At the hastily determined answer, Kasha bit the inside of her lip.

“Why….”

“I told you. I can’t trust you. You are… dangerous.”

After saying that, he looked out the window again. Somehow, his gaze seemed uneasy.

Kasha tried to compose herself and asked.

“What are you going to do about the curse?”

“…I’m looking into the magic stone you mentioned. Being a holy knight, and having some connections in the temple, I should be able to find out something.”

He seemed resolute, as if he had made up his mind.

She felt his determination not to change his decision no matter what she said.

He’s that kind of person.

A man who, once he’s made up his mind, never changes it until the end, even if it takes time to reach a conclusion.

‘It’s not like I ever expected that man to be easily persuaded anyway.’

Kasha gathered her thoughts for a moment, then spoke again.

“Then, please… grant me one request.”

“A request?”

“I… without asking for anything in return… told you about the magic stone and the curse, so just once… please help me.”

Leon stared blankly at her, who made a simple request without mentioning anything about the rejection of the contract dating proposal.

“What is this request?”

Somehow, his tone became even more formal.

Does that mean his heart has closed even more firmly?

A sharp feeling passed through her chest, but she tried not to pay attention to it.

“In the Imperial Library… there’s a restricted area only accessible to the imperial family. I want to enter there… and borrow a book.”

“The Imperial Library?”

“Yes.”

“What book are you looking for?”

“As I mentioned before. It’s necessary for research on using holy power in magical tools.”

“……”

“This magical tool is not intended to harm people at all. Rather, it’s to save them.”

Leon’s face became thoughtful.

There’s a reason why access to books in the restricted area is prohibited to the general public.

Moreover, Kasha is an unknown dangerous person to him.

Allowing her into the restricted area would probably violate the oaths he has kept.

‘Don’t reject this proposal, Leon.’

Kasha stared intently at his neat forehead, unable to guess what he was thinking.

“If you’re reluctant to lend it to me after seeing what kind of book it is together, you can refuse then.”

Kasha calmly finished speaking.

Maintaining an attitude as if it wouldn’t matter much whether Leon refused or not.

She now knew well that such an attitude rather makes the other person lower their guard.

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

“…Yes.”

Watching her respond with just “Yes” as if it were natural, not even saying “Thank you,” Leon bit his lip with a peculiar expression.

As if he had hurriedly hardened his face after almost laughing.

“Then, let’s meet at the Imperial Library at 5 PM tomorrow.”

Kasha, who had arbitrarily set the appointment time, immediately turned around. Throughout her clicking footsteps towards the door, she felt a burning gaze on her back.

After Kasha left.

Leon took a long, deep breath.

He must have finally gone crazy.

To think that even the slightest trace floating in the space where that woman had left seemed precious.

When facing Kasha, an indescribable, strange elation flowed down his spine.

It was different from that terrible lust she called a curse.

That calm and indifferent expression. The confident tone of someone who knows exactly what they’re talking about, even if they seem to stumble.

The mysterious colored eyes shining under the dark blue-black hair like the night just before dawn breaks.

Those eyes that always seemed to see through him, as if they knew everything about him, so aloof.

Above all, her scent.

The scent that made one breathe comfortably like clear water, or like a deep forest, was missed even at this moment when she had just left.

Leon leaned against the window and looked down.

The tables skillfully arranged in the middle of the courtyard were beautifully decorated, and the people sitting there looked happy.

‘How unfamiliar. Such a scene.’

The laughter of young girls constantly echoed. Eve’s cheerful laughter was mixed in there too.

‘Has there ever been such laughter in this house?’

Leon tried to recall.

‘…It doesn’t seem so. Not even once.’

Even when mother was alive, the Grand Duke’s residence was always quiet.

Mother, revered as a great saint, was always busy, so the children grew up in the hands of a nanny.

As children of a saint, they couldn’t afford to be spoiled.

Even when they had meals together once or twice a month, mother’s mind was always elsewhere.

‘Mother, I was praised during sword training today.’

‘Is that so? Swordsmanship is a violent art, so learn it moderately. Oh, dear. About the donation that came to the temple last time….’

His parents praised him only when he perfectly accomplished everything.

‘As expected of our eldest son. Worthy of being the heir to the Grand Duke’s family.’

The atmosphere of the household, which always pursued perfection as if measured with a ruler, became even more desolate after mother’s death.

Father immersed himself in politics, abandoning his children.

‘Father, Eve spoke for the first time today. She called me ‘brother’….’

‘I see. That’s good. By the way, Leon. Do you still not want to quit the Holy Knight Order and enter the temple? I told you that with your holy power, you could rise as high as your mother.’

Perhaps because the parents were always absent, father was indifferent even when the late-blooming youngest finally started talking.

The only thing that made father smile was the achievements Leon made. So he lived doing his best.

The driving force behind that was only his siblings.

Poor Eve, who lost her mother at the age of three.

Anthony, who was always living in the temple because of his weak body.

Leon himself was the only one who could protect those children.

‘Brother. Is Eve an unlucky child?’

‘What are you talking about, Eve?’

‘I heard people talking. They said that after I was born, mother’s holy power weakened… That’s why she passed away.’

‘That’s not true. Don’t listen to such useless talk.’

‘But.’

‘Eve. You’re the prettiest and most precious little one in the world. Mother loved you so much.’

‘Really?’

‘Of course.’

So sometimes he could lie. Despite being a holy knight who swore to be pure and honest before God.

‘Brother… I’m sorry. I keep getting sick.’

‘Being sick is nothing to be sorry for, Anthony.’

‘But today was important for you. What about the knighthood promotion exam?’

‘I can take the promotion exam later. Don’t worry about unnecessary things.’

‘……’

There were days when he stayed up all night pouring holy power by Anthony’s bedside, who couldn’t even say sorry and tightly closed his eyes.

That was the family he had protected. So, even now, Leon had to protect them.

From that woman of unknown identity.

‘Eve. I heard that Lady Kasha Lyuschino came to the mansion today to help prepare for your tea party. Is that true?’

‘Yes. It was supposed to be a secret. Well, now she said it’s okay for sister to tell you.’

‘Why did you ask someone you barely know for such a favor? You could have asked Aunt Sheila about the tea party preparations….’

‘You don’t know anything, brother.’

‘Eve, what did you say?’

‘The ladies who attended the party Aunt Sheila prepared last time made fun of me behind my back.’

‘……’

‘I like Kasha sister and Margaret sister. When I’m with them, it feels like….’

Eve couldn’t finish her words, her eyes brimming with tears.

But Leon seemed to know what she was about to say.

It probably feels like being with mother.

She was always a child who couldn’t take her eyes off young ladies.

There was a reason why she followed Kasha as soon as she appeared in the desolate Grand Duke’s residence.

‘Even now