this extreme method of investment from the very beginning. ¡®But I don¡¯t have time.¡¯ I know Rupert¡¯s propensity well. He was a terrible personality to take care of reason and efficiency. Anything that gets in his way is removed without hesitation. ¡®This kind of hostility would really kill me.¡¯ Naturally, the strategy that appeals to normal people didn¡¯t work and has no effect on such an opponent like him. In that case, it¡¯s better to just show him the purpose as quickly and precisely as possible. ¡®So that within a short period of time, my value of existence can fit into his mind.¡¯ So, I was planning to bring him tremendous wealth by letting him know the land where the money would pour out just by digging it. ¡®To do that, It needs investment money first.¡¯ Rupert laughed. ¡°Do you know the concept of investment?¡± A cold reply followed. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time, get out.¡± I said in a calm tone. ¡°I swear in my honor that it will never be a waste of time. Please give me an opportunity to really explain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t believe it if you¡¯ve heard it on your own. Please call your aide, Ordin, too.¡± His gaze as if I was an unknown creature that appeared in front of him for the first time. Well, it¡¯s the first time I showed a rational attitude that makes my appearance less nervous. ¡°Noelle Ainel, you¡¯re doing unusually persistent today.¡± Fortunately, this attitude seems to move his judgment. ¡°Yes, it would be better to listen specifically to what you mean.¡± Rupert pulled a string and called an attendant. ¡°Bring Ordin here.¡± When I heard that, I secretly sighed with relief. First of all, I have passed one hurdle. * * * After a while, a man with a rather cold impression came in. ¡°Did you call me, Marquis?¡± He is a person with light brown hair and blue eyes. ¡®Ordin.¡¯ He was Rupert¡¯s aide. Of course, this man also hated me very much. Fortunately, he is not a person who tells lies because of personal feelings. ¡®That is why I asked for your presence.¡¯ If Ordin agrees, it will be of great help in persuading Rupert. While Rupert briefly explained the situation to Ordin, I pulled out a large map in the corner of the house. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want to waste a time, so let¡¯s get to the point right away. ¡± After seeing the two men for a moment, I turned my head toward the map again. It¡¯s better not to say anything unnecessary at all, is what their looks said. ¡°From here on.¡± I pointed to the area of ??the map with my finger. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of buying the land up to here.¡± Ordin lightly frowns his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s very barren so it¡¯s not a land suitable for farming.¡± It is a sign that Rupert knew it would. ¡°After all, you don¡¯t really know what an investment is.¡± I profoundly refuted it. ¡°I know it right. This land is not fertile and there are no rivers nearby.¡± Therefore, this land has been neglected without much use all the time. There is no one willing to purchase it. However, there was something that could be a lot of money under this land. ¡®It was a ruin full of old golden treasures, probably?¡¯ Yes, I was sure. I clearly saw it in the story. ¡®Wait, did I saw it?¡¯ I corrected the misrepresentation that came up inadvertently. ¡®No, I read it.¡¯ ¡°The use of this land itself is not important. What is so important is the thing buried down here. ¡° Ordin asked suspiciously. ¡°Is something buried there?¡± ¡°The explanation will be a little longer to answer that question, so don¡¯t hang up.¡± This was a warning to Rupert. ¡°You know better, but in ancient times there is a record that the continent is divided into four lands, but now it is all combined.¡± Suddenly it was time for geography, but fortunately, Rupert didn¡¯t interrupt like before. ¡°In the past, each of the four lands consisted of a different type of mana, and Ainel region was located on the border of two of the house four lands combined.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why crops don¡¯t grow well on my land.¡± All the land surrounding the land I wanted to buy was barren. ¡°The place I¡¯m talking about now is similar to the Marquis. No, it¡¯s rather worse. Because it is a boundary of three lands.¡± I grinned. ¡°So it¡¯s completely cheap if you buy it now.¡± Ordin touched his head as if absurd. ¡°Cheap isn¡¯t all good, but it should be useful.¡± ¡°As I just said, the usage doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Unexpectedly, Rupert corrected it. ¡°¡­You said there was something under the ground.¡± ¡°Yes, I got information from someone I know that there was a greedy race that lived only in this magical land in ancient times, who collected treasures, and it said that when the race died, gold and silver treasures remained with their dead bodies. ¡°What is that race?¡± ¡°It is a surprisingly famous race. It¡¯s a dragon.¡± Like fantasy, dragons were famous in this world as well. It doesn¡¯t mean that you see it often. It¡¯s just they often appear in legends or fairy tales, and rare relics are excavated from the places they are found from. Well, to put it more simply, it was a level of familiarity similar to ¡®dinosaurs¡¯. I continued to explain my answer further. ¡°I mean if you dig this land, there will be a dragon¡¯s grave. So, there are ruins with gold and silver treasures. Well, are there dragon bones too?¡± In the story, the heroine made a sword out of that material. The two men who couldn¡¯t be easily persuaded seemed to have a lot of criticizing remarks stating this all utter nonsense to say. ¡°The dragon¡¯s ecology has not been fully understood. How does the Marchioness know that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t trust you. How do you know that? Besides, it¡¯s all just theoretical talk. It has no practicality.¡± ¡®Well, now I¡¯m stuck here at this point.¡¯ Certainly what I said now would be revealed in an academy thesis in the future. Of course, it was still unknown. The content itself is true, but the route of entry had to be turned over as a lie. Even if you know the future, you can¡¯t completely believe it. ¡°Your point is correct. Because¡­¡± Chapter 4 I laughed blatantly. ¡°This is really going to be published as a thesis.¡± The unexpected answer left Ordin a little dazed. ¡°Where the hell was the information you got?¡± I waited to be asked this question. At the same time, I gave up my conscience for a moment. This is because I had to sell the name of someone I know. From now on, what I will say is a lie mixed with truth. ¡°From Michael, my relative.¡± ¡°Oh, the great wizard Michael¡­¡± I responded naturally. ¡°That¡¯s right, he told me it will be published soon, so everyone will know.¡± Michael Veris. He was the most famous genius wizard in this country. At the same time, he is my distant relative, brother, and the only person I have been close to since childhood. Even now, even though I couldn¡¯t see his face often, we were communicating by letter. He also came to my wedding. ¡°Michael Veris¡­¡± This name worked well for Ordin. ¡°If this is true, it¡¯s worth checking-¡° ¡°Well¡­¡± Rupert cut off his words at the moment. I¡¯m nervous. ¡®Is my persuasion failure?¡¯ He approached me with strides. ¡°Noel Ainel, I think you have a different intention.¡± It was close enough to feel each other¡¯s breath. It is a threatening atmosphere. I asked back, holding back the urge to back off. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because you are by no means a woman who will do things that will benefit my family.¡± ¡°Of course you may have such doubts when you think of what I¡¯ve done so far, but I¡¯m serious this time.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t change one morning.¡± That¡¯s right, but- ¡®This time it was completely different.¡¯ The eyes of Rupert¡¯s approaching fire contain a sense of alertness and hostility. ¡°So I¡¯ll only ask you once.¡± Rupert grabbed my shoulder and asked. ¡°What kind of trick are you doing this time?¡± ¡®What?¡¯ As I was preparing various persuasions in my head, my brain stopped for a moment at an unexpected question. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Who the hell are you having an affair with? Did he make you talk these things in front of me to get money?¡± Rupert¡¯s attitude to blame was serious enough to be a joke. ¡®What, what?¡¯ The moment I grasped the situation, my head went blank. An unfamiliar word shook in my ear. I barely swallowed the swear words. ¡®I thought I would be a little suspicious, but it¡¯s not like this.¡¯ The other person didn¡¯t care about my reaction. ¡°Yeah, seeing that you even mention the name of Michael Veris makes your head turn quite a bit-¡° I can¡¯t hear more. I shouted loudly. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!¡± One of his eyebrows went up. ¡°Is it bullshit?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡®There is also a limit to enduring!¡¯ ¡°If I investigate, the truth will soon be revealed.¡± I was sarcastic without losing either. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do some investigation.¡± ¡°Okay, do you mean you will keep insisting that way?¡± ¡°Sure, you¡¯ve hurt my honor with ridiculous speculation, so I will wait for the moment you will apologize very politely when the truth is revealed!¡± Of course, I have been a vicious and wicked woman in the meantime! That didn¡¯t mean I was having an affair. Only that fact was clear. ¡°If your words are true, I am willing to do so.¡± ¡°Ha, keep that word carefully!¡± He didn¡¯t seem to believe in my claim. There was only a little interest in Rupert¡¯s eyes. I was like a child who was making up a bad thing in his eyes. He was thinking about something for a moment. ¡°Then let¡¯s make a contract.¡± ¡°A contract?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very simple, I¡¯ll lend you money as you ask.¡± I wondered if he was just teasing me. I became suspicious of the change in his attitude. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Instead, I will decide all of the terms and conditions to enter the contract.¡± ¡°¡­What do you want from me specifically for?¡± ¡®Because if it¡¯s something like my neck, I¡¯m in trouble. ¡® ¡°If you ask it, you must be interested to some extent.¡± ¡°I want to listen.¡± ¡°All right. Ordon.¡± Rupert raised his finger in an arrogant gesture. ¡°Prepare the contract.¡± The lazy ridicule that bloomed at him while saying so seemed to be objectively hidden. * * * After a while, in front of me, a contract with neat letters was presented. ¡°I only explain the important conditions.¡± Only then I was able to confirm the provisions he put forward. ¡°First of all, you¡¯ll pay back five times the money you borrowed.¡± ¡®What?!?¡¯ It was absurd from the beginning. ¡°Five times?¡± What kind of money lenders are you? ¡°If your words were true, there would be enough money in this land, right?¡± Rupert¡¯s intention to say that was as easy to read. ¡®Can you borrow money even with these ridiculous conditions?¡¯ I sharpened my teeth on that face. ¡®Even this damn suspicion hasn¡¯t disappeared!¡¯ But, I responded confidently. ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Such a decisive answer was unexpected, and Rupert¡¯s handsome brow has slightly frowned. ¡°The momentum is very good. Will you be able to maintain that attitude even if you listen to the next condition?¡± ¡®What, are you really trying to kill me if I can¡¯t pay back?¡¯ Concealing my worries, I shrugged my shoulders casually from the outside. ¡°Well, should I stand with one hand? Or should I bark in front of you?¡± Rupert was a little disgusted with this statement. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. It would be an insult to the honor of the Ainel family if you did something like that in the first place.¡± Looks like my joke isn¡¯t funny. He said, ¡°If you can¡¯t pay back the money, I¡¯ll move your home to an outbuilding, and I¡¯ll restrict you from going out for anything other than the important things.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t do any punishment for the employee. Other than that, I will deprive you of all the powers you may exercise within the house.¡± ¡®Surely.¡¯ Somehow I just accepted it. ¡°To sum up, are you going to turn me the marquis¡¯ submissive wife? Even limiting my freedom?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s hard for me too to stand the way you let the honor of my family fall freely.¡± In the end, the explanation I gave so far to Rupert didn¡¯t mean anything. Whether my words are true or false, there is no big damage to him. Even if it¡¯s a lie, he had a chance to rightfully deprive me of all my powers as an excuse for this. ¡®This guy will be more like a villain than the main character.¡¯ It was a condition to guess how much he hated me. Asked Rupert with a peculiar lazy laugh. ¡°It will be a live bet for you, will you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®I really want to hit him at once.¡¯ With all my violent minds, I looked at the contract once more. Fortunately, there is a provision that gives me a fair share if I make a profit from the investment. ¡®All I need is this.¡¯ Even though it¡¯s stupid to sign a contract like this. ¡°I¡¯ll accept everything. I¡¯ll sign the contract.¡± I acted confidently as if I was looking forward to it. I didn¡¯t want to look funny. ¡°Just include a member of the ¡®Raven Knights¡¯, your direct subordinates as I investigated the land.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because their skills are the most reliable.¡± This was easy to accept. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it.¡± He responded boldly and signed the signature column. At the same time, Ordin and Rupert looked at me with eyes that said, even a fool couldn¡¯t save me. Do you think I¡¯m really hung up on another man? I snorted inside. ¡®Anyway, the funds are definitely safe. But-¡® That doesn¡¯t mean that all my problems have been solved. Chapter 5 ¡®It would be nice if the hostility toward me would be lowered by this incident.¡¯ With such worries, I handed over the contract. The two men looked suspicious of me to the end, and I deliberately left the office with confident expressions. And after a while, it was heard that Rupert had dispatched some members of the ¡®Knights of the Raven¡¯ to search the area I was talking about as promised. * * * The Knights of the Raven was a place where Rupert picked knights only for his skills. Thanks to that many strong knights gathered, the skill of the knights was counted as one of the best in the empire. And the Knights of the Raven, famous for their pride as high as their reputation, complained about sudden orders. ¡°Why are we suddenly ordered to investigate in such a periphery, Sir?¡± The commander of the Knights, Bert, responded calmly to the voice of his men. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural that this is the master¡¯s command? Sir Laurent, be careful with your mouth. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Laurent, a young knight who speaking out for no reason, pouted his mouth. He was still in his late teens and was the youngest in the Knights division. ¡°But I know everything. I heard this is not in the name of the master, but in the name of his wife¡­¡± Bad comments about Rupert¡¯s wife, Noel Ainel, were also popular in the Knights Templar. The chances for the knights to face Noel in person were few, but the rumors heard through employees were terrible. It was heard that most recently, it was rumored that a maid¡¯s back was whipped for causing her hair to get tangled. For this reason, there was no one who liked Noel even within the Knights Templar. Even so, it was the master¡¯s wife. That¡¯s why the knights couldn¡¯t speak carelessly. In the end, Laurent¡¯s senior, Hilys, who was next to him stopped the youngest¡¯s grumble. ¡°Sir Laurent, be careful with your mouth and know the virtues of the knight. Don¡¯t make fun of a Lady.¡± ¡°We are the only ones here anyway.¡± ¡°Still, you have to be careful what you say.¡± It was very unfair for Laurent when a senior just blocked his mouth. ¡°But there is no part of our master is lacking, why is he listening to his wife¡¯s ridiculous request-¡° Eventually, Bert warned a little. ¡°Sir Laurent.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Laurent closed his mouth at the commander¡¯s short but cold call. Hilys looked at his junior with a ¡®look at it¡¯ look. ¡°Now, Sir Laurent, I want you to emulate Sir Aren over there. Even though he joined the Templars recently, he is very calm. He can follow orders without complaining, that is a true Knight.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± At that time, Aren, who had only been listening to their conversation, stopped his feet. At the same time, a little husky voice expressed his displeasure. ¡°Here, it looks like something weird.¡± With a neat face, Aren looked straight at the commander. Bert, who received his gaze, nodded. ¡°Yes, something is weird.¡± ¡°On the map, I know this is the place that my mother said. But¡­¡± The surroundings were quiet, and the flow of air was strange. Aren, who got off the horse, tapped the dry ground. ¡°Sir Aren, what are you doing?¡± ¡°The sound is strange.¡± ¡°The sound?¡± Without paying attention to the doubts of his colleagues, Aren tapped the ground with a sword. ¡°There seems to be space down here.¡± The average knight thought that was absurd. But that was something pointed out by Aren, who had very sensitive ears among knights. Laurent, who followed Aren several times, looked confused. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡± Then, Aren glanced at the ground where Laurent was standing. ¡°Sir Laurent, let¡¯s swing the sword with magic under your feet.¡± ¡°Pardon? What do you do on the ground¡­ Ah! I know.¡± Immediately, Laurent put the magic power on the sword and put it down to the ground with all his might. The ground rang with strong power. Laurent looked bewildered at the dug ground. ¡°Sir Aren, nothing has changed-ah ah ah!¡± At the moment, the ground he was standing on had collapsed. Laurent just fell down. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ignoring the gazes of his surprised colleagues, Aren jumped down into the hole where Laurent had fallen embarrassingly. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Aren, he looks pretty on the outside but he is so unique.¡± Mumbling like that, the other knights went down abruptly. * * * The knights had no other choice but to come down half-heartedly. They walked tiredly, but they were surprised to see the sight in front of them that suddenly appeared. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Under the ground, in an empty space, the bones of a huge dragon retained their original skeleton. The total area of ??the dragon¡¯s bones was so huge that even ten adults could not cover them all. And under the bones were piled up full of gold and silver treasures and all sorts of precious things. Perhaps this great dragon was dead sitting on gold and silver treasures. It was a characteristic of a greedy race. ¡°This, what the hell is this?¡± All of the knights were amazed at the sight they saw for the first time in their life. Aren, the calmest man, slowly looked around the bone. ¡°It is a dragon¡¯s tomb.¡± ¡°Dra¡­ dragon¡¯s tomb?¡± ¡°So, isn¡¯t this a historical site?¡± ¡°Can we touch it?¡± Aren laughed little at the unfamiliar reaction of his colleagues. ¡°I do not know.¡± He glanced at the floor, and after a while, he picked up a small gold coin that was rolling on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but at least this time.¡± At the same time, Aren flipped and bounced the coin with his finger. The gold coin flashed and drew a parabolic line. ¡°It looks like master¡¯s wife was right.¡± -Tak- A small coin settled on the back of Aren¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­¡­¡± This time, the knights had no choice but to nod their heads. On that day, the Knights of the Raven discovered the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Tomb¡¯ where the condition was intact. And this news was reported to Rupert in no time. * * * Time has passed since I stamped the contract with Rupert. As expected, news came that the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Tomb¡± was found in the land where the investment was made. Dragons usually piled up treasure and died, and the remains were also precious. In other words, it means that the jackpot appeared in the land I invested in. And I took the money that was exactly five times the amount I borrowed and put it on the desk in the office. -Kwong!- Gold and silver treasures sounded heavy. It was very hard, but I was proud of myself without showing off. ¡°Now, here it is!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At this time, Rupert¡¯s expression was quite visible. At least it wasn¡¯t the face of a man who could be called a ¡®demon¡¯ on the battlefield. ¡°How? Do you like it? Do you have anything to tell me now?¡± I remembered the promise he made before. [Sure, you¡¯ve hurt my honor with ridiculous speculation, so I will wait for the moment you will apologize very politely when the truth is revealed!] [If your words are true, I am willing to do so.] I remember very clearly. ¡®Now, I look forward to his very polite apology.¡¯ I was happy just to imagine it. Forgetting that he was a man who might kill me sometime later, I made a confident expression with my arms folded. Rupert sighed. ¡°What do you want? If you want a new dress or jewelry, contact the dressing room.¡± This man is really! Have you forgotten your appointment already? ¡°I don¡¯t want that kind of thing.¡± ¡°¡­Then what is it?¡± That¡¯s it, of course. ¡°I told you last time.¡± I spit out again and again. ¡°Polite apology.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ and?¡± There was a slight embarrassment on his face. ¡°You have to keep your promises. Although it looks like you have never done an apology once.¡± ¡°I¡­ haven¡¯t done it before.¡± ¡®Wow, really?¡¯ How badly have you been living? ¡°That¡¯s a great opportunity, everyone has the first time. Try it now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± His face, which had always shown a rational and cold expression, looked confused now. Thanks to that, I felt a strange feeling of satisfaction inside. Excited I urged my husband. ¡°Come on, hurry up. You suspected an affair and defamed your wife, right? Rupert spit out reluctantly. ¡°I¡­ know.¡± He opened his mouth very slowly. ¡°All that doubted on you-¡° I kept nodding my head. Chapter 6 Huh. Huh. Yes, that one. ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± At the same time, a slight sense of humiliation ran over his face. I am satisfied when I see it. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°¡­Was this the end?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°You have been very quiet lately.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I also have a lot of sins so far.¡± Rupert swept his face down. ¡°What the hell are you doing all of a sudden¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a gesture of reconciliation to have a beautiful and happy social life with each other in the future.¡± Rupert, who couldn¡¯t even hear my words, fell in thought. ¡°In the end, if it wasn¡¯t the affair and it wasn¡¯t about taking the money out, what was your intention?¡± ¡®Ugh, this man. He still has doubts.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t have any intention.¡± I smiled as harmless as possible, but Rupert¡¯s reaction was cynical. ¡°You don¡¯t have any intention? From the first night, you looked at my face, threw contempt, and cursed my background as an illegitimate child all the time. And you¡¯ve said you don¡¯t have any intention?¡± At that word, I looked down for a moment. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I am well aware of what I have done so far. Considering that, it was natural that Rupert¡¯s hostile attitude was not easily resolved. ¡°I can¡¯t really understand. You behave like a gentle sheep now. Did you get any instructions from your father¡¯s family?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I just said, let¡¯s have a beautiful and happy social life.¡± Anyway, I got an apology, and I gently added. ¡°It means that neither investing nor admitting wrongdoing to the employee did not mean that I was hoping for a special benefit.¡± I looked straight at Rupert. I couldn¡¯t take it quietly because of my personality, so I beat him all the time, but I really don¡¯t want to be hostile to him. I spit out honestly. ¡°I just want to get to know you a little from now on.¡± His handsome eyebrows frowned at once. ¡°You want to be close? You¡¯re telling a really ridiculous lie.¡± It was a sharp and firm rejection. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t hear the honest answer when I ask you.¡± Rupert spits out much colder than before. ¡°You can leave now.¡± It was obvious rejection and cold words. As his reaction was this, I had no choice but to nod my head gloomy in the end. ¡°Okay, take a rest.¡± I turned my back and left the office. * * * In the end, my relationship with Rupert was still scattered. Still, thanks to the discovery of the dragon¡¯s tomb, I was about to pay off all my debts and earned all the money several times my amount. Now the biggest problem was this. Avoiding the fate of my daughter and me being murdered. ¡®This is the most difficult thing.¡¯ My credibility in Rupert¡¯s eyes is very low, but the enmity between us is the best, and our relationship is the worst. ¡®It¡¯s a little sad.¡¯ As the days went by, negative thoughts grew faster and faster. My mood got even more chaotic when I recalled the scene where the bodies of me and my young daughter who were murdered in the novel were found in the room of the mansion. ¡°Uh¡­ mother, do you have any concerns?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± When I heard a very cute voice, I woke up from my mind. I was having tea time in the garden with my daughter now. I put down my unbrewed glass and saw a five-year-old little lady sitting across from me. This child¡¯s name is Leah Ainel. She inherited Rupert¡¯s red eyes with the same golden hair as mine. She was a lovely child like a porcelain doll. After marrying, she was the daughter of Rupert and me from a compulsory marital relationship. I responded gently as possible. ¡°It doesn¡¯t happen, Leah.¡± Leah laughed a little as if she was relieved by my words. ¡°Then that¡¯s fortunate, mother.¡± Even at a young age, just five years old, Leah was very aware of me, her mother. The reason was obvious. This is because neither I nor Rupert were interested in this child until now. We were a bad couple, and we didn¡¯t even have enough humanity to give affection to a child. Because of that, Leah was left to the nanny all the time and grew up in indifference. When I discovered and realized the memories of my past life, I almost wanted to hit her in the past. To such a young, lovely, and cute child!? I guess I¡¯ve been crazy all the while, really. ¡®Neglect is definitely child abuse.¡¯ Fortunately, the current Noel was a commonsense person. It was late, but even now, I was thinking of taking care of her. ¡®Can I get close to Leah? Isn¡¯t it late?¡¯ I had a slight worry about that, but she laughed lightly. ¡°What¡¯s the fun thing these days?¡± Leah responded carefully. ¡°Um¡­ study.¡± Um, really? In response to the unexpected answer, I looked straight at Leah. Are you 5 years old who like to study? Leah was blinking her stretched eyes as if it were anxious. I immediately noticed her thoughts. ¡®It¡¯s a lie.¡¯ A heartless mother and an indifferent father. Perhaps because she grew up in such a family, Leah was thirsty for her parents¡¯ petty interests. Looks like she so wanted to be praised, until she had to lie. ¡°Leah, it¡¯s okay to be honest.¡± I added it as gently as possible. ¡°What do you like the most?¡± At my words, Leah lightened a little. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Leah still hesitated to me, too. I asked a little bit more. ¡°It¡¯s really okay. Now, can you tell me what Leah likes?¡± Then Leah¡¯s expression softly brightened. ¡°¡­Well, then, I like drawing pictures!¡± I clapped my hands. The reaction of the child was cute. ¡°Wow, a picture? Can you show your mom what you drew?¡± When I responded, Leah, who was excited at once, ran. The child immediately brought the picture she drew. ¡°This is a picture of me, my mother, and my father.¡± In the picture, I was laughing. When I saw it, I frowned. I was a bad mother, but she draws me smiling like this. While looking at the paintings carefully, I realized a strange thing. ¡°Huh, Leah?¡± At first, I asked carefully as much as possible. ¡°¡­.Can mom ask why dad doesn¡¯t have a face?¡± Only Rupert¡¯s face was painted black in the picture. Leah looked at me again and replied with a bleak response. ¡°Oh, my father is always busy, so I can¡¯t remember his face very well¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was an unexpected answer. Come to think of it, did Rupert and Leah ever spend time together? There was no such scene even if I look back on my memory. ¡®This bad guy.¡¯ Obviously, I wasn¡¯t a good mother either, but he wasn¡¯t too interested in Leah. As my expression hardened by itself, Leah looked at me again. ¡°Mother, are you angry?¡± Did you think I was angry because you didn¡¯t know your Dad¡¯s face? ¡°No way.¡± I hugged the restless child tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Leah. In the meantime, mom didn¡¯t care at all.¡± The future of such a cute little child is to be killed by her father. It is terrible. Leah looked confused at my sudden behavior. ¡°Oh, mother?¡± ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± I laughed brightly. ¡°Call me mom.¡± ¡°But my mother-¡° ¡°Mom.¡± To my stubbornness, Leah opened her mouth, dyeing her round cheeks rosy. ¡°Oh, mom¡­ hahaha¡­.¡± I was shocked to see the child¡¯s face. It¡¯s so cute! ¡®My daughter is really the best.¡¯ How can Rupert not spend time with this child? No, the past me too! I hugged Leah once again. In fact, I wanted to give my child a kiss while hugging her, but I endured it. ¡®Because I have the face of the Marquis¡¯ wife.¡¯ Kissing should be done when I¡¯m alone with Leah, right? ¡°Ma, Madam, I¡¯ll brew the tea.¡± At that time, a white-faced maid raised a teapot. I can guess the reason why she was so scared of me. ¡®Looks like you heard my notoriety.¡¯ It was clear that she was a new maid. You must have been frightened to hear the rumors of the ¡®Marchioness Mad Dog¡¯. I replied with a voice as low as possible. ¡°Yes, please.¡± Chapter 7 The maid¡¯s hand trembled subtly, perhaps because of the tense. Still, contrary to my worries, the maid poured tea safely into my cup. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll pour tea into the cup¡­¡± The problem arose when she poured tea into Leah¡¯s cup. ¡°Oh no! I¡¯m sorry!¡± The nervous maid dropped the teapot. The teapot fell to the floor. At the same time, tea poured into Leah¡¯s hand. ¡°Leah!¡± I was surprised and jumped up. ¡°Where did you get hurt-¡° ¡°Are you all right, Madam!?¡± Other maids approached. I was involuntarily angry at the time where the maid worried about me before Leah. ¡®No matter how scary I am, in this situation, the child goes first!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m fine, everyone calm down!¡± I screamed like that and hurriedly looked at Leah¡¯s hand. ¡°Bring cold water quickly!¡± However, the maids were also confused because they were surprised by the sudden situation. It was an urgent situation, but I was getting angry about their sluggish behavior. ¡®Why the grown-up adults don¡¯t help!¡¯ Eventually, I picked up the teapot that had fallen-fortunately, it didn¡¯t break. I scooped water from the fountain right in front of me and brought it. Returning hastily, I slowly poured water into the child¡¯s hand and muttered. ¡°Oh my God, Leah, it must be hurting a lot¡­¡± But Leah did not cry. ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Do you think you¡¯ll be hated at times like this? My heart was struck by the little child¡¯s efforts. I kissed the child¡¯s forehead and whispered quietly. ¡°Leah, it¡¯s okay to cry if you get hurt.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Mom will never hate Leah for something like that.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As soon as those words were over, tears began to drip from Leah¡¯s eyes. My heart hurts as she began to cry. Subsequently, the child began to cry slowly. ¡°Hmm, mom, uh ahh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, now everything will be okay¡­¡± ¡®She is such a nice and lovely daughter.¡¯ I patted a little child who tried to endure the pain of burns to be loved. * * * Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t very hot tea water. The hand burn was not severe. ¡®Still, it¡¯s blistered.¡¯ At that time, the doctor who heard the news was running to treat Leah. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Leah shrugged her shoulders when she saw the doctor as if she was scared of getting healed. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I kissed the frightened child¡¯s cheek lightly. ¡°Leah, you have to be treated so that you don¡¯t get sick, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°¡­ yes, I¡¯m not scared, mom.¡± Oh my God, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s too mature for a 5-year-old kid. ¡°Excuse me. Miss Leah.¡± The doctor who looked young came quickly. Then he began to carefully examine Leah¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The doctor, who carefully looked at the burn area, muttered. ¡°Well, I guess I should pop the blisters.¡± Leah frowned as if it was scary to imagine, and I inadvertently asked back at a different diagnosis than expected. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s it¡­¡± The doctor hesitated for a moment. ¡°Of course you have to.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m asking you to explain the exact reason.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it. I really don¡¯t understand how to pop a blister at this point. The doctor who works in the noble family is a considerable intellectual, so it was not unreasonable for him to think that way. As a modern woman who is accustomed to social life, I pretended not to see it and kept the mask of a noble lady. ¡®If I get mad here, my rumors will get worse again.¡¯ Fortunately, the young doctor spoke like he was explaining his knowledge to a noble lady who didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Oh¡­ Madam, this may hurt, but this is a natural thing. We need to pop the blisters so that the burns heal quickly.¡± It¡¯s a way to appease an ignorant noble wife. But I wasn¡¯t the original me. As memories of the past came back, I also recalled working in the hospital. It means that I also have my own modern medical knowledge. ¡°You don¡¯t need to pop these blisters, if you do something wrong, it will get infected.¡± The treatment is slightly different depending on the degree of burns. It was true that the blister healed quickly. However, the probability of infection increases as bacteria enter through the wound. So, it¡¯s better not to burn more of Leah¡¯s burns now. ¡°And if you leave it alone and heal it, it won¡¯t have any more scars left.¡± The doctor seemed disgruntled ¡°But, if that happens-¡° ¡°You are an exclusive member of our family, aren¡¯t you?¡± As far as I know, the original doctor of the Ainel family was an older man. But the doctor in front of me is a young man who is too young, who is he? ¡°Well, because my teacher has been away for a while¡­¡± ¡®Oh, he was a disciple.¡¯ If so, it is natural that you are still inexperienced. It was just clear that he followed the learned knowledge as closely as possible. ¡®Besides, the medical knowledge here is a little different from where I was.¡¯ To solve the situation smoothly¡­ somehow I fell into trouble. It was obvious that if I simply pushed myself, only bad rumors would thrive again. ¡°All right, then let¡¯s do this. You leave the blister alone and watch the condition for a few days. Then pop it when the condition worsens.¡± I smiled to look like a wise lady. ¡°Sometimes the theory you have learned may not be the answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Perhaps because of the mood, the people around the young doctor also had a blank face. ¡®What¡¯s on my face?¡¯ While contemplating, the young doctor seems to have decided not to be stubborn anymore. He didn¡¯t burst the blister and started to wrap up Leah¡¯s wound. ¡°Oh, my lady, if you keep touching your hands like that, I can¡¯t cover your wounds.¡± However, Leah was scared and her hands continued to block the treatment that the young doctor was giving, and the young doctor didn¡¯t seem very good at it either, so the bandages kept getting loose. In the end, I had no choice but to come out. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± The young doctor wasn¡¯t familiar with how to deal with the child. If he asked for a frightened 5-year-old to cooperate, it would be of no use. ¡°Come on, Leah. Look at mom.¡± Then the child took her eyes off the wound and looked at me. Leah¡¯s eyes were pretty ruby ??lights. Her blonde resembles me, and her eyes resemble Rupert. I started chatting while putting bandages on. ¡°Did you say you liked to draw pictures, Leah?¡± ¡°¡­ I did.¡± ¡°Then what would Leah like to draw the most?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t remember anything, should mom give an example? Rabbit? Dog? Or a cat?¡± ¡°Oh, I like dogs.¡± ¡°Wow, mom really likes dogs too.¡± I made eye contact with Leah and applied the bandage skillfully. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The young doctor who was watching my hand movement from the side exclaimed an admiration. There was also a whisper of the maids. ¡°Did our Madam have such a skill?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s better than the young doctor¡­¡± Those words struck me inside. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a bad word this time. I pretend I didn¡¯t hear and finished my work. ¡°All done!¡± Leah looked at her hand and opened her eyes. ¡°Wow!¡± I kissed the child¡¯s cheek lightly. She¡¯s so cute I can¡¯t stand it. ¡°How is it?¡± Leah laughed and nodded her head. ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt at all! Mom is amazing!¡± Well, she¡¯s lovely too. Touched by Leah¡¯s cuteness, I kissed her cheek again and turned my head to the young doctor. ¡°From next time, when treating a child, do it this way.¡± The eyes of the young doctor who had just ignored me in the past gleamed. He nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, yes, I will definitely keep it in mind.¡± Subsequently, the young doctor added it seemed a little embarrassing. ¡°You¡¯re much better than me who studied for 2 years. I¡¯ll have to practice harder.¡± Fortunately, the young doctor was a personality that admitted to his shortcomings. ¡®That attitude is very good.¡¯ Now that the treatment was over, it was time to deal with the last problem. Chapter 8 I looked at the new maid who spilled tea on Leah. She was shaking with her knees bent down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Madam, please, just the whipping¡­¡± Again, people will start looking at me badly. ¡®Actually, I am a little angry since Leah got hurt.¡¯ Of course, I don¡¯t intend on whipping the maid. ¡®You¡¯re in front of Leah, so you have to decide carefully.¡¯ I have to decide my course of action properly as her mother. I need to think of a way to avoid anything that could adversely affect a child¡¯s education. So I whispered into my daughter¡¯s ear. ¡°Leah, what do you want to do with the maid who hurt you?¡± Then, Leah whispered back in my ear. ¡°Um¡­ I just wish that mom won¡¯t hit the maid.¡± Even she knew what I did to the employees. As the 5-year-old said this, I became very embarrassed. ¡°Did you hate me because I¡¯m a bad mother?¡± Leah shook her head. ¡°No, but I hate that the maids look at my mother badly. I want everyone to think of my mom as a very pretty and wonderful person.¡± ¡­ my daughter is so cute. How does she talk so prettily? In the end, I kept pecking my child¡¯s cheek. ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡± Leah gnawed her small lip, and said- ¡°Um, what if I make her my personal maid?¡± That was an unexpected answer. I asked her softly. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t use my right hand properly right now, so I need help.¡± Leah touched her hand that was wound with the bandage. ¡°Won¡¯t the maid¡¯s heart hurt if she saw me struggling due to my injuries?¡± Maybe Leah was trying to talk about ¡®guilt¡¯. ¡°Do you feel bad if other people get punished because of you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! Um, I would be very sorry to see someone getting hurt because of me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I¡¯m touched. ¡®How can a 5-year-old be so considerate?¡¯ It was clear to me that her pure mind did not seem to resemble me nor Rupert. As I stroked the child¡¯s head, I became worried for a moment. ¡®Is it fine to do what Leah said? Or would it be better to just fire her?¡¯ I thought that it would be better to keep Leah¡¯s kindness. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do what you say.¡± Having said that, I set Leah down and got up from my seat. As I approached the new maid, who was on her knees, she trembled. ¡°You there, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My, my name is Jenna¡­¡± ¡°Okay, Jenna, you realize that you made a very big mistake just now, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Unlike the place where I used to live, this place was based on a class system. I shouldn¡¯t be so strict that I¡¯d be considered vicious, but I also shouldn¡¯t be viewed as a soft person and possibly be ignored by lower classes. I deliberately put up a front with Jenna. ¡°If it is according to the law, you wouldn¡¯t be able to escape this issue.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madam! ¡± ¡°But my sweet daughter¡¯s opinion was different from mine. I decided to listen to her will this time.¡± Jenna slightly raised her head and looked at me. ¡°Until Leah¡¯s injured hand is completely healed, try to serve her properly.¡± With the punishment being lighter than expected, the maid¡¯s expression slightly brightened. I spit out sternly. ¡°Give me your answer.¡± ¡°Yes, yes I will, Madam!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be getting two chances, so you have to treat Leah with utmost sincerity.¡± Jenna vigorously nodded her head. ¡°Yes, Madam! I will do my best to serve the Young Lady!¡± Since the punishment was lighter with regards to what she did, I didn¡¯t forget to give her a final warning. ¡°The next time you make the same mistake, you know you¡¯ll be gotten rid of.¡± Jenna still had her head bowed down. ¡°Okay, Madam, I won¡¯t repeat it again.¡± I nodded satisfactorily at the reply. Well, first of all, Jenna seemed to be sincerely sorry for what she did to Leah. ¡®Was this the right solution?¡¯ Regardless, the employees still feared me too much to try anything. Their hostility was strong enough to spread vicious rumors. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean that you can fire everyone, right?¡¯ I had to think realistically. I couldn¡¯t fire just anyone who hated me. If so, I had no choice but to instill a good impression of myself in people. ¡®This is a good opportunity to change my image.¡¯ The new maids may have heard the ¡®rumors¡¯, but they haven¡¯t actually witnessed my wrongdoings yet. So it wouldn¡¯t be too bad if my negative image was alleviated among the employees with this incident. Then I turned my attention to the child sitting quietly like a doll. ¡°Leah, it¡¯s a pity, but I think tea time is over.¡± The child¡¯s expression became visibly dim. ¡°¡­ alright, mom.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you play with me more instead? Can Leah draw a puppy for mom?¡± Then Leah¡¯s expression brightened, as clear as the blue sky. ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡®Cute!¡¯ When I saw Leah laugh, I hugged her once again. This lovely child is my daughter. I wanted to get rid of the past in which I was indifferent to this child up until now. I made a firm decision while rubbing my face against Leah¡¯s soft cheek. I must stop the terrible future in which my daughter is murdered from happening. Let¡¯s find a way to survive more actively. ¡®Which choice is the right way to go?¡¯ We had less than three weeks left until the date when Leah and I were killed. * * * Recently, the employees of the mansion had become quite noisy. The reason being none other than their own Madam, ¡®Noel Ainel¡¯. ¡°Hasn¡¯t madam changed? A lot of gold and silver treasures flowed from the land she invested recently.¡± ¡°Madam even generously forgave Jenna for hurting Miss Leah.¡± ¡°I heard that the young lady¡¯s burns are getting better, all because the madam has been healing them herself.¡± Jenna, the maid who was listening, nodded her head. ¡°Yes, I was really surprised too.¡± ¡± You should know how lucky you were.¡± ¡°As newcomers, we were scared, even though we only heard the rumors from our seniors while looking at the shadow of our madam from behind, right? But she was completely different from the rumors.¡± Then, the new maids who entered the mansion at the same time as Jenna gathered with excited faces. ¡°Really? I heard that madam always wears a frown and behaves sensitively.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, apparently even the seniors who have worked here for several years have never seen her laugh before.¡± Jenna shrugs her shoulders. ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen anything like that yet, but Madam still generously forgave me last time.¡± ¡°Oh! Come to think of it, there were rumors about how she was abusing her real daughter, Miss Leah. How about that?¡± Jenna strongly denied those words. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous ¡ª how close are you with the madam?¡± ¡°Hey, why are you so angry¡­¡± ¡°Really, Madam loves Miss Leah very much. I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°So, were all the words from our seniors false?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°What the hell are you all doing here?¡± Then, a cold voice came from behind them. The startled maids turned their heads. ¡°Sir, Sir Ordin!¡± Rupert¡¯s aide, Ordin, stood behind them with an unpleasant look. ¡°You must be done with your work if you had the time to chat like this.¡± The maids scattered quickly at his words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Excuse me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ordin sighed as he watched the maids disperse like sparrows. He had heard all the gossip they were chatting about. ¡®Madam has changed, indeed.¡¯ With that thought, Ordin knocked on Rupert¡¯s office. ¡°Come in.¡± When he opened the door, he saw the figure of the owner, who seemed busy. Recently, thanks to the successful investment of his wife, Noel, Rupert has become very busy. Of course, the nobles and the lords around him, who quietly tried to ask of how he found the ruins, also played a part in his busyness. A few minutes after Ordin entered, Rupert lifted his head and swallowed in a sigh. Then he ordered his aide who was still holding a stack of papers. ¡°Ordin, put it in a somewhat empty spot.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll segregate the documents one by one according to their contents.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, he hesitated and walked up to Rupert because Ordin also had something to say about Noel. He didn¡¯t want to behave like those chatty little maids, but there were just too many questions he wanted to ask. Maybe Rupert noticed Ordin¡¯s feelings, and so, he put his pen down. Chapter 9 ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°¡­I have something to say with regard to the Marchioness.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ordin looked at his master with a peculiarly polite demeanor. ¡°It might have been obvious, but it is regarding the new behavior of the lady that changed recently.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Besides that, the ruins that she managed to find this time.¡± He glanced at the pile of papers next to him. ¡°The information she gave us at the time was real. ¡± Ordin said carefully. ¡°The Marchioness explained everything quite clearly and all of it was right. It is uncertain to say that she simply conveyed what she heard from her relative.¡± ¡°¡­right.¡± ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but she usually doesn¡¯t read even a single book.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°If you already knew that, I assumed that you would think the same as me. The Marchioness has changed and so suddenly at that.¡± The two men were too rational to simply rejoice at the fact that someone had spontaneously changed one morning. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any guesses as to how this happened?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Thinking of his subordinate¡¯s words, Rupert sank back into his chair. At the same time, he thought of his wife¡¯s words. [I just wanted to get to know you a little bit.] Almost immediately, his eyebrows frowned. ¡®It must be a lie.¡¯ Perhaps when he first saw Noel, he might have had a little crush on her. This was because her vivid green eyes reminded him of the nostalgia from his past. Those pupils resembled the woman who saved him from death in his childhood. ¡®It was a clear illusion, but-¡® From the very first meeting up until now, Noel has shattered every bit of his expectations. The more time they spent together, the worse their relationship got. Now, Rupert doesn¡¯t expect anything from Noel. Their relationship was somewhere between indifference and hostility for each other. People can¡¯t just change one morning, there¡¯s definitely another intention behind this. ¡®The problem is that I can¡¯t guess the reason.¡¯ ¡°You care too much about useless rumors. It¡¯s not like you, Ordin.¡± Rupert denied his aide. ¡°Noel Ainel has not changed, nor is she different, it is nothing but a fa?ade that she became wiser and more merciful.¡± ¡°I think so too, but the problem is-¡° ¡°It must be because she got lucky that she has succeeded in this investment, and that the information she managed to get accidentally was correct.¡± Rupert mumbled, picking up his pen again. ¡°It is clear that she will go back to her old self after a while anyway.¡± ¡°¡­ if it¡¯s nothing but a simple whim, it might be a good thing, but what if it is a trick?¡± ¡°Then the answer will be easier and simple.¡± He said coolly. ¡°I¡¯ll simply throw it away, that is enough.¡± Even Ordin paused at the Marquis¡¯ cold tone. However, Ordin knew very well that his lord was a man who would continue to remain so. Anyone who has ever seen Rupert on the battlefield would think so. ¡®It¡¯s time to get rid of it, so if you don¡¯t mind, it is well and good.¡¯ Ordin hated Noel. She was a stupid woman who couldn¡¯t even think properly. Her parents were even worse. Soon enough, he bowed his head. ¡°Alright, Marquis.¡± The aide left the office, leaving Rupert to think about the situation with a conflicted expression. Does she want to be friends with me now? ¡®That can¡¯t be true.¡¯ Noel was a woman who could never be a friend. With that thought, Rupert looked out the window. Leah and Noel were playing hide-and-seek in the garden on the first floor. It was a sight that he had never seen before. He heard the sound of laughter all the way to his office. Looking at the sight, Rupert repeated his previous thoughts. Never! ¡°It can¡¯t be changed.¡± In this damned damn life, you shouldn¡¯t expect anything from anyone. * * * I roughly knew the biggest factor leading to Rupert killing me and Leah. To put it simply, it was because of the curse put on him. How he was cursed was not described in detail, so I don¡¯t much about it either. However, if the curse was not suppressed periodically, Rupert seemed to suffer a tremendous urge to kill. ¡®This setting shows the extreme bad luck of the main character¡¯ In conclusion, he killed me and Leah that day because he could not suppress the curse in time. ¡®Even if it isn¡¯t a curse, it is a trait that makes him want to kill someone to the very end.¡¯ And I knew how to properly suppress this curse. There were two ways in the novel. One was by committing slaughter. And the other way¡­ was to find a partner that you loved sincerely. It was like a fairy tale. Only true love can break the curse. The second is still an unknown method, and it was revealed only in the latter half of the novel. Of course, the current Rupert had no idea that there was such a method. Until now, he never really loved anyone. Of course, the second method was something that only the heroine could try. ¡®Then what should I do?¡¯ From my point of view, Rupert is like a ticking time bomb. When the day comes where he can¡¯t control his curse by mistake, it causes him to pounce on Leah. ¡®Is that really the only way?¡¯ It was hard to make a decision easily because Leah was also there. ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a while of being in agony, I came to a conclusion. ¡®Shall we find out more about the person named Rupert and then decide?¡¯ I mean, I did receive an apology for what he did that day. At least it meant that he was someone who kept his promises. ¡®If you get rid of your prejudice against me, you might be a little more merciful towards me.¡¯ If I changed my attitude, I don¡¯t think that the story would flow exactly as in the original novel. Before I recovered my memories, the attitude of ¡®Noel Ainel¡¯ was really bad. So I decided to look at Rupert¡¯s ¡®humanity¡¯ and then decide my future plans. The reason Rupert commits slaughter, so much so that he is called ¡®the evil spirit¡¯ was to suppress the curse. So I wondered what kind of man Rupert actually was, regardless of the curse. I wanted to find out if he was someone who I could have a normal human-to-human interaction with. ¡®It¡¯s a shame that I have no choice but to unconditionally trust a war fanatic, a demon, or someone with such a nickname.¡¯ I respected the lives of people during the ten years I worked as a nurse and tried to act like that now. Also, I was proud of myself and my work. However, Rupert, whose life revolved around the battlefield, was the opposite of me. ¡®It¡¯s the story of a character in a novel ¨C you¡¯re strong, and feel cool when killing people.¡¯ I didn¡¯t really want such a person to become my husband. So I needed proof that the human part of Rupert was objectively okay. ¡®But how could you make a judgment?¡¯ Out of distress, I kept pacing around the room for a very long time. Then suddenly, my gaze fell on the picture on my desk. It was a picture that Leah drew. I muttered while fiddling with it. ¡°¡­ should I make my judgment based on how Rupert treats Leah?¡± Even in the original novel, there were many scenes showing Rupert¡¯s desperate love for the heroine. However, there was no information of whether he could be a good father or not. ¡®Let¡¯s see whether or not Rupert could be a good parent who cares for Leah.¡¯ On the contrary, if he doesn¡¯t have any affection for Leah, hurts her, or threatens her- I glanced at the picture and spat out. ¡°Then I really have to run away with Leah.¡± Of course, I am also a person who had my own demerits. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could be a good mother to Leah. Nevertheless, I intend on doing my best. I am not sure if this feeling is motherhood or simply a sense of responsibility as an adult. What is certain is that I don¡¯t want the child to be wronged by her parents. As I thought about this, I carefully put Leah¡¯s painting in the drawer and made a resolution. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡¯ To live a life free from my parent¡¯s restraints was more than enough for me to live a life as the person named ¡®Noel¡¯. * * * After that, I watched Rupert eagerly for three days. What I¡¯d discovered while doing so was that he really wasn¡¯t interested in Leah. Throughout the three days, he never once went to see Leah. The child seemed to be uncomfortable with her father, and if she encountered him somehow, she would always run away with a rather frightened look. Already, I feel skeptical. ¡®Could this person really be a father?¡¯ A war fanatic who could only be cured after meeting the heroine. I didn¡¯t have any expectations, but I still couldn¡¯t believe it. With that thought, I stood in front of Rupert¡¯s office. Of course, I didn¡¯t come to see him out of my own will. It was Rupert who called me. ¡®You hate even looking at me, so what¡¯s wrong with you now?¡¯ I hoped it wasn¡¯t bad news and lightly knocked on the door. ¡°Marquis, it¡¯s me.¡± After a while, a low voice came through the door. ¡°Come in.¡± When I opened the door, I saw Rupert sitting on a chair on the other side. As always, he was looking at me with cold eyes. Chapter 10 I could only complain inwardly at his attitude. ¡°I heard you were looking for me.¡± ¡°I was.¡± So, why did you call me? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert and I just stared at each other in utter silence for a moment. Followed by a short silence that enveloped the office. ¡°What are you up to these days?¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. You¡¯ve been observing me lately. ¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Normally, I would have yelled at him, but considering the current situation, I couldn¡¯t even laugh it off. It was true that I was observing him. Looking at me with my mouth sealed, Rupert asked suspiciously. ¡°What else are you trying to do?¡± ¡°¡­ how did you notice?¡± I tried to observe him unnoticed. Besides, he wasn¡¯t interested in me at all, so I didn¡¯t think he would notice. ¡°You¡¯re not even trying to hide it.¡± Did you notice my interest without even intending to? You are not an ordinary human. I decided to be shameless and shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any special reasons, absolutely non.¡± ¡°For no reason?¡± This was the ideal method. ¡°It was to see if the Marquis got along with Leah.¡± Rupert asked as if he didn¡¯t expect this. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I spit out all of the complaints that I had accumulated during the past three days. ¡°A while ago, Leah drew a family picture, but she didn¡¯t draw your face. When I asked her why, she said she wasn¡¯t sure what her own father¡¯s face looked like. So I tried to find out how much time you spent with Leah. You don¡¯t even care about Leah. Oh my God, why can¡¯t you even see how cute and lovely daughter our is?¡± At first, I was calm, but in the end, my true intention came out. His reply was absurd. ¡°Just because of that?¡± That sounds terrible. ¡°Is ¡®just¡¯ spending time with your daughter really that hard?¡± My anger started bubbling up. I tried to be sarcastic, not wanting to lose the opportunity. ¡°Haven¡¯t you also been uninterested in her so far?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I gnawed my lower lip slightly. He wasn¡¯t wrong. It was true that I had done nothing for Leah so far. ¡°¡­ I know that I¡¯ve been neglecting her so far, so I¡¯m going to do my best in the future. I told you last time that I will change, even if I may not be the best parent, I¡¯ll still do my best.¡± I added carefully afterwards. ¡°So shouldn¡¯t you also increase the amount of time you spend with Leah in the future? I know you hate me, but the child is innocent.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Rupert looked like he couldn¡¯t comprehend what I was saying. ¡°I still don¡¯t know why you care about her so suddenly. Do you want to play the part of a good mother now?¡± Play? Are you crazy? ¡°No, I¡¯m asking you sincerely because it doesn¡¯t matter if you continue to treat me like you do now. But not to Leah, at least a little-¡° ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you made such a request, Leah has a nanny, maids attend to her, she has food, clothes, toys, tutors ¨C everything that she needs as she grows up, what else does she need? Do you mean she needs me now?¡± Rupert stared at me with a dry gaze. ¡°Even if I leave her alone, she will grow up well.¡± At that moment, I was speechless at the cold words. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t talking about material things. I meant that the child needed love, interest and affection from her parents. But I felt like Rupert couldn¡¯t understand my words at all. He thought that if Leah was brought up in an environment where she wouldn¡¯t starve, she would grow up well. He was really indifferent to his daughter. I was a little disappointed at his attitude. I felt sorry for Leah. ¡°No, it is not¡­ are you, do you have any awareness of the fact that you are a father?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean to say. This meaningless conversation is nothing but a waste of time.¡± Meaningless conversation. Waste of time. It was a shocking choice of words. Those words clearly revealed what he thought of Leah. It felt like I was talking to a wall. ¡°¡­ okay, you look busy, so it¡¯s better to have this conversation again later.¡± Suddenly, my energy ran out. I turned and grabbed the doorknob. Nevertheless, I was honestly disappointed. I hoped that he would be thinking about Leah, even if he did not express it. In the end, I turned my head just before leaving, and expressed my unpleasant feelings for the last time. Rupert¡¯s gaze met mine. ¡°Think about the conversation earlier, just one more time, not just for Leah, but for yourself too.¡± Children grow up in an instant, and regrets after that are useless. He frowned and opened his mouth. ¡°Wait a minute.-¡± -Bang- I ignored him and closed the door. While walking on the corridor, the conversation I had earlier with Rupert kept circulating in my head. My anxiety had risen. His way of thinking was completely different from that of ordinary parents with their children. At least it was difficult to understand with my common sense. A skeptical question came up in my head. ¡®¡­ is it impossible for Rupert to be Leah¡¯s father?¡¯ * * * After Noel left, Rupert worked until late at night. Eventually, an unknown irritation grew, causing him to throw his pen. ¡°Damn it.¡± What the hell was she saying? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Until now, Noel¡¯s behavior had been easy to understand. It was just because she was an arrogant, extravagant, and stupid woman. But now I can¡¯t even figure out the intention of that woman. What do you want? What the hell is it? Rupert remembered Noel¡¯s words. [¡­please pay attention to Leah¡­] ¡®I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ He didn¡¯t really know what parents were supposed to do with their children. He had never been loved by his parents, so he had no opportunity to learn anything like that. However, even in such an environment, he grew up to be an adult. Although his father already had a family, he tricked and touched another woman. It was the same for Rupert¡¯s mother. His mother was an innocent woman, but she was captivated by the twisted mouth of the former Marquis of Ainel. And so she conceived Rupert. Of course, by then the former Marquis had been abandoned by his mother, who didn¡¯t even care about that fact. If it had ended here, this story would have simply become a woman¡¯s tragedy. But his mother didn¡¯t just cry and promise to take revenge. Originally, his mother¡¯s paternal family was a family of scholars. Long before he was born, old books were piled up in the house, perhaps because of the remnants of the past. His mother found a special book there. It was a book about curses. Rupert¡¯s mother read the book completely. And she chose one of the most vicious and powerful curses. It was a curse about being a ¡®living weapon¡¯. She put the cruel curse on her newborn Rupert. Of course, his mother who placed the curse was also not safe. His mother died slowly and painfully over the years. Her beautiful skin rotted slowly, and after about seven years it emitted a nasty smell of death. She whispered sweetly into the ear of her young son just before her death. [Grow up to be the worst human being ever, Rupert. One who kills, steals, and covets others. Be a covetous person and increase your notoriety, drop the good name of your family, defile them, and destroy them.] It was the first and last of his mother¡¯s gentle voice. After saying that, his mother¡¯s breath was cut off. Later, young Rupert, who had no relatives, traveled here and there, and eventually was entrusted to the Iville family, where his father was. At the time, it was hard for the Marquis of Ainel to pretend like he didn¡¯t know him because he inherited his silver hair and red eyes that were no different from the symbol of the Ainel family. If you think about it now, that was probably the prelude to his mother¡¯s revenge. ¡°-Marquis.¡± Then, Ordin knocked on the office door. Rupert woke up from deep thoughts. ¡°Come in.¡± The aide who came in through the door bowed his head politely. ¡°The prisoners are ready. Would you like to go now?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Rupert glanced at the watch. ¡®It is already the promised time.¡¯ ¡°There are three people today.¡± ¡°Who?¡± He got up from his seat and replied. ¡°The thieves.¡± ¡°Due to rumors that our property is endless, security has been increased, and crime rates have fallen sharply.¡± Rupert did not keep the criminals in his estate alive. It wasn¡¯t because of a great sense of justice or belief. It was just because he needed an offering to suppress the curse. He couldn¡¯t kill innocent people at random, so he only killed criminals in the name of death. In fact, executions of prisoners were not publicly carried out. The place of execution was at a place known only to Rupert and Ordin. It was a place that could only be reached through a secret passage of the mansion. ¡°Where is the key?¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± Receiving the keys to the prison from Ordin, Rupert unlocked the door. Even in the darkness, he could see the three men clearly. Ordin, standing behind him, declared calmly. ¡°He is the owner of this estate, Marquis of Ainel. Get down on your knees.¡± Chapter 11 It was only then that the men realized who they were facing making them hurriedly bow down their heads. ¡°Mar, Marquis!¡± Rupert looked at them and said coldly. ¡°It is said that you had some fun in my estate.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s not true!¡± ¡°It was a lie!¡± ¡°Please forgive-¡° He ignored the excuses that came pouring out of them. He was familiar with the sight. ¡°I¡¯ve already read all the charges, so don¡¯t unnecessarily hurt your jaws.¡± Then he proceeded to point at the criminals one by one with his finger. ¡°Murder, kidnap, and rape in order.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The three men went silent and glanced at each other. After a while, they got down on their knees and started to beg. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I am sincerely reflecting on it, so please forgive me!¡± ¡°It is the same for me. I will really live a new life from now on.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you guys really reflected on it or not.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At his cold words, they zipped their mouths shut. Rupert glanced at them with a rather uninterested gaze. ¡°I needed humans to kill, and you deserve to die. That is the only thing that matters.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The faces of the three men who understood his words became increasingly white. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°You want to reflect and live a new life? There will be no chance for that without a future.¡± Rupert slowly pulled out his sword and declared- ¡°Your damn life ends here.¡± To them who were shaking in fear, Rupert did not have an ounce of sympathy. It was just like his boring greetings. The men who figured out the situation shouted. ¡°My, please forgive-¡° Blood splattered. ¡°Bye.¡± Crimson blood splattered inside the prison cell. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Please, save me!¡± Murder, torture, war. The curse that his mother placed on him upon his birth forced his body to rejoice in the act of killing. His five senses were extremely sensitive, and even in the dark, the expressions of fear of those at the time of their death was clearly visible. Even the bloody scent that would make an average person frown, was sweet for Rupert. It was really disgusting. Swinging his sword silently, he suddenly remembered what Noel had said to him. [I hope the Marquis will put in a little effort for Leah as well. I know you hate me, but the child is innocent.] His mother hated her son who resembled the man who had abandoned her. She hoped that her child would grow up to be the worst criminal and defile the family of that man. Instead of wanting her son to grow up to be a righteous person, she wanted her son to be a human worse than trash lying by the roadside. Such a mother¡¯s curse was still holding onto his dire life even after many years have passed. The curse gradually ate his sense of reasoning. Now, as an adult, Rupert has a body that can live sanely only by taking others¡¯ life. For a person like this, to play the role of a ¡®father¡¯ was impossible. In the first place, what the hell does a parent do? What else does he have to do besides giving his children what they need to grow up? ¡°Ha¡­.¡± Rupert exhaled briefly. Somehow, he was annoyed. ¡®That demand felt like the most impossible and difficult one I¡¯ve ever heard.¡¯ * * * A few days have passed since the conversation I had with Rupert. That means that it wasn¡¯t long until me and Leah get killed. The start of the story was right before my nose. Little by little I increasingly got nervous. Rupert still hated me and didn¡¯t trust me. He didn¡¯t show special care for Leah either. Human relationships could be based on the give and take policy. As much as Rupert didn¡¯t trust me, I too can¡¯t trust him. In addition, he is cursed. A curse that can only keep him sane by killing people. ¡®¡­ it¡¯s very scary.¡¯ In the original story, while Rupert was holding back on his urge to kill, Noel, as usual, screamed and quarreled with him. Rupert tried to avoid her, but Noel stuck to him and harassed him with sharp words. [Ha, such a dirty and terrible human like you shouldn¡¯t have been born!] It was a word that struck Rupert¡¯s most sensitive spot. The curse dominated his body. To make things worse, Leah, who accidentally heard the sound, cried and clung onto Rupert. But Rupert, who was still in his mad state, didn¡¯t recognize her in time. Killing his wife and daughter, he barely woke up to the pool of ??blood. And then, he suffers a terrible sense of self-destruction. ¡­ the story goes on like that. ¡°It really is terrible.¡± It was also a problem that I had to live with a man who could only stay sane by killing people, and to raise a daughter well in that situation only made the situation worse. In addition, the man being indifferent to his daughter and hostile to his wife was the biggest problem. Anyway, the only person who can stop Rupert¡¯s curse was his loved one. The heroine was an essential person in his life. ¡®Come to think of it, even if I do manage to survive, what do I do after Rupert and the heroine fall in love?¡¯ Will I be kicked out? And what about Leah? In the end, I couldn¡¯t sleep until dawn. I got out of bed and wandered around my room. My head was all complicated with various different thoughts. ¡®Do I really need to be with Rupert?¡¯ First of all, I should let go of the expectation that this man will one day open his eyes and show paternal care? ¡®Should I start getting ready to run away with Leah?¡¯ I grew increasingly worried and started taking off the jewelry from the dresses to pack it away. ¡®¡­ should I pack a little bit of Leah¡¯s luggage as well?¡¯ While thinking alone, standing in the corner of the room, I heard a sound coming from the hallway. ¡°Wha-¡° I was so surprised that I almost screamed and barely held it in. It was a sound of unknown identity at dawn, so it was definitely scary. ¡®It can¡¯t be a ghost.¡¯ It sounded natural, but me and Rupert used separate rooms. Because of my sharp, previous personality, I didn¡¯t keep anyone around at night. Thanks to this, I was always alone in my room. I rubbed my arms in fear and approached the door. It was necessary to check the cause of the sound. I pushed the door slightly with an uneasy feeling. The hinge made a creak. After seeing the hallway, I was surprised. ¡®Blood!?¡¯ There was a little bit of blood in the hallway. Maybe someone passed this place while bleeding. It was scary, but I thought that there might be an injured person, so I followed the blood trail. At first, I didn¡¯t know, but the blood was leading up to Rupert¡¯s room. Realizing that fact, I made two hypotheses. First, Rupert killed someone. Second, Rupert himself was injured. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it a big deal either way?¡¯ With that thought, I approached Rupert¡¯s room and slightly pushed on the door to open it a little. If it was the first situation, it was necessary to go to call for a guard right away. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Then, I heard a painful groan from inside. Just beyond the open door, Rupert was seen lying on his bed. I exclaimed in confusion. ¡°Marquis!? Are you all right?¡± My second hypothesis was right. Rupert was bleeding on his bed. The white bedsheets gradually turned red. Are you dead? I carefully pushed the door open and called out his name. ¡°¡­Rupert?¡± Of course, since the day I talked to him, our relationship has progressed for the worse but regardless of that, I still wasn¡¯t heartless enough to leave him and walk away in this current situation. Rupert glanced at me. ¡°¡­Noel? Is it you?¡± He then raised his hand and made an exorcising motion as if I was something annoying. ¡°Don¡¯t be noisy like last time for absolutely no reason and go away.¡± Look at what he is saying in this condition! ¡°Even in this situation, you are still pretty good at making insults!¡± I approached him quickly while spitting out words that were filled with sarcasm. Rupert frowned and outstretched his hand. ¡°Go away.¡± I replied unintentionally. ¡°An injured person should keep his mouth shut.¡± Perhaps I was harsher than he expected, Rupert widened his eyes a little. I didn¡¯t have the time to worry about my husband¡¯s reaction. First, I had to have a good look at his wounds. There was a long cut on his shoulder¡­was his back also injured? How did it happen? Was it caused by a fingernail? Or was it from a sword? ¡°I have to call the doctor.¡± Right at the moment I tried to pull on the string to call for an attendant, Rupert reached for my hand. ¡°It¡¯s all right, you don¡¯t need to call for a doctor.¡± This man! I was a little angry because of his uncooperative attitude. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to die like this? from excessive bleeding?¡± Rupert replied distraughtly. ¡°It¡¯s better if you just leave it as it is.¡± Looking at his lack of common sense, I let out a sarcastic reply. ¡°That would be great for me.¡± Rupert tapped on my shoulder and muttered. ¡°You¡¯re really annoying¡­ go back.¡± I couldn¡¯t return to room pretending like I didn¡¯t see someone bleeding. ¡°Go back.¡± ¡± I don¡¯t want to.¡± Huh, I don¡¯t know anymore. My husband always behaves exactly as he pleases so I intend on doing the same as well. I decided to treat Rupert myself. Chapter 12 ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ll have to somehow clot and sew the wounds.¡± After wandering around the room for a while, muttering to myself impatiently, I managed to find a bottle of high-grade liquor in a cabinet. ¡®Should I use this to disinfect the wounds?¡¯ I¡¯ll attempt to do something I once saw in a movie. ¡®If that man is lucky, he may be able to avoid sepsis.¡¯ [PR/N: Sepsis is when your body has an unusually severe response to an infection.] As Rupert saw me wandering around the room tugging on a few different things, he grew confused. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°Trying to tend to your wounds.¡± ¡°By yourself?¡± I had a mind that was very stable and strong-willed in frantic situations, because of which I didn¡¯t pay attention to his condescending words. ¡°You told me not to call a doctor, so I¡¯ll have to tend to it myself.¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± His words reached one of my ears and left through the other. Rupert continued talking. ¡°As I said before, don¡¯t be a bother and go back to your room.¡± ¡®He¡¯s annoying even though I¡¯m just trying to help him.¡¯ To his continuous critics, I responded bluntly. ¡°You¡¯re noisy. I will not leave until I sew your wounds tight like a fine leather bag. So please, just keep your mouth shut, okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fortunately, Rupert wasn¡¯t angry and looked at me with a dubious expression. ¡°Do you mean¡­ you want me to live?¡± That question made me a little awkward. The me you are seeing right now, is the real me straight from the heart. ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Or are you saying that I should pray for you to die quickly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why but Rupert didn¡¯t give me a response. Satisfied at his now quiet demeanor, I continued to search the room. It seemed like this wasn¡¯t the first time that Rupert had to endure an injury alone because in the corner of the room, I managed to find a needle along with the thread needed to sew a man¡¯s wound. I glanced back at him. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first or second time you¡¯re going through this, right?¡± ¡°¡­ what do you know-¡± ¡°Yes, yes, sure. Do you happen to have pain relievers or some hemostatic medicine?¡± It would really hurt if I just started to sew the wounds without them. Maybe he finally gave up on stopping me, so Rupert made an annoyed expression and replied softly. ¡°The hemostatic medicine is in the last drawer, as for the pain reliever¡­ just give me a drink.¡± ¡°¡­ are you joking?¡± No way, no way, I handed him one of the bottles of liquor. Even though it was a pretty strong drink, Rupert gulped it down. He meant it? ¡®Alcohol is bad for the wound.¡¯ In all honesty, I decide to give up on being picky with the treatment considering the fact that my surroundings in which I was about to tend to wounds in made no sense in itself. ¡®If Rupert is found dead tomorrow, will I be framed as the culprit?¡¯ While I was thinking about it, I steadily finished preparing the necessary items. Finally, I tore a little clean part of the bedsheet and gave it to him. ¡°Bite this.¡± When you sew a wound, you may clench your teeth tightly to endure the pain. Because of that, if you make a mistake, you may get hurt. Rupert put the piece of cloth into his mouth. There was no sign of refusal at all. Rather, it was me who was tense. I gulped as I got closer to him, and stuck the needle in his wound. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert flinched a little, but didn¡¯t show any reaction. ¡®That¡¯s great tolerance.¡¯ I sewed the wound as carefully as possible. A moment of silence engulfed the room. Rupert moved while I was focusing on his wounds. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not finished yet!¡± Rupert spit out the piece of bedsheet without worrying about it. ¡°The distance is too¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°The distance is too close.¡± I was embarrassed to hear those words. Is that important in this situation!? ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like to get close, you have to bear with it. It¡¯s an emergency right now, right?¡± I replied vaguely. ¡°Well¡­¡± I don¡¯t know what it means. It¡¯s not an emergency? Or you don¡¯t want to be with me even for a minute and a second? I replied bluntly. ¡°No matter how much you hate it, please be patient.¡± ¡°I have patience.¡± Ah. Yes, yes. I was sarcastic on the inside, and continued to sew Rupert¡¯s wounds. Rupert, who didn¡¯t flinch anymore, said bluntly. ¡°You didn¡¯t know how to do this, where did you learn it?¡± It is because I used to work as a nurse- but I couldn¡¯t answer that way. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my first time, of course! It¡¯s not that different from sewing. Your skin is only a little thicker than the fabric.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert seemed to have lost the will to respond to my irresponsible words. He has become incredibly ignorant to the nasty words so I had been throwing far. I sewed his wound satisfactorily. I was worried that a blood transfusion might be necessary because he shed a lot of blood, but fortunately, he didn¡¯t need it. Thanks to that, it wasn¡¯t that difficult to sew. I cut the thread. ¡°Now, it¡¯s all over.¡± ¡°¡­ your sewing skills are pretty good.¡± Uh, you¡¯re sarcastic when I told you that sewing flesh and fabric are the same, right? I smiled briefly and replied without losing the opportunity. ¡°Oh my, it seems like I¡¯ve never heard of a compliment from you before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert, looking at my smile with a strange face for a moment. ¡®It was unreasonable to say anything good about me.¡¯ It seems like it was unreasonable to get compliments from Rupert as well. Still, in order to finish my work, I dragged a chair in the corner of the room and sat down. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I have to observe your condition. What if you get a fever? Let me tell you in advance that if the situation gets to that point, I¡¯ll call a doctor right away. Because saving people comes first.¡± Rupert glanced at me with an incomprehensible gaze. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask why I was hurt¡­¡± Well, maybe something happened because of the curse? I was only guessing. ¡°If I ask, will you answer me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Who was this man making fun of? Rupert smirked as he glanced at my constipated expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you are thinking.¡± I want to stop hearing that ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are thinking¡±. Are you still doubting me? I replied lightly. ¡°Do not worry. I don¡¯t have any plans. Anyway, would you like to drink more alcohol if you can¡¯t sleep because you¡¯re not feeling well?¡± I said so and handed the bottle, but Rupert declined. ¡°No need, you look like a human right now.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± What does this mean? No way does it mean that I usually looked like trash less than a person!? No way I could say such a harsh word. Even people who hate each other say that they are polite to each other. Rupert replied bluntly. ¡°It means that I don¡¯t want to get into an accident because of my drunkenness.¡± It is absurd. ¡°Do you mean there are more accidents besides being hit by a sword in the back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an accident that means¡­ no, you don¡¯t need to know.¡± Rupert said that, as if he didn¡¯t want to see me, he leaned back firmly, even though it was unreasonable. ¡®The attitude is too much for his lifesaver.¡¯ However, I did not complain in particular. ¡°All right, then go to sleep quickly.¡± Rupert didn¡¯t answer anything. As I looked at his back, I endured the drowsiness that was being pushed back hard. * * * Recently, Rupert was angry. He couldn¡¯t figure out the exact reason either. After the quarrel with Noel, she only had her disappointing gaze and a few words lingering. Parental duty, father, daughter, trust¡­ ¡®What could that mean to me?¡¯ Emotion and curses have always been interlinked. The more difficult it was to control his emotions, the more difficult it was to suppress the impulse caused by the curse. Because of that, he always maintained a cynical attitude. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ However, since Noel suddenly changed recently, his daily life has shaken up. ¡®Why are you suddenly trying to have a proper family relationship?¡¯ The word family has always weakened Rupert¡¯s sense of reason. And on days like this, Rupert often did crazy things. He rode on a horse alone and ran to the forest where monsters existed. And he killed every monster he saw. This did not help as much as killing people, but it helped control the curse to some extent. It was reckless enough to be considered suicidal. But it wasn¡¯t that dangerous for Rupert. It was far better than killing the innocent people around him just because he couldn¡¯t suppress his curse. He did that this time too. He wanted to completely empty his head but he ended up injured. Objectively, it was a serious injury that would cost the life of an average person, but, Rupert didn¡¯t care. He himself did not fall into the category of ¡®normal¡¯. He had a body that gradually became a living weapon right from his birth. It was hard to live, but it was a harder for this body to die. ¡®It would be better if I just leave it alone.¡¯ As always. With that thought, Rupert returned to the mansion and fell on his bed. Chapter 13 Unexpectedly, Noel had seen him that day. He thought that she would scream in fear seeing that much blood. But instead, she was worried and even took care of him. Did she eat something wrong? She¡¯s being absurd. She kept throwing sharp words while also being worried about him at the same time. ¡®What was wrong with her?¡¯ Rupert thought. Eventually, he stopped himself from overthinking the situation. His wound could heal naturally, but he still let Noel treat it as she pleased. Somehow, even the way she stitched his wound was pretty good. In fact, it was better than the ones done by doctors who have learnt it professionally. ¡®Was she the same woman I¡¯ve known so far?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the midst of all of that, he noticed Noel as she focused on his wound. Soon, a problem arose. He smelled her sweet scent as he tried to figure out whether it was due to the soap or perfume she used. At the moment, he was truly embarrassed. He knew what he felt right then as he has experienced this before. It was a problem that he knew all too well. ¡®Why the hell in this situation?¡¯ In fact, until just before, Rupert was incredibly unconscious of her as a woman. They just had to sleep with each other several times as a compulsory clause at the beginning of their marriage. He couldn¡¯t figure out why he felt this impulse all of a sudden. Rupert wondered if he had gone crazy. It may be due to the fact that he has been overly focused on her recently. It was also strange that Noel got angry and threw disappointed gazes at him, but he managed to feel this way about her now. ¡®My head must be all jumbled up because of the curse.¡¯ In the meantime, Noel, who did not notice his contemplation, recommended more alcohol. Drinking alcohol in this situation? He could picture the dangerous situation that may arise. ¡°No need, you look human right now.¡± Rupert said. ¡°Pardon?¡± But his expression crumbled after seeing how she had interpreted his words. Rupert rephrased his words. ¡°It means that I don¡¯t want to get into an accident because of my drunkenness.¡± Of course, once again, Noel interpreted his words completely differently from his original intention. He didn¡¯t feel like correcting his words again, and he turned his body in the opposite direction. ¡®Certainly, I am just intoxicated right now.¡¯ ¡°Alright, then go to sleep quickly.¡± ¡®This woman must have used some sort of trick.¡¯ Really, everything has been such a mess since Noel spontaneously changed. Knowing that, Rupert closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. And oddly enough, that day, after a very long time, he dreamed of his childhood. Shortly after his mother died, it was the first and last time that someone had hugged and comforted him¡­ * * * I opened my eyes. ¡°¡­ what?¡± And I realized that I was lying on the bed of my room. ¡®Strange. Was it just a dream that I treated Rupert¡¯s wound yesterday?¡¯ But it was too vivid for it to be a dream. With that thought, I came out of my room and went into Rupert¡¯s. He wasn¡¯t inside but I noticed the torn bed linen in the corner. ¡®So it wasn¡¯t a dream.¡¯ But how did I get to my room? ¡°Could it be that Rupert moved me¡­?¡± That was very unexpected. ¡®But no matter how much we hated each other, it was only fair that he moved me as his lifesaver.¡¯ Yesterday¡¯s event flashed through my mind. After nursing hard, it seemed like Rupert¡¯s condition had improved, so relief took over me and I decided to close my eyes for a while. Thinking back on the situation, I grunted. ¡°No, but where the hell was this injured person going?¡± Was it even possible for a person with such a wound to move? You couldn¡¯t have carried me because you were injured. I knew that he was stronger than ordinary people because of his curse. Still¡­ ¡®Regardless of how bad the wound is, don¡¯t you feel any pain?¡¯ I sighed in defeat. ¡°Uh, I won¡¯t treat anymore patients who have such poor cooperation.¡± As long as you¡¯re fine, my job is done. There were many people who were worried about him even if I¡¯m not there. His aides were capable of taking care of him with extreme sincerity. Besides, I was still mad at the conversation I had with him last time. ¡®You said that it was a waste of time to talk about Leah.¡¯ An extremely bad guy with absolutely no blood or tears! I muttered inwardly while cursing at him. Looking at Rupert¡¯s condition yesterday, it seems like judgment of him being a dangerous man was right. He didn¡¯t tell me exactly what happened, but it was obvious. ¡®I¡¯m glad Leah didn¡¯t catch sight of him.¡¯ If she had seen it, it might have been a very big problem. ¡®A father who is strong enough to be called a devil could get that badly hurt. Did he overdo it that much? ¡® I know to some extent that he had self-destructive desires. For some reason, Rupert was a man who did not let go of his hope to live a good life while also contradicting himself due to the hatred he carried for his curse. Of course, it was difficult to say that he had a ¡®healthy¡¯ mental state. It is said that everyone has about one or two traumas, and Rupert was no exception. ¡°Mom, where are you?¡± Then, I heard Leah¡¯s cute voice from the hallway. It seemed like she looking for me as soon as she woke up. I answered her immediately. ¡°Leah!¡± I quickly walked out of the room. Leah, who finally found me, jumped and hugged me at once. ¡°Good morning!¡± I cradled the little child and smiled broadly. ¡°Good morning, my daughter.¡± Then I pecked the child¡¯s white cheek. ¡°Mom loves you again today!¡± Leah giggled. ¡°Me too!¡± Just listening to the sound of her laughter filled me with joy. As soon as I saw my daughter, the worries that I had encountered last night came flooding back. In the future, I have to come up with a solution so that I can protect this child. ¡®Is Rupert bound to be someone dangerous both to me and Leah?¡¯ I recalled his bloody appearance from yesterday. In the end, will there be a day when Rupert is covered with someone else¡¯s blood and not his own? ¡®No, we¡¯re still fine.¡¯ I suppressed my anxiety and continued to rub my cheek against Leah¡¯s soft ones. 2. Self-renewal The current me, Noel Ainel, had no popularity. Even at this age, in my mid-twenties, the only person I could consider myself ¡®close¡¯ to was one of my relatives who I had known since childhood. And the biggest reason for this was, of course, my filthy personality from the past. I still don¡¯t know why I was like that. Anyway, because of my nature, rumors spread amongst the marquis, socialites, and even the young lords. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be complaining since those are things that I actually did.¡¯ My only source of comfort was that the new maids were a little less afraid of me compared to the other employees. Jenna hurt Leah accidentally some time ago and was forgiven so she doesn¡¯t avoid me that much. Of course, the other maids weren¡¯t very willing to accept the new me because of the sufferings they had to go through before. Considering the situation, there were very few people around that could be trusted. My father? ¡®If I break up with Rupert, my father will try to sell me as a concubine to another family.¡¯ He was never a reliable parent. That¡¯s why, I always had to worry about my future. Meanwhile, time passed by steadily. ¡°Mom, this way!¡± I laughed proudly as I watched Leah¡¯s lively figure run after the ball. How does she keep getting cuter as the days go by? Although I was worried, I didn¡¯t want to make Leah anxious. I was trying to spend time with her simultaneously. Perhaps, thanks to that, Leah¡¯s personality has become a little more lively than before. ¡®Well, when I first started playing ball with Leah, the maids looked at me as if they saw a ghost.¡¯ Before I regained my memories, I could never endure sweating or dust. Even now, I think I was an overly picky person. Again, I was reflecting on the days of my past. Soon, Leah stopped on her tracks. Someone was standing in front of her. ¡®Looking at their clothes, were they a member of the Raven Knights?¡¯ The Raven Knights are the knights that serve directly under Ainel. Rupert chose these people mainly for their ability and the amount of determination they possessed. Thanks to that, he was famous for his skills that were considered to be one of the best in the country. ¡°Leah, what¡¯s going on?¡± The knight couldn¡¯t hurt the master¡¯s daughter so I called out to the child first. ¡°Mom, he picked up the ball!¡± Then, Leah lifted the hem of her dress and greeted the knight cheerfully. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, my lady.¡± It was a voice that didn¡¯t have any emotions at all. ¡®It is great that the knight was able to keep calm despite Leah¡¯s deadly cuteness.¡¯ I pondered very hard and turned my gaze to the knight. As our eyes met, the knight greeted me very politely. ¡°Greetings Marchioness of Ainel, this is Aren.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ I was surprised to hear the name. ¡°Oh, yes¡­ so your name is Aren, right?¡± Chapter 14 Being embarrassed, I asked a stupid question. Aren had a small-cute face with black hair that half covered the nape of his neck. At first glance, his appearance looks between a handsome boy and a beautiful woman. However, his golden eyes like a bird of prey were sharp enough to cover up all such first impressions. I quietly admired. ¡®It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever met someone with the words pretty and cool.¡¯ Regardless of gender, it was an objectively attractive appearance. ¡°Yes, Madam. I don¡¯t have a surname, so you can call me by my first name.¡± I tried not to make an awkward expression on that answer as much as possible. Because he is lying and I know what his true identity is. The real name of the knight in front of me is Aisha Ren. She is the heroine of this world who will later be together with Rupert. She is now dressed as a man. ¡®Honestly, she was the exact opposite of what I had imagined.¡¯ Aren certainly looks pretty at first glance, but the more you look at it, every expression, movement, and tone is truly that of a true knight. ¡°Nice to meet you, Sir Aren.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to speak comfortably.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ no. Thank you for helping my daughter, Sir Aren.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Madam.¡± Leah also grabbed the edge of Aren¡¯s sleeve and thanked him vigorously once more. ¡°Thank you, Sir Aren!¡± My daughter is really an angel. Leah smiled brightly as she thanked him, but it didn¡¯t last long. Leah seems to have found something in the edge of Aren¡¯s sleeve she was holding. Leah¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, are you hurt anywhere?¡± Then I saw Aren¡¯s arm. The ends of his sleeves were soaked with blood. ¡®Did we catch him on the way to healing the wound?¡¯ I quickly spoke to Aren. ¡°Oh, so you were going to the doctor? Sorry for interrupting.¡± Leah saw his wound and muttered. ¡°You hurt¡­¡± Aren quickly responded to Leah¡¯s concerns. ¡°I accidentally injured during a match. It¡¯s just a minor injury. I¡¯m on my way back from the doctor, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it, Miss.¡± ¡°Huh? It doesn¡¯t look like the wound has been healed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the doctor is away.¡± I frowned slightly at his words. ¡°How come it seems that the doctor is often absent¡­¡± That¡¯s why the apprentice came to treat Leah after all. Perhaps he thought I had bad intentions, Aren defended the doctor. ¡°No, Madam, these days there are a lot of monsters appearing and there are a lot of wounded people. All the doctors from the Ainel family must be there.¡± In other words, the doctor is not lazy, but are they short of manpower? ¡°Um, then¡­ aha!¡± At that moment, Leah, who had been muttering with deep thoughts in her own way, blinked. ¡°You can leave it to my mom. If my mom touches it, it does not hurt at all!¡± Aren panicked. The Mistresses is more precious than gold in this world It¡¯s burdensome. Why would someone like that treat him? Aren thought. ¡°No, Miss. This is not something you need to worry about.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you hurt? My mom can heal you!¡± Leah looked at me with innocent eyes full of trust. ¡­ seeing her like this, I can¡¯t ignore it. ¡°That¡¯s right, I should do it.¡± I smiled brightly as I looked at Aren, who immediately became more bewildered. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Well, Aren seems that he is worried about the sudden treatment of the ¡®Vicious Marchioness¡¯. With such a thought, I laughed at Aren¡¯s uncomfortable expression. * * * On the way to the treatment room with Aren, I ran into employees from time to time. A few of them looked sympathetically, thinking that Aren had been misled by the vicious Marchioness. I¡¯m not surprised anymore by such a gaze and opened the door to the treatment room. ¡°There really is no one there.¡± Fortunately, the inside is well organized. It¡¯s not difficult to find bandages and medications. When I moved, Aren panicked. ¡°Madam, I will¡ª¡± ¡°The patient stays still.¡± I looked at the other medicines lined up in amazement for a moment as I gathered the medicines needed for the wounds from the medicine shelf. ¡®There are many kinds.¡¯ Up until now, I was raised as a noble girl, so I didn¡¯t have much knowledge about the medicines of this world. All I knew was basic antipyretics and wound medicines at best. ¡®I want to learn when I get the chance.¡¯ I went to Aren with what I needed. Aren looked uncomfortable. Of course, Leah, sitting next to him, was looking at me with twinkling eyes. ¡°¡­ Leah, do you want to stay here?¡± Is it okay if I show this to my daughter? Leah nodded her head. ¡°Yes, I want to see it!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Leah shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡± I don¡¯t know if this change is good or bad. After contemplating, I finally nodded my head and looked at Aren¡¯s wound. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t serious. There was no need for stitching. ¡°It¡¯s not a serious injury, but are you just going to let it go without treatment anyway?¡± Aren calmly responded. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, Madam.¡± Anyway, Rupert as well, I hope everyone takes care of themselves. One of the things I didn¡¯t like was the type of person who didn¡¯t value himself. ¡°It is the responsibility of the doctor, not the patient, to decide if they are okay or not.¡± I poured antiseptic on the wound and spoke softly. ¡°All you have to do is take care of your body.¡± I wonder if he thought I was pissed off, he hesitated and asked, ¡°¡­ are you mad?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Aren lifted his head. Our eyes met. I put on a bright expression and smiled roundly. In fact, I didn¡¯t hate him for walking down the difficult path of his life. I hope it goes well. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to criticize you, Sir. I¡¯m worried.¡± Aren pondered, and carefully opened his mouth. ¡°Madam¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You are kind.¡± I laughed briefly. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever heard such words in my life.¡± It¡¯s all true. ¡°I am concerned that there are many people who judge Madam with a short bias.¡± He spoke softly about how many people cursed at me. ¡®That¡¯s half true.¡¯ It was a time when Aren had just joined the Knights of Raven. He had only heard of me through rumors. Of course, it¡¯s impossible to say that ¡®I did something really bad¡¯ in front of the protagonist. I frowned. ¡°Some of the other people¡¯s words are right.¡± It¡¯s true, but it seems to sound like humility. Aren looked at his arm being treated, and he made a determined expression on his face. ¡°If you have any trouble, please let me know, Madam. I¡¯m not that strong, but I will definitely help you.¡± ¡®Are you trying to repay the kindness I gave you?¡¯ I was a little surprised and amazed at the same time. ¡°Those words are enough, thank you, Sir.¡± Aisha Ren had a strong personality. She¡¯s a bit stiff, but she¡¯s a good person too. ¡®So, she¡¯s going to be with Rupert right?¡¯ I cut the bandages for the last time. ¡°Never let the wound come into contact with water, disinfect it regularly, and if there is a problem, tell me right away. And¡­¡± Leah, who was quiet, spit out what I was about to say first. ¡°You have to go to bed early to get well. Vegetables should be eaten evenly!¡± ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± I smiled involuntarily. It seems that my daughter has already memorized everything I used to say, like a nagging. ¡®Did I do it well?¡¯ Leah looked up at me with that gaze. I stroked Leah¡¯s little head. ¡°Yes, you know well.¡± ¡°Sir Aren must also listen to my mom. Otherwise, my mom will tickle you!¡± Aren briefly burst into laughter at the five-year-old¡¯s innocence. ¡°Remember.¡± Leah raised her little finger. ¡°Well then¡­¡± Aren also raised his little finger. ¡°¡­ I promise.¡± He then placed one of his hands on his chest and bent his back so that he was at eye level with Leah. ¡°Knights always keep their promises. Do not worry, Miss.¡± Even to a child¡¯s words, Aren answered seriously. Satisfied Leah smirked. I smiled at the two of them. After a long time, it is a sight that brings peace to my heart. * * * Rupert is weird. He did exactly the weird thing. I looked at the colorful gift boxes piled up in front of my eyes. All of these items are rumored to be difficult to obtain even in the most popular boutiques among the aristocrats. Gorgeous rings and necklaces, dresses, hats, shoes, lace gloves¡­ ¡°What is all this?¡± The maid politely answered my question. ¡°It was sent by the Marquis.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Rupert hates me terribly, but what is this? The maid replied with a look of perplexity. ¡°Th-that¡­ well¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Madam!¡± She must have been frightened because she thought she had offended the sensitive Marchioness. ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± I was genuinely curious about Rupert¡¯s intentions. ¡®It would be of no use to ask the maid.¡¯ ¡°Didn¡¯t the Marquis go out today?¡± ¡°He did, Madam.¡± I did not dislike pretty things. However, considering the sender, I could not just receive it. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Rupert.¡¯ I immediately left the room. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t have to go all the way to the office to find him. I just ran into Rupert in the hallway. I immediately called him. ¡°Marquis.¡± Rupert stopped as soon as he heard my call. But he still has his back to me. Then he walked at a faster pace. ¡°Marquis!¡± He ignores me again. In the end, annoyed, I shouted. ¡°Rupert!¡± His fast-paced steps came to a standstill. Chapter 15 Taking the opportunity, I walked up to him. Rupert turned and looked dissatisfied. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I also have something to say. ¡°You¡¯re pretending you didn¡¯t hear me, huh?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you.¡± The lie was obvious. I¡¯m holding back my anger. It was my loss if I continued to argue with him over these issues. ¡°Well¡­ I have something to ask.¡± Rupert kept his mouth shut and gave me a quick look. ¡°What¡¯s the pile of boxes in my room?¡± ¡°Reward for last time.¡± I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected answer. ¡°Last time?¡± I pondered. What happened last time? ¡°Oh! Did you heal your wounds? Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen your face since that day. Maybe you did it on purpose?¡± Rupert replied briefly. ¡°No way. I¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°Has the wounds not healed yet? Have you ever had a fever and lost your mind?¡± I carefully placed my hand on his forehead to check his body temperature. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have a fever¡­ or have you eaten something wrong?¡± At that time, Rupert, who had stiffened for a moment, quickly retreated. ¡°I¡¯m fine. More than that, why did you think I¡¯m not feeling well just because I gave you something?¡± This time, I snorted lightly. ¡°Are you asking because you really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I ignored Rupert¡¯s seemingly ridiculous silence. ¡°Anyway, you are not ill. In other words, does that mean that it is a gift in return as a token of gratitude?¡± Rupert corrected. ¡°It was not a gift, it was a reward.¡± I asked suspiciously. ¡°Why did you keep saying ¡®reward¡¯?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the meaning of the two words different? A gift is given as a token of gratitude and a reward is to pay off a debt.¡± Those words made sense. To put it simply, he didn¡¯t really want to thank you, but he paid the light anyway. ¡®I have no luck.¡¯ Rupert spoke softly. ¡°I have to avoid debt. Especially from you, Noel Ainel.¡± I laughed out loud. ¡®You¡¯re going to come out like this.¡¯ ¡°Marquis Rupert Ainel, if you want to give me a reward, shouldn¡¯t you ask me what I want?¡± I asked sarcastically to him. ¡°It¡¯s really strange, didn¡¯t you just like luxury things about until a few weeks ago?¡± ¡°Oh, actually, my tastes have changed in the meantime.¡± ¡°Then what do you want?¡± I was waiting for you to ask this! ¡°Then how about playing ball with Leah? I like it a lot these days.¡± Rupert responded immediately. ¡°If she needs a playmate, look for a child her age.¡± ¡°No, I want you to play with her.¡± ¡°¡­ I refuse.¡± ¡°Then how about you say goodnight to Leah every night?¡± ¡°I refuse that too.¡± I frowned. ¡°Why?¡± He turned his head to avoid my gaze. ¡°I¡¯m busy. So let¡¯s just do this, if there is anything she needs, I will support it as much as I can.¡± Then he turned around and walked very fast. It seems that he doesn¡¯t want to talk anymore. I stared at his back as he left. Rupert seemed like someone who avoided as much as possible to associate with Leah or me. Like someone who thinks we¡¯re going to pass the plague on him. ¡®It can¡¯t be like this.¡¯ He is someone who doesn¡¯t open up a gap in his heart. But I can¡¯t stand him continuing to ignore Leah¡¯s existence. Eventually, I returned to my room angrily. I bang the door with an angry face! As soon as it closed, the maids inside shook their shoulders. ¡°Ma-Madam¡­?¡± I had no intention of arguing with them. ¡°Return all of this- No. Wait a minute.¡± Another thought occurred to me. ¡°Just move everything here to Rupert¡¯s room and piled up on his bed.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± I replied softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take responsibility for it.¡± If he keeps avoiding conversations, I have no choice but to do this. I won¡¯t give up, bastard!!! *** That night, a knock heard in my room. It was obvious who would come at this hour. I put a blanket over my shoulders and opened the door. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Marquis?¡± As expected, it was Rupert. ¡°Are you asking because you really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± I thought he would come in, but unexpectedly he paused. ¡°Why won¡¯t you come in?¡± To a curious question, Rupert answered. ¡°I was thinking for a while whether it was the right decision to enter your room at this time.¡± What did this mean? Did you ask for courtesy? ¡°Are you ashamed to enter your own wife¡¯s room?¡± For some reason, he complained in a pretty candid tone. ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much these days that it feels like you¡¯re dating another man.¡± ¡®Did you even think like that?¡¯ Rupert stepped in without much further complaint. I looked at his expression for a moment. He looked annoyed, but he didn¡¯t look angry. ¡®I¡¯m glad.¡¯ I wanted to have a proper conversation with Rupert one more time. In the end, there was no other way but to have him come to me directly. He was the first to speak. ¡°Take the stuff in my room, including what you have piled up on the bed of course.¡± ¡°I gave it back because I didn¡¯t need it.¡± Rupert sighed quietly. ¡°¡­ what the hell do you want, Noel Ainel?¡± I have to say this for sure. ¡°I always said exactly what I wanted. It was you who didn¡¯t believe it.¡± Let¡¯s get to know each other more, with Leah too. ¡®You were the one who ignored my request.¡¯ Even if you said you avoid me because you didn¡¯t like me, what was the reason you ignored your daughter? ¡°Do your duty as a parent. I don¡¯t really have anything other than that request.¡± ¡°Then Noel Ainel, how about you?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for Leah. What do you want from me for yourself?¡± Oh, he still seems to think that I am a good mother because I have a special intention. ¡°There is nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯ve been lavishing my life with luxury. That¡¯s enough.¡± Rupert¡¯s gaze narrowed. ¡°Really? So, other than material things, is there nothing else?¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± I looked at him curiously. If it¡¯s something other than material, do you mean spiritual? Marital love or something? ¡®Why were you asking this?¡¯ Now, it seemed that he even doubted that I had any false delusions of myself. ¡°I do not need it.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Love and affection¡­ well, our relationship has come too far to discuss these feelings.¡± Still, after some time, I might be able to maintain a good friend-level relationship with him. ¡®It is enough for Rupert not to harm me and Leah.¡¯ Then there will be no quarrels that caused me and Leah to die, and the future will change. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not going to do anything to offend you anymore. I¡¯ll give you the proper courtesy and respect.¡± ¡®Then you should give me what I want.¡¯ ¡°Was my role as a parent still not enough?¡± As he spoke, I looked at his expression and was a little surprised. ¡°Are you mad?¡± As if he was aware of my expression at that time, he pressed his forehead firmly. ¡°Not at all.¡± I nodded. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll do as you wish. From now on, I¡¯ll be quiet and won¡¯t cause any more trouble. I¡¯ll also keep my distance from you.¡± He wasn¡¯t as happy as I thought he would be. ¡®Well, he wasn¡¯t usually a good laugher.¡¯ You¡¯ve been pushing me away so far, and I don¡¯t know what the problem is. ¡°I¡¯m going to be quiet, but you have one thing to do for me in return.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Spend your time with Leah.¡± ¡®Are you going to refuse again?¡¯ I looked at him expectantly. Chapter 16 ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fortunately, it was different from the usual. Rupert looked troubled. His red eyes are much darker than usual. A moment of silence passed. He opened his mouth heavily. ¡°¡­ okay, if that¡¯s all you really want, I¡¯ll try.¡± I smiled broadly. ¡°It was a promise, right?¡± He stared at me. ¡°You look happy.¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Not everyone is a perfect parent at first. But you can start with small things like spending time with your child and growing up together. So, even if it¡¯s impossible right now, I hope he will be a good father to Leah in the future. I didn¡¯t want anything other than my safety and Leah. ¡®We¡¯ll be fine if I don¡¯t upset him.¡¯ Of course, just because Rupert seems to have granted my wish, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m completely relieved. If there is even the slightest danger, I will immediately take Leah and run away. For now, I just hope he can keep his curse under control. ¡®In the end, all problems will be solved by Aren.¡¯ Like a fairy tale, true love will break Rupert¡¯s curse. At that point, I will either get a divorce or break up on my own. Then it will be a happy ending for everyone. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert was still thinking about something. But since I got the answer I was looking for, I decided not to worry about it anymore. He was a man caught up in a complex and dark past that I couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I decided to be satisfied with the fact that the urgent problem was resolved. *** Noel stood on the rubble of a burning, collapsing building. The moment she saw the scenery around her, she had an intuition. ¡®Is this what you call a lucid dream?¡¯ It was the first thing she experienced in her life. She looked around her in wonder. The surroundings were deserted. The shadows of crumbling and broken houses covered her face. Noel entered the old building in front of her, feeling possessed. [¡­um¡­mom?] A small voice could be heard inside. She slowly climbed the stairs to find the owner of the voice. ¡®What dream is this¡­ why do I have to dream like this?¡¯ The moment she grumbled like that, she heard the voice again. [¡­mom] She couldn¡¯t hear it exactly, but she was somehow used to it. She heard the voice more clearly the closer she got. There were occasional cries. [Mom ahh¡­] By then, Noel knew who the owner of the crying voice was. ¡°Leah!¡± The crying child in her dream was Leah. The child was terrified in the corner. ¡®Why am I dreaming like this!¡¯ Noel reached out to Leah, but she couldn¡¯t touch her. Maybe because it¡¯s a dream. Despite knowing that it was a dream, Noel was still restless. ¡°Leah, don¡¯t cry. Mom is here.¡± Noel, of course, was not heard by Leah. She was sniffling, curled up in the corner. ¡®How do I wake up from this dream?¡¯ She wanted to stop seeing such a terrible sight. Then, an ominous sound rang out behind. Noel turned around with a strange feeling. The old ceiling is slowly crumbling. The pillar shook precariously. ¡°Leah, it¡¯s dangerous to stay here!¡± She screamed and tried to stop it, but to no avail. Like a ghost, Noel¡¯s hand went through everything. Leah, who did not notice this situation, was still crying. [Sob¡­ I¡¯m scared, mom sob hahhh¡­] At that moment, the ceiling and pillars immediately hit Leah. Noel shouted as she wrapped her body around Leah. ¡°Leah!¡± -Bang! The wreckage passed through her body and struck Leah. *** ¡°Leah!¡± Noel jumped out of bed. She immediately looked around. It was the same as yesterday, she was in her room. She exhaled her breath deeply. Her back was damp with cold sweat. Indeed, it is a terrible dream. ¡°It was just a dream¡­ it was just a dream¡­¡± As she murmured like that, she calmed her startled mind. After convincing herself that it was just a dream, she lay back down. Soon it was time for Leah to wake up. Noel got out of bed vigorously. ¡®I couldn¡¯t go on with a gloomy face.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t very refreshing, but it was a new morning anyway. *** Today Leah was wearing a yellow dress embroidered with small white flowers. I was moved to see her approaching me with a smile in that state. It was like a fairy in a fairy tale. ¡°Mom!¡± Leah spread her arms out. I hugged her tightly and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Leah, did you sleep well?¡± Leah stroked my cheek with her little hand. ¡°I slept well, how about you, Mom?¡± I had a nightmare and was terrified, but it was disappeared as soon as I saw my daughter. ¡°Mom slept well too.¡± On the way to the dining room with the babbling child in my arms, I stopped. It was because I ran into an unexpected person. ¡°Marquis?¡± Rupert was standing there. I wondered what was going on. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°To keep my promise with you.¡± Promise? I blinked for a moment at those words. ¡°Have you forgotten already?¡± Then I remembered. ¡®Are you trying to keep the promise you made last night?¡¯ To be honest, I didn¡¯t know it was going to be like this. I thought that he might be avoiding it with excuses. ¡®Are you the type to keep promises when you make them?¡¯ Surprisingly, he has a sincere side. Leah was also surprised by the sudden situation. Her small body stiffened as if she was nervous when her father, whom she seldom met, came to visit. I patted her back. ¡°Leah, how about we have breakfast with Dad?¡± Leah nodded slightly. ¡°¡­ugh, yes.¡± ¡®Are you hiding your face?¡¯ ¡°Then will you say good morning to your Dad?¡± Leah pondered for quite some time, and then she nodded slowly. She procrastinated at first but finally came down from my arms. Leah, who grabbed the end of her skirt, bowed her head slightly and spoke. ¡°Good morning, Marquis.¡± ¡®Huh??¡¯ For a moment Rupert and I were surprised at Leah¡¯s greeting. You used the title ¡®Marquis¡¯ for your biological father!? ¡°Le-Leah? You should call him Father or Daddy.¡± At my words, Leah looked at us and asked. ¡°¡­can I?¡± This time Rupert responded. ¡°You¡¯re asking something obvious.¡± Startled at the sound of his voice, Leah hid behind my back holding on to the hem of my skirt. I winked at Rupert as a signal. ¡®Speak more kindly!¡¯ He understood my meaning and made a slightly dissatisfied face. I ignored him and made eye contact with Leah. ¡°Leah, why have you called him Marquis instead of Father or Daddy?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to scold you, so it¡¯s okay to be honest with Mom.¡± Leah hesitated before opening her mouth. ¡°Ugh¡­ but¡­ Mom also called him with the title Marquis, so I guess I¡¯ll be scolded if I call him with a different title.¡± I asked softly. ¡°What did that mean?¡± ¡°Well, Mom and the Marquis see each other more often than I do, but Mom always called him by honorifics. So is it okay if I use the word ¡®father¡¯ since I¡¯ve never met him? In the etiquette book, I was taught that unless you are close to someone, you should always call them by honorifics.¡± Only then did I understand Leah¡¯s words. Leah seems to have considered herself not to be close to Rupert. So, she thought it would be against etiquette to call him ¡®father.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was a little shocked. At the same time, I felt sad. Young children act honestly with what they see and learn. This in itself revealed how far away Leah and Rupert were. ¡®It¡¯s all because of Rupert¡¯s actions so far.¡¯ Children tend to be sensitive to their parents¡¯ feelings. Leah must have sensed that her father was pushing her out unconsciously too. I looked at him quietly. ¡°Marquis, what do you think?¡± ¡®Can¡¯t you feel the weight of your conscience when you see your daughter¡¯s behavior?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fortunately, Rupert seems to have felt something too. He looked like someone who had seen the most difficult problem in the world. After some hesitation, he slowly kneels down and made eye contact with Leah. ¡°Leah.¡± Even in that state, he hesitated for a moment. It seems that he doesn¡¯t know how to treat his daughter. Without meddling, I watched him calmly. Breathing in his sigh, he carefully placed his hand on Leah¡¯s head. He gently stroked her with a very awkward hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me that.¡± Leah rolled her eyes. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to call me father. I won¡¯t scold you for that.¡± It was the first time I had seen his human form. I smiled with a bit of satisfaction. ¡®If I laugh here, Rupert will be angry.¡¯ I barely pressed the corner of my lips. ¡°Then what about Mom?¡± Leah asked an unexpected question. ¡°That means Mom doesn¡¯t need to call you Marquis anymore?¡± Chapter 17 ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the same time, my eyes met Rupert¡¯s eyes. My pupils trembled. ¡®Should I use a title like ¡®Honey¡¯ for him only in front of Leah?¡¯ To be honest, I felt reluctant to use such a title for him, who I was not very close to. Besides, Rupert is sure to hate it too. ¡°All right.¡± But the words that came out of his mouth were quite unexpected. Now it was my turn to be troubled. Rupert glanced at me in embarrassment and said sarcastically. ¡°You can call me by my first name without having to be polite.¡± ¡®Did Rupert also fall for Leah¡¯s cuteness?¡¯ So you thought you¡¯d get along with me? ¡°Ah!¡± Then, Rupert carried Leah. He looked at me as he held Leah tightly, ignoring his daughter¡¯s bewildered expression. ¡°Stop now and let¡¯s get breakfast.¡± He was a man who didn¡¯t seem to know how to hold a child at all, but his posture was more stable than I expected. I smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Then I muttered only in the shape of my mouth. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert made eye contact with me but didn¡¯t say anything. But I was sure he understood my thanks. The start of the relationship between the couple went better than expected. After struggling with the nightmare I had in the morning, I walked leisurely next to Rupert carrying Leah. *** For a few days, I had a surprisingly peaceful life. Of course, Leah was cute every day- no, every second. Leah recently had fun learning the letters. That¡¯s why she liked to bring anything to read it. Of course, there is a very small problem in that happy daily life. ¡°Leah, do you really like reading this?¡± I looked at the newspaper Leah brought. ¡®Do kids of this age like to read newspapers?¡¯ ¡°Yeah! I like this!¡± Leah liked to play ball and draw, but she sometimes showed such an extraordinary side. ¡®Maybe my daughter is a genius.¡¯ When I looked at the newspaper, there was quite a bit of gossip in the article, such as a noble¡¯s inappropriate affair. I naturally skipped the gossip section and read the whole thing. ¡°A new saintess appears from the Yuren Kingdom.¡± Not surprisingly, the question came to me right away. ¡°Saintess?¡± ¡°It means that a person who has been blessed by God, that has special powers has appeared.¡± Well, in this world, the existence of God was confirmed to some extent. The saintess was one of them. ¡°What is a special ability?¡± ¡°It is complicated magic like you can heal a person with just a touch¡­ well, sometimes people with such great abilities are born.¡± Saints are born every few decades or as long as several hundred years. At the same time, only 4 or 5 saints have ever appeared. Naturally, regardless of their origin, they were treated with great respect. And the country where the saints were born rejoices that they have been blessed by God. ¡°Is saintess from another country?¡± ¡°Yeah, this time is from Robstraw Empire.¡± In this situation, a new saintess appeared in the neighboring country of Yuren, and many people would be surprised. Leah¡¯s eyes widened in wonder. ¡°Then how about Mom? Mom is a saintess too because you also treated my wound and Sir Aren¡¯s.¡± I smiled and stroked Leah¡¯s cheek. ¡°Of course not. Saintess is a person with power that can really heal a wound in the blink of an eye.¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing. I want to see the saintess.¡± In fact, even high ranking nobles were not easy to meet the saintess. ¡°Well, I would like to see the saintess too.¡± After saying that, I turned the newspaper over. At that moment, a colorful piece of paper fell down. ¡°Huh? What is this?¡± Leah picked up the paper that fell under my feet and began to read. ¡°Festival, uhm¡­ this is a city¡­ market?¡± Then, the maid, Jenna, who was quietly waiting by Leah¡¯s side, approached with her eyes wide open. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Madam, Miss!¡± I looked at her curiously. What do you have to apologize for here? ¡°Why?¡± Jenna bowed her head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s probably the festival flyer that maids saw. It seems to have been mixed when classifying earlier.¡± Only then did I understand the situation. It seems that the promotional flyers for the festival, which the maids were looking at, were mistakenly mixed with newspaper. ¡°Okay. Be careful next time.¡± ¡°I will be careful, Madam.¡± In the meantime, Leah was reading the sentences of the promotional paper slowly but fluently. ¡°Draw¡­ game.¡± At the same time, Leah turned her head and looked up at me with her twinkling eyes. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go here too!¡± ¡°At the festival?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Leah looked up at me with eager eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you? I¡¯m so curious.¡± It was rare for Leah to ask for something. ¡°Well¡­¡± I pondered for a moment. Leah had never left the mansion until now. I didn¡¯t know if it would be okay to take a look around once in a while. ¡®The security of Ainel¡¯s estate is good.¡¯ It¡¯s not bad to take Leah. ¡°Leah, there must be a lot of people there. Whatever happens, you must always be with Mom, do you understand? Leah nodded vigorously. ¡°I promise!¡± She was a curious but docile child, so I didn¡¯t worry too much about it. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go take a look before dinner. Jenna, can you prepare me to go out?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± *** After a while, I saw a neat knight in front of me. I never thought he would come. ¡°Sir Aren, what¡¯s going on here¡­?¡± Aren politely bowed his head. ¡°I have been ordered by the Master to escort the Marchioness.¡± I knew very well that Leah and I couldn¡¯t go out alone. I thought a maid and an ordinary knight are enough. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a Knight of the Raven to come to escort me.¡± The Knights of the Raven who were under Rupert¡¯s direct command were the main knights of the Ainel¡¯s estate. For that reason, the knights were usually used for important tasks such as war and the subjugation of monsters. ¡®I thought it was too much for Aren, the Knight of the Raven to do private things like escorting me.¡¯ Not even going to a dangerous place. At best, it is just going to the market in front of the mansion. Without knowing what I was thinking, Aren answered calmly. ¡°Probably, Master is very worried about you, Marchioness.¡± ¡®Is he worried about me or is he trying to spy on me?¡¯ ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°It really was. Besides, Gargoyles have been discovered recently. There is nothing wrong with being careful.¡± If it was a Gargoyle, it was one of the monsters that humans could create. ¡°Really? Have Gargoyles entered the city? ¡°No, it never happened. The sightings were outside the city.¡± Then it was good. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It must have been the work of a third-class black magician. The person who made the gargoyles is also being searched, so they will be caught soon.¡± ¡°¡­ hopefully the problem will be resolved soon.¡± I nodded and took Leah¡¯s hand. After all, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to be friends with Aren if at all possible. ¡°Then, take good care of me today, Sir Aren.¡± Anyway, I felt reassured when I was by Aren¡¯s side. ¡°Yes, Madam. It¡¯s an honor for me.¡± Aren answered seriously, as always. *** The streets were full of people. Leah, who had seen the large crowd for the first time, became enthusiastic. ¡°There are so many people!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you always have to hold Mom¡¯s hand so you don¡¯t get lost, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I also looked around the street slowly. It was the downtown area I saw for the first time in almost several years. ¡®In the past, if I needed something, I just had to call the maids.¡¯ Fortunately, the appearance of us with the maid and escort was not very noticeable. This is because there were surprisingly many girls from wealthy families or noble families who came to see the festival. ¡°There are a lot of tourists and travelers.¡± Aren, who was beside me, answered. ¡°Yes, the Ainel estate is well-developed in commerce. There are usually a lot of merchants from all over the world.¡± The details are unknown. In the past, I really wasn¡¯t interested in things like this even the slightest bit. ¡®I am the wife of the landlord, but I didn¡¯t do my job and lived a luxurious life.¡¯ Well, it was understandable that Rupert was furious with me when I thought about this. Fortunately, Rupert seems to be a very capable lord. ¡°Mom, this way!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as I started to look around the estate, my curiosity arose as well. While moving as Leah dragged me, I occasionally asked Aren various questions. Chapter 18 ¡°I heard that there is a shortage of clinics, how do ordinary people usually get treatment?¡± ¡°Is there a separate institution to trains intern doctors?¡± ¡°Is the recent epidemic less money?¡± The other master¡¯s wives would laugh at how ignorant I was, but Aren gave me serious answers. ¡°Unless you are seriously ill, the owner of a nearby herbal store is also serving as a doctor.¡± ¡°Yes, I usually know that a doctor has a student under him and teaches.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been here in a while, so I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I was impressed by his demeanor to explain without a hint of a nuisance. ¡®The more I look, the more I like his personality.¡¯ Then, Aren asked me curiously. ¡°Madam, are you interested in the medical field?¡± I was obviously interested. I wouldn¡¯t have made it a career if I wasn¡¯t interested in. However, in this world, there are not many ladies interested in this kind of thing. ¡°A little bit.¡± ¡°If you ask the Master, you will be able to get a more detailed answer than me. It would have been nice if the two of you came together.¡± Rupert was busy, so he couldn¡¯t do that. He must be working in the mansion. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be annoying?¡± ¡°Is it possible? Master ordered me to escort you as soon as he heard you wanted to go out.¡± ¡®It must have been an order to watch me well.¡¯ I was skeptical, but Aren was different. ¡°It was the first time I had seen Master¡¯s strange behavior.¡± Then Aren smiled softly. ¡°He must be worried about his wife. Besides, maybe today-¡° For a moment, I saw Aren¡¯s face and widened my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you smile properly!¡± I was a little moved by his smile. ¡°Yeah?¡± He had a sharp image like a bird of prey, but when he smiled, the atmosphere was completely different. ¡°Beautiful.¡± Indeed the heroine. It was a magical charm. Aren looks a little stunned. ¡°Was that what you saw when I smiled¡­?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I gave serious advice. ¡°Sir Aren, it¡¯s a wasted life without your beautiful smile, and to make the world happy, you have to smile. Of course, I feel good to see you smile.¡± He was a little shy at my words. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was kind of excited to see a person who was usually hard-headed showed me this kind of figure. It feels like we are getting closer. ¡®Is Aren younger than me?¡¯ Is this what it feels like to have a sibling? I was starting to find him a little cute. He was looking at me with so much joy, a voice suddenly came from behind. ¡°I gave you the order to escort the Marchioness¡­¡± I and Aren turned around. Somehow the voice sounds familiar? ¡°¡­ not to flirt in the middle of the street.¡± We were both surprised to see who we were talking to. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Did I interrupt your good times?¡± ¡®What did this mean again?¡¯ I looked at him curiously. Why did he look so grumpy? *** He hated to admit it, but Rupert has been thinking of Noel quite often lately. He always didn¡¯t want to get any closer than needed to with anyone. If he swayed by his emotions, he will lose control of the curse. So he always drew a clear line to others. Even if the other party is a daughter or a wife. It was good that Noel, who suddenly tried to cross that line one day, gave up. Although there were conditions to be fathered. He should be happy with this result. But why? ¡®Why do I feel so uncomfortable?¡¯ Noel Ainel, who suddenly changed for some reason, was completely different from before. Now I want to ask myself. ¡®What the hell do I want from Noel?¡¯ The answer was unknown. It was a life in which he tried not to dream of wishes or hopes all his life to control the curse. He can¡¯t remember the last time he really laughed and cried. Now, even what he likes and dislikes was vague. Nevertheless, seeing her these days, he often has strange impulses. Sometimes he wanted to touch her cheeks or long eyelashes when she approached him. He wondered if she would be angry, shy, startled, or how she would react. Gradually he wanted to see a different side of Noel Ainel. This idea itself is a contradiction. He wants her to get away from him, but on the other hand, he wants to get to know her. ¡®Am I really going crazy?¡¯ Just before questioning his sensibility, he objectified his heart again. Judging by this feeling, it will only weaken his control. ¡°-Master?¡± Rupert raised his head. In front of him was Bert, the commander of the Raven Knight, looking at him. Bert looked a little surprised. ¡°It is rare. Were you daydreaming?¡± ¡°¡­ no, that¡¯s fine. What were you trying to say?¡± Rupert is back to reality. He was about to attack the black magician¡¯s stronghold in his own estate. ¡°I have captured 3 black magicians in total.¡± Recently, four young women disappeared from the estate. Some thought it was just a runaway, but Rupert did not take it lightly and ordered a search. And today, he found the stronghold of the black magician who kidnapped women. ¡°Was the Gargoyle that recently wandering outside the fortress walls their work?¡± ¡°It was very likely. We haven¡¯t found the statue of Gargoyle yet, but since we¡¯ve caught the magician, there¡¯s no danger right now.¡± The Gargoyle was a monster created by a black magician. Usually, it was in the form of a stone statue, but when the magician supplied magic power, it moved. Conversely, without a magician to control it, it was just a piece of stone. ¡°Are the abducted women safe?¡± ¡°Fortunately, there are no major abnormalities. Maybe they are surprised¡­¡± Rupert was relieved at those words. Those captured by the black magician were usually used as sacrifices for curses or research, or sold as slaves on the black market. ¡°Tell their family that you found them, and send them back.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± And after Bert gave some orders to his men, he returned. ¡°Now, Master has nothing to worry about. So that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying¡­¡± Bert sighed slightly as if he had something to say. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Since you have time, how about visiting the market with the Marchioness and the Young Lady?¡± Rupert frowned slightly. He had heard that Noel was going out with Leah, so he sent Aren away. Aren has a clear distinction between public and private affairs, and he has a clear skillset, so he will do well in the tasks entrusted to him. ¡°I have sent Aren as an escort.¡± Bert showed a nice smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. Sometimes it would be nice to spend time with the family too.¡± Bert, who said this, is of course a strict boss to his subordinates, but at home, he is a sweet guy. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where she is now.¡± ¡°The Marchioness has just been out, so if you walk around the market for a bit, you might meet soon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± For Rupert, this topic of conversation was uncomfortable. There were times when it was difficult to deal with Bert because he was a good person. He is a completely different kind of human from Rupert. ¡°There is nothing in this world better than spending time with family, my lord.¡± ¡°As you got older, your nagging only increased.¡± Rupert, annoyed for no reason, turned around. ¡°¡­¡­¡± And Bert smiled faintly as he watched the footsteps of the lord¡¯s steps toward the downtown, not the mansion. *** Rupert walked the streets lined with festival stalls and markets. I didn¡¯t mean to follow Bert¡¯s advice. Coincidentally, my feet only came to this side. Rupert thought. ¡®I couldn¡¯t find her that easily.¡¯ Because there were so many people, it was impossible to do as Bert said. Thinking so, he turned his head when he heard a familiar voice. Rupert looked at Noel¡¯s back. As she cared for Leah, she too was looking around with curiosity. ¡®It was the first time I had seen such a face.¡¯ Until then, she was a woman who had no interest in how things were outside the mansion, but did she really have a big change of heart? He paused for a moment as he approached Noel. He warned himself in his head. If he continues to spend his time with her, he¡¯ll find it hard to draw the line like he used to. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert stopped. He was afraid that his thoughts on Noel would gradually become more favorable. Really, not good. ¡®It¡¯s not too late now. I¡¯ll just pretend I didn¡¯t see her and go back.¡¯ At that time, Noel looked at Aren¡¯s face with a happy smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you smile properly!¡± Rupert was slightly dissatisfied with her very friendly appearance. Since when have you two been so close? He inadvertently walked towards the two of them. Unfortunately, the conversation sounded very good. ¡°Was that what you saw when I smiled¡­?¡± She has a very kind expression. ¡°-I feel good to see you smile.¡± In fact, Aren is popular for his beautiful face. Still, why did you say that to a healthy young man? ¡®I feel bad.¡¯ ¡°I gave you the order to escort the Marchioness¡­¡± Rupert approached and opened his mouth quietly. ¡°¡­ not to flirt in the middle of the street.¡± Chapter 19 The two looked at him in surprise. ¡°Did I interrupt your good times?¡± Noel asked in confusion, ¡°Rupert? Why are you here?¡± Of course, he followed the advice of his subordinates to cherish the time with his family¡­ but Rupert couldn¡¯t tell the truth. His stiff pride would not allow it. ¡°This is the road that I pass after my business is done.¡± ¡°Alone? In the market?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was the right point, and Rupert made excuses. ¡°My subordinates are busy somewhere near here.¡± For that reason, do lords usually go around alone? Noel tilted her head. But since she had promised not to take any interest in each other¡¯s private lives a while ago, she immediately ended the conversation. ¡°I see, you worked hard. Be careful on your way home.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert was a little embarrassed by Noel¡¯s simple attitude. Meanwhile, Leah spoke softly, ¡°Goodbye, Father.¡± It was an attitude with no regrets. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aren, who happened to be caught between the three, quietly rolled his eyes. Because he realized that he was the only one who noticed his master¡¯s subtly complicated feelings. ¡®Something needs to be done.¡¯ He awkwardly opened his mouth. ¡°Then, it would be good for you to take this opportunity to spend time with your family, Master.¡± ¡°Huh? Sir Aren, are you busy?¡± ¡°Sorry, Madam. I think I¡¯ll have to help my colleagues somewhere near here¡­¡± Ah. With those words, Noel just remembered Rupert¡¯s words. He said he left his subordinates near here. ¡®His colleagues are working, and he wants to help them.¡¯ It was like a sincere Aren. Noel nodded. ¡°I see. Now, Leah, says goodbye to Sir Aren, who has worked hard today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­hmm.¡± Leah let out a sad voice. It was the exact opposite of how she had just tried to send her biological father away without any regrets. ¡°Let¡¯s play again next time, yeah?¡± Aren smiled softly as Leah grabbed his hem. ¡°I promise, Young Lady.¡± ¡°Promise!¡± It was objectively a warm sight. A handsome knight, a graceful lady, and a cute appearance of a fairy-like child. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, Rupert¡¯s feelings became more and more complicated. What is this dirty feeling? *** I was a bit stunned. I didn¡¯t know Rupert would even want to be with us outside. ¡°Is it okay for you, the Marquis, to be in the middle of a busy street like this?¡± The rumors about me were very bad. But I don¡¯t go out very often, so hardly anyone actually knows my face. ¡°People don¡¯t really care anyway.¡± ¡®No, if it¡¯s as beautiful as you, I think people will be very interested.¡¯ I thought about it, but I didn¡¯t dare say it out loud. Instead, I asked for something else. ¡°Why did you suddenly decide to stay with us?¡± ¡°Because this is a promise I made with you.¡± Well, I was definitely asking you to spend time with Leah¡­ ¡®¡­ is this really okay?¡¯ Rupert has been avoiding the situation with me as much as possible back then. It was surprising seeing his behavior now. I asked curiously. ¡°Rupert, your wounds are healed, right?¡± I really want to know where he got hurt. He¡¯s always been rude to me, so I suspect if he¡¯s hurt somewhere? I glanced at him with compassionate eyes. It is said that when people change, it is time to die¡­ ¡®Or are you pretending to be nice to me and aiming for my life like the original story?¡¯ He warned with a growl. ¡°If you treat a healthy person as sick one more time, I¡¯ll take off my clothes so you can check for yourself.¡± At that time, Leah asked innocently. ¡°Take off father¡¯s clothes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was silent, and Rupert quickly changed the subject. ¡°Leah, you seem to like Aren.¡± Leah looked at Rupert a little awkwardly and then spoke softly to Rupert. ¡°Sir Aren is a wonderful knight.¡± I nodded and agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right, he¡¯s a really nice guy.¡± I praised his cherished subordinate, so I thought he would like it, but his reaction was different from what I expected. ¡°Noel, you always behaved like an angry elk in front of me, but you acted like a gentle sheep in front of Aren.¡± ¡°An angry elk¡­¡­?¡± ¡®What does this mean? Is it swearing?¡¯ He saw Leah again. ¡°Leah, why do you like Aren?¡± It was a way of speaking that clearly showed displeasure. ¡°He is kind. And he said he would pick up dolls from the stalls with darts later!¡± As she spoke, Leah suddenly realized a new, disappointing fact. ¡°But now there¡¯s no Sir Aren, that¡¯s impossible¡­¡­¡± ¡°A doll¡­¡­¡± Rupert, who was listening, murmured, and I was troubled. ¡®I¡¯m not very confident in my athleticism, but there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do for my daughter!¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Leah. If it¡¯s a doll, then Mom will-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Huh? I looked at Rupert and blinked. I doubted my ears for a moment. ¡®You?¡¯ The one who once said that spending time with his daughter was a waste of time? ¡°Leah.¡± Then he gently held Leah up in one arm. ¡°I will show you that I am superior to Aren.¡± ¡®Why are you suddenly burning a rivalry with Aren?¡¯ I know that he didn¡¯t want to lose to anyone but I¡¯m really surprised that the opponent is Aren. ¡®Maybe¡­¡­are you jealous?¡¯ No way. Although his attitude has softened compared to before, I must not let my guard down. Besides, it was hard for Rupert to like me. The condition for breaking his curse is that he must fall in love with his soulmate. Unfortunately, I was not confident that Rupert would fall in love with me. ¡®Could it be that my daughter¡¯s cuteness melted Rupert¡¯s cold heart a little?¡¯ Rather it was more realistic. To be honest, people¡¯s values ??and personalities are hard to change, so I didn¡¯t expect much. Still, it is the heart that can change people in a good way. I raised some hope that Rupert might be a really good father to Leah in the future. But¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t know that I would deeply regret falling into such stupid delusions. *** The stall game was simple. By throwing 5 darts on the dartboard, the prize given for each score was different. The more centered, the higher the score. ¡°Leah, what do you want?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡­¡± Leah pondered my question. It seems that she didn¡¯t have anything in particular she wanted. Was she just interested in this festival and the existence of the game itself? Looking at the hesitant child, Rupert said abruptly. ¡°It looks like you can¡¯t choose.¡± Hmm, the tone was still lacking in kindness. Leah, who is still awkward with her father, was a little nervous. It was the moment when I was about to rebuke about what Rupert had said to Leah. He said bluntly. ¡°I¡¯ll take them all.¡± Then he lightly threw a dart. ¡­¡­why did you throw a dart like you¡¯re at war? Do you hear something crashing? When I turned my gaze, the center of the dartboard was broken. How can you throw a toy dart like that? ¡®I knew that he had above average physical abilities because of the curse, but when seen in person, it is even more amazing.¡¯ Rupert quickly picked up a cute teddy bear and gave it to Leah. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡­.¡± Leah hugged the doll and smiled softly. ¡°Thank you, Father!¡± Seeing her happy made me feel better too. Hearing the thanks, Rupert paused for a moment, then turned his head away without a word. And he got other dolls like he was catching prey. ¡°The next is, a cat doll?¡± At that, the store owner looked at me with tears in his eyes. He seems to have realized that Rupert is no ordinary person. Feeling a sense of remorse, I pondered for a while whether to stop Rupert. But, Leah grabbed Rupert¡¯s sleeve first. ¡°Father¡­¡­this is enough.¡± Rupert looked down. Leah made eye contact with her father and smiled awkwardly. ¡°It was the first thing my father gave me. I like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was slightly moved by Leah¡¯s words. Come to think of it, this was the first time Leah had received a gift directly from Rupert. Leah must be delighted with the fact itself. Of course, Rupert, who does not yet know the deepest feelings of his daughter, only muttered like this. ¡°¡­¡­had I known that you were so fond of bears, I would have caught them alive from previous hunting competitions.¡± ¡®You do not know the feelings of our daughter at all.¡¯ I stared at Rupert with cold eyes. The only thing I held back my anger was because he was nice to Leah today. It¡¯s pretty good progress anyway. ¡°Then, Leah. Shall we take a look elsewhere with Mom and Dad?¡± Leah hugged the doll at my question and nodded her head. ¡°So good.¡± Hearing that, I smiled happily. *** Rupert said that people wouldn¡¯t be interested in him, but he was also wrong. The more he walked around, the more people glanced at his face. ¡°That man, doesn¡¯t he look like our lord?¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be two people who are so handsome, right?¡± I quickly put on the hood of my robe. Unlike Rupert, I have a bad reputation. Then, someone suddenly spoke from behind. ¡°My lord!¡± At about the same time, Rupert hid me and Leah behind him. Chapter 20 ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Are you protecting me now? ¡®If so, it¡¯s a bit impressive.¡¯ I looked over his shoulder. A middle-aged couple came along with a woman in her early 20s. ¡°P-Please forgive me for the sudden rudeness!¡± The couple bowed their heads. ¡°I was in the store and saw the lord, so I stopped involuntarily¡­ we just wanted to say thank you for saving our daughter.¡± ¡®Thank you?¡¯ Contrary to the puzzled me, Rupert seemed to know something. ¡°Are you the family of the victim who returned home earlier?¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡­thank you so much for saving my daughter from those kidnappers.¡± It was then that I understood the situation. This was what Rupert dealt with the knights before. I don¡¯t know for sure, but it seems that the kidnapped people were safely returned to their families. ¡°I was just doing my duties as a lord.¡± Rupert¡¯s response was quite chilly. He didn¡¯t seem to intend to be the lord with a kind image. At that moment, Leah whispered in my ear. ¡°Who are these people?¡± I also replied in a small voice. ¡°Dad did a good job, so they came to say thank you.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡­!¡± I smiled at Leah¡¯s reaction. Just imagining Leah disappearing is terrifying. It must have been more hellish than that couple actually went through. That¡¯s why they think of Rupert, who found their daughter, as their benefactor. The wife opened her mouth with tears in her eyes. ¡°Still, the fact that the lord saved our daughter has not changed.¡± Then she beckoned to the daughter behind her. ¡°Come on, Felly, come here. You said you wanted to see the lord for a long time.¡± A young woman named Felly approached slowly. Without thinking, I looked at her. But the moment our eyes met, I felt something creepy. ¡®What is that?¡¯ She is obviously a victim of a crime, but why am I feeling this way? My heart was pounding. Anxiety that something was about to happen. Even my hands were trembling. ¡°Mom?¡± Leah who sensitively sensed my change widened her eyes. In order to hide my trembling hands, the hand that was holding onto Leah¡¯s was released for a moment. I clenched my fists so tight that my nails dug into my skin. ¡°Nothing.¡± I said so to my daughter, but I couldn¡¯t just ignore the ominous feeling. I approached Rupert cautiously. ¡°Wait, Rupert, something strange¡ª¡± Kwaaang! [sfx] Suddenly there was a loud roar from all directions. The people passing by murmuring. At the same time, the couple in front of me screamed. ¡°Felly? What¡¯s happened!¡± ¡°Ah ah ah ah¡ª!¡± The woman let out a painful scream. Keuk, keuk! [sfx] All her joints began to bend at odd angles. I doubted my eyes. Up until now, her normal body had swelled up. At the same time, the black horns and wings sprouted. Her face was pointed like the beak of a bird, and the teeth of a beast sprouted. Her hands turned into sharp claws. Her skin was black and hard as stone. ¡°What the hell!¡± It was terrifying. ¡°A monster, a monster has appeared!¡± The people ran away, and the couple cried at the changed look of their daughter. ¡°Felly!¡± In an instant, the words Aren had said came to my mind. [Gargoyles have been discovered recently. There is nothing wrong with being careful.] Before long, I realized what the creature was in front of me. I muttered desperately. ¡°Gargoyle¡­¡­¡± It was only for a moment that I was captivated by the absurd sight. As soon as I regained my composure, I checked the safety of my daughter next to me. But there is no one by my side. ¡°Leah?¡± Obviously, she was beside me. *** ¡°Damn it.¡± Rupert was not vigilant enough when Noel approached him and was about to say something. Then the woman in front of him suddenly turned into a monster and attacked him. Moreover, the moment he was attacked by the Gargoyle, it was too late to know that Leah and Noel were behind him. ¡®I must be crazy!¡¯ If you get caught up in your emotions and make a wrong decision, you die. Rupert, who knew it better than anyone, made such a mistake. ¡®Recently, I have found awareness ever since I got involved with Noel.¡¯ There was awareness. I hate to admit it. So I had to come to my senses. He looked at the Gargoyle that went up to the sky in an instant and calmly grasped the situation. Is it going to attack other places first? ¡®I was relieved that the abductees were rescued safely, but I was wrong.¡¯ It seems that the magician had already used the abducted as test subjects. The fact that no Gargoyle statues were found in the hideout was now fully explained. I can¡¯t believe that he succeeded in making a Gargoyle through a person other than a stone statue. The black magicians who make this kind of magic are truly terrible. ¡®There were four people who were saved.¡¯ A roar was heard elsewhere at about the same time. Perhaps at least four people in this city have turned into Gargoyles. That was enough to throw the city into chaos. I must quickly seize the command to evacuate people and subdue the Gargoyles. Rupert turned around. I have to send them to a safe place first¡ª ¡°Noel, where is Leah?¡± Noel stood motionless. The place was full of people running away, but Leah was nowhere to be seen. Rupert had a gut feeling that something was wrong. Noel muttered with her white lips. ¡°I missed her.¡± It¡¯s all because of me. No matter what happened, I should not let go of Leah¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert bit his lip. Irritability suddenly rose. Fortunately, he was a man who worked hard all his life not to be swayed by his emotions to the point of being pathological. He immediately made a decision about what to do next. In this situation, he should have other priority over finding Leah. ¡°Then you should go to a safe place first.¡± ¡°No! I need to find Leah.¡± ¡°It is better for at least you to be in a safe place first than for a mother and daughter to be both at a dangerous place.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll go find her.¡± Noel had no intention of leaving until she found Leah. Never. Rupert also noticed such a firm determination. No more time to convince her. After hesitating in the end, he exhaled slowly. ¡°¡­¡­I will find her.¡± Noel¡¯s eyes widened as if surprised. However, she did not seem to be moved by Rupert¡¯s sudden appearance of father¡¯s love. Rather, she hardened. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He also noticed the change in her expression. ¡®Maybe you noticed.¡¯ Unfortunately, the guess was correct. She answered coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Rupert.¡± If Noel didn¡¯t know too much about him, she would have believed this. She herself was not aware of the slight change of heart in a human named Rupert. Because she¡¯s never been close enough to know. ¡®But I knew the points ??well.¡¯ Because I read the story of his life. Also because I have been observing him so far. I see. This is a lie. ¡°Even in times like this, you shouldn¡¯t be fooling me, Rupert.¡± Noel shot him. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m aware that you¡¯re going to prioritize the people over your daughter?¡± Just because such a person had spent time with his daughter recently, no one could change overnight. ¡°You don¡¯t love Leah enough to throw all your responsibilities.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert hardened his mouth. He couldn¡¯t make any excuses. ¡°You must have just decided that finding a child who you don¡¯t even know where she is, is a waste of time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you to be honest. You don¡¯t have time, so the first thing to do is to calm this chaos. If that were the case, at least I could understand your position as a lord.¡± Her tone was as bitter as a piece of ice. ¡°But it was the worst for a human being as a father trying to risk his daughter¡¯s safety with a foolish lie!¡± Rupert put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. ¡°Noel Ainel, wait¡ª¡± Damn! She slapped his hand softly. There was anger in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, I will find Leah myself.¡± Rupert sighed at that recklessness. ¡°What can you do in this mess?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Noel turned around without answering. He shouted. ¡°Noel, stop!¡± There was no sign of hesitation even for a moment. Rupert clenched his fists as he watched her back look away. He struggled to stop his legs trying to follow her. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ After receiving only one teddy bear, he remembered the smiling child¡¯s face. ¡®No. Don¡¯t think about it.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what to do with such a woman. From the first meeting until now, it wasn¡¯t even a sincere relationship. Rupert convinced himself. Never mind, do what you have to do. In this situation, I couldn¡¯t be swept away by feelings. ¡®I can¡¯t.¡¯ He shouldn¡¯t worry about anyone. He shouldn¡¯t love anyone. Not even the smallest gap in his heart is allowed. Chapter 21 At that moment, Rupert knew that his future was nothing but a cursed hell. In the past, the will of his mother suddenly came to mind. [Grow up to be the worst human being ever, Rupert.] I will never go your way, Mother. [Be a covetous person and increase your notoriety¡­¡­] I will rise to a position that everyone admires, and I will save as many humans as possible. [¡­¡­drop the good name of your family, defile them, and destroy them] At any cost, I will deny your words. Kyaaaaaaaa¡ª! ¡°Someone please help me. Please¡­¡­!¡± In the distance, the howl of the gargoyles along with the screams of people calling for help could be heard. In the meantime, his subordinates seemed to have arrived. ¡°Damn it, take the injured first and get out of the way!¡± Rupert took heavy steps. It was his own fault for being momentarily shaken in the beginning. For a child¡¯s smile or time spent with his wife. You foolishly did something like that. ¡®Forget it.¡¯ He focused on the burning building, smell of blood, and screaming voices. This was the place where he belonged. This was the only place in which he can prove to be useful. His complicated brain became cold. ¡®As always, I will do what I have to do, rationally.¡¯ *** I ran out of breath as I tried to find Leah. ¡°Leah! Where are you? Leah!¡± In the past, I did not visit the estate often. Even the downtown view of the city, very close to the mansion, was unfamiliar to my eyes. However, I somehow felt a strange sense of familiarity with the buildings that were gradually collapsing due to the gargoyle attacks. Almost as if I had been wandering around here the last few days. I was more familiar with this chaotic scene than with the intact street. It was strange. ¡®I had only seen one collapsed building recently.¡¯ It was in a lucid dream that I had a while ago. I¡¯ve been trying to forget about it all along, and yet, it was a dream I still haven¡¯t forgotten. ¡®No way.¡¯ From a young age, I had no magic or other talents, so I was neglected by my parents. Did I really foreshadow the future? Not wanting to believe it, I quickly continued looking around. The scene in my dream was imprinted in my mind. It wasn¡¯t difficult to compare the two. ¡°Ah!¡± At first glance, I saw a place similar to the scene where Leah was found. It¡¯s not broken yet, like it was in my dream. I ran with all my might. I was scared. In the dream, Leah was crushed by a pole. ¡®If that dream comes true¡­¡­¡¯ I didn¡¯t even want to imagine it. Groaaaah! Then, a huge shadow fell from the sky with a sharp screech. It was a gargoyle. ¡°It¡¯s coming down!¡± ¡°Shoot the wings! Stop them from flying again!¡± I saw the knights struggling not that far away. The Raven Knights and the soldiers. I wanted to ask them for help in finding Leah, but they were busy fighting the monsters and evacuating the people. At that moment, I could only turn to the side so as not to get in the way. ¡°Madam?¡± Someone grabbed my arm. He was a member of the Raven Knights. I¡¯ve never had a direct conversation with him, but I¡¯ve seen him face to face a few times. ¡°Sir Hillis?¡± He corrected it. ¡°This is Hillis.¡± At the same time, Hillis hurled something into the sky. It is a green flare. ¡°I have heard about the circumstances. We will guide you to a safe place, Madam.¡± It seems that Rupert had given orders and sent him to me. ¡®The flare just announced that you have found me.¡¯ I should have stopped him, but it was already too late. ¡°Sir Hillis, I need to find Leah!¡± ¡°I understand how you feel, but not right now. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± It would seem reckless from his point of view. I¡¯m looking for a kid who doesn¡¯t know where she is in this big city. ¡®You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I said that I had a premonition.¡¯ I¡¯m going to be called a completely weird woman. ¡°Sir Hillis, it is a dangerous situation but I have to find my daughter. So¡­¡­¡± Looking straight at him, I spoke firmly. ¡°¡­¡­this is an order. Put the flare out right now.¡± When our eyes met, he paused for a moment. But he immediately responded with a strong attitude. ¡°¡­¡­I respect you, Madam, but I can¡¯t follow your order in this situation.¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m wrong, you won¡¯t be held responsible. So let me go.¡± Hillis looked absurd. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m blocking you out of fear of punishment?¡± Then, a loud cry rang out. ¡°It got hit by the wing!¡± We both turned our heads. The scene of a gargoyle that had fallen and staggered against the exterior wall of the building came into view. ¡°Damn it, it collapsed! Watch out!¡± Kwaaang! [sfx] At the same time, there was a loud roar, and Hillis hurriedly pushed me away. It was a very strong force. ¡°Ouch!¡± I lost my balance, fell and rolled a few times. My whole body throbbed. Dust all over the place. Standing on the floor, I struggled to grasp the situation at hand. ¡®Did the surrounding buildings collapse?¡¯ There was a lot of rubble nearby. It was fortunate that it did not fall on me. ¡®Thanks to Hillis¡¯ quick push.¡¯ Come to think of it, what happened to him? ¡°Are you okay?!¡± As the dust settled, my vision gradually recovered. A faint voice was heard nearby. ¡°Here¡­¡­¡± I quickly moved towards the source of the sound. Hillis had one leg crushed on the crumbling stone. He was trying to lift the stone using his sword as leverage. I asked, ¡°Are you seriously hurt?¡± ¡°It looks like everything is fine except for my leg¡­¡­¡± I bit my lip in guilt. Had Hillis been alone, he could have avoided it completely. It was because of me. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, if you do it while lying down, your arms won¡¯t work properly.¡± ¡°It is impossible with the strength of Madam¡ª¡± I grabbed the sword half recklessly. And sticking it in the crevice of the stone, I forced all my strength on it. Of course, I couldn¡¯t lift it easily. ¡°¡­¡­damn it.¡± I was pissed at my own helplessness. If I was strong like Rupert, or if I knew how to use magic- ¡®No one would¡¯ve been hurt, and Leah could have been saved.¡¯ I hate myself for being this useless. I grabbed the sword handle once more and gave it a strong push. ¡®Move!¡¯ My palm was torn because I applied too much force. Blood seeped out. ¡®Please move!¡¯ Click [sfx] Then, with a faint sound, the pile of stones moved little by little. ¡°Get it out quickly!¡± There was a little bit of free space. My strength was not enough to hold on for too long. Hillis quickly pulled out his feet. Boom! [sfx] The pile of stones crashed in a short span of time. ¡°Huff.¡± ¡°How are your legs?¡± Hillis, who frowned slightly, replied immediately and nonchalantly. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s okay.¡± It must be very painful but he brushed it off insignificantly. Rupert as well, do the knights even train to endure the pain? Losing strength in relief, I let go of the sword and said, ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still safe.¡± I didn¡¯t want to see someone get seriously injured or die because of me. ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± He must know that my image is not good, but he was a good man in many ways. The dust had completely subsided, and only then was I able to properly look around my surroundings. ¡°Huff¡­¡­¡± I looked around. And I realized one new fact. Now, the collapsed appearance of my surroundings perfectly matched the landscape in my dream. ¡®Maybe¡­¡­¡¯ I got goosebumps at the ominous feeling. ¡®Now, there may be little time left to save Leah.¡¯ I got up hastily. ¡°Madam, where are you going again?!¡± In fact, I felt very sorry for him. Because of my mission, he also got caught up in my stubbornness. Nonetheless, he still tried to protect me. ¡°Sir Hillis, I¡¯m all over the place¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m leaving you like this.¡± But for now, Leah¡¯s safety came first. I ran quickly. ¡®What the hell was the dream I had?¡¯ In my head, the image of Leah crying alone, trembling in fear replayed endlessly. Nothing was well understood, but one thing was certain. I can never let Leah die. *** Rupert saw flares exploding in the sky. It was green. It was the color that meant Noel had been found. One of the knights seemed to have found her. He struggled to deny the faint sense of relief. ¡®The flare for Leah is yellow, but no one has found her yet.¡¯ It was only because of a minimal sense of duty that he informed his men about her and his daughter. Kyaaaaaah¡ª It was only for a short time that he cared about Noel. Rupert focused once again on the fight. ¡°Sir Laurent, I will be the bait, so you aim for its nucleus.¡± The man-made gargoyles continued to regenerate unless their nucleus was destroyed. Laurent, standing by his command, gave him a hesitant look. ¡°But¡­¡­is there no way to turn her back into a human again?¡± Rupert glanced at Laurent. There was a feeling of guilt on the young knight¡¯s face. They were the victims as the test subjects. It was not easy for Laurent to make a decision. Chapter 22 Rupert replied bluntly, ¡°Not right now. Even if there was a way, we don¡¯t have the time to wait until we find it.¡± He said firmly. ¡°So do what you have to do, now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­sorry.¡± There was still hesitation in his subordinate¡¯s voice. Rupert decided to change the strategy. ¡°All right, you play the role of the bait. I¡¯ll break the nucleus.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Laurent gripped the handle of his sword, thinking that he had left the most responsible task to Rupert in the end. ¡°When I send the signal, lure them in.¡± Rupert, who gave a brief command, walked away. After a while, the gargoyles set foot on the ground. ¡°Now!¡± Laurent jumped head-on along with his other comrades as ordered. Meanwhile, Rupert stood behind the monster. The nucleus was near the heart. It was usually impossible to target the heart of a gargoyle since it had such a hard surface. But Rupert could. Croak! [sfx] His sword shattered the gargoyle¡¯s body in an instant. Inside, a faintly shiny nucleus was visible. Immediately, the tip of the sword pierced the nucleus. Stab! [sfx] As if exhaling its last breath, its huge body shook at once. Before long, it gradually turned into a powder and crumbled. ¡°Not even the original body remains¡­¡­¡± Someone muttered sadly. Rupert boldly put the sword in. Such sympathy was useless. It was more important for him to get rid of the two remaining monsters as quickly as possible. ¡°I will divide the number of people.¡± The work to be done was not yet finished. ¡°First of all, I and Aren will lead the soldiers to the downtown area in the west where the damage is quite large.¡± ¡°We will go there.¡± Suddenly, Bert intervened. ¡°You must head to the south street, Master.¡± The place Bert was talking about was near the signal spot where Noel had been found. Rupert realized that his subordinates had been taking care of her. He internally denied that he was a little offended by those words, and answered bluntly. ¡°I¡¯d rather take over the downtown area since I can handle gargoyles the fastest.¡± ¡°You can leave this to me, Master.¡± The other person flashed him a nice smile. ¡°Trust us.¡± Even Rupert had to struggle pondering for a moment with his firm but a gentle proposal. As much as he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t deny that he liked the idea. He didn¡¯t know why. ¡°¡­¡­okay. Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Immediately, Rupert took his men and left in the direction of the flare. Aren looked around and said, ¡°This place also took a lot more damage than I thought.¡± Obviously, since it was a residential area, a lot of buildings have been destroyed. Fortunately, there were a lot of people out attending the festival, so the casualties were not too many. Pugh! bang! bang! [sfx] At that time, a loud flare went off in the sky. Aren looked up and muttered, ¡°What is that¡­¡­?¡± The green light that was supposed to pop when Noel was found continued to explode. ¡°What happened?¡± If nothing had happened, there was no reason for it to explode like that. It must be a signal for something else. Rupert¡¯s group headed in the direction of the flare. Hillis was there, wounded. ¡°Sir Hillis!¡± Aren found his comrade with a broken leg and hurriedly supported him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I have something to report to the Master, urgently.¡± Rupert, who followed, asked quickly, ¡°What?¡± Hillis responded hastily. ¡°I just caught this gargoyle, but the Madam said¡­¡­¡± He turned his head and saw a building. Although it did not completely collapse, it was a building that could barely maintain its balance. ¡°¡­¡­so she entered that building.¡± Rupert frowned. He knew Noel was crazy, but it turned out that she was worse than he had expected. ¡®Damn it, is she really trying to commit suicide?¡¯ You said you were looking for Leah, so why did you suddenly go over there? The precariously wobbly old building seemed like it could collapse at any moment. I have to bring her out as soon as possible, Rupert thought. When he tried to go inside, his men discouraged him. ¡°No, Master. It will collapse soon.¡± ¡°The pillar cannot stand until she comes out!¡± Rupert roughly shook them off. In the confusion, only Aren hesitated. He was worried. But he can¡¯t stand the situation where his master might be in danger. Would it be faster for his master to save his wife? Or is the building collapsing first? ¡°Sir Aren, come and stop Master too!¡± His colleagues clamored. After the conflict, he finally closed his eyes and spoke, ¡°Sir, you have to be rational. We can¡¯t let both of you die!¡± Rupert paused for a moment at the word. ¡®Be rational.¡¯ Am I trying to save her now because I¡¯m driven by my feelings, not my sense of duty? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert couldn¡¯t give an answer right now. In the end, all he could say was this. ¡°Shut up all of you!¡± *** Leah sniffled as she hugged the teddy bear. ¡®Am I being punished for being a bad child?¡¯ The beginning of the incident was very trivial. For a moment when Noel let go of her hand, Leah saw a mysterious butterfly wrapped in white light. She followed the butterfly like she was possessed. And after a while, she blended into the crowd and realized that her mother was out of sight. She was terrified and tried to run back. At that moment, a roar rang out. ¡°Runaway!¡± Suddenly a large group of adults screamed and ran away. Leah drifted along helplessly. ¡°Oh, Mom!¡± Her surrounding landscape changed horribly, in an instant. A huge monster flew in the sky and made a terrifying voice. The monster sometimes snatched those who were running away from it. ¡®I¡¯m scared!¡¯ Leah, who was terrified of the landscape, ran frantically. Adults were running around, monsters were flying, and those who lay on the street were like broken dolls who were bleeding bright red. Kyaaah¡ª! Hurry up, faster, I must go somewhere where I can¡¯t see a thing! She didn¡¯t know how far she ran, or from which direction she had come from. Leah entered an old, shabby building¡¯s entrance. There was no one inside. It was an old building that was going to be demolished, so there was no one there, but the kid who didn¡¯t know that was relieved. ¡®I¡¯ll be safe in here.¡¯ There were still screams, weeping, and roaring sounds heard outside. Leah made her way up the creaky stairs. She escaped to the topmost floor, and into the corner of the room that looked like an attic, and then finally, she took a breath. As she hugged her teddy bear, she curled up. ¡®I¡¯m sure my mother will come to pick me up.¡¯ Still, she felt a bit of anxiety. What if her mother just leaves her because she¡¯s a kid who doesn¡¯t listen? ¡°Sob sob¡­¡­¡± As she thought about it, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. ¡®I must not cry.¡¯ Not now, but her old mother hated seeing a crying child. Conversely, she didn¡¯t see her father¡¯s face enough to remember. From the time Leah was born, she was not well-loved. The servants who took care of Leah often said that she was annoying. [Why does she keep crying? I¡¯m going to die due to the noise!] [Oh, why are you shouting at the young lady?] [What does she know? What could this little child know?] Leah was too young to understand, everyone spits on her. [Neither the madam nor the master is interested in the young lady.] [Because they did not specifically want a child. Well, thanks for annoying us for nothing.] But Leah knew it all. What her parents didn¡¯t love, and what annoyed the maids. In this big mansion, no one wanted her to exist. In such a situation, the child¡¯s survival method was only one. ¡®If I cry, I¡¯ll be thrown out.¡¯ After that, Leah always smiled. When she smiled, her mother didn¡¯t get mad. She didn¡¯t even bother the maids. Be good. Be gentle. That way, she could receive a compliment and just a little bit of attention. ¡°¡­¡­when are you coming, Mom?¡± Even now, I¡¯m waiting nicely without crying, but why aren¡¯t you coming, Mom? Do you hate me again? ¡®It¡¯s all because I¡¯m a bad kid.¡¯ It was clear that you really didn¡¯t need me anymore, because I insisted on going out to see the festival, Leah thought. Boom! [sfx] For some reason, this time the whole building shook violently. The wall Leah was leaning on also trembled. The tears she had been holding back were dripping down. ¡°Mom ahhhh¡­¡­where are you¡­¡­?¡± She curled her body even more. She doesn¡¯t know how much time has passed. To the child, every minute and every second seemed like an eternity. ¡°Leah, where are you? Leah!¡± At that moment, she heard a voice. ¡°Mom?¡± Leah slowly raised her head. *** ¡°Leah!¡± It was not difficult to find the presumed place where Leah was. Because every scene was just like the one in her dream. I hurried up the old stairs. Although the building itself was not completely destroyed, it was heavily affected by the surrounding buildings that had collapsed. I had to take Leah with me as soon as possible and avoid the building¡¯s collapse. ¡°Where are you? Leah!¡± A thin voice was heard. ¡°Mom?¡± I hurried to the place of the voice. ¡°Leah!¡± Leah hugged the doll and looked up at me with tearful eyes. ¡°Is it you, Mom¡­¡­?¡± When I saw Leah who was safe, tears came to my eyes as well. Oh my gosh, how scared she might have been. I was guilty of losing her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart¡­¡­you must be very scared.¡± I wanted to hug and pat her right away, but I didn¡¯t know when the building would collapse. Then, I lifted Leah. Chapter 23 ¡°Let ¡®s get out of here together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m too scared to go back out there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. No matter what happens, Mom will protect you.¡± I hurriedly moved while cradling Leah. It was at that moment when I was about to go down the stairs, A loud noise reverberated from the ceiling. It¡¯s about to crumble, just like in my dream. My body was covered with goosebumps. ¡®Let¡¯s hurry up and get out of here!¡¯ I ran quickly. But after going down only a few stairs, the old columns and ceiling swept over us, in an instant. ¡°No!¡± Reflexively, I crouched down while wrapping myself around Leah. ¡®Am I going to die here?¡¯ I closed my eyes, frustrated. After all, was it even possible for Leah and me to be able to change the fate of our deaths? ¡­¡­but even as time passed, I did not feel any pain. ¡®What?¡¯ What happened? ¡°Mom?¡± I slowly cracked my eyes open and turned around slowly. ¡°Hey, what is this!?¡± I shouted involuntarily at the sight that unfolded above my head. Literally, my mouth dropped open. ¡°Is this still a dream?¡± The debris that was pouring over me and Leah stopped midway in the air. Even the outside noise that I heard through the thin walls paused. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was quiet everywhere. Apart from the both of us, time seems to have stopped around us. ¡®Really¡­ what even is this?¡¯ Time had stopped. Of course, I couldn¡¯t stay still for long. I do not know how long this miracle would last. I made my way down the stairs hastily. Sure enough, when we were almost all the way down, we heard a loud noise. The building started to crumble again. ¡®Ouch! Hold on a little longer!¡¯ To make matters worse, as soon as the whole phenomenon of stopping time ended, the strength from my body drained all of a sudden. I feel like I am suddenly ill along with severe body aches. ¡®Why!?¡¯ Just a little, just a little bit more! But¡­ As if ridiculing that hope, the collapsed pillar fell. At the same time, someone yanked us. *** My head felt like it was going to break. My limbs were limp, and it was hard to lift a finger. My body got the chills and then it got hot again. I was confused. All I could tell was that I was lying in bed. ¡®What happened?¡¯ With a hazy mind, I tried hard to recall the past. I¡¯m not sure, but someone wrapped me and Leah just before the building collapsed. ¡®Leah?¡¯ I wanted to get up right away and find out if my daughter was safe. But my body was motionless, like a stone. Then, I heard a voice next to me. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the fever going down?¡± It was Rupert¡¯s voice. ¡°¡­¡­Actually, I don¡¯t know. At first, I thought it was just because she was tired.¡± Oh, is this the voice of that old doctor who is often absent? ¡°But?¡± ¡°As I keep investigating, the symptoms seem similar to the ¡®exhaustion¡¯ phenomenon of a wizard or a priest.¡± ¡°¡­¡­is it a phenomenon that occurs when mana or divine power is used excessively? But Noel is not a magician.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I also think that it is strange. For now, I have no choice but to use antipyretic and hope that Madam¡¯s condition improves¡­¡­¡± (PR/N: An antipyretic is a substance that reduces fever). I tried desperately to move while I listened to the conversation. ¡®I¡¯m in good shape. But what about Leah?¡¯ I was screaming silently, frustrated in my heart, and then, someone gently placed a hand on my forehead. It was a little rough, but the cool feeling was not bad. ¡°It¡¯s still hot.¡± It was Rupert. I want to ask you about Leah. When I tried to talk to him, my throat stung greatly. I gasped and barely creaked out a small voice. ¡°¡­¡­Leah¡­¡­¡± Could you hear this little sound? ¡°Leah is safe.¡± Unexpectedly, the answer came immediately. He carefully brushed my hair. ¡°She has no problems with her body, and as long as you get better, you can see her anytime.¡± Really? Suddenly, a sense of relief came over me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± My daughter was crying all the time. ¡®I need to get well soon and comfort Leah¡­¡¯ Finally, I fell into a deep slumber once again. *** When I opened my eyes again, my body was much lighter. My head didn¡¯t hurt, and my fever seemed to have gone down. ¡®How long was I asleep for?¡¯ It¡¯s morning already. For how many days had I been sick? I was thinking about calling the maid, but the door opened quietly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Could it be¡­¡­ ¡°Leah?¡± The door gradually opened at my voice. A small head poked out. ¡°Mom?¡± Leah¡¯s voice trembled faintly. I was about to laugh aloud, but I controlled myself. It was because tears slowly welled up in Leah¡¯s big, round eyes. ¡°Oh, baby? Why is that?¡± She was not a child who usually cries well, so I was a little embarrassed. ¡°Are you sick? Are you mad at mom? Or did someone harass you?¡± ¡°Uh ahh ahh ahh Mom¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong¡­¡­¡± ¡®No, I was the one at fault because I lost you!¡¯ I approached Leah. ¡°Leah¡­¡­please don¡¯t cry.¡± As I carefully wiped her tears away, Leah snickered and grabbed onto the hem of my dress. ¡°From now on, hiccup, I¡¯ll listen to you. I won¡¯t cry, I won¡¯t even ask you to take me to the festival. I¡¯ll be a good kid.¡± Those were words I would have never expected to come out of a 5-year-old¡¯s mouth. ¡°Please don¡¯t throw me away.¡± ¡®How could I possibly get rid of you, my sweetie and cutie!¡¯ I needed to know why she was saying this. I made eye contact with Leah who hiccuped. ¡°I would never do that, Leah.¡± ¡°Sniff, really?¡± ¡°Of course. Can you tell me why you thought that way?¡± ¡°¡­¡­but I know.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Leah hesitated, then slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Mom and dad don¡¯t love me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I know everyone gets annoyed because of me. I know nobody wants me.¡± I was at a loss for words because it was something I¡¯d never thought would come out of the mouth of a five-year-old. She begged, clutching onto the hem of my clothes with her little trembling hands. ¡°So I¡¯ll listen from now on. I¡¯ll never cry. I¡¯ll be quiet all day!! It¡¯s been like that for so long! From now on, I¡¯ll be a much better child¡ª¡± Leah was still in tears, trying to smile. Innocent, as usual. ¡°So please, just stay by my side, mom.¡± *** That day, after comforting Leah, we chatted away, all day long. Rolling on the bed, eating snacks, playing with dolls, and reading children¡¯s books. After hearing Leah¡¯s inner thoughts, I felt so many things. Leah was smarter than most at her age, gentle, and a good listener. Because of that, it seems like I took her wounds lightly. Even now, I believed that if I did well, she would be fine. But Leah¡¯s wounds were much deeper. She believed that all bad things had happened, because of her. She felt like she could be abandoned at any time by me, her biological mother. ¡®I am the dumbest mother in the world¡­¡¯ For Leah, all the adults in this mansion traumatized her. So she might need a new environment, to get out and see other things. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ My head hurts. I wanted to consult with anyone, but there was no one on my side here. ¡®My situation is pretty miserable.¡¯ No matter what I did, it was difficult for me to escape from the vicious marchioness¡¯ image. ¡®What about Rupert?¡¯ In fact, I¡¯m disappointed with him. Besides, lying about Leah¡¯s safety was something that shouldn¡¯t be tolerated. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I glanced at Leah who had fallen asleep while playing next to me. Leah said she had only seen Rupert¡¯s face once. Not long after, I left the room and headed straight to Rupert¡¯s office. It was midnight, but a light shone through the crack in the door. I was sure that he was still working. ¡°Rupert.¡± I opened the door on purpose without knocking. As he was writing, he stopped his pen. ¡°¡­¡­you came in without permission.¡± ¡°If you had known it was me who was trying to come in, you would have never opened it.¡± Rupert readily admitted. ¡°I guess so.¡± His attitude was as cold as before. It seems that he had no memories of the three of us watching the festival just a few days ago. ¡°Noel, so why are you here?¡± That¡¯s surprising. Usually, he only spoke briefly hoping to end the conversation as soon as possible. ¡®Why did he suddenly change again?¡¯ Reluctantly, I went straight to the point. ¡°¡­¡­I have a question. After that incident, did you really check up on Leah, just once?¡± Chapter 24 Rupert stared at me. ¡°Yes, it was enough to just check whether she was safe or not.¡± He was cold. It felt like my relationship with him had returned back to the starting point. ¡°But while I was sick, Leah kept blaming herself for everything. Couldn¡¯t you just say, ¡®it¡¯s not your fault¡¯ to Leah for me, at least once?¡± He replied curtly. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy working on the case.¡± ¡°¡­¡­how could you say such a thing?¡± I bit my lip. Really, did you not even have time to say a word to her? ¡°I thought you were starting to appreciate Leah a little, but why are you pushing her away all of a sudden?¡± Even though I didn¡¯t expect anything in particular, I became depressed. ¡°Noel, you are seriously mistaken.¡± Creak [sfx] Rupert pushed the chair back and got up. ¡°During this time, I only kept the promise I made with you.¡± In just a few days, it was as if an enormous wall of ice had built up in his mind again. ¡®Why the hell?¡¯ Was the gargoyle incident a turning point for him? Rupert came a little closer. ¡°So the phrase ¡®pushing her away¡¯ has no meaning in the first place.¡± It was a cruel tone as if intentionally trying to hurt me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I bowed my head in confusion. Rupert¡¯s hand seemed to graze against my cheek, but it fell back right away. ¡°If you know now, get out of here, Noel.¡± Eventually, I got tired. ¡®I thought I could become a good business partner for him if I kept working hard.¡¯ But Rupert kept cutting off all ties. It was hard to be with someone who constantly built up walls without me knowing why. I couldn¡¯t trust him anymore or wait for him to change. ¡°Rupert.¡± I suppressed my tears and asked him one last question. ¡°But you came to our rescue when the building collapsed.¡± I remember, just before I lost consciousness. It was him who pulled me and Leah out. Even for Rupert, it would have been quite risky to enter a collapsing building. ¡°If Leah is not important to you, then why did you come to the rescue?¡± Please tell me that for just a moment, you could feel ¡¯emotions¡¯ rather than have a ¡®reason¡¯. That the poor child has become even a little more precious. That the time we spent was not meaningless at all. ¡°Did you have any regrets after choosing your duty over your daughter?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert turned around at my question. As if to cut off the conversation with me. ¡°It¡¯s stupid.¡± All I could see was his back that completely rejected me. ¡°Noel, for how long are you going to have such foolish expectations? I can¡¯t be that emotional. The action was simply a sense of duty.¡± It¡¯s very easy to deny. ¡°Besides, what would my honor be if I lost both my child and my wife right in front of me.¡± He answered in a low voice. ¡°So there¡¯s no reason for me to care about such weak and uninteresting things such as emotions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± With this answer, what I would do in the future was decided. ¡®Really, I am going to give up now.¡¯ ¡°Rupert.¡± I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. ¡°You are the worst.¡± *** Two days later, I went to the Raven Knights¡¯ gymnasium. I had someone to meet. ¡°Sir Hillis.¡± Fortunately, the opponent was quickly found. With a splint on one of his legs, he was looking at the gym as if he was bored. Hillis was taken aback when our eyes met. ¡°Madam, what are you doing here¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here to check up on you. How¡¯s your leg?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Everything is fine except for me being bored.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± I was being sincere. What if I ruin the future of a promising knight? ¡°It¡¯s just something I should have done.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not natural to put others ahead of yourself.¡± Hillis scratched his cheek as if he wasn¡¯t used to hearing compliments. I smiled softly. ¡°In that sense, I have something to say.¡± Then I grabbed both ends of the skirt and bowed my waist slightly. ¡°Thank you so much for saving me, and I¡¯m sorry that you got hurt because of me. Thanks to you sir, I was able to save my daughter.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± He widened his eyes. Then he hurriedly turned his head to look around. ¡°Knowing that the Madam did this in front of me, the ignorant general manager would kill me. Please raise your head, Madam¡­¡± At that earnest appeal, I straightened my back and smiled briefly. ¡°This is purely a person-to-person greeting.¡± It must have been quite a shock to hear the words ¡®person-to-person¡¯ from a high-ranking person, Hillis exhaled. He smiled kindly. ¡°Now, I fully understand why Madam at the time was desperate.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°I am really glad that Miss Leah is safe. Of course, Madam¡ª¡± Then, someone called me from behind. ¡°¡ª Madam!¡± I looked at the other person. ¡°Sir Aren?¡± He must have been running pretty quickly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± In fact, after I met Hillis, I was going to see Aren. It was surprising to see that he ran to me like this first. Aren sighed in response to her breathing rapidly. ¡°I heard the news that Madam was up. I was concerned if you were ok.¡± Hearing things that even I couldn¡¯t hear from my own husband, my heart fluttered slightly. ¡°Thanks for your concern, Sir Aren.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Aren, who answered that way, was dazed, unlike usual. She looked like a child who had done something wrong. ¡°Is there something wrong with you, Sir? Do you have any injuries? You are wearing a bad expression.¡± ¡°¡­¡­actually, I have something to apologize to you, Madam.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Apologize? It was really nonsense. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t think you have anything to apologize for?¡± ¡°Madam may not know, but there is¡­¡± Aren opened his mouth with a droopy look like a dog in the rain. ¡°When madam ran into the building to rescue the young miss, the building was about to collapse. ¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then, the master tried to go in to rescue you. Then I¡­¡± Having heard this far, I nodded my head urging her to proceed. What¡¯s the matter? ¡°¡­¡­I dissuaded the master. Even though I knew that madam¡¯s life was in danger.¡± Hillis, who was next to him, looked at me with a bewildered expression on his face. ¡°Come on, Sir! Are you about to confess your conscience all of a sudden!?¡± Aren steadfastly continued the confession. ¡°It was an act of ignoring the lives of the madam and young miss who were in danger. It was disgraceful. Besides, they were both so nice to me¡­¡± Then I understood the situation. Now Aren is trying to apologize for turning away and putting Rupert first when mine and Leah¡¯s lives were in danger. Do you usually apologize by revealing everything so frankly? ¡®Should I call him a fool or naive¡­¡¯ Anyway, I found him cute. He was so straightforward, enough to be considered innocent. ¡°Sir, there is no need to apologize for that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no surprise that everyone puts the life of a loved one first.¡± ¡°However¡­¡­¡± ¡°If we were in a position where Leah and the others fell into the water, I¡¯d save Leah first too.¡± I chuckled softly. ¡°So don¡¯t apologize. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve done anything amazingly wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Besides, I was a little relieved to hear this. ¡®Aren also values ??Rupert in his own way.¡¯ Rupert¡¯s curse cannot be lifted without the true love between the two. So I wished for the two of them to get closer as soon as possible. ¡®To be honest, my expectations for Aren are quite high right now.¡¯ I completely gave up. Now, Aren might be the only one who could bring back Rupert¡¯s human side. Aren slightly widened his golden eyes. A calm expression then returned to his face once again. ¡°¡­¡­thank you for saying that. But if you need any help, please let me know, Madam.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accept only your sincerity because I won¡¯t be in the Ainel mansion from now on.¡± Hillis, who had been puzzled until then, asked. ¡°Where are you going, Madam?¡± ¡°Well, Leah was very surprised, so I heard that there is a villa owned by the Ainels in the Yuren Kingdom where we¡¯d like to take a break.¡± For Leah, this mansion was a traumatic place. So, I needed the two of us to spend time together in a different environment. Of course, I had already told Rupert that I was going to use the villa in the Yuren Kingdom. But he didn¡¯t even care. Then, Hillis said, ¡°Well¡­¡­ Madam, it is acceptable to spend a break with the young miss, but by any chance, are you angry with the master so you¡¯re going to the villa¡­¡­¡± I admired it. Hillis, you¡¯re very smart. Aren asked, ¡°Will you be alright, Madam?¡± I laughed at the bewildered look of the neat young man. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Don¡¯t worry.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. Because I have no intention of being satisfied with separating just this one time. I couldn¡¯t change him. I know that very well. ¡°So please take good care of Rupert in the future, Sir Aren.¡± I didn¡¯t want Rupert to be particularly unhappy, though. I also wanted him to find his own happiness. I tapped Aren on the shoulder as a sign of strength. ¡®It was just that Rupert and I had nothing to do with each other.¡¯ So it has to be like this. ¡®I can¡¯t let Leah live her whole life being ignored by her biological father.¡¯ In a relationship that only adversely affects each other, there is nothing left to be done. It was then that I decided. Now, my ultimate goal is divorce. Chapter 25 3. How to Tell the Truth The carriage we were riding shook throughout our journey. Leah, who was sitting across from me, looked out the window and asked, waving her legs. ¡°Mom, where are we going?¡± Leah and I were on our way to the villa in the Yuren Kingdom. The reason I chose a villa in a foreign country rather than my own was since it was the farthest. ¡°We are going to play.¡± Curiosity rose on the little girl¡¯s face. ¡°Play?¡± ¡°Yes, I will play with my daughter all day from now on.¡± Leah rolled her eyes. She asks in disbelief. ¡°Wow¡­¡­but Mom is busy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not busy anymore. So if there is anything you want to do, feel free to tell me.¡± Leah blinked for a moment as if thinking this was a dream. Then she whispered softly. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± As soon as I gave her assurance, Leah¡¯s cheeks gradually grew reddish. A smile like sweet cotton candy spread. ¡°I am so happy now!¡± I laughed at seeing my daughter act like that. ¡°How happy?¡± ¡°Ummm¡­¡± Leah smiled with her red cheeks. ¡°It is the best thing in my life!¡± I also enjoyed her reaction. ¡°Ah ha ha ha.¡± She¡¯s a kid who liked spending time with me. ¡®I¡¯m glad Leah is here.¡¯ I was being sincere. I was really comforted by this little girl. Without Leah, it would have been really difficult for me to endure everything, from the moment when all my memories suddenly came back since no one was on my side. Leah was very precious to me. I hope she was happy too. I thought and looked out the window. We were getting closer and closer to our destination. *** Rupert has been feeling the stinging gazes of his subordinates recently. To be exact, from the two ¡®Knights of the Ravens¡¯. ¡°Hillis, Aren, if you have any complaints, speak up.¡± Hillis, who was just watching because of his injury, answered coldly. ¡°Will you listen?¡± ¡°I will.¡± At that, Hilis thought, will the master hit the me who is wounded? Hillis opened his mouth at the thought. ¡°When will the madam come back?¡± ¡°Why do you care about the day when my wife returns?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid maybe you will worry¡­¡­¡± Some of the knights said, ¡®Is that guy crazy?¡¯ But Hillis endured it. Rupert responded distastefully. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in such a relationship.¡± To those harsh words, Hillis responded more fiercely. ¡°If you¡¯re not in such a relationship, why do you poke thorns like a hedgehog every time I talk about your wife¡ªEup!¡± Laurent jumped out hurriedly and covered Hillis¡¯ mouth. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry. Master!¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± Hillis glances at Laurent with a look that says ¡®what¡¯s this?¡¯ Laurent exclaimed indifferently. ¡°It seems that when Sir Hillis injured his leg, his head was also injured!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Saying that he dragged the rebellious Hillis away. It was quite a mess. Rupert sighed. ¡®When did the Raven Knights side with Noel?¡¯ Really, she is a woman I can¡¯t understand, Rupert thought. In the midst of the commotion, the knight commander, Bert, laughed and intervened. ¡°How about sending a bouquet of flowers to your wife and the young miss?¡± Rupert frowned. He put his sword away. He didn¡¯t want to think about Noel and Leah, but his subordinates weren¡¯t helping at all. Everyone was nosy in this and that. ¡°I¡¯ll just head back in. I will leave the rest to you.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Hearing Bert¡¯s answer, he returned to the office. Seeing the scene of an empty office, he recalled the incident from a few days ago. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ A few days have passed since Noel and Leah left for the villa. Noel asked if she could use the villa for business purposes, and he answered her as indifferently as possible. Why are you going? When will you come back? And what are you going to do? No questions were asked of each other, to avoid paying attention to each other, as much as possible. Every moment since that day has been full of problems. When he entered a collapsing building, when he saw the faces of Noel and Leah who were unharmed, and when he saw Noel who lost consciousness due to an unknown high fever. Something had changed in his mind. He had to protect them. Those thoughts came rushing into his head. At the same time, he heard a violent impulse from the curse. ¡®I thought it would be like this.¡¯ For him, emotions were what he feared the most. The quiet time he spent with the two of them became sweeter than he expected. Like a child who licked a candy with his tongue for the first time in his life. If we continued to be together, at some point, they would become the most precious existence. In the end, the day will surely come when you will fall in love with your family rather than your duties as head and lord¡­¡­ [Grow up to be the worst human being, Rupert.] ¡­¡­and you will see a tragic ending. According to his mother¡¯s will. He clearly remembered the day Noel came to the office. It was funny; he was relieved to see that she was safe. In fact, he often visited her when she lost consciousness. But he hadn¡¯t seen her since she recovered. Likewise, he never went to see Leah, except when she was sleeping. He did that on purpose. He didn¡¯t want anyone to see him worrying about Leah and Noel. If that was the case, both of them would hear about it. ¡®Then both of them will come to me smiling again, knowing nothing.¡¯ They didn¡¯t even know it was dangerous. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to be any more terrible than this.¡¯ So he made fun of Noel, rudely. As a result, she was hurt. She left for the farthest villa from the mansion. She probably won¡¯t be back for a while. ¡®No, will you ever come back?¡¯ All of this was for their own safety in the end. As she said, he was the ¡®worst¡¯ and most selfish person. *** When I came to the villa, I lived a normal daily life and ran into tiny problems. ¡®How should I prepare for a divorce?¡¯ Needless to say, this was my first divorce. ¡®Am I going to separate first, adjust the property, and then fill out the paperwork?¡¯ Slowly, I write a polite letter to Rupert, asking him what it would be like to think about our divorce. ¡®What will happen with the money I earned from the land I invested in last time?¡¯ In fact, the money I was spending here came from there. Still, I¡¯m not sure if I should get a job or not. Even if I had money to spend for my whole life, I would still work. This was purely my personality. If I don¡¯t do anything, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll become a really useless person. ¡®Since I have money to live on, I can work comfortably without worrying about a living.¡¯ Isn¡¯t this the dream of every office worker? Working as a hobby. ¡®Will Rupert claim custody of Leah?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t lose this fight. ¡°Mom, Mom! How is this picture?¡± At that moment, Leah ran to me while holding a piece of paper. I cleared the thoughts in my head. ¡°Leah, you will fall if you run like that.¡± Despite my words, she still showed the picture with a proud look. It was a drawing of me contemplating by the window. I could see Leah¡¯s hard work in drawing my hair with golden crayons. ¡°Oh, you drew it well. Is Mom this pretty in Leah¡¯s eyes?¡± It was impressive that she could draw such a pretty picture. ¡°Absolutely!¡± In response to the innocent answer, I hugged her tightly. ¡°I have to put this painting in a frame and put it on display.¡± The maid who stood next to me responded seriously to my remarks, without even laughing. ¡°I¡¯ll bring a picture frame, Madam.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Life at the villa wasn¡¯t bad. It¡¯s not often used, and the number of employees was small, but it was more convenient. Besides, everyone was very naive. The guests who they met after a long time were genuinely welcomed here. ¡®Everyone loves Leah.¡¯ That was the luckiest thing. Thanks to that, Leah didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable with them, unlike the people in the Ainel mansion. The Yuren Kingdom itself wasn¡¯t bad either. The climate is mild, and the people are friendly. Besides, if you travel far enough by carriage, there¡¯s the capital of Yuren. There¡¯s so much to see. To be honest, I felt much more comfortable here than when I was at the Ainel Mansion. My heart is not made of steel. I tried my best to act casually in the mansion, but it was difficult to live a life of hostility in my heart. At that moment, Leah approached me. ¡°Mom, Mom, can¡¯t we go buy some cake?¡± Then the maid next to her said, ¡°Miss, if that¡¯s the case, let us take care of it.¡± Leah shook her head. ¡°No, I want to go with my mom!¡± ¡°Do you want to go out with mom?¡± One of the things I noticed when I came here is that Leah likes to go out with me. In fact, since I lost her once, I was worried about what to do if she was afraid to go out, but I was glad that wasn¡¯t the case. Leah nodded. ¡°I want to go to the cake shop with my mom!¡± ¡°Then we should go.¡± I got up and started getting ready to head out. Chapter 26 I didn¡¯t put the family crest on the carriage. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to reveal my identity. Besides, Leah and I preferred luxurious but neat clothes when we went out. There was no particular reason, it was just that it was easy to move. Perhaps for this reason, when we went out, people saw us as wealthy commoners or lower aristocrats. Actually, it wasn¡¯t bad either. I was respected moderately, and I wasn¡¯t too noticeable. ¡°Should I accompany you, Madam?¡± asked the coachman who had parked the carriage near the destination. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going to the cake shop over there.¡± The coachman took off his hat and bowed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± I smiled softly and nodded slightly. Leah was humming while holding my hand by her side. ¡°Cake~¡± A wide canal ran through the center of the capital, and several shops were lined up on either side of it. It was the perfect structure for playing or taking a walk. There were quite a few ladies and young girls enjoying boat rides in the canal. ¡®It is a peaceful sight.¡¯ ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± A scream rang out. Damn it! ¡®¡­¡­And I just thought it was peaceful.¡¯ Leah rolled her eyes and turned her head towards the scream. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± I don¡¯t see any monsters, so maybe it¡¯s a problem between people? Meanwhile, Leah was leading me. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°It might be dangerous, Leah.¡± ¡°But, someone might be hurt.¡± Even if there is a fight, there¡¯s nothing we can do¡­¡­ The moment I was about to say that, Leah looked at me with her dazzling eyes. ¡°Then that person will definitely need mom¡¯s help!¡± ¡®Eyes full of admiration are looking at me.¡¯ Leah had a similar expression to when I treated Aren in the past. As a mother, I couldn¡¯t just ignore this. ¡°¡­¡­if it¡¯s dangerous, Mom will take Leah immediately and run away.¡± Leah responded with courage. ¡°Then I will also run fast!¡± I headed to the place where people were gathering with my daughter. Right next to the canal, noble ladies flocked to see someone lying down unconscious. ¡°Mrs. Riz¨¦, come to your senses!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Just by looking at this, I was able to grasp the situation roughly. ¡®Should I say I¡¯m glad Leah brought me here?¡¯ It seems that this woman fell into the water while on the boat. In this world, basic first aid education just is not taught to anyone who isn¡¯t a doctor. In this situation, I can¡¯t pretend I didn¡¯t see it. Just in case, I warned Leah seriously. ¡°Leah, if you get lost like last time, Mom will cry every night forever. I¡¯ll cry so much that tears will fill the room!¡± Leah nodded her head seriously. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± It was worthwhile to thoroughly educate her so that she would never get lost again. Immediately, I pushed the people around me away. ¡°Excuse me. Get out of the way!¡± Walking through the crowds of young girls, I was able to see the woman who had barely passed out. I pat her wet body. ¡°Are you okay? Can you hear me ?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The woman was unconscious. First of all, I loosened her tight dress. Immediately afterward, I checked her pulse and respiration. ¡®Pulse is normal, breathing is abnormal.¡¯ It was fortunate that there was no problem with the pulse. After that, I moved almost according to my habit. I tilted the woman¡¯s head back slightly to secure the airway. After checking that there were no foreign objects obstructing her breathing, I immediately covered her nose, and blew air into her mouth. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡± Noisy [sfx] After a pause of one second, I must check whether or not her chest is inflating. If not, it means it¡¯s not getting air properly. ¡®Let¡¯s be careful not to rush.¡¯ I¡¯m getting nervous because this is something I had learned a long time ago. I repeated it so many times. The woman started coughing. ¡®Cough, cough, cough!¡¯ I carefully turned her head to the side. Fortunately, there was no need to move on to the next treatment. She blinked her eyes slowly. ¡°Madam, are you awake? Wait! It is dangerous to move prematurely.¡± ¡®Well, I have to keep her body temperature up.¡¯ While looking around, I grabbed the outerwear of a young lady who seemed to be a member of this party. She was the noisiest woman next to me. ¡°Hey! What a rude thing are you doing!¡± I said, ¡°Excuse me, can¡¯t you lend a piece of clothing to this person who is shivering in the cold, unknown girl?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The lady bit her mouth as I wrapped the woman in her clothes. ¡°Everything is fine now.¡± The woman¡¯s blurred eyes gradually looked at my face. She said, ¡°Oh, lady¡­¡­ did you save me¡­¡­?¡± I laughed awkwardly. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°Mrs. Riz¨¦!¡± At that time, aristocratic women who were whispering around suddenly pushed me and rushed in. ¡®Don¡¯t rush at the patient like that!¡¯ I was grumbling inside, and the lady who had just lost her coat, turned around and looked at me with fierce eyes. ¡°How could you touch her so recklessly, do you even know who this person is!?¡± I was dumbfounded. It seems that the woman I saved has a fairly high status. The people around her, who didn¡¯t try to do anything earlier, gently supported and hugged her when she woke up. ¡°Mrs. Riz¨¦, I was really worried!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you woke up safely!¡± Fortunately, the lady called Mrs. Riz¨¦ recovered faster than expected. After a while, she started to move slowly. Having already grasped her situation, she beckoned to those around her. ¡°¡­¡­for a moment, I want everyone to step back.¡± She stumbled a bit, but then immediately stood up without assistance. She approached me slowly, grabbed my hand, and gave me a gentle smile. ¡°You saved my life. Are you a doctor?¡± The woman with the wet face smiled gratefully at me. How did she regain her elegance and composure so quickly? I can¡¯t believe she just drowned. I was in awe. ¡®Oh, this is the dignity of aristocrats.¡¯ ¡°I am not a doctor but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡± Pure curiosity lingered in Mrs. Riz¨¦¡¯s clear eyes. ¡°I see. My name is Riz¨¦ Ernst. May I ask for the name of my benefactor?¡± ¡®Ernst¡­¡­? I think I¡¯ve heard it somewhere.¡¯ No, this is not important now. ¡®Should I reveal my identity?¡¯ I pondered for a moment. It might be noisy to say that I am a marchioness from a foreign country. ¡®I¡¯m living alone with Leah, so it might get in the way.¡¯ In the end, I held the hem of my skirt and showed only the manners of aristocrats. ¡°My name is Noel. Mrs. Ernst.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ covered her mouth and smiled slightly. ¡°Ho ho¡­ Looking at the etiquette, it is clear that you are noble, but your last name seems to be a secret.¡± Then she said, shivering her shoulders as if it was cold. ¡°But I still want to repay you¡­¡­ cough!¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± I spoke quickly. ¡°I think the most important thing right now is to stabilize your body temperature. I suggest you have a cup of tea in front of a warm fireplace.¡± After drowning, she could get hypothermia. ¡°Young lady¡­¡­ Thank you for saying that.¡± ¡°Thank you for thinking I¡¯m young, but I already have a cute daughter.¡± Then, Leah, who had been watching the situation with her eyes twinkling until now, came out from behind the hem of my skirt. Mrs. Riz¨¦, who made eye contact with Leah, smiled. ¡°You have a wise mother, sweetheart.¡± Leah nodded her head proudly. ¡°My mom is always great!¡± My daughter is cute too. Mrs. Riz¨¦, who took off the coat that was covering her, politely but persistently asked how she could repay me. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything in return, Mrs. Riz¨¦¡± ¡°Repaying kindness is our family¡¯s motto and honor.¡± She didn¡¯t give up. Little by little, it was getting harder for me to continue refusing. ¡®Well, I have to respect my elders.¡¯ I gave her the address of the villa. There are many villas around here. People wouldn¡¯t know who owns the villa unless the owner tells them themselves. Upon hearing the desired answer, Mrs. Riz¨¦ smiled softly. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be sure to thank you later.¡± As soon as she turned around, the group of aristocratic women who had retreated earlier rushed back around Mrs. Riz¨¦. ¡®Huh?¡¯ As a few noble girls passed by, there was one who looked at me with sullen eyes. She must have thought I had missed a great opportunity. I passed over that gaze brusquely. The other ladies looked to be 7 or 8 years younger than me, so I didn¡¯t have the motivation to fight them. ¡®Did Mrs. Riz¨¦ say she wanted to send a gift in return?¡¯ If possible, I hope she will send something interesting to Leah. My daughter clung to my waist and rubbed my cheek. ¡°After all, my mom is the coolest in the world!¡± It seemed that I was gradually establishing myself as a superhero in Leah¡¯s mind. ¡°It took a while, but shall we go get some cake now?¡± Leah laughed softly. ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 27 Two days later, I had almost forgotten about the woman I had saved. If it wasn¡¯t for the person who came to the villa, I would completely have forgotten about her. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs. Noel.¡± I looked up at the man in front of me. ¡®That¡¯s right. Ernst. I have some memories now.¡¯ It was a pity that I realized it a little late. He is a young man with a completely different impression from my husband who had a somewhat dangerous atmosphere. An ascetic impression like the standard of a knight. ¡°I heard that you saved my mother. In fact, she wanted to come directly, but after that incident, she had a fever¡­¡± The man spoke very politely. ¡°My name is Leander, the Duke of Ernst.¡± Leander Ernst. Information about him came to mind the moment I heard his name. An unmarried young duke, he is the current ideal bridegroom of the Yuren Kingdom. ¡®Indeed, it was the reason why there were so many noble ladies next to Mrs. Riz¨¦ that day.¡¯ Now I have a rough idea of ??the situation. They were the young ladies who wanted to marry Leander, wanting to look good in front of his biological mother, Mrs. Riz¨¦. He was very polite, even though he did not know my identity. ¡°Ah right, I want to say hello to your husband too¡ª¡± I still don¡¯t want to reveal my identity to him. ¡®Although this man does not have a bad character.¡¯ No, rather, his character makes him a perfectly good man. Leander is, to put it bluntly, a second male lead in this novel. Also, he was the rival of the male lead, Rupert. Because of that, he was the opposite of Rupert. The relationship between the two could be expressed in black and white, light and shadow, and dog and cat. As he waited for an answer, Leah stuck out her head and answered. ¡°Father is not here¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Upon hearing Leah¡¯s words, Leander looked immediately filled with a great sense of guilt. ¡°Sorry. I said something very disrespectful in front of your daughter.¡± He thought he just made a huge mistake. Did he think my husband was dead? I patted Leah¡¯s hair. Good job, my daughter! Sorry to deceive Leander, but I decided to brazenly push this lie. ¡°I don¡¯t have a husband, and I live with my young daughter, so it¡¯s difficult for me to bring you into my house. Please forgive the rudeness.¡± Rupert and Leander have been clashing in public for a long time. Leander is not the kind of person to do harm after knowing my identity, but it would be better to kick him out before my identity is revealed. Fortunately, Leander is much more docile than Rupert. ¡°That¡¯s right. I fully understand.¡± I grinned. ¡°I¡¯m glad you understood.¡± He made an expression of contemplation for a moment and then opened his mouth. ¡°If you have any concerns, please feel free to come to the Ernst mansion, Madam. I will repay you for your favor. I¡¯m sure your daughter will like it too.¡± ¡°Thank you for your words.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± After Liander said goodbye, he gave Leah a light glance as well. Then Leah, who had been hiding all this time, came out. ¡°Goodbye.¡± As I watched Leander¡¯s back as he left, I thought deeply. ¡®A young man with manners.¡¯ He maintained a polite attitude from start to the end. Somehow such an attitude reminded me of Aren. In fact, the two of them may have very similar tendencies. As I closed the front door, the young maids approached me with curious eyes. ¡°This is the first time I have seen Duke Ernst up close.¡± ¡°Is he famous?¡± ¡°Of course, because he looks great!¡± The maids must have been happy just seeing him up close. ¡°He is always kind to the common people and pays attention to the little things.¡± ¡°The Duke¡¯s mother Mrs. Riz¨¦ is also kind! She also sponsored a medical center and often does volunteer work there.¡± ¡°I see.¡± At that time, Leah, who had been listening quietly, pulled the hem of my skirt. ¡°Weren¡¯t you wondering about the medical center, Mom?¡± ¡°I did.¡± It¡¯s ??interesting, but it¡¯s not to the point where I want to be associated with Leander. Anyway, I decided to put Leah first. My interests are not important right now. ¡®I don¡¯t want to go through something as terrifying as last time.¡¯ Still, thinking about the moment that I nearly lost Leah, the back of my neck grew cold. ¡°But Mom seems to be in trouble lately. Can¡¯t the Duke also help you?¡± ¡®My daughter¡¯s eyes are fast because she is smart¡­¡­¡¯ I smiled as if nothing was wrong. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom just needs Leah, I don¡¯t have any worries.¡± First of all, I was determined to do my best for her. I¡¯d better keep my personal wishes aside. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Leah looked up for a moment and gave me a thoughtful expression on her face. For some reason, her face looked very mature for her age, so it was particularly memorable. *** Recently, I got up early in the morning to do something secretly. I started throwing the pillow into the air. ¡°Stop.¡± The pillow fell to the floor. ¡°This is also not possible¡­¡± These days, it¡¯s not just one or two things that make me wonder. First, there was my premonition about Leah that she was in danger. I also had an unreasonable dream. The second is the time when the building collapsed and time stopped for a while. Since then, I have been secretly experimenting by throwing pillows every morning, but there is no progress yet. ¡®I was hoping that I might have a hidden power.¡¯ Such a miracle must be something that can only happen to the main character. My life as a supporting character can never be so easy. I also wonder why I suddenly remember my past life. And the ominous feeling as if someone had been brainwashing me. ¡®The problem is that there is nothing to go on at all.¡¯ By the time I was 26, I had never had a special life. All I know is I was living as an aristocratic lady with a bad personality. ¡®Was it not my power to stop time?¡¯ Hmm, actually, I have an acquaintance who can advise on this kind of thing. The only distant relative with whom I have been close since childhood, Michael. The problem is that Michael is a famous magician, so it¡¯s hard to see his face. ¡®Should I contact him soon?¡¯ With such complicated thoughts, I greeted a new morning. *** A few days later, I took a walk through the city with my daughter. ¡°Mom, what are the kids doing there?¡± Leah asked, pointing to a place. When I turned my head, I saw children riding on swings and playing. Is it a playground? ¡°That¡¯s a place where friends gather and play.¡± Leah looked at that place with even more curious eyes after my answer. ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Come to think of it, she had never played with her peers. ¡°Do you want to go?¡± Leah shook her head with an impatient expression. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Looks like Leah still has the habit of holding back what she wants. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you want to go, Leah.¡± Leah¡¯s expression brightened slightly. ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°Then, will you go and talk to your friends first? Mom will be watching over here.¡± She hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded. ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll be right back!¡± She immediately runs to the playground. I smiled at her little back. ¡°Be careful!¡± While waiting, I decided to sit on a nearby bench and looked around. In the meantime, I saw a building that was particularly crowded with people. ¡°What are people doing over there¡­¡­?¡± The answer came from behind. ¡°That¡¯s a medical center I sponsored.¡± Startled, I turned around. A familiar face appeared. ¡°Mrs. Ernst?¡± ¡°Please call me Mrs. Riz¨¦. May I call you by your first name too?¡± I nodded involuntarily. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Thank you, nice to see you again, Noel.¡± ¡°Is your body okay?¡± ¡°It is. Thank you for your concern.¡± Suddenly she sat down next to me on the bench. Not far away, Leah was seen talking to the other children. To be honest, I was saddened by the fact that the child who had always wanted to be close to me slowly found a friend of the same age. ¡®Is this also part of a growth process?¡¯ It¡¯s my first time being a mother too, so I have a lot of trouble. Then, Mrs. Riz¨¦ opened her mouth. ¡°I heard my son made a mistake a while ago,¡± she said. Is she talking about Leander? To be honest, my conscience was pierced. Because it reminded me that I lied and sent him back. ¡°It¡¯s fine, the Duke did nothing wrong.¡± I answered anxiously. ¡­¡­I think this will really make Rupert look like he¡¯s dead. It was uncomfortable to lie to Leander and this gentlewoman. So I corrected only small misunderstandings. ¡°My husband isn¡¯t dead. But it¡¯s true that he¡¯s away because of some problem.¡± Will Rupert¡¯s curse continue to worsen at this moment? Or maybe it got better after making progress with Aren? I didn¡¯t know. After all, Rupert never accepted Leah and me, and our relationship was worsening. What is the reason for maintaining a relationship that is nothing but an empty shell? There is no reason to stay by his side. With that in mind, I listened to Mrs. Riz¨¦¡¯s words. Chapter 28 ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry for meddling. I lost my husband a long time ago¡­ I must have been unintentionally concerned.¡± If the previous duke died when his successor, Leander, was young, the relatives would have flocked like flies for the inheritance. ¡°You must have suffered a lot.¡± ¡°Yes. How hard it was to deal with people who rushed for money like leeches¡­ sigh.¡± This lady must have a tough personality, unlike her appearance. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it difficult?¡± ¡°Yes, it was.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t you have any advice for me in advance? It seems like something similar will happen to me.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ grinned. ¡°But you¡¯re a pretty good mother.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha?.¡± When I heard the compliments, I was rather embarrassed. Because not long ago, I was the worst mother. ¡°What¡¯s a little strange is that sometimes you look at Leah like someone who¡¯s in debt.¡± I flinched. ¡°Debt?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡­ I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s no right word that comes to mind right now other than that. Anyway, I feel like you¡¯re trying to focus your whole life on your daughter. It¡¯s like someone trying to pay off a debt somehow.¡± I¡¯m not surprised by the word debt. She has good eyes. ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Judging by your response, was it the correct answer?¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦, who asked lightly, fixed her crooked hat slightly and continued her words. ¡°It¡¯s good for your daughter, but it¡¯s dangerous to live your life entirely for her, like someone trying to pay off debt. If you do it wrong, you¡¯ll become obsessed over her love later.¡± It¡¯s hard to deny that it¡¯s true that I feel a great sense of guilt towards my daughter. ¡°You are a smart, passionate person. But it¡¯s not good to hold back on everything that you want to do.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ seemed to be looking into the past as she looked into the distance. Did she have that experience with her son? ¡­¡­it was a very difficult problem. Seeing my face, Mrs. Riz¨¦ smiled brightly. ¡°That is, anything in excess is not good. Keep your life and raising your daughter in balance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not. Sometimes you just have to do what your heart desires.¡± ¡°Can I really do that¡­¡­¡± I murmured as I looked forward. Leah was riding a swing with a boy of her age. ¡®Currently, Leah is my only haven.¡¯ Will the day come when I will be overly dependent on my daughter? ¡°If you are wondering what to do, can I help you a little?¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦, who spoke kindly, pointed to the boy playing with Leah. ¡°That boy, I saw him all the time in the medical center lately.¡± ¡°Did he get injured?¡± ¡°No, his mother is usually injured. Most are bruises.¡± ¡°So, is he hanging out here while waiting for his mother to be treated?¡± ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ glanced at me. ¡°The boy¡¯s mother¡¯s name is Charlotte. I see her every time I go to the hospital. One day I asked her why she was hurt. Then she said that she always fell because she was limp.¡± For some reason, I had a rough idea of ??what happened to her. ¡°I told her to tell me if she needed help, but she refused. To be precise, she avoided me.¡± ¡°Was the cause¡­¡­domestic violence?¡± At my question, Mrs. Riz¨¦ sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At this point, I have no choice but to ask. ¡°Why are you suddenly telling me this story?¡± ¡°Actually, I want to help her. But Charlotte is being controlled by her husband. She¡¯s afraid to say anything, since there is no proof.¡± I suggested a quick and naughty way. ¡°You are a powerful person. Even without evidence, a common man could be properly framed and sent to prison with your power.¡± She grinned. ¡°But that¡¯s not the right way. Besides, I wish Charlotte herself would be willing to get out of her own situation. Otherwise, her whole life may be dominated by the fear of violence.¡± ¡°¡­¡­you¡¯re right.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ laughed softly. ¡°Noel, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve met the person who listened to this case seriously. That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, everyone implicitly hinted that if a husband beats his wife, there must be a problem with the wife. They thought that family matters should be solved from within and it¡¯s none of their business.¡± She muttered bitterly. ¡°Is that really the right way? Turning away and pretending not to know? Because everyone said I was wrong, sometimes I wonder if I was really wrong.¡± I answered emphatically. ¡°No, you¡¯re right, Mrs. Riz¨¦.¡± ¡°¡­¡­oh my.¡± She laughed happily at my words. ¡®Yeah, in this world most people have an outdated way of thinking.¡¯ To be honest, I experienced this often when I was at my parents¡¯ house, but this situation is a little different. ¡°But Mrs. Riz¨¦, why are you even saying this to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little shameless, but I¡¯m asking you for help now.¡± ¡°Help?¡± ¡°Please convince Charlotte. It might be possible if she talked to someone her age.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I would have done it if it was me in the past, but now I have a young daughter. In fact, I plan to live a peaceful life in the future, and I have no intention of meddling in other people¡¯s matters.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Besides, I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I feel uncomfortable accepting a request from a woman I¡¯ve only met twice.¡± ¡°I thought you would say that.¡± It seemed like she had no problem being rejected and suspected of by me. Considering her social position, it can be said that she is very open-minded. ¡°But Noel, you are a better person than you think you are. I can tell just by looking at how you saved me from drowning, without knowing who I was.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± ¡°Few people save lives by chance.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ got up slowly from the chair. ¡°By the way, neither you nor Leah will ever be in danger, because my son will help you two. He is stronger than he looks.¡± ¡°We only met twice. Why do you believe in me to the point that you make your son help me?¡± There are not just one or two women who are aiming for him. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for a friend for decades.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± ¡°Yes, someone who will agree with my thoughts that everyone thinks is wrong. So from my point of view, you are precious, Noel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦¡¯s expression became more and more lively. Her eyes were no different from that of a young man full of passion. ¡°Twice is enough. Besides¡­ The only thing that grows with age is the eyes to judge. So this is for sure. Noel is a good person, and I really like people like you.¡± She stared at me with her back straight. ¡°As I said before, it¡¯s not good to hold back on everything that you want to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ laughed slightly mischievously. ¡°Let¡¯s see. You won¡¯t be able to ignore my request.¡± Seeing that expression, I had a thought in my heart that somehow I had lost. *** That day, I returned home with Leah. ¡°That was fun!¡± ¡°Glad to know.¡± It seems like it was quite fun to run and play with her peers. It¡¯s my first time raising a child, so there are a lot of things I am not very good at. ¡°Leah, what is the name of the friend you played with earlier?¡± ¡°His name is Eddie, he is 7 years old.¡± Leah spoke cheerfully. ¡°Eddie comes to the playground often. He told me to play again with him the next time we meet.¡± The friendliness of children is amazing. ¡°What else did you talk about?¡± ¡°He said he often plays hide and seek at home.¡± Leah then lowered her voice, as if telling a secret story. ¡°Because Eddie¡¯s father turns into a monster sometimes.¡± At that, I held my breath for a moment. ¡°Then what did Eddie say?¡± ¡°That he hides in the closet. When that happened, his mother told him not to open the closet until his father returned to being a human again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. What else did Eddie tell you?¡± ¡°Eddie¡¯s father, who came back as a human, was very kind to him. He said that his father always promised Eddie¡¯s mother that he would never change into a monster again.¡± Leah spoke sullenly. ¡°But Eddie said that his father never keeps his promise. Eddie called his father a liar.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I barely sighed and asked, ¡°Do you want to play with Eddie again?¡± Leah hesitated and said, ¡°As long as Mom allows it.¡± I was well aware of how serious this problem is. But I didn¡¯t want Leah to know the reality already. I gently stroked Leah¡¯s head. ¡°Absolutely not allowed.¡± Now that I¡¯ve heard this story, it¡¯s time to ask my heart. Would you choose the comfortable but shameful way to live in peace with your daughter to the point of pretending you didn¡¯t hear anything? Chapter 29 In the end, Mrs. Riz¨¦¡¯s predictions came true. I talked to Leander near the medical center. He seemed to come to check on this place often. If everyone had this kind of personality, the world would be so beautiful. ¡°Madam, if you need any help, feel free to call me.¡± It seemed that he had been informed of the situation by Mrs. Riz¨¦. ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy, Duke?¡± ¡°Of course, I am.¡± He told the truth so easily. ¡°¡­¡­ah, wait a minute.¡± All of a sudden Leander rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a lollipop. I quickly recognized his intentions. To seduce Leah, who was hiding behind me. When Leah sneaked up to him, Leander gave her the candy and held her in a flash. Leah grinned at how funny it was. Like a niece and uncle. I saw the funny sight and spoke again, ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to follow your mother¡¯s advice.¡± Even if she was his mother, Leander was the one who held the real power in the family anyway. From Leander¡¯s point of view, an incident such as domestic violence might seem trivial. Holding Leah, he shrugged. ¡°There is no need to rebel against my mother who is not a teenager and does the right thing.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of visiting yourself?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me. Besides, I feel more comfortable checking on some of the problems with my own eyes.¡± ¡®Really¡­¡­¡¯ He has a personality that often clashed with Rupert¡¯s. ¡®If it were Rupert, he would have started by beheading the assailant first.¡¯ Reflecting on my husband¡¯s personality for a moment, I had no choice but to ask a question that I was curious about. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible to put up a suitable charge and put him in jail without the victim¡¯s testimony?¡± Leander frowned. ¡°It is illegal to do such a thing. Ernst is a family that knows honor. Besides, if I do such a thing as a Duke, there is a high possibility that other nobles will follow my actions and start abusing their power.¡± Wow¡­¡­being in front of this man makes me feel like an unconscionable person. ¡°Do you mean to say that I have no choice but to convince Charlotte after all?¡± ¡°Yes, please take care of her. In fact, I have spoken to her before, but she ran away holding her son.¡± As he said that, I looked up at Leander. With a firm expression and a strong physique trained by swordsmanship, he can certainly be perceived as a threat to some. There is nothing I can do about it. I said seriously, ¡°Alright, then I have a favor to ask of you. It¡¯s a huge task.¡± At my words, he turned serious. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯ll go to the medical center and have a conversation with Charlotte. It¡¯s important to get close to her, whether it¡¯s by being persuasive or whatever. So the Duke will do another job while I¡¯m with Charlotte¡­¡­¡± ¡°A job?¡± I smiled. ¡°Please take care of Leah.¡± Leander had a confused expression on his face. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Can you take care of Leah?¡± ¡°Ah, well, she¡¯s cute, but¡­¡­¡± Huh, young man, you¡¯re not confident with your answer. ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± He responded hastily. ¡°I can take care of her.¡± I grinned. Once I knew that he was genuinely a good person, I didn¡¯t have to worry too much about entrusting Leah to him. ¡°Leah, Mom will go inside for a minute. Will you play with the Duke until Mom comes out?¡± My daughter, who had been fiddling with Leander¡¯s short hair, nodded her head. ¡°Yeah!¡± Hmm, when I come back, there might be a ribbon on Leander¡¯s hair. With that thought in mind, I entered the medical center. *** Suddenly, the pen he was holding broke. It was a familiar sight these days. Rupert grudgingly opened the drawer and took out a new fountain pen. The fountain pen, which split into two, was roughly tossed into the trash. Ordin, who was by his side, said, ¡°Hasn¡¯t it gotten harder to control your strength lately?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Shall we gather some people to kill?¡± Rupert frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a crazy serial killer.¡± ¡°I will correct myself. Want to hunt down criminals?¡± Rupert sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ it isn¡¯t because of the curse anyway.¡± At that time, Ordin also made a puzzled expression. ¡°Are there any other problems?¡± Rupert snorted. ¡°Maybe just a common emotion change?¡± The aide frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what could shake the Marquis this much. Is it because of the madam and the young lady?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, Ordin knew that when his master was silent, it was usually the right answer. ¡°Do you mind if you can¡¯t see them?¡± ¡°Noisy.¡± This was also a positive. ¡°You miss them, and suddenly they come to mind?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Again, positive. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ordin realized that his master was quite shaken. That¡¯s not a very good sign. He was the only one of Rupert¡¯s men to know the details of the curse. ¡°It¡¯s just a fleeting emotion.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The strict aide was not satisfied with that answer alone. He was the type of person who could solve problems that were right in front of him. Ordin came up with a reasonable solution first. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to cut them off completely?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Divorce is not a bad choice. The madam also said that this was a marriage that could no longer be maintained anymore.¡± ¡°Ordin, shut up.¡± This was a warning with his life at stake, so Ordin kept his mouth shut for his own safety. ¡°Don¡¯t go over this topic.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± What did this ambiguous relationship mean? From Ordin¡¯s point of view, it was a question that could not be answered. Even though his master pushes away his wife and daughter, he is unable to completely cut ties with them. ¡°It¡¯s better to keep them away from here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert knew that well. It would hurt her if she kept expecting a good family and stayed by his side. But Rupert selfishly didn¡¯t want to cut ties with her. So he just let her get away from him. At that moment, the door to the office rang. ¡°Master, this is Bert.¡± Not only Ordin, but also Rupert, who could not feel the presence of others for a moment, flinched in an instant. ¡°¡­¡­come in.¡± The door opened and Bert entered. ¡°Excuse me. I am against the divorce.¡± That¡¯s what he said as soon as he arrived. ¡°God, since when did you overhear the conversation?¡±, asked Ordin. ¡°Ever since ¡®Divorce is not a bad choice¡¯.¡± ¡®Then did you not hear the previous part about the curse?¡¯ Ordin was relieved. Bert, unaware of Ordin¡¯s thoughts, criticized him. ¡°I always think that you are meddling too much. Just like a vicious mother-in-law. Why the hell are you talking about a divorce?¡± Ordin was a little angry. ¡°What the hell is that claim! I simply make the most efficient offers as an aide¡ª¡± If left alone, it could escalate into an argument. Rupert interrupted his men. ¡°Sir Bert, what are you here for?¡± At that moment, Bert turned his head. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Actually, there¡¯s a testimony that the gargoyles have been spotted in other villages within the territory¡­¡­¡± So the two talked for a long time. After the conversation, Rupert, who had a thoughtful expression on his face, opened his mouth. ¡°Ordin, go to the Knights Templar and finish talking about the distribution of troops then report back. ¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Ordin responded immediately and went out with Bert. As soon as he came out, Bert threw out a few words. ¡°If you keep nagging, you will be kicked out.¡± ¡°I know what¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why did you talk about divorce? I know, Madam had personality problems until a while ago, but¡­¡­well, it wasn¡¯t like Master didn¡¯t have personality problems at all¡­¡­the two of them will change in the future. I¡¯m sure of it. ¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Ordin suddenly thought that it would be difficult to deal with this happy, married man. ¡°Not all families can be as peaceful as your family.¡± ¡°Do you mean that the Master¡¯s family can never be happy?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I just said that this is not what the Marquis wants.¡± ¡°What? I am of the complete opposite opinion.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Bert pondered for a moment, then replied. ¡°I think the Master is looking for a peaceful and ordinary life.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten his deeds or his nickname until now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that he hasn¡¯t had the chance to live a normal life until now.¡± Is that really the case? Ordin imagined Rupert peacefully with his family, not under the curse. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, it was no use. Rupert, whom he knew, was a man who after killing his brother and father, ascended to the marquis position, and periodically beheaded criminals. Bert continued with a sad look. ¡°Master has suffered a lot since he was young, so I hope that he will lead a more peaceful life from now on. It¡¯s even better that he seems to have a heart for his wife now.¡± Ordin blew up in confusion. ¡°¡­¡­do you really think that the Master was being serious?¡± Ordin thought that it was his master¡¯s momentary feelings. But it seemed more serious. ¡°Of course. You idiot!¡± Chapter 30 Sponsored by #robin5563 ???? ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The master is just holding back his feelings all this time. Sooner or later, you will know.¡± Ordin, who denied reality, responded as coldly as possible, ¡°It may be a feeling that will quickly fade.¡± ¡°No way. Ordin, you¡¯re smart, but you¡¯re bad at this.¡± Bert looked at the aide who had no clue about men and women issues. ¡°The more a person¡¯s emotions are suppressed, the greater the reaction. No matter how cold-hearted the master is, it will be the same for him, too.¡± He laughed haphazardly. ¡°There will come a day when he can no longer hide his heart. Ah, I¡¯m looking forward to that day. May the master, madam, and young lady all be happy.¡± At those bright words, Ordin became depressed again. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It would be nice if it simply ended with such a fairy tale ending. ¡®It¡¯s going to get harder in the future.¡¯ I had to find a way to break the marquis¡¯ curse as quickly as possible. Ordin thought. Just the thought of Rupert being a crazy killer gave him a headache. Either way, Ordin truly cared for him. ¡®Besides, is there anyone who can stop the curse?¡¯ Ordin sighed, imagining an ominous future. *** I shamelessly entered the medical center. The inside was cleaner than expected. A few staff members smirked upon seeing me. It looks like they¡¯ve already heard of it. Mrs. Riz¨¦ and Leander said they were simply sponsors, but it seemed they were also involved in the overall operation in the medical center. ¡®It would be difficult to earn a lot of income from commoners.¡¯ When medical facilities are outdated, the weak are the first to suffer. Even if the disease spreads evenly, the chances of getting treatment are not fair. ¡®In that sense, the Ernst family is truly a great help to the commoners.¡¯ With that thought, I grabbed a passerby and asked where Charlotte was. ¡°She¡¯s over there.¡± She was sitting on a chair in the waiting room. It wasn¡¯t difficult to find her. The problem is¡­¡­ ¡®How to talk to you?¡¯ I would have looked suspicious if I approached her suddenly. She might be wary of me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was the moment when I was in trouble for a while with my arms crossed. ¡°Help me!¡± A woman ran in with an urgent cry. In her arms, she holds a baby. ¡°The baby suddenly can¡¯t breathe!¡± The baby¡¯s face is bluish around his lips. It is cyanotic. (Cyanotic: bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to not enough oxygen in the blood). ¡®Is the airway blocked by a foreign object?¡¯ Then the Heinrich Law¡­¡­ (Heinrich Law: industrial accident prevention by Herbert W Heinrich and became known as Heinrich¡¯s Law). The moment I thought about it, an employee next to me said, ¡°Is something stuck in the baby¡¯s neck?¡± Up to that point, it was the right decision. But then, when I saw the employee trying to forcefully open the baby¡¯s mouth and pull the foreign object out with his fingers, I quickly stopped him. ¡°If you make a mistake, it might go deeper.¡± ¡®In this situation, of course, we use the Heinrich method, but no one in this world knows.¡¯ There was no time to explain, so I hurriedly grabbed the baby and pulled a small chair nearby, and sat down. ¡°What are you doing!¡± The employee cried out as if worried about something, but there was no time to respond. Supporting the baby¡¯s chin, I placed his head down on my thighs. Then I hit the baby¡¯s upper back with the bottom of the palm of my hand. Buk! buk! buk! ¡°Sob¡­¡­¡± I could hear the baby¡¯s terrified mother weeping. The employees are terrified of seeing me hitting the baby out of nowhere. ¡°Now stop.¡± Buk! At that moment, a round thing popped out of the baby¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ugh, uahhh ahhhhhh¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± I immediately held the crying baby again and approached the mother. There seem to be no other problems. ¡°Calm down, calm down. It¡¯s ok now. Take a deep breath and¡­¡­¡± After the mother calmed down a bit, I handed the baby to her. She sniffled as she held her baby tightly in her arms. ¡°Sob, th-thank you¡­¡­thank you¡­¡­¡± ¡°I am glad that your baby is safe.¡± The woman nodded her head and followed the guidance of another staff to another room. It looks like she probably needs to calm down more. A few of the medical center staff with curious, half-admiring, half-excited eyes sneaked up to me. They seem to have noticed that I didn¡¯t just hit the baby. ¡°What did you just do? That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°I know that Mrs. Riz¨¦ brought you¡­¡­ Will you be working with us in the future?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a female doctor before!¡± Misunderstandings arose like a snowball, and I corrected them one by one. ¡°I know Mrs. Riz¨¦, but I am not a new member of the medical center. What I just did is provide first aid if a foreign object is blocking the airway. I¡¯ll teach you anytime if you¡¯re curious.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Fortunately, everyone was busy. As soon as they got the answer, they dispersed. ¡®It is fortunate that the baby was saved, but in the end, I did not achieve my original purpose¡­¡­¡¯ While I was thinking about it, someone spoke to me from behind. ¡°E-Excuse me¡­¡­¡± I turned back. ¡°Yes?¡± At the same time, I was surprised. There stood Charlotte, whom I had previously thought about how to approach her. She asked hesitation, ¡°Are you a noblewoman whom I should not talk to?¡± I lied naturally, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a royal noblewoman.¡± It¡¯s not completely a lie. I am the Marchioness of the Romstro Empire, not the noblewoman of the Yuren Kingdom. Charlotte seemed relieved at my words and opened her mouth, ¡°Then, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Charlotte looked at me with a bit of curiosity. ¡°Where did you find out how to save the baby? Besides, even in the midst of everyone¡¯s surprise, you were very calm. Are you used to this?¡± ¡°I have experience working in a place similar to this one.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡­¡± It was then that I noticed that Charlotte had put aside the suspicion that I was a noblewoman. Because noblewomen usually don¡¯t work. ¡°Well, could you possibly know how to get rid of these bruises quickly? I get hurt quite often¡­¡­ and he started to notice that I always come to the medical center¡­¡­¡± Well, apparently she wanted to hide that it was her own husband who hit her. Of course, I can¡¯t make hasty conclusions because there¡¯s no confirmation yet. ¡®Maybe this is an opportunity to talk to her a little more.¡¯ Oh, it is said that the good are blessed. I had no idea that things would turn out this way. I hid my cheers and smiled calmly. ¡°Sure.¡± *** That night, I was brushing my daughter¡¯s fine golden hair. Leah asked, ¡°Mom, did you save the baby earlier?¡± I was surprised. Leah must have been playing outside the medical center. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I heard the people outside the medical center, and the Duke also told me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The Duke said that was a great thing.¡± I pondered for a moment, then replied, ¡°Anyone would have done that.¡± ¡°But I also had the same thought as the Duke. My mom who helps people really is wonderful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Feeling touched, I decided to become an adult who set a good example for my daughter again in the future. Leah spoke softly, ¡°Besides, when my mom does things like that, you look happy.¡± ¡°But Mom enjoys playing with you more.¡± Leah nodded her head. ¡°I know. Ugh¡­¡­ but it¡¯s different from playing with me.¡± Shocked by those words, I remembered Mrs. Riz¨¦¡¯s advice. Children do not seem to know, but they know everything. ¡°How is it different?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡­ it¡¯s shining!¡± Leah continued, ¡°So, I want my mom to help others.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m happy when my mom shines!¡± Just as Mrs. Riz¨¦ said, Leah seemed to have sensed something too. After I brushed her hair, Leah turned around. The ruby eyes looked up at me. ¡°And I want to be like my mom someday.¡± I asked curiously, ¡°Like me?¡± ¡°Helping others.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, Leah made a sad expression that didn¡¯t match her age. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be shining too, right? No one will forget me, right?¡± You must have thought that you will be forgotten someday. I said calmly, ¡°No one will forget you even now, Leah. Why do you think so?¡± Leah hugged my neck tightly. ¡°But in the past¡­¡­ no one remembered me. Only my shadow waved its hand when I slept.¡± I patted Leah on the back and listened quietly to her. ¡°The room was too big, so I was scared. That¡¯s why I love this place. I hope my mom also enjoys it here.¡± It was then that I realized that she was reminiscing about the time when she was in the Ainel¡¯s mansion. Those bleak days when Rupert and I turned away and the employees only dealt with business. Leah still seemed to think she might be left alone. ¡°Sweetheart, you are worthy to me. Above all else, you are my most precious treasure.¡± I whispered as if to reveal a secret. ¡°Besides, you are already shining.¡± Leah mumbled in my arms, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°There is no need to wait for ¡®someday¡¯ because you are much shinier than this mom of yours even now.¡± Leah lifted her head. ¡°But I can¡¯t even put a bandage.¡± I let out a short laugh. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. The important thing is to be brave.¡± ¡°Brave?¡± ¡°Yes, be brave. Not to run away from the situation in front of you. Even if you are afraid of the road you see for the first time, you must go one step further.¡± I quietly put my forehead to Leah¡¯s. ¡°Mom already knows that you are a courageous child. You are my precious daughter, you always shine in the dark night¡­¡­¡± I kissed my daughter¡¯s cheek. ¡°You are my star.¡± Leah, who had been quietly listening to me, opened her eyes wide. Then she kissed my cheek. ¡°My mom is also my star.¡± I laughed softly. My heart was tickled. Leah has always made me happy. Chapter 31 Everything went smoothly for Noel after that. In particular, she got closer to Charlotte faster than expected. She often talks about her situation. ¡°My husband said there was nothing I was good at. He said I would have starved to death on the street if it wasn¡¯t for him.¡± Perhaps because of hearing her husband¡¯s bad words continuously, her self-esteem had completely plummeted. Noel tried to make Charlotte realize that she was a person who could stand alone enough. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± We met with the excuse of wanting to let Eddie and Leah play and repeated it several times, and it worked to some extent. Well, from what I heard, there were things that were more serious than I expected. ¡°But everyone around me said that the reason my husband did this was that I was wrong¡­¡­ If the wife did it right, it couldn¡¯t have happened.¡± I wanted to grasp the situation as objectively as possible. However, it was inevitable that Noel¡¯s brain, mixed with modern thinking, went crazy every time she heard Charlotte¡¯s confession. ¡®The one who hit you is the bad one!¡¯ ¡°After hitting me, he always says he will be nice to me and never do that again¡­¡­¡± Noel was also firm about these words. ¡°He won¡¯t.¡± People are not easy to change, and once they wield violence, rehabilitation is impossible. Anyway, Noel¡¯s steady conversation worked. Because every time she sees Charlotte, her face brightens a little. ¡°If I break up with my husband, will I be able to feed Eddie?¡± ¡°How much do you need?¡± This was no lie. Mrs. Riz¨¦ said that if Charlotte had the courage, she would find a job. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Noel had thought that she had finally made a decision on something for her. It was truly fortunate. *** But the problem came the next day. Because Charlotte showed up with one cheek swollen. With her temper, Noel immediately got angry. ¡°What happened!?¡± As she gritted her teeth, Charlotte smiled with her swollen lips. ¡°I told my husband that Eddie and I would go and live together, and this is what happened. He yelled out louder than usual.¡± Despite being injured, she had a face that was more refreshing than expected. ¡°It was the first time I rebelled against my husband like that. I thought something clogging my chest was gone. It¡¯s been almost ten years since we got married, and it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve really felt this way.¡± She looked to be in a lot of pain, but she seemed satisfied in her own way. Noel was confused for a moment as to whether to congratulate or comfort her. Thanks to this, the heat rising from her head slowly cooled. Meanwhile, Charlotte said, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve been hurt this much, no one thinks I¡¯m hurt because I fell, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, everyone can see those wounds.¡± Charlotte clenched her fist on her lap. ¡°Now, I think I can be honest about everything, no more hiding.¡± Hearing these words from her tickled her heart. Because this was her original purpose. It seemed Charlotte had found her self-esteem, and freed herself from her husband¡¯s violence. ¡®Mrs. Riz¨¦ will be happy to hear it.¡¯ ¡°Okay, but first, you need a simple treatment.¡± It was then. ¡°Charlotte! Where are you? Come right now!¡± A man¡¯s loud scream was heard outside. Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s my husband¡¯s voice, what happened?¡± ¡°This is the beginning of the last strike.¡± Noel finished grasping the situation in an instant. This kind of thing has happened occasionally in her previous life, and the behavior patterns of people who commit domestic violence are roughly the same. ¡°If you don¡¯t come, I¡¯m going to die in no time!¡± Noel shook her head, ¡®Would that make things a little easier?¡¯ ¡®No, that¡¯s not what a sane adult would think.¡¯ I am really determined to become an exemplary adult to Leah. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯m going to die with Eddie!¡± Noel, who had been calm all along, had no choice but to panic at those words. Did he possibly take his son hostage?! ¡®If you want to die, you have to die alone, why do you have to bring your son!¡¯ It was even when Eddie was playing with Leah on the playground. ¡°Where are you!?¡± Noel and Charlotte hurried out of the medical center. *** Leah was walking in front of the medical center, holding Leander¡¯s hand. Leah liked the duke whom she had recently met. She liked the feeling of having her head stroked with his big hands or leaning wide on his broad shoulders as he carried her. Somehow it reminded her of the time she was with her father. Leah was afraid and uncomfortable with her father, but that didn¡¯t mean she hated him. It was a secret from her mother that she missed her father, of course. The two didn¡¯t get along very well as far as Leah remembers. In fact, she sometimes wonders about her father who always has a stern expression on his face. Was he not lonely in that spacious mansion? But this thought was also a secret from her mother. Because she always wanted her mother to be happy with her. Leander asked worriedly, ¡°Leah, where do you feel uncomfortable?¡± It was because Leah had been silent all this time. Leah shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, but is it okay for the Duke to stay here?¡± With those words, Leander looked back to where he was once again. Playground in front of the medical center. It¡¯s definitely a rare experience, but it¡¯s not bad. He shrugged. ¡°Because I was asked to look after you.¡± When Noel said those words, Leander burst into laughter. In fact, when he heard that she had helped his mother¡ªMrs. Riz¨¦, he thought Noel would want big things. It was not particularly strange. Leander is in power, and most people want to profit from him. But the first thing Noel asked him to do was look after her daughter. His mother was very happy when he told her about it. [After all, I have an eye!] It seems that his mother liked Noel from the beginning. Are there any similarities between the two? In the meantime, in the social circle of the Yuren Kingdom, Mrs. Riz¨¦ was secretly treated as a geek because she sometimes revealed the bad sides of the aristocracy. Naturally, there were many nobles who regarded her as a thorn in their eyes. A woman was so venomous, she was so vicious that her husband died prematurely. Despite hearing such derogatory comments, Mrs. Riz¨¦ was always steadfast. And Leander has respected his mother. ¡°I have a question for you.¡± Leah suddenly looked up at him. ¡°The Duke is a high-ranking person, aren¡¯t you busy? Are you okay here with me?¡± At the sudden question, Leander pondered for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not that busy.¡± It was of course a lie. In any case, things related to Noel were important to Leander. Even if it was just taking care of her daughter, it was the request of the person who saved his mother¡¯s life. In fact, there was a little bit of curiosity mixed in. It seems that Noel is the secret wife of a wealthy merchant¡­¡­ For some reason, she was faking her identity. In his view, such acting was too much. She might consider her acting natural, but she didn¡¯t look like that at all. Even his mother had concluded that Noel was hiding something special. ¡®Leah is also smart and has the appearance of being educated in manners.¡¯ The little girl who looked like a niece in Leander¡¯s eyes was very cute. The way she thought about her mother overlapped with him when he was younger. ¡°I¡¯m glad the Duke isn¡¯t busy.¡± Leander patted Leah¡¯s little head. ¡°My dad always had a lot of work to do, so it was hard to see him.¡± ¡°Who is your father?¡± Leah was deep in thought. Actually, she didn¡¯t know much about her father. ¡°With red eyes like mine¡­¡­oh, everyone says my father is really strong!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­there is someone I know who is similar to your words.¡± Leander thought of a man with red eyes and silver hair he knew. He was a man who did not hesitate to fight and left corpses wherever he went. ¡®He was nicknamed the Demon.¡¯ ¡°Is that person the Duke¡¯s friend?¡± At Leah¡¯s curious question, Leander shook his head. ¡°No. Besides, I don¡¯t think anyone I know has a daughter as smart and cute as Leah.¡± To be honest, Leander couldn¡¯t even imagine that the man would be Leah¡¯s father. The flow of conversation was cut off for a while. Meanwhile, Leah found Eddie holding a ball and waving his hand. Leah did not run right away but glanced at Leander. ¡°You can go and play, but don¡¯t leave the playground.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Leah let go of his hand and ran away. Leander looked at his hand that had lost a little warmth and then smiled bitterly. Taking care of Leah has been the best thing he has ever been asked to do by others. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Eddie seemed to be teaching Leah to play ball. As the two children played with the ball, nearby children snooped around. Eventually, the group grew bigger and several children started kicking the ball and playing. Leander looked at the scene and thought about the future. When Noel is done convincing Charlotte, he would introduce her (Charlotte) to someone to help her in court, and then¡­¡­ ¡®I only got help this time, so I¡¯ll have to ask her (Noel) again if there¡¯s anything I can do to help.¡¯ It happened at the medical center managed by his family. Leander felt sorry for Noel¡¯s hard work in the original task he had to deal with. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Then, a scream rang out from the playground. Leander looked up in surprise. Chapter 32 ¡°You idiot, why kick the ball over there!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. The ball flew far away and was caught in a tree. Of course, from the point of view of the children, it was a very serious matter. Leander approached and stopped the children. ¡°Don¡¯t fight, I¡¯ll take the ball.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± When the Duke came out in person, the children quickly became quiet. ¡°If you guys stay calm, I¡¯ll take the ball.¡± He gave a slight warning and moved towards the tree. The ball stuck in the branch fell after he shook the tree a few times. As he bent over to pick up the dropped ball, he heard a shout from behind. ¡°Charlotte! Where are you? Come right now!¡± This time it was not the children¡¯s voices. Leander, sensing a strange feeling, hurriedly turned his body. He bites his lip at the sight in front of him, he blames himself. ¡®¡­¡­Damn it.¡¯ A drunken man grabbed Eddie and held a dagger around his neck. *** An unfamiliar man grabbed Eddie and screamed terribly. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯m going to die with Eddie!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Ugh ahh ahh¡­¡­¡± The children around ran away crying, and Leah watched the scene with her bunny eyes. It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t run away because of fear. If she goes away now, Eddie would have to be held alone by that scary man. So she can¡¯t run away. Fortunately, the scary man was not interested in her. Leah hurriedly looked around, looking for an adult who could help. She made eye contact with Leander, who was standing a little further away. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Leander winked as if telling her to stay still because it was dangerous. She couldn¡¯t come near Eddie. Leah quickly noticed the reason. ¡®Eddie might get hurt.¡¯ The blade is attached to Eddie¡¯s neck. If the man twisted his hand a little, it seemed that the blade would dig into his neck at any moment. No matter how fast she moves, if she makes a mistake, Eddie may be seriously injured. ¡®Would it be okay if the dagger was kept away from Eddie?¡¯ Like a clever child, Leah quickly figured out the problem. ¡®What should I do¡­¡­?¡¯ In fact, she was still very scared. She wants to quickly turn around and run away like the rest of her friends. ¡®But Eddie¡­¡­being alone would be scary.¡¯ Knowing that feeling, Leah gave strength to her feet. ¡°What? You! What the hell is this!¡± Then, people came out of the medical center. Charlotte and Noel were there too. The moment that man saw Charlotte, he shouted, ¡°How dare you ignore me!?¡± The man groaned. Then Leah realized that he was Eddie¡¯s father, who sometimes turns into a monster. ¡®A person can be a monster too.¡¯ Although it was not as big as a Gargoyle or had no sharp teeth, it seemed that way to the eyes of a child. Leah looked at her mother. Her mother did not panic and had a calm expression on her face. Then, when their eyes met, she slowly shook her head. Are you telling me not to do anything dangerous? But Leah knows. She is the only one who can do something in this situation. ¡®I have to be brave.¡¯ My mom said I am a courageous girl. ¡®So, I can save my friend!¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Be brave! Leah spoke to the scary man as innocently as possible. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man tilted his head. A young girl is blinking her eyes as if she doesn¡¯t know anything about the situation. ¡°What? Get the fu*k off here, kid!¡± Leah was not discouraged by the harsh words. As much as she could, she had to turn the man¡¯s attention towards her. So that adults can come close safely. ¡°My name is Leah, five years old, Eddie¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°You¡¯re noisy¨C¡± The man¡¯s gaze was focused on Leah. Meanwhile, Leander approached him slowly. ¡°Today I played football with Eddie. It was really fun, can¡¯t you play with me too?¡± ¡°You brat! Get out of here!¡± The man was about to kick Leah, but he paused for a moment. He remembered the circumstances around him that he had forgotten. Then he found Leander nearby and was bewildered. ¡°Don¡¯t come¨C¡± In an instant, the dagger he was holding on Eddie¡¯s neck gained strength, and drops of blood formed on his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t do it, you monster!¡± At the same time, Leah clung to his other arm that wasn¡¯t holding the dagger. ¡°Ah ah ah ah! Let go of my hand! You punk!¡± The man waved his arm outwardly to free it from Leah¡¯s clinging. Leah, who was pushed back by a strong force, bounced and rolled on the floor. ¡°No!¡± At that moment, Leander suddenly broke the arm of the man who was holding the dagger tightly. ¡°Ugh ah ah ah!¡± The man lost the dagger and his arm was broken. ¡°Leah!¡± Noel was surprised and ran to Leah hurriedly. ¡®My heart is pounding, I feel like I will die.¡¯ ¡°My baby, are you okay? Please¡­¡­¡± Leah was not crying even though she rolled on the floor and was covered with dirt. She raised her head and answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom.¡± Noel carefully swept over her daughter¡¯s dusty blonde hair. ¡°Is there anywhere that hurts or is unable to move? Is it difficult to breathe¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, everything is fine except for the tingling in my knees and elbows.¡± When Noel checked it, Leah¡¯s knees and elbows were bleeding. Leah stood up bravely and asked, ¡°Is Eddie okay?¡± Leah didn¡¯t want her mother to worry. At that time, there was another loud scream from behind Noel. ¡°Ah ah ah ah ah!¡± It was the voice of the man. Leah, who was hidden by her mother and couldn¡¯t see the situation, asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, you don¡¯t have to worry about it, sweetheart,¡± Noel answered, stroking Leah¡¯s cheek. Noel was roughly convinced that Leander had broken the man¡¯s leg bone. ¡°Mom, I want to see Eddie.¡± Leander, who stunned the man by breaking both his arm and leg, is also slowly examining Eddie¡¯s wounds. Leander approaches Leah and Noel after handing Eddie over to his mother. ¡°Is Eddie okay?¡± He nodded at Leah¡¯s question as he approached. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your friend will get well soon. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine too! Thank you for saving Eddie.¡± Leander stroked Leah¡¯s head gently. She was a brave child. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s all thanks to you. You are amazing.¡± Leah¡¯s cheeks flushed brightly at the frank praise. ¡°¡­¡­¡± While the adults were watching the situation meticulously, the man half fainted on the floor flinched. Noel slowly approached him. The man writhes to pick up the dagger that fell to the floor with his broken leg and arm. ¡°¡­..¡± Noel looked at him pathetic for a moment, then picked up the dagger. She stopped walking and put the toe of her shoes in front of his nose. The man was lying on his stomach, raising his head and looking up at her. Noel looked down at him coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t you regret your actions until now?¡± The man shouted, ¡°Mind your own damn business, why are you meddling! What the hell did I do wrong? What¡¯s wrong with disciplining a wife who doesn¡¯t listen to me!¡± Noel looked towards Charlotte. ¡°Charlotte, this may be your last chance to hit this bastard.¡± Charlotte, who was hugging Eddie, shook her head slowly. She looks terrified. ¡°That kid is mine too, so what¡¯s the problem!?¡± Noel¡¯s insides were boiling hot. I tried to be an exemplary adult for my daughter, but this time I couldn¡¯t stand it. She said in a cold voice, ¡°Duke, please cover Leah¡¯s eyes.¡± Only then did Leander notice Noel had cold killing intent while holding a dagger. Anger seemed to have reached the top of her head. She seemed to be the type of person who got angry like ice-cold rather than raging fire. Leander blinked, covering Leah¡¯s eyes. ¡°Noel, I understand you¡¯re angry, but it¡¯s not good to kill a person¡­¡­¡± ¡®No, what do you think I am?¡¯ Shocked, Noel glanced at him for a moment and then turned her gaze back to the man in front of her. Then she lifted one corner of her lips with cold eyes. It was an expression that suited her perfectly with her aristocratic appearance. Noel lifted one of her shoes. ¡°In the next life¡­¡­¡± Then she shouted as if she was exploding the anger she had been holding back. ¡°Live a good life, bastard!¡± She hit the man¡¯s nose with the heel of her shoe. Blood was dripping from both of her nostrils before he collapsed with his eyes turned white. The man¡¯s head fell to the floor without a hitch. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The playground fell into a moment of silence at Noel¡¯s bloody behavior. In fact, she fixed the hem of her skirt with a relaxed expression as if it was nothing. ¡®I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t use a dagger.¡¯ Leander vowed to forget what he had just seen. And he decided that he had to avoid bumping into Noel at all costs. *** A few days have passed since Eddie was taken hostage. Noel had considered whether to scold Leah or not. Of course, her daughter¡¯s wounds healed. ¡°What if there¡¯s a scar?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± I glanced at my daughter¡¯s brave figure. When Leah ran into that man a few days ago, my heart still pounded when I remembered it. At that time, I was furious. When I asked Leah why she did such a reckless thing, she just laughed and answered, ¡°I mustered up my courage¡±. Chapter 33 It was difficult to scold a child who had endured fear to save her friend. ¡®Still, should I scold her for acting dangerously? But she didn¡¯t do anything bad¡­¡­¡¯ I tied her hair up and thought about it, but there was no right answer. Leah, oblivious to her mother¡¯s complicated thoughts, sat down and wrote diligently. Noel, who was in her agony, snuck up to her and asked, ¡°Leah, what do you write?¡± ¡°Letter.¡± ¡°To whom?¡± ¡°For my father.¡± ¡°To Rupert?¡± Leah noticed her mother¡¯s confused voice and asked, ¡°Is it okay to send a letter to my father¡­¡­?¡± Hearing her daughter¡¯s question, Noel quickly replied, ¡°Ah, of course.¡± Even though she pretended to be calm, she was actually worried. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell mom what you wrote?¡± Leah looked up briefly, ¡°No. It¡¯s a secret!¡± Noel is a little surprised that her daughter has kept a secret out of her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Noel, who couldn¡¯t just give up, kept wandering around Leah and coaxing her. Leah said, ¡®This is a secret!¡¯ one last time and Noel went to her own room. ¡®Why did you suddenly write to Rupert?¡¯ Noel has many doubts. ¡­¡­How about I take a peek? ¡®Oh no, I have to be a good adult to be exemplary for my daughter¡­¡­¡¯ Noel managed to stop her nosy hand from opening the door to Leah¡¯s room. ¡®Let¡¯s respect her privacy.¡¯ * Leah, oblivious to her mother¡¯s feelings, tilted her head in the room, concentrating on her drawing. ¡°Is this good?¡± She¡¯s been working hard recently. My Mom, Grandma Riz¨¦, and Duke¡­¡­ ¡®Oh, the duke carried me a few days ago!¡¯ Leah drew Leander holding her with difficulty. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Looking down proudly at her work, Leah wrote a letter again. The reason she suddenly felt compelled to send a letter to her father was simple. After the events of the previous few days, courage arose in her heart. ¡®Because I¡¯m my mother¡¯s star!¡¯ She seemed to think she could do anything. She also wants to send the drawing to her father, whom she usually feared. ¡®What is my father doing?¡¯ Leah thought her father was a cold-blooded person, that he didn¡¯t love her. ¡®But now my father is alone.¡¯ There were many servants and knights in the mansion, but even among them, my father always seemed lonely. ¡®Why does my father hate my mother and me?¡¯ However, I was very happy on the day my father gave me the teddy bear. Although it was lost when the building collapsed. ¡°What should I write again?¡± Leah, who had been in deep thought, squeezed her courage and muttered, ¡°¡­¡­I really enjoy this place. So I hope my dad is always happy too.¡± Leah smiled widely. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Leah put the drawing and letter in and pressed the glued envelope with her little hands. ¡®I hope my dad doesn¡¯t hate me anymore.¡¯ For Rupert, who has lived his whole life in fear of revealing his sincerity, Leah mustered up the courage first. ¡­¡­Of course, at this time, no one knew that the drawing in this envelope would cause a huge aftermath. *** Ordin flinched while sorting through the letters to Rupert. Among the colorful envelopes, there is an envelope with crooked letters written on it. At first, he thought someone was joking, but when he looked closely, it was written ¡®from Leah¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ordin expected that this letter would certainly have a negative effect on Rupert. He thought about stealing it for a while, but his conscience wasn¡¯t so bent that he threw away a letter from a 5-year-old to her biological father. He said, ¡°A letter has arrived from the young lady.¡± Leah¡¯s heartfelt letter arrived safely on Rupert¡¯s desk. ¡°From Leah?¡± Rupert stared at the envelope in front of him. ¡®From Leah¡¯ was written on the outside of the envelope. It was clearly written by his daughter. He didn¡¯t expect a letter to come to his daughter. Rupert pretended to be expressionless, and slowly opened the envelope and opened the letter. It was the first time he saw Leah¡¯s writing. Each letter was relatively easy to recognize. The first sentence was like this. [Hello, Father, this is Leah.] He read the letter calmly. There were some misspellings here and there, but it was readable. At the beginning of the letter, it was about how much fun she had been playing with Noel. The problem was in the middle. [¡­¡­Mom did a great job defeating that monster man! After that, my mom got busy. I guess it¡¯s because everyone likes her. But I am not lonely. Because the duke plays with me often.] Rupert frowned. Duke? ¡®What kind of bastard is he?¡¯ The only thing that can be known from the letter is that the two of them are getting along and that there is a strange guy around them. Rupert paused one more time on the last line. [I really enjoy this place. So I hope my dad is always happy too.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Leah, I left you long ago in my heart, and you still haven¡¯t abandoned me. I am afraid of your pure favor. He himself is a human who doesn¡¯t deserve this. Rupert pressed his eyes tight. ¡®This feeling is really uncomfortable.¡¯ He could clearly sense that he was agitating himself. ¡®How the hell did this happen?¡¯ His lifelong purpose was to lift the curse and raise his reputation to prove his mother wrong. So he was the one who kept his composure, and the woman suddenly came into his heart. [I just wanted to get to know you a little.] Was it the beginning? [Thank you.] ¡®How can someone talk like that?¡¯ [My father gave it to me first.] To someone like me who has lived a miserable life by killing people all the time. [I like this.] Do I deserve a normal life? He barely even got to the point where he was obscure about what he wanted. It¡¯s hard to resent a god you don¡¯t believe in. Eventually, Rupert frowned and put the letter down. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, Ordin observed Rupert¡¯s changing expression. That¡¯s not a good sign. The following words were even more shocking. ¡°Ordin, bring me the stationery.¡± Ordin was involuntarily startled by his master¡¯s serious tone. ¡°Are you going to reply?¡± A human who never cared so much about others all his life!? As the aide showed signs of meddling, Rupert looked dissatisfied. ¡°Well¡­¡­this is because of the minimum sense of duty as a parent.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that just an excuse?¡± Their gazes collided in the air for a moment. It was the sad reality of an aide if his boss cut him off, and the winner of this short battle was of course Rupert. Ordin let out a sigh and turned his head to focus on choosing a letter paper. You¡¯re sending it to a 5-year-old kid, so let¡¯s make it as cute as possible¡­¡­ ¡®Even though I am dissatisfied, I will do my best.¡¯ Rupert looked away from his back and put his hand on the desk again. There is something more inside the envelope. ¡®Drawing?¡¯ He opened the paper curiously. It¡¯s poor craftsmanship, but he can clearly see what is being drawn. This is a drawing of Noel, an old woman, and a man carrying Leah. The faces of the four are smiling harmoniously. They seemed to get along well. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert, who had accidentally crumpled the paper, put the drawing down first. Then he tapped the desk with his index finger, trying to calm himself. tuk. The sound of knocking on wood began to resound regularly in the office. tuk tuk. ¡®I can¡¯t do anything with this damn curse.¡¯ tuk tuk. ¡®Who is this guy who suddenly came out of nowhere?¡¯ tuk tuk tuk. ¡®You close the distance so easily.¡¯ tuk tuk tuk. ¡®Really.¡¯ tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk. ¡®The more I think about it¡­¡­¡¯ tuk tuk tuk. My head is getting hotter. tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk! ¡°Marquis, the knocking sound is noisy, so please be quiet¨C¡± Ordin turned his head with a frown and stopped when he saw Rupert¡¯s expression. ¡®What happened during the last three minutes?¡¯ ¡°Why are you suddenly pissed off?¡± ¡°Ordin, I don¡¯t need stationery.¡± Rupert spoke in a subdued tone and stood up harshly. queek. Ordin blinked as he heard the loud sound of the chair being pushed. He can¡¯t keep up with the situation. ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I no longer need stationery.¡± Rupert smiled savagely as he looked into his aide¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will meet her myself.¡± Chapter 34 4. Put the Cart Before the Horse Another lucid dream. Again, my body was translucent like a ghost, and I easily passed the obstacles in front of me. I looked around with anxious eyes. It looks like I am inside a building somewhere, but it¡¯s the first place I¡¯ve ever seen it. The view is blurry because there is a lot of dust inside. ¡®Is this a predictive dream again?¡¯ After a short walk, people appeared. There are familiar faces. ¡®The Raven Knights?¡¯ The Knights of Raven are exploring the surroundings with vigilant eyes. Among them is Aren. It seems that the knights are carrying out their mission. First of all, I followed Aren, who I was more comfortable with. Then, he suddenly turned his head away. I was inadvertently startled, but of course, he didn¡¯t see me. Aren shouted, [Get off here right now¨C] At the time, boom! The flames roared with a loud explosion. The knights around were caught up in the explosion in an instant. ¡®Nonsense!¡¯ Surprised, I stretched out my hand toward Aren, who was engulfed in fire. ¡°No!¡± I woke up from my bed screaming. My whole body is drenched in sweat. I roughly brushed the hair that stuck to my cheek. ¡®I can¡¯t pass it off as a normal dream anymore.¡¯ Even after my last dream about Leah, didn¡¯t the same thing happen in reality? But it¡¯s really weird. ¡®Aren is the heroine of this story.¡¯ What will happen when she dies? Who will break Rupert¡¯s curse? In this world, doesn¡¯t everything end in a happy ending no matter how the story goes in the middle? I muttered, ¡°If I don¡¯t stop it, will Aren die like in my dream¡­¡­?¡± Where did the problem come from? I thought that it would be enough for me and Leah to simply think about making a living. I thought that everything would go as planned even if the two of us were gone. I sighed. ¡°Haah¡­¡­¡± After all, life doesn¡¯t seem to go so easily. *** It was natural for my heart to feel rushed when I had such a dream. Of course, I hate Aren¡¯s death, and there are many problems that arise after his death. ¡®I need to find out why I¡¯m having these dreams soon.¡¯ For that, I have to meet Michael. In blood relations, he is almost like a stranger, but nonetheless, he is the only person I can trust. Besides, he is a genius who has been using magic since he was 3 years old. There is a saying that the history of magic is divided into before and after Michael¡¯s birth. He¡¯s such an incredibly busy man that he didn¡¯t stay long in one place. ¡®I wish I had time to ask questions about my condition.¡¯ I stayed in my room and wrote a letter to him. Just as the letter was put into the envelope, a knock was heard. ¡°Madam, Mrs. Riz¨¦ and the Duke have visited together.¡± ¡°Okay. I am coming.¡± I sealed the envelope and gave it to the maid, then I went out. Mrs. Riz¨¦ usually came with her maid when she came to this villa. But on three or four occasions, Leander accompanied her, and each time he played with Leah. Of course, Leah also welcomed him very much. * ¡°The Duke is here too!¡± ¡°Leah.¡± Leah, who jumped, was held up by Leander. I smiled when I saw them get along. ¡°Did the Duke follow you here to see Leah?¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ smiled and nodded her head. ¡°He did.¡± I remembered when my first niece was born in my previous life. ¡®So did I.¡¯ Leander is a good-natured person, so being with Leah should be fine. ¡®It would be a problem if he met Rupert, whose personality is the complete opposite of him.¡¯ But it doesn¡¯t matter since he¡¯s not here right now. ¡°Noel, you have a bad complexion. Is something bothering you?¡±, asked Mrs. Riz¨¦, who put down the teacup. I answered quickly, ¡°No, nothing.¡± Indeed, Mrs. Riz¨¦ was quick to notice. I immediately turned the subject. ¡°Come to think of it, I have one concern.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Leah wrote a letter to her father not long ago.¡± ¡°Oh, what was it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see it. She said it was a secret.¡± Stroking the handle of the teacup with my fingers, I asked, ¡°I¡¯m worried about that. I don¡¯t know what her behavior means.¡± This is not quite a lie. The only person I can consult on this subject was Mrs. Riz¨¦. What if Leah really wants to see Rupert? I worried about that. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask Leah directly?¡± To this extent, I have no choice but to reply with a depressed mood. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. There is a problem.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I shrugged. ¡°The problem is me. I was afraid that if I asked such a question, she would answer that she wanted to meet her father.¡± I can¡¯t ignore Leah¡¯s will. I thought about the lucid dream where Aren came out, but I may be the one who lacks courage rather than my daughter. ¡®Can I go back to Rupert¡¯s side and get along well?¡¯ A man with a curse that can only live by killing people. And according to the original story, he was going to kill me and Leah too. He has no emotion. ¡®There¡¯s no way Rupert would take care of us.¡¯ I¡¯m not the one who can change him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Somehow she interpreted my expression, Mrs. Riz¨¦ opened her mouth seriously, ¡°Noel, if your husband is someone who commits something like violence, I will help you¡­¡­ Oh my, did I say something I shouldn¡¯t? ¡°He is not that kind of person!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad if not that¡¯s the case.¡± It¡¯s pretty scary if it was true. I hid my bewildered expression as I picked up my teacup. At that time, a maid came rushing to me. ¡°Ma-Madam, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± The maid who approached quickly whispered in my ear. ¡°It seems that the Master has come, but¡­¡­¡± Whoops, I almost spit out my tea. ¡®Who¡¯s coming?¡¯ Who will be called the Master of this villa? Rupert Ainel. Am I still dreaming? ¡®Why are you here?¡¯ I shook my head quickly. Did something happen to Aren? ¡®No, more than that¡­¡­¡¯ ¡°Duke¡­¡­where is the Duke now? ¡± It would be a problem if Leander and Rupert met. It¡¯s like detonating a bomb in the middle of the villa. ¡°He just went to the flower bed with Miss Leah¡­¡­¡± ¡®Emergency!¡¯ A warning light came on in my head. I jumped up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Riz¨¦. Excuse me for a moment.¡± It was a flower bed, so I guessed where it was. Recently, I planted flower seeds with Leah. She must have taken Leander with her to show him. I grabbed the skirt and went to the flower bed. And just before turning the corner. ¡°¨CDuke Leander Ernst, why are you here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask.¡± I stopped at the bloody conversation. They already met. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ *** There were several reasons why Leander and Rupert had a bad relationship. First of all, because the Yuren Kingdom borders the Romstro Empire. It is often difficult to deal with the affairs that occur there. Cross-border crimes such as slave traders, thieves, and smuggling were among them. If something happened at the border, some coordination was necessary between the two countries when resolving it. An informal meeting was also held for that purpose. Rupert and Leander both had their own estates near the border. Because of this, the two often met as representatives of the talks. ¡­¡­Naturally, the results were always bad. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the first time we¡¯ve met since you bothered me with a bandit wandering around the border?¡± Leander was furious, ¡°Marquis Ainel, I wouldn¡¯t have protested if you hadn¡¯t thrown the bandit¡¯s body into a flock of wolves on the border plain.¡± ¡°That was a warning to other bandits nearby.¡± ¡°Did you call such a cruel act a warning?¡± Rupert answered sarcastically, ¡°There are a lot of idiots in the world who don¡¯t understand the situation well, the innocent Duke Ernst.¡± Neither of them showed any respect. ¡°It¡¯s much better than saying that you¡¯ll catch the bandits only after there is a victim.¡± The two are fundamentally incompatible. For Rupert, actions preceded thoughts, and for Leander, thoughts preceded actions. The way things are handled is different. ¡®Rather, stop fighting in front of Leah!¡¯ Although Leander has covered Leah¡¯s ears for a long time, it is ferocious to see an adult like this in front of a child. Rupert¡¯s eyes grew fiercer when he saw Leander¡¯s hands. ¡°Could it be that you were the Duke in the letter? I don¡¯t know what you are doing here, but let Leah come here now.¡± As he stretched out his hand, Leander smirked and hid Leah behind him. ¡°What are you doing? I know you are cruel, but are you trying to kidnap a child?¡± The stunned Rupert replied, ¡°Kidnap? That¡¯s what I should have said. Besides, do you know where you are right now?¡± ¡®I can see that you both have a huge misunderstanding.¡¯ I covered my face with my hands. I can¡¯t think of a way to clean up this mess. Meanwhile, the atmosphere becomes bloody. ¡°Marquis, I want to let you know that in the Yuren Kingdom, a punishment for child abduction is possible.¡± Rupert snorted. ¡°Are you even capable enough of getting me punished? You? A loser?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Leander frowned at his provocation. Chapter 35 The atmosphere was tense. ¡°For a moment! Both of you stop.¡± As if he had already noticed my presence, Rupert turned his gaze calmly. ¡°Noel, you need to explain the situation.¡± Fortunately, he was a bit more relaxed than when he was dealing with Leander. Leander has a worried expression on his face. ¡°It is dangerous, so it is better not to come.¡± I guess I¡¯ll have to tell him about my relationship with Rupert. Otherwise, there is no way to explain this situation. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Knowing that I am the Marchioness of Ainel, it may be difficult to get along with Mrs. Rize or Leander now. ¡®I even thought about settling here with Leah if I ever got a divorce.¡¯ I can¡¯t help it. I looked at Rupert for a moment. As if to reveal the truth quickly, he is looking at me with eager eyes. ¡­¡­To be honest, I feel a little resentful. You pushed me like that before I left, so why did you come all of a sudden? He is a very selfish human being. ¡°Duke.¡± I sighed and opened my mouth, ¡°He is my husband. He is also Leah¡¯s father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Leander looked down at Leah with a surprised look. He tilted his head and asked ¡®Is that true?¡¯ with his doubtful eyes. Leah smiled slightly and nodded her head. Then he held Leah up to his eye level. ¡°This is nonsense.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rupert frowned. Leander ignored him and made a serious expression. ¡°Marquis Ainel, how could such a cute child come out of your bloodline? Is this possible¡­¡­?¡± It was not sarcastic, it was a tone full of innocence. As if seeing a rare magic product for the first time. ¡°What?¡± Rarely did Rupert grind his teeth. My husband glared at Leander with dreadful glances, but he didn¡¯t do more than that because Leah was there. Only Leah in the middle turns her curious eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± Leah, who was in the middle and looked at the two of them alternately, suddenly exclaimed in admiration. ¡°Ah!¡± Leah exclaimed proudly as if she had understood the situation now. ¡°You two are friends!¡± The two men said the same thing. ¡°No!¡± Leah looks confused again. ¡°Huh? But this is the first time my father has spoken so much.¡± It seems that the formula that (her father talks a lot = friend) has been established. That¡¯s what I usually do! Rupert was dumbfounded as if embarrassed by Leah¡¯s pure words and eventually changed the subject of the conversation. ¡°Duke Ernst, if you understand the situation now, leave Leah and get fuc¨C¡­¡­no, get out!¡± Seeing Leah again, he corrected the word. Leander asked Leah, ¡°Is he really your father?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Leah.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Leander, who was contemplating, suddenly remembered something and asked Leah a question. ¡°Who do you like better, me or that man?¡± It was an open fight, and Leah who rolled her eyes murmured in his ear. ¡°¡­¡­I like the Duke better.¡± Even though she was whispering, Rupert could hear everything. Thanks to that, Leander had a proud expression on his face. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask you one more time, Marquis. Are you really Leah¡¯s father?¡± It was an obvious provocation. ¡°¡­¡­You bastard! I¡¯m her real father, are your ear holes clogged? How many times do I have to say it?¡± For a moment, the two men¡¯s argument became more intense. ¡®What is the reason?¡¯ I wonder why my husband has come all of a sudden. I held my breath as I watched the battle between the two, which seemed childish. ¡®Oh, my God.¡¯ *** First of all, I decided to clean up the situation after seeing off Leander and Mrs. Rize. Fortunately, Rupert only dislikes Leander, and he doesn¡¯t really care about Mrs. Rize. After sending Leah into her room, I asked him as we walked down the hallway. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Do I need a reason to come to my own villa?¡± It was the usual nonchalant tone of voice, but I noticed one odd thing. ¡°Hmm? Did you come all the way here when you have nothing to do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Of course I have a business.¡± ¡°You just said that you need a reason to come to your own villa?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sadly, he exercised his right to remain silent. He probably didn¡¯t want to tell me why he stopped by here. ¡®Why are you doing this?¡¯ He is not the one to waste time for no reason. ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t Leah just send you a letter? Was it because of that?¡± An immediate answer popped out. ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m just guessing.¡± I asked just in case, but he immediately denied it. ¡°You are not the type to move because you are curious about the well-being of Leah and me anyway.¡± When we finished talking, there was an awkward silence between us. Well, Rupert won¡¯t notice me, so I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s uncomfortable. Then, he suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°Absolutely not, but some of the members have been curious about how you are doing.¡± ¡°The raven knights?¡± If they asked me how I was, I think everyone is fine. Then, did the incident I saw in the dream not yet happen, or was it just an illusion? ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know when they became close with you, but they were so noisy about what you would do if something happened to you in another country.¡± Rupert murmured over and over, probably because he had heard a lot of nagging. ¡°They really have no shame to the point of telling me to check on you myself.¡± Was it that much? Somehow I¡¯m a little happy to hear that. I asked jokingly with a grin, ¡°You didn¡¯t come here because the knights told you to check on me, did you?¡± Of course, I was convinced that it wouldn¡¯t be the case. Rupert cared for his subordinates, but he was never the kind of person who would listen to such requests. ¡°¡­¡­Well, there are many reasons.¡± After hesitating for a while, he does not deny it at all. That attitude raised doubts. I¡¯m starting to get suspicious. ¡®He¡¯s been weird ever since.¡¯ Basically, he didn¡¯t use an uncertain way of speaking. But every time I ask why he¡¯s here, I feel like he¡¯s subtly avoiding the answer. ¡®He has the personality to say anything he wants.¡¯ Is it difficult to say directly? ¡®But is there any subject that makes Rupert uncomfortable?¡¯ I was lost in thought for a moment. First of all, he definitely didn¡¯t come here just to check on Leah and me, so there is definitely something to do. ¡®Is it something that can only be done with me?¡¯ Well, at this point, only one comes to mind. ¡°Rupert.¡± He stopped walking. I looked up at him and smiled favorably. ¡°Are you in need of me?¡± His red eyes fluttered rarely at the question. He seems a little confused. ¡°That¡­¡­you can think of it like that.¡± There¡¯s only one thing that Rupert needs of me. ¡°Noel, don¡¯t get me wrong though. Just for this time¡ª¡± I cut him off. ¡°Ah! Now I understand why you are here. Follow me.¡± He murmured confusedly at my words. ¡°¡­¡­You know what I¡¯m thinking?¡± ¡°Sure. Follow me.¡± I immediately turned back from the drawing-room and headed to the room that was used as a study and office. I opened the desk drawer. Inside is a briefcase. I admired my own readiness. ¡®I thought that this day would come someday and prepared it in advance.¡¯ It was in order not to make him feel uncomfortable. ¡®Was the dream I had last time not a foresight dream, but just a meaningless dream?¡¯ Otherwise, this perfect situation would never come. ¡°¡­¡­What is that?¡± Rupert asked, leaning his hand against the desk. I grinned. ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯ve always wanted.¡± ¡°What did I want?¡± Let¡¯s summarize the situation one more time. Now, my husband, Rupert, suddenly came to visit. ¡®This man hated me so much.¡¯ However, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he came to visit me who fled to another country. If I think about it carefully, it¡¯s been expected to some extent in the past. Of course, there was no such romantic illusion that the husband had come to find his daughter and his wife. So it¡¯s obvious why Rupert came all the way here for me. ¡®No matter how much I think about it, this is the only thing I can do.¡¯ ¡°Come to think of it, I couldn¡¯t say this earlier.¡± I said with a benevolent expression, ¡°Welcome, Rupert.¡± If you think of it as the last, being kind is the law of social life. He hesitated at my words, then opened his mouth. ¡°Noel, in fact¡ª¡± I don¡¯t have to listen to the end because I know what you¡¯re talking about. Immediately, I took out my fountain pen and smiled broadly at the papers in my hand. ¡°You¡¯re here to sign the divorce papers, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± crack! At the same time, the desk he was leaning on was broken. Chapter 36 I looked at the desk bewildered. ¡­¡­Hey, why is that broken? ¡®Is the wood rotten?¡¯ After a brief glance, Rupert snatched the papers from my hand. ¡°Oh!¡± I reached out my hand reflexively, but to no avail because of the height difference. ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to say.¡± He looked at the papers with a displeased expression. ¡°This is divorce papers.¡± ¡°¡­¡­yeah?¡± ¡°You even signed an autograph.¡± ¡°I did this in advance so as not to cause trouble with each other.¡± ¡°You said you knew what I was thinking?¡± I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Of course. You seemed uncomfortable talking to me first, so I took care of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I showed him the divorce papers which were prepared in the sense that he shouldn¡¯t feel uncomfortable because I didn¡¯t care at all. But his face became scary. ¡°Why did you make this in advance?¡± Then, knowing that something was wrong, I slowly retreated. ¡°¡­¡­aren¡¯t you here for this?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Then why did you come? There¡¯s no reason to come here other than this, right?¡± At the same time, the divorce papers in his hand were crumpled at once. I know he is angry right now. ¡®Dude, why the hell!?¡¯ The shattered paper looked like my future. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what it is, but we¡¯ll talk about it, we¡­¡­¡± I muttered as I looked up at him in tears. *** Noel¡¯s green eyes are frightened. First of all, Rupert also tried to calm her. He had no intention of frightening her. In fact, he had no particular reason for coming here in the first place. From the beginning, he had impulsively brought only a few of his subordinates, and when he saw Leander¡¯s face, he chased him away more impulsively. So it was natural that he had nothing to say in response to her question about why he came here. ¡®There are many things I want to ask you.¡¯ How did you become friends with Leander, what was in Leah¡¯s letter, why did you prepare the divorce papers in advance, and so on¡­¡­ But the question stuck on the tip of his tongue did not come out easily. This is because the moment he asks these questions, he has no choice but to admit it to himself. That he is emotionally entangled with her. ¡®How pathetic!¡¯ I feel like the most idiotic person in the world. It was even more so when I think of the self-denial that I have been thinking about alone. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that the ending of this idiotic act is that I¡¯m pissed off at the divorce papers my wife gave me.¡¯ He once had the rational judgment that signing the divorce papers would be better for him, her, and even his daughter¡¯s well-being, yet he had a much bigger heart that he absolutely doesn¡¯t want to think about that anymore. Even so, Rupert was a well-objectified human being. In other words, he knows very well that he has a bad temper, is unlucky, and is stubborn. He has never been so dedicated enough to put up with doing things he didn¡¯t want to do for others. ¡®It¡¯s better to just admit it all.¡¯ He can¡¯t avoid getting emotionally involved with his wife and daughter. When he came to such a conclusion, the confusion that had tormented him was cleared away. ¡°Noel.¡± Rupert spoke in a rather friendly tone. ¡°First of all, I will clear up the situation.¡± She asked, reassured by his calm look, ¡°How?¡± ¡°For now, we can¡¯t get a divorce.¡± As a human being who thinks and acts at the same time, Rupert immediately threw the papers at the fireplace. The flame burned the crumpled paper in an instant. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Noel was still confused because the scene in front of her could not follow her thoughts. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°Because I have no intention of doing it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Am I still dreaming?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ouch¡­¡­¡± Immediately pinching her cheek, Noel knew this was real. ¡®Reality!?¡¯ There was only one she could think of. ¡°¡­¡­Did you eat something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t want to bother going through the divorce process, so you plan to stab me right away¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Why do you come to such a conclusion?¡± Rupert frowned and strongly denied it. ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t divorce you.¡± For him, emotions surged over his head, and he even felt refreshed because that was the answer he came up with after deep thought. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But from Noel¡¯s point of view, it was really sudden. She wasn¡¯t optimistic enough to sum up Rupert¡¯s palm-flipping attitude(*), saying, ¡®You must have finally fallen in love with me.¡¯ (*His attitude changed 180¡ã). ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± It was natural to have doubts when people changed, and Noel stepped back even further. No matter how many books she read, she had no way of knowing exactly Rupert¡¯s inner state, who had turned his mind 180 degrees. All she remembers is that until the very end he pushed his wife and his daughter away and acted like they were of no value. He also broke his promise to act as a parent. ¡®Remembering it makes me angry.¡¯ Noel said in a displeased voice, ¡°Rupert, what do you want from me?¡± ¡°I want you and Leah coming back to the mansion.¡± ¡°Why? You hate me and Leah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Yes, it was worse. You had nothing to do with us.¡± Noel also remembered the conversation she had after waking up from fainting. That¡¯s definitely how he said it. There was no room for excuses. ¡°It¡¯s weird that a person who said that suddenly came and asked me to come back.¡± Her doubts were justified. At this point, Rupert has no choice but to reveal his honest thoughts to some extent. ¡°It¡¯s true that I thought it didn¡¯t matter at first. I thought I¡¯d forget it soon if you two were away, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡± More precisely, it was impossible. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Only then did Noel roughly guess his intention. She wasn¡¯t able to know Rupert¡¯s complicated psychology in detail, but, ¡®It is a common occurrence in human relationships.¡¯ He thought she was annoying and unnecessary when she was around, but the thought that he might not be able to see her at all makes him sad. However, it is a bit surprising that Rupert also has such feelings. ¡®This may be a temporary whim.¡¯ ¡°If that¡¯s the reason, I¡¯ll reject it.¡± ¡°But living in the mansion would be more comfortable for you. There are only a few passengers here, and the size of the villa is much smaller¡ª¡± ¡°Obviously, Marquis Ainel, compared to Ainel mansion, this villa can be described as shabby.¡± Noel grew angry little by little. ¡°I¡¯m not going back though.¡± You made a promise, and then you broke it. You said you had nothing to do with me and Leah, but suddenly appeared and said you wanted us to return to the mansion. ¡°I¡¯m not a good dog, who comes when you tell me to come and goes when you tell me to go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert was deeply perplexed. He didn¡¯t know she would show such a strong attitude. Noel in the past was uncontrollable, and recently she was bold but somewhat self-conscious. However, the Noel in front of him was neither of them. ¡°Even now, if you ask for an apology for my past mistakes, I will bow my head as much as I can. I will sincerely reflect.¡± Her green eyes had a noble dignity. Indeed, she is not the ¡®Noel Ainel¡¯ he used to know. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to look at you and tune in to you. I don¡¯t want to be swayed anymore.¡± How long has it been since I saw someone expressing their opinions without mixing any fear, contempt, or even a word of expectation? (Rupert) ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, Rupert. I and Leah won¡¯t be swayed by your momentary stubbornness.¡± Noel coldly pushed him away. Just like Rupert had done to her that day. ¡°So go back now.¡± *** I took a deep breath as I recalled the situation. ¡®I ended up facing Rupert head-on.¡¯ In fact, until now, I have tried to avoid direct conflict with him as much as possible. When I think of the original story, it was like my death flag. ¡®Well, I can¡¯t help it this time.¡¯ There were times when I thought it would be nice to be able to get to know him, but now I give up. ¡®Besides, Rupert¡¯s attitude can change at any time, like flipping the palm of the hand.¡¯ I have already experienced it, and I do not want to go through the same experience again. The strange thing is that Rupert gave up too easily. In the past, he would have been angry, or at least sarcastic. Besides, this was the villa of the Ainel family, and he could drive out me and Leah if he wanted to. ¡®Is there any special intention of his action?¡¯ I went to the drawing-room with that thought. Rupert didn¡¯t come here alone. He came with a few members of the Raven Knights. During the conversation with Rupert, the members who accompanied him were staying in the drawing-room, the maid told me. I heard roughly who came, so I couldn¡¯t send them back without seeing their faces. ¡®There are things I need to check myself.¡¯ After thinking about that, I knocked lightly and opened the drawing-room door. The two people who were sitting stood up in surprise. ¡°Oh, madam!¡± ¡°Sir Aren, Sir Hillis, you don¡¯t have to be so polite.¡± At my words, Aren and Hillis sat back down. Chapter 37 The two got a little confused when they saw me. What if they find out that I just did something like an argument with their master? ¡®After all, both of them are Rupert¡¯s subordinates.¡¯ As I sat down on the chair, I asked with as natural expression as possible, ¡°How have you been?¡± Hillis, who is relatively good-natured, answered first, ¡°We¡¯ve been doing well. How about you, madam?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on vacation, so I¡¯m doing well. Sir Hillis, is your injury getting better?¡± ¡°Thank you for worrying about me. It¡¯s completely healed.¡± Hillis, who responded like that, glanced at Aren for a moment and exchanged glances. I think I know why they did that. ¡°Are you wondering where Rupert is?¡± Aren nodded his head cautiously. ¡°Did you two finish the conversation well?¡± ¡°Sorry, I was pissed off and told him to go back right away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, he left the room after that, but I don¡¯t know where he went¡­¡­ Maybe he¡¯s preparing to go back?¡± As soon as they heard what I said, I thought both of them would say goodbye and get up from their seats. Chasing after the master is the most loyal act of a knight. However, the reaction between the two was unexpected. Hillis muttered, ¡°In the end, the master is not able to overcome his own temper¡­¡­¡± Aren looked at me worriedly. ¡°Are you okay, madam?¡± I replied, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m okay. But aren¡¯t you mad?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I kicked out the master you respect.¡± Hillis replied, ¡°Well, I respect his skills, but I don¡¯t respect his temper.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Confused, I muttered, ¡°It was an unexpected reaction.¡± Aren blinked and asked back, ¡°Did you think we were following our master like fanatics?¡± ¡°Not to that extent, but I thought you would be offended because I kicked him out.¡± Hillis smiled bitterly at me. Instead, Aren said, ¡°I respect my master, but I also like madam and young lady very much. So I hope you don¡¯t think like that.¡± I was surprised by the honest answer, and Hillis was bewildered. ¡°Hey, no, Sir Aren, I know you respect madam but choose your words carefully. Madam may have misunderstood¡­¡­¡± I laughed briefly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t misunderstand at all.¡± It¡¯s a bit impressive. I saw Aren and said, ¡°Thank you for saying that, sir.¡± Aren nodded with a calm smile. Seeing him like that, I remembered the dream I had before. ¡®I don¡¯t want to see Aren or the Raven Knights die.¡¯ I have an opportunity to have a conversation just in time, so I need to understand the situation. ¡°¡­¡­by the way, has the Ainel territory been peaceful lately? If you return, will both of you be immediately put to work on a new mission?¡± Since I couldn¡¯t ask directly, I purposely twisted my question. ¡®If I know what kind of mission they would be assigned, I might know something.¡¯ The answer came from Hillis. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about the gargoyle coming out like last time, there¡¯s no problem at all. And if you ask if we are going back to the territory right away¡­¡­hmm, I¡¯ll be here for a while since the master is here too.¡± I asked curiously, ¡°Rupert won¡¯t go back? Why?¡± Hillis laughed briefly. ¡°He is not the type of person who gives up easily once he has set a goal.¡± ¡°No way. When I told him to go back, he calmly backed away. He hates wasting time, so why not go straight to the Ainel estate?¡± Hillis jokingly answered my question, ¡°No, it was a strategic retreat. You mustn¡¯t let your guard down because the master is better at tactics than he seems.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t break his stubbornness so easily, right? He¡¯s tenacious.¡± ¡°What?¡± I was stunned. In the end, Hillis thought Rupert couldn¡¯t go back so easily. Maybe that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t go to find his master and instead spoke to me like this? Did he know he won¡¯t go back? ¡°¡­¡­it can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°For this time, Sir Hillis is probably right,¡± Aren suddenly intervened. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. In terms of battle, madam has an advantageous position. You are the one in control in this relationship.¡± I don¡¯t even think he¡¯s joking. ¡®Really? Rupert, are you going to stay here for a while?¡¯ ¡­¡­it gave me a headache at the thought that the situation had become a little more complicated. Perhaps because of that, I excitedly spoke without any consideration. ¡°Then persuade your master to go back. Both of you probably thought that I¡¯m not worthy of being a marchioness, even if you didn¡¯t hate me. So, with affection and loyalty, tell your master that there will be a better woman for him!¡± Hillis laughed at my self-deprecating talk. I¡¯m serious, so don¡¯t laugh. ¡°Well, the hard-headed aide Ordin would think so¡­¡­ But my opinion is a little different. Even a saintess would lose her temper if she was next to my master. In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be more suitable for someone who had a bad personality and then got better after reflecting on it? After all, the master doesn¡¯t hate madam now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Aren once again expressed his affirmation in silence at his fellow¡¯s words. After that, he opened his mouth with a very serious tone, just like his personality. ¡°Madam, because you have an advantageous position, all you have to do is to play tricks on the enemy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­as a knight, you both should protect your master if he is at a disadvantage in battle. Are you just thinking of instigating a fight?¡± ¡°I am a knight who lives in romance and dies in romance, so I am unconditionally on your side in love fights,¡± Hillis answered, sipping the tea. His good personality even feels cheeky. ¡°So, please make sure to give the master a lot of trouble. I¡¯ll cheer for you.¡± ¡®Wow, Rupert, look at these loyal subordinates of yours!¡¯ Anyway, in conclusion, I was told that I had to prepare for the second battle against Rupert. ¡­¡­I have no idea what attitude he¡¯ll turn out to be. *** Hillis and Aren¡¯s words were correct. Rupert did not go back to the mansion. He even stayed at the villa. ¡®Really, what the hell, why!¡¯ Why did the person who hated me suddenly insist on taking me? ¡®Do you really like me?¡¯ No, it wouldn¡¯t be that deep of an emotion. However, it seems he has developed a possessiveness towards me and Leah as if we were his. Of course, the situation has not changed much since Rupert¡¯s curse will not be lifted with a light obsession-level emotion. ¡°I¡¯m screwed.¡± I need a way to clearly articulate the current situation. Shall I decide by flipping a coin? If the front side comes up, I will go back to the mansion, and if the backside comes up, I and Leah will stay here¡­¡­ ¡®No, no. It¡¯s better to play a game with a high probability of winning.¡¯ It¡¯s a cowardly thought, but I didn¡¯t have enough time to compete fairly with my handsome husband. ¡®Where is a better place for me than Rupert?¡¯ After thinking for a while, I came up with a plausible trick. ¡°No matter how much I think about it, it¡¯s only there¡­¡­¡± However, it was difficult to prepare on my own right now, so I visited the Ernst mansion for help. The purpose was to meet Mrs. Riz¨¦. *** ¡°Welcome, Noel.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ welcomed me as always. ¡°Is it better to call you Marchioness Ainel from now on?¡± ¡°I wish you could keep calling me by my first name.¡± Even when she knows who I am now, Mrs. Riz¨¦ did not show any particular change of attitude. I was very grateful for that. ¡°I wanted to ask if the problem with your husband was resolved¡­¡­ Just by looking at your expression¡­¡­ ¡°Not at all.¡± With that in mind, I glanced at her. What do you think when you see me as the wife of the marquis of the neighboring country who has a bad relationship with your son? She smiled slightly at my expression. ¡°The Marquis Ainel and I have never met in person. But it seems he and my son really don¡¯t get along well.¡± I asked carefully, ¡°¡­¡­do you have any personal grudges against Rupert?¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ is a very personable woman, so I am worried that she may have accumulated a grudge against Rupert. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Rather, I personally appreciate his skills.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ laughed briefly. ¡°I often think it would be nice if my son¡¯s thoughts and Marquis Ainel¡¯s skills were mixed into one.¡± That¡¯s exactly what I thought last time. ¡°I really agree with that.¡± Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to particularly dislike Rupert. I decided to talk with confidence. ¡°¡­¡­Mrs. Riz¨¦, is the offer to speak to you if I need help in return for saving you in the past still valid?¡± ¡°Oh my,¡± she laughed. She seems to think that the situation is going to be fun. ¡°Of course. Life¡¯s debt is not going to go away so easily. Looks like you need something? I¡¯m guessing it has to do with the sudden appearance of your husband.¡± Her guess couldn¡¯t have been more precise than this. I simply gave a brief description of the current situation. Except for important things like the original story and Rupert¡¯s curse of course. Well, it was not difficult to explain that it can be expressed as a conflict between a couple. ¡°¡­¡­but I don¡¯t think either my husband or I will give up so easily. We can¡¯t just drag on in this situation, so we need a way to make a clear decision.¡± What I need is simple. Chapter 38 ¡®Maybe the best place for me is the ballroom.¡¯ Healing people is also a field I am proud of, but that does not determine victory or defeat. ¡°What method did you come up with?¡± ¡°Simply put, it¡¯s like playing tag[1].¡± [1] Tag is a playground game involving two or more players chasing other players in an attempt to ¡°tag¡± and mark them out of play, usually by touching with a hand. The method was simple. First of all, it is to hold a masquerade ball. Then Rupert and I will attend the ball. If he catches me in disguise within a set time, he wins, and if he doesn¡¯t catch me, it¡¯s my victory. ¡°¡­¡­So I hope Mrs. Riz¨¦ would hold a masquerade ball, is that possible?¡± The Dukedom of Ernst is famous, and the mansion is very spacious. On the day of the ball, many people will attend, and the inside will be crowded. The more people there are, the harder it will be for Rupert to find me. In my explanation, Mrs. Riz¨¦ has a more interesting expression on her face. ¡°A masquerade ball¡­¡­ hmm, I think it¡¯s going to be fun. But Noel, the ballroom will be a place in your favor, but can you win only with these rules?¡± I answered without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ve come up with a few tricks that I can use as long as I don¡¯t break the rules.¡± Like dressing a woman of similar size like me, or changing my disguise in the middle to confuse him. I had no intention of dealing with it with the standard method. I don¡¯t want to lose because I have pride! ¡°Noel, you don¡¯t want to lose, do you?¡± That was an accurate point. ¡°I know it¡¯s childish, but I don¡¯t want to be dragged around by him.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a good way. If it¡¯s a couple¡¯s fight that can¡¯t be solved by dialogue, the game is fine. Honestly, it¡¯s brilliant.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡­¡± It was fortunate that the response was more active than expected. ¡°Okay then, if you¡¯re going to start playing the game,¡± She took the teacup and spoke gracefully, ¡°Make sure you will win.¡± Having obtained a reliable helper, I also looked at my helper and smiled brightly. ¡°Of course.¡± *** Rupert looked around the garden of the villa which he had not visited in a long time. He used this small place a lot after he was transferred, but he hadn¡¯t used it since he was given the title, so he half forgot about it. It seems that the confrontation with Noel will last for quite some time, so it wouldn¡¯t be bad to look around properly. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped that it takes time to persuade her.¡¯ Fortunately, there was nothing he had to do in a hurry at the mansion of Ainel. Because if he stays here for a long time, Ordin will suffer from overwork. This was a decision I made with my own thoughts and half impulse, and I had no intention of backing down easily. What exactly this feeling meant was to take Noel and Leah with me first and then think about it later. ¡®If I don¡¯t take them now, I won¡¯t see them forever.¡¯ With that thought in mind, he stopped walking. A small presence was felt in a corner of the garden. Rupert paused, then called the person¡¯s name. ¡°Leah.¡± The child, who was watching the sprout growing under her feet, raised her head in amazement. ¡°Oh, father?¡± Leah¡¯s eyes widened as she looked up at him. Looking into those eyes for a moment, Rupert wondered what to say for a moment. ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the current situation, it seems too shameless to casually say hello. Because he hadn¡¯t taken good care of her all this time. In the end, all that came to mind was this: ¡°The letter you sent was well received.¡± Leah made a tearful face at those words. Rupert was perplexed. Then, she mumbled and asked, ¡°¡­¡­Are you angry because I sent you a letter?¡± He answered quickly, ¡°No way.¡± It was true that I came all the way here impulsively because of the contents of the letter, but it could not be said that it was Leah¡¯s fault. Even with the quick denial, the crying of the child did not go away, and he began to get worried. Just as he was wondering if he would be able to comfort her, Leah opened her mouth. ¡°But¡­¡­ you got angry because of my letter and fought with mom¡­¡­¡± She seems to have already noticed the subtle conflict between Noel and him. ¡®Did you think we were fighting because of you?¡¯ Rupert, unlike usual, tried to understand his daughter¡¯s feelings. Come to think of it, he seems to have been like that too when he was a kid. When his mother was sad, he knew it was all his fault. Since he was born, his mother was unhappy. When he thought of that, he had a vague sense of what to say to the child. ¡°Leah.¡± Rupert sat with one knee on the ground, eye-level with his daughter. ¡°We never fought.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± Her expression, which had been in tears, became slightly brighter. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think I must have been angry with your letter.¡± I never cared about my appearance, but she seemed afraid of me. Is my impression that bad? ¡°But¡­¡­¡± Rupert silently waited for Leah to speak. Leah rolled her eyes and said, ¡°¡ªFather hates me.¡± ¡®You talk the same thing as Noel.¡¯ He frowned slightly in denial. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± If he really hated her, he wouldn¡¯t have even paid attention to her, his own child. He is a human being who can be that cold. Leah looks like she knew a new fact. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After hearing that, Leah nodded and asked curiously, ¡°Then, if you weren¡¯t angry and didn¡¯t fight with mom, why did you come here?¡± Rupert flinched at the pure, innocent question from a 5-year-old. ¡°¡­¡­Do you think I can¡¯t come here unless I get angry or fight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At this level, even Rupert will reflect on his life a bit. What kind of person do you think you are in your daughter¡¯s mind? ¡°It was not for such a bad reason. I can come here anytime I want.¡± ¡°Then you came here for a good reason, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hearing the naive question, Rupert pondered on a suitable excuse as usual. He came to meet the two of them for no particular purpose, so it would be okay to express it that way. However, he was not honest with his feelings, and every time he recently did this warm and lukewarm act, he tried to put a plausible reason. ¡°¡­¡­Haha.¡± When he suddenly realized that fact, he burst out laughing. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m thinking about lying to such a child now.¡¯ Even in front of my five-year-old daughter, I thought of a vague excuse for coming to meet her. That was pathetic. ¡®I can¡¯t even call myself an adult.¡¯ Now that I think back on it, there were only the two of us here, Leah and myself. For a brief moment, there was no reason not to be honest. ¡°Leah, after reading your letter,¡± Rupert spoke slowly, ¡°¡ªI¡¯m curious what the two of you would look like without me. In fact, both of you would have been very well without me, but still¡­¡­¡± The real reason was this. It was an impulsive decision, so I can¡¯t say it plausibly. Then Leah pulled the collar around his shoulder. ¡°Ah! Have you ever been jealous that mom made a new friend?¡± He smirked. ¡°It might be. As you can see, this father of yours doesn¡¯t have any friends, but your mother was working hard to make friends.¡± The child nodded in agreement and said, ¡°Actually, father always seemed bored because you were alone.¡± Could it be seen in the eyes of a child? I feel strange. ¡°Yes, I was bored.¡± He raised his hand and gently stroked Leah¡¯s round head. ¡°I was so bored, then I suddenly wanted to go see you two.¡± ¡°Then, did you miss me and mom?¡± If you ask so innocently and naively, I have no choice but to forget everything and be honest, even for a moment. ¡°Yes, I came to see you.¡± ¡°Ehehehehe.¡± Leah burst into laughter and spread her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Rupert was taken aback by the unexpected situation. ¡°¡­¡­Leah?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep this a secret from mom.¡± Leah¡¯s innocent voice rang in his ears. ¡°I miss you too, father!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®I¡¯m happy.¡¯ At the same time, my heart was tight. I felt like a bug who was grinding its brain little by little. I could break anything, and I had the urge to do so. The feeling of hanging from the edge of a distant cliff. ¡®As expected.¡¯ I clenched my fists, with my hands on the floor. I know what these signs are. I¡¯m sick and tired of responding to these emotions. ¡°¡­¡­Leah¡± I could feel her little heart beating in my arms. Two conflicting thoughts run through my head. With a voice telling me to destroy her small body quickly. I do not want to lose this fragile life. ¡°Really¡­¡­for saying that,¡± Rupert cleared his mind and slowly opened his clenched fist. Then, very carefully, he patted Leah on the back and whispered low, ¡°¡ªThank you.¡± Now I have no choice but to admit it. In order to slow the curse¡¯s progress, suppressing emotions has become meaningless. ¡®I can¡¯t give up though.¡¯ Surely, I will also find a way to get rid of the curse, as soon as possible. So I will get all the things I wanted in life, but had to give up. Chapter 39 After the conspiracy with Mrs. Riz¨¦ was over, I returned to the villa. When I came back, Hillis was gone, and Leah was playing with Aren. I tried to find Rupert, but unexpectedly, he came to me first. As soon as I saw his face, I became anxious about whether he would readily accept my offer. ¡®No, Hillis and Aren said the advantage was on my side.¡¯ Besides, Rupert would not be willing to continue the emotional tug of war for a long time. I kept my arms crossed, and maintained my assertive expression as much as possible. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡± ¡°So do I.¡± I asked with some expectations for the answer. ¡°Are you going back?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s actually the opposite,¡± he was determined. That means he will be stubborn until the end. ¡°In the past, you used to tell me to leave whenever I made eye contact. You¡¯re suddenly acting the opposite way,¡± I grumbled. Why is your attitude changing at this point? ¡°I am reflecting.¡± ¡°Considering your personality, that¡¯s unbelievable¡­¡­¡± It is hard to believe that he is reflecting all of sudden. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t keep up with this situation, so I thought of a way to get a result.¡± He looks slightly interested. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play a game to decide who wins and loses. Of course, the winner chooses what he wants.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a game¡­¡­ Are you not overly disadvantaged?¡± He was sure that he would definitely win before even knowing the game. ¡°So, I will decide which game to play.¡± I was wondering how to convince him if he refuted it, but he very gladly agreed. ¡°Okay, let it be up to you,¡± he answered without hesitation. No matter how you look at me, aren¡¯t you underestimating me too much? ¡®There are at least one or two things I am better at than you!¡¯ ¡°You answered so easily¡­¡­ Do you know what kind of game I would suggest? As I grew up as a noblewoman, I learned all the basic skills. Embroidery, musical instruments, knitting, and so on!¡± As far as I can remember, Rupert would never have done anything like this. ¡°If I ask you to compete with these things, will it be your loss?¡± Rupert replied absurdly, ¡°But you only know how to do it, and neither of them you are good at.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s true. Literally, it is at the level of knowing ¡®how to do it¡¯. ¡°Besides, I tend to learn things quickly. To be honest, I have the confidence to catch up with your skill level in an instant.¡± Damn it. ¡°For reference, it would be better to say nonsense in a field like cooking. At least I¡¯ll do better.¡± ¡°Oh, I can cook as well.¡± I wanted to refute it by saying that I have memories of my past life. But come to think of it, in my previous life, I was busy with work, so I always bought food, or my mother made a lot of it and gave it to me. ¡°You can do it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I can.¡± It¡¯s sad that I have nothing to say anymore. ¡®In the past, it was a world where people could live without even being able to cook¡­¡­¡¯ But I don¡¯t want to lose and continued, ¡°By the way, my sewing¡¯s skill¡ª¡± Rupert asked sarcastically, ¡°At the best, it¡¯s just a button. You must have never made a living by making clothes or sewing.¡± ¡°Uh, no!¡± I learned sewing at the level of aristocrats. He clicked his tongue lightly, ¡°To tell you in advance, when I was young, I lived alone with my mother as a commoner. I can do basically everything necessary to survive.¡± That makes sense. If he couldn¡¯t sew or cook, it would be difficult for him to spend his childhood properly in the first place. When I thought about it, I felt a strange feeling. ¡®Huh, I might be a more useless person than I thought¡­¡­¡¯ Perhaps he noticed my complicated feelings, Rupert grinned. ¡°So, make sure you choose the game carefully. If you do it wrong, you will lose to me without even trying.¡± I feel like I¡¯ve lost even before the game starts. The only comforting thing is that his thoughts have absolutely nothing to do with what I¡¯m going to say. I tried my best to bluff. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve decided. It¡¯s something you can¡¯t easily think of.¡± ¡°Whatever the game is, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± If you look closely, Rupert knew how to scratch people¡¯s nerves very effectively. I looked up at him with sharp eyes. My pride did not allow me to be pushed here. ¡°Hm, don¡¯t beg me to go back with you after losing.¡± (Noel) ¡°You really¡­¡­ Don¡¯t ask me to go easy on you.¡± (Rupert) He laughed arrogantly. ¡°Unfortunately, I have never lost.¡± (Rupert) Is this really the human attitude that reflects on the past? ¡®No way.¡¯ The desire to win was on fire. I was determined to win for the sake of my daughter and myself. *** Soon after, an invitation came from the Duke of Ernst. I explained the game to Rupert, and he was quick to notice. ¡°Did you conspire with Mrs. Riz¨¦ Ernst?¡± I frowned with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He smiled the same way. However, unlike me, he looked a little scary. ¡°If you¡¯ve set up a plan with Leander Ernst, you¡¯ll have to fully prepare for the aftermath. I¡¯m very displeased with him being involved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I have set up a ball with Mrs. Riz¨¦¡¯s help.¡± Rupert¡¯s hostility seemed to be sparked by something related to Leander. He didn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with setting up a ball with Mrs. Riz¨¦. ¡°For a short time, you have been close to Mrs. Riz¨¦ Ernst. You really have worked hard, Noel.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you care what Mrs. Riz¨¦ and I have planned. It might be against you.¡± ¡°Not really. It¡¯s not going to be great anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was clear that the word ¡®bastard¡¯ exists to describe the human being Rupert Ainel. As she grumbled inwardly, Rupert said, ¡°But you used your brain well. There¡¯s no place like this that¡¯s more advantageous to you than I am.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard someone say that the only thing for a person who has an advantageous position to do is to play with the enemy.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± Rupert frowned at my words as he made a face of realization. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m sure they were the ones who said that. So they¡¯re not on my side? Looks like they¡¯re closer to you than I thought.¡± He seems to have noticed at once that the people who said that to me were Hillis and Aren. He spoke to me with slight resentment, ¡°You don¡¯t even listen to me at all, but listen carefully to those guys.¡± Hmm, are you jealous that you lost the attention of your subordinates to me now? ¡®He has a cute side.¡¯ I kindly advised, ¡°If you like your subordinates that much, you have to treat them kindly¡± He has an absurd expression on his face. ¡°Just because I treat my subordinates kindly doesn¡¯t mean you listen to me well, do you?¡± Then I realized that I had misunderstood the meaning of his words. ¡°¡­¡­Oh, were you jealous that I only listened to Aren and Sir Hillis?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Of course¡±. I thought Rupert hated me for taking his subordinates, but it¡¯s the other way around. In other words, he doesn¡¯t like Aren and Hillis for taking my attention¡­¡­ ¡®What, did you eat wrong?¡¯ Why all of a sudden? After thinking about it, I decided to dismiss what he just said as an auditory hallucination. Because you can¡¯t complicate your head with useless things before the game! ¡°Hm, uh huh! Okay, back to the point¡ª¡± Rupert giggled lightly, ¡°Look, you don¡¯t even want to listen to what I¡¯m saying.¡± I desperately ignored him. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­uh never forget it! If you don¡¯t find me by eight o¡¯clock, you lose.¡± The masquerade ball will last until 8 o¡¯clock, and after that, the guests can take off their masks and walk around freely. Fortunately, Rupert didn¡¯t get hung up on the previous conversation any longer and responded to the changed topic. ¡°I will remember it.¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not going to leave the Ernst mansion.¡± Of course, other means will be used a lot. The Ernst mansion is large enough to take several hours to explore. Considering that the masquerade lasts for about four hours, it¡¯s quite a difficult task. But he didn¡¯t seem to be worried at all. Rather, he has a face full of interest ¡°Tag game. It will be my first time, but it sounds fun.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make it easy just because it¡¯s your first time, so you better be prepared.¡± The reason I¡¯m yelling like this, of course, is that I¡¯m going to use every cowardly method available to me. ¡°¡ªTag game?¡± Then, we raised our heads at the sudden voice. Leah is sticking her head out between the opened door. ¡°Mom! Father! Are you going to play tag?¡± Chapter 40 While hesitating at the unexpected question, Rupert answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Then Leah walked closer to him. Not me, but towards Rupert. ¡°Can¡¯t I play too?¡± He chuckled at Leah¡¯s cuteness. ¡°Later. Now it¡¯s an important match with your mother.¡± ¡°A match?¡± The atmosphere of the two talking like that is much softer than before. ¡®What happened while I was away?¡¯ First of all, it was a little shocking that Leah went to Rupert before me¡­¡­!¡¯ Then, Leah asked with a worried face, ¡°Mom and father, are you fighting again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a fight, sweetheart. Well, this is, um¡­¡­¡± I can¡¯t explain that I was angry at your father¡¯s stubborn attitude and wanted to eat him. Rupert said, ¡°We¡¯re trying to decide who¡¯s going to hang out with you longer, Leah.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡­with me?¡± ¡°From now on, I want to play with you too.¡± He glanced at me and continued, ¡°But Noel doesn¡¯t like it because she likes you so much.¡± Hey, what the hell? ¡°So the one who wins the tag game will play with you more.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Leah agreed, and I was a little shocked. ¡®Rupert explained it at the level of a child like that!?¡¯ What the hell happened? ¡®It¡¯s not a bad thing that the two of them are close.¡¯ But still, when Leah suddenly approached him, I felt a little alienated. ¡®I am a narrower person than I thought¡­¡­¡¯ While I was reflecting, Leah pulled Rupert¡¯s hem. ¡°Then, after playing with mom, play with me too!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Are you answering on the premise that you will definitely win against me? ¡°Rupert, isn¡¯t it better not to make a promise you can¡¯t keep?¡± He laughed lightly. It¡¯s a look that literally provokes me. ¡°Hmm, well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the end, I couldn¡¯t figure out the exact reason for his change of heart. And the day of the masquerade ball is approaching. *** It sounded magnificent. This is because the number of performers at the ball is almost orchestra-level. All thanks to Mrs. Riz¨¦¡¯s determination and preparation. ¡°It¡¯s bigger than I thought.¡± I looked down at the central hall from the third floor and admired it blankly. Seen from above, the view of the ball is spectacular. It really is a masquerade ball. There are many clothes with all kinds of colorful patterns. The colorful hem of the skirt is so bright that it makes my eyes ache. Even the mask that covered the face has jewels on it on the side, and there are many guests who put great effort into their makeup. Starting with the winged fairy, the pirate, and the clown¡­¡­ Of course, any attire is decorated with jewels and gold thread, so it is very splendid. ¡®Oh, there¡¯s a rabbit mask too.¡¯ It¡¯s interesting because I only saw all of this at the amusement park in my previous life. There are also other animal masks. Leah will love it. ¡®How will Rupert look?¡¯ In the first place, the purpose is to catch me, and since he is someone who doesn¡¯t like this kind of atmosphere, there is a high possibility that he is only wearing a mask that is comfortable for him. If I know what he looks like, it is easy to avoid him, so I tried to find him, but I couldn¡¯t. ¡®Anyway, thanks to you, I might win easily.¡¯ The guests are very active, so it is more crowded than expected. For Rupert who has a more sensitive sense than the average person, this situation will be quite exhausting. I left the venue to express my gratitude to the people of Yuren Kingdom who are serious about playing. ¡°Oh, hold on!¡± While I was walking, a passerby grabbed me and handed me a tray of empty glasses. ¡°Hey, who are you? I don¡¯t know because you¡¯re wearing a mask. Anyway, if your hands are empty, take this to the kitchen.¡± Without shame, I meekly accepted the tray. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I looked at the back of the young servant who passed by immediately. ¡®Looks like my disguise worked.¡¯ Currently, I am wearing the maid outfit of the Ernst duchy. That¡¯s why the servant misunderstood and gave me a job. ¡®It¡¯s better than I thought.¡¯ Holding the tray, I hummed. At the masquerade, all employees of Ernst who attended are wearing plain white masks. It is difficult to distinguish faces even among the employees because it is designed to cover everything except the mouth area. From masks to formal maid clothes. Anyone can see that I am now a maid from the Ernst duchy. ¡®To the aristocrats, the maids are like air: They are there but not visible.¡¯ It is comfortable to walk around freely, as there is hardly any attention. Of course, the operation does not end here. With the help of Mrs. Riz¨¦, women dressed similarly to me are currently walking around the Duke. It would be a bonus if Rupert was tricked into spending time with him. ¡°Here, these are the empty glasses.¡± I brought the glasses to the kitchen. A middle-aged woman took the glasses and moved with a bustle. ¡°Great job! Umm, your black hair is familiar. Could it be you? Anyway, can you bring this to the Duke?¡± I am also wearing a wig, so it looked like I was mistaken for another maid. ¡°Okay.¡± She smirked and tapped me on my shoulder. I accepted the bottle of wine and replied with a smile. I naturally blend in among the maids. In this situation, I also felt confident that I might be able to identify Rupert before he did. Well, if you are a normal noblewoman, this would be a huge disgrace, but I don¡¯t even care. ¡®I remember working part-time in a restaurant when I was in college.¡¯ Come to think of it, I was pretty good at washing dishes. The last time when I argued with Rupert, I should have said that I¡¯m good at washing dishes! With that thought, I arrived at the venue again with wine in my hand. The passage used by employees is in the first corner. It¡¯s hard to see, and there are hardly any people nearby. ¡®It¡¯s good to have a rescue plan ahead of time to secure an escape route.¡¯ Otherwise, you might get lost in the middle. Then, someone swung my arm. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, I thought Rupert had found me and I unconsciously stiffened my body. ¡°Hey¡­¡­you, who are you? Oh, are you a maid? Stop!¡± I was relieved after checking the person. One of the simple guests. He is a man with a strong smell of alcohol. And he is holding a wine glass in one hand. ¡®Did you get drunk and come near this aisle?¡¯ Looks like he didn¡¯t notice that he was very drunk and that the mask he was wearing was crooked. I didn¡¯t want to be revealed by making a fuss, so I spoke in a friendly tone. ¡°This is not a place for guests to be because it is the aisle for employees. May I guide you to the place where the guests are?¡± ¡°Aha!¡± Hearing my voice, the man smirked and grabbed my shoulder. ¡°Hey, you have a good voice. Why don¡¯t you take off your mask?¡± Are you a playboy? It¡¯s become annoying. ¡°That¡¯s not the rule.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stiff! Then we can go over there and take it off, okay?¡± Saying that, he openly tried to drag me to a dark place. It was obvious what he was trying to do, so I strongly shook off his hand. ¡°Put your hands down!¡± I even made up my mind to hit his head with the bottle of wine I was holding if he bothered me more. ¡°Damn it, the lowly arrogant!¡± He was about to pour a glass of wine that he brought. I closed my eyes tightly at the thought that I would be doused with alcohol. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± But I didn¡¯t feel anything, and slowly opened my eyes. At the same time, I was startled by the sight in front of me. Pink body, round whitetail. ¡®Rabbit?¡¯ There is a back view of a rabbit right in front of me. To be precise, he is a person who disguised himself as a rabbit doll. I remember seeing him at the venue earlier. ¡®Are you helping me?¡¯ The person inside the costume seems to be quite tall. The doll¡¯s clothes are so large that I have to lift my head to see the ears. ¡°You, who are you?¡± The man was bewildered by the sudden appearance of a giant rabbit. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The rabbit said nothing and looked down at the man in a daunting way. ¡®Are you mad?¡¯ By that time, thinking that the crisis had passed, I slipped aside. Then I can see the side face of the rabbit. ¡®You got spilled wine instead of me¡­¡­¡¯ The mouth of the mask is stained with wine. It is a white and pink-colored mask, so it looks really good. ¡°I, I, thank you.¡± The rabbit, who had been silently staring at the drunkard, turned away. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He looked at me for a moment, then turned his head away again. ¡®Does it mean that it¡¯s okay?¡¯ ¡°Hey, what are you doing, bastard?¡± Perhaps he thought he was being ignored, the drunken man twisted his face. ¡°You bastard over there! Can¡¯t you take off that mask right now? Judging by such a funny thing you¡¯re wearing, you must be from an insignificant family!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The rabbit still said nothing. He just grabbed the man by the collar. ¡°Gasp!¡± Perhaps due to the height difference, the man was quickly knocked down before his shiny shoes flew through the air. Chapter 41 ¡°Let go of me right now. Do you know who I am¡­¡­?!¡± Actually, I wanted to hit him with a bottle of wine, so I don¡¯t stop the rabbit man. ¡®Rabbit, you have a temper!¡¯ Then, someone tapped my shoulder. ¡°Huh?¡± When I turned around, this time there is a brown bear. To be precise, a person wearing a teddy bear costume. ¡®I also saw this bear before¡­¡­¡¯ The person inside the bear costume is also quite tall. It is as tall as the rabbit. The brown bear pointed to the wine bottle I was holding. ¡°Um, can you give it to me¡­¡­?¡± With a slight nod, I handed him a bottle of wine. The bear, who received the wine politely with his two hands, also bowed slightly. ¡®You¡¯re a polite bear.¡¯ The bear gripped the mouth of the wine bottle like a club and swung it at the man whose collar the rabbit was gripping. ¡®Oh, no! The bear is violent, too!¡¯ ¡°Hey, hey, hey! I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. Oh my God!¡± The face of the man, who was threatened by the rabbit and bear, turned blue in an instant. As I was watching this scene in real-time, I was at a loss as to how to react. This is the crime scene of animals¡­¡­? ¡®I take back my word that Leah will love it.¡¯ ¡°Urgh, I¡¯m sorry!¡± The angry rabbit shook the man by the collar excitedly. Meanwhile, the bear turned his head towards me. Still holding the bottle of wine like a club. ¡°¡­¡­ahaha. I didn¡¯t see anything.¡± I put on a harmless expression, and luckily the bear doesn¡¯t seem to really care about me. He just gestured with his big hand as if telling me to leave. ¡°Uh, um, thank you both for your help¡­¡­¡± I quickly ran away from the scene of violence between the rabbit and the bear. *** The confidence to find Rupert first and understand the situation disappeared without a trace because of the fight between the animals earlier. ¡®Let¡¯s just stay in the corner.¡¯ I won¡¯t even go near the ballroom until the time is up. The garden of Ernst¡¯s mansion was so large. ¡®There¡¯s less than an hour left.¡¯ Fortunately, I didn¡¯t even see Rupert¡¯s shadow. I worked hard to prepare for this game. But I couldn¡¯t imagine seeing Rupert fervently looking for me. ¡®He¡¯s not that kind of person.¡¯ It was also questionable if he wanted to take Leah and me to the mansion so seriously that he had to work so hard. ¡®He said we are worthless.¡¯ If I were the female lead, there would be no need to doubt this change of attitude of the male lead. ¡®Unfortunately, I¡¯m not the female lead.¡¯ To be honest, I still doubt if Rupert¡¯s feelings towards us are just mild possessiveness of himself. After all, I am doubting his sincerity. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I stopped walking after thinking about many things. The place I am now is the outside hallway leading to the garden. I can see a well-maintained garden between the pillars. It¡¯s a perfect place to take a walk. ¡®Is there thirty minutes left?¡¯ See? As expected, I¡¯m going to win. How can you find me in this wide place? ¡®When the time is over, I¡¯ll laugh at you and tell you to stamp the divorce papers!¡¯ With that thought in mind, I started walking again, and at the end of the hallway, I saw a man. ¡®Are you a servant?¡¯ I narrowed my eyes. Lanterns are placed in the middle of the hallway, but it is difficult to see the man clearly. ¡°You¡¯re quite tall¡­¡­¡± Two long ears protruded from the head of the man whose back to the moonlight. It is the man in the rabbit costume earlier. There is a stain of wine on his lips, so it is certainly him. ¡®Why is a guest here?¡¯ A rabbit I met in the dark hallway at night¡­¡­ gave a creepy feeling rather than cute. First of all, it¡¯s a giant rabbit. At this point, I wonder who is inside that costume. I looked at him blankly. Then, the rabbit man slightly bent his legs. ¡®What?¡¯ His arms are also bent, taking a running position. At the same time, he ran towards me. ¡­¡­and he rushed this way with great speed. ¡°Uh, ah? Whoa!?¡± I turned around and started running away. ¡®Why, why are you chasing me!¡¯ A giant rabbit suddenly chasing me like crazy in a deserted hallway. There¡¯s no way that it¡¯s because he¡¯s happy to see me! When I ran and looked back, the rabbit is chasing me tenaciously. The feeling of intimidation is so great that the wine on his lips looks like blood. ¡®I¡¯m scared!¡¯ Are you mad because of that wine stain!? ¡°Ah, sorry that I left first, I will pay for the laundry,¡± I shouted while running. Then the rabbit¡¯s speed slowed down. Did it work? ¡®You must be someone who cares a lot about your rabbit costume. That¡¯s why you¡¯re mad because of that stain!¡¯ But that was just an illusion¡­¡­ the rabbit ran again at a frightening speed. ¡°What is it, are you still mad?¡± Oh, I¡¯m really scared! ¡°You can remove the wine stain after washing it.¡± It was useless. The giant rabbit still ran with the tenacity to catch me. I now have a reasonable suspicion that there may be a crazy serial killer in that cute rabbit costume. ¡®I¡¯m going to die at this rate!¡¯ Eventually, I ran down the hallway and shouted. ¡°Is there anyone? There¡¯s a rabbit chasing me! A crazy rabbit is chasing me!¡± *** It was fortunate that I knew the way in advance. I escaped somehow and hid behind the bushes in the garden. It¡¯s a dark place. I just hope the rabbit won¡¯t find me. rustle. I heard a rustling sound around me. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was the wind or if the rabbit was nearby. ¡®What a thriller out of nowhere!¡¯ How did this happen? I bowed my back and moved slowly. Anyway, I have to go to a place with a lot of people. Hiding behind a large tree, I looked around. From a distance, I can see the rabbit ears. That¡¯s right. ¡®You can¡¯t see me because I¡¯m behind a tree.¡¯ In order to move after the rabbit passed, I crouched down and held my breath. rustle. rustle. rustle. The rustling sound stopped. ¡®He left?¡¯ I carefully raised my head. And¡­¡­ I made eye contact with the rabbit man with his head sticking out of the side of the tree. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I was so startled that I screamed a second too late. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± I quickly stood up and ran away. ¡®How can you move silently with that size!¡¯ I ran frantically, losing my sense of direction. It is right in front of the garden fence. ¡®It¡¯s a dead end!¡¯ Too high to jump over. As I turned my head to find another escape route, the rabbit appeared from behind. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡­!¡± I gradually stepped back. A rabbit man with dark red stains on his lips approached me. My back suddenly hit the wall. As if trying to prevent me from running away any further, he put his hands on both sides of me. The rabbit is looking down at me. ¡®Why are you doing this to me, you punk!¡¯ Can I win if I hit him with my fist? Then, a low voice could be heard. ¡°Better than expected.¡± It was a familiar voice. ¡°You¡¯re good at running away, Noel.¡± Chapter 42 Only then did I figure out the identity of this damn rabbit. No way. ¡°Ru-Rupert!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± I was so surprised that harsh words came out of my mouth. ¡°Crazy! Why would a man who doesn¡¯t need to hide his hideous face do such a thing! I¡¯m scared to death!¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± He looks confused. ¡°But this is a rabbit. Isn¡¯t it a harmless herbivore?¡± I shouted, ¡°You thought it wouldn¡¯t be scary if you only wore a rabbit costume!? How ridiculous!¡± Now I understand why there was such a strong sense of intimidation even though it was a cute rabbit costume. It was all because Rupert is inside! ¡°Why are you dressed like that¡­¡­?¡± I slumped and muttered. I thought Rupert would never walk around like that. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± said Rupert regretfully. It pissed me off even more because he actually had no malicious intent at all. I looked up at him and shouted angrily, ¡°Take off that doll costume right now!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll do it.¡± Perhaps he was feeling guilty, he obediently took off his mask and doll costume. Now he is only wearing a light shirt and black pants. I looked at him suspiciously. ¡°Why did you dress up like that? Did someone threaten you? But there¡¯s no way you¡¯d go along with this kind of threat.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What did you really eat wrong? Did you suddenly get an incurable disease? You¡¯re not the type to wear this even if you die¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Right, absolutely not. But that¡¯s what you thought, so you didn¡¯t expect me to be a rabbit, even when I was right in front of you.¡± ¡°Did you just do this to outwit me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason.¡± It means there are other reasons. I had no idea what the hell he was thinking. ¡®If you had caught me in the ballroom earlier in the first place, it would have been all over!¡¯ It was like he letting me go on purpose. Why did you do such a troublesome thing? Really, it was full of things I didn¡¯t understand from one to ten. There are more than one or two problems to think about. Rupert¡¯s complicated behavior made my head hurt. In the end, I shouted and asked, ¡°What the hell are you thinking¡­¡­?¡± Rupert looked confused at my expression. Anyway, it seems like he didn¡¯t really mean to bother me. ¡°I was just trying to change the image of myself in your head.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You must have thought I wouldn¡¯t be active enough to play this game, and that there was no way I would want to take you and Leah to the mansion to the point that I did something I wouldn¡¯t normally do even if I died, and¡­¡­¡± That was the point. ¡°And?¡± He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­I wanted to let you know that I was serious enough to wear this strange thing. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t believe me, would you?¡± Rupert finds it awkward to say something like this. ¡°Because of what I¡¯ve talked about before, you won¡¯t hear it seriously if I say this now. I want you to come back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, just like you in the past, I want to show you that I have changed too¡­¡­ sigh¡­¡­¡± He suddenly sighed and ruffled his hair. ¡°Damn, I¡¯ve never done anything like this in my life, so I don¡¯t know if this is the right way. I feel like I¡¯ve become an idiot. Anyway, that¡¯s my original reason. Noel, did you get it right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I nodded my head blankly. This is an unexpected development. ¡°Seriously, do you want to start over?¡± ¡°Yes. So Noel, now decide. Do you want to go back to the mansion?¡± Rupert looked at me seriously. I was so confused. ¡°But I¡¯m already caught, right? You won the game.¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t ¡®caught¡¯ you yet.¡± Well, physically he hasn¡¯t touched a single finger of mine yet. ¡°There are ten minutes left.¡± He spoke as he showed the pocket watch he took out. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might misunderstand, but I didn¡¯t mean to force you. So it doesn¡¯t matter whether I win or lose this game.¡± I understand his intentions. It means that Rupert will respect my opinion. ¡®He didn¡¯t intend to win this game from the beginning. He just needed an opportunity to show his sincerity.¡¯ Why are you showing this side of you now? He sat on one knee, making eye contact with me, who was still sitting down. ¡°My attitude was bad last time. I sincerely apologize, Noel.¡± Hesitating, he quietly held out his hand. ¡°Can you forgive me?¡± I bit my lip. You acted oppressively as if you would never reflect for the rest of your life. Why are you suddenly giving up your pride? ¡°I hope we can go back home together.¡± If he continues to show his selfish attitude, I won¡¯t be this worried. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert didn¡¯t urge me to answer, and the surroundings are quiet. As if only the two of us are left in this world. Only the sound of music and the singing of grasshoppers awakens the sense of reality. ding- At that moment, the bell rang amidst the silence. ding- It was the bell of the clock tower signaling the end of our game. ding- Slowly, I stretched out my hand. ¡°¡­¡­okay.¡± Will this be the right choice? ding- I don¡¯t know right now. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Rupert.¡± I held his hand. *** After that, I asked Rupert some questions. ¡°Where did you get the rabbit costume?¡± ¡°Leander Ernst.¡± ¡°Wait, why does the Duke have such a thing?¡± ¡°For security at the masquerade, he put knights on patrol in costumes too.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s to stop playboy like the guest I saw.¡± There are plenty of rude people among the guests. ¡°Yeah, he really hates such things.¡± ¡°Then the bear next to you was also a knight of the Ernst family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Liander Ernst himself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­why did the duke wear it?¡± You¡¯re the famous Duke, so be the main character of the party! ¡°Well, at the masquerade, if your identity is easy to reveal, you can be easily attacked. What¡¯s more, he¡¯s not married yet.¡± Hmm, I guess he wanted to hide from the young ladies who approached him. After thinking about it, I paused for a moment. ¡°Wait a minute. Do you mean the Duke lent the doll costume to you? Is it a lie that the two of you have a bad relationship?¡± If that was the case, then Leander was interfering with my victory¡­¡­! Rupert furrowed his brows. ¡°It¡¯s nonsense. We met by chance earlier. Besides, I never get any help from him. I¡¯ve made some annoying deals only for the doll costume. Little punk.¡± ¡°What deal?¡± ¡°At least I won¡¯t be able to cut up the thief¡¯s corpse and dump it at the border.¡± Apparently, Leander took this opportunity to solve some troubling problems. ¡°¡­¡­Rupert, in any case, it is true that you conspired with the Duke. Well, I also had a conspiracy with Mrs. Riz¨¦, so I can¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°It is not a conspiracy.¡± That¡¯s a conspiracy. I feel betrayed by Leander. I thought he would be on my side. ¡®You took all the benefits that you could take in the middle!¡¯ It seems that he has the title of duke not without reason. ¡°Because I don¡¯t have a doll costume unless I borrow one.¡± Rupert doesn¡¯t want to admit his conspiracy with Leander until the end. ¡°But the two of you worked really well together when it came to dealing with the drunkard earlier. Maybe you two could become friends.¡± I frowned as I saw his displeased expression. ¡°Never, even if I die, it will never happen.¡± Because they have completely opposite tendencies, I don¡¯t think they can get along very well. I have another question. ¡°Wait, people dressed like me were hanging around the ballroom, didn¡¯t you get confused?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡­¡± He recalled something and answered. ¡°You might think I was confused, but I wasn¡¯t.¡± I asked suspiciously. ¡°¡­¡­that¡¯s ridiculous. It will be difficult to tell them apart if they don¡¯t take off all the masks one by one.¡± ¡®I even use the same perfume as them!¡¯ ¡°There is a simpler way.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± He looked down at me for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°I have no intention of telling you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more curious. What is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Does Rupert have a hidden ability that I don¡¯t know about? ¡®Are you a clairvoyant?¡¯ No matter how much I ask, he doesn¡¯t answer this easily. Chapter 43 ¡®Well, I can¡¯t ask anything related to the curse.¡¯ It was Rupert¡¯s biggest and darkest secret. I wondered if the day would come when I would hear directly from him about the curse. ¡®I have to pretend I don¡¯t know about the curse until he tells me.¡¯ If he asks me how I know, I can¡¯t answer. If I make up excuses hastily, the relationship we have built up will be shattered. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t help it if you don¡¯t want to tell me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving up easily unexpectedly.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I know when to step back. Besides, it¡¯s not that important, is it?¡± Rupert had a complicated expression at my reply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± ¡°¡­¡­it¡¯s comfortable that you don¡¯t ask, but also uncomfortable that you¡¯re not very interested in me.¡± I am speechless. ¡°Be consistent. If you keep showing your fickle side like this, I¡¯m starting to suspect that you might change your attitude again.¡± ¡°I will not.¡± Well, I decided to only half believe this. We haven¡¯t revealed any secrets to each other. He and I will need more time to establish a perfect trusting relationship. ¡°And I¡¯ll try to be consistent¡­¡­¡± ¡®Why does it sound ominous to hear that he¡¯ll try?¡¯ I decided not to think deeply. ¡°Okay, before going home, you still have one thing to do.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± What do you think? ¡°It has something to do with Leah.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Convince her, Rupert.¡± I grinned. ¡°Until she says she wants to go home, I will never leave.¡± Because I had no intention of ignoring my daughter¡¯s opinion in the first place. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert looked like he was facing a challenge, and I decided to watch how he would solve this problem. *** read only at for faster updates Noel was right. He couldn¡¯t force Leah to go home, so of course, he had to persuade her. The only problem is that Rupert has never persuaded a five-year-old. ¡®It will not be difficult.¡¯ The Ainel mansion is much larger, and there are many things to see. Besides, Leah grew up there for five years. She will definitely want to go back soon. ¡®Moreover, she doesn¡¯t seem to hate me very much.¡¯ Then, wouldn¡¯t there be no problem? He didn¡¯t know much about Leah. That¡¯s why he thought this would work out very easily. His daughter would love the Ainel mansion much more than this old mansion. Of course, that was a huge mistake. ¡°Leah.¡± When he opened the door, Leah was drawing. His daughter looked surprised when she saw him. ¡°Wow, you are still here? It¡¯s my first time seeing my father this long!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Is it strange to see her father so often? Even so, it¡¯s a relief that she doesn¡¯t look as scared as before. ¡°Who won the game?¡± ¡°Noel won.¡± Whatever the result was, she was no different from the winner. Rupert had no choice from the beginning. Leah chuckled. ¡°I knew it! My mom is also good at playing hide and seek with me!¡± Leah then tilted her head. ¡°But if Mom wins, I can¡¯t play hide and seek with Dad, can I?¡± ¡°No, you can.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Leah seemed to be in a good mood. Moreover, she seemed to be more comfortable with him than before. Rupert, who gained confidence, said his true intentions. ¡°So, Leah, I¡¯m thinking of going home now.¡± Leah looked up at him with round eyes. ¡°Father will go home? When?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the only one going back, Leah. You and Noel too, the three of us are going back.¡± He thought Leah would easily agree. ¡°¡­¡­me and Mom too?¡± ¡°Yes, the three of us.¡± However, her reaction was the opposite of what Rupert expected. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m not going!¡± Leah turned her head away. It was an obvious rejection. ¡°I hate it there.¡± Leah was still afraid in Ainel mansion. She didn¡¯t have many good memories there. Most of her days are filled with loneliness and cold stares from adults. She was afraid that only her shadow would be by her side again. ¡®When father and mom return, they might be busy again!¡¯ Then it will be difficult to spend time together. ¡®I hate that.¡¯ Thinking that far, Leah puffed up her cheeks. ¡°I like it here.¡± But Rupert did not know Leah¡¯s feelings. He was bewildered by the situation he was experiencing for the first time in his life. Reflexively, his tone of voice became stiff. ¡°Leah, why?¡± Leah misunderstood that he was angry. ¡®¡­¡­I don¡¯t like the mansion.¡± ¡°Do you like the interior decoration here? I¡¯ll let you decorate the mansion the same way you want.¡± Leah shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then food?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Is it about the flower seeds you planted in the villa garden?¡± ¡°¡­¡­no.¡± At this point, Rupert was at a loss. ¡°Then what¡¯s the matter?¡± When he asked, Leah, who had a stubborn expression, was frightened. ¡°¡­¡­hic.¡± He thought things were getting better until a while ago, but it seemed Leah was still afraid of him. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t cry.¡± Suddenly, tears welled up in Leah¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± ¡®I thought she was so gentle, but she was surprisingly stubborn.¡¯ But he didn¡¯t know that Leah was traumatized in the mansion, so he thought she was just sulking. ¡°You mustn¡¯t be stubborn.¡± He was very careful and spoke in a tone that was a hundred times calmer than he usually spoke to his subordinates. Still, it didn¡¯t look like it from Leah¡¯s point of view, and in the end, tears like glass beads fell. ¡°Hwaaah!¡± He flinched. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± The child cried a little louder. ¡°Hwaaah hwaaah¡­¡­¡± Naturally, the situation after that was total chaos. *** Leah stopped crying and fell asleep only after I soothed her. I closed the child¡¯s room door carefully and went to the drawing-room. Rupert was sitting with a confused look. At first, I was a little surprised. ¡°Really, she¡¯s a kid who doesn¡¯t usually cry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert didn¡¯t respond. He¡¯s usually the type to deny everything. He seemed to be reflecting on himself. In the meantime, Leah always suppressed her emotions unlike other children her age. As her mother, I worry that my daughter is too mature. ¡®Now she¡¯s afraid of the things she hates so much, and she can be stubborn.¡¯ On the other hand, I¡¯m relieved. Well, apart from that, I confirmed that my husband¡¯s ability to deal with his daughter was poor. ¡®Can he do it properly in the future?¡¯ As I thought about it, I had no choice but to ask a question. ¡°Rupert, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you want to go back with us, of course, you¡¯re going to be a good father to Leah, right? Unlike before.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then you can¡¯t possibly speak formally like before, pretend you don¡¯t know about her, not comfort her, or say bad things, right?¡± He looked at me and said, ¡°Sigh, Noel, I didn¡¯t mean to make her cry.¡± He continued, ¡°And I don¡¯t make the same mistake.¡± It means that he will not act like before. ¡®You¡¯re not lying.¡¯ You¡¯ve really made up your mind. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you why Leah doesn¡¯t want to go back to the mansion.¡± If Rupert chooses to be a good father, this is a matter to think about together. ¡°I guess there was a special reason.¡± ¡°Yeah, the reason Leah doesn¡¯t want to go back to the mansion is because of the fear of the past remaining there.¡± I talked about how my daughter felt when she cried in the past. The loneliness she felt there, and the desperate efforts she made to get a little attention¡­¡­ After completing all the explanations, I said, ¡°It¡¯s all our fault.¡± He nodded at my words. ¡°That¡¯s why you came here. You want to keep Leah away from the mansion.¡± I crossed my arms and added, ¡°That¡¯s right, there was a reason I didn¡¯t want to see you.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t want to see me, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the end, he couldn¡¯t deny anything. Compared to the past, his attitude had completely softened. ¡°Anyway, I want to relieve Leah¡¯s trauma, show her that the Ainel mansion is no longer a scary place and that we can make it a place full of fun and happy things in the future.¡± Rupert had a troubled expression. ¡®He¡¯s really thinking about Leah seriously.¡¯ Contemplating, he said, ¡°It¡¯s too difficult.¡± Chapter 44 ¡°Which part is difficult?¡± ¡°That we can make the Ainel mansion into a place full of fun and happy things.¡± ¡°It is not difficult. As long as you don¡¯t leave Leah alone.¡± ¡°Noel, you know my personality surprisingly accurately, so you must know it¡¯s difficult for me.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Only then did I realize what kind of difficulties he had. ¡°I understand, Rupert. Obviously, you have high self-esteem, are arrogant, easily angered, and have a high and defensive mind wall, making it difficult to approach. Besides, you even remarked that our daughter would grow up on her own as long as the material environment was met¡ª¡± Rupert acknowledged these long bad words with a deep heart. ¡°That¡¯s right, Noel. Will I be able to make the mansion a happy place?¡± He spoke bluntly, ¡°Actually, I still don¡¯t know how to make my daughter grow well.¡± I sighed at the negative words. ¡°I will add your shortcomings again. You have low self-esteem and a tendency to be self-destructive in a strange way.¡± ¡°Stop attacking me,¡± he grumbled. In the end, I decided to understand Rupert. Because he grew up in a poor environment. Besides, the current Rupert isn¡¯t confident in himself at all. ¡®He¡¯s working hard after all, should I comfort him?¡¯ ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°What?¡± I approached him. I can properly see Rupert¡¯s face now. ¡°You can make a happy place for our daughter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I sighed. ¡°Stop that skeptical tone. You are not a plague. You¡¯re not someone who can only hurt anyone or just make other people unhappy. Stop defining yourself like that. It¡¯s really frustrating.¡± Despite my outspoken words, Rupert didn¡¯t seem angry. He just stared at me as he smirked. I hope what I say now doesn¡¯t sound like I know about his curse. ¡°Besides, it seems to me that you are just scared now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°About putting others in your heart.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re like this. There must be some reason for this. Still, isn¡¯t it a waste to think that you¡¯ll never be able to make anyone happy in your life?¡± I held his hand carefully on my lap. ¡°Stop being afraid of loving someone, Rupert.¡± His mother died because of love, so it is natural for him to be skeptical. But you can¡¯t be tied to your parents¡¯ lives forever. It didn¡¯t happen because you wanted it. I looked into his eyes and smiled. ¡°Because you are someone who can truly love.¡± Please pretend to be deceived and trust me. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Instead of a somewhat stiff answer, Rupert raised his hand which I wasn¡¯t holding. Then he reached out to my cheek. Unlike usual, it felt like he was being very careful. ¡®Ugh¡­¡­¡¯ I rolled my eyes in awkwardness. I didn¡¯t expect this kind of situation. ¡°Are you touched now?¡± As if to come to his senses, he quickly reached his hand away from my cheek. ¡°¡­¡­a little bit.¡± But his other hand held mine tightly. ¡°I grew up being told to be the worst person ever.¡± I was a little surprised. It was the first time Rupert had told me the story of his personal past. ¡°I thought it would be impossible to be a decent person for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But just now, thanks to your words, I feel like I¡¯m a decent human for a little while.¡± I refuted a little bit. ¡°Well, but you have an annoying personality¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­haha.¡± It was a short low laugh. At the same time, Rupert¡¯s face softened for an instant. It was a fleeting moment, but I watched it carefully. His very faint smile. ¡°Well, I guess not right now. Anyway, thank you, Noel.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to hear thank you from you.¡± ¡°I never thought the day would come when I thanked you.¡± Rupert then let go of my hand and stood up. ¡°I thought of how to convince Leah.¡± Then the subtle atmosphere between us was broken. I exhaled the breath I had held in. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°She sent me a letter with a picture.¡± ¡°I know. I don¡¯t know for sure because she said it was a secret. But what was it about?¡± ¡°A picture of everyone having fun except me.¡± It wasn¡¯t as great as I thought. As soon as he received the letter, Rupert came, so I thought there would be something special. ¡°Did you come all the way here after receiving that?¡± He replied dissatisfied. ¡°She also drew Leander.¡± Oh, did she? ¡°Anyway, how are you going to convince Leah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to draw. I¡¯m not confident with words.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m the only one not in Leah¡¯s picture. I will try to convince her by replying to the letter I received last time. What do you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad. I just never thought that you would do that.¡± Rupert chuckled. ¡°I even wore a doll costume.¡± I was a little impressed. ¡°Honestly, I was surprised. Until recently, I was very frustrated that you couldn¡¯t be a good father.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember you getting frustrated.¡± ¡°Did you suddenly get some insight into being a good father in your head?¡± Rupert¡¯s answer to my question was really simple. ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to do what I normally wouldn¡¯t do?¡± Well, that wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. *** read only at for faster updates The next day, the method Rupert had thought up ran into unexpected difficulties. I bit my lower lip hard. ¡°¡­¡­pfft, pfft.¡± ¡°Noel, just laugh.¡± I sneaked a glance at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to be angry?¡± I¡¯m in trouble if he suddenly gets angry and goes back to how he used to be. ¡°Not really.¡± He sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I was at this level.¡± Rupert was terribly bad at drawing. I giggled at the crumpled circle. ¡°Ahaha, you are good at swordsmanship, cooking, and sewing, but why are you drawing like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d learn anything quickly!¡± Seeing that he wasn¡¯t angry, I decided to laugh as much as I could. ¡®I¡¯m going to make fun of you when I have a chance!¡¯ Looking at the crooked drawing, I laughed once more. ¡°Actually, I think Leah draws better.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to say about his drawing. He made a face contemplating what to do, then accidentally broke the crayon he was holding and made a confused expression. ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡± Why? I¡¯m sure Leah will like it, too. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, you can¡¯t give up so quickly! Show patience as an adult!¡± Besides, I was very happy to find Rupert¡¯s unexpected weakness. ¡°Noel, looks like you¡¯re having fun.¡± He had a very sullen face. Normally, it would have been scary, but it¡¯s only funny in this situation. ¡°Okay, keep on drawing and relax your face muscles.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I laughed shakily beside him. It is human nature to want to make fun of someone who can rarely be made fun of. ¡°If you don¡¯t finish it, I will spread this to the knights. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bad to approach your subordinates with my friendly image.¡± ¡°Stop it, the noisy ones will get louder.¡± Rupert, who said so, picked up a new crayon. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it, but I don¡¯t know if Leah will like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, that¡¯s much better than your frightening frown.¡± I giggled and continued to tease him, and Rupert looked at me dissatisfied. Of course, I don¡¯t care about this anymore. ¡°Next time we have a disagreement, instead of playing a game, let¡¯s settle it by drawing.¡± ¡°No way.¡± With a firm answer, he continued to draw seriously. Well, regardless of that serious attitude, the picture gradually got messed up. ¡°Ahahaha¡­¡­ Oh, my stomach hurts. I¡¯ll help you now. If it gets worse, I don¡¯t think Leah will recognize it.¡± I teased Rupert until the grudge I built was gone, and then I started helping him. And a nice picture was finished. ¡°The result is better than I expected.¡± ¡°Thanks to my help.¡± He looked at me a little strangely. ¡°Before the masquerade, you didn¡¯t want to go back to the mansion, but surprisingly you¡¯re willing to cooperate now, Noel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to be childish about what I¡¯ve already decided.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°If you keep repeating what you did in the past, it will be a little different.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± read only at for faster updates ¡°I hope you don¡¯t change your mind.¡± Chapter 45 I¡¯ve been thinking about this too. First of all, looking at the recent situation, Leah seems to like him. Even though I¡¯m her mother, I have no right to ignore her feelings. ¡®I¡¯m worried about the curse, though.¡¯ For now, I don¡¯t think Rupert will be a huge threat, as he¡¯s friendly to us. ¡®The situation has become more complicated than I thought.¡¯ The original plan was for the story to flow as it was after my divorce. But everything is going very differently. I¡¯m also curious as to why I have the precognitive dreams I¡¯ve had before. ¡°Noel.¡± Suddenly, Rupert called out to me. ¡°Yeah? ¡°You have a very serious expression.¡± I realized that my emotions were reflected on my face. ¡®This habit needs to be corrected.¡¯ When I return to the mansion, I also have to participate in social activities, which is perfect for being attacked in this way. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. Because I won¡¯t create a dangerous situation for you and Leah again.¡± It seems that he thought I was worried about the gargoyle incident. ¡°Are you talking about the gargoyle incident?¡± Recalling him lying about Leah¡¯s safety made me angry. ¡°I still hate lies, but I can¡¯t blame you for putting a lord¡¯s duties first.¡± Rupert is not a good husband, but he will be a good lord to the people. If he¡¯s reflecting on it, that¡¯s enough. ¡°I gave you too much advice yesterday, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m suddenly asking you to be a good husband. It¡¯s enough just to get along better than before.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too much advice.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief.¡± He seems to have opened his heart to me a bit more since yesterday. ¡°Then, shall we properly reconcile now?¡± I reached out and asked for a handshake of reconciliation. Both parties are at fault, so now we have to work things out together and move forward. ¡°Let¡¯s be partners who can trust each other.¡± As Rupert had opened his heart to me, there was no better timing than this. But Rupert just looked at my hand and asked. ¡°Partner?¡± ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t want a good husband. Let¡¯s just respect each other¡¯s privacy and promise to be reliable partners.¡± In the social world, love marriages are rare, but arranged marriages like ours are rife. But even so, I want a peaceful relationship. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not interested in those things.¡± I¡¯m speechless. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want a relationship that respects each other¡¯s privacy not too long ago?¡± Don¡¯t say that you forgot. I remember it clearly. ¡°I did, but I changed my mind.¡± He answered bluntly. ¡°Besides, I have decided not to make promises I am not confident about in the future.¡± The back of my head tingled at the sudden declaration. ¡°Wait a minute, do you mean that you don¡¯t intend to have a good relationship with me in the future? You said you sincerely asked me to return to the mansion!¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t we get a little closer yesterday!?¡¯ ¡°I intend to maintain a good relationship.¡± Rupert looked at me. He continued, ¡°I don¡¯t like your choice of words. Think again, Noel.¡± He then turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Leah now.¡± I looked at his back, puzzled. ¡®What do you mean by choice of words? Are you saying that ¡®partner¡¯ is not the right word?¡¯ So, what kind of relationship do you want to be with me? Maybe, friend? Isn¡¯t ¡®partner¡¯ the most right word? Does Rupert not like it? ¡®Did you want to hear that we should be a loving couple?¡¯ I can¡¯t even imagine him being sweet to me. ¡®But at this point, I have no choice but to be suspicious.¡¯ It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never been in a relationship in my previous life, so I wasn¡¯t very dull either. In other words, it means that it has been a long time since I had an interest in dating. Summing up his actions so far, I have no choice but to reach the most reasonable conclusion, which is subtle and uncomfortable. ¡­¡­Rupert, do you have a romantic interest in me? I followed him, holding back the rising doubts. ¡®There is no way to check right now.¡¯ Rupert glanced at me following him. ¡°Do you want to go together?¡± ¡°If you make Leah cry, you need someone to comfort her.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make her cry this time.¡± As he answered that, he walked slowly at my pace. ¡®In the past, when I called out to him, he ignored me and passed by.¡¯ It was an incredible change. Meanwhile, I arrived at Leah¡¯s room. Rupert knocked on the door and called her. ¡°Leah.¡± There was no answer. I murmured. ¡°We ran into difficulties from the start.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± He spoke stubbornly and turned the doorknob. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t locked. Upon entering, at first glance, Leah was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Leah, where are you?¡± When I called out to Leah curiously, Rupert whispered, ¡°Behind the bedpost.¡± Only then could I find Leah. Behind the bed, the child poked her head out. With slightly teary eyes. ¡°¡­¡­are you mad?¡± Rupert replied, ¡°Not at all. Rather, I¡¯m here to apologize.¡± ¡°Father?¡± Relieved, Leah hesitated and came out from behind the bed. ¡°But I cried.¡± ¡°Crying isn¡¯t necessarily bad.¡± I decided to lean against the door and watch their conversation. Rupert gestured for Leah to come, but she didn¡¯t come any closer. ¡°¡­¡­¡± read only at for faster updates In the end, Rupert, who was a little hesitant, suddenly spoke, ¡°Yesterday I was wrong.¡± ¡®How can you apologize so easily!¡¯ ¡°I should have listened to you more.¡± After saying this, Rupert glanced at me as if at a loss as to what else he should say. ¡®Yes, it must be difficult yet.¡¯ I gave him a hint by moving my mouth. ¡®Listen to the reason yourself.¡¯ He looked straight at Leah again. ¡°I wish you could tell me why you don¡¯t like it there.¡± Having said that, Leah, who was hesitating, approached him. ¡°¡­¡­the mansion is scary.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°When we go back, everyone gets busy again, right? Father, too.¡± ¡°It will different than before.¡± Leah hesitated. ¡°¡­¡­it¡¯s always been difficult to meet father and mom. But I can meet you two here whenever I miss you.¡± ¡°It will be the same there.¡± Leah still looked worried. Seeing that face, Rupert pondered for a moment and took the drawing he had just finished from his pocket. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a reply to the letter you sent me.¡± ¡°A reply?¡± Leah looked at the drawing with a puzzled look. ¡°Really? Wow!¡± Leah asked, pointing to each person drawn in the picture. ¡°This is mom, this is me, and the last one¡­¡­ is this father?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leah giggled a little. ¡°Everyone is smiling. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen all of us smiling together.¡± Rupert sat on one knee and met Leah¡¯s eyes. ¡°When we go home, we will all be like in this picture.¡± Leah¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rupert paused for a moment. Raising his hand hesitantly, he tucked Leah¡¯s hair behind her ear and continued to speak. ¡°Now, no one will leave you alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, from now on, stop playing with Leander.¡± It was touching, but in the end, it was mixed with a little selfishness. Still, Leah laughed. ¡°Hehehe.¡± Rupert, who was looking at Leah¡¯s expression, awkwardly spread his arms, as if he had suddenly remembered something. As if it were an unspoken sign, Leah hugged his neck. It looked like it wasn¡¯t the first time. Watching that heartwarming scene, I noticed one thing. ¡®Rupert and Leah have hugged each other before!¡¯ Could that be the reason why the atmosphere between the two of them has softened recently? Then Leah asked. ¡°Did father draw this?¡± He answered frankly. ¡°No, I drew it with Noel.¡± Leah¡¯s eyes turned to me. ¡°Are mom and father not fighting anymore?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Are you reconciled?¡± Reconciled? I remembered Rupert ignoring my reconciliation handshake before coming here. ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± When I answered vaguely, my shameful husband looked at me. What? Why? Rupert stood up and approached me. ¡°Why are you hesitating? Are you going to destroy the efforts I made for Leah?¡± As he whispered, I replied calmly. ¡°It is true that you ignored my reconciliation handshake.¡± There¡¯s one more thing to argue about. ¡°Has Leah hugged you before?¡± read only at for faster updates ¡°You told me to be a good father. Why are you jealous?¡± Chapter 46 I mumbled, ¡°At least I don¡¯t want to be pushed by you.¡± I know this is childish, but who does Leah like the most? Her father or her mother? I want to hear the answer ¡®Mom!¡¯ As we quarreled in a whisper, Leah asked anxiously, ¡°¡­¡­haven¡¯t you two reconciled yet?¡± Well, I can¡¯t help it. I decided to stop acting childish at this point. ¡°No, Leah. Take a good look.¡± I stood up and hugged Rupert lightly. ¡°Look, we have reconciled.¡± Perhaps he was startled by my unexpected behavior, his body stiffened slightly. ¡°Mom and Dad get along well.¡± Then I loosened my arms. Rupert muttered as he put his hand on his forehead. ¡°Noel, you really¡­¡­¡± Well, just looking at his reaction, I couldn¡¯t tell whether he liked it or not. ¡®You seemed to have a crush on me though.¡¯ Of course, Leah, unaware of this situation, was purely delighted. ¡°I¡¯m glad you two got along!¡± Having said that, Leah turned around. She seems to be looking for a place to put her drawings. ¡°I feel relieved. I think we¡¯ll go back home. That¡¯s fortunate.¡± As I reassuredly said that, Rupert lightly grabbed my elbow and sighed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He clung to me. It was close enough that his breath to reach me, so I was nervous without realizing it. ¡°¡­¡­Noel.¡± A low whisper was heard in my ear. ¡°Stay more than two meters away from me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± What does this mean? ¡®Wait, are you saying that just because I hugged you for a moment?¡¯ He walked away from me immediately. ¡®Huh?¡¯ I looked at his back as he approached Leah. ¡®Am I still not good enough?¡¯ I¡¯m going to die of confusion, really. *** read only at for faster updates After that, things went on quickly. Before departing for the mansion, I said goodbye to Mrs. Riz¨¦ Ernst. Of course, the person I will miss the most is her. ¡°I made a good friend after a long time.¡± I agree with her. ¡°So did I.¡± Mrs. Riz¨¦ hugged me lightly and asked, ¡°Can I see you again?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The villa is here, so we can meet on vacation. I also said goodbye to Leander. ¡°I wish I could see Rupert next time,¡± said Leander. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible.¡± Suddenly, I wondered if I would ever see Leander again. ¡®If it goes according to the original story, we will definitely meet again.¡¯ I feel like I¡¯ve already ruined the original storyline. ¡®Still, the overall story may not change.¡¯ First of all, no matter what the future holds, for now, I have to stop Aren and the other knights I saw in my dream from dying. ¡°Please stay healthy until we meet again.¡± ¡°I hope you and Leah will always be at peace.¡± Did he not wish peace for Rupert? ¡®You two even wore doll masks together!¡¯ The childishness that didn¡¯t match his face was a little funny, so I turned around, giggling. Then I returned to the carriage. Rupert was standing in front. ¡°Noel.¡± He reached out for the escort, and I looked away without holding his hand. ¡°Last time, you told me to stay away from you more than two meters.¡± Rupert replied, ¡°My word is still valid. But this is an exception.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± I grumbled and got on the carriage while holding his hand. Leah, who was inside, banged the seat next to her. ¡°Mom, have a seat here!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After a while, the carriage departed. For a while, Leah was more excited than usual and talked about this and that. Then she dozed off from exhaustion. I laid her on my knees and patted her. Inside the carriage, only the sound of Leah¡¯s calm breathing and the sound of the wheels turning regularly could be heard. It was a good opportunity to clear my doubts. ¡°Rupert, can I ask you one thing?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like me to be close to you or do you like it?¡± I added, ¡°Oh, physically.¡± After thinking for a moment, he answered, ¡°Not both. It¡¯s troublesome.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I recalled information about his curse. As in fairy tales, the curse was lifted when true love came true. ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡± Is there any other hidden reason? If you don¡¯t tell me, it means we¡¯re not that close yet. ¡®Am I having an erotomania disorder[1] and misunderstood that he likes me?¡¯ [1] Erotomania: delusional disorder in which an individual believes that another person is in love with him. I asked with an open heart, ¡°If you happen to have someone you love, tell me¨C¡± He cut off my words sharply, ¡°What kind of person do you think I am? Of course not! If so, would I have come to pick you up and Leah in the first place?¡± You don¡¯t seem to like my offer. ¡°No, I mean, I don¡¯t mean to treat you like trash¡­¡­¡± I don¡¯t know how to put this back. In the end, I expressed my opinion honestly. ¡°I mean that if you find someone you like later on, you don¡¯t have to hide it.¡± Wait, this sounds like the tone of a generous wife saying she will allow her husband to have an affair. ¡®I absolutely do not want to create an affair drama situation though.¡¯ Still, there is a reason I have no choice but to say this in advance. Love is the key to breaking Rupert¡¯s curse. Rupert crossed his legs and looked at me displeased. ¡°I won¡¯t cheat on you.¡± He said with the vibe of a romantic male lead and a great warrior. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°And while I¡¯m by your side, you can¡¯t meet other men either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to be fair.¡± ¡®I am grateful that it means you are faithful to your family.¡¯ But if you love neither me nor anyone else, you will never be free from the curse. Then one day we might end up in danger. ¡®Ah, I really don¡¯t know.¡¯ How on earth is it right to keep this marriage going? ¡®What is the standard of true love, which is the condition for breaking the curse in the first place? And who decides it?!¡¯ How do you judge that a feeling that you can¡¯t even see in shape is real? ¡®Eternal love is something you have to live to the end to know.¡¯ I¡¯m a little lost. Anyway, I had no choice but to say this to my husband as insurance for now, ¡°Nevertheless. If, really if¡­¡­¡± He raised one eyebrow and said in a warning tone, ¡°Noel.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be angry and listen, Rupert. Really, if you have someone you love for the rest of your life, you don¡¯t have to force yourself to hide it.¡± After all, isn¡¯t marriage life maintained in order to make each other happy? It¡¯s no use sharing only misfortune. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Who knows.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you trust me enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to believe me. Rupert said, ¡°If you really think so, I¡¯ll tell you one thing in advance.¡± I guess he was offended, so I listened to him obediently. ¡°What?¡± ¡°When you return, take over the authority related to the internal affairs of the mansion again.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I widened my eyes at the unexpected words. I asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t like me meddling in the internal affairs of the mansion, did you?¡± It was. Rupert was very displeased with me meddling in the internal affairs of the mansion. Some of the authority was entrusted to his assistant, Ordin, as a deputy. ¡®Because I was a mad dog as far as I can remember.¡¯ ¡°So, take it all back.¡± I looked at him intently. ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry?¡± ¡°Not really. I just told you, I don¡¯t think you trust me enough.¡± Rupert made eye contact with me for a moment, then turned his head out of the window and spoke, ¡°So I¡¯ll put my trust in you first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you are who you are now, you can make it a place where Leah is not afraid.¡± He said it indirectly, but that means he will trust me from now on. Hmmm, this is a bit touching. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Before, I only received looks of hostility and suspicion. Well, it can¡¯t be helped considering what I¡¯ve done in the past. Because I always felt like my body wasn¡¯t moving the way I wanted it to. It was as if someone else had been at the helm of my life. But now I have a chance to get everything right again. Now I feel like I can live my life according to my will. ¡°Rupert.¡± He turned his head to me. Our eyes met. I smiled brightly. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± For a moment, the look he made when he saw my smile was¡­¡­ It was hard for me to know exactly now. Chapter 47 5. Secret Recently, Rupert has been in good and bad shape. First of all, when Noel and Leah returned to the mansion, the annoying worries that had been filling his head were resolved. Almost for the first time in his life, he was trying to figure out what emotional satisfaction was. If there is a problem, the impulse from the curse has intensified in the aftermath. He brainwashed himself as usual. ¡®I need someone to kill.¡¯ He can¡¯t kill anyone carelessly. He now needs a criminal who deserves to die. Fortunately or unfortunately, his estate was very peaceful. No one can be executed. ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to suppress it with only monsters. Should I start a war of territory?¡¯ Perhaps the notoriety has spread widely, these days, as in the past, there are no aristocrats who walk through the territorial wars with a young marquis born as an illegitimate child. To start a war, he must be the one who initiates it. ¡®I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ These days, killing people is even more disgusting. It¡¯s also terrifying for him to find good reasons to kill others. Sometimes, the image of Noel and Leah caught his attention. When these two people come to mind, he realizes just how selfish he is. In the end, he made them come back with warm words. ¡®There is a possibility that this place could be a dangerous place for them.¡¯ He had a vague feeling that he might regret it someday. The day will come when he will think it¡¯s the biggest mistake of his life to bring them back here. ¡®I¡¯ll have to put an end to my self-reflection right now.¡¯ I should be fine until I find a way to break the curse. I can¡¯t just become a madman. Rupert decided to put aside his familiar self-hatred. If I am lucky, I may find a criminal who deserves death even in the vassal¡¯s estate. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, in the hallway in front of the office, he sensed someone¡¯s presence. He could tell who it was just by the sound of footsteps. ¡°Noel, come in.¡± He said before Noel in front of the door even knocked. Noel paused and turned the doorknob gently. Noel poked her head through the gap in the door. ¡°I was about to knock, but I was surprised¡­¡­ How did you know?¡± ¡°Because everyone walks differently.¡± She had a ¡®That¡¯s possible¡¯ expression and didn¡¯t ask anymore. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rupert was comfortable with Noel¡¯s attitude, yet he was puzzled. Ordinary people will react more differently whether they are admiring, afraid, or curious. However, no matter what kind of appearance he showed, she just turned around and rarely asked deeply. As if it were natural to do so. ¡®Do you know something?¡¯ No, it can¡¯t be. Very few people know about his condition in the first place. But sometimes Noel¡¯s attitude was like a person who knew a lot but tried to pretend not to know. That kind of confused him. But since he has no evidence, he has no choice but to be skeptical. Noel approached the desk. ¡°Rupert, the knights are preparing for training, is there something going on?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just regular joint training.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡­¡± These days, she is very interested in the Knights¡¯ schedule. Even Rupert couldn¡¯t figure out the reason for this. He doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s related to the internal affairs of the mansion. But the knights had nothing to do with her. ¡°Why are you interested in the Knights?¡± Noel turned around. ¡°There are many people in the Knights who don¡¯t like me because of my past mistakes. I was hoping to find a way to get closer.¡± This is half a lie. She¡¯s having a hard time, too. She can¡¯t just say, ¡®I had a dream that some of your knights died, and it¡¯s like a precognitive dream!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t care. There¡¯s no one stupid enough to be openly hostile to you. And Aren and Hillis are nice to you.¡± ¡°I care. Besides, ¡®only¡¯ the two are nice to me.¡± ¡°I think Sir Bert would be in your favor.¡± Probably right. Rupert remembered his subordinate not long ago, who had been nagging him to take care of his family. ¡°Sir Bert cares for you, and he only treats me politely.¡± If the knight commander behaved without basic manners toward his master¡¯s wife, it was Rupert¡¯s honor to fall. If other people see it, they will say that the hierarchy is a mess. ¡°Of course, he has a broad mind, so he pretended to have forgotten my past mistakes. I am grateful.¡± Hearing that answer, Rupert looked at Noel with some curiosity. ¡°Did you get it all right?¡± ¡°I am not stupid.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t treat you like a fool. I just didn¡¯t expect you to pay so much attention to your surroundings.¡± ¡°You trusted me. I have to show enough results for that.¡± Once she had a job, she was the kind of person who did her best. ¡°The Raven Knights are like your arms. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to play the role of the Marquis¡¯ wife perfectly while they are being hostile towards me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want perfection.¡± Noel chuckled. ¡°Then shall I do it the way I used to? Screaming, making sure no one comes near¡ª¡± He shook his head. ¡°Okay, okay, please be perfect. I have high expectations. You said you would be a good partner.¡± While fiddling with the papers, he opened his mouth dissatisfied. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like the word partner.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was.¡± She is not the type to pass up this opportunity. ¡°Then how would you describe our relationship in words?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®You¡¯re exercising your right to remain silent?¡¯ She was a little upset with Rupert. You¡¯re not going to play hard to get, are you? And if you have a crush on someone, shouldn¡¯t you express it appropriately? ¡®Was I really mistaken?¡¯ His attitude was uncertain, so this one was confusing as well. ¡®I need to know exactly to decide whether I will play the role of a cupid in the middle, or if I will change the original work!¡¯ The curse on him was a threat to her, and she wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. knock knock. Then, a knock sounded. ¡°Marquis, may I come in?¡± It was Ordin¡¯s voice. ¡°Come in.¡± Noel groaned inwardly. ¡®It¡¯s great timing.¡¯ As a result, this topic could not be continued. Ordin, who opened the door, looked inside and paused. ¡°The Marchioness is here too.¡± She laughed awkwardly. ¡°I have a business to do.¡± This fastidious aide still didn¡¯t like her, and he didn¡¯t particularly hide it. ¡°I just received an important report, Marquis.¡± Noel understood that to mean that he wanted her to leave. Ordin didn¡¯t trust her yet, so he was worried the information would leak. Rupert replied. ¡°Just say it.¡± The aide glanced at Noel next to him for a moment. ¡°There is a problem in the Delphine estate.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The warehouse where the wheat was stored exploded.¡± Rupert frowned. ¡°Damn it.¡± And Noel held her breath at the word explosion. The Ainel estate developed mainly for commerce rather than agriculture because the land was barren, and food was supplied through trade. The vassal, Viscount Delphine, was one of the main food trade destinations. If there is a disruption in wheat production there, it will also affect the Ainel estate. Rupert, who couldn¡¯t be unaware of this, read the documents seriously. ¡°It was done on purpose. The culprit is a wizard.¡± ¡°I think they used explosive magic.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll have to tell Sir Laurent.¡± Laurent. A young knight¡¯s face flashed through Noel¡¯s head. ¡®That¡¯s right, his full name was Laurent Delphine.¡¯ He was the third son of Viscount Delphine and the youngest member of the Raven Knights. ¡®It¡¯s an incident that happened in my own family, so of course, I have to tell you.¡¯ Words were floating around in her mind. Explosion, Raven Knights, Wizard. No matter how much she thought about it, it probably had something to do with her dream. In the end, Noel had no choice but to intervene. ¡°Can I read it too?¡± ¡°No¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± Interrupting Ordin, who was trying to stop her, Rupert handed her the documents. ¡°Thank you.¡± She thanked him and read the documents. ¡®Three people died.¡¯ It was Viscount Delphine¡¯s nephew, who was checking the warehouse, and two servants who had assisted him. ¡®A warehouse of wheat was blown away, and traces of magic were found there.¡¯ The culprit, the wizard, has already been caught and detained. Noel read the evidence of why the wizard was the culprit and handed over the documents. ¡°Thank you. Too bad. I need to let Sir Laurent know soon.¡± Looking at her slightly stiffened expression, Rupert asked. ¡°Is there anything strange about it?¡± She frowned with a smile. ¡°I do not know.¡± There were some doubts, but she needed time to organize her thoughts. ¡°Thanks for letting me read the documents, I¡¯ll give it to Sir Laurent myself.¡± Noel came out of the office before the two men responded. *** Laurent grimaced slightly when his eyes met mine. He does not greet me first, the Marchioness, and openly expresses hostility. I knew immediately what he thought of me. But such a rude attitude could not last long. Because when I told him what happened in his hometown, he turned white and ran to his office. ¡®Rupert will tell you the details.¡¯ Among the dead was the nephew of Viscount Delphine. Laurent is the third son, so he must have been close. ¡°You are here, madam.¡± The training took a short break, and Hillis approached. ¡°He¡¯s not a bad guy.¡± I guess he just saw Laurent¡¯s attitude. He immediately made a protective remark. I chuckled. Chapter 48 ¡°Even though he is a rude kid.¡± Hillis nodded his head with a bewildered expression. ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s still a child. I hope you are not offended too much.¡± ¡°You cherish Sir Laurent a lot.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s the youngest, not only me, everyone cherishes him.¡± He¡¯s a good senior. Seeing that Hillis cherishes him, he doesn¡¯t seem to be always mean. As I was standing in the gym, I felt the gaze of the other knights. No one spoke outright, but there are many vigilant gazes. Hillis didn¡¯t come to me for no reason. It must be because he was worried about the situation. ¡®Hmm, I have to work this out.¡¯ Hillis looked around awkwardly. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s better to go in than to stay here¡ª¡± ¡°Sir, I am not here to bully your co-workers. I¡¯m here to make friends.¡± Well, for now, it will be impossible. ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± Instead of answering that it would be difficult, he only let out a light sigh. ¡°I mean it.¡± Instead of bothering Hillis more, I ran into a corner. The training that is now being carried out in the gymnasium is different from usual. Not only the knights but there are also wizards. Although the number is much smaller than the knights because it is rare manpower. ¡®It¡¯s like joint training.¡¯ After the break, training began again. I was quietly watching the scene. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t really have anything to do, but I was organizing my thoughts. Besides, as expected, there must be someone looking for me. ¡°Madam, you are here.¡± ¡®I knew it.¡¯ Turning back, Ordin is standing there. ¡®Because he has an easy-to-understand personality.¡¯ I knew this would happen. My attitude in the office earlier was quite suspicious. I looked at the documents I wouldn¡¯t normally be interested in and even rushed off after that. ¡®Because he can¡¯t let any doubts remain.¡¯ I thought he would definitely come to me if he was suspicious of me. You must have felt the need to figure out what I would be up to. ¡°Just in time, Ordin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­so do I.¡± ¡°I thought so. But I¡¯ll ask first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He had an absurd expression on his face, and I deliberately ignored him. ¡®It¡¯s the price you pay for constantly staring at me.¡¯ This kind of bullying is well deserved. I asked as I looked at the wizard in the gym hall with a transparent curtain that could hide enough for four or five people. ¡°The magic that wizards are using right now is defense magic, right?¡± ¡°You mean, Shield. Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± I see. I remember seeing it before. ¡°I think what I saw when I was young was much bigger. Is that supposed to be right?¡± ¡°The size of the shield depends on the wizard¡¯s abilities. In fact, all magic is like that. When you were young¡­.., have you ever seen the magic of Sir Michael Berris?¡± I nodded my head lightly. It reminded me of something Michael showed me when I was young, so I was right. ¡°Yeah, he did show me.¡± ¡°He is one of the most prominent wizards in existence. He cannot be used for comparison.¡± ¡°At that time, Michael was also young.¡± ¡°I would like to tell you just in case, the level of the Ainel wizards is on the good side. It¡¯s just that from a young age, Sir Michael Berris¡¯s level was too high.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to compare him to the wizards here. But the only wizard I have ever been close to is Michael.¡± I only know the magic he showed me, so I feel a bit unfamiliar with the magic that other people do. ¡®The scale and size are completely different.¡¯ That would be the ¡®normal standard¡¯. A little curiosity was satisfied. ¡°Okay, thanks, Ordin. What do you want to ask me?¡± ¡°The documents earlier¡ª¡± ¡°I can understand even if you don¡¯t tell me everything, and my attitude when I looked through the previous documents earlier was suspicious. Is that what you wanted to ask?¡± As I followed Ordin¡¯s strict tone, his expression became disturbed. ¡°¡­¡­excuse me, are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I do that?¡± I asked back and crossed my arms. As much as he is dissatisfied with me, I have a lot to say. ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep staring at me with suspicious eyes, you¡¯ve got to deal with this kind of grumpiness. Isn¡¯t that a lightweight joke compared to your mutiny?¡± I smiled. Unlike before, Rupert is on my side now. ¡®I don¡¯t mean to be hostile, though.¡¯ At least it is necessary to make it clear to him who is higher. Becoming a reliable boss and being an easy boss are completely different. ¡°It was Rupert who publicly acknowledged my position. You don¡¯t mean that you won¡¯t admit it, do you?¡± You should do it in moderation. Regardless of your personal feelings, take an attitude that suits your position. It¡¯s a warning in that sense. Fortunately, Ordin is a person who understands the meaning of these words immediately. ¡°¡­¡­if you were offended by my actions, I apologize, Madam.¡± It was fortunate that he was quick to sense. ¡°I¡¯ll accept your apology, Ordin. But be careful from now on. There¡¯s a limit to how far I can go if you¡¯re openly hostile to me. Besides, I¡¯m not even your enemy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to like me, but you have to be polite. Like it or not, from now on, we will be on the same boat.¡± He only works for Rupert, so I¡¯m not lying. While managing the affairs of the mansion, I inevitably met Ordin often, but I did not want to keep bumping into each other tiredly. I don¡¯t like the rumors that the aide and the Marchioness are in conflict spreading out. ¡°I will be careful.¡± He¡¯s smart, and that¡¯s enough for him to say he¡¯ll be careful what he does. ¡®At least he won¡¯t meddle in everything.¡¯ That¡¯s it for now. ¡°Okay, now ask me if you have any questions.¡± ¡°Did you find anything strange in the documents earlier?¡± Yeah, that¡¯s a much better way to talk than to directly call me suspicious. I replied with a soft tone. ¡°You said in the documents earlier that the culprit, the wizard, has already been caught. That¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The evidence part is strange.¡± At the time of the explosion, there were three wizards staying in the Delphine estate. The reason for determining which wizard was the culprit was really simple and clear. Because there was only one wizard out of the three who has the ability to detonate a warehouse of that size at once. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too easy?¡± ¡°It could be. On the other hand, there is no such clear evidence. Each wizard has its own limitations, and it¡¯s not possible for anyone to create explosive magic of that magnitude.¡± ¡°if it is possible?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°What if there is proof that someone else can set off a blast big enough to blow up a barn of wheat?¡± I have a hunch that this explosion has something to do with what I saw in my precognitive dream. I was thinking of digging up all the suspicious parts. I won¡¯t be relieved until I catch the culprit that caused the explosion with my own two hands. Ordin¡¯s eyes became sharp. ¡°You¡¯re not saying it without thinking, are you?¡± ¡°Of course, if conditions are met, I know how to cause that explosion. To be sure, I¡¯ll have to see the scene myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, you think there¡¯s something suspicious about it, don¡¯t you? You wouldn¡¯t have thought that a mad wizard suddenly caused an explosion out of boredom.¡± In addition, as there were three deaths, the perpetrator was confirmed to be the death penalty. It also bothers me that it was a wheat warehouse. Because the explosion occurred in a place that was so hazy that I couldn¡¯t even see properly in my dream. This commonality cannot be passed on casually as a mere coincidence. Especially when people¡¯s lives are at stake. Ordin frowned for a moment and finally let out a soft sigh. ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t have the right to judge this. I think I should tell the Marquis.¡± I nodded lightly. ¡°Yes.¡± After all, he is smart and adapts easily. If he had tried to dismiss my opinion as Marchioness as nonsense, I would not have stayed still. ¡°You are quick to read the situation, Ordin.¡± He understood the hidden meaning of what I said, and made a dissatisfied expression on his face. ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake, so I hope you will too.¡± I guess he doesn¡¯t like being teased. I smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± *** It was my husband who made the final decision on this. Once my thoughts were roughly organized, I went to the office and told Rupert what I was thinking. He nodded lightly. ¡°There is something strange about it, so I will send an investigation team.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be there too.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Damn it. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I looked at Ordin beside me. He doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of interfering. In the end, I have no choice but to persuade him myself. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, Noel. Of course because it is dangerous.¡± ¡°It is not.¡± ¡°It is. The investigation team will have Ordin and Sir Laurent. If anything goes wrong, the two of them will look into it.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± I am sorry, but I¡¯m not confident enough to lie down and sleep until I am sure that this has nothing to do with what happened in my dream. Of course, I¡¯ll go there myself. ¡°All I have to do is check the warehouse that has already exploded and go see the wizard who has been quietly detained in prison. There is absolutely nothing dangerous about it.¡± ¡°Noel, why do you care about this? It has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°There is something that bothers me.¡± Chapter 49 ¡°The criminal will be detained in this estate anyway. If you have any questions, you can meet at that time.¡± I could guess why the criminal came all the way to the Ainel estate. There are three deaths. Since there are nobles among the victims, of course, the death penalty is confirmed. Rupert will definitely do the execution. Under the pretext that his vassal family suffered damage. ¡®He needs someone to kill, so he will execute the criminal under the pretext of conducting a detailed investigation.¡¯ ¡°To be detained to the Ainel estate means that the death penalty has already been confirmed.¡± ¡°Because there are already three fatalities.¡± I asked, ¡°Then, are you responsible for the execution?¡± ¡°Noel.¡± With just one word, I could tell that he is very sensitive about this subject. ¡°Then we have to make sure about the suspicious thing.¡± I know his weak side: Afraid of being a monster that randomly kills people. Killing only criminals is to keep the minimum good. I still want to believe that he is a person. ¡°You might end up killing an innocent person if you do something wrong. Is that okay?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I feel sorry for Rupert, but I decided to try and persuade him. If I dig deep into this part, it¡¯s hard for him to refute. ¡°The evidence is clear.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s clear, it¡¯s not a bad thing to double-check.¡± If I aim for his moral dilemma precisely, Rupert can¡¯t argue strongly. ¡°Or¡­¡­¡± I swallowed my saliva and threw the final blow. ¡°Is there any special reason to omit all procedures and proceed with the death penalty hastily?¡± If you continue to disagree with this question, you¡¯re just acknowledging that something really exists. Do you need a death row inmate? ¡°¡­¡­there is no reason for that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Then there will be no problem if I go.¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t even want to do this. If the dream I had last time wasn¡¯t related to the life of an acquaintance, I would have let it pass. I feel sorry for him. ¡°Rupert, you said this had nothing to do with me. But if it¡¯s related to the estate, it can¡¯t be said that it has nothing to do with me. I am the Marchionee of Ainel.¡± I know he only lets me see peaceful things. However, if I am comfortable in the peaceful framework he has crafted, nothing will change. In fact, it was the case that Leah almost died. ¡°So I will do the best I can.¡± In the end, Rupert raised a white flag to my persistent persuasion and attack. ¡°Make sure to always be with the knights and Ordin.¡± ¡°I will, I don¡¯t like dangerous things either.¡± After answering with a smile, he sighed. It was an opportunity to find a clue to the explosion I had barely seen in my dream. *** First, I have to tell my daughter that I will be absent. As soon as I entered the room, Leah rushed over and wrapped her arms around my waist. And then she looked up. ¡®So cute!¡¯ She asked slightly tearfully. ¡°Mom, where are you going?¡± ¡°Yes? How did you know?¡± ¡°Because the maids packed my mom¡¯s stuff.¡± I think she saw it and guessed it. My daughter is smart, too. ¡®No, it¡¯s not time for admiration.¡¯ I stroked Leah¡¯s cheek. ¡°Something happened, so I have to go for a while.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I follow you too? I won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± I want to, but I¡¯m not going for fun. ¡°I want to go with you, too, but not this time. I¡¯m sorry, Leah.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Leah put on a pouty look. She is incredibly lovely, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be upset if I laugh in this situation. ¡°Besides, if you go with me, your father will be bored. Please stay with him.¡± Come to think of it, I wonder if Rupert will get along well with Leah while I¡¯m away. ¡®He can do it, right?¡¯ Leah slowly nodded her head. ¡°You have to come back quickly.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I kissed Leah lightly on the cheek and walked out. ¡°Hello, Madam.¡± When I joined the team, Sir Aren and several knights were added to the team going to the Delphine estate. ¡°Sir Aren, you keep going out on missions because of me.¡± I want to get along with him, but this is like increasing his work. Aren smiled softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Actually, I do not want to be accompanied by Aren. I want to avoid the same conditions as in my dream scene. But Rupert was tough enough for this, so I couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡®I would rather get to know him and have an honest conversation with him.¡¯ At that time, Laurent and Ordin appeared with their horses. Ordin, who properly understood my warning last time, bowed his head and said hello. ¡°Madam, you are here.¡± Laurent Delphine, who was standing next to him, turned his head and quickly walked away. ¡®This guy.¡¯ Seeing that, Aren said awkwardly as if in trouble. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something Sir Hillis asked me to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He begged you to cut Sir Laurent some slack and don¡¯t throw him out on the way.¡± Hillis seemed to have expected his junior to behave like that all the way. She added bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like to beg as well.¡± The two people who treated me so nicely want this, so I have to deal with it. ¡°¡­¡­I will do it because of you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Aren looked relieved. *** As soon as I arrived at the Delphine estate, I decided to move as quickly as possible. ¡®Leah is waiting at home!¡¯ Immediately I was guided to the warehouse where the explosion occurred. The warehouse is charred, with only the shape remaining. I looked at the soot in the place where the door was supposed to be. At this level, it was fortunate that the fire did not spread further around. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Ordin approached and asked as if waiting. ¡°How did you know he used magic?¡± ¡°There is a powder that responds to traces of magic. It is originally gold, but when it comes in contact with magical power, it changes to turquoise. We checked this place with the powder right after we put out the fire.¡± ¡°Will the color change if I use it now?¡± ¡°It will be useless after a long time.¡± I looked around carefully. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t really tell the specific magic used with that powder.¡± ¡°Yes, you can only tell whether there is a trace of magic or not.¡± Then there is no need to change the proposition that the culprit is a wizard. ¡®We can keep three suspects.¡¯ ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°You seem to have seen everything you want.¡± I looked at his face. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re wondering what I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°I would like you to let me know.¡± It might be better to tell him slowly. There¡¯s no need to wait until his patience runs out. ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll believe me if I just say it though.¡¯ ¡°How do you make this huge warehouse explode all at once, without the use of explosion magic?¡± I continued, ¡°With the flour that was here.¡± There is such a thing as a dust explosion. When small solid particles are dispersed in the air at an appropriate concentration, a very small spark can cause a large explosion. The solid particles start with materials such as aluminum, and can even be found in common products such as wheat flour or corn starch. ¡°Sorry?¡± It is not difficult science. In fact, I have seen patients injured in such explosions in my previous life. ¡°How did the flour explode?¡± Of course not in this world. ¡°You can¡¯t trust me right now, right?¡± He looks like he would have said something if I were not his boss¡¯ wife. ¡°Honestly, yes.¡± I knew it. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell him until I arrived or he¡¯d call it bullshit. ¡®I don¡¯t have to be treated like a fool in the first place.¡¯ ¡°I will show you. I need some things.¡± After a long time, it¡¯s time to go back to my childhood and conduct a science experiment. Chapter 50 Ordin sighed. ¡®How did it happen?¡¯ He is now pulling water from the well at Noel¡¯s orders. This is something that a worker in Viscount Delphine can do, but it is clear that her little grumpiness is the reason for all of this. Still, there was a reason to follow silently. ¡®You were right the other day.¡¯ It¡¯s kind of a reflection. Anyway, he isn¡¯t a brazen person who can¡¯t admit his faults at all. Even if he personally didn¡¯t like the marchioness, it was wrong to show it openly. He, a close aide, did not even show basic courtesy to his lord¡¯s wife. It was certainly presumptuous. Moreover, rumors of this kind quickly spread outside. In the end, it will be transmitted to the opponents as a story of the unstable inside of the Marquis Ainel, and the burden goes directly to the lord of the family. What the Marchioness pointed out was about such a situation, and Ordin was aware of it, so he immediately corrected his behavior. ¡®You¡¯ve become an opponent to really watch out for.¡¯ She knew exactly how to persuade her opponent. While talking, he often got caught off guard with unexpected parts. It means that she is smarter than he thought. ¡®I never expected the day would come when I would think that she is smart.¡¯ That¡¯s not to say he immediately believes that flour causes explosions, though. Ordin trudged away, filling the bucket with water. ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, Noel got a round wooden barrel and put it on the dirt floor. ¡°Sir Aren, can you make a little hole over here?¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Aren, who was beside her, pulled out his dagger and made a hole in it. ¡°Thanks.¡± Seeing a satisfied expression on her face, Aren asked in a curious tone. ¡°But what are you going to do?¡± ¡°An experiment that proves that flour explodes.¡± ¡°Flour¡­¡­ explosion¡­..?¡± Noel grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, do you? I will show you soon.¡± Just in time, Ordin brought water. ¡°Okay, we have everything we need.¡± Then Noel showed him a wooden barrel with a small hole in it. Since he is a person who is full of vigilance, he will check in detail one by one. ¡°Look, Ordin, an ordinary wooden barrel with nothing inside, right?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Noel picked up the flour that a servant had brought. ¡°This is also very ordinary flour from the Delphine estate!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me everything like you¡¯re treating a child.¡± She had no choice. ¡°If I don¡¯t do this, you¡¯ll suspect that I¡¯ve been playing a suspicious trick in the middle again.¡± This was obviously half-bullying. ¡®Marquis, why did you send me to work with her?¡¯ He pressed his forehead tightly. ¡°¡­¡­what kind of person does the Marchioness think of me?¡± ¡°A person full of suspicion.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m pouring flour here and¡ª¡± Noel poured the flour into the small hole. Then she took out a match and lit it. ¡°Everyone, get ready to run. Because it is dangerous.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± She threw the match into the hole and quickly stepped back. At the same time, Aren pulled Ordin¨Cwho was acting the slowest among the three¨Cby the back of his neck. ¡°Ugh!¡± The moment he let out a short groan as his neck was pulled, boom! The wooden barrel exploded. He was startled by the sight before his eyes. ¡®Did it really explode?¡¯ While he was startled, Noel poured water. The fire was quickly extinguished. ¡°It was more powerful than I thought.¡± Even though she used the smallest possible wooden barrel. She lightly clicked her tongue. Anyway, the experiment is a success. She looked back at Ordin, who was still puzzled. ¡°Can you believe me now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, it proved right before his eyes, so he had no choice but to believe it. Ordin looked at the Marchioness, who was standing proudly, in bewilderment. ¡°This is¡­¡­ How did you know?¡± Of course, Noel is too lazy to explain. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that.¡± Despite the insincere response, Ordin did not show any dissatisfaction. He just admitted it. ¡°Everything you said is true. Obviously, this won¡¯t require the use of explosive magic. However.¡± ¡°However?¡± ¡°Still, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that traces of magic were found in the warehouse at the time.¡± ¡°Oh, I have a guess about that too.¡± Unlike before, Ordin is focused. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This explosion requires the condition that it is an enclosed space. But at the time, Viscount Delphine¡¯s nephew was checking the warehouse, right?¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°While the Viscount¡¯s nephew was looking around, I don¡¯t think the warehouse door was locked. It must have been left open, so it wouldn¡¯t be in a state of lack of ventilation.¡± Hearing silently, he put on a puzzled expression. ¡°Then it is impossible to use the method that Madam said¡ª Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± It was then that Ordin realized something. ¡°It¡¯s defensive magic.¡± Noel lightly affirmed. ¡°I think so. Someone blocked the open door with a shield. So the traces of magic are left behind.¡± If traces of magic are left at the place of the explosion, most people will think that explosion magic has been used. Then, naturally, a wizard with the ability to use large-scale explosion magic becomes the culprit. ¡°You mean that the person caught now may have been framed.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not one hundred percent sure.¡± More details will be known only by meeting the wizards who were staying on the estate at the time. ¡°If Madam¡¯s hypothesis is correct, the situation could become more complicated. It¡¯s not difficult if you make a shield only the size of a door. ¡± Wizards with that level of power are quite common. Noel grinned. ¡°The number of suspects has increased. I believe Ordin will be of great help from now on.¡± That means the workload will increase. Of course, Ordin has no right to refuse. ¡°¡­¡­alright.¡± He was honestly very surprised. Because he never imagined that the Marchioness would have guessed this far. ¡®I think I can understand why the Marquis brought her back.¡¯ She knows knowledge that he was not aware of, and she has even suggested new possibilities, so he has no choice but to admit it. He spoke in the most polite manner he had ever done. ¡°I will do my best to fulfill your orders.¡± *** It took time to prove it completely, so I asked Viscount Delphine for his understanding. After that, I went to see the suspect in prison. The wizard¡¯s name is Shuna, twenty years old. She is a commoner and is a considerable hard worker, graduating from the Magic Academy as a senior this year. After I sent the guards out, I brought a chair to the front of the prison and sat down. ¡°Hello, Shuna.¡± She looks haggard. She¡¯s in jail, so of course, she¡¯s not in a good shape. Shuna asked with alert eyes. ¡°¡­¡­who are you?¡± ¡°Noel Ainel. Marchioness of Ainel.¡± Perhaps surprised by my unexpectedly high status, the bewildered Shuna bowed her head awkwardly. ¡°I, I greet the Marchioness.¡± ¡°Yes, nice to meet you.¡± She seems puzzled as to why I suddenly appeared. I kindly explained. ¡°Viscount Delphine is a vassal of the Ainel family. This case is quite important, so I¡¯m here to do some investigation myself.¡± Since I need to be clear about the situation, I stated the fact first. ¡°First of all, Shuna, if this goes on, you will be sentenced to death.¡± Shuna¡¯s face turned white. ¡°It, it can¡¯t be¡­¡­¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t make this up by yourself, did you? An academy¡¯s senior graduate wouldn¡¯t have killed an aristocrat by exploding a warehouse out of boredom. I¡¯m sure someone made you do it.¡± First of all, in order to understand the tendency of the opponent, it is necessary to apply some pressure. If anyone is in a situation where their lives are at stake, they will reveal the bottom of their personality. ¡°Tell me who ordered it. I¡¯ll give you a special hand so that you can avoid the death penalty.¡± ¡°I, I have never done such a thing, Marchioness!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie, there are reports of handkerchiefs with your initials on the scene.¡± I replied coldly. ¡°Even among the wizards who staying in the estate, you are the only one who has the skills to use such massive explosion magic.¡± ¡°The handkerchief was lost a while ago¡­.., and I don¡¯t know much about magic. I didn¡¯t do it. Please believe me¡­¡­ sob.¡± Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. It evoked some sympathy. Of course, I can¡¯t show it. I pushed her a little harder. ¡°You know that your excuses are nonsense right now, don¡¯t you? No one will believe you. Everyone will swear at you when you are about to be executed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She bowed her head. Frustration flashed in her eyes. ¡°Okay then, let me ask you one more question. I heard that the other two wizards who are suspects are also your acquaintances.¡± Shuna replied with a calm voice. ¡°Yes¡­¡­ We are classmates, graduating from the academy together.¡± ¡°You three get along well, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I am a commoner, so there were many people who looked down on me among the students¡­¡­ Even though they are nobles, they are friendly with me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± A wizard who graduates first in rank even though she is a commoner, and friends who treat her kindly even though they are aristocrats. It¡¯s a heartwarming story to hear. ¡®I read the report Ordin brought to me, so I knew the background of the three.¡¯ The conversations up to now were simply thrown to make sure she wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°Shuna.¡± The main point is now. ¡°I understand your situation. Actually, I¡¯m not here to interrogate you.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± I lowered my voice and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m here to offer you a deal.¡± Chapter 51 ¡°If you say your friend¡¯s name, you are acquitted.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Shuna clenched her fists. Her hands even trembled. I didn¡¯t rush, I waited. In deep anguish, she soon looked straight at me. ¡°I refuse this offer.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I did nothing.¡± ¡°Really? Is that what you think?¡± I asked back sarcastically. ¡°Yes, but you are already offering me a deal on the premise that I am the culprit. Furthermore¨D¡± I focused on not missing the smallest detail. To observe her eyes, tone of voice, and gestures. ¡°I cannot sell my dear friends to live.¡± ¡°Last question, are you really going to refuse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Even in a situation where she could die, she did not abandon her friends. ¡®If she was the culprit and had any purpose, she would have accepted the deal now.¡¯ ¡°All right, Shuna.¡± I smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think you are the culprit either.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± The bad role was enough now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just making a little guess.¡± Shuna has a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°What do you mean¡­ ¡­ ?¡± ¡°Literally, I was wondering if you were the culprit, so I tested you.¡± I got up from my chair. ¡°As an apology, I will work hard to find the real culprit.¡± In fact, even if Shuna accepted the deal, I would have investigated the other two. ¡®Because I¡¯ll do it carefully.¡¯ After having a conversation with her, I know she is good-natured and has a strong will. I like her personally. ¡®She has the loyalty of protecting her friends.¡¯ But, ¡®Are Shuna¡¯s friends really that loyal?¡¯ I expected one of her friends to be the culprit. *** After meeting Shuna, I returned to the Viscount¡¯s mansion with the others. In the meantime, I received an unexpected protest. ¡°Why did you protect her?¡± I sighed. ¡°Sir Laurent, calm down.¡± ¡®I forgot for a moment because I was concentrating on the case.¡¯ Laurent Delphine. A knight who doesn¡¯t trust me. I should have guessed that this kid was going to object to my opinion. His deceased cousin seems to have been very close to him. Because of that, he was much more emotional than usual. ¡°You have to drag her away and execute her, as soon as possible!¡± I crossed my arms and asked Ordin beside me. ¡°Did you not explain anything to Sir Laurent?¡± He also finds the situation difficult. ¡°I did explain to him, as well as to Viscount Delphine.¡± So it means that he is currently unable to judge rationally because of his desire for revenge. ¡®His family is dead, so it could be.¡¯ But I can¡¯t let him continue to behave like this. Even the people who served tea in the drawing room were restless because of this commotion. ¡®It¡¯s difficult.¡¯ There was nothing good for each other when rumors spread that the third son of Viscount Delphine was against the Marchioness Ainel. ¡®Of all things, there¡¯s no Aren.¡¯ As his fellow knight, he would be of great help if he were here. First of all, I ordered the maids who were serving refreshments. ¡°Leave it all and go.¡± It was necessary to calm the opponent in a situation where there were no ears to hear. But I wasn¡¯t very happy with this situation either. Laurent and I had very little contact even before I got my past life memory. In other words, this guy is hostile to me for no direct reason. From the look of the eyes he sometimes sends to Rupert, I guess he is someone who admires him. ¡®Of course, I don¡¯t care about that.¡¯ But one thing is for sure: there¡¯s no need to be polite to a rude person. I spoke coldly. ¡°Laurent Delphine, if you have any doubts about my judgment, refute it logically. Don¡¯t be emotional like a child.¡± He looked like he was going to cry at any moment. ¡°¨DI¡¯m not emotional. On the contrary, the evidence is so clear, why do we need to conduct further investigations?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already heard the reason from Ordin, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I know there are other ways to blow up the warehouse. But that doesn¡¯t prove that she didn¡¯t use explosive magic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but I¡¯m just saying I¡¯m going to spend more time investigating as other possibilities have arisen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just wasting your time simply by your boredom,¡± Laurent replied sharply. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± His statement crossed the line. ¡°Yeah, I could be wrong.¡± Does this damn bastard think I¡¯m just meddling out of boredom? ¡°But I¡¯ve never taken this lightly.¡± Rather, I wanted to eliminate the slightest possibility that Rupert would kill an innocent person. ¡°You are the one who takes this situation lightly.¡± ¡°I am not!¡± ¡°Now, this is the process of finding the culprit in order to alleviate the injustice of the victims, and one person¡¯s life is at stake. That¡¯s why I want to be careful.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But you refuse to confirm the doubts that exist in this case, and you only want to behead the suspect. Do you know what that means?¡± I laughed briefly. ¡°You don¡¯t want to catch the real culprit right now, you just need someone to vent your anger on.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Now, is it me or you who take this situation lightly?¡± He paused. As if he was stabbed in his conscience without him knowing. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t like me personally. But not being able to distinguish between the top and bottom is a problem, and it is even more problematic to lose judgment due to being swept away by emotions.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°If you are a knight of the Ainel family, act accordingly,¡± I said in annoyance. ¡°If you can¡¯t, shut up.¡± I jumped up from my seat right away. As I stepped out of the drawing room, Ordin followed me. ¡°Haah¡­ ¡­ .¡± To cool off, I took a few deep breaths and exhaled. Ordin waited patiently for me until I calmed down. I turned around and asked, ¡°Why are you following me? I thought you¡¯d be with Sir Laurent.¡± ¡°What can I do to soothe a person who is lost in emotion? He should at least reflect on himself.¡± ¡°Why are you on my side?¡± ¡°Madam is right about this. Sir Laurent crossed the line because he was swept away by emotions, and his attitude was rude. He needed to say something to calm himself down.¡± ¡°Did he know?¡± ¡°He would have known. Even if he is young, he is not that stupid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad then.¡± Hesitating, Ordin added, ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve been through a lot. Thank you for your hard work.¡± I laughed briefly at the unexpected remark. The first time I heard a compliment from him was after I scolded his subordinate. Somehow it felt a little ironic. ¡®But it¡¯s a bit comforting though.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t stay put. I coughed lightly and spoke a little brighter to change the mood. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s think about Sir Laurent later. It would be best to settle the urgent problem we are facing right now.¡± ¡°How are you going to find out if the real culprit is among the two remainings? Shall we take all three of them to the Ainel estate and investigate them?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s leave it as something to do if the way I came up with fails.¡± ¡°You have an idea.¡± A rather classic and common way, but it does exist. ¡°Let¡¯s dig a trap.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°The two remaining suspects are not in prison, but are in quarantine, right?¡± ¡°Because we haven¡¯t been able to completely clear the charges.¡± ¡°Then call them both, lock them in a warehouse full of sacks of wheat flour, and turn on the light.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Because the culprit will know that the flour will explode. Whether running away or using a Shield, the one who will take action is probably the real culprit.¡± Ordin was puzzled. Judging by his expression, he seems to be looking at me like a vicious devil. ¡°Are you saying you want to kill everyone now?¡± ¡°What do you see me as? I can¡¯t kill anyone,¡± I grumbled. If I wanted to solve it that way, I wouldn¡¯t have to suffer like this. ¡°No one will be hurt, so don¡¯t worry. Instead, it will be a bit cumbersome to prepare.¡± Of course, I was planning to leave the troublesome preparations to Ordin. *** Shuna¡¯s friends¡¯ names are Joan and Diane. Joan is the third son of the Viscount, his academic grades are not very good, and he is meek and quiet in conversation. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Shuna is still doing that¡­ ¡­ .¡± Diane is the eldest daughter of a Baron and has a fresh impression. She has a strong sense of pride and doesn¡¯t flinch in front of me at all. ¡°She¡¯s not the type to harm anyone with magic. There must be a reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check it out as thoroughly as possible. So I need the help of you two, wizards.¡± Diane and Joan answered, ¡°Just tell me, Marchioness.¡± ¡°¡­ what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous.¡± It¡¯s not a lie. It¡¯s a trap, but not dangerous. ¡°I have a personal question.¡± Having said that, I went with the two of them to the warehouse prepared in advance with the help of Viscount Delphine. It is a place full of sacks of wheat flour, like the previously exploded warehouse. ¡°What place is this? ¡°Another Viscount Delphine¡¯s warehouse. I wanted to look back on the situation at the time. For that, a place with the most similar conditions is better, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Diane agreed. Joan hesitated and followed. ¡°But we¡¯re not as good as Shuna, so we can¡¯t show you the explosive magic¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make you overdo it.¡± I induced the two to come completely inside the warehouse. ¡°Can you two tell me where the explosive magic was installed at the time? I don¡¯t know anything about magic, so I can¡¯t figure it out.¡± ¡°To blow up a warehouse of this size, the location would have been in the center.¡± Two people came inside. -bang! At that moment, the warehouse door closed. Chapter 52 ¡°What?¡± As the light coming through the warehouse door disappeared, the view became dark. ¡°Uh, what¡¯s going on?¡± Joan asked, confused. It was all planned, but he responded naturally. ¡°Well, the warehouse manager didn¡¯t know we were here and closed it? Hmmm, I¡¯ll have to scold him later when I come out.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The maids know I¡¯m here, so they¡¯ll come to find me.¡± I reassured them both. ¡°¡­ that¡¯s a relief then.¡± Diane sighed in relief. ¡°It gets dark. Be careful not to fall, Marchioness.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern. It¡¯s definitely dark¨D oh my!¡± Pretending to stumble, I pushed a nearby sack. White powder poured out of the sack that had been opened beforehand. ¡°Cough cough!¡± ¡°I must have accidentally bumped a sack of wheat flour.¡± I said in trouble and looked at the two of them. ¡°It¡¯s dark, it¡¯s definitely dangerous. Can you use a little fire magic? I need to light up the surroundings.¡± ¡°Yes, I will¨D¡± ¡°Wait!¡± It was Joan who interrupted Diane. ¡°Why, Joan?¡± ¡°No, I thought it would be dangerous to start a fire in this situation,¡± he stuttered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can keep it floating a little in the palm of your hand. Isn¡¯t that basic?¡± ¡°Still, how if it will spread around¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a freshman, so you won¡¯t make that kind of mistake. Besides, wouldn¡¯t it be more dangerous to stay like this?¡± As Diane cast a spell to use fire magic, Joan covered her mouth. ¡°Eub!?¡± I pretended to be startled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°If you light a fire here, it will explode!¡± he shouted in panic. I smiled slightly. ¡®I got you, bastard!¡¯ ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, that, it¡¯s dangerous if there¡¯s a small spark in the flour¡­ .¡± ¡°You mean the flour catches fire? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard it. Please tell me more.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s not something you should care about!¡± His voice confused anyone who heard it. ¡°That is for me to decide. Tell me more quickly! Flour catches fire, how do you know that?¡± ¡°In the past, in the academy lab, I accidentally ¡­ ¡­ .¡± If you make up a lie in an agitated state, there will be a pause in speaking. ¡°Have you ever accidentally caused an explosion at the academy? Where, how, and with what kind of flour did that happen?¡± Especially the more you add lies to the details. ¡°I can¡¯t remember what kind of flour it was.¡± ¡°Then, did you report it to the professor?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid of being scolded, so I¡¯ll keep it a secret¨D¡± ¡°But I¡¯m sure your friends, Diane or Shuna, know. Get your hands off Diane right now. I want to hear the story.¡± ¡°No, no, neither of them knows. I did it alone! Probably no one knows!¡± ¡°There was an explosion inside the academy, does it make sense that no one knows? At least someone has heard of it.¡± He closed his eyes and shouted. ¡°It could be! It happened when I was alone in the dormitory during vacation¨D¡± ¡°You just said it happened in the lab.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Caught you. ¡°It¡¯s hard to keep telling lies, right?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ .¡± ¡°Stop making excuses, Joan.¡± I stared at him expressionlessly. ¡°You¡¯re the culprit, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°After you set off the explosion, you put the handkerchief you stole from Shuna at the scene.¡± His breath became ragged. It means that he was agitated. ¡°Damn it¡­ !¡± Joan suddenly pushed Diane towards me. ¡°Damn!¡± She bumped into me and I fell. ¡°Ouch¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Both of you just die like this!¡± Joan threw a small fireball he had made in haste and wrapped himself in a small Shield. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Of course, nothing happened. I put out the small embers thrown by him by stepping on them. ¡°You tried to kill just the two of us in the explosion, but nothing happened, so it¡¯s weird, right?¡± Joan muttered blankly. ¡°How come¡­ ?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not flour that¡¯s in storage here.¡± -bang! At that moment, the locked warehouse door opened and people waiting outside appeared. ¡°Catch that guy.¡± At my command, Aren subdued him to the floor. ¡°Ugh¡­ ¡­ .¡± Aren seems to have suppressed him with a rather strong force. A painful moan escaped Joan¡¯s mouth. That doesn¡¯t create any sympathy. He sent his innocent friend to the brink of death. Joan still didn¡¯t fully understand the situation, so I explained briefly, ¡°Not all flours cause explosions.¡± There are also conditions. One of them is that it must be composed of a compound that is prone to combustion reactions. Therefore, wheat flour, sugar, coal powder, etc. are flammable, but on the contrary, ¡°Limestone and glass don¡¯t explode. And all that¡¯s in the warehouse here is lime powder.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Lime is used in the modern world as a raw material for cement and for making chalk. It is not difficult to obtain as it is commonly used as a hemostatic agent in this world. ¡°Looking at your expression, you must not know this. I don¡¯t think you came up with this method by yourself. It seems that someone has informed you about the dust explosion.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t my job to find out who ordered Joan. I asked what I was personally curious about. ¡°Why did you put everything on Shuna? Aren¡¯t you friends?¡± He could have found someone else. He stared blankly into the air and stuttered. ¡°Because, because it¡¯s unfair¡­ she¡¯s a lowly person¡­ but why is she always better than me¡­ ? Me too¡­ .¡± A sense of inferiority and jealousy flashed through his eyes. I was able to get a rough idea of ??the situation with that alone. Sometimes in life, there are times when someone you trust will hit you in the head. It could be a colleague, friend, family, or lover. Surprisingly, betrayal between people occurs easily. ¡®I mean, can you have true love? Isn¡¯t that only possible for the main character in a story?¡¯ In reality, the relationships that people build are not as simple, sweet, or eternal as in fairy tales. I walked out and ordered, ¡°My husband will do a better job of interrogation. Take him away.¡± *** So Joan¡¯s transfer was decided, and Shuna was released from prison. She came to me right away. ¡°Thank you, I was able to clear the false charge, thank you very much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad things went well.¡± Shuna bowed deeply and raised her head again. She is looking at me with a slightly shimmering gaze. ¡°I heard about how you solved it. How wonderful you are, Marchioness,¡± she said. Her eyes staring at me in awe made me feel a little overwhelmed. ¡®Do you think I¡¯m your lifesaver?¡¯ I was just using common sense of science, so this admiration was a burden. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal¡­ Do you have any idea why Joan did that?¡± She shook her head with a sad expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know. Did I do something wrong to Joan?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself. The one who crosses the line, for whatever reason, cannot be justified.¡± It probably wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t like Shuna. After receiving the order, he needed someone to frame, but it must have been that his feelings of inferiority and jealousy towards her that he had been building up all this time gushed out. Whatever the case, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she was betrayed by her friend. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Shuna was still looking somber, and I decided not to bother her with this topic anymore. ¡°So what are you going to do next?¡± I asked brightly to evoke the atmosphere. ¡°Actually, right after I graduated, I was on my way to the estate where I decided to work as a wizard, but¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I got a notice that they canceled it right after I was imprisoned.¡± Argh, I stepped on a landmine while trying to solve it well. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve been acquitted of all charges, can¡¯t they just accept you again?¡± ¡°It can be. But I was wondering if I could work in a place that left me easily without properly checking the facts first.¡± She laughed awkwardly. ¡°Simply put, I¡¯m unemployed.¡± I felt sorry for Shuna, but actually, I was a little moved after hearing this. ¡°Then will you come to my estate?¡± She was taken aback by the sudden proposal. ¡°In Ainel estate? But I am a commoner. Is it okay?¡± ¡°My husband doesn¡¯t really care about status as long as you have skills. You can also become a member of Raven Knights if you have the skills.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard of the Raven Knights.¡± I decided to omit that there is a bit of a picky side. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not as evil as the rumors.¡± She smiled. ¡°It is enough for me to know just by the fact that you cleared my name. Seriously, I can¡¯t believe the rumors. Marchioness is truly a good person.¡± Actually, it was a fact-based rumor until recently. ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± Well, I¡¯m not trying to hire Shuna out of my mere sympathy. Currently, among the subordinates of the Ainel estate, there is no one who fully supports me. No matter how close I get to the Raven Knights or Ordin, they will always follow Rupert when something important happens. ¡®But if I take Shuna with me¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ Judging from her answer in prison before, she¡¯s a loyal person. Also, her skills as a wizard are excellent. She is a perfect talent to have as an aide. I am in a favorable condition. She even owed her life to me. She will be by my side even in the Ainel mansion. ¡®Because there are limits to working alone.¡¯ In short, it is a great opportunity to extend my side. ¡°So what do you think of my offer? Do you want me to give you time to think?¡± After a moment of contemplation, she smiled. Chapter 53 ¡°No, it¡¯s a great honor to work for the one who saved me.¡± ¡®Finally, I have someone who is completely on my side!¡¯ ¡°I still lack a lot, but please take care of me in the future.¡± Hiding my joy, I smiled gracefully like a lady. After further discussion about employment, Shuna returned. ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± Moments later, someone knocked on the door. I thought it was the maid, so I answered lightly. ¡°Come in.¡± But the one who opened the door was an unexpected person. ¡°¡­ Sir Laurent?¡± Laurent Delphine. A member of the Raven Knights who has a bad relationship with me. ¡°May I come in?¡± Still in the doorway, he asked with a sullen expression. ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± A young knight who came in with reluctant steps stood in front of me. ¡°Who scolded you?¡± He replied in surprise. ¡°Sorry? Just a few. Aide Ordin, Sir Aren, and my father¡­ ¡­ .¡± No, that¡¯s not ¡®a few.¡¯ ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Your face says it all.¡± It seems that he was not aware that he had such a gloomy expression. ¡®You¡¯re not good at hiding your feelings.¡¯ ¡°Anyway, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­ ¡­ .¡± After hesitating for a moment, Laurent bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am!¡± I didn¡¯t expect to receive an apology like this right away, so I was taken aback. ¡°Sir, why all of a sudden? Who told you to do this?¡± Are you under someone¡¯s pressure? ¡°Oh, no. I don¡¯t do this because someone told me to.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°What you said was right, madam. The fact that the real culprit was someone else, that I acted emotionally, and that I behaved inappropriately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you know¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m also sorry for accusing you of only doing all of that out of boredom.¡± Then he spoke with a gloomy expression. ¡°I am not worthy of being a Raven Knight. My goal has always been to be like my master, but I¡¯m ashamed.¡± It was a more sincere reflection than I had imagined. I suddenly wondered. ¡°¡­ Sir Laurent, how old are you exactly?¡± ¡°I am 17 years old.¡± ¡®He¡¯s only the age of a high school student.¡¯ ¡°Are you seriously reflecting on yourself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to do the same thing again, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Then if I ask you to write an apology letter, will you do it?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, how many pages should I write?¡± The last one was a joke, but he replied very seriously. Looks like he¡¯s done it a few times. I laughed briefly. ¡°No, never mind.¡± ¡®I think I can see why the members like him.¡¯ The passionate attitude of sincerely reflecting on mistakes would have looked very heartwarming from the perspective of the elderly. It¡¯s not an easy thing to do as a teenager. One thing came to mind while I was thinking about that. ¡°By the way, instead of an apology letter, you have one thing to do.¡± Laurent made a curious expression. ¡°What is it?¡± I smiled. ¡°Escort me when I need it. I feel bad for giving this burden only to Sir Aren and Sir Hillis.¡± In fact, this is a superficial reason. ¡®If I get closer to Sir Laurent, it will be easier for me to make a good image among the Knights.¡¯ He is the youngest and is greatly loved by his seniors. If such a kid shows that he is friendly with me and spreads good stories, it will definitely have an effect on improving my image among the Knights. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m shameless if I keep fighting with a kid in his late teens.¡¯ It is a hundred times more beneficial to me to show a generously forgiving figure like an elder than to remain in a bad relationship. Laurent, unaware of my plans, nodded his head meekly. ¡°Yes, I will escort you whenever you want.¡± ¡®Yeah, you have to get close to me and spread good rumors, hoho.¡¯ I laughed inwardly. ¡°All right, let¡¯s get ready to go back now.¡± I was trying to get information related to predictive dreams, but there was an unexpected event. I set off for the Ainel estate with a feeling of satisfaction. *** Light footsteps like water drops could be heard in the hallway. This time too, Rupert easily recognized who the owner of the footsteps was. He got up and opened the door. The person who was about to open the door widened her eyes. ¡°How did you know?¡± She also had the same surprised reaction as her mother. He smiled at her cuteness. ¡°I know everything.¡± He waited for the child to come in, then closed the door. ¡°You have to be careful when you open the door here.¡± ¡°I know, my mom said the same thing!¡± Compared to other rooms, the office door is larger and heavier. It¡¯s okay for adults but can be dangerous for children. ¡°Father, are you busy?¡± She must be bored without Noel. Rupert glanced at the paperwork piled up behind him. In the past, of course, he would have prioritized work over playing with children. ¡°Not at all.¡± Leah looked up at him with her eyes twinkling. ¡°Then can you play with me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± The child, who smiled cutely, tried to hang on to his waist. He inadvertently avoided her. ¡®Oh.¡¯ ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± At once, his daughter gave him a disappointed look. She looked like a puppy in the rain, and his little conscience ached. ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like my daughter hugging me.¡¯ Rather, it was good. Hearing the pounding of a small heart, I felt an indescribable feeling. I wondered if this was what others felt about paternal love. ¡®It¡¯s just because of the sensation that comes from the curse.¡¯ Such worries prevented him from comfortably contacting Leah. ¡°¡­ you do not want me to hug you?¡± Rupert replied hurriedly. ¡°No way.¡± He didn¡¯t have the confidence to calm her down when she cried. So he bent down and stroked Leah¡¯s head gently. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to other people¡¯s body temperature.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°My parents died early, so I didn¡¯t hug them much.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie at all. Since there was no adult who took care of him affectionately since he was young, it was awkward for him to hug someone. As he grew up, his senses became more sensitive, and it was uncomfortable to be close to others. As a result, naturally, he was reluctant to make contact with people. The child tilted her head. ¡°If you hug often, you¡¯ll get used to it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, though.¡± ¡°Then I can keep hugging you!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± For a moment, he was at a loss for an answer. Isn¡¯t that an overly logical answer for a five-year-old? I can understand why Noel often makes a fuss about our daughter is a genius. ¡°Ask my mom to hug you often, too! Then you¡¯ll get used to it sooner!¡± ¡®No, it¡¯s more difficult in many ways.¡¯ Of course, there was no way to explain why to his daughter. Eventually, he gave up and lifted Leah with one hand. The first step was to get over this difficult situation. ¡°Okay, help me get used to it as quickly as possible.¡± Knowing a small thing had already left him speechless, he was looking forward to the future. ¡°So what are you going to do?¡± He quickly changed the subject. Actually, I¡¯m not used to playing with children yet. Personally, I don¡¯t want to just draw. ¡°Let¡¯s play hide-and-seek. My father and mom did it together last time.¡± She had enough confidence to deal with that. ¡°I¡¯m very good at hide-and-seek. Can you win?¡± In fact, if he focused properly, he could not miss her presence in the slightest in this mansion. Leah, who doesn¡¯t know this fact, said confidently. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m good too!¡± ¡°Okay, then you hide.¡± At that moment, the sound of a horse neighing was heard in the distance. It was a very low sound, but Rupert noticed that someone had come to the mansion. ¡°Leah, I think we should play hide-and-seek next time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I think Noel is back.¡± ¡°Mom? Then I will welcome her, please let me down!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Leah standing on the floor immediately reached out to him. It means ¡®let¡¯s go hand in hand.¡¯ ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rupert hesitated for a moment. Her tiny hands looked so fragile that they would break if held incorrectly. But he did not want to disappoint her again, so he carefully grabbed her hand. Leah smiled as he held her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go see my mom together!¡± Chapter 54 Noel smiled broadly when she saw two people holding hands in the entrance hall to meet them. ¡®You two are getting along well!¡¯ It was a result of hard work, so I was proud. ¡°Mom!¡± On top of that, Leah ran to her and her happiness reached its peak. ¡°Leah, I missed you!¡± She hugged her daughter and kissed her softly on the cheek. Feeling tickled, Leah laughed. ¡°Did you get along well with your father?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Noel turned her head toward her husband. When his eyes met hers, Rupert felt like he had to say something. But he was not used to this kind of situation, so he couldn¡¯t think of an appropriate word. ¡°Welcome back, Noel.¡± In the end, he only gave her a short, awkward greeting. She opened her eyes wide in surprise and smiled broadly. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± His heart tickled when he saw her bright smile. ¡°Marquis.¡± But he didn¡¯t have long to admire it. Rupert received a report from Ordin and went to the place where the criminal was. The carriage carrying the criminal stopped in front of the entrance to the dungeon. Soldiers are pulling out a young man wearing a restraint from a small carriage. ¡®Is that Joan?¡¯ I heard that Noel set a trap and caught him. ¡®She said it wasn¡¯t dangerous, huh?¡¯ She herself acted dangerously and caught the culprit. Thank you for catching the real culprit, but apart from that, I¡¯ll say more later. ¡°Stop.¡± At Rupert¡¯s command, the soldiers holding the prisoner stopped. ¡°Is the magic sealed properly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joan was limp. Either he was frustrated with this situation or he was sick. ¡®It¡¯s a problem if he dies before being interrogated.¡¯ ¡°Was he tortured before coming?¡± ¡°No, we did a light interrogation, but we never did any physical harm.¡± ¡°Let him go for a while.¡± The soldiers let go of Joan¡¯s arms and backed away a little. Rupert walked over to Joan. He staggered when he was released, but there was no response. His head was down, so his condition couldn¡¯t be seen properly. ¡°Hey, raise your head¨D¡± He reached out and grabbed Joan¡¯s shoulder lightly. In an instant, a stinging pain spread through his entire body, starting from the hand that touched him. His back was burning. Feeling strange, he hurriedly backed away and shouted. ¡°Stand back!¡± At the same time, there was the sound of a large balloon popping. pugh. In an instant, the whole area was dyed red. Joan¡¯s body exploded. His shattered body is spread all around. It was hard to tell if it was originally a human. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rupert, who was right in front of him, was also covered in blood. He stiffened for a moment, unable to do anything. He¡¯s not surprised by the sudden brutality. He just can¡¯t move because of the smell of blood all around him. More precisely, the smell of blood is sweet enough to paralyze his sense of smell. Much more than usual. He almost raised the corners of his mouth. A man was brutally killed right before his eyes. ¡®Dammit.¡¯ When he came to his senses a beat late, he hurriedly covered his nose and mouth. He hadn¡¯t killed someone in a long time, so the reaction had become too great. His heart was beating fast and his senses were too sensitive. Information coming through sight, smell, and hearing was mixed together and confused. Blood smells good, I¡¯m happy, no, why, someone died, I¡¯m happy, stop! It feels like his head is being soaked in boiling water and ice water alternately. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Then, Noel¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Don¡¯t come!¡± It¡¯s too late. She fell silent when she saw the terrible scene. ¡°What the hell is this¡­ ¡­ .¡± And she found him covered in blood. ¡°Rupert, are you hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, go back.¡± He was trying to answer in a calm tone. But Noel didn¡¯t look very good. ¡®I don¡¯t think she knows.¡¯ Unlike usual, the expression on her face is all revealed. Fear, frustration, confusion, anger¡­ ¡­ . His red eyes fluttered and his breath was wheezing wildly. Now he was unstable like a lost child. ¡°I, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re all right.¡± Frankly, he needed to calm down. Noel approached him carefully. Rupert gave a warning in a low voice. ¡°Don¡¯t come near me.¡± Without hesitating, she slowly covered his blood-splattered cheek. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she whispered lowly. ¡°Don¡¯t focus on the sensations you feel. The more you do that, the harder it will be. Instead, think of something else.¡± When he felt the body temperature on his cheek and heard the calm voice, strangely, little by little, he calmed down. ¡°Fun or pleasant memories¡­ memories that put you at ease.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rupert closed his eyes, seeking a peaceful memory. The first time he felt at peace in his life was when he was eight years old. After his mother died, he vaguely realized his future and attempted suicide. Then, he met someone. As he focused his attention elsewhere, his panting breathing became more and more regular. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± He opened his eyes. ¡°A lot.¡± Noel looked relieved. He gently grabbed her hand that was touching his cheek, then put it down. It was sad to see the warmth away, but he couldn¡¯t stay like this. ¡°Noel, go back to the mansion and reassure the workers. Don¡¯t make them come near here. I¡¯ll clean up here with the soldiers.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She wanted to ask what the hell happened, but she held it back. She hid her doubts and turned around. *** Things settled down to some extent, and night has come. It was then that Noel was able to hear a rough story from Ordin. Fortunately, no one was dead except for Joan. People around them were also unharmed. ¡°The scene was brutal because only the body exploded.¡± After hearing Ordin¡¯s words, Noel asked, ¡°Why did it suddenly happen?¡± ¡°I do not know. There¡¯s no body left, so we can¡¯t investigate¡­ ¡­ .¡± She also has a complicated expression. ¡°It¡¯s speculation, but it seems that someone has put some magic into him so that it happens when the Marquis touches him.¡± ¡°Did he aim for Rupert?¡± ¡°It is very likely, but¡­ .¡± There is no confirmation. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s definitely a threat. I think you¡¯d better be careful for the time being. Please be sure to have an escort when you go.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After saying that, Noel stopped walking on the way to her room. ¡®Is Rupert okay?¡¯ She was worried as she remembered what she saw before. She wanted to check on him once before going to bed, just in case. Noel knocked on her husband¡¯s room. ¡°Rupert?¡± The lights weren¡¯t off, but there was no answer. She tilted her head and carefully opened the door. ¡°Are you here?¡± The lights are on and the windows are open. The curtains fluttered in the night breeze. Noel walked to the window to close the door. And she found a familiar silhouette in the garden below. ¡®Rupert?¡¯ She saw him in the garden. Is he taking a walk? ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you jumped right out of the window because you were lazy to go out the door.¡¯ Then the situation in which the windows are open like this is explained. Still worried about him, Noel went out through the door into the garden. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Rupert is still there. He is, to be exact, sitting on a large stone in the garden. He wasn¡¯t surprised to see her. ¡°Noel, you haven¡¯t slept yet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to ask. You didn¡¯t jump straight out of the window here, did you?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rupert¡¯s room is on the third floor. ¡°Go through the door, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± He nodded lightly and slightly shook his head to the side. That means he asked her to sit down. She sat down next to him without hesitation. ¡°Come to think of it, Noel, I heard you did something quite dangerous last time.¡± ¡°Dangerous thing?¡± ¡°You became bait to bring the suspects into the warehouse.¡± Noel lightly clicked her tongue. So Ordin already told him! ¡°I wasn¡¯t the bait, I was the one setting the trap. It was an operation worthy of admiration. I even hired a talented person.¡± ¡°I know, Ordin told me. He complimented you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unexpected.¡± ¡°Still, don¡¯t do that again in the future. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t promise that.¡± She shrugged. Besides, in the end, didn¡¯t the culprit who was caught through my hard work die? I was disappointed in myself. Noel hesitated, thinking about the previous scene, and then she asked, ¡°Rupert, are you okay now? You didn¡¯t look good before.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I feel much better. How did you notice I was weird earlier?¡± ¡°Anyone who knows you will notice it. You looked very confused.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ is that so?¡± ¡°You suddenly saw such a situation right in front of you, and it¡¯s not unreasonable not to panic. If it were me, I would have passed out.¡± Rupert was relieved to hear Noel¡¯s words. He was not exactly aware of his own condition at the time. He was shocked by the momentary rapture he felt when he saw the prisoner die, and his sensitive senses were aroused. ¡°It was amazing, the moment your hand touched me, my mind miraculously stabilized.¡± Noel reached out her hand. Chapter 55 ¡°Really? Well, it is said that the body temperature of someone you are comfortable with has a calming effect.¡± Of course, I¡¯m still not sure if he feels comfortable with me. As I thought about it, something immediately came to my mind. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, you told me to stay more than two meters away.¡± It may have been a hasty decision to directly touch him, who was in a panic. ¡°Would it have worked better if Ordin did it instead of me?¡± ¡°Sounds terrible.¡± Rupert was disgusted. ¡°But it¡¯s true that you are reluctant to touch anyone, right? I heard you avoided Leah trying to hug you. I heard everything from Leah.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to conclude that Ordin is the best choice.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve known each other for the longest time, though.¡± ¡°You are much better.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± thump thump. For a moment, Noel was silent. Not because she felt like she was in a romantic scene. On the other hand, it¡¯s horrible. ¡®This man is doing this again!¡¯ Seriously, from her point of view, it feels like a tug-of-war. ¡®You told me not to come close, but now you¡¯re saying it¡¯s okay!¡¯ She was seriously worried about his curse. ¡°I really don¡¯t know¡­ .¡± ¡°Noel?¡± She spoke seriously, ¡°Let¡¯s make it clear at this time.¡± Rupert flinched at the change in his wife¡¯s attitude. Was there anything in the conversation that just made her angry? ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you hate it when I touch you or do you like it? Answer in five seconds.¡± The sudden question baffled him. ¡°Wait a minute¨D.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t answer within five seconds, I won¡¯t touch a single hair of yours for the rest of my life.¡± Noel started counting. ¡°One!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± he grumbled. Of course, that¡¯s none of my business. ¡°Two!¡± ¡°Noel.¡± ¡°Three!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Four!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to making physical contact.¡± It is not a satisfactory answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know about anyone else, but do you think that excuse will work for me? Let¡¯s not forget that we already have a daughter! A cute daughter!¡± ¡°You really¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°No excuses! Now the last¨D.¡± Eventually, Rupert gave a short answer. ¡°Not with someone I like.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He emphasized once again, ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to making physical contact with someone I like.¡± ¡°The- there is already a child between us¡ª¡± ¡°The situation was different back then.¡± Noel was perplexed and asked for more details. Oh, my God. Rupert was a bit startled. ¡°In the past, really, I didn¡¯t care about anything but my personal business. I didn¡¯t care about either you or Leah. I thought you both were one of the necessary parts to keep the family going, just something that one day can be replaced.¡± He said all the words he thought he would never do in his life. With her green eyes widened, she booed, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so bad¡­ .¡± ¡°I know, but it¡¯s different now. I can¡¯t ask you to treat me like before.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Okay? Now take back your word that you won¡¯t touch a single hair of mine.¡± I didn¡¯t expect to hear such a straight answer. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll cancel it.¡± ¡°Great.¡± After saying that, Rupert remained silent. At the same time, Noel became slightly awkward in silence. ¡®But that¡¯s a relief.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t hate her, on the contrary, he confirms that he likes her. At this point, changing the route to seduce him would be the quickest way to break his curse. So it was time to ask all the questions. Also, it¡¯s not often that Rupert gets a chance to answer something personal. ¡®Because I¡¯ll never have the courage to ask a question unless I¡¯m in the mood right now!¡¯ She asked questions in spite of her shame. ¡°Then you mean you have a crush on me? You don¡¯t hate me touching you, do you?¡± He covered his face with his hands and muttered nervously, ¡°You¡¯re so straightforward, why¡­ ¡­ .¡± Oh, he¡¯s shy! Rupert is shy! Thanks to Rupert being embarrassed first, Noel¡¯s embarrassment was reduced in an instant. Instead, she felt even the slightest pleasure in the situation that bothered him. ¡°Don¡¯t avoid this matter too much between us, a grown man and woman!¡± ¡°You have to hold yourself back a little.¡± ¡°No, since we¡¯re talking about it, let¡¯s make it clear. You said you¡¯re not used to making physical contact. So, to what level are you okay now?¡± ¡°Hand,¡± Rupert replied curtly. Noel laughed softly. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± She almost grabbed her hair. ¡®Ahhh!¡¯ Seriously, this is the first time in my life facing such an iron wall. Hand?! How can I seduce him with a hand? ¡®It¡¯s the biggest challenge in my life.¡¯ However, you can¡¯t force yourself to touch someone who¡¯s not ready yet. In the end, Noel grasped his hand and tried to convince him. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s a great improvement compared to being 2m away.¡¯ At the same time, she can¡¯t help but want to complain. ¡®No, if it¡¯s at the level of only hands allowed, isn¡¯t it like Leah¡¯s level?¡¯ Are you saying you like me, but you don¡¯t think of me as the opposite sex? Is it simply human-to-human liking? ¡®I gradually lose my confidence.¡¯ Rupert glanced at her slightly unhappy profile. In fact, it was never particularly unpleasant to make physical contact with her. ¡®To be honest, that¡¯s about the level that I can endure with my patience.¡¯ It seems that she misunderstood what he meant, but he decided not to correct it. It would be difficult for him to change his attitude if he corrected it. Thinking about it that far, a fundamental question arose. ¡®Why are you trying to touch me in the first place?¡¯ I should have wondered about it from the beginning. ¡°Come to think of it, Noel, why do you keep trying to narrow the distance with me?¡± ¡®Why are you asking such a natural thing?¡¯ written on her face. ¡°Because we are husband and wife.¡± Her exact purpose is to break the curse, but it is too early to say that. ¡°Looking at your expression, you don¡¯t particularly like me. Then there is no need to overdo it, right?¡± Hearing that from a human who only allowed hand-to-hand physical contact, that was a really irritating answer. Not knowing her efforts. Noel narrowed her eyes. ¡°What, if you don¡¯t like me, tell me quickly and clearly.¡± She has not yet completely ruled out the possibility of becoming a matchmaker. If he is uncooperative, she will desperately try to hook him up with Aren. ¡°After hearing your answer, I know for sure that you don¡¯t like me.¡± His wife who doesn¡¯t love him wants to touch him. In the end, Rupert has no choice but to come up with a slightly uncomfortable reasoning. ¡°I wonder if the purpose is my body?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± I don¡¯t think it would be a bad idea to beat him up and worry about the rest later, rather than hearing this speculation from my husband, who also has official marriage documents. ¡®No, I can¡¯t.¡¯ Noel managed to regain her mind back from falling a bit to the evil side. From his point of view, it must be strange that his wife suddenly approached him. ¡°Since we decided to become a family, I just wanted to get to know each other properly.¡± Noel gave the soundest reason possible. ¡°Because you are not the type of person to easily tell personal things. I want to hear it like this.¡± ¡°Personal things¡­ .¡± He couldn¡¯t deny it. Rupert was hiding really important things from her. But he wasn¡¯t confident either. Will Noel stay by my side even after hearing the truth? ¡®No way. She¡¯ll definitely be worried about Leah¡¯s safety, so they¡¯ll leave.¡¯ So I will never tell her until it becomes impossible to hide. ¡°Try to tell me about yourself.¡± I have no choice but to lie like this right now. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll trust you.¡± Given his personality, he will take his secrets to his grave. Noel decided to stop bullying him. At least today. ¡®There¡¯s nothing urgent.¡¯ In fact, she doesn¡¯t know yet. That his curse progresses faster and more seriously as his emotions deepen. She simply thought that when strong emotions such as anger or hatred occurred, her husband¡¯s condition became more serious. So, now that they have become close, she is relieved that her life is no longer in danger. She doesn¡¯t know that the closer and deeper the relationship, the greater the danger. That¡¯s kind of an error. Noel is one of several informational errors that someone has carved into the human head. It was still far in the future for her to realize that. Chapter 56 6. Family Finally, the time has come to do the noble work. I was looking at the stacked letters. Most of them are invitations. ¡®Social world.¡¯ I don¡¯t like it very much. I don¡¯t have any happy memories from my childhood. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t help but go.¡¯ When you become an adult, you have to put up with things you don¡¯t like. While rummaging through the letter, I found a familiar family crest. ¡°Ehh.¡± A flower-like shape. It¡¯s a pretty crest, but I know very well that the inside of this family is rotten. ¡®The Count of Opion.¡¯ That is the family I was born into. ¡®Why did they send me a letter?¡¯ There¡¯s no way it was out of goodwill. They are terribly selfish people. I burned the letter without opening it. After further rummaging, I found another familiar crest. This time I¡¯m very happy. ¡°It¡¯s from Michael!¡± A close relative of mine who has been friends since childhood. Although he is two years older than me, we are childhood friends. He is also the person I trusted the most in the world. ¡®I thought I was going to lose my throat waiting for his reply.¡¯ Since he is a person who is praised as an archmage, there is nothing I can do about it. He is probably still on a horribly hectic schedule. I excitedly opened the letter and read it. The letter began with a gentle and soft rhetoric, as befits his gentle personality. Above all, there¡¯s one important content for me. ¡®He¡¯s going to stay in the capital for a while?¡¯ What a good news. I have a lot of questions, but it¡¯s okay since I¡¯ll have plenty of time to ask. ¡®Suddenly finding memories of past life, precognitive dreams, stopping time, etc.¡¯ There are a lot of questions that cannot be solved alone. He is the only one I can rely on. After that, I checked the schedule of the prom, which I had to attend. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask about Rupert¡¯s schedule.¡¯ It¡¯s difficult to go alone without a partner. I went to his office. Unlike before, I can get in and out of this place with ease. Rupert is working with Ordin as usual. He looked at my face and said, ¡°You look good, Noel.¡± ¡°Oh, is it that obvious?¡± That¡¯s because of the news that Michael is coming. It isn¡¯t particularly a secret, so I responded comfortably. ¡°Michael is coming to the capital. I think we¡¯ll be able to meet after a long time.¡± ¡°You mean Sir Michael Berris?¡± The reaction came from an unexpected person. Ordin asked with a surprised look. ¡°Do you know him too, Ordin?¡± ¡°Of course, he is a genius of the century.¡± ¡°Ordin also thinks so¡­ .¡± He murmured lightly, ¡°What kind of person do you see me as?¡± To be honest, he has high self-esteem, so I didn¡¯t expect that he could praise someone else. ¡°But you have Rupert.¡± ¡®Aren¡¯t you supposed to respect your master the most?¡¯ Rupert, who was quietly listening to our conversation, felt beaten up out of the blue. ¡°Noel, don¡¯t use such offensive expressions.¡± ¡°Of course, my master comes first.¡± ¡°Stop saying such disgusting things, too.¡± I look at this situation with great interest. ¡°You¡¯re the first, Rupert.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with the fourth or fifth, no, much later. So, Noel, please don¡¯t make such a face.¡± His reaction made me even happier. ¡°It¡¯s good that your wife is happy!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Just then, I suddenly had a question. Rupert isn¡¯t even that kind, so why is his aide so loyal? ¡®Neither of them is sociable.¡¯ ¡°But Ordin, how did you come to work with Rupert? If it¡¯s a secret, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a special secret, but¡­ The Marquis picked me up.¡± ¡°What did he pick up? What Ordin lost?¡± ¡°No, me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Question marks filled my mind. Can you pick up someone? No, why did he pick him up in the first place? ¡°¡­ Rupert, you brought your aide through a legal process, right?¡± Did you kidnap him because you thought he would be competent? Fortunately, Ordin corrected my deepening misunderstanding. ¡°I was an illegitimate child of a merchant family, and thanks to my biological father, I was able to live a normal life. But after my father passed away, I was dumped on the street right away by my stepmother.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a story that¡¯s extraordinarily heavy.¡¯ I wonder if I can keep listening to this, but the two of them don¡¯t seem to care much. ¡°Did Rupert help you then?¡± The answer came from my husband, who had a sullen expression on his face. ¡°I found him starving to death in the alley next to the candy store.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± he added. ¡°I was an orphan at the time, so it definitely wasn¡¯t a kidnapping. It was more like two boys whose lives had just been twisted somehow getting together.¡± If he was also an orphan, it seems that he met Ordin after his mother passed away. I muttered awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m digging up the memories of you two for no reason¡­.¡± They have a much deeper relationship than I expected. That strict aide deservedly hated me back in the day. ¡°I¡¯ll be nice to you from now on, Ordin,¡± I said, reflecting on myself. Even if you show a bit of rudeness, I won¡¯t go overboard like last time. But this cold-headed aide gave me a blunt answer after glancing at his master. ¡°Even if Madam has been kinder, I will only be in more pain, so now is enough.¡± You¡¯re cold-hearted, indeed. ¡°If you really think of me, please take care of the work of the mansion as soon as possible.¡± That¡¯s true from one to ten, so I can¡¯t deny it. After a short chat, I decided to work hard at the given job as he wished. ¡°¡­ Rupert, since your aide said so, please check your schedule. Invitations to prom are piled up.¡± He asked back in disbelief, ¡°Is your partner, me?¡± ¡°No? Then it doesn¡¯t matter to any knight who is proficient in aristocratic etiquette. Honestly, Sir Aren is the best.¡± I wanted to get to know each other more, and I thought it would be easy to get closer if I used a woman-to-woman approach. ¡®Sir Aren has a surprisingly cute side.¡¯ ¡°Why Sir Aren?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the closest to me among the knights.¡± This is a very personal opinion. Unlike me, Aren may not be very comfortable with me. Rupert replied dissatisfied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo it¡­ .¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°I mean it.¡± ¡°No.¡± Ordin beside him said with a blank stare. ¡°How long do I have to listen to this conversation¡­ I¡¯ll just try to adjust the Marquis¡¯ schedule.¡± In the end, it only increased the work of the aide. I handed over the invitation with an awkward expression. ¡°Then, please.¡± *** The schedule was quickly set. For a while, I matched the dress with the help of the maids and chose the jewelry. Next to me, Leah sat quietly, looking at me curiously. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re shining!¡± I smiled. ¡°Am I? Thank you, sweetheart.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Leah opened her mouth. ¡°Can¡¯t I go with Mom and Father too?¡± I leaned back and made eye contact with her. ¡°Do you want to go with me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I¡¯d like to go with her, but there¡¯s something I¡¯m worried about. Not because of Leah, but because of the people I have to meet at the prom. Although the social world may look glamorous and beautiful on the outside, it¡¯s nothing more than a muddy pool. Personally, I wished Leah to see things like that later. As a mother, I only want my daughter to see beautiful things. ¡®Am I too overprotective?¡¯ Noble children have known each other and built friendships since childhood. If I keep my daughter in the fence too much, she might have a hard time growing up. Social skills grow the more you socialize. After thinking about it, I asked, ¡°Would you stay close to me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°If there is a strange person, shout.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Leah replied bravely. In fact, I¡¯m not afraid that she¡¯ll make a big mistake. She is gentle and well-mannered compared to her peers. ¡°Then what would you like to wear?¡± Leah smiled. ¡°Same color as Mom¡¯s!¡± Those words touched my heart. Aww, so cute! ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s wear matching dresses.¡± That¡¯s great. Dressed in matching dresses between mother and daughter. So we had fun choosing dresses, and finally, it was the day of the prom. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Seeing us dressed to match, Rupert had a complicated expression on his face. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t consider my partner¡¯s opinion. ¡°No, it looks good.¡± ¡°But your expression¡­ .¡± ¡°You two¡¯s outfits look great together, I feel like I¡¯m the only one being left out.¡± Only then did I see his clothes. It¡¯s a suit for prom, but it doesn¡¯t match ours. I reflected on myself quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I will tell you in advance next time.¡± Chapter 57 If it was him in the past, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about it, but I thought he could be sad enough now. Because we get along better now. Leah seems to think he must be disappointed, she then immediately stretched out her other hand. ¡°Father, then let¡¯s go hand in hand!¡± He gently took her hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± So Leah is in the middle, holding hands with us on both sides. ¡°Come to think of it, Leah. I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, why do you call Noel ¡®Mom¡¯ and me ¡®Father¡¯?¡± Oh, finally, my husband is starting to pay attention to his title as well. My daughter looks puzzled. ¡°Because you are my father!¡± ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± Leah smiled. ¡°My father is my father.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± You¡¯re so determined, my daughter. I looked at her with a proud look. How do you feel Rupert, I¡¯ve been called ¡®Mom¡¯ for a long time, don¡¯t you envy me? Naturally, he recognized the childish meaning of my gaze. Rupert grumbled, shaking his head as if giving up. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m the only one being left out.¡± *** As we entered the venue, many people were surprised at how friendly the atmosphere was between the three of us. A buzzing murmur was heard in my ears. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I saw them together before I died¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Is that girl Young Lady Ainel? It¡¯s my first time seeing her.¡± I¡¯ve never been embarrassed by this kind of excessive attention ¡°They¡¯re not pretending to be friendly, are they? Are they both crazy at last¡­ ¡­ sigh.¡± Hey, who was the last one to sigh? Come out right now! I looked around and sighed. I didn¡¯t expect it to be this much. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought Leah here.¡± ¡°She will get used to it on her own.¡± It¡¯s going to be amazing. I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be bad to imitate his attitude. ¡°Leah, if anyone bothers you, tell me right away.¡± ¡°Are you going to scold them?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll make them so they can¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± As I listened, I shook my head. ¡®You sound like you¡¯re going to bury them in the backyard¡­ .¡¯ Of course, Leah, who could not understand his bloody inner meaning, brightly nodded her head. ¡°Alright!¡± Then he glanced at those approaching him and gave them an annoyed look. ¡°Noel, you should give Leah a tour of the venue.¡± It means that the people who are approaching are not very good people. Neither Rupert nor I want to put them in touch with Leah. I understood what he said and nodded. ¡°Okay, see you later.¡± I held Leah¡¯s hand and went to the food court. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m okay!¡± Then, someone spoke from behind. ¡°¨DMarchioness Ainel, long time no see.¡± I¡¯m not a friendly enough person to receive a warm greeting first. I turned around. She is a lady of my age, with her fine auburn hair giving off a neat look. I know who she is. She¡¯s someone I¡¯ve been interacting with before I got married. Well, it didn¡¯t go well. Still, I smiled friendly. ¡°Carla, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± Carla Hoffen. She is famous in the social world for reasons different than mine. Hearing my greeting, she paused. ¡°Why are you suddenly calling me by name¡­ ?¡± ¡®Cause I thought you came here to be sarcastic?¡¯ I think she approached me for a fight, but when she was friendly, I was embarrassed. Carla and I have had a bad relationship ever since. Now that I think about it, my fault was greater than hers. ¡®So, let¡¯s be nice first.¡¯ This is the prom I¡¯m attending after a long time in the midst of my bad reputation, so I can¡¯t show myself fighting Carla from the start. I said in a sad tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Carla. We used to call each other like this before we got married, didn¡¯t we?¡± This was real. Although we didn¡¯t call each other in a friendly tone. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± While she paused in shock at my remarks, I took the initiative. ¡°Now, Leah, she is Countess Carla Hoffen, a friend of mine. Say hello.¡± Leah grabbed the hem of her skirt and bowed politely. ¡°Hello, Countess. My name is Leah Ainel!¡± ¡®She can¡¯t pick a fight in this situation.¡¯ It was her image that would be ruined when she, who I introduced as my friend and was even greeted by a five-year-old kid, messed with me. In the end, Carla replied uncomfortably. ¡°¡­yes, nice to meet you.¡± Then she looked at me and said, ¡°Lady Ainel, you¡¯ve changed a lot since I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± She must be disappointed that she couldn¡¯t ask ¡®Why did your personality change so much?¡¯ directly. I laughed briefly. ¡°Please forget the past, now that I have a cute daughter, I must act like an adult.¡± ¡°I see, really¡­ ¡­ .¡± Carla muffled her voice with an ¡®I had no idea what to say¡¯ expression. ¡°Motherhood really is great. You¡¯ve changed so much that I thought I was talking to someone else.¡± Yeah, we can¡¯t be more sarcastic in this heartwarming situation. ¡°Yeah, it looks like you will find out soon.¡± I glanced at her stomach. She¡¯s wearing a rich skirt, but enough to know that she¡¯s pregnant. ¡®Are you near full term?¡¯ Attending the prom in that body condition¡­. ¡°I think you¡¯d better sit down, Carla, isn¡¯t it hard?¡± I asked anxiously. She looks shocked. As if thinking, ¡®Are you someone who can care about others?¡¯ ¡°¡­it¡¯s not to the point where I can¡¯t move. There are about two months left until the estimated due date.¡± I laughed. ¡°I see, I hope you have a healthy baby.¡± ¡°¡­th- thank you.¡± She was so shocked that she stuttered and eventually walked away. I looked at her back and thought, ¡®Looks like I accidentally shocked a pregnant woman.¡¯ Anyway, the first crisis passed safely. It¡¯s difficult for ordinary adults to talk sarcastically or fight with a mother in front of her child. ¡®If she ignores such a situation and picks a fight with me, she is a broken character.¡¯ Usually, you can¡¯t do that even if you have social dignity. ¡®And Carla has that dignity.¡¯ She¡¯s objectively proud of herself, but she still has common sense. I recalled more about Carla. In fact, she¡¯s one of the characters in the novel. But in the novel, she had already lost her child. ¡®Is that the child in her womb now?¡¯ Did something go wrong during the birth process? If so, there may be a limit to what I can do to help. In the case of natural childbirth, there are quite a few variables that are difficult to predict even with modern medicine. ¡®But I¡¯ll help her if she ever needs help.¡¯ She said there are still two months left, so I should focus on my own problem for now. At that time, Leah lightly waved her hand that was still holding mine. ¡°Mom, is that person your friend too?¡± I looked in the direction she was pointing. A man is striding towards us. Seeing his face, I frowned. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ A man in his late twenties with dark gold hair. He is my older brother, Goth Opion. ¡°Noel, I¡¯m finally seeing your face.¡± ¡°Goth, what are you doing?¡± I responded by hiding Leah behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t stare at me like that, I¡¯m your older brother you haven¡¯t seen in a long time. Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Goth is a typical example of a bad human being. From a young age, he was bigger and stronger than his peers. He knew it well, so he used to beat young servants and maids in the mansion. Of course, I, too, was often beaten. There were many times when I was slapped in the cheek and had a nosebleed. ¡®Perhaps the reason why my personality was twisted before I found my past memories was because of such a family environment.¡¯ My parents didn¡¯t scold Goth because he was the eldest son who would make the family successful. Instead, they protected him with the nonsensical excuse that ¡®it is manly to use violence.¡¯ As a result of growing up in such an environment, Goth has become a man who enjoys gambling, all kinds of entertainment, and even has a violent disposition. ¡°You ignored the letters from our parents. After becoming the marquis¡¯ wife, you are so arrogant.¡± Then he glanced at Leah hiding behind me. ¡°Oh, is she my niece?¡± ¡°What do you mean, my daughter is Young Lady of Ainel, and you¡¯d better be polite because my status is higher than yours,¡± I said sharply. I don¡¯t know anything else, but I don¡¯t want to see him do anything reckless to my daughter. Goth frowned. ¡°You are quite arrogant after giving birth to a girl from a half marquis, and now you even talk to your older brother as if you are above the sky?¡± I warned in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯d better watch your language, Goth. To my husband and to my daughter. Both of them are a hundred times better than you.¡± ¡°Ha, you¡¯re still rude.¡± He grinned furiously. ¡°If you weren¡¯t the Marchioness, I would have made that pretty face of yours swollen like before.¡± Goth then reached out his hand to Leah behind me. ¡°Why are you hiding your daughter¡¯s face so much? What¡¯s wrong with an uncle seeing his niece?¡± He¡¯s a man who doesn¡¯t know how to control his power. Leah grimaced in pain as his arm pulled hard against her face. Chapter 58 ¡°Ahhh, Mom!¡± I slapped him in the face, bewildered by the sudden situation. ¡°Let her go now!¡± slap! It must have been very painful because I slapped him with all my might to protect my child. ¡°You b*tch!¡± With his self-esteem broken, he contorted his face and let Leah go. He didn¡¯t listen to me. He deserved a slap. ¡°Wait until I get my hands on you¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Someone with a familiar voice grabbed Goth¡¯s arm he was about to swing. I looked at him and was relieved. ¡°Rupert!¡± He responded with a frown. ¡°If I had known this guy was going to stick to you, I should have just stayed next to you.¡± ¡°Let go of me!¡± Goth¡¯s arm trembled. ¡°Marquis Ainel, I am your brother-in-law. What a rude thing you are doing now!¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± crack! Rupert broke Goth¡¯s wrist lightly. ¡°You are still young, but your bones are weak, brother-in-law.¡± ¡°Ugh, ahhh¡­ ¡­ !¡± I quickly hid Leah behind me. ¡°Thanks to my wife and daughter. If it wasn¡¯t for the two of them, it wouldn¡¯t have ended like this. But if I see you hanging around one more time¡­ ¡­ .¡± Rupert looked at us for a moment, grabbed Goth by the collar, and whispered in his ear. ¡°I¡¯ll make you unable to hang around again for the rest of your life.¡± Goth¡¯s face turned white. He was a man who only boasted of his strength all his life, so he would not be familiar with the situation in which he was being pushed back. ¡°If you understand, f*ck off.¡± Rupert swung him away. He quickly ran away, supporting his broken hand. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± I was relieved to see that pathetic view. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± I let out a light sigh. ¡°No, I should have come sooner.¡± At that moment, Leah who hid behind me began to cry. ¡°Ahhh, father ahhh¡­ .¡± She looked relieved when she saw Rupert¡¯s face. He picked up Leah, who was in tears, and asked seriously. ¡°¡­Leah¡¯s heart is beating much faster than usual. It¡¯s like a little drum. Are you okay?¡± ¡°You look very shocked. I think we¡¯d better go home now.¡± ¡°We should.¡± Leah looked at me, embraced by Rupert. ¡°¡­sob, mom, was that scary man my uncle?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to call him that.¡± I smiled bitterly, stroking my daughter¡¯s wet cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you have a terrifying experience, sweetheart. I will make sure that nothing like this happens again in the future.¡± Leah shook her head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but Mom was scared too. Is Mom okay now?¡± I was a little surprised to learn that Leah knew I was scared. ¡®Because I got hit a lot by Goth when I was young, so I unintentionally get nervous.¡¯ Just because I remember my past life doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have any memories of this life. The horrors of my childhood were distinct and had a profound effect on me. I don¡¯t want to reveal it to anyone. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your concern, Leah.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a thing of the past.¡¯ I smiled at my child, trying to shake off my childhood memories. *** I wanted to forget my childhood trauma, but it was not easy to do. ¡®I expected it.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t sleep that night easily because of the bad memories that suddenly came to mind. I solved this situation in an extremely adult, but not wise way. ¡°I need alcohol.¡± To be honest, I wanted to eat somaek[1], but sadly, there is no soju here. [1] a beer cocktail made with soju and beer. As quickly as possible, I opened a vodka and sat down on a chair on the terrace. There was a full moon just in time, so the view wasn¡¯t bad. ¡®Drinking under the full moon¡­ .¡¯ Am I too emotional? While I was sipping, I suddenly heard a voice from behind ¡°Too much drinking is not good for health.¡± I turned around to see Rupert leaning against the door. ¡®He came without a sound.¡¯ I never thought I¡¯d hear him nag about my health. ¡°I know,¡± I replied sulkily and emptied my glass. Rupert came quietly and sat down on the chair opposite me. ¡°Would you like to drink with me?¡± ¡°No, I am the watchman[2].¡± [2] ?? means an adult who just supervises and looks after the kids having fun. ¡°Why would an adult drinking alone need a watchman?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s a thing called loss of life in the world. I don¡¯t want my wife to get drunk and fall off the terrace.¡± Then he checked the bottle and shook his head. ¡°Vodka without snacks? Even the knights don¡¯t drink like this.¡± ¡°If you just want to nag me, then go away. I¡¯m a strong drinker.¡± My liver is quite strong. ¡°Just drink with me. Don¡¯t refuse.¡± I looked at his face with a frown. ¡°Are you going to watch me drunk alone?¡± ¡°I told you, I am the watchman. There¡¯s no point if both of us are drunk.¡± Sheesh, aren¡¯t you here to comfort me? If so, you should drink with me. In the end, I gave up trying to convince him to be my drinking buddy. After watching me drink for a moment, he said abruptly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such a bad relationship with Goth Opion.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even talk about that bastard.¡± ¡°Did something scary happen?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t do anything.¡± He frowned, as if he had guessed roughly from my reaction. ¡°I let it slide because he¡¯s your brother, but I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Did you hold back because he is my brother? Unfortunately, it was a useless consideration. ¡°Don¡¯t let it slide next time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Drunkenness came up slowly. As my mood fluctuated, I suddenly became curious. ¡°Why are you asking such a thing all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I never heard your story.¡± ¡°I warn you in advance, it is forbidden to ask questions about my parents.¡± He got serious. ¡°¡­ what happened?¡± I was dumbfounded. ¡°I just told you not to ask.¡± Rupert today is so persistent, unlike usual. He grumbled, ¡°Since we decided to become a family, I just wanted to get to know each other properly.¡± I remember very well saying those exact words to him a while ago. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me that night. So it¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°Ask me now if you have any questions.¡± I laughed bitterly. ¡°Nevermind, I know you¡¯re not going to tell me properly.¡± I¡¯ll forget it anyway. ¡°Besides, I will drink until I lose my memory. Even if I heard your story, I won¡¯t remember it.¡± Since he is sober, he will be able to remember everything. It¡¯s so unfair. ¡°You are not in a position to complain that I didn¡¯t tell you my story. I was just an ordinary noble girl. Nothing special.¡± My parents were snobbish people who treated their daughter as a tool, and my older brother was a person with anger control disorder only for the weak. These kinds of humans were common in the world. So, there was no big deal in defining my environment as ¡®normal.¡¯ ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s special or not. I simply want to hear your story.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± He fell silent again. No, if you really like me, quickly say it and level me up. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect anything from you though.¡¯ Yeah, I¡¯m only at the level of holding hands. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t answer heavy questions, so let¡¯s stop,¡± I said while tilting my glass. Even if I didn¡¯t go deep, I had a question. ¡°Rupert, what¡¯s your ideal type?¡± ¡°My ideal type?¡± he asked back, as if surprised to hear a completely unexpected question. ¡°You told me to ask you if I have any questions. I think you can answer me this time.¡± What is your ideal type, why are you building an iron wall around you like this? ¡®Maybe, black hair and gold eyes?¡¯ Like Aren? As I was thinking about it, Rupert answered, ¡°A woman with blonde hair and green eyes.¡± ¡­ ¡­ I almost spit out the alcohol I was drinking. Am I fluttering right now? ¡°Well, that, are you trying to cheer me up?¡± He didn¡¯t even laugh. ¡°I mean it, so I married you.¡± He said it so seriously that it sounded like the truth. To be honest, Rupert¡¯s iron wall is too strong for me to believe this. ¡°Noel, what about you?¡± When my husband asks me like this, I should answer¡­ a man with silver hair and red eyes, right? But I am pretty drunk now. ¡°A kind, friendly, family man. A gentle man who smiles well and speaks softly with puppy-like eyes.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ it¡¯s pretty specific for an ideal type. Did you say it with someone in mind?¡± I want to tease him a little. ¡°Hahaha, did you notice? That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Hey¡­ don¡¯t take it too seriously. No one in this world is married to their ideal type.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever forgotten what we used to be like.¡± Chapter 59 I giggled. ¡°Nice to hear, though, Rupert. I didn¡¯t know you could even make a joke like that.¡± I never thought this guy would give me lip service. ¡°Noel.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There may be things I won¡¯t tell you, but I won¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°This is a lie, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I promised when I decided to accept you and Leah.¡± Hahaha, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s him or me who¡¯s drunk. Rupert is spitting out a lot of things he would never normally say. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, iron wall man¡­ ¡­ .¡± If you care so much about me, please change¡­ ¡­ . ¡®I want you to stop killing people.¡¯ At last, my memories cut off there. *** ¡°What is an iron wall man?¡± Rupert asked curiously. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Noel?¡± He glanced at his wife, who was suddenly silent. The sound of her breath is even. Is she sleeping drunk? ¡°Noel.¡± The moment he got up and carefully reached out to her, she opened her eyes. She then tried to hug him but she failed. ¡°Oh my god.¡± Because Rupert, who has extraordinary quickness, blocked her with his palm on her lips. ¡°¡­ ugh.¡± Noel groaned in dissatisfaction. Her words were muffled with her mouth covered, so he couldn¡¯t make out what was being said. Rupert was troubled by the feel of her soft lips against his palm. He feels like his patience is being tested. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, you¡¯d better sleep, Noel.¡± She grinned with her cheeks blushing. Just by looking at her appearance, he could completely guess that she was drunk and wouldn¡¯t be able to remember this situation. He never knew that his wife¡¯s drinking habit could be so bad. ¡®I don¡¯t think she drank knowingly.¡¯ He sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll move you to bed, so stay calm.¡± Actually, this was his misunderstanding. Noel¡¯s drunken habits are very modest. To be precise, it is a goal-oriented drinking habit, and when she is completely drunk, she does what she originally planned. When she got drunk in a restaurant, she grilled meat and started cleaning at home. When she got drunk after working at the hospital, she grabbed a colleague next to her and asked questions like, ¡°How are your symptoms?¡± She didn¡¯t bother people around and went home well. Her co-workers and friends in her past life took videos of her and teased her the next day when she was sober. It was a very healthy drunkenness habit, to the extent that the person who watched the video was a little shy. The thing is, Noel¡¯s biggest goal now is Rupert. ¡°Noel, don¡¯t stick.¡± She kept hugging his neck and rubbing her cheeks. It was a clumsy contact, but accepting it wasn¡¯t a very good choice. In the end, Rupert who carried her in a princess hug, changed his plans neatly. He slung her body over his shoulder like a sack. Even in the midst of her drunkenness, Noel complained earnestly about her dangling posture. ¡°I am a human, not luggage¡­ .¡± ¡°You brought it on yourself.¡± Then he gently lay her down on the bed. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± She held out. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± ¡°Just hand.¡± She then stretched out her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll just hold your hand and sleep.¡± ¡®Why am I hearing these lines from my wife?¡¯ How did things come to be like this? It¡¯s slowly getting frustrating. It doesn¡¯t matter what happens now. Half desperately, Rupert took her hand sitting on the edge of the bed. In fact, she looks cute when she¡¯s more honest and relaxed than usual. ¡®I wonder if she¡¯ll be able to remember anything she does now.¡¯ Suddenly, a cunning idea popped into his mind. I have endured so hard, shouldn¡¯t I be gaining something? ¡°Noel.¡± He ran his other hand through the hair on her cheek and asked more leisurely than usual. ¡°Who was the man you used as a standard when talking about your ideal type earlier?¡± It was a childish question. ¡°Well, Michael¡­ .¡± Her answer only made matters worse. And that made him feel angry for no reason. He asked awkwardly, ¡°Did you get along well with Michael Berris?¡± ¡°My one and only friend¡­ my precious family and a very nice person.¡± Noel smiled when she said so. ¡°¨DI will definitely introduce him to you.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t really want to.¡¯ Just looking at her reaction now, he could guess how close the two are. While he was thinking about it, Noel who was dozing off suddenly opened her eyes. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Noel?¡± Are you sober now? She shouted, ¡°That¡¯s right, I haven¡¯t hit the goal yet¡­ !¡± Turns out she wasn¡¯t sober yet. ¡°Am I the goal?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Amidst this, it was more pleasing that her tone was firm. Was it sincere? ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you are my goal!¡± she said proudly. This is the first time he has ever seen a drunken person speaking nonsense without context. Even after laying her down nicely, she started to get up again. ¡°¡­ ¡­ huh.¡± It was fun to watch. But if she sticks again, it¡¯s obvious he can¡¯t help himself. Standing up, he wrapped Noel in a blanket like a caterpillar. After squirming and resisting for a moment, she nodded off as if her drowsiness had come again. ¡°Really, this titanium iron wall man¡­ am I so unattractive¡­ ¡­ ?¡± She muttered a meaningless curse at him and fell asleep. ¡°¡­ I wonder.¡± Looking at her, Rupert shook his head hard and went back to his room. *** The next morning, I woke up clutching my head. ¡°I ended up talking nonsense to Rupert¡­ .¡± The last thing I remember was the conversation about each other¡¯s ideal type. I just hope he wasn¡¯t too offended by my ideal type. ¡®There must have been nothing else.¡¯ I don¡¯t remember anything else after that, but I¡¯m not too worried. Because I¡¯ve never caused trouble when I was drunk. I have healthy drunkenness habits; like cleaning or grilling meat. It must have been the same as yesterday. ¡®My head hurts¡­ ¡­ .¡¯ It seems that my brain and skull have separated. It is the pain of a hangover after a long time. ¡°As expected, drinking alcohol was a very ignorant way.¡± I won¡¯t do it twice. Reflecting on myself, I ordered the maid to bring honey water. However, a very unexpected person came to bring me honey water and criticized me. ¡°Wake up, you drunkard.¡± ¡°Rupert, why did you bring it?¡± ¡°I am here to make sure you¡¯re all right,¡± he said as he handed me a glass of honey water. ¡°Thanks.¡± Rupert gave me a reproachful look as I took a gulp of honey water. ¡°¡­ ¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°About last night, don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°Oh, about ideal type? Don¡¯t feel too bad. Everyone has a dream.¡± ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°What else?¡± He was dumbfounded. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember it clearly.¡± I laughed briefly. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me just because I was drunk. I mean, I have a modest habit when I am drunk.¡± My husband must have never seen a drunken brash man in this world. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t normally describe that level as modest.¡± ¡°I bet you¡¯ve never seen a real drunkard¡­ ?¡± He sighed loudly. ¡°Last night, you vigorously declared that you would attack me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You suddenly attacked me and I managed to stop you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Is that modest?¡± I almost spit out the honey water I was drinking. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been hiding such an incredible drunkenness habit?¡¯ I put my glass down on the bedside table and asked seriously, ¡°Are you kidding?¡± ¡°Does that sound like a joke?¡± Well, he¡¯s not the type to play around with stuff like this. In the end, I asked with a heavy heart. ¡°¡­ we didn¡¯t, did we?¡± I never thought that the day would come when I would worry about events that occur with a certain probability when a man and a woman drink alcohol. Did I even be the one who took the lead? Rupert was astonished at her question. ¡°Of course we didn¡¯t.¡± That¡¯s a relief, but I got a little flustered at the fact that the seduction I did when I was drunk didn¡¯t work at all. Rupert then told me about the rudeness I had committed. ¡°But you said you would sleep holding my hand.¡± ¡°¡­ what else?¡± ¡°Titanium iron wall man, am I so unattractive?¡± Guess I was crazy last night. ¡®How embarrassing!¡¯ Did you really openly express your inner feelings, Noel?! ¡®If you were going to seduce him, at least say something else!¡¯ What¡¯s the point of holding hands? Really, I want to hit the me of last night. No matter how much more comfortable we become than before, I don¡¯t want to share this dark history with him. Chapter 60 ¡®I want to forget everything.¡¯ I don¡¯t know how to look at Rupert¡¯s face from now on. I hurriedly sat up politely on the bed. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± To sum up, after the conversation that implied the meaning of ¡®You are the exact opposite of my ideal type!¡¯, I flirted with Rupert. ¡®What an inconsistency between words and actions!¡¯ I have to help him unite with his true love. But if I act like last night, all the good feelings that have been built up with difficulty until now will be gone. ¡®I have to play the role of matchmaker¡­ .¡¯ It was a bitter mistake and a lifelong shame. ¡°Don¡¯t drink like that again in the future.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ .¡± It was a reasonable request. I slowly glanced into his eyes. ¡°Did I say anything else strange?¡± ¡°You did.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Rupert smiled, raising one corner of his mouth. It¡¯s not a very pleasant smile. ¡°The statement that pissed me off the most.¡± ¡­ ¡­ did I spit out more bullshit than this? ¡®I didn¡¯t say anything about curses or past lives, did I?¡¯ ¡°Well, is that something that can¡¯t be resolved with an apology?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± He smiled coldly as he approached. It seems that among the words I said yesterday, there was something that seriously offended him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but first of all, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t accept it.¡± What do you mean?! ¡°You said you were going to see Michael Berris.¡± Why are you talking about Michael all of a sudden? I nodded in wonder. ¡°Yes- yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you then. You can¡¯t meet him alone.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°¡­ why?¡± What the hell did I say? Did I say something suspicious when I was drunk? ¡®If I go with Rupert, the questions I can ask Michael are limited.¡¯ Then things got difficult. ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t be leaking information about the Ainel family to Michael! I swear!¡± I stretched out my little finger right in front of Rupert who gave me an indifferent look. ¡°You¡¯re so slow, Noel.¡± Hey, are you talking to me?! You said you would only allow hand skinship! I sighed. ¡°I am slow? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it since I was born.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± We both did a short staring war with a frown. He was the first to move. ¡°Anyway, I have no intention of negotiating this. It is forbidden for you to meet him alone.¡± ¡°No, you are so mean, at least tell me what I said last night!¡± ¡°Think carefully.¡± Responding sternly, Rupert quickly left my room. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Feeling a bit helpless, I stared blankly at the door. *** Two days have passed since I got drunk and got into trouble. Rupert never mentioned that day again. In the end, I vaguely guessed that the truth must have been fairly serious. And the price of breaking Goth¡¯s wrist came unexpectedly quickly; my parents¡¯ family, the Opion family, sent us a letter of protest. Fortunately, I was able to hear the contents of the letter together, perhaps because it was related to me. ¡°They say they will stop supplying Miracle Herbs to our territory.¡± Hearing the aide¡¯s report, Rupert clicked his tongue low. ¡°If this was going to happen anyway, I¡¯d break all his limbs then.¡± ¡°Marquis¡­ ¡­ .¡± Ordin sighed deeply with a troubled expression. Listening to the conversation between the two, I lowered my head. Miracle Herb is a kind of medicinal herb grown in the Opion territory. The name Miracle Herb was given because the medicine using this herb cures any disease in an instant. ¡®It doesn¡¯t really cure any disease, though.¡¯ To put it into modern medicine and use it as an analogy, Miracle Herb is the equivalent of an antibiotic. The only thing that can be healed instantly with divine power is only for trauma, so antibiotics are essential here as well. However, Miracle Herb was only produced in a few areas, and the growing process was complicated, so only skilled people could handle it. 70% of the Miracle Herbs supplied to the market belonged to the territory of Opion. In other words, my parents¡¯ family has been almost exclusively producing Miracle Herbs for generations. ¡®Because we haven¡¯t found an alternative to Miracle Herb yet.¡¯ In modern times, it¡¯s like selling antibiotics as a monopoly. Thanks to Miracle Herb, the Opion family has always been wealthy. Aristocrats can get sick too, so Miracle Herbs are essential. Knowing this well, my family retaliated by cutting off the supply of Miracle Herbs if there were opponents they did not like. Because of that, the Opion family has considerable power. ¡°It¡¯s because of me, I¡¯m sorry.¡± My parents are terribly fond of their eldest son. These results had to be predicted. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. Because I was the one who broke his arm.¡± Even with Rupert¡¯s consolation, I felt uncomfortable. I didn¡¯t want to cause trouble like this because of my parents¡¯ family. ¡°I will talk to my parents.¡± Ordin asked, ¡°Do you think it will work?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very likely not,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°Still, since you are the only daughter, could you please take care of the situation? Your older brother raised his hand first.¡± Well, from the outside it might look that way. The youngest daughter of a wealthy and powerful count family. It is a sufficient condition to be loved. ¡®I don¡¯t want to reveal it too much.¡¯ But I have no choice but to let them know. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why Goth has such a personality. My parents were the ones who said that only sons could inherit the family.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s annoying¡­ .¡± In this world, the son usually inherits the family. It¡¯s not legally impossible for the daughter, but there¡¯s a perception that it¡¯s not possible. Count Opion and his wife had very serious thoughts about this ¡°Perhaps even now, complaints have piled up that I haven¡¯t had any more children since Leah.¡± Rupert, who was listening, was dumbfounded. ¡°What a useless meddling.¡± I agree. It¡¯s really pointless meddling. I shrugged lightly. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re worried about when you¡¯re going to kick me out under that pretext. They believe that everyone in the world thinks the way they do.¡± Leah is enough for me, but I guess they don¡¯t think so. That must be the reason for the letter they sent recently. ¡°But I can¡¯t just sit idly by, so I¡¯ll try to meet my mother first.¡± ¡°If you are going to your parents¡¯ house, would it be better to have an escort for you? I heard that Sir Goth is a rude man.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just going to attend a tea party that my mother might be going to.¡± ¡°Noel, you don¡¯t have to overdo it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± He knows I hate my parents¡¯ house. I¡¯m sure he was being considerate. I was grateful for that. However, even in the Ainel territory, the Miracle Herbs are important. Because there are many injured. ¡°I don¡¯t want the residents to die because of me.¡± He opened his mouth slowly, as if trying to let me know it wasn¡¯t my fault. ¡°The Opion family raised and lowered the price of Miracle Herbs repeatedly as they pleased. Lately, it has literally skyrocketed.¡± Skyrocketing? At that level, the resistance from the surrounding aristocrats would be severe. ¡®I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t know that there¡¯s a possibility of sanctions coming in if they go wild.¡¯ Since I got married, I don¡¯t really know the Opion family¡¯s situation. ¡®Has there ever been a situation where they needed money so badly that they raised the price of herbs like crazy?¡¯ ¡°It wasn¡¯t a fair deal in the first place. Not only me, but other nobles think the same.¡± ¡°Trust in them seems to have bottomed out in the aristocratic society.¡± ¡°Yes, everyone is of the opinion that an alternative is needed. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible to make that level of medicine.¡± Hearing his last words, I opened my eyes wide. ¡®An alternative.¡¯ Rupert seemed to be just saying it, but I unexpectedly thought that might be a good alternative. *** In any case, it is impossible to immediately develop an alternative to Miracle Herb, but antibiotics are always necessary. So, the sooner this matter is resolved, the better. My biological mother, Countess Alex Opion, loved to lead her followers around. Because of that, she tends to attend most social events. It wasn¡¯t hard to meet her pretend to be a coincidence. Coincidentally, there is an invitation to the tea party of Count Hoffen. Carla immediately came to mind. ¡®She doesn¡¯t rest.¡¯ She used to be a hardworking and genuine girl, but it seems she is still the same after all these years. I was also curious about her condition, so I decided to go there. ¡°Thank you for accepting my invitation, Marchioness Ainel.¡± I smiled. ¡°I am honored to be invited, Carla.¡± Carla Hoffen seems to have decided not to be surprised by my politeness and friendliness anymore. Rather, she gave me a look that was half intrigued and half inquisitive. I passed that gaze with a smile and looked around. Among the attendees, there are more noble ladies in their mid-teens than married ones. It¡¯s not something out of the ordinary. Because Carla is most popular among young ladies. Her reputation in society was sharply divided into two. In the first case, she was ridiculed for being a foolish woman, and in the second, she was admired for being romantic. The last one is the evaluation of the noble young ladies and lords. The reason is simple. It is because she rejected the partner her parents had set her up for and married her beloved lover. She is the only daughter of Count Karl of Hoffen. The Count wished to betroth his daughter to a suitable match and pass his title to his son-in-law. But she later had a lover. He is the fourth son of a poor baron family. The gap between the families was so great that the Count and Countess of Hoffen opposed their relationship, but their daughter¡¯s persistent persuasion finally made them allow it. That man is now her husband, the Count of Hoffen. ¡®Because it¡¯s not common for people to get married despite the opposition from their parents and the gap between families.¡¯ Young ladies and lords who had just made their debut in society saw Carla as the main character of a romantic and enterprising romance. Thanks to that, the couple was popular among them. On the other hand, the older aristocrats clicked their tongues, saying that it was pitiful to cling to fleeting emotions. ¡®As long as she herself is happy, that¡¯s fine.¡¯ As for me, I had no particular thoughts about her marriage. After looking around for a moment, I picked up a teacup. My mother was nowhere to be seen. Chapter 61 Only curious glances passed by. The noble ladies pretended not to and looked at me secretly once in a while. I don¡¯t know if they realized it, but they did it very blatantly. ¡°Marchioness, it seems you have no intention of stepping up to say something like you used to.¡± Carla, who was chatting with the attendees, sat down next to me and said so. I smiled a little. ¡°From the point of view of the young ladies, it must be surprising to finally see the real life of the marchioness, who is rumored to be fierce and bad-tempered.¡± Carla, who I thought would just leave after a short conversation out of politeness, continued speaking unexpectedly. ¡°Everyone is very curious since you haven¡¯t been out for a few years.¡± ¡°I should work hard from now on.¡± ¡°It was wonderful to see the Ainel family together the other day. It would be nice to see your face often.¡± It was an unexpected compliment. Why are you being nice to me? ¡°Ah¡­ Thank you for saying that.¡± ¡°Your husband, the Marquis, is also a very famous person. Oh, Marquis Ainel is popular among young ladies,¡± she said softly. I said with a laugh, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time to get attracted to a man who exudes a dangerous atmosphere.¡± In fact, my husband probably exudes a dangerous atmosphere on the outside. Looking at his recent activities, I wonder if there is a safer man than him. My answer must have been funny, and a weak smile appeared on everyone else¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s something we say among us who are married, but he¡¯s also popular among young noble ladies. Everyone avoided him as a dangerous person, but they still glanced at him.¡± I could guess why. ¡°Because he has a nice body.¡± In addition, he is a good-looking man. In one way or another, gazes fell on him at least once. ¡°He exudes a frightening aura, but he¡¯s handsome after all, isn¡¯t he? Thanks to that, everyone only sharpened their eyes.¡± She said it in a joking tone, so I replied lightly, ¡°Actually, he¡¯s the type of person who sleeps just holding hands.¡± Carla chuckled. ¡°I guess you made a joke while you couldn¡¯t see him.¡± Hmm, sometimes telling the truth sounds like a lie. ¡°Marchioness, you have changed a lot. The last time I saw you, I wondered if it was a dream, so I sent an invitation once.¡± She looked at me curiously, but it didn¡¯t look like she was shocked, wondering ¡®Is this someone I know?¡¯ like before. It seems like she¡¯s trying to move on to the fact that I have become more approachable than before. If she thinks so, I¡¯d be grateful for this one too. ¡°Call me Noel like you used to. You¡¯re the only one who pretends to know me after all.¡± ¡°Yes, Noel. Everyone has a little bit of a connection.¡± ¡°I think you bumped into me the most often.¡± But is she okay? I meant it, but she answered lightly. ¡°Before I got married, I was stubborn enough to make my parents sick of me, and now I can¡¯t fight by pulling each other¡¯s hair like I used to.¡± Come to think of it, it happened to me when I was about fourteen years old. We both grabbed each other¡¯s hair. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say hello the other day to be sarcastic?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Because our conversations always started that way, whoever attacks first. If I didn¡¯t, I thought you¡¯d do it.¡± It certainly seems like it was. I muttered without realizing it. ¡°I was too lazy¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But I realized it anew when I saw the young lady of Ainel and you. That we¡¯re past that time.¡± Carla¡¯s expression softened a bit, probably thinking of Leah. It was similar to the feeling of meeting a nasty rival in middle school and high school at a reunion. Well, we¡¯re still too young to act as if we¡¯re reminiscing about the distant past. However, we are not young enough to stay stuck with the emotions of that time. I averted my eyes in embarrassment. ¡®I heard that you can know 10 ways under the water, but not 1 way under people.¡¯[1] [1] It is very difficult to know the inner thoughts of people. To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect the atmosphere to be so heartwarming. She didn¡¯t hate me as much as I thought. ¡°Thank you, Carla. I don¡¯t think I need to correct what I said to my daughter that you are my friend.¡± ¡°The young lady was very lovable. I hope we can meet again next time.¡± I feel much lighter. ¡°I know, right? Besides, she looks nothing like me. Instead of grabbing other people¡¯s hair, she learned how to hold up her skirt to say hello in society.¡± Carla laughed at my words. For a while, the mood for the tea party flowed smoothly. That is until someone showed up, none other than my birth mother, Alex Opion. Carla muttered, ¡°¡­ why is she here?¡± At those words, rather than feeling bad, I was puzzled. The Hoffens and the Opions were originally a family with active exchanges. I hadn¡¯t been in society since I got married, but it wouldn¡¯t be strange for my mother to show up here. ¡°What happened with the Opion family? I don¡¯t think you got along well with them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to you, but it¡¯s been a while since I sent a tea party invitation to the Opion family,¡± she replied awkwardly. ¡°No need to apologize. I used to burn all the letters my family sent me from three years ago.¡± I know my mother¡¯s personality better, so I didn¡¯t mean to reprimand her. I was just curious as to why. Carla explained very briefly, as if she understood what I was saying. ¡°As you can see, she acts like that every time she sees the young ladies.¡± I turned my head. ¡°Viscount Aaron? It¡¯s a bit lacking, but¡­ well, it¡¯s not that bad. I have a wonderful son, and I¡¯m sure you will be interested too, young lady.¡± My mother said this to a young lady who looked to be in her late teens. I have guessed the purpose. I muttered, ¡°Looks like she¡¯s still looking for a marriage partner for Goth.¡± My older brother is 29 years old and still unmarried. It was rare in aristocratic society not to be married at that age. It¡¯s not that he¡¯s a misogamist. If that¡¯s the case, there won¡¯t be a problem. ¡®Because he¡¯s a bastard who scares every young lady he sees.¡¯ It is simply that his violent temper has been famous for a long time, so few families want to marry him. ¡®My parents have high standards, too.¡¯ Not even seeing the flawed side of their own son, they wanted a perfect daughter-in-law. ¡®Now it seems nobody wants to marry Goth.¡¯ It must be for that reason she must have come to the tea party uninvited and subtly coerced the young ladies like that for no reason. ¡°The Opion family is a noble family that upholds traditional values. It will be a great opportunity for you as well, young lady.¡± At my mother¡¯s words, the young lady was troubled, but she couldn¡¯t refuse firmly. ¡®Because my mother is still a Countess.¡¯ I¡¯m sure that lady was worried that she would look bad and get into trouble. At this tea party, I am the one with the highest status. It means that I am the most suitable person who can strongly restrain her. Eventually, I approached my mother. ¡°Countess Opion.¡± *** Alex Opion turned around at the familiar voice. And it wasn¡¯t until she saw Noel standing in front of her that she realized her daughter is there too. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Alex was half thinking about her daughter and half forgetting. Recently, however, she was worried as she only had one granddaughter. She would be in trouble if her daughter was kicked out of Ainel¡¯s family. Wouldn¡¯t it be no different from the disgrace of the family in such a situation? ¡°It just so happened. Help me, too.¡± Noel frowned. I had almost lost touch with her since I got married so this was all she said even though I haven¡¯t seen her in a long time. ¡°You came to the tea party uninvited and are behaving like this. Just stop it.¡± She was stunned. ¡°What are you saying to your mother who you haven¡¯t seen for a long time?¡± I hold back my sigh. The thoughts of Alex, my mother, always revolved around her son. Everything about him is good. ¡°It¡¯s a noble move to stop my mother from embarrassing behavior.¡± ¡°What have I done? I was just trying to introduce a good marriage to this lady.¡± ¡°What woman in the world would marry Goth?¡± ¡°You¡­ !¡± When I mentioned her son, her voice grew louder. This could be a nuisance for Carla, the party hostess, so I grabbed my mother¡¯s wrist and moved into the back garden. ¡°How could you say something like that!¡± Alex shrieked as Noel stopped her steps. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to say. That young lady is ten years younger than Goth!¡± ¡°That difference is not a problem.¡± ¡°I hope you know that it¡¯s a big deal when you force someone to hook up with your son.¡± ¡°My god, it¡¯s been a while since you crawled out and all you do is gossip about your brother.¡± Alex shouted sharply, ¡°On top of that, Marquis Ainel broke Goth¡¯s wrist, and you didn¡¯t even come and kneel down and beg him for forgiveness right away!¡± ¡°Are you okay with the fact that Goth tried to hit me?¡± ¡°You must have done something to deserve it!¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± I expected it, but it didn¡¯t make sense either. ¡°I really can¡¯t talk to my mother long.¡± My mother¡¯s words really pissed me off. ¡°Restart the Miracle herb trade in the Ainel territory immediately. What are you thinking? Unilaterally breaking the deal with the marquis just because that pathetic bastard whined about being sick.¡± ¡°It is a natural action. Your father is very angry.¡± ¡°My father is always angry.¡± There can be no smooth solution in this situation, but I asked first. ¡°What do you want us to do?¡± Then Alex raised her chin in response. ¡°Unless the Marquis Ainel personally bows his head with sufficient compensation, there will be no deal.¡± ¡°Seeing that you bring up the topic of money right away, it seems that you are in trouble with your finances?¡± ¡°¡­ it¡¯s none of your business to know, you are now married into another family.¡± Judging by her evasiveness, it was nothing short of positive. Chapter 62 Well, the Opion family believed only in Miracle Herbs and did careless financial management. Noel glared at her with a cold, subdued stare. ¡°You¡¯d better be clear on your attitude, mother. If you¡¯re going to continue to treat me as a daughter, convince my father to stop doing this kind of retaliation. Like any parent who cares about his daughter. If not¡ª¡± ¡°If not?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re treating me like a marchioness, be courteous. I¡¯ll make sure to show you an appropriate attitude, Countess.¡± ¡°Now, are you telling your mother to bow her head? Have you forgotten who raised you?! What are you doing using your position cowardly?¡± ¡°Coward? I am a stranger when I am not needed, and your daughter only when you feel disappointed.¡± Noel smirked. ¡°Now, which one would you like?¡± After staring at her daughter for a moment, she replied sharply, ¡°Ha, okay, let¡¯s see how long you can hold your head up so stiffly. I know you won¡¯t even be able to see the Miracle Herbs in Ainel¡¯s territory from now on!¡± After shouting that, Alex went back to the tea room with a huff. A moment later, Noel returned and sat down in her seat. Carla, the hostess, was still in the same seat. ¡°My dear best friend, Carla.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Seeing the dumbfounded Carla, Noel continued talking naturally. ¡°Your tea party is nice, but there is one unfortunate thing about it.¡± Carla agreed, assuming that Noel would do something about the annoying countess. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s fix it right away. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Noel pointed at Countess Opion with a folded fan. ¡°Excuse me, there¡¯s an intruder who entered without an invitation, right?¡± The tea party in the garden quickly became quiet. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± The young ladies around us, who grasped the situation, shut their mouths tightly to avoid giggling by mistake. ¡°Noel Opion!¡± Alex shouted as she realized she had become the target of ridicule. ¡°Marchioness Ainel. You forgot even basic manners.¡± Then I opened and fluttered my fan and spoke in a theatrical tone, ¡°This is really annoying, could you please send that person back? Please.¡± Just as Carla was also troubled by the countess, she naturally joined in. She said, ¡°I can¡¯t help it because the marchioness herself asked.¡± Turning her head, she ordered the guard standing near her. ¡°Please politely escort Countess Ophion to the exit.¡± As the guard approached and sent out unspoken pressure to move, Alex panicked. ¡°Wait, what is this? How could you do this!¡± Watching her half-forced movement, Noel waved her hand gently. ¡°Then, from next time on, I will expect etiquette appropriate to your position, Countess Opion.¡± *** It was refreshing to see the countess get kicked out. But when Noel returned to the mansion, it couldn¡¯t be said that there were no problems at all. ¡®I was supposed to convince her.¡¯ It¡¯s a big shame. Noel went to the office first and apologized. ¡°Sorry.¡± Rupert, who received an apology out of the blue, was a little embarrassed rather than taken aback or disappointed. In the first place, Countess Opion was never considered a rational persuasion partner. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, so there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± ¡°But it happened because of my family¡­ .¡± Her wife, who responded, looked very depressed. Rupert felt an unknown nervousness. He¡¯d much rather his wife be brave as usual, and he couldn¡¯t figure out how to comfort her. ¡°It¡¯s not like I wasn¡¯t able to figure out the personalities of Count Opion and his wife, so I expected that there would be a problem someday. It is not particularly surprising.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± It was a consolation, but for some reason, Noel became more depressed. He knows he has a lot of problems with the way he interacts with others, but it¡¯s the first time he¡¯s felt this clearly. ¡°¡­ why did you choose the Opion family?¡± Noel asked in a low voice. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The reason you got married was because you wanted to strengthen your unstable position. If you did your research about my parents and me beforehand, why did you choose Opion family?¡± It was a very strange question. ¡°Isn¡¯t that something people usually wonder about when they get married?¡± It is. It¡¯s been six years since we got married, so it¡¯s funny to ask now. ¡°Suddenly, I was curious. Even if it¡¯s not my family, well¡­ if you had chosen a better noble family in terms of personality, this kind of trouble wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± It was nothing to hide in particular. ¡°First of all, because there is imperial family blood mixed in the bloodline.¡± ¡°Oh, I heard that there was a member of the imperial family if you look at the genealogy further.¡± ¡°As an illegitimate child, it worked to my advantage. The power of the Opion family was neither too strong nor too weak, so it was just right.¡± Other than that, what else was there? He retraced his memory. ¡°Besides, Count Opion and his wife were greedy, so it was easy to figure out their move.¡± ¡°Did you do it because you thought it would be easy to handle them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons. I thought we could cut ties without much regret after we used each other.¡± He wanted to avoid being kind and friendly. He didn¡¯t want to be tied down. ¡°And you¡­ oh, I don¡¯t know if I can say this.¡± He hesitated as he was about to speak. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing great.¡± ¡°Hiding it is even weirder. Please tell me quickly.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± After thinking for a moment, Rupert said, ¡°Blonde hair and green eyes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Noel asked in bewilderment, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I told you the other day, my ideal type is blonde hair and green eyes.¡± Ideal type? I heard it the other day when I was drinking and right before I lost my memory. ¡°Rupert, what¡¯s your ideal type?¡± ¡°A woman with blonde hair and green eyes.¡± It certainly was. ¡°Did you mean it?¡± He knew he would get that kind of reaction from his wife. ¡°There may be things I won¡¯t tell you, but I won¡¯t lie. I told you this, too.¡± Suddenly, his sullen wife¡¯s eyes began to shine with interest. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡¯ It¡¯s too late to regret. ¡°Why blonde hair and green eyes? Is there any special reason?¡± Although much better than a droopy one, Noel¡¯s curiosity often got him into trouble. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t lie.¡± He had dug his grave. Rupert reluctantly opened his mouth. ¡°I met someone¡ª¡± Before she even listened to the end, she burst out in admiration. ¡°She¡¯s your first love!¡± ¡°No.¡± More than that, why is she so happy talking about a first love to her husband? Rupert felt an inexplicable displeasure. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide it.¡± He sighed. ¡°¡­ not really, she was my savior when I was a child.¡± ¡°A savior?¡± Perhaps out of curiosity, she came closer. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling like he was going to harm her unknowingly. ¡°I fell into icy water when I was young, and she saved me.¡± Noel admired a little. ¡°What an amazing person. Do you remember her face?¡± ¡°No, for some reason her face is blurry¡­ she was a grown woman, and all I can think of is blonde hair and green eyes.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she also your first love?¡± ¡°No.¡± Her husband¡¯s denial made her excited. ¡°In your young heart, you fell in love at first sight with the person who saved you.¡± ¡°Noel.¡± ¡°¡­ okay, I¡¯ll stop teasing you.¡± He went on to finish the story. ¡°Anyway, after she saved me, she talked to me very kindly. It was the first time an adult treated me like that.¡± However, that does not mean that Noel at that time was a substitute for his savior. In the past, he was not an emotional person. It¡¯s more like he decided casually because she¡¯s simply a woman with a bright appearance. Anyway, all the families that were candidates at the time had similar conditions. ¡°I wish I had been as kind as your savior back then, it¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± Noel smiled softly. It seemed to be brighter than before, and he was a little relieved. She didn¡¯t seem to realize it, every time Rupert told her about his past, she was very curious and passionate. ¡®It¡¯s not even a particularly fun story.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re interested in trivial things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always nice to know trivia like that.¡± It¡¯s a very rare story since it¡¯s related to his first love. It was a strange coincidence that the person who saved him when he was a child was blonde with green eyes. ¡°That¡¯s fine as long as it cheered you up.¡± She didn¡¯t miss his words and asked in a teasing voice, ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°¡­ I haven¡¯t even had the confidence to comfort Leah yet.¡± Noel squinted and grumbled inwardly. ¡®No, why are you treating me like you did to Leah?¡¯ As usual, her husband quickly changed the subject which was uncomfortable for him. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry about the Miracle Herbs. We have quite a bit of Elpida in reserve in preparation for such a situation.¡± Elpida is a medicine made using Miracle Herbs. Since it was difficult to store Miracle Herbs for a long period of time, it was made into a medicine. Although the efficacy is a bit low, it is suitable for long-term storage. ¡°¡­ but it¡¯s just to buy time.¡± Noel, who replied like that, was lost in her thoughts. Chapter 63 In fact, Noel thought of penicillin, a representative antibiotic, as an alternative to Miracle Herbs. ¡®Cultivation is possible, but.¡¯ It is okay to produce blue mold in large quantities. Penicillin purification is the problem. I don¡¯t even know exactly what¡¯s going on with tablets in this world. ¡®There are many talented pharmacists in the Opion family.¡¯ They were the people who made Elpida using Miracle Herbs as a family business. The quality of the Elpida they made was far superior to that made elsewhere. Perhaps there is a method that is secretly passed on. ¡°Rupert, is there any way to get the pharmacists from Opion to come over?¡± If we cooperate with them, we might be able to create new antibiotics. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be impossible to make medicine without a pharmacist?¡± ¡°Right, then Opions will be less selfish than they are now.¡± Opion grows Miracle Herbs, and Ainel manufactures the highest quality medicine. Even if you can¡¯t make an alternative, you¡¯ll be fine if you separate the monopoly power in that way. ¡°The simplest way would be to take them as prisoners of war,¡± said Rupert. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think so.¡± When I was young, I had seen my family¡¯s pharmacists several times. They were people who were united in craftsmanship, desire for knowledge, and researcher-like aspects. Having lived in the territory for generations, they had a deep attachment to Opion land. Enticing with money or using coercion can make it difficult to obtain lasting cooperation. ¡®If I show that Ainel can satisfy their desire for knowledge and improvement, there might be a possibility.¡¯ Thinking that far, Noel also came up with some ideas. *** The Ainel territory has developed commerce and manufacturing. Because of that, it was easy to get rare materials and find a place to entrust processing. On top of that, perhaps because of Rupert¡¯s influence, blacksmithing was considered the best. Thanks to that, I got what I wanted relatively easily. I commissioned some modern medical equipment to be made. ¡®It finished just in time.¡¯ First of all, I showed it to someone who needed it the most. ¡°Madam¡­ what is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a suture needle.¡± Modern surgical needles are curved, similar to fishing hooks. The human body does not wrinkle as freely as cloth, so it is made that way for convenience. But here, a straight needle is used to stitch the skin. Frankly, it¡¯s uncomfortable. ¡°How about these scissors?¡± ¡°To hold the needle.¡± Simply put, it is a medical forceps. ¡°You came up with something interesting.¡± The white-bearded old doctor who was listening from behind said so. He is Selam, the family doctor and the teacher of other apprentices. ¡°Selam, use it and let me know what you think.¡± He looked curiously at the needle I brought. ¡°If you look closely, the shape of the cross-section of the needle is slightly different. What is the reason?¡± Oh, as expected, the sharpness of an old doctor. ¡°I made it so that it can be used differently depending on where it is sewn. The round one is used for suturing soft tissue, and the pointed one is used for tough tissue such as skin.¡± ¡°Well¡­ we mostly use the second one here.¡± Because there were many cases where knights came in injured. Selam politely accepted the tool I handed over. ¡°You thought very carefully.¡± ¡°I just thought of it. Do you think you can use it?¡± ¡°I do not know¡­ .¡± A slight hesitation flashed in his eyes. He received it first because it was made by the madam, but actually using it is another matter. It is natural to be wary and anxious about new things. It would have been even stranger if he praised it as great as soon as he saw it. At that time, a loud voice was heard in the hallway in front of the medical room. ¡°No, sir, you should have been more careful!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It is the voice of the knights. Looks like they¡¯re here for treatment. ¡®It¡¯s a chance to apply it.¡¯ Rather than explaining, it is much more advantageous to convince the use of an object by showing it directly. It was even Laurent and Hillis who opened the door and came in. Blood dripped down Laurent¡¯s arm. ¡°Uh, madam, why are you here?¡± I asked the doctor in a low voice, ¡°Is it okay if I show you how I use it?¡± He has a more worried expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s a little¡­ .¡± ¡°I- I think it¡¯s possible, sir.¡± Before I could open my mouth, a young man next to me defended me. He is an apprentice doctor who came over when Leah got a burn the other day. ¡°Madam will do well, like she did the other day, too¡­ These equipment are hard for anyone with no medical knowledge to come up with.¡± To be honest, I was a little surprised that he took my side. In the meantime, quick-witted Hillis finished his grasp of the situation. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but let me add that madam has experience in the Yuren Kingdom¡¯s medical center. Oh, of course madam did a great job.¡± ¡®Hey, how did you know that?¡¯ He grinned when I gave him a curious look. ¡°When madam was spending sweet and bloody time with the master, we were working.¡± I thought they went out often at the villa, so it turns out that they investigated my tracks. ¡°Well¡­ then there should be no problem.¡± Selam, who was worried, said so. It was like permission. Meanwhile, Laurent who was sitting down to receive treatment asked, ¡°What are you all talking about?¡± Unable to grasp the flow of the conversation, he asked confusedly, taking off his top and showing his bare arm. I grinned as I prepared the equipment to stitch the wound. ¡°It means I¡¯m going to sew your flesh.¡± ¡°Ho- hold up! Do I have no right to refuse?¡± ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to show the doctor how to use the new equipment.¡± The boy, who had never seen me heal anyone, rebelled. ¡°So why am I the subject of your experiment!¡± ¡°You said you would listen to me from now on, you¡¯re a good boy.¡± Hillis intervened from the side with an excited face. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you some candy if you¡¯re patient.¡± His face turned red from being teased continuously. ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a child!¡± As he shouted so, he grumbled with his arm outstretched. ¡°You know how to do it, right, madam?¡± ¡°If it gets weird, the doctor will immediately take over.¡± I pricked the needle carefully. The boy flinched for a moment, but he didn¡¯t protest. ¡®It must be painful.¡¯ Even if you¡¯re young, a knight is a knight. Laurent, who was quietly watching the wound being stitched up, had a strange expression on his face. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re doing better than I thought.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± As if he didn¡¯t want to admit it easily, he muttered, ¡°To be honest¡­ it less painful than usual.¡± Meanwhile, the doctor was watching seriously. ¡°I think the angle is more comfortable than the straight type when sewing.¡± ¡°Since I use forceps, it is much easier to secure my sight¡­ .¡± It seems that the propaganda effect is certain. I cut the thread and said in a joked tone, ¡°Thank you for your help in promoting the new product.¡± Laurent grumbled, ¡°As expected, I was the subject of the experiment.¡± ¡°Come to disinfect tomorrow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying¡­ .¡± This guy, fundamentally, has a personality that doesn¡¯t listen well. ¡°Since you are a knight, you should cherish your arms. So be sure to come. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do it tomorrow.¡± Laurent, who had put on his clothes again, looked at me for a moment and hesitated. I thought he would get mad and go away right away. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? It¡¯s sewn really well.¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ?¡± I looked at him curiously, and he lowered his head. ¡°Tha- thank you for the treatment! See you later!¡± Then he disappeared instantly. I stared blankly at where he had been before and smiled. ¡°How cute.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving, too.¡± Hillis next to me also left the medical room. ¡®Should I leave too?¡¯ The usefulness of this needle has been proven, and the purpose has been achieved. No need to linger here. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave the rest to you, and please promote it to the other doctors!¡± It is profitable to commercialize and earn money, and it is beneficial to spread rumors that the medicine of the Ainel territory is improving day by day. It¡¯s easier for doctors to treat. It is the effect of reciprocity. ¡°Oh, please take care of me next time.¡± This is not the end. I said goodbye lively and left the medical room. Selam replied one beat slower. ¡°Yes, madam. Goodbye¡­ next time?¡± Well, the question was meant to be solved step by step by step. *** Even after that, I was busy commissioning productions of this and that, checking them, and promoting them to doctors. Leah was often interested in things I touched. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a tube you put drugs in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s soft.¡± I also made something like a tube to supply the fluid. There are syringes in this world, but they didn¡¯t even use fluid. Making and supplying this will make treatment much easier. Then, the maid knocked on the door and said, ¡°Madam, there is a letter from the Hoffen family.¡± Chapter 64 ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Carla was the only one I could think of from the Hoffen family who could send me letters. That is, it¡¯s pretty urgent. ¡®Why all of a sudden?¡¯ I was shocked when I read the letter. ¡®Stillbirth?¡¯ The letter stated that Carla had a stillbirth. ¡®Why?¡¯ Not in the early days, but suddenly like this in the latter half. On the back was written a request to visit her even once, and she needed my help. I was puzzled. If she feels unwell, she can ask her doctor. So, is there another problem? Something related to stillbirth? ¡®Let¡¯s go first.¡¯ Since I heard the news, I couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye. Even if I don¡¯t help, I should at least comfort her. Even thinking about it made me depressed. ¡®Was there no way I could stop it?¡¯ There¡¯s no point in regretting it now, though. ¡°Get ready to go out.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for me to get to Hoffen¡¯s mansion by carriage. I carefully stood in front of her bedroom and knocked. ¡°Carla?¡± ¡°Noel, come in.¡± I opened the door slowly. I could see her with a rather tired face. ¡°¡­ I- I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I said hesitantly. It¡¯s hard to say anything easily when I see her face. I approached the bed where she was lying. ¡°¡­ I hope you get better as soon as possible.¡± Carla smiled helplessly. ¡°I never imagined when I was young that the day would come when I would be comforted by Noel.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve grown up.¡± Then she motioned to the maids standing in front of the door, and they quickly left the room without a sound. Only the two of us are left. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± The reason why the maids were sent out was probably that she hoped that there would be no ears to hear. ¡°¡­ it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Her face was full of hesitation. ¡°I have something to ask,¡± she continued. As expected from the contents of the letter, is there a problem? Carla carefully lowered her clothes, revealing her bare shoulders. I couldn¡¯t grasp the situation and only blinked my eyes, but I realized one thing. ¡°You have a rash?¡± Her arms and legs are full of red spots. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been feeling strange for some time, I¡¯m tired and sagged.¡± ¡°Then you need to show this to your doctor, not me!¡± She doesn¡¯t have a fever right now, but there¡¯s a chance it could be measles. It¡¯s not time to talk to me. ¡°I already showed it to my doctor.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ?¡± Then why did she say this to me? I tilted my head in wonder. ¡°The thing is, after showing this rash, the attitude of the doctor and my husband became strange. Nothing is clear, but it¡¯s different than usual.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°But before I could really grasp that oddity, I had a stillbirth.¡± As I listened to that, something suddenly ran through my head. ¡®No way.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll take a closer look for a moment.¡± Watching me observe her skin condition, Carla explained her recent situation. ¡°My doctor didn¡¯t tell me in detail what disease I had. He just reassured me not to worry because I¡¯ll get better if I eat Elpida consistently.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°My husband also told me not to worry about the baby and to focus only on my body recovering. It was obviously kind words like usual but¡­ I felt strange.¡± Listening to her made me more depressed. It was because I suddenly remembered a story I had heard from a senior who worked in obstetrics and gynecology in my past life. A newborn baby in a hospital contracted an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease). My senior reported the results of this diagnostic test to the immediate guardian, the husband. However, the husband, who heard his friend¡¯s words, turned white and begged her to proceed with the treatment without telling his wife anything. The reason I came up with this story now is simple. ¡®I think it¡¯s syphilis.¡¯ Her symptoms are similar to those of second-stage syphilis. If the pregnant woman contracts syphilis, her unborn baby is severely affected. It can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature births, and deformities. Even if the baby is born safely, complications are likely to occur because he has congenital syphilis. ¡°Noel, I thought you might know something about this rash. I heard that you grew up in the Opion family, which is famous for medicine, and recently you have taken an interest in medicine.¡± For me, this situation was also complicated. ¡®She couldn¡¯t get an answer from her family, so she was secretly showing it to me now.¡¯ My biggest worry is who transferred syphilis to her. It would have been better if Carla had been politically married to her arranged partner and had a separate lover. But based on the situation I heard and her attitude¡­ . ¡®It¡¯s very likely that it was from her husband.¡¯ There is a bigger problem here. From whom did Count Hoffen get it? ¡®The answer is obvious.¡¯ He was infected while having an affair, leaving his pregnant wife. ¡®And he secretly underwent his treatment, realizing that he had passed his syphilis to his wife.¡¯ The present Count Hoffen is the son-in-law of Darryl Hoffen, the previous Count. If Carla got mad and kicked her husband away, he could lose everything. Even the baby in her belly was stillbirth because of him, so there would be no room for forgiveness. ¡®That¡¯s why he silenced the doctor in advance.¡¯ Assuming this, everything made sense. ¡°Noel.¡± Thinking this far made it hard for me to see Carla¡¯s face. I honestly couldn¡¯t decide what to do. If I tell her the truth, she¡¯ll be shocked. ¡°As expected, there¡¯s something.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just tell me.¡± Even if she might be hurt, doesn¡¯t she have the right to know why her baby died? I licked my lips and opened my mouth. ¡°¡­ this is syphilis.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Even in this world, views on venereal disease are not good. It is even said to be a divine punishment for promiscuous people. Syphilis, in particular, is fatal to one¡¯s image when rumors circulated that someone in the social world has it. The infected will become the object of ridicule everywhere. Realizing the meaning of my words, Carla turned white. ¡°Ho- hold up, I have no one but my husband, which means¡­ ¡­ .¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°What you have in mind is probably the most accurate truth.¡± Her hands holding a blanket were trembling. It¡¯s so sudden, so she¡¯ll need time to think. ¡°I never thought about telling the outside world about this, so don¡¯t worry.¡± She will be at a crossroads from now on. Whether to keep the marriage or divorce. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll just leave.¡± I saw my friend frozen and quietly closed the door. *** Every time I go through something like this, I have no choice but to spit it out like a lamentation. ¡®What did that bastard say about love?!¡¯ We really can¡¯t guess a person¡¯s mind. Seriously, if you love someone, don¡¯t you have to live in love with that person until you die? Anyway, Count Hoffen seems to have noticed who told his wife the truth. ¡®Because I was Carla¡¯s only guest at the time, the maids must have reported it.¡¯ After that, I received many letters of protest from the Count. I of course didn¡¯t reply at all. At first, he was angry, but later he begged me to persuade his wife. I kept trying to ignore it, but the letters came too often. If anyone sees it, it¡¯s on the level of misunderstanding that the Count is passionately in love with me. I raised a white flag when I received a letter that said that if I met him just once and heard his story, I would definitely understand. ¡®He¡¯s persistent.¡¯ It¡¯s annoying and hard to ignore. I finally wrote a reply. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you and listen to you, so please stop sending me letters.¡± After roughly scribbled on, it was sealed. After that, I wrote another letter and put it in an envelope. ¡°Madam, should I send these two letters right now?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± And on the morning of the appointment, I carefully got out and headed to the meeting place. Unlike usual, I left an escort and go out alone. It would be embarrassing if my husband knew about it, and I couldn¡¯t explain it to him. ¡®Because all soldiers and knights are like my husband¡¯s eyes and ears.¡¯ While thinking this was annoying, I finally arrived at the meeting place. ¡°Count Hoffen.¡± I see a man who looks to be in his late twenties, medium build with a normal-looking impression. ¡°Marchioness, thank you for coming¨D¡± ¡°Tell me quickly.¡± To be honest, I have no desire to talk for a long time. The Count looked displeased when I interrupted him but immediately wiped his expression. ¡°Ahem, what I want to say is that it was all a misunderstanding.¡± You immediately deny it? I was stunned. ¡°If it was a misunderstanding, you should solve it with Carla, not me.¡± ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t listen to me. So, Marchioness¨D¡± ¡°How are you going to explain that Carla has syphilis?¡± ¡°Well, that¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Or are you going to say that Carla has a lover?¡± If you dare to make excuses like that, you will die, really! ¡°No, no! My wife is not like that!¡± ¡°Right.¡± Relieved, the Count continued, ¡°It¡¯s not syphilis my wife had, it¡¯s a misunderstanding from there.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then would it be all right if I send my family¡¯s doctor to help?¡± ¡°I appreciate your favor, but my family¡¯s doctor is enough.¡± ¡°Is that so? The other day, Carla was uncomfortable about the doctor of the Hoffen family.¡± ¡°My wife was nervous due to stillbirth. It¡¯s hard to say she¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better for my family¡¯s doctor to examine her?¡± I smiled and added, ¡°Of course Count, you should also be examined.¡± Chapter 65 He was visibly embarrassed. ¡°Yes? What do you mean? I¡¯m healthy, hahaha!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you have to be examined. If the Ainel family¡¯s doctor confirms that neither of you has syphilis, Carla¡¯s misunderstanding will be resolved in an instant.¡± ¡°Well¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t say that you can¡¯t do that much for your wife, right?¡± ¡°Of- of course, I will do it!¡± I smiled softly. ¡°Then I will send the doctor today. The doctor of the Ainel family is very competent, so he will reveal the full truth.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I turned around and the Count called urgently. ¡°Wait a minute, Marchioness! A- actually I have something to consult regarding my wife!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°As I just said, I truly believe that my wife is not that kind of person, but¡­. um, my wife might have someone else¨D¡± Damn it, he said it in the end. I can¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡°You really are a rotten bastard!¡± ¡°Ba- bastard!?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t think of any other word to describe you other than that.¡± He approached with a red face. ¡°Even if you are a marchioness, there is a line that must not be crossed!¡± ¡°It was you who crossed the line, Count.¡± I laughed mockingly. ¡°No, you¡¯re no longer the Count any time soon, so I don¡¯t have to call you like that. Then what should I call you? Cheater? Or promiscuous? His fists trembled. He looks angry. ¡®That¡¯s good.¡¯ Because I did it to make him angry. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal because there aren¡¯t enough words in the world to describe a person like you. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°This woman¨D¡± In a fit of rage, Count Hoffen raised his hand. I looked at someone over the Count¡¯s shoulder and said nonchalantly, ¡°Are you just going to watch?¡± The Count¡¯s body stiffened just when he wanted to hit me. ¡°My body, I can¡¯t move¡­ .¡± I didn¡¯t bother to answer his question. Because a man is approaching behind the Count. ¡°It¡¯s an application of lime magic, so if you try to move carelessly, you¡¯ll get hurt, Count.¡± ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve heard his voice.¡¯ It was a pleasant voice, mixed with care and gentleness, as always. I stared blankly at the young man walking leisurely toward me. His long, aqua-colored hair was loosely tied and draped neatly over one shoulder. His purple eyes curved gently into crescents like the last time I saw them. ¡°Michael, the timing is too late.¡± He smiled at my complaint. ¡°My magic is always ready. I was just thinking about when to look the coolest.¡± Michael Berris. One of the saints of the Empire and the greatest wizard. And he is a childhood friend of mine who is two years older than me. Count Hoffen glanced at him and then drew in a breath. ¡°Uh, uh, why¡­ .¡± ¡°Why? I have an appointment with him.¡± I kindly explained the situation. ¡°Do you think I took my precious time to come to see you?¡± On the day I wrote my reply, I gave two letters to the maid. One, of course, was roughly scribbled to the Count, and the other was to contact Michael. In the first place, the Count is just a bonus. While I made my appointment with Michael, I called him over. ¡®That¡¯s why I purposely didn¡¯t bring an escort.¡¯ The other day, Rupert was reluctant to meet Michael, so I have to keep this a secret. ¡®It¡¯s a big problem if the question I want to ask Michael gets in Rupert¡¯s ears.¡¯ That¡¯s how we got to this situation today. ¡°Noel, what are you going to do with this guy?¡± he asked very curiously. ¡°What happens if you leave him like this?¡± ¡°The magic will fade over time.¡± ¡°Then just leave him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an unexpected answer.¡± ¡°First of all, this guy is still my friend¡¯s husband. You can¡¯t bury him in the ground.¡± Still, it¡¯s necessary to warn him. ¡°Open your ears and listen carefully, Count Hoffen.¡± I tapped my finger on his forehead. The Count who was frozen in the same position as before gasped. ¡°If you spread false rumors about Carla or send me a bunch of letters to bother me again¡­ .¡± I smiled and slapped him on the forehead. ¡°At that time, I will make you disappear without rumors.¡± ¡°Hic, hic, hic¡­ .¡± ¡®Because I don¡¯t want to deal with this guy again.¡¯ Then I told my childhood friend, who was still watching the situation with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Michael.¡± *** First of all, I moved to a place where I could have a comfortable conversation: a cafe with private rooms. Michael, who sat down, asked curiously, ¡°Something has changed about you, Noel.¡± ¡°I hear that often.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°There were so many¡­ .¡± There are so many that I don¡¯t even know where to start explaining them. I glanced at him. Come to think of it, I should make sure he shuts up about this first. ¡°Oh, can you keep everything I¡¯m going to say a secret?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a strange question.¡± Michael smiled softly. He continued, ¡°You called me because you trust me, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always on your side, you grumpy girl.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± I was deeply moved by his words. It was a familiar phrase that I often heard when I was young, but hearing it after a long time made me feel emotional. He is someone who can reassure me. ¡°Put a smile on your face often, idiot.¡± I got up and hugged him lightly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± He patted me a few times. It was a very light touch, but my sensitive nerves eased. It seems time has stopped without me knowing. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because there¡¯s been a lot of annoying things lately.¡¯ I doubt if there was a problem in my head, and the family I met after a long time was a mess. My friend had a stillbirth because of her husband, and he had just come and talked nonsense. ¡®There are so many bastards in the world.¡¯ All this made me feel blue. Sadly, I am not strong enough to pass all of this easily. I want to have strong mental power like the main character in the novel, but the truth is, I am just a normal citizen who stumbled when I reached my limit. Sometimes I need someone to chat with and share my worries without worrying about anything. But I have very few people like that. ¡®Rupert is the one who suffered the most directly because of my family.¡¯ It¡¯s funny to express my worries to him when I can¡¯t help him more. On top of that, he was already carrying a heavy burden that was difficult to handle alone. I don¡¯t want to add anything more. ¡°Here.¡± Michael handed me a handkerchief. I didn¡¯t realize that tears welled up in my eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± I replied in a slightly subdued voice, wiping my tears. ¡°You kept saying you had a question in your letter. What is it?¡± asked Michael, who had been waiting for me to calm down. I hesitated because this must sound like a piece of crap. He wouldn¡¯t treat me like a fool, would he? ¡°Is there some kind of magic that can control people?¡± ¡°Control?¡± ¡°So, you were controlled to live a bad life, and you suddenly remembered the past and became kind¡­ .¡± It sounds like a strange conspiracy theory. Michael smiled. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re in that state now? No wonder the grumpy lady I know seems to have changed. I thought you were still immature.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me. I am serious.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll answer seriously.¡± After thinking for a while, he continued, ¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t give you a 100% definitive answer. Because no one knows how the brain works.¡± That¡¯s right. Even in modern times, there have been many studies on the brain, but questions have not been completely resolved. ¡°First of all, the easiest way is hypnosis. It¡¯s easy to come, and also easy to treat. But there are many cases where it doesn¡¯t work at all depending on your constitution.¡± ¡°Other than that, how do you completely and for a long period of time control a person¡¯s mind?¡± ¡°Theoretically, it is possible. However, it takes a very long time to cast a spell. Besides, once you get caught, you can¡¯t come back to your senses.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than I thought.¡± ¡°Right. There¡¯s no proper analogy¡­ Controlling the mind with magic is like soaking the entire brain of the person you control in magic.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± It¡¯s kind of scary to imagine. ¡°The brain is a very delicate, complex, and difficult organ to recover from. If only one blood vessel has a problem, the aftereffects will remain. If your entire brain is forced to move while soaking it with magic for a long time, it¡¯s hard to return to the original state.¡± Since it¡¯s so hard, I¡¯ll just analogize it to pickled plums. Even if you wash only plums with water after soaking them in sugar for a long time, the permeated sweetness does not completely disappear. ¡°It¡¯s possible, but you¡¯re not going to be fine even after the magic is gone.¡± ¡®Then what happened to me?¡¯ First of all, it didn¡¯t seem like there was anything wrong with my mental state. Well, that¡¯s exactly what I wanted to believe. ¡®Was it really a coincidence that I regained the memories of my past life and got better?¡¯ In fact, while not physically deficient in my childhood, I suffered some degree of mental and physical abuse. Did that cause me to grow into a person who bullies others? ¡®I wonder if the feeling of being controlled by someone was all an illusion.¡¯ There is no way to find out more right now. I decided to hold off for now. There is something else more important. ¡°One more.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is there any magic that can control time?¡± Chapter 66 ¡°You are asking difficult questions¡­ In conclusion, there is no such thing, I guess.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Michael chuckled. ¡°Time is not a realm that magic can handle.¡± I was reminded of the time machine I had often heard about. ¡°I think I heard the argument that if you can move faster than light by magic, you can go back to the past. Can¡¯t you do it that way?¡± ¡°Even if we use magic to make the body move faster than light, wouldn¡¯t the durability of the body not be able to withstand it?¡± His answer is realistic, not suitable for a fantasy world. ¡°¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± He smiled bitterly at my disappointed face. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to put too much faith in my answer, Noel.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Actually, I only know a little more about magic than most people do, but I don¡¯t know the answers to all the problems in the world. There may be a way that has not yet been discovered.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that an overly humble statement?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. Everyone overestimates me,¡± he grumbled playfully. ¡°I want to take a vacation now.¡± I feel a little sorry to hear that. I just solved my curiosity by holding a busy person. ¡°Sorry, I was not considerate enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I missed you a lot too. There is a limit to only confirming your well-being through a letter.¡± ¡°I hope you enjoy your vacation.¡± Michael smiled. ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re really sorry, come see me often. You can play like you did before you got married, right?¡± I remembered Rupert telling me to go with him. ¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t think so. ¡°Is it alright if my husband accompanies me? Actually, I¡¯d like to introduce you two to each other. You haven¡¯t met him in person, have you?¡± ¡°Rarely. I also wanted to meet him, so it¡¯s okay. To be honest, I was curious about Marquis Ainel. I wonder if you get along well with him.¡± I laughed at the last sentence. ¡®Do we get along well?¡¯ Our relationship is not bad. But lately, I¡¯ve been struggling with how to define my relationship with him. ¡®No, I¡¯ve always been worried.¡¯ Putting my thoughts aside, I said goodbye to Michael. ¡°Thank you so much for coming today.¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s meet more often from now on.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I looked up at his face for a moment, he had a clear and calm expression as usual. ¡°Noel, do you have any more questions?¡± He¡¯s also good at reading my mind. ¡°This is a bit of a tough question, but¡­ but if, really, if you did something magically impossible, how would you explain that?¡± ¡°That is, a miracle.¡± Michael smiled and continued, ¡°It¡¯s the realm of God, as it is often said.¡± *** After hearing Michael¡¯s explanation, I went back to the mansion and lost myself in thoughts. ¡®It¡¯s the realm of God.¡¯ This confirms one thing. I think there¡¯s something special about me. Exactly, it¡¯s very likely. I don¡¯t know why this suddenly happened. ¡®Could it have something to do with the sudden discovery of past memories?¡¯ The timing was almost the same. ¡®I thought I was normal, but the truth is¡­ .¡¯ I am talented! But I¡¯m not very happy with that. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ To be honest, after saving Leah, no matter how hard I tried, I only had a one-man show in my room. [T/N: When Noel tries to throw a pillow and cast a random spell to stop time.] Usually, once you realize that you have something special, isn¡¯t it natural for you to acquire your abilities? I looked at my hands in dissatisfaction, then closed my eyes and concentrated. ¡®Stop, stop, time, stop.¡¯ ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± To my surprise, nothing happened. Only the shame increased. ¡°Madam, are you there?¡± At that time, Ordin¡¯s voice came from outside the door. I was startled. ¡°Y- yes!¡± Immediately, he opened the door. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Something important has happened. Could you come to the office for a moment?¡± His expression was serious. The fact that the aide came in person must mean that an important yet secret matter has arisen. It was not time to mutter while looking at the pillow alone in the room. ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡± I immediately followed Ordin to the office. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rupert seems to have been waiting for me too. When our eyes met, he gave me a worried look. ¡®Did I see it wrong?¡¯ I blinked and looked at him again. My husband is as expressionless as usual. It was probably an illusion. ¡°I found out why your family¡¯s financial situation got worse.¡± I looked at the document he handed me. After reading the contents, the worries about his expression were instantly erased. As soon as I read it, I almost laughed out loud. In the document, it was written that the Opion family¡¯s aide stole their money. ¡°The aide who was in charge of finances had a double ledger.¡± It also seems to have been skillfully stolen for a long time. Besides, it wasn¡¯t a single crime. ¡°That aide was in collusion with the vassals of the Opion family. The stolen money went that way.¡± ¡°Some of the vassals are planning a rebellion.¡± ¡°Of course, now the Opion family has noticed this fact and is hastily preparing countermeasures.¡± I guess that¡¯s why they called me. ¡°What¡¯s their plan?¡± ¡°A letter just arrived from the Opion family,¡± said Rupert. At this point, I was afraid of what would happen. He continued, ¡°It contains a request for support in case of a territorial battle.¡± A sigh came out spontaneously. ¡°They¡¯re too shameless¡­ .¡± Not too long ago, they sent a lot of protest letters. ¡®When the situation becomes unfavorable, they change their attitude like turning the palm of the hand.¡¯ It was my house, but I¡¯m so sick of it. ¡°If we help, they will be able to transfer some of the rights related to the Miracle Herbs. They promise not to let the same situation happen again in the future. But,¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I got another similar letter. These are from the vassals who betrayed Count Opion.¡± Things are messed up. ¡°By the way, they offer the same conditions.¡± To summarize: Now, two letters have arrived in the Ainel family. One is to ask for help to stop the rebellion of the vassals in Count Opion¡¯s family. The other, on the contrary, is that the vassals asked for help to win the rebellion. Regardless of which way you choose, the price of cooperation seems to be the transfer of some of the rights to Miracle Herbs. ¡°One is to save the Opion family, and the other is to destroy it.¡± Helping with the rebellion will of course destroy the Opions. ¡°So I called you.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ ?¡± ¡°Since it is a matter for the Opion family, I will leave the final choice to you.¡± This seems to be his intention to respect his wife in his own way. ¡°First of all, thank you. I think I would have been very disappointed if you hadn¡¯t said anything to me.¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± ¡°Anyway, no matter which side you choose, a territory battle will happen, right?¡± ¡°Battle is inevitable.¡± I never thought I would be in a position to decide whether or not to start a battle. There¡¯s no way I could get off that easily. Win or lose, it¡¯s obvious that a lot of people will die. ¡®It¡¯s difficult.¡¯ It doesn¡¯t matter which side, knights, soldiers, and many other people are one¡¯s family, and they are people who lead ordinary lives. Now I am making a choice that might change their lives overnight. Rupert spoke in a businesslike manner, but he was pondered deeply, weighed down with a heavy sense of responsibility. ¡°Can the battle not happen?¡± The answer came from Ordin. ¡°The Miracle Herbs is a goose that lays golden eggs. No one gives up easily. It would be quicker for us to take sides.¡± ¡°Do you agree with this, Rupert?¡± ¡°If it can¡¯t be avoided, it¡¯s better to finish it quickly.¡± Yes, I may be an overly emotional person who hesitates here. ¡®Because this place is completely different from the modern world.¡¯ The monopoly of the Miracle Herbs calls for a huge amount of money, and money always causes disputes. Indeed, our joining the battle may be the best solution. ¡°Then I will ask you one question.¡± ¡°What?¡± I checked for the last time. ¡°The fact that you called me here means that you intend to respect my opinion, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I respect your choice.¡± Rupert nodded. He is not the type who breaks what he¡¯s said once, so I can trust him. ¡°Okay.¡± The decision was made. Only God knows if this is the right choice. I declared, ¡°I won¡¯t choose either side now.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± For a moment, the two men seemed at a loss for words. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ There is no turning back. I can¡¯t decide that the death of a person is the best solution. ¡®At least not yet.¡¯ I still have equipment left to use. Chapter 67 Ordin spoke up belatedly. ¡°Madam, that is not allowed.¡± ¡°Sorry, this time the opinions of the two of us are diametrically opposed.¡± I added firmly, ¡°I think it¡¯s worse for a leader to see the death of his subordinates as the most efficient and quickest option.¡± If the ruling class said, ¡°This will kill your family and neighbors a little bit, but it is the most efficient way. Any other way is too difficult and unlikely to succeed,¡± there is no way people will protest against it. ¡°We make waves, but the bottom is dragged like a grain of sand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¨D¡± ¡°You can¡¯t help it? But you two know better. Feeling deprived of all options in your life, through no fault of yours. A situation in which someone who is strong takes your life and acts as they please. It¡¯s really fucked up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The expressions on the faces of the two men who were listening to me became strange. I¡¯m not sure if they agree or disagree. I looked Rupert straight in the eyes. ¡°Now we are in a position to stop that. It¡¯s not about who we choose. We¡¯ll find a better way.¡± Both were swayed by the strong man¡¯s selfish circumstances in their childhood. There¡¯s no way they can¡¯t understand. ¡®If I were the main character in the novel, would I have been able to make a firm decision without being swayed by these emotions?¡¯ But I am not the main character. However, I do not have the confidence to treat the lives of people lightly, regarding this world entirely as a novel. So I have no choice but to do as much as I can with the knowledge, conscience, and morals I have. ¡°I against the battle. This is my opinion.¡± ¡°¡­Noel.¡± Rupert, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth. ¡°Unless you come up with an alternative here, everything you just said is nothing more than idealist sophistry.¡± You can¡¯t tell what he¡¯s thinking just by his expression. Did he laugh at my opinion for being soft or did he agree? ¡°I know.¡± I was a little worried because I had to finally convince Rupert. I was more intimate with him personally than before but I didn¡¯t expect I would so easily cross over into the wider realm. ¡®I¡¯m nervous.¡¯ However, the situation is urgent, so I have to pull all the plans forward. ¡®Although I can¡¯t guarantee 100% success.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not like everyone can start a battle right away anyway.¡± ¡°They should be quiet until the founding ceremony held at the imperial palace in at least a month.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Please wait a month.¡± ¡°What are you planning?¡± ¡°In the end, everyone jumps in to make a huge profit. If there is no profit, there is no reason to take risks and fight.¡± The reason Miracle Herbs was the goose that laid golden eggs was that it was a monopoly. All you have to do is get rid of that premise. ¡°I will make a new medicine.¡± Looking at the two of them, I declared, ¡°A medicine that can replace the Miracle Herbs.¡± *** Rupert got a strange feeling when he saw Noel. ¡®She was easy to deal with in the past.¡¯ She was easy to deal with when she was simple and mean. You can deal with her properly and throw her away if she crosses the line. ¡®It was meant to be that way from the beginning.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like it, on the other hand, it was rather good. They joked with each other, sometimes he was teased, dumbfounded by his wife¡¯s eccentricities, but it was fun. And sometimes I was comforted. He liked the way Noel looked into his eyes when while talking. The action was his wife¡¯s attempt to understand her husband. At least for that moment, everything in her head was his. It was really, really bad possessiveness. ¡®I am not a decent human being.¡¯ He was aware that his mind was twisted. From the moment he was born, he was deprived of his right to love and hate others. He had no friends, lovers, or even enemies. All he could do was constantly adjust his behavior so as not to cross the norms of society. Those around him regarded his disposition as natural coldness, and his subordinates judged him as a determined leader. No one knows how twisted he is on the inside. But Noel¡­¡­. Well, what does she think of me? Sometimes she gave a sympathetic look. At the same time, he was afraid and anxious. He was worried that she would find his twisted side, and would run away because of it. But in the end, he was so sorry that he couldn¡¯t turn away from her completely. I felt good when I saw her. Noel was the one who had the most accurate understanding of himself. Even so, she sincerely believed that he would be able to become a better person; a good parent, a good husband, and a good human being. Even looking at his positive behavior these days, he seemed convinced that he could even do ordinary love. ¡®Actually, I¡¯m not confident.¡¯ The two mindsets were diametrically opposed. Rupert gave up on himself, and Noel believed he could change himself. Because of that, he tried his best to get back on the right track. Reality is always bitter. Rupert looked at the blood flowing down his sword. Because he killed a person, the curse was stabilized. ¡°It¡¯s all over here.¡± ¡°This one too.¡± After briefly responding to Bert¡¯s report, Rupert tapped the corpse beneath his feet. It was the corpse of the black magician he had just killed. ¡°These days, more and more people are trying black magic.¡± The black magicians were originally wizards, but they crossed the forbidden river[1] and touched black magic. [1] Once you cross the forbidden river, you can¡¯t go back. Realms that were impossible with normal magic became possible with black magic: ignoring logic and going beyond common sense. As powerful as it was, the problems it caused were far more serious. ¡°Is this the place the crown prince told you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Noel thought that Rupert was busy with work at the Ainel estate. But in fact, he had more to do. ¡°This is enough cooperation.¡± He thought there would be no trick to go under anyone, but unexpectedly he was helping the prince. ¡°Loyalty, isn¡¯t it?¡± Rupert briefly recalled the crown prince¡¯s foolish face. He only remembered the scene in his childhood when he was messing around and got stuck between the palace pillars. ¡®Loyalty.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of feeling for that kid.¡± Bert shook his head. ¡°You are disloyal.¡± ¡°I just have to do my job well.¡± ¡°Your biggest drawback is that you are only good at work, master.¡± This knight commander was impatient to nag his lord about the importance of human relationships. ¡°Send some letters and gifts to the madam and young lady who left for the capital in a sensible way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go back to the way you used to work just because the two of them aren¡¯t here. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get tired of it.¡± Even more annoying was that what he said had some truth. ¡°¡­what gift?¡± Bert was dumbfounded. He always spat out nagging like he was breathing, but his master didn¡¯t even bother to listen. This was the first time he had responded to his nagging. He was so moved that he couldn¡¯t continue his words. ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Rupert, noticing what his subordinate was thinking, spat out ferociously. ¡°Damn it, I shouldn¡¯t have asked. Don¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°No, this is, should this be designated as an anniversary?¡± ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡± ¡°Huh, let¡¯s pick someone to replace me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rupert gave up and turned around. The subordinate followed him and continued talking incessantly. ¡°Material things like jewelry and dresses are great, but so are intangible gifts.¡± ¡°Noisy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad to have a good time with family in the capital. Memories are also a gift.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Even after that, Rupert went on silently without any reply. But Bert had no doubt that Rupert would remember these words. He smiled as he looked at his master¡¯s back. *** After convincing Rupert and Ordin, I immediately set out for the Ainel Mansion in the capital. In order to carry out the plan, it was necessary to go ahead and complete the preparations. For that reason, I entrusted all the preparations for the ball at the founding ceremony to the maids, and I started in earnest by renovating the warehouse next to the mansion. First, after confirming the presence or absence of sensitivity, blue mold was cultured in corn steep liquor. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to do something like this.¡¯ Fortunately, it¡¯s not very difficult. I heard that the conditions for growing blue mold are difficult, but it was not difficult because Shuna, the wizard, controlled the temperature. There was no problem with getting the necessary things because there was money, and the servants helped with the work that needed strength. ¡®I¡¯m glad I¡¯m a lady from a rich family.¡¯ It is not an aspiration to mass-produce penicillin in this warehouse. What I¡¯m making now is simply to use to convince the Opion family¡¯s pharmacists. I just wanted to let them know that there is a new possibility. It wasn¡¯t bad that there were rumors that a medicine with the same efficacy as the Miracle Herbs would soon be produced. The fact that there is price competition with the new medicine alone creates a ripple effect. Time passed quickly after such a hectic time. Chapter 68 One week left before the founding ceremony, I was able to enter the susceptibility test with the barely purified medicine. ¡°Madam, the Marquis has arrived.¡± I had been to the capital with Leah in advance for this, but Rupert had just arrived. ¡°Wait, tell him I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± I answered, but in fact, I completely forgot about Rupert. ¡®Suddenly, this blue mold is starting to look cute.¡¯ I became attached to it after a few weeks of caring for it. Since blue mold is sensitive to temperature and PH, it is necessary to pay careful attention to it. ¡°I think you are overdoing it.¡± I was startled by the voice I heard from the side. ¡°Oh, my gosh! When did you come?¡± Rupert was standing by the door. ¡®I thought I was going to lose my heart.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been about half an hour.¡± ¡°Really? Why are you just watching?¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re working on something important. You¡¯d better eat dinner, though.¡± When I looked outside, it was already dark. I didn¡¯t know that time had passed like this. Did I focus too much? I smiled awkwardly. ¡°Time flies.¡± ¡°Can I go there?¡± There are many things in the warehouse. It¡¯s dangerous if you aren¡¯t careful. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t touch anything.¡± I was worried that he might break something because he has a large physique, but he unexpectedly avoided it with agility. ¡®It¡¯s like a cat avoiding obstacles¡­.¡¯ I can¡¯t get this out of my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll show you something fun.¡± I opened the nearby storage box with my gloved hands. It is a medium used for medicine susceptibility testing. Only where penicillin is, the fungus is dead. After looking at it for a moment, Rupert said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you in advance, I don¡¯t know the knowledge that a doctor or a pharmacist would know.¡± ¡°This is proof that this medicine has similar effects to Elpida.¡± ¡°Are you going to show this to the Opion¡¯s pharmacists?¡± ¡°Yes, they will like it very much.¡± This world is not so bad when it comes to medical standards. The pharmacist¡¯s studio I went to when I was young had a lot of complicated equipment, and the doctors were also aware of infection to some extent. ¡®The problem is that medical inequality is serious and investment has not been made properly.¡¯ Aristocrats and wealthy merchants had their own doctors, and they could also get expensive Miracle Herbs. On the other hand, it is difficult for the commoners to see a doctor in the vicinity, and they do not have the money to buy even basic medicine. Everything needs investment to develop. ¡°How do you know this?¡± I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not my knowledge. I just followed what I was taught.¡± ¡°From who?¡± I can¡¯t tell you. I grinned, and he understood immediately. ¡°You don¡¯t want to tell me.¡± ¡°You also quickly change the subject when you¡¯re in trouble. It¡¯s a tie.¡± The only thing Rupert and I have in common is that the lines of our hearts are clear. I¡¯m walking a tightrope on his line, looking to see if I can move on. ¡°How are you going to deliver this medicine to the pharmacists in Opion? If you do something wrong, they will be suspicious.¡± I have something in mind. ¡°My father once fainted from asthma. Since then, he has been accompanied by his doctor whenever he goes out.¡± ¡°Are you going to show it to that doctor first?¡± ¡°The doctor¡¯s younger brother is the representative of pharmacists.¡± ¡°Is he trustworthy?¡± That question reminded me of my childhood. After being beaten by Goth, I was sobbing in my room in anger, the doctor came and applied medicine. Even when I got irritated and scratched at him because the medicine stung me, he always stood firm. I¡¯ve heard that on holidays, he takes care of people in the slums. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a conversation deep enough with him to build trust, but I¡¯m sure he cares about his patients.¡± ¡°¡­is that so?¡± ¡°I will contact him before the founding ceremony begins.¡± ¡°You must go with an escort.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Anyway, the urgent work is over right now, right?¡± ¡°For now.¡± For some reason, he was staring at me. ¡°Why?¡± I think he has something to say. Rupert, who hesitated about something, opened his mouth. ¡°Then, before you get busier, on the streets of the capital¨D¡± ¡°Mom, father! Where are you?¡± Just then, my daughter¡¯s voice rang from outside. ¡°Oh, I guess Leah is looking for us, let¡¯s get out of here!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­ never mind.¡± I looked at him curiously, and went outside at the sound of my daughter calling once more. *** The opportunity to secretly summon my father¡¯s doctor came quickly. Before the territorial battle started, the emperor called in the heads of families to coordinate. Of course, my father was called. And I don¡¯t know why, but after coming to the capital, Rupert also went to the imperial palace often. I asked him a question before leaving for the palace, ¡°Isn¡¯t His Majesty able to mediate this situation well?¡± ¡°You¡¯re overestimating him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about His Majesty because I have never met him in person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± He made it clear that he didn¡¯t even want to talk about that human being. I vaguely guessed that he wasn¡¯t quite the match for the emperor. Anyway, while my father is in the imperial palace, the attending doctor is waiting outside, because he is not qualified to enter the imperial premises. So it¡¯s not difficult for me to meet him. ¡°¡­long time no see, lady,¡± greet the man in his late 50s. He looks a bit older than I remember. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been called lady, thanks for coming, Harvil.¡± ¡°I had no choice but to come when the sturdy soldiers exerted such pressure.¡± ¡°Sorry, I thought you would never come if I didn¡¯t do that.¡± Instead of servants, I sent several soldiers to deliver the message. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your intentions are. I cannot mediate between you and the Count.¡± Judging from what he said, it seems that he doesn¡¯t know the details of the family¡¯s current situation. ¡°That¡¯s not why I called you. Follow me for a moment.¡± Harvil looked uneasy. He seemed worried that something might happen to him. I reassured him. ¡°I will let you go safely without causing any harm. Just listen for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I immediately took the lead and went to the converted warehouse in the garden. He asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I made a medicine to replace Elpida.¡± ¡°Did you succeed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s real, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Harvil muttered in amazement, ¡°My god, no way.¡± I showed the badge from my most recent susceptibility test. As a doctor, he knows better than anyone what this means. He stared for a while, blinked his eyes, then opened his mouth. ¡°Where the hell¡­ no, it¡¯s confidential, so of course you won¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡°I have no intention of keeping it a secret. That¡¯s why I called you.¡± Harvil replied in disbelief, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s your chance to make a fortune. You know very well how much money the Opion family makes using the Miracle Herbs, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, my father sells them at exorbitant prices.¡± Even if production costs and labor costs are included, it is outrageous profiteering. ¡°¡­yes, commoners can¡¯t even afford it.¡± In the first place, it would be better for him to know the Opion family¡¯s situation. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in advance because you¡¯ll find out anyway after the founding ceremony is over. Soon Opion¡¯s vassals will revolt.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Miracle Herbs becomes a lot of money, and the family is weakened. It is only natural that there will be forces aimed at.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A dark shadow fell on the doctor¡¯s face. Even if you don¡¯t know it directly, there¡¯s an impression that the inside is cluttered. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I will try to prevent territorial battle as much as possible. To succeed in mass production of this medicine and eliminate the cause of the battle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°We are also looking at ways to lower the unit price. To do so, we need Opion¡¯s pharmacists with the best skills. Go back and convince them.¡± ¡°Excuse me, but I have a hard time believing your intentions. You get no benefit whatsoever.¡± ¡°Why? Do you think I will sell it expensively as my father always does?¡± ¡°Right, if you¡¯re going to do the same thing, I won¡¯t cooperate.¡± ¡°I guess you think I¡¯m doing this because money is my purpose.¡± I continued, ¡°Of course. In fact, everyone changes their mind when it comes to money. I heard that the Opion family also studied Miracle Herbs for good purposes at first. Now is¡­ they only sell medicine to the rich.¡± Harvil seems to want the commoners can also use this medicine. Of course, I was thinking to lower the unit price as much as possible so that I could do that. ¡®If you want to give trust first, it would be better to show it transparently.¡¯ Chapter 69 I had no intention of hiding the recipe for penicillin anyway. After thinking about it for a while, I began to spit out information one after another. ¡°This medicine is made by refining the ingredient called penicillin from the fermentation liquid of blue mold. It is water soluble and stable in cool, slightly acidic conditions. Oh, it can also be absorbed by the charcoal.¡± ¡°Why- why are you saying that¨D¡± ¡°I used this property when refining. I poured oil to remove fat-soluble impurities, adsorbed it on crushed charcoal, and then poured acidic and alkaline water alternately to refine it.¡± The details are much longer, but I summarized them as briefly as I could. Harvil looked surprised. Information about medications should, of course, be kept confidential. Especially if you want to profit from monopoly as the Opion did. ¡°¡­why are you telling me?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I told you, I have no intention of keeping this medicine a secret. Will you believe me now?¡± Surprised, he opened his mouth slightly, barely replying. ¡°Bu- but this would be an act of betraying the Count.¡± ¡°I know, being greedy, you will never agree. Especially when it comes to fair trade. If you cooperate with me, you will have to keep your affairs here a secret from my father.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural. But now that you¡¯ve heard the whole story, you won¡¯t be able to stay the way you used to be. Even if your body is comfortable, your mind will always be uncomfortable.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know why you asked me to cooperate.¡± ¡°The reason is simpler.¡± I smiled and continued, ¡°Because you are a good doctor. Enough to give up holidays and treat people in the slums. You won¡¯t be able to turn a blind eye to ways to save many patients.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The long-serving doctor was silent. In fact, I have some respect for his sense of duty. ¡®But,¡¯ I can¡¯t wait any longer. I wiped my smile. ¡°Now, I told you everything without hiding anything. Don¡¯t hesitate and decide quickly. Are you going to just suck your fingers and watch the situation? Or are you going to take the risk and try?¡± ¡°Give me time to¨D¡± ¡°How long will you worry? We don¡¯t have much time. You are a doctor. Show determination when life is at stake! Come on, quickly! Hurry up!¡± ¡°Ha, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Okay, this is how you should be.¡± I smiled contentedly. I got his approval with half pressure, but I¡¯ll keep my word. Maybe he was quite embarrassed, Harvil was sweating enough. ¡°¡­you have changed a lot since you got married. Somehow it reminds me of when you were four years old.¡± ¡°When I was four? How was I then?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to remember. You were as bold and clever as you are now. All the maids whispered that our lady was a genius.¡± ¡°Well, everyone hears at least once that they are a genius at that age.¡± Even I, who see my daughter every day, also think she¡¯s a genius! I think so at least ten times a day. ¡°Among them, you were exceptionally special¡­ anyway, I¡¯ll go back now before the Count finds out about my absence.¡± ¡°Okay. Keep the secret well.¡± He laughed. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± *** A few days passed after that. Two days before the founding ceremony. After completing an important mission, I have to do what I had in mind. ¡®Oh, I¡¯ll have to go get it.¡¯ I placed an order at a jewelry store located in the downtown area of ??the capital. I¡¯m going to go get the item myself, so I need an escort. I¡¯m on my way to the parlor after hearing from the maid that Raven¡¯s knights are there. When I opened the door, Aren, Laurent, and Hillis are playing poker. ¡°Madam, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I have to go out for a while. Is anyone okay as an escort?¡± ¡°Then what about me¨D eub!¡± Just as Laurent was about to answer, Hillis next to him covered his mouth and smiled kindly. ¡°The master will be back soon, so how about the two of you go together?¡± ¡°Do we have to¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hillis was silent, Aren was expressionless as always, while Laurent, who had regained her freedom of speech, muttered, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re so cold-hearted¨D eub!¡± This time his mouth was blocked by Aren¡¯s hand. Only then did I realize that I had just responded too rudely. ¡°No, it¡¯s no big deal. Rupert has always been so busy that he¡¯s often called upon by the imperial family, and I don¡¯t want to bother him.¡± Hillis smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get ready right away.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not urgent¡­ well, let¡¯s have the person who lost the poker game escort me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After a while, it was Aren who lost in poker. ¡°I thought Sir Laurent would lose¡­.¡± ¡°His card skills are better than I thought.¡± In the end, it was Aren who was responsible for escorting me this time. I muttered regretfully, ¡°I think I took up your time too often.¡± Aren laughed lightly. ¡°I am really fine.¡± ¡®He¡¯s also kind.¡¯ After he escorted me to the carriage, he himself got into it as well. A soldier and a coachman rode in the coachman¡¯s seat. The conversation between the two could be heard through the window connected to the driver¡¯s seat. They seem to know each other. The carriage wheel rolled at a moderate speed. The Ainel mansion in the capital was located relatively outside. Thanks to this, it was spacious and quiet because there were few passers-by, but there was quite a distance to downtown. As I leaned against the backrest, I felt the carriage shake regularly. It was a normal day, nothing special. But at that moment, -bang! The carriage shook with a thump, and Aren across from me reached out his hand. ¡°Dangerous!¡± Immediately the landscape turned upside down. -thud! -thud! I hit a few places, but I couldn¡¯t feel the pain. It was as if I had lost consciousness for a moment from the shock. When I opened my eyes, the carriage door was on the ceiling. ¡®It¡¯s overturned.¡¯ What¡¯s going on? Is it an accident? As soon as I tried to grasp the situation with such thoughts, I heard a voice outside. ¡°You idiot, you did it too hard!¡± ¡°It was a mistake, let¡¯s deal with it as soon as possible.¡± I could hear men talking outside. ¡®This is¡­ not an accident.¡¯ ¡°Sir, sir, wake up.¡± Aren is not in a good condition, as he wrapped himself around me and received the full shock. There was the sound of horses outside and the tapping of the carriage. ¡°Bring the ax! I need to break it down and bring out the target! Hurry up!¡± ¡°¡­are you all right?¡± Meanwhile, Aren opened his eyes. He seems to have grasped the situation at once. ¡°Stay still here.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Judging from the voices coming from outside, there are at least more than four people. Besides, he had injured his right arm. Seeing that he frowned while moving, there was a high possibility that his ribs were broken. ¡®He is right-handed.¡¯ Considering the number of opponents, there¡¯s no way he, whose hand was injured, could wield a sword with his other hand while fighting them off. The last one in particular is fatal. ¡°Sir, go out and run away.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Listening to the conversation, I think their target is me. If you run away, they won¡¯t chase you relentlessly.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± -thud! At the same time, he jumped out of the carriage door on the ceiling. There was no time to stop him. ¡°Just go!¡± The sound of fighting outside could be heard. Why are you so stubborn! I turned towards the window connected to the driver¡¯s seat. There was a sound of hitting from there. ¡®Someone is crushing it with an ax.¡¯ Bloodstains were visible through the broken glass. It must be the blood of the soldier and the coachman. They must be dead already. ¡®Why the hell?¡¯ They had been chatting normally until just now, and they died simply for being with me. But I had no time to be sad. The kidnappers were stronger than expected and moved in perfect order. I don¡¯t know, but I think they are a pro in this field. ¡®Yeah, there¡¯s no way to hire an ordinary kidnapper to kidnap a high-ranking aristocrat.¡¯ That means I also have to be vigilant. I hurriedly took a look around. The axing continues. I have to find a way. Things in the carriage were scattered around, but there was nothing that could be used as a weapon. Instead, I found a small bottle of perfume. It was a perfume that I kept in the carriage as a reserve in case I might use it. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. ¡®I have no choice but to gamble.¡¯ As soon as I hid the glass bottle under my clothes, the driver¡¯s seat was completely shattered. ¡°Hehe, here you are.¡± My eyes met the one wielding the ax. He immediately reached out his hand, grabbed my ankle, and pulled me out ¡°Let go of me!¡± I was helplessly dragged out and forced to stand up. The situation outside was visible at a glance. ¡°Hey, knight, if you continue to rebel, I¡¯ll slit this woman¡¯s throat!¡± I met eyes with Aren who was fighting. For a moment, he hesitated, and the opponent did not miss the opportunity. ¡°Sir!¡± His blood dripped onto the floor. At the same time, my nose and mouth were blocked by a cloth. A medicinal smell wafted in and my eyes became hazy. ¡®I can¡¯t lose¡­ consciousness¡­.¡¯ The last thing I saw before passing out was Aren staggering in blood. Chapter 70 -rattle! I slowly opened my eyes hearing the loud sound. I tried to move but I couldn¡¯t. My body is shaking. ¡®I¡¯m tied up.¡¯ I turned my head and looked around. It seems that I am in a carriage. ¡®How about Aren?¡¯ I was scared when I remembered the last scene, but I was relieved when I saw the corner of the carriage and found Aren there. Even though I am in a tied state, I managed to get close to the unconscious Aren. ¡°Sir, wake up.¡± After calling him several times, he slowly opened his eyes. I was relieved to see his golden eyes slowly revealed. He came to his senses and looked at me, probably thinking the same way as me. Hi sighed. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I thought that¡­ if I was defeated, I would be caught as well. A knight deserves to be taken as a hostage¡­ and can be tortured for information.¡± I was more shocked than moved by his spirit of sacrifice. ¡®I wish he could cherish himself more.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t kill the enemies and save me, so he¡¯d rather be caught together. Isn¡¯t that a gamble with a very low success rate? ¡°What if they kill without thinking? If you run away, one of the two will definitely live.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an option at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I was both tearfully grateful and frustrated. Aren hurriedly added, ¡°Even though this is on the outskirts, it will be known soon that you were kidnapped because the carriage was overturned in the capital. So I thought it would be better to be caught together.¡± I sighed. ¡°¡­next time, make a more selfish judgment.¡± ¡°I will try.¡± That was the most insincere tone of answer I¡¯ve ever heard from him. ¡°What about your wound?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± I don¡¯t think he¡¯s fine, but my hands are tied so I can¡¯t examine him. In the end, I decided to think about something else first. ¡®Who¡¯s the one who kidnapped me?¡¯ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have any enemies at all, however, the kidnapping method was overly bold and impetuous. If it went wrong, the culprits would have been caught trying to escape from the capital. ¡®There must be a reason to take such a risk and kidnap me urgently.¡¯ A hypothesis passed through my mind. ¡®¡­no way.¡¯ I don¡¯t think so. Moments later, the rattling carriage topped. Only the ropes on our feet were untied, it looks like we have to walk from here. When I came out, I saw a man in rather luxurious clothes, unlike the kidnappers. I stared at his face and stiffened. ¡°¡­father.¡± I hoped my guess was wrong but it was a futile hope. I was honestly careless. I believed that since they are my family they wouldn¡¯t do something this serious. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could do something like this.¡± My biological father, Count Opion, opened his mouth, ¡°Noel, you did something stupid.¡± ¡°To put it bluntly, it¡¯s something to be applauded for. I tried to stop the battle of territorial.¡± ¡°No, you tried to ruin our family.¡± ¡°You would fail even if I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Here we go! My head turned back at the strong force that struck me on the cheek. ¡°If you truly care about your family, you should have lured Marquis Ainel to help your family, you traitor!¡± His words heated me up. I shouted, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t taken excessive profits in the first place, none of this would have happened!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with selling my stuff at the price I want?!¡± I grinned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you study economics again since you can¡¯t communicate this kind of topic?¡± Damn! A slap hit my cheek once again. ¡°What ridiculous logic. You want me to sell medicine that can save many people at a ¡®reasonable¡¯ price? Why should I do that?¡± I can assure you that if there were just a few more people like this, humanity would have perished immediately. ¡°Because life is precious? No, there¡¯s no need for weakling in that sentiment, Noel. The weak are weeded out, and those without money die. That¡¯s the way nature works.¡± ¡°If you want to worship the rule of thumb, why don¡¯t you give up your status as a human being?¡± If you like nature that much, live by grazing in the fields. I continued, ¡°Because humans have morals and conscience.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not worth much! The only things that matter to me are people who can pay. The others are trash, and there is no need to be considerate of those things,¡± shouted the Count. He glared at me. ¡°Noel, it¡¯s the same for you now. How dare you interfere with our family business?¡± ¡°¡­the weak die, the poor die. Half of humanity will be gone soon thanks to that dog-shit-like logic of yours.¡± ¡°Even trash has some use. Fortunately, I heard you and your husband are getting along well these days. I will use you as a hostage to gain the cooperation of Marquis Ainel.¡± ¡®Rupert will cooperate with you.¡¯ I would rather be left to die. ¡°What happened to Harvil?¡± I was curious. Did he betray me? If not¡ª ¡°You mean the guy who tried to betray me by being swayed by a sense of duty?¡± Count Opion laughed cruelly. ¡°He must have been drunk when he threatened our family under that pretext. Stupid guy.¡± At this point, I¡¯m not even mad. My head immediately cooled down. I smiled. ¡°The day will come when your actions will come back like a boomerang.¡± ¡°That is the bullshit of a loser. Drag this woman away.¡± The Count turned around. I glared at him while being dragged away by force. *** Noel has been kidnapped. The moment he heard those words, Rupert felt dizzy. ¡°The carriage supposedly carrying Madam and Sir Aren was abandoned near the mountains to the west.¡± ¡°They tried to take a detour through a mountain road.¡± It seems to have fallen into rugged terrain where you can¡¯t use a vehicle to evade pursuit. In terms of chasing them, the situation becomes much more difficult because you have to search the wide mountain range. ¡°How many people can you send out right away?¡± Hillis replied, ¡°Not many. Frankly, it¡¯s ridiculously insufficient to scour the mountain range.¡± He had simply come to the capital to attend the founding ceremony. Most of the troops were left to protect the Ainel territory without the lord. ¡°Catching the ringleader is far more likely to save them¡ª¡± ¡°At that moment, we cannot guarantee the lives of Noel and Sir Aren.¡± If the culprit is identified without knowing the location of the hostages, only the safety of the two is at risk. ¡®I can guess who the culprit is.¡¯ It¡¯s obvious who¡¯s aiming for Noel at this time. She must be in a place where the Opion family is preparing for rebellion. After hiding the hostage in their territory, they will reveal their demands, with the hostage¡¯s life as an excuse. ¡®We have to find her before she completely falls into the hands of the enemy.¡¯ ¡°¡­father.¡± While Rupert was frantically scheming with his men, Leah cautiously stepped inside. ¡°Leah.¡± The child had an uneasy expression as she watched the adults around him panicking. ¡°When is mom coming? The sun is about to set¡­.¡± Rupert looked at his daughter for a moment. What should I say? He himself was not 100% sure of his wife¡¯s safety. But if Noel was here, she would have told him to reassure Leah. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Really? Where is mom?¡± He pondered for a moment what to say. ¡°¡­Noel is now lost her way.¡± Leah widened her eyes. ¡°My mom become a lost child?¡± Fortunately, it seems to work. Rupert leaned down and looked into her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s why everyone is busy trying to find her.¡± ¡°Father too?¡± He barely managed to smile to reassure his daughter. ¡°Of course, I will definitely come back with Noel, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­okay.¡± Leah nodded her head slowly. Then Rupert ordered a nearby maid to escort Leah back. He turned to his men. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the western mountains and start the tracking from where the carriage was found. Aren was kidnapped as well, so he must have tried to leave a trail.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His men nodded. After that, everything went fast. Everyone was in a hurry to save the hostages because they had to find them before they completely crossed the mountain range. A few hours later, Rupert¡¯s troops arrived at their destination. ¡°Here, there are footprints and bloodstains,¡± said a soldier searching nearby. When he got closer, he saw bloodstains near the root of the tree. Besides that, the tips of the branches were broken, and there were some footprints. Laurent murmured, ¡°The trails continue.¡± ¡°When you run away in the mountains, erasing trails is a basic.¡± ¡°Could it be that they were busy or distracted because they were moving in a hurry?¡± Even so, it was overly sloppy. Bloodstains in particular stand out too much. Rupert looked around. And he realized something strange. Chapter 71 It smells like perfume. It came from completely unexpected places, such as tree branches, roots, and the ground. Normal people would not notice. It was something that only the five perfect senses could know thanks to the curse. The scent led in the opposite direction from the trails found by the soldiers. ¡®No way.¡¯ ¡°Hillis.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Divide the troops in two. One goes after the trails they just found.¡± ¡°What about the other one?¡± ¡°The rest.¡± If his predictions were correct, there shouldn¡¯t be any longer delays. If the scent fades over time, it would be hard to find the trails. Rupert glanced at his men and ordered, ¡°Follow me as best you can.¡± In an instant, he began to move away ¡°Huh¡­¡­.¡± The subordinates, who had been dumbfounded for a while, hurriedly divided into two and started chasing after their master. *** After that, I was forced to climb the steep mountain for a long time, and I was able to rest only after the surroundings became so dark that I couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead. First, I looked around where I was locked up in. This is in an old cabin built in the middle of a mountain range. It seems to be a place used by mountain rangers and travelers to take a short break. It must have been neglected for a long time, and there were no useful tools at all. All that was there was a lantern that the kidnappers had left in a corner. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ The door was locked, and the kidnappers were taking turns guarding outside. The only comforting thing is that only my hands are tied. ¡°Sir Aren, are you okay?¡± It was clear that the injury would have gotten worse as he came down the steep path. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I can¡¯t believe it. I approached him and asked again, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m telling you. Show me the rope, I will free your hands.¡± Before I knew it, Aren had untied the rope that bound my hands. I don¡¯t know how he did it. ¡°You¡¯re good at it.¡± Thanks to him, my hands are free. I said, rubbing my sore wrist. ¡°Oh, thank you for distracting the kidnappers earlier. I almost got caught.¡± Upon entering the mountains, the kidnappers split into two groups. I suspected that the other was acting as a decoy to evade the chase. ¡®I hope you are not fooled by the fake trail.¡¯ I sprayed the perfume I had hidden in the carriage as I entered the mountains. I wanted to leave a more noticeable trail, but I couldn¡¯t even try because the kidnappers followed and erased any trace of their own movements. They were more cautious than I thought. I even did that with my hands tied, I might have been caught if Aren didn¡¯t distract them. ¡®Could Rupert find out?¡¯ Spraying perfume was an indicator left for him. I can only hope that he will notice and follow the scent. ¡°I just did what I was supposed to do¡­ What is the liquid you sprayed on the ground earlier?¡± ¡°That will help Rupert find us. If we¡¯re lucky.¡± That¡¯s not what¡¯s more important right now. ¡°Sir, let me see your wound for a moment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Aren, who was trying to back away from me, frowned. As expected, he is in a bad shape. ¡°I¡¯d better examine first.¡± This time he quickly snatched my hand. This is a clear rejection. I know very well why he is doing this. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s worried about his disguise being caught.¡¯ To be honest, if it weren¡¯t for this situation, I would have wanted to continue feigning ignorance. I looked straight into her eyes. ¡°Aisha Ren.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aren was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Naturally, the strength in her hand holding me down was released. I took advantage of the gap and pulled her top up slightly. Even at first glance, her condition is bad. ¡°Oh, my¡­.¡± It seems to get worse after climbing. It can be dangerous if she doesn¡¯t get treatment as soon as possible. ¡°How have you endured it so far?¡± ¡°Wh- when did you know?¡± I replied evasively, ¡°Just, I knew it from the moment I saw you.¡± ¡°Why have you kept it a secret¡ª¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not an important issue. Regardless of gender, you are a knight who is stronger and more noble than anyone else.¡± As far as I know, she is the daughter of an aristocrat from an island nation. It was a more conservative place than this empire, so it was unacceptable for a woman to wield a sword. However, since childhood, Aisha always dreamed of becoming a great knight like in fairy tales, and ran away from her family and joined the knights using an assumed name. I added, ¡°I have never seen anyone keep the oath of chivalry more perfectly than you, Sir.¡± I¡¯ve been watching her. She is strong to the strong and weak to the weak. There are definitely knights who are stronger than Aren, but few of them are as willing to use their powers as she is. I smiled and said, ¡°People like you are a treasure, very precious. So I will never let you die here.¡± There are many vicious people in the world. That¡¯s why I like her even more, and I want to be friends with her. ¡®That¡¯s right, ever since I was little¡­.¡¯ Hold up, when I was a little? ¡®No, ever since I got my past life¡¯s memories, I want to get closer to her.¡¯ I inadvertently corrected my thoughts and felt a strange feeling I had once felt. ¡°Anyway, I mean, stay still!¡± Fortunately, this time she was quiet. Aren, as I guessed, had something like a cloth wrapped around her upper body. I mean, like a pressure bandage that¡¯s common in clich¨¦ of gender-bender stories. I noticed as I unrolled the cloth carefully, that it was no ordinary cloth. ¡°This, the material is a bit unusual.¡± ¡°It is a magic tool¡­ If it holds a shape, it retains its shape. In my hometown, we used it to frame a large sculpture or to set up a tent in a hurry.¡± No wonder hers didn¡¯t show on the outside. ¡°So after adjusting the curvature of your body with this, you put on clothes,¡± I murmured while compressing the wound with a cloth. Is it like a fantasy version of shape memory alloy?[1] [1] In metallurgy, a shape-memory alloy (SMA) is an alloy that can be deformed when cold but returns to its pre-deformed (¡°remembered¡±) shape when heated. ¡°It¡¯s not a rare cloth in my hometown, but rarely seen in other countries. Thanks to you, I was able to make it easier.¡± Unless it is an item included in trade goods, it will be difficult to see it in other countries. ¡°When did you start bleeding?¡± ¡°I roughly stopped it while in the carriage¡­ I think it got worse again in the middle of climbing the mountain range.¡± That¡¯s a big deal. Right now, there are no tools that can help with treatment. I shouted towards the door, ¡°Hey, the hostage is dying! Shouldn¡¯t you at least give me some treatment tools?¡± Then I could hear giggling. ¡°Too bad, but our client said your knight isn¡¯t needed! When he dies, his body will be buried!¡± Damn you, father. You don¡¯t help till the end. Meanwhile, Aren was calm. ¡°I won¡¯t last long, anyway.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s true¡­ So I think it would be good to create an escape opportunity while I can move.¡± Her tone grew slower. She pretended to be as calm as she could so far, but it was clear that she was at her limit now. ¡°I can distract about three people off guard. In the meantime, please run away, Madam.¡± The number of kidnappers has decreased, with the absence of people acting as decoys. Besides, since they are taking turns watching, the rest must be off guard. ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the people of the Ainel family are looking for you down the mountain range¡­ You can run away safely.¡± ¡°Not me, but you. It¡¯s too dangerous for you.¡± Aren smiled lightly. ¡°Well¡­ I will die even if I do nothing.¡± As I kept pressing the wound, I suddenly realized. ¡°¡­were you prepared for this from the beginning?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± I bit my lip. No, no. I can¡¯t let her be like this. ¡®But the fact that she¡¯s been holding on so far is amazing.¡¯ At this rate, even if Rupert saves us, Aren won¡¯t last until she goes down the mountain range and gets proper treatment. I need to find a surer way. ¡®I can¡¯t stay still in a situation like this.¡¯ Is there really no way to save her? ¡°Madam.¡± Now Aren was going to carry out her final method even if I stopped her. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Really, unless a miracle happens, like when I saved Leah¡ª ¡®Miracle.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s the realm of God.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s in the realm of God or whatever, but please¡­¡­. ¡®Help me save Aren.¡¯ At that moment, everything around me stopped. Chapter 72 I raised my head in surprise. ¡®Again.¡¯ This is the same phenomenon as last time. Everything has stopped. Even the small flame of the lantern in the corner does not move. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Now, just because time stopped, I can¡¯t save Aren with that alone. At that moment, the air began to sway like waves. The shape is gradually revealed. In an instant, a small clock appeared in flash right in front of me. It¡¯s a watch consisting only of dazzling golden lines, the needle is one, and there are no numbers engraved on it. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­.¡± I really have no idea what happened. I want to believe that it is a dream. Then I lightly touched the needle hesitantly. ¡°I can move.¡± Then I¡¯d better try something. I¡¯m not sure, but I think it might be better to turn the needle backwards than forwards. In this situation, no matter how much time passes, there is only a future where Aren dies. I moved the needle slowly. ¡®It¡¯s hard.¡¯ Every time my fingers pushed the needle little by little, my entire body felt drained of strength. ¡®Even before, after time stopped, I collapsed.¡¯ It seems that this power cannot be used without any condition. Even with the slightest movement, my breath caught in a rush. ¡°Huh¡­ ugh¡­.¡± I moved it as far as I could and dropped my hand helplessly. The surroundings began to move again. I can hear insects chirping and kidnappers chattering from outside. Aren blinked her eyes, then looked down at her wound. ¡°The light¡­.¡± A golden light leaked out from under the cloth that was stopping the bleeding. I hurriedly put the cloth away. The small watch I had just seen floated above the wound. The needle moved slowly backwards. At the same time, Aren¡¯s wound disappeared. It was like rewinding a video. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­.¡± As soon as I saw her wound disappear, I collapsed. ¡°Madam!?¡± I can¡¯t even move a finger, all I can do is keep my eyes open. ¡°Are you okay? And, how did you¡­¡­.¡± I managed to put on a smile. ¡°This is my secret.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Because it¡¯s already like this, there¡¯s nothing wrong with sharing a secret with her. So it¡¯s a draw. Aren said with a complicated expression, ¡°I will definitely keep it. More than that¡ª¡± ¡°Aaaagh!¡± ¡°Sa- save me!¡± Loud screams rang out from outside the cabin. It was the screams of the kidnappers. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ The screams quickly died down. Then there was a sound of breaking the lock in front of the door. The door opened slowly. ¡®You have a scary face.¡¯ The cabin door opened, and I confirmed the person who appeared and let go of the rope of consciousness I was barely holding on to. *** When I opened my eyes again, it was dark around me. I checked where I was lying and was relieved. This is my bedroom in a mansion in the capital. We came back safely. ¡®I bet I¡¯ve fainted for a few days.¡¯ The last time I saved Leah, I had a hard time for days. This time my condition wasn¡¯t so serious, but time must have passed. ¡®I want to hear what happened after that.¡¯ It was midnight, so there was no one to ask. I lay down to sleep, but my eyes were wide open. Eventually, after wriggling on the bed for a while, I cautiously made my way out into the hallway. As I passed by the door next to my room slowly, the door suddenly opened. It was Rupert. ¡°Noel.¡± ¡®Oh right, that¡¯s his bedroom.¡¯ In Ainel¡¯s mansion, there is a distance between his bedroom and mine. However, in the capital¡¯s mansion, his bedroom is right by mine. It seems that he noticed me leaving my room and came out. ¡°You better get some rest.¡± He came closer and put his hand on my forehead to take my temperature. Despite being reluctant to make contact, his touch is very friendly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. How many days did I sleep?¡± Rupert¡¯s hands were cold. Rather than saying I had a fever, his usual body temperature was originally a bit on the cold side. ¡°Almost two days.¡± I didn¡¯t sleep as long as I thought. ¡°What about Sir Aren?¡± ¡°His wounds have been treated. He won¡¯t die.¡± I was a little surprised by the answer. I think I¡¯ve healed Aren¡¯s wounds. ¡°Where did he get hurt?¡± ¡°On the side. He was fine until he returned to the mansion, but he suddenly passed out. Selam was puzzled because of the sudden amount of blood that came out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What I can guess right now is that the power I used did not heal the wounds. ¡®Now that the clock has appeared, does it have anything to do with time?¡¯ Considering the scene at the time, it may have been a rewind rather than a treatment. For example, returning Aren to his pre-injury state. ¡®And then when the time limit runs out, will she go back to her original state?¡¯ My head is messed up. I¡¯ll ask her later for more details. ¡°Did the soldier and coachman who accompanied me on the day I went out die?¡± ¡°¡­yes, we retrieved their bodies and sent them to their families.¡± I was depressed by those words. It¡¯s sad that even people I don¡¯t know die because of me. ¡°What about the kidnappers and my father?¡± ¡°Two of the kidnappers were put in prison to get confessions, and the rest died. Count Opion¡­ I think you¡¯d better listen to it after your recover more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± Seeing my stubbornness, he let out a light sigh. ¡°¡­you better go in and rest.¡± Rupert carefully escorted me to his room. His room is bright. I guess he didn¡¯t want to sleep at all. Even the antique table and chairs in one corner of the bedroom are full of piles of papers. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± After roughly clearing up the papers, he sat me down in a chair. His behavior was much gentler than usual, perhaps because he considered me a patient. ¡°Count Opion is currently imprisoned in his mansion in the capital. After you wake up, I was going to proceed with the next procedure.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It bothers me when I think of my father¨D no, I mean the Count. ¡°The issue itself is serious, and public opinion is not good, so it will be difficult to escape from prison while he is alive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± It¡¯s a complicated feeling. I¡¯m neither happy nor sad. I feel empty. I don¡¯t like my family, but I don¡¯t want it to end up like this. ¡®I miss my mom.¡¯ Not the Countess Opion, but my mother from my past life. But I¡¯ll never be able to see her again. ¡°As expected, I should have told you later.¡± He reached out and wiped the tears from my cheeks. Only then did I realize I was crying. But I don¡¯t feel like I want to stop. ¡°¡­if you don¡¯t cry over things like this, when will you cry?¡± I¡¯m so hurt. It¡¯s definitely in the top 3 worst events of my life. I muttered in a determined voice, ¡°At this moment, I¡¯m crying and trying to let it all go. And I¡¯ll never think of it again. I will never keep the wounds I received from those people.¡± ¡°Then I shouldn¡¯t tell you not to cry,¡± he said, wiping my tears once more. As I got emotional, a response I wouldn¡¯t normally do came out. ¡°Of course, at times like this, you have to kindly comfort me, to make me feel at ease¡­.¡± It is a complaint that is nothing short of foolishness. Tomorrow I might be ashamed of myself for spitting these words out at him. ¡°I will keep that in mind in the future.¡± Rupert came closer. His large hand supported the back of my head, and the other gently wrapped around my forearm. He carefully pulled me and held me in his arms. -thump thump. I could hear his heart beating as I pressed closer. It¡¯s very fast. Is he nervous? I muttered in his arms, ¡°You said you only allowed hand-to-hand contact.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m a pathetic husband to do that even in this situation.¡± ¡°Well¡­ at least you know,¡± I muttered as I wrapped my arms around Rupert¡¯s back. He¡¯s very mean, always friendly at important moments. To be honest, I was very happy when he came to save me. At this rate, the day may come when I inadvertently jump over the line of his heart. I put more strength into my arms that were wrapped around his back, and spat out the words that had been stuck in my mouth all along. ¡°Thank you for coming to save me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I could feel his breath falling quietly like snowflakes in my ears. I suddenly became curious. What are you thinking right now? How much do you love me? When will you fall for me? After a moment of silence, he spoke softly, ¡°Thank you for being safe, Noel.¡± Chapter 73 7. Territorial Battle Rupert looked at the man in front of him with great annoyance. A man who had just turned 20 with beautiful golden hair and gray eyes was looking at him with a cheerful smile ¡°Marquis, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you.¡± ¡°I just met you two days ago. How long do you plan to call me?¡± The man did not give up despite his cold answer. Rather, he responded brazenly with a charming tone. ¡°But if I don¡¯t do this, it¡¯s hard to see your face, right?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have any business, don¡¯t call me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still cold-hearted.¡± The way he whistled while saying that was absolutely disgusting. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He wanted to give him a punch. But as long as his common sense persists, that would be impossible. The name of the young man in front of him is Benjamin Romstro. Unfortunately, he is the Crown Prince of the Empire. ¡°I¡¯ve finished everything you ordered before,¡± said Rupert sarcastically. Is there more business to attend to after this? For some unknown reason, the prince always called out to him with the excited face of an immature child whenever he came to the capital. Knowing this all too well, Rupert never came to the capital unless absolutely necessary. From the moment he set foot in the capital, Benjamin had been a nuisance. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m truly grateful. So I thought of something to repay you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rupert was a little nervous. ¡°It¡¯s enough that you handled the Opion family matters well. I don¡¯t want to bother you with useless things.¡± Benjamin smiled broadly and added, ¡°Oh, it has something to do with the Marchioness Ainel.¡± ¡°¨Dwhat is it?¡± When the Marchioness was mentioned, Rupert suddenly looked wary. Benjamin looked at him curiously. He¡¯s known the Marquis for over six years, but it¡¯s the first time he¡¯s seen him care about someone. ¡®I¡¯d like to have a one-on-one meeting with the Marchioness Ainel someday.¡¯ He was seriously curious about the secret to getting along with someone as rough as that iron scrubber man. ¡°When I heard about the incident in the Opion family, I thought that a medicine that could replace the Miracle Herbs should be made quickly. So I thought about how to help the Marchioness.¡± Hearing those words, Rupert became a bit uneasy. This is because the crown prince usually caused a major accident after such a lame explanation since he was a child. ¡°I heard that there are many things you need to have for mass production, such as complicated equipment?¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but the power of the Ainel family alone is enough¨D¡± ¡°After hearing that, I found someone who could be a great help!¡± At the same time, an attendant¡¯s voice was heard from outside. ¡°Your Highness, Lord Michael Berris has arrived.¡± ¡°Come right in!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Damn. At this point, Rupert realized that his hunch wasn¡¯t wrong. The door to the drawing room opened and a young man with long aqua hair in loose ponytails entered. ¡°Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince. May the light always be with you.¡± He bowed to Benjamin and then looked at Rupert. Their eyes met for an instant, and a graceful smile appeared on his face immediately. Benjamin said, ¡°You two are people who are hard to see. Since you¡¯re both famous, you probably know a little bit about each other, right? Marquis Rupert, this is Lord Michael Berris. The second son of the Marquis of Berris¡­ Well, this is a long story, so I¡¯ll skip it.¡± It was a really insincere introduction. ¡°Lord Michael, this is Marquis Rupert Ainel. He is said to be driving blood and wind on the battlefield¡­ Oh, this one is also long, so I¡¯ll skip it.¡± Clapping his hands once, he sighed and said, ¡°Now, let¡¯s stop introducing and get to the point. Only the Marquis doesn¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°I would appreciate it if you could explain quickly, Your Highness.¡± Benjamin, who inadvertently met Rupert¡¯s eyes, shuddered. ¡®He¡¯s angry, he¡¯s angry.¡¯ Although he¡¯s known him for a long time, he often got scared when he made eye contact with him when he was angry as he is now. ¡®I¡¯m sure if he wasn¡¯t my subordinate, I wouldn¡¯t be able to talk to him¡­.¡¯ Thanks to being born as the crown prince, he was truly fortunate to be able to play at the top of the marquis¡¯ head. Marquis Ainel has something that aroused the primal fear of creatures. Usually, he hides it well because he knows it, but when he is angry, he reveals it like this. ¡®I¡¯m the crown prince, so please treat me with care.¡¯ It¡¯s like going back to puberty. ¡°This is all to help the Marquis. Because Lord Michael here will volunteer to help mass-produce penicillin, a medicine that could replace Miracle Herbs.¡± ¡°Volunteer?¡± Even though he personally doesn¡¯t like him, he couldn¡¯t deny that Michael Berris¡¯ skills are outstanding. There are lots of people who want to work with him. But, at this point, he was offering to help Ainel¡¯s family? ¡®What kind of ulterior motive do you have?¡¯ ¡°Thank you, but I wonder why you want to do that, Lord Michael Berris. It¡¯s not even directly related to magic.¡± While Benjamin was thinking, ¡®The Marquis¡¯s roughness has grown again.¡¯, Michael replied, ¡°When the medicine is completed, it will surely save many people.¡± That¡¯s an okay answer so far. He continued, ¡°And since it¡¯s related to Noel, it¡¯s only natural that I step forward.¡± Rupert¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°What will you gain?¡± Michael smiled. ¡°She is very precious to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®Oh, I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ Upon hearing the conversation up to this point, Benjamin had a hunch that something was wrong with this combination. In fact, he thought that the personalities of the prickly Marquis and mild Michael would complement each other and get along well. ¡®It was a pure intention that it would be nice if the two young pillars of the empire could get closer.¡¯ I think it¡¯s a mess from the start. But it was already spilled water. In the end, Benjamin decided to believe that since both of them are adults living a normal social life, they would be able to keep the basic lines. ¡®You two aren¡¯t going to fight, are you?¡¯ Caught between the great wizard and the war maniac, the prince smiled brightly at the confrontation between the two. And he muttered as if he had nothing to do with the situation. ¡°I hope you two get along well.¡± *** Returning to the Ainel Territory, I spent peaceful days. Everyone involved in my kidnapping was put on trial. And it was decided that the title of the Opion family would be inherited from the collateral side. It was not an agreed-upon territory battle, but a case involving a crime. It seems that the crown prince stepped in and intervened before the situation snowballed with more high-ranking nobles involved. Upon hearing the news, my mother fell ill, and Goth was thrown into prison for drunken brawling. He was an incorrigible brat to the end. ¡°Sir Aren, do you like sweets?¡± And I became very close to Aren. Her wound hadn¡¯t completely healed yet, so all she could do was leisurely chat in an empty infirmary. ¡°Yes, I do like it.¡± The knights often came in and out of the infirmary, but rarely used it. This is because there are only very strong people around, so there are not many cases of being sick for a long time. ¡°Good, let¡¯s eat cake when you feel much better. There¡¯s a new dessert shop.¡± Aren smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s an honor, ma¡¯am.¡± After sharing secrets with each other, Aren often shows a smile. The smile shown by the usually expressionless person had something that made my heart tingle. ¡®I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t give up then.¡¯ I had heard how her wound reappeared. As expected, after a certain period of time, the wound appeared as it was. ¡®It was similar to rewinding.¡¯ It¡¯s not like healing power, I can only buy time. ¡®Still, it¡¯s amazing.¡¯ It is an unbelievable power. I¡¯m still wondering how I ever used something like this. By the way, while Aren was receiving treatment for her wound, I received an unexpected answer to my concern about whether she had been caught dressing up as a man. ¡°Selam knows I am a woman.¡± I heard that it was a relationship that started even before she joined the Knights. She was not caught because it was Selam who had tended to her wounds so far. ¡®Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡¯ I¡¯m glad that she is the female lead. ¡°Wow, my whole body hurts so bad!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think Master is in a particularly bad mood these days?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to be crushed by life¡­.¡± Just then, a loud conversation was heard from the hallway. Chapter 74 ¡°Madam, are you here today too?¡± ¡°Hello Sir Laurent, you¡¯ll catch a cold if you do that.¡± His hair is wet as if he had been splashed with water after training. ¡°No, wait, Laurent. How could you in front of Madam¡­.¡± The knights following him hurriedly stopped him. They seemed to think that their appearance was not worthy of being seen in front of the Marchioness. I took a towel from the closet and threw it at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t nag about the appearance of the gentlemen¡¯s private time. You should dry it well though.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Laurent lightly snatched the thrown towel. He said, ¡°Still, I won¡¯t catch a cold just because of this.¡± ¡°If you are young and careless, you will be in big trouble.¡± Some of the knights behind him briefly laughed, as if my words were funny. For some reason, after the kidnapping incident, the knights¡¯ vigilance softened a little. I don¡¯t know, but I think I left a good impression that I didn¡¯t give up on Aren until the end. Of course, it wasn¡¯t to the level of being comfortable like when I was with Hillis or Laurent. ¡°Madam, have we done anything to offend Master lately? I think I¡¯m going to die from training.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ could you possibly know the reason?¡± They have now reached the stage where they whine and ask me for favors. When I heard that, I felt complicated. I¡¯ve been avoiding him as much as I can these days. ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t talked to Rupert lately either¡­¡­.¡± In an instant, the knights¡¯ expressions became the same, as if to say I was the cause. I quickly made up an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s not because of me. We didn¡¯t even fight!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. Besides, your master isn¡¯t the kind of person who can¡¯t tell the difference between public and private, is he? I¡¯m sure he increased the intensity of the training for some reason.¡± The knights looked at me skeptically. ¡°Well¡­.¡± Are you sure you guys are loyal to Rupert? In the meantime, a maid carefully entered the infirmary. ¡°Excuse me, madam.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Marquis in the office¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡± I didn¡¯t even have to listen to the end. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The knights looked at me with glistening eyes saying, ¡®As expected, you are the cause!¡¯, and I dashed out. I was lost in thought as I walked down the hallway. ¡®I can¡¯t ignore it.¡¯ In fact, I don¡¯t want to see him right now. Eventually, I quietly opened the door to the office. There¡¯s only Rupert inside. ¡®Where¡¯s Ordin?¡¯ I don¡¯t want to be alone with him. That grumpy aide is not there when he¡¯s really needed! ¡°Noel, you¡¯ll hurt your hand if you do something wrong.¡± Umm, seeing that you¡¯re worried, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s dangerous. I approached him cautiously and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Michael Berris is coming.¡± ¡­¡­yes? ¡°The day before I left the capital, His Highness the Crown Prince told me.¡± ¡°Hm¡­.¡± ¡°I heard that he will voluntarily assist in the mass production of a new medicine.¡± It¡¯s sudden but touching news. ¡®Michael¡­ As expected, my angel.¡¯ He will certainly help a lot. ¡°Then he¡¯ll be staying for quite some time.¡± I need to organize the guest room in advance. ¡®I¡¯m glad it¡¯s good news.¡¯ I immediately turned around and was about to leave, but Rupert rose from his seat. ¡°Where are you going, Noel?¡± Suddenly, I felt the ambient temperature drop by 2 degrees. ¡°I haven¡¯t even started the main topic yet.¡± It is a sign that something is about to happen. I smiled as brightly as I could. ¡°¡­isn¡¯t that the main topic?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s just a bonus.¡± ¡®You mean Michael is a bonus?!¡¯ But there¡¯s no time to argue now. If I don¡¯t escape immediately, the chance of escape is zero! ¡°I just remember I have something to do, so bye.¡± I ran like a squirrel and grabbed the doorknob. ¡®Okay, open it and escape!¡¯ -thud. However, Rupert approached and pressed the slightly moving door. At the same time, my hopes died down. ¡°You will get hurt if you rush like that.¡± -click! click! click! No matter how much I turned the doorknob, the door did not budge. Damn it. ¡°A-are you using your strength in a mean way?¡± ¡°Are you going to sneak away?¡± I shouted shamelessly, ¡°Then let¡¯s talk again next time!¡± Of course he didn¡¯t agree. ¡°My wife is trying to run away with her brazen speech skills.¡± Door in the front, Rupert in the back. Trapped in the middle, I¡¯m in a quandary. In the end, I shouted desperately while gripping the doorknob firmly. ¡°What do you want!¡± ¡°Your answer to my last question.¡± ¡°Question? Oh, I don¡¯t remember a thing. I recently went through something scary and I have temporary memory loss¡­.¡± Rupert replied incredulously, ¡°It was several days after you woke up when I asked the question.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember!¡± ¡°You really¡­ No, you can¡¯t get involved.¡± Sheesh, that¡¯s too bad. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask you again and again.¡± The momentum has changed. Even though I desperately turn away from him, I feel intimidated. ¡°My clever and impudent wife.¡± His voice became lower and lower. ¡°Normally, humans can¡¯t trace the smell of perfume.¡± His breath brushed against the nape of my neck, causing the hairs on my neck to stand up. ¡°But how could you think that I could come after you if you sprayed perfume in the mountains? I wish you could tell me why.¡± *** Rupert had one question since he saved Noel. How could his wife think he could track her down by smelling the perfume she sprayed? His conclusion to the question was ¡®She knows something.¡¯ ¡®Exactly how far and what she knows is the question.¡¯ Rupert is always looking for a way to get rid of his curse. He couldn¡¯t help but keep an eye on her who seemed to know something. But at the time of her rescue, he was even surprised by Noel, so he asked after a few days when she calmed down. ¡°Noel, how did you get the idea to spray perfume?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It seemed that she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say, so she kept avoiding him. From that day on, Noel slipped away from being alone with him. But she didn¡¯t seem to be afraid of his serious questioning. However, she had a confused look on her face. Rupert waited for her for several days, thinking that he should give her time to organize her thoughts. After that, she visited Aren in the infirmary regularly, and she began not to come near him. Rupert, who slowly grew dissatisfied with the situation, eventually decided to face her one-on-one. Now is the time. After wrestling for a long time in front of the door, Noel sulkily sat down on the sofa in the living room. All avenues of escape are blocked. ¡°¡­what will happen to me in the future?¡± Rupert was amazed at how she spoke like someone who had been taken prisoner. ¡°Nothing. I am just asking.¡± She has a disgruntled face. ¡°After all the secrets are blown, isn¡¯t it usually going to end with a gunshot, bang! Sigh.¡± Of course, he couldn¡¯t have known a scene from an espionage movie playing in his wife¡¯s head. ¡°You didn¡¯t seriously avoid me all this time because you thought I would do anything bad, right?¡± She couldn¡¯t deny it. If she was really afraid of the aftermath, she would have packed her things a long time ago. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± Noel lightly affirmed. If he had tried to hurt her in the first place, he shouldn¡¯t have saved her when she was kidnapped. ¡®But he worked hard to save me.¡¯ After that incident, there was a certain trust in him. ¡®Rupert wouldn¡¯t hurt me even if I knew about his curse.¡¯ Then there is no need to avoid further conversation on this subject. Talking openly would be a quicker solution. ¡®I know.¡¯ ¡°Just¡­ since you¡¯re usually extremely sensitive to signs and sounds, your sense of smell must be excellent¨D¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that an excuse that was made up too roughly? There are a lot of gaps.¡± She couldn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Haha¡­¡­.¡± What should I do? Noel looked at Rupert and was troubled. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if I tell you what I know, but revealing the source is the thing.¡¯ I can¡¯t say I read it in a novel. Noel, deep in thought, asked, ¡°Rupert, do you trust me?¡± Chapter 75 ¡°A lot. Quite a lot.¡± ¡°How much specifically? How far can you trust me?¡± ¡°¡­why are you asking such a question all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I think this situation is a bit unfair.¡± She grinned. ¡°You want to hear what I¡¯ve hidden, but you never tell me anything about yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He looked taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect to be attacked in this way. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Tell me about the ¡®secret¡¯ you¡¯re hiding. Then I¡¯ll tell you everything I know about that ¡®secret¡¯.¡± Talking about it made her genuinely curious. Will he be able to reveal everything in front of me? She knows that he has to kill people to live and sometimes he has the urge to kill people for no reason. ¡®I don¡¯t want to bother Rupert, but¡ª¡¯ I want to check. Do I have a ticket in my hand to dig into his heart? If there is, no need to hesitate in the future. ¡°Noel, do you think that I don¡¯t tell you anything because I don¡¯t trust you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­no?¡± ¡°I know from your reaction. You don¡¯t know perfectly.¡± He looked at her wife with a sunken gaze. It¡¯s not because he doesn¡¯t trust her. ¡®I¡¯m afraid you will run away.¡¯ It is not difficult to talk about absurd physical abilities or living a life by killing criminals. Now that doesn¡¯t really matter. The biggest thing is when he hugs her daughter and soothes her crying wife, in every moment the two feel so lovable, his heart is beating, his spirit is uplifted, and somewhere the hum of ¡®let¡¯s kill¡¯ lingers. He feels both love and the urge to kill at the same time. No one understands this awfulness and disgust. ¡®Noel doesn¡¯t know what situation I¡¯m trying to avoid.¡¯ It¡¯s not that he just doesn¡¯t like his curse being known. He is afraid of being abandoned. *** ¡®I¡¯m bored.¡¯ Michael watched the scenery outside the window from inside the carriage. Currently, he was on his way to the Ainel Territory. The original departure date was much later, but he had moved it forward on purpose. It was because everyday life in the capital felt like an ordeal; invitations piled up, people smiling at him, eyes of longing and admiration¡­¡­. It was all so boring he couldn¡¯t stand it. Contrary to his public image, he does not like being surrounded by people. Even so, the reason why he always smiles and maintains a kind attitude is purely because of the brainwashing education he received from his adoptive father since he was a toddler. His adoptive father wanted him to be seen as a ¡®perfect existence¡¯ from the moment he took the surname ¡®Berris¡¯. A saint who can fulfill everyone¡¯s ideals. A noble human being worthy of being chosen by God. Michael behaved well as he was educated, and the result is what he is now. Most of them like and are enthusiastic about him being clad in holiness. Sometimes it is at the level of fanaticism. Fortunately, it¡¯s not all bad. Public jealousy apparently has many many corners to use. ¡®Am I almost there?¡¯ There are many reasons why he expressed his intention to go to the Ainel territory to the crown prince, but the biggest reason is Noel. She is the person he treasured the most in the world. He wanted to pursue a safe, peaceful, and selfish life. Because that¡¯s the safest. Contrary to him, from an early age, Noel was altruistic and upright from an early age. She was like a lotus flower in mud.[1] [1] growing up beautifully in a bad environment. Michael had no choice but to cover her eyes because she knew everything and was headed the right way. But now she has almost eliminated the old trap he had laid for a long time. The cogwheel, which had been forced to stop, began to roll. She was on her way back into the monster¡¯s mouth. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ When he saw Noel not long ago, her power had grown considerably. It is only a matter of time before she realizes the truth. So he has no choice but to be near her before she finds out about everything. ¡°We are here.¡± Hearing the coachman¡¯s voice, Michael raised his head. It¡¯s time to wipe off the expression mixed with boredom and return to acting as a good and perfect young man. He smiled as he got off the carriage. ¡°Well done.¡± The coachman lowered his head happily, and a servant from the Ainel mansion came out to greet him. Looking at that, he made another promise. I will surely keep Rupert away from Noel. For her safety. *** I¡¯m dreaming. I¡¯m used to it now. ¡®Is it a precognitive dream again?¡¯ This time, I will try to gather as much information as possible. With that determination, I set foot in the well-kept garden. ¡®It¡¯s somehow familiar.¡¯ After a brief glance, I immediately realized where this is. ¡®Isn¡¯t this the Opion mansion?¡¯ It¡¯s only natural that this looks familiar since this is where I grew up. What¡¯s going on here? As I was looking around, I saw two children who looked to be about four or five years old. I recognized the children as soon as I saw them. ¡®That¡¯s me and Michael!?¡¯ To be exact, this is what we looked like when we were young. It doesn¡¯t seem to be a precognitive dream this time, but just a dream about the past. The young me confidently asked Michael. ¡°How old are you? I think you are younger than me.¡± ¡°Noisy. go away.¡± ¡°Noisy? That¡¯s too much. And call me big sister!¡± ¡®It¡¯s when we first met.¡¯ Michael in childhood was smaller and thinner than me even though he was two years older than me. Because of that, I thought he was younger than me at first. ¡°Huh? Your stomach just growled. Are you hungry? Let¡¯s go to the kitchen and ask for cookies!¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t eat it.¡± I feel a little odd. I think the conversation is different from my memory. As I remember, young Michael was kind and dignified from the first meeting. ¡°Why can¡¯t you eat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± However, the boy in front of me right now is very picky. ¡®Is it because it¡¯s a dream?¡¯ In the meantime, the scenery gradually blurred. ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± When I opened my eyes, I could see the ceiling of my bedroom. ¡®I¡¯m awake.¡¯ Nice to see Michael¡¯s young face after so long. Although it¡¯s a bit odd because the content of the conversation is different from what I remember. ¡®I¡¯ve never imagined a picky Michael.¡¯ I stretched out with such a small thought. Strangely, my body is much lighter than usual. ¡®Even though I had a dream, I must have slept soundly.¡¯ There is nothing wrong with being in good shape. I easily ignored my dream and pulled the pillow. Now I¡¯m trying to do something that has become a habit every morning. ¡°Stop! Move! Just be anything¡­¡­.¡± It was a practice to recreate the phenomenon in which time stopped. Of course it¡¯s embarrassing to even call it a practice as it yields no results. It¡¯s just a one-man show. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. Should I just stop?¡± I muttered as I tossed the pillow into the air. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I soon realized that the pillow was defying the laws of gravity. ¡°Oh.¡± I naturally looked at my hand and saw the golden powder shimmering. There¡¯s the watch that I saw when I saved Aren. That means, right now, I¡­ ¡°Now I can use it¡­¡­.¡± It¡¯s possible to use this strange ability that I thought only appears in crisis situations. Then, the pillow fell on my head. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡­¡­I still can¡¯t handle it very well. ¡®If I try, I¡¯ll be able to use it freely, right?¡¯ In any case, it is a strange morning when I wake up from a childhood dream that is different from my memory and can use a power that I have not yet identified. ¡®Well, there¡¯s been a lot of weird things lately.¡¯ With that in mind, I washed my face and went to see my daughter. ¡°Your father must be busy.¡± ¡°I know.¡± My husband doesn¡¯t show up for breakfast. ¡®Now Rupert is avoiding me.¡¯ It seems that he is struggling with the counterattack I threw last time. I couldn¡¯t quite understand it. Wouldn¡¯t it be comfortable to just talk about the curse in a cool way? Does he still hate to reveal that he can only live by killing people? ¡®Now that I¡¯ve seen too much there¡¯s no point in hiding something like that.¡¯ But he said I don¡¯t know the secret perfectly. If so, I might have missed something about him. Chapter 76 ¡®The problem is how to find out.¡¯ I returned to my room with that thought. Information about the mysterious watch is hard to come by because most of the time the watch is activated when one¡¯s life is at stake. In the end, I just glared at the gold powder shimmering in my palm and thought of how to use it. ¡®I can¡¯t figure out anything using this power.¡¯ Right now, it will be difficult to figure it out. Just by making the golden powder appear, it feels like I¡¯m running a short distance. It¡¯s better than before, but the efficiency is really poor. ¡®Something doesn¡¯t feel real¡­.¡¯ It was so sudden and ridiculous that my head couldn¡¯t keep up. That¡¯s why I started my daily life with much agitation in the morning. I couldn¡¯t use it for months no matter how hard I struggled, but today I can suddenly use it after waking up. ¡®What the hell is this!¡¯ After breakfast, my brain started to work in earnest. A beat later, confusion set in. ¡®Wow! Wouldn¡¯t this normally be the perfect time for God to suddenly appear before my eyes?! Come on out and explain!¡¯ Of course, such a thing did not happen, instead, a maid knocked on the door. ¡°Madam, Lord Michael Berris has arrived.¡± Hearing those words brought me back to reality. ¡°I¡¯ll be going soon!¡± Originally, no matter what problems an individual has, the world goes on, and I started doing what I have to do today. *** My original plan was to introduce Rupert and Michael to each other and create an atmosphere of peace and comfort. But this naive plan became impossible as soon as each opened their mouth. ¡°My name is Michael Berris. Oh, it is an honor to meet the Marquis in person, who is rumored to make soldiers on the battlefield run away.¡± He smiled beautifully and added, ¡°You really are as rumored.¡± He said ¡®you look dirty¡¯ in a polite way. ¡°I am truly honored. I meet Lord Berris, who is rumored to have a noble character befitting his position as a saint.¡± Rupert continued nonchalantly, ¡°Well, I guess I can¡¯t believe rumors, after all.¡± That is another way of saying ¡®Contrary to rumors, you have a bad temper, don¡¯t you?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I looked at the two in despair. I don¡¯t know why, but as soon as they met, they started a fiery war of nerves. ¡®I heard you rarely met in private?¡¯ But looking at them now, it was obvious there was a deep personal problem. ¡®The future is already gloomy.¡¯ ¡°All right, Lord Michael.¡± Anyway, I decided to separate the two as soon as possible. ¡°If you¡¯re done greeting, I¡¯ll guide you to the site! Because every second is precious.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s hear the details later.¡¯ He laughed. ¡°Noel, it¡¯s disappointing that you use such a stiff tone between us.¡± Is it time to say something like that in a situation like this? ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rupert¡¯s eyes grew cold. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t pretend to be close to someone else¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Oh, I seem to have made you uncomfortable. I apologize.¡± Without stopping there, Michael took a step further and added, ¡°I¡¯ve been close to her since childhood, so I¡¯m not used to using honorifics with her¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha, stop chatting! Let¡¯s move to the site as soon as possible!¡± If I just leave them alone here, trouble will surely arise. I quickly cut off his words and pushed Michael on the back. Luckily, he moved without resistance, as if he had no intention of embarrassing me any further. Rupert turned around with no words. After looking at my husband¡¯s back for a while, I asked Michael, ¡°You said you rarely met Rupert privately?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Lie. You didn¡¯t look like that at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding, Noel. I had the same expression as usual,¡± he said, smiling. I snorted. ¡°It was sarcasm no matter how I looked at it. You usually get along with most people right away but why did you do that to my husband? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± In fact, I hardly ever saw Michael upset. I can¡¯t believe he suddenly threw a breaking ball at my husband. There must be something between them. I said in a serious tone, ¡°Michael, in normal human relationships, there are four types of cases in which people hate each other and pretend not to know each other at the same time.¡± He asked curiously, ¡°What?¡± ¡°First, a money-related relationship, second, a love triangle, third, a relationship with a former boss, and fourth, a relationship with an ex-lover who broke up abruptly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Which of the four is it, tell me quickly. Whatever it is, I¡¯ll coordinate everything well in the middle.¡± ¡°Hahahaha.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t laugh! Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± I never thought that the day would come when his carefree reaction would piss me off. ¡°If the two of you fight like this, it¡¯s sure to be a disaster! Ainel Territory will explode before the medicine is successfully made!¡± He was still clutching his stomach and chuckling. I looked at him with displeasure and asked again, ¡°So it¡¯s one of the four, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­haha, well?¡± Seeing my expression, Michael spoke in a soothing tone. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯ll tell you when the time is right.¡± I replied bluntly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask my husband later.¡± Rupert would be easier to ask than Michael, who kept laughing and babbling away. I realized something new about my strangely annoying childhood friend. ¡®I didn¡¯t know because we met briefly last time.¡¯ ¡°Michael, while I couldn¡¯t see you, you developed a spite temper.¡± Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s getting older. ¡°Do I look like that? How was I before?¡± ¡°In the past¡­ well, it¡¯s no use saying it now. You were like a real angel.¡± Kind, tender, and gentle. ¡®Well, that¡¯s why I was worried.¡¯ I wondered how he would make it through this harsh world. However looking at him now, it seems that he has adapted well to the environment. ¡°Am I not good right now? You don¡¯t like me now?¡± ¡°No way, how can people stay the same when they get older? It is natural to change.¡± I shrugged lightly. ¡°Besides, what does it matter if I like you or not? As long as you¡¯re comfortable, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°It is important to me.¡± It¡¯s kind of a tickling answer. ¡°All right, say that to the person you¡¯re dating later.¡± He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a very you-like reaction, Noel.¡± It sounds like an idiotic answer for some reason. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my reaction? All I want to say is that Michael was so cute and innocent when he was young.¡± ¡°You act like you¡¯re talking to your little brother. You remember I¡¯m two years older, right?¡± ¡°Of course. However, I saw you as a child in my dream today. It¡¯s new, but you looked really cute.¡± I said it without thinking, but his expression hardened slightly. ¡°In your dream? When I was young?¡± ¡°Yeah, but you were very picky. It¡¯s probably because it¡¯s a dream.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He was silent for some reason, and I asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Michael, who had been expressionless for a moment, immediately smiled as if nothing had happened. ¡°Nothing. It must have been an interesting dream.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For some reason, his reaction was very strange, so I decided to remember this conversation. *** There are many other things to be concerned about besides penicillin manufacture. Because of that, I had a brief talk with Michael, and the rest was done with the pharmacists. Of course, these pharmacists had been scouted by Harvil in Opion the other day. Fortunately, they quickly came over here, as if they were completely fed up with Count Opion¡¯s atrocities. ¡®The urgent takeover has ended.¡¯ The next thing that must be done is to resume social activities that have been stopped for a while. Interestingly, the number of invitations has increased much more than before. ¡®Though I don¡¯t have any special connections because I skipped the founding ceremony ball last time.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t go, but I knew it would be a blow to miss the biggest ball. After reading a few sheets of rhetoric, I understood the situation. Apparently, the rumor that Count Opion had kidnapped me was packaged very well and spread. The Marchioness succeeded in developing a new medicine to replace Miracle Herbs to help the poor. However, she almost died at the hands of her greedy father, but came back alive. ¡®Although everything is correct.¡¯ Since it is a rare incident, there are many people who want to talk with me who experienced it firsthand. ¡®Everyone really likes gossip.¡¯ I¡¯m glad it isn¡¯t a bad rumor. Rather, my reputation seems to have improved because of this incident. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to attend the salon where a lot of relatively young ladies gather. Chapter 77 And a few days later¡­ ¡°Wow! There are a lot of people!¡± Leah holding my hand is looking around curiously. There are a lot of young ladies and children my daughter¡¯s age. ¡®Because of Goth, Leah avoided attending the ball last time.¡¯ It was a mistake to accept my daughter¡¯s wish to go. I should have thought about that more. This time, I thought she could start by getting closer to her peers at smaller gatherings. As expected, Leah showed interest in where the children were gathered. ¡°Can I play over there too?¡± Two girls, about seven years old, are riding on a swing hanging from a tree. ¡°Okay, but you can¡¯t get away from the swing. Can you promise?¡± There is no danger in the children¡¯s play area, as the maids watch over the guests¡¯ children so they don¡¯t get hurt. ¡°Yeah!¡± Leah nodded her head with a broad smile and walked away. I turned my head after making sure that Leah was blending in with the other kids without any major problems. People quickly gathered around me. It seems that everyone is curious about the rumors going around. ¡°Marchioness Ainel, long time no see. Do you remember me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I saw you at your wedding. I¡¯m glad to see you healthy.¡± After that, I focused on not making mistakes while dealing with many people, and occasionally checked where my daughter was. Leah is sitting in the corner of the garden and looking at something. ¡®Is there a flower?¡¯ Lately, Leah has been busy taking care of the flower beds at the mansion. It¡¯s her new hobby after painting. ¡°For a moment. I¡¯m thirsty. Excuse me.¡± I asked for the understanding of the people who were surrounding me and then went to a corner. ¡°Mom.¡± Leah was suddenly beside me without me noticing. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I just saw your friend walking away! This way!¡± ¡®My friend?¡¯ After a moment of puzzlement, I realized she was referring to Carla Hoffen. She was the only one I introduced to her as my friend. ¡®Is Carla coming too?¡¯ If so, I¡¯d like to say hello to her and ask about her health after such a long time. I walked in the direction my daughter said but there was no one to be seen around. In addition, this area itself is not a place that is often visited by invited guests. ¡°Did you really see her going this way?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ weird¡­ Oh, there!¡± Leah pointed at a slightly large tree. I can see someone behind the trunk. ¡®No, there are two.¡¯ One is Carla, and the other is an elderly woman. I stepped closer hesitantly ¡°¡ªdid you really have to do that?¡± ¡°Mom, how could you say that?¡± The old lady¡¯s voice is rather exasperated. Because of that, I could hear the conversation very well. ¡®Is that person Carla¡¯s mother-in-law?¡¯ That means she is the birth mother of the Count who made a fuss the other day. ¡°It¡¯s just a small incident that will pass quietly.¡± ¡°How could my baby¡¯s death be a small incident!¡± It¡¯s not on purpose, but I don¡¯t think I should be listening to this. It¡¯s more personal than I thought. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure if it¡¯s because of the disease. It could be your baby died because of your mistake! How can you be so impatient?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Did you have to make it this big by exposing something that could be covered up?¡± ¡®What should I do?¡¯ I was dumbfounded by her shamelessness, and before I knew it, Leah was making her way over to the two of them, with something clenched in her little fist. ¡®What is she doing?¡¯ Surprised, I followed her. But I didn¡¯t even have time to stop Leah from throwing the thing she was clenching at the old lady! It was none other than a bug. To be precise, a few tiny bean bugs and their larvae. ¡°What else is this¨D Aaah!¡± Suddenly, the old lady with bugs on her face and neck screamed and ran away. ¡®Well, when did she pick those up?¡¯ Was what you saw while crouching in the garden earlier those bugs? In the meantime, Leah turned to me and put on a triumphant expression. ¡°I kicked out the bully of my mom¡¯s friend. Did I do well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I know Leah has a bold side, but I can¡¯t help but be surprised every time I see her like this. I thought about what to say to my daughter, but I ended up stroking her hair. ¡°Yeah, good job.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Leah smiled broadly. I then moved to a place where I could have a comfortable conversation with Carla. Meanwhile, Leah went back to the garden. For some reason, she looked happier than usual. ¡®Did she makes any new friends?¡¯ I¡¯ll ask later. First of all, I focused my attention on Carla, whom I hadn¡¯t seen in a while. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She looks pretty tired. ¡°Thanks to you, I got better quickly after taking medicine.¡± That¡¯s a relief. Early syphilis can quickly get better with antibiotics. ¡°I heard my husband went to see you. I apologize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not your fault.¡± She sighed, touching her forehead. ¡°I asked for a divorce, and he made a fuss with his acquaintances to stop me¡­ Now even his mother is interfering.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to stamp the divorce papers?¡± ¡°He said he can¡¯t. Personally, I wanted to finish it quietly and quickly, but it was completely ruined.¡± ¡°¡­¡­could it be that the rumors spread?¡± ¡°Looks like you haven¡¯t heard of it. Right now, half of the social world is probably talking about us.¡± It seems that he is determined to be pathetic. ¡®If rumors spread like this, Carla¡¯s honor would fall to the ground.¡¯ People¡¯s mouths don¡¯t carry the truth. That¡¯s the biggest problem. ¡°I think it¡¯s to bring you down.¡± ¡°Exactly. Sometimes some parts are omitted, and only some are spread.¡± Since they were such a famous couple, I expected that it would be difficult to avoid people¡¯s attention. Even the baby was stillborn, so it couldn¡¯t be just one or two people gossiping freely about this. ¡®I¡¯m sure some people focus only on the venereal disease itself.¡¯ Originally, rumors were edited to suit one¡¯s taste. The thing that sticks the longest in people¡¯s minds is not the truth. ¡®It¡¯s the most stimulating part.¡¯ Perhaps this will follow her like a tag all her life. ¡®Though the people who spread it won¡¯t even remember.¡¯ I sighed. ¡°Your husband is so¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Bastard. No, even bastards are better than him.¡± I agree. I glanced at her face. She covered it up with makeup, but the dark circles under her eyes got quite thick. ¡°Do you sleep well?¡± ¡°No, I have insomnia.¡± I am worried that she might be suffering from depression. In this situation, it is likely to come. ¡°If it¡¯s too hard, go to the suburbs for a while. Rumors are quickly forgotten if the person concerned is not seen.¡± Anyway, in this situation, no matter what the truth is, correcting and going around only makes it harder for her. ¡°I¡¯m actually thinking about it. My husband is a different matter, but everyone around me is talking too much¡­ saying a woman who depended on love is now abandoned.¡± This is why words are scary. Sometimes it attacks people sharper than a knife. ¡®Thankfully there¡¯s no such thing as the Internet here.¡¯ With fewer means to carry rumors, it is expected to calm down a little in the winter when social activities are low. ¡°I heard that Onyx Village is pretty!¡± ¡®Ah, you startled me.¡¯ Leah suddenly said so. Since when is she here? Rather than that, I¡¯m afraid this is too dark a story for a child to hear. ¡°I heard that the apples there are delicious, you should try them!¡± Carla smiled. ¡°I will. Thanks for letting me know.¡± Listening to what my daughter said, a question came to mind. ¡®Where did she hear this village from?¡¯ ¡°Sweetheart, where did you hear that?¡± Leah replied cheerfully. ¡°My friend told me.¡± It really seems like she made a new friend. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask in detail later,¡¯ After that, the three of us talked some more. Carla must have thought that Leah was quite cute. Before we parted, she promised that she would definitely come over to play again. And she lightly kissed Leah on the cheek and whispered, ¡°Thank you so much for throwing the bugs. It made me feel refreshed.¡± Leah chuckled, and I pretended not to hear. *** After that, my daily life went by without anything special. Leah¡¯s new friend is a ten-year-old boy named ¡®Mion¡¯ who recently came in as a gardener¡¯s apprentice. He is a child who commuted from the nearby orphanage to the mansion to learn work from a gardener. I heard that the gardener and the orphanage director are close friends, and he teaches the children skills to help them become self-reliant. Seeing as Leah and he were often together, it seemed like she could communicate well on garden-related topics. I also didn¡¯t forget to tell my daughter not to interfere too much with her friend¡¯s work. Chapter 78 Rupert got busier after Michael came. Seeing that some of the Raven Knights are moving along, it seems that something is up. Because of that, I haven¡¯t had a chance to talk seriously since the last conversation we had. He didn¡¯t even ask if I knew anything. ¡®Would it have been better if I said it first?¡¯ I feel a bit awkward with Rupert. I didn¡¯t hear anything in particular, but it bothered me for nothing. ¡®I think I¡¯m being overly conscious of him these days.¡¯ The good thing is, as usual, everything worked fine, except for Rupert. In my hand is a glass vial with white powder in it. This is powdered penicillin. ¡°It went faster than I thought.¡± In particular, things related to medicine accelerated unbelievably after Michael came. It went smoothly as if he knew everything. The pharmacists next to me smiled. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Michael.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an overstatement. It would have been difficult without your knowledge and skills.¡± It¡¯s like giving each other compliments. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a warm working environment. I looked at the powder in front of me with a strange feeling. ¡®I never thought I could recreate the freeze-drying method with magic.¡¯ Freeze-drying is a method of drying by reducing pressure in a frozen state. Using this method, food or microorganisms can be stored for a long time. In modern society, it¡¯s often used for medicine storage, but I¡¯ve always wondered if it¡¯s possible here. Right now, I made it in small quantities as a test, but I plan to prepare more in earnest. ¡®It would have been impossible without Michael.¡¯ This is because I was skeptical about whether it would be possible even though I explained the principle myself. I can understand why people want to call him here and there. Even Shuna, a wizard, looked like she was about to faint when she saw the spell Michael cast. In the first place, there are only a handful of wizards who have the skill to set up magic spells, but what Michael did seems to be the more nonsensical area. ¡®Are all adults like this?¡¯ While I was lost in my thoughts, I heard Harvil¡¯s voice. ¡°I think we will be able to deliver much sooner than expected. There are already a lot of inquiries about orderings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°I¡­ so I have a question for you, miss¡ª no, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How are you going to prioritize supply?¡± If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ve already thought about it. I replied indifferently, ¡°First of all, I plan to make it possible to go to the private sector first. A more precise order starts with the clinics near brothels and slums.¡± The reason why the brothels and slums were chosen first is that sexually transmitted diseases and infectious diseases spread rapidly there. There are a few ways to find a cure though. After all, antibiotics are not the first in the world. Nobles and rich people can be treated with Miracle Herbs. ¡°¡­thank you,¡± said Harvil, moved. ¡°Thanks to all of you who worked hard to make this.¡± To be honest, all the methods I did were discovered by someone else. I only used the knowledge I had in my memory. So it¡¯s very embarrassing to be praised. I still have a conscience. ¡®Without the pharmacists, mass production would have been impossible.¡¯ The purification I did the other day was using a method called chromatography. There was a reaction only during the sensitivity test, but it was not known how effective it was in humans. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, the ones I made would have been of much lower quality compared to what you guys did.¡± When applied to the human body, there are many things to consider, such as concentration and half-life, and I am not smart enough to fully understand the parameters. ¡°Honestly, half of what I did to Harvil at that time was a bluff.¡± I was in a hurry. If we didn¡¯t bring the pharmacists over, there would be a war. ¡°But you haven¡¯t forgotten the promise you made back then and will definitely keep it, right?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I said I wouldn¡¯t make it expensive.¡± I guess he is still worried that I will become like my father. ¡°And I didn¡¯t know that you would be so considerate of the order of supply.¡± ¡°From a humanitarian perspective, it makes sense.¡± He said with a sad expression, ¡°But the Count didn¡¯t, and we couldn¡¯t stop it. Now I feel a little atone.¡± Did they feel guilty that the medicine they made was only sold to a few at high prices? Either way, everyone is a good person. ¡®I¡¯m not the one to be admired.¡¯ ¡°¡­anyway, this outcome is all thanks to you. It¡¯s me who has to say thank you.¡± I handed over the glass bottle I was holding and walked out in embarrassment. Michael smiled and came out after me. ¡°Are you embarrassed to hear compliments?¡± ¡°A lot. It was half my greed to make that medicine.¡± It¡¯s useful if you have it, and it looks like it can prevent bad things from happening. ¡®I didn¡¯t want people to die because I was the cause, even indirectly.¡¯ I could get past the death of criminals or death row inmates, but I felt repulsive about war. Michael replied calmly, ¡°Whatever the intentions are, as long as the results are good, it will be fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I paused for a moment and looked at him. In fact, I have something to ask while thinking about Rupert. ¡°Michael, is it okay if I ask you just one question?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What is the real reason you are here?¡± He replied indifferently, ¡°To help you make the new medicine.¡± ¡°No. I know that there is a reason for that.¡± Actually, I wanted to ask this a long time ago, but the timing wasn¡¯t right. Because it was surprisingly hard to see his face. ¡®Michael and Rupert are both too busy.¡¯ Even Michael arrived here much earlier than expected. Could he have had some reason to be in a hurry? ¡®I am so grateful to him for helping with every detail even though he is busy.¡¯ That¡¯s all, and what I want to know has nothing to do with my gratitude. ¡°I wonder if there are any other reasons. The maid in charge of tidying up the guest room said you left early in the morning and came back late at night.¡± Michael murmured as if shocked, ¡°Oh my God, Noel, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re monitoring my every move¡­¡­.¡± It was obvious that it was a joke, but I tried to make an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s weird to say it that way. The maid was only worried about whether you ate and slept comfortably. Same for me. Oh, we have a great cook, so make sure not to skip meals.¡± Isn¡¯t it right to take care of what guests eat? ¡°It¡¯s not a very dangerous thing, is it? Can you just rest?¡± I asked again. Pretending to beshocked, he asked playfully, ¡°Why? do you want to play with me?¡± ¡®He really behaves like a serpent.¡¯ I crossed my arms. I have to stay alert. Because the topic of conversation keeps trying to fall into another place. ¡°All I¡¯m trying to say is, both of you suddenly got busy around the same time!¡± Both of them are acquainted with His Highness the Crown Prince. They may have received some orders from above. ¡°If you two are busy at the same time, it¡¯s definitely not because of a trifling matter. I just want to say that I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡®I barely managed to tell him to the end.¡¯ Anyway, if I kept answering Michael¡¯s words, I would fall down another path before I knew it. He is very good at changing the subject. ¡°You¡¯re quick-witted, Noel.¡± He exhaled lightly and added, ¡°There¡¯s something going on, as you say.¡± It¡¯s surprising that he admits it so easily without being evasive. ¡°Is it okay to you to admit it so quickly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big secret. Actually, I think I can tell you, but Marquis Ainel hates it so much.¡± As expected, Rupert seems to have decided not to say it to me again. ¡®Is it true that I am not trusted?¡¯ ¡°His Highness, who heard the information about the last incident, was particularly worried about the Marquis. So I wanted to help too.¡± I laughed in disbelief. ¡°So you came here because you wanted to help but instead fought Rupert from the start?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come specifically for the Marquis. I wouldn¡¯t have come here without you in the first place.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°In conclusion, it is true that I am here because of you. Everything else is a bonus.¡± I¡¯m grateful, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay to treat the crown prince¡¯s request as a bonus. ¡®He used to be a polite boy, even when no one else was looking.¡¯ ¡°Michael, as expected, you are twisted¡­ Who¡¯s been bothering you so much?¡± He replied in a theatrical tone, ¡°I was hit directly by the rough winds of the world.¡± Something must have happened. I¡¯ll have to listen closely later. ¡®We need to set a date and have a serious conversation.¡¯ ¡°So, can you tell me what specifically happened?¡± ¡°¡­are you sure you won¡¯t regret it after listening to it?¡± I am prepared to that extent. Rupert and Michael were involved, so it was definitely not an ordinary matter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t regret it.¡± Chapter 79 ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± After answering seriously, he suddenly said with a refreshing face, ¡°There are ghosts wandering around.¡± I immediately regret asking. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Why are my hairs standing on end? It might just be a feeling, but I feel a chill at the back of my neck. ¡®What a completely different story with his expression so bright.¡¯ ¡°T-this isn¡¯t the time to joke around!¡± ¡°You still react like this. Are you still afraid of ghosts?¡± ¡°I am!¡± Yes. I¡¯m afraid of ghosts even though I¡¯m an adult. I tried to be brave, but I couldn¡¯t. Moreover, there is magic in this world, so ghosts cannot be treated as mere superstition. Because it really exists. ¡®This is a world where corpses sometimes wake up and wander around as monsters.¡¯ For me who is afraid of ghosts, this is the worst environment. ¡°Someone summoned them with forbidden magic. Now the most important thing is we need to catch the culprit and check the extent of his actions.¡± ¡°W-where did they appear? Have they arrived here yet?¡± ¡°It seemed like they were still moving. There are three villages where the sightings took place. The eyewitness last saw them in this territory.¡± ¡°Does that mean they¡¯re already in here?¡± ¡°Right.¡± I¡¯m screwed. ¡°¡­can you catch them?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m lucky. Most of the magic related to death is of the strong type, so I also approach them carefully.¡± So if you¡¯re unlucky you won¡¯t catch them? I was wrong. I¡¯d rather not know this. I murmured sadly, ¡°I finally got a good night¡¯s sleep after a long time¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you if you won¡¯t regret it.¡± Michael teased me as if he expected this kind of reaction from me. ¡°Do you want me to sing you a lullaby like when you were young?¡± He teased me so viciously that I ended up punching him in the shoulder. *** After that, I heard Michael¡¯s rough guesses about the forbidden magic in this case. This forbidden magic is very likely to be effective only within a certain range around the ¡®core¡¯. In other words, you can¡¯t see ghosts far from the core. ¡®But I heard they¡¯ve already entered this territory.¡¯ Eventually, when night fell, I seriously thought about it. ¡®Should I sleep with Leah?¡¯ I would be less scared if my daughter was by my side. No, on the contrary, I might show a very pathetic appearance in front of my daughter. After thinking about it, I ended up sleeping with a small lantern lit by the bed. After tossing and turning for a while¡­ -woosh. A light wind swept through my ears. I slowly opened my eyes. The lantern on the bedside table is off. ¡®I-it must have been a coincidence.¡¯ I tried to calm myself down and closed my eyes. At that moment, in the dark room, someone tapped and poked my cheek. I definitely felt it. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± I was so shocked that I screamed inside. ¡®Aaah!¡¯ I immediately jumped up and ran out of my room. With the last bit of rationality, I managed to stop my feet from trying to run to Leah¡¯s bedroom ¡ª the closest room. ¡®No, I might drag the ghost into her room!¡¯ The next closest room is Rupert¡¯s bedroom. The problem is that he only sleeps in his bedroom about once every three days. He is usually in his office at night. ¡®I hope you¡¯re in your room, please, please.¡¯ This is the first time I really miss him. I knocked¨C no, I banged on my husband¡¯s bedroom. I had lost too much reason to be polite. ¡°Rupert!¡± Fortunately, he opened the door, with a surprised face. ¡°Noel, why all of sudden¡ª¡± Outside the door is scary. First, I snuck into his bedroom. ¡°Close the door! Quickly!¡± A ghost is coming in, a ghost is coming in! ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rupert obediently followed my words even though he had a confused look on his face. Then he approached with large strides. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked in a serious tone. It was not surprising, in the middle of the night, his wife broke into his room. I muttered helplessly.¡±G-ghost¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Somehow Rupert¡¯s eyes became cold. Hey, I¡¯m not kidding! ¡°I¡¯m serious! Someone poked me in the cheek!¡± He closed his eyes for a moment at my words, then he said, ¡°Calm down, I don¡¯t feel anything particularly suspicious.¡± I insisted, ¡°Then it was definitely a ghost.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°S-stop looking at me like that! The one who used forbidden magic is already in this territory!¡± He sighed as he lightly shook his head. ¡°Michael Berris told you everything.¡± Suddenly, I apologized to my childhood friend in my heart. I¡¯m sorry, Michael. ¡°Don¡¯t blame him, I was the one who asked.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not even a person I can say anything about anyway.¡± I was a little relieved by his answer. In terms of status, Rupert, who received the title of Marquis, is high. But apart from that, Michael is a saint and an archwizard. That reputation is at a level that even the royal family can¡¯t take lightly, so Rupert seems to be having a hard time dealing with him. I sat down on the bed, raised my head, and asked, ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Now you know.¡± For some reason, he seemed to have trouble answering. I replied calmly, ¡°There are no eternal secrets.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, and I was going to take care of it soon¡­ Don¡¯t look at me with that expression.¡± ¡°How is my expression?¡± After much consideration, he said, ¡°Crying face.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m a little sad because you have so many secrets and you don¡¯t want to tell me at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± His face hardened. Rather than being angry, it is a look of bewilderment. But I didn¡¯t mean to attack here now. I changed the mood by using an exaggerated tone. ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t help but be sad when ghosts roam around. You can kill ghosts, right? I thought so, so I ran over here.¡± ¡°No.¡± It¡¯s an answer that really frustrates people. Gosh! ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rupert checked my expression once more and was taken aback. I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m really going to cry. ¡°Wait, Noel, if we catch the black magician, everything will be fine. Calm down.¡± ¡°But if you don¡¯t catch him, it means that ghosts go around freely, right?¡± He seems to be trying to appease me. ¡°It is, but¡­ If what you saw was a ghost summoned by forbidden magic, that¡¯s not the bad kind.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The forbidden magic is not yet complete. That means the culprit could only summon dead souls that easy to appear.¡± ¡°Dead souls that easy to appear?¡± ¡°A dead soul who had a deep connection with the black magician during his lifetime, and who had friendly and gentle feelings. Such a dead soul is much easier to summon.¡± As if to calm me down, he wrapped his hand around me and continued, ¡°So, while there are many sightings, there are no casualties yet.¡± ¡®That means you can meet someone you miss.¡¯ Hearing it like this makes me feel less bad. ¡®As expected, it all depends on how one uses it.¡¯ ¡°Then, what will happen when all the forbidden magic is completed?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. That¡¯s the problem. It will depend on the wishes of the black magician, but the end of any forbidden magic is not good.¡± ¡°So if you¡¯re unlucky, this could be a world where ghosts really do roam freely¡­?¡± My expression must have been quite funny, so Rupert gave a short laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be any magicians with the ability to make a big deal like that, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Then he tried to get me up. ¡®He¡¯s going to send me to my room!¡¯ Sensing the danger of being kicked out, I hurriedly asked, ¡°You said before that the friendly dead soul is easy to summon, so what¡¯s the hard one to summon?¡± ¡°The dead soul that holds a grudge or hatred towards someone.¡± You mean like a demon? ¡°The stronger the will to harm the living, the harder it is to summon?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Only then did I understand why His Highness the Crown Prince was so worried about Rupert. ¡®Many have had grudges against him, so maybe he was worried that he might be attacked by dead souls.¡¯ ¡°So don¡¯t worry too much and go back.¡± Chapter 80 Rupert gently tugged at my hand, trying to get me back on my feet. Of course I persevered. ¡°¡­Noel?¡± ¡°I see what you mean very well. It means that even if what I saw is a ghost, it¡¯s not dangerous.¡± ¡°Right.¡± But even if it¡¯s not dangerous, it¡¯s still scary. ¡°Thanks to your explanation, I understood in my head that it¡¯s not dangerous, but that doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t appear again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too scared. You must have been mistaken in your sleep.¡± I want to believe that too, but the feeling was so vivid! I couldn¡¯t go back yet. No matter what I do, being next to Rupert gives me the safest feeling. ¡°Can¡¯t I stay until there¡¯s a guarantee that it won¡¯t appear again?¡± ¡°This is my bedroom.¡± ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife, what¡¯s wrong with staying in the same bedroom for a while?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I stared at him with a desperate gaze. Really, this time I¡¯m not trying to flirt. I¡¯m really scared. ¡°I¡¯ll just move you then.¡± Rupert was ready to hug me and walk me to my bedroom. I immediately refused. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. No matter how nice and good the dead soul is, it was the first time I met a ghost! I don¡¯t want to go back!¡± We confronted each other for a while. Of course, he didn¡¯t use any force on me. Still, I¡¯m so desperate. I spoke hastily, ¡°Is it because I counterattacked last time? Because I wanted you to tell me your secret first? Are you upset about that? I take everything I said back. You don¡¯t have to tell me, so don¡¯t kick me out!¡± Then I raised my head and muttered, ¡°I will really resent you if you kick me out¡­¡± In my current state of mind, ghosts are a thousand times more terrifying than he is. ¡°I¡¯m not upset, but I feel like a fool for thinking about it until now because I gave up so easily.¡± Judging from his reaction, he must have been thinking a lot about it. He continued, ¡°You acted boldly even in worse situations than this. Do you hate ghosts that much?¡± ¡°Extremely. Being human by nature has at least one weakness that cannot be tolerated. Just allow me in the corner of the bed. It¡¯s wide. I¡¯ll sleep like I¡¯m dead.¡± Rupert looked at me in disbelief. ¡°You are a hot-tempered, threatening, pleading, and very wayward wife.¡± As he said that, he easily lifted me up while I was off guard. ¡°Y-you are so mean!¡± When I tried to shout, ¡®How dare you use your strength!¡¯, he put me down on the blanket. ¡®Are you allowing me to stay?¡¯ It was too early to feel relieved, because my husband wrapped and rolled me in a blanket. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°¡­how could you do this to your wife,¡± I whined. ¡°It will be difficult if you attack me.¡± ¡°Are you treating me as a pervert?!¡± Is there any chance that he will have a crush on me? He even treated me like this! Can¡¯t he at least be more excited? Rupert, who had been staring at me for a long time, took out a new blanket and put it on himself. And with his back to me, he said cheekily, ¡°Sleep well.¡± ¡­I¡¯m going to sleep pretty well like this. *** The next day, I ran into Michael in the hall of the mansion. ¡°Noel, did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Do I look like I slept well?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± I declared with wide eyes. ¡°I have decided. I will help you catch that black magician.¡± It¡¯s all because of that damn unknown person. I¡¯ll catch you and finish you off. I asked, ¡°How do you get rid of the forbidden magic? Will it disappear if you just catch the black magician who cast the spell?¡± ¡°The way to get rid of any forbidden magic is the same.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Find and fulfill the conditions of the forbidden magic.¡± ¡°The conditions are different for each forbidden magic, right? Do I have to figure that out?¡± Just as in my husband¡¯s case, ¡®finding true love¡¯ is a condition for him to be free from the curse, this forbidden magic disappears only when certain conditions are met. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, most of the forbidden magics have conditions left in the record. It won¡¯t be difficult once you catch the culprit.¡± ¡°¡­what if it¡¯s not on the record?¡± That¡¯s why Rupert doesn¡¯t know how to cure the curse on himself. Because it is not recorded. ¡°It¡¯s like finding a needle in the desert.¡± It just means you can¡¯t find it. I muttered sadly, ¡°I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight or the ghost will appear again.¡± ¡°Did you meet a ghost in person? Did you see its face?¡± asked Michael with a surprised expression. Do you think I couldn¡¯t sleep because I was simply scared of ghost stories? ¡°Not at all. I ran away right away. I was too frantic to check the ghost¡¯s face.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I felt a poke on my cheek.¡± ¡°Did it touch you¡­?¡± Michael touched my cheek curiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Normally, there are a certain number of people that dead souls can touch.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A dead soul that has had a deep connection with one throughout life. A dead soul can¡¯t touch someone it doesn¡¯t even know.¡± ¡°Rupert said there are dead souls that can hurt people.¡± ¡°Such dead souls are cases where their common sense is lost, so you have to consider it separately. I¡¯m talking about normal ones.¡± Then, two hypotheses could be established. ¡°In other words, the ghost that touched me last night was someone I knew or an evil dead soul¡­¡­. demon¡­?¡± I just want to pass out. ¡°You really could have been mistaken in your sleep, so don¡¯t be too scared.¡± Thank you, but it didn¡¯t come straight to my ears. As my face turned pale and blue repeatedly, Michael, who was smiling mischievously, became serious as well. ¡°¡­should I sing a lullaby beside you like I did when you were so young? Can you sleep then?¡± I haven¡¯t given up on my pride to that extent yet. Although I went to Rupert¡¯s bedroom last night and told him I was scared! ¡°It was when I was young. Right now, I have a thing called ¡®face¡¯.¡± -creak. Then, I heard a crack behind me. Turning around in surprise, I saw Rupert on the stairs, a broken handrail in his hand. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°No big deal. The handrails are old.¡± I was dumbfounded. ¡°No matter how old it is, why it breaks so easily¡­?¡± He replied calmly, ¡°It is time for a replacement.¡± ¡®It hasn¡¯t been that long.¡¯ I looked at my husband suspiciously for a moment. He broke the corner of his desk the other day. ¡®Well, it¡¯s still early. He probably hasn¡¯t fully woken up yet, so he can¡¯t control his strength.¡± Yes, people can make mistakes. For now, I decided to move on generously. Turning around again, I saw Michael smiling. ¡°This is not the time to be smiling broadly like that. Anyway, is there anything I can help you with? I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s an odd chore. I¡¯ll end this situation even in no time.¡± ¡°Ah, in that case¡ª¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a chore, there¡¯s a lot more here.¡± Rupert, approaching from behind, intervened. ¡°No, Marquis. I will have a lot more.¡± ¡°I will send a servant.¡± ¡°No need, I like Noel better. Why don¡¯t you use your servant, Marquis?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t refuse. I also like my wife better.¡± I muttered in the middle, ¡°Both of you are eager to boss me around¡­¡± Then, Rupert asked, ¡°Who do you want to work with, Noel?¡± ¡°That is up to the employers to decide.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t come to a conclusion.¡± With two people in power trying so hard to hire me, I feel like I¡¯ve become a great talent. I concluded in fairness, ¡°Today Rupert, tomorrow Michael.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rupert looked confused as if he didn¡¯t know whether to like my decision or not. On the other hand, Michael, who approached with a smile, lowered his head and whispered, ¡°Then let¡¯s have fun with me tomorrow, Noel.¡± He immediately stepped back and waved his hand refreshingly as he walked away. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it, be careful.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± For some reason, I felt the ambient temperature drop by about two degrees, making me stutter. ¡°Y-yes.¡± *** Rupert and I arrived at the outskirts cemetery. Not just him and me, the Raven Knights and soldiers were also mobilized. ¡°This stings my conscience a lot. What if the deceased get angry and suddenly jump up?¡± Now we are at the cemetery. Observing my anxious expression, Rupert said, ¡°I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s easy to get the materials here to complete the type of forbidden magic that usually summons dead souls.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The heart of a corpse that has not been dead for more than four days.¡± ¡­I want to leave after an hour of work. Chapter 81 There are people who actually kill people to procure it, but fortunately I havent heard of a murder case where only the heart is missing this time. If no one was killed, it means the black magician took the heart from a dead body. Right, that might be why the black magician is still on the move. but how many hearts do you need? I dont think its just one. At least a hundred. Its really no joke. Digging up more than a hundred graves would be a tremendous toil. Originally, it is difficult to complete the forbidden magic. The results are powerful and uncontrollable. Suddenly, I wonder who the black magician is. It feels different from any black magician I have seen so far. He doesnt kidnap people and turn them into gargoyles. Of course, digging up other peoples graves is bad enough. It is forbidden to even meet a dead soul. Isnt that what anyone who has lost a loved one would wish for? Isnt he an ordinary person? Who? The black magician. Maybe you misunderstood the scope of your investigation in the first place. Youve been investigating on the premise of finding the evil black magician whos been hiding all along. Maybe thats why you cant find him? But people who use forbidden magic are all insane. They buy people, take them apart, and put them back together. Still, I think we should think about this a little differently than usual. I paused for a moment, then continued, Even an ordinary person loses the direction of life if he suddenly loses someone important to him. I can understand to some extent the desire to see the person you love, even if you have to use this kind of restraint. . I looked at the silent Rupert. You, you dont understand exactly what Im saying. right. Its natural, its only natural. He has never been able to have a precious person. Its not like hes ever been loved by anyone either. It must be difficult to accurately understand the concept of losing a loved one and being ruined. So, there is no progress in this case. Because he only focused on tracking down an evil black magician who used forbidden magic. Is Ruperts weakness a lack of humanistic perspective? There are times when people act only on emotions, but he doesnt seem to understand them exactly. He knows the theory, but I feel like hes struggling with the application. Shaking my head, I started walking around the cemetery. Now that its like this, better to get a hint about the black magician. First of all, I looked around at the entrance, but I heard a small whisper somewhere. It is behind the structure installed at the corner of the cemetery. whathow? you! haha! Even in broad daylight, the voice heard from the cemetery was terrifying. While contemplating whether to call a knight, I noticed one thing when I looked at the ground. Ahhh! My scream startled the people I saw. Ahhh! Ahhh! Lets run away! You dont have to run away. There are three children hiding. I only realized it when I saw small shoe prints on the ground earlier. The children, who looked to be around 7 or 8 years old, looked at me with wary eyes. Arent you going to scold us? I wont scold you. Its dangerous to play here though. Where are you from? The orphanage on the outskirts of South Street. I wondered why there are children here, apparently, they are orphanage children. I asked if by any chance they had seen anything. Do you come here often? Um, maybe once a week? Its good to play hide and seek without adults. Have your other friends from the orphanage come too? The children nodded at the same time. At that time, a kid asked with curious eyes, By the way, are you a princess, Noona? [T/N: Noona = older sister] Noona? Youre a good kid! [T/N: She likes being called Noona/older sister instead of Ahjumma/aunty] In the eyes of children, I must look like a princess just by wearing luxurious clothes. No, my name is Noel Ainel. Oh! I know! You are the lords wife! Didnt you say nim too much? [T/N: Nim is added to the end of a word to show respect. This is a literal translation of the previous sentence: Oh! I know! You are the wife-nim of the lord-nim!] I held back my laughter because it was so funny. At that time, another kid gasped. He said, You catch children at night and turn them into raspberry pies!? P-please save me! No, is that what the rumors going about me are like!? This is a bit of a shock! No, I hate raspberry pie. The kid who just brought up the pie question asked, Then what do you like? Apple pie. A-are you going to turn us into apple pies!? Shut up, said another kid. Fortunately, the others started defending me. Oh, no! Brother Mion said that contrary to rumors, both the madam and the young lady are very nice! I was moved by those words. Mion, Ill have to give you some snacks to eat with the kids when I get back. Oh, this isnt the time to chat. Children, have you seen any suspicious adults here? Carrying a shovel and digging the ground for example. I didnt see any. Well then, besides you, who else comes often? Brother Mion! [T/N: Mion is Leahs new friend. Re-read chapter 77 if you forgot] Thank you for letting me know. But its dangerous, so dont play here too often. Yes! When the urgent work is over, Ill have to come up with a plan to install a playground near the orphanage. Ill have to ask Mion about the rest. And as a result of searching the cemetery, I saw several graves with traces of being dug up. As expected, the corpses have no hearts. *** On my way to the office, I thoughtlessly looked out the window and saw Mion passing by the garden. Then I went outside. Mion. The boy raised his head in surprise. Ma-madam! Its time to go home, what are you doing here? Everyone will be worried if youre too late. The boy mumbled, Just, I was looking for something I lost I asked curiously, What is it? The maids might have found it, so tell me. Mion shook his head. Its fine! Its not something you need to care about, Madam. Seeing you havent even gone home, I think its important, right? My daughter plays here a lot, so Ill ask her if she happened to pick up anything. The boy bowed his head. Thank you. Mion, I have something to ask you. Yes? He was clearly nervous. Seeing the situation, he had no choice but to do so, so I asked in as gentle a voice as I could. Do you often go to the cemetery? Yes? Yes uh, how did you know? I met the children from the orphanage there earlier, but since you come there often, I wanted to ask you something. The boy gulped. I asked, Have you ever seen a suspicious person nearby? Especially someone holding a tool like a shovel. Mion immediately shook his head. Ive never seen one Okay, thank you for telling me. Just as I was about to turn around, something felt off. I forgot something. Oh! I remember now. Yes!? Mion was surprised. I had the kitchen pack up some snacks for you to take with you. Go and eat together with the other kids. Oh, thank you Again the boy bowed down, and this time I really turned around and headed for the office. Thats a lot. When I opened the office door, I could see Ordin and Rupert wrestling with documents. It was a normal sight, but the paper he was looking at contained the identification of a suspect. Because Rupert converged on my opinion at the graveyard. That the black magician may be an ordinary person. How many people have stopped by the three villages? The aide replied with a troubled look, Since all three villages do business with us, there are a lot of them. At the time the ghost sightings occurred, we were looking for suspects by selecting local residents who visited the villages. It was because it seemed the black magician was aiming for a village close to the Ainel territory, so it was highly likely that he moved here as a base. Commerce and trade have developed, so even if you travel to many places, you will not be suspicious. I checked the village names on the map spread out on the table. Onyx Village Its a place I know; the village that Leah recommended to Carla. The first ghost sighting was here. Then it must have been where the forbidden magic first started. Leah said she had heard of this village from a friend. That friend is Mion. Something feels off. I seem to be missing some important hints. Come to think of it, how does Mion know about Onyx Village? There is no way that a child in an orphanage has ever gone to another village by himself. Its too dangerous. Or maybe Mion is from that place? If hes from outside, it makes sense that he knows about other villages. If not Chapter 82 I opened the filing cabinet in the bottom compartment in the corner of the office. There are documents related to the orphanage there. As expected from Rupert and Ordin. Even though they look heartless, they care about this part. There are many irresponsible lords who dont care about orphans at all. I started reading documents about Mion. His parents died when he was eight, and he was entrusted to an orphanage in Onyx Village. After that, he couldnt adapt, so he went to the orphanage where he is now after a year. Ah. I think I have a clue. I compared the location of the orphanage where Mion was and the village on the map where the ghost was sighted. The timing coincided. From the day the boy entered the villages orphanage, reports of ghost sightings sprang up in the village. It cannot be ignored as a coincidence. But its hard to reveal right away. There is no evidence. I quietly put the documents back in place and walked out. There is still one unanswered question. The ghost that poked my cheek. Rupert and Michael wondered if I was frightened and mistaken because I hadnt actually seen it. You cant see the ghost unless youre near the core. But on the other hand, wasnt the core close to me that night? Was there Mion? No, it cant be. Rupert must have caught him. Its hard for a ten-year-old boy to have the skills to outwit him. Mion said earlier that he lost something important. What if thats the core? And if someone else picked it up and has it Then the person who picked it up must be close to me. Then it makes sense that there was a ghost next to me! At dawn, the servants and maids did not walk around the hallway. Besides, if a suspicious person was walking around, Rupert couldnt be unaware. In the end, it was picked up by someone who was close to me and whom my husband was not wary of. Theres only one person. I stopped in front of my daughters room and turned the doorknob. Leah widened her eyes as I opened the door. M-mom? Leah, I have a question for you At that time, a pale human figure blocked the way. . I was so surprised that my body stiffened. A soft voice echoed in my ears. [Oh, Noel. Do you finally notice?] Who the hell are you pretending to be close to me? no, more than that, I want to pass out first. *** I saw a dark red marble in my hand. A few days ago, Leah said she picked up something that had fallen in the garden. Perhaps this is the core of black magic. At first glance, it is an ordinary-looking marble. Theres a bigger problem than this. I saw a boy floating in the air. About ten years old, he is a pretty-looking boy with blond hair and green eyes. Leah said that he suddenly appeared in front of her eyes when she picked up this marble in the garden. So we became friends! I looked at the boy and my daughter alternately. Frankly, there is no guarantee that this ghost will not harm my daughter. After sending my daughter away with some plausible pretext, I looked back at the boy. Who the hell are you? [Call me Nas. Thats my nickname.] To tell me your nickname first, you must be a very sociable ghost, huh? Okay, Nas. Why were you with my daughter? [Because thats the power of this magic. Oh, but this one is in a much worse altered state. Anyway, you can summon a dead soul related to you if you have the core.] I looked at him suspiciously and asked, I am holding it now. Then shouldnt you disappear? Nas smiled. [No, Noel. You and I are very, very complicated. Thats why your daughter, Leah, was able to summon me.] So youre related to me, not Leah? But I dont know you. For some reason, he had a confident expression on his face. [I am your friend! And a great man who deserves respect from everyone in the world!] What is this, a cheeky little boy full of confidence? Although he is a ghost, he is not scary at all. I thought of a typical fantasy clich for no reason. Youre not the god of this world, are you? He snorted. [It cant be. God? Arent you being too confident?] I was treated like a fool by a ghost. Dont laugh. This is really my first time seeing you. [Youll find out soon. Still, its a bit disappointing to hear that you dont know me.] When you say that, I feel like a bad person who cant remember my close classmates [Thats the kind of situation. No, its worse than that.] Then you can tell me properly. This is similar to the situation where an alumnus I met on the street greeted me warmly, but I accidentally asked, Who are you? and we got into a fight. [I cant do that.] Hmm, thats kind of annoying. Wait, are you the one who poked my cheek in my sleep? Nas giggled. [Right! I think your sleeping face is cute. Its even funnier when you run away in panic.] I will break this marble right now and send you back. But no matter what I did, the core didnt break. From the outside, it looks like an ordinary marble, but it is very hard. The boy who saw me made a pitiful expression. [Its made with forbidden magic, so it cant be broken by normal means.] Does it also have to satisfy certain conditions? I immediately changed my attitude. alright, lets settle this peacefully through dialogue. What is your purpose for coming here? He looked at me with a look of disbelief at my demeanor which changed like a flip of a palm. [There seems to be a misunderstanding. I didnt do anything, and I dont have a specific purpose. The moment Leah picked up the core, I was summoned.] Why did you stay by my daughters side for no reason? The boy smiled at my question. Oddly enough, the expression mature was more suitable than the innocent one for him. [How cute. You called me every night and asked me to tell you a story. I couldnt leave you because Im weak to children.] The way he speaks is like a grandfather loving his granddaughter. [Oh, you said you wanted to sleep in the same bed with your parents.] . [Its good to work hard, but its also important to spend time with your family. In particular, children grow rapidly in the blink of an eye. Cherish every minute and every second!] He is right in every word he said, not like a child. You speak like someone who has raised a child. [At least Im much more confident in parenting than you are.] He really is a boy whose true identity I cant guess. From what hes talking about, he doesnt even look like a ten-year-old child. Besides, he said he has a deep relationship with me, but this is the first time Im seeing him. If hes already a dead soul it means he died in the past. Theres no way I cant remember someone close to me died. Okay, there are a few suspicious things, but lets get past them To sum it up, youre here purely by accident, and you have no idea who used the forbidden magic on you? [I know the situation roughly. Because a kid was looking for this. He seemed to want to see his dead parents.] Is he a boy with brown eyes and freckles on his nose? [Yes, you already know] As expected, it was Mion. [Other than that, I only took care of Leah because she was bored. You should be thankful, not suspecting me. Do you know how hard parenting is!?] I have nothing to refute. Thank you for that. I mean it. [alright, you should show that attitude. Let me tell you a few things I know about this forbidden magic in particular.] It was tempting to hear. Can you tell me? [What is certain is that the quality is much worse than what Ive experienced. It shouldnt be used for this kind of purpose I think someone modified it.] What does that mean? [Its okay for now, but be careful not to let the forbidden magic go any further. You have to get rid of it in a precise and correct way. And if the core breaks in the middle] Suddenly, Nas disappeared. Nas? The marble, the core of the forbidden magic, is intact in my hand. I heard the reason a little later when I went back to Leahs room. Nas usually disappears quickly. Thats why Im sad. So he often disappears while talking to Leah? It seems there is a time limit for him to appear. Is it because the forbidden magic is still incomplete? Anyway, since we got the core, wont this case be over? I made eye contact with Leah and asked,