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‘Phew, I made it out unscathed.’
Late nights out, breaking curfew. There were so many things that could have gone wrong that I was terrified of getting caught.
[Home! I can’t wait to get back to my room! Get me out of here, quickly!]
‘Alright, just be quiet, you chatterbox.’
[I’m not a chatterbox, I’m a sin!]
‘Being a chatterbox is a sin.’
I was so distracted by the deafening sound of Greed in the sealing stone that I didn’t see the shadow of someone standing in the corridor.
As I hurriedly headed towards my room, I suddenly couldn’t move forward anymore.
“……li.”
“……Eh?”
It was because someone was holding my hand.
When I turned my head slightly to the side, I saw the face of Jansi, who had a crescent-shaped shadow.
“Brother?”
The conversation we had the night before leaving for the Hebote Territory was the last conversation I had with Jansi.
The one where he’d told me that I should stay away from Felix Hicklemeyer, and I’d told him I’d handle it.
Even though I had clearly drawn a line, he came to me as if it didn’t matter. Does he not know that there is no use in paying attention to me to that extent?
“I’m sorry if I startled you.”
Smiling in a relaxed voice, Jansi’s expression suddenly hardened.
“Lili, your face is–”
Having already been through this with the Duke of Perdia once before, I hastily changed the subject.
“What’s the matter?”
“Why are you hurt?”
“I’m tired and I want to rest…”
“Lili.”
Our words were not mixing and kept circling without connecting. Although I clearly showed that I didn’t want to talk, Jansi didn’t budge either.
[When do we go in? When do we go in? When do we go in?]
Moreover, the relentless Greed without any sense of tact urged me to go inside, causing my head to throb.
“I scratched myself while playing with my friend. That’s all.”
“Did you apply any ointment?”
“I’m going to apply it once I go in.”
So, I hoped that he would let go of my hand now. That’s what I thought as I stared at the hand that held me tightly.
Jansi called out to me with a voice that had absolutely no hint of laughter.
“Lili, you know….”
“What?”
“Am I bothering you?”
I raised my eyes wide and lifted my head at the voice that seemed emotionless.
I was taken aback by this unfamiliar question. Moreover, the fact that it was Jansi Perdia, who always pretended and hid his true feelings whenever he asked a question, surprised me even more.
As I stood at a distance, unable to say anything, Jansi gently rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb and asked me.
“……Why does it feel like you’re avoiding me?”
Jansi’s face, devoid of a smile, was unfamiliar. And so was his genuine display of his true feelings without any pretense.
‘It’s uncomfortable.’
I didn’t want to know the real Jansi Perdia. I didn’t want to see this side of him that only I could see.
But the more Jansi showed me his true self, the more I had to conceal my own feelings.
Because if he knew my guarded inner thoughts, I didn’t know what he would do.
So, I said, “That can’t be true, brother. I’m just tired, that’s all. It’s a misunderstanding.”
I laughed brightly, pretending to be an ignorant and foolish little sister who knew nothing.
But Jansi just silently looked down at me without any expression. The more he did that, the more nervous I became.
I wondered if Jansi, a villain in the original, thought I was a nuisance.
“So why are you here? Should we go inside and talk?”
I purposely took Jansi’s hand and tried to lead him brightly. But Jansi didn’t even flinch from his spot.
“……Brother?”
“I just wanted to see you.”
“Huh……?”
“That’s all. Is that not allowed?”
That couldn’t be true. Jansi Perdia couldn’t have come all the way here just because he wanted to see me.
No, the words saying he came because he wanted to see me were clearly a lie.
‘Why are you acting like this?’
He went from friendly to not, from fake to real…….
“There’s no reason not to. After all, you’re my precious family,” I smiled as I copied the ‘precious family’ phrase that Jansi had uttered.
I laughed brightly, imitating the foolish little sister who believed every word without any meaning, whether it was said with kindness or emotionlessness.
And perhaps my acting worked, as Jansi’s expression gradually softened.
Jansi, now back to his friendly self, gently stroked my hair and bid a goodnight.
“Now that I’ve seen your face, it’s enough. I’ll be going.”
“Yes.”
“Apply the ointment and sleep well, Lili.”
“Yes, you too, Brother…….”
Then Jansi waved both hands, as if he really only wanted to see my face.
Even as I entered the room, I felt dazed.
‘Why did he come?’
With that question in mind, the door closed, and at the same time, the tension in me eased.
***
Thud, clink.
Jansi stood still, staring at Elodie’s closed bedroom door.
“I’ll take care of it myself.”
A few days ago, Elodie had said that with a cold and clear voice.
As if warning him not to cross the line.
‘The line…….’
Yes, Elodie drew a line.
It was something Jansi had never thought about.
She had been a helpless newborn when he first met her, but as she grew up, she followed him faithfully.
Even when she distanced herself from the hostile Carlot and feared the indifferent Duke and Duchess.
‘I thought I was an exception.’
But it wasn’t just that.
Elodie had stood by him when he was about to go on a rampage, reassuring him that everything would be all right, even when he’d ranted and shouted at her to get lost.
It felt like she would always be there beside him, no matter how unstable he was.
And now she let go of his hand…….
‘That’s not a good idea, Lili.’
He recalled Elodie again with an expressionless face.
He had seen through her act, smiling kindly as if nothing was wrong while keeping an eye on him.
Why did she put on an act?
Jansi remembered the reason why he had come this far.
It all started with Felix Hinkemeyer.
It bothered him that Elodie, who had just broken off her engagement with Prince Adenmir, would meet that man.
Elodie, who had a taste for handsome men, could be deceived by his charming face and agree to an engagement with him. To uncover more weaknesses, Jansi investigated.
And then, Jansi discovered one thing.
“Lili Arcel.”
The sole sponsor of a novice wizard’s magical tool……. and Elodie’s fake identity. Elodie was involved in unknown activities under a different identity.
The reason for her actions would gradually become clear in due time.
***
“Milo, gather the others and dispose of the bodies at these coordinates.”
“Yes…….”
At his captain’s command, Milo immediately rallied three mercenaries who were idling in the headquarters and mounted horses to reach the designated location.
Although they were riding at full speed, Milo’s face showed no signs of enthusiasm.
‘It’s a bother…….’
It bothered him to even think about being bothered, but he had to follow the orders of the commander.
After all, the commander was his benefactor. He had pulled him out of the slums and the muck.
‘Ha, that thought also bothered me…….’
Not even wanting to recall his first meeting with the commander, Milo increased his speed absentmindedly.
How much time passed before a familiar scent reached Milo’s sensitive olfactory senses?
“Stop.”
Milo’s voice was barely above a whisper, but the group understood and halted their horses.
They had stopped at a sparsely populated forest path.
“Milo, is this the place?”
One member looked at Milo suspiciously. Milo checked the map given by the commander.
“Yes, it is…”
It was near here. The smell of blood confirmed it.
Milo dismounted and scanned his surroundings.
Voices of people could be heard not far away. It was not just one voice, but several.
Without hesitation, Milo lowered his body as he headed towards the source of the sound.
“Shhh…….”
With Milo’s warning, the members simultaneously lowered their bodies, holding their breath.
Beyond the dense bushes within their line of sight, there was a group of people. They were busily loading something into a wagon.
“Hurry up! We need to move before sunrise!”
Even without confirming what they were moving, it was evident. They were the corpses of the assassins the commander had ordered to be disposed of.
The judgment was swift. Milo exchanged glances with the members on either side.
“So annoying.”
Truly, it was incredibly bothersome, but there was no other choice.
A new mission had arisen.
‘Going after them.’
***
As soon as daylight broke, I tucked the sleeping Greed into the seal stone and summoned Raeyan.
As soon as he received the message, Raeyan arrived at the front of the mansion to escort me.
“Where are the assassins?”
“I kept them underground.”
“Did anything happen?”
“No.”
I was worried, thinking that they might have voluntarily revealed something. If they were to die, I wouldn’t be able to find out the mastermind behind the attack.
With the desire to find out who was behind this as soon as possible, I immediately headed to the mercenary headquarters.
“You said they’re underground, right?”
“Yes. They should be awake by now.”
How do I get them to talk? Trained assassins don’t usually blow the whistle.
As I pondered seriously about how to make them open their mouths, Raeyan spoke to me.
“Leave it to me.”
“Raeyan? No amount of ordinary torture will get them to talk.”
“As long as it’s not ordinary, isn’t it fine?”
What did that mean, if not something serious?
It didn’t occur to me to go beyond pulling hair. It seemed better to leave such things to the experts.
“I understand. Can I ask for your help again this time?”
“It is my will to do so.”
I couldn’t understand how he always showed such unfathomable kindness while doing things he wanted to do, but as usual, I let it slide.
“Then let’s go straight to the basement.”
As I recalled the location of the basement door that I had seen before, I was about to take a step forward.
Raeyan approached swiftly and blocked my path.
“Raeyan?”
“Would you mind not watching?”
“Still, they are the ones who attacked me. Shouldn’t I be there to watch?”
It was a natural sense of responsibility for me. These were the people who tried to harm me, so I should be there to witness the moment they open their mouths.
But Raeyan didn’t seem to think so.
“I can’t refuse Elodie’s orders, so if you say you’re going, I’ll listen.”
“…….”
“But I hope you don’t see it. It’s not a pleasant sight.”
I didn’t want to see the brutal scene with my own two eyes either.
Raeyan was saying that he didn’t want me to accompany him to the basement for that reason.
After a brief contemplation, I made a decision.
“Fine. I’ll leave it entirely to you, Raeyan.”
If Raeyan couldn’t find out the mastermind even after intense interrogation, then I would step in.
“Then I’ll go.”
With a curt goodbye, Raeyan stepped into the basement.
***
How much time had passed?
Raeyan opened the basement door and stepped out, removing his black gloves.
His expression was no different from when he went down.
“What’s up? Did everything go well down there?
As I tilted my head, Raeyan spoke up.
“I extracted information about the mastermind.”
“Really? How?”
How on earth did he manage to make trained assassins talk?
No, there was something more important than that.
“Who is it?”
I asked, more curious because I had no idea. Who was behind the attack on me?
Thud. Raeyan tossed the gloves into the trash bin and answered.
“Duke Rodrigo Angellus.”
At the sudden name, I furrowed my brow.
“Duke Angellus?”
‘The one who tried to kill me is the Duke of Angellus?’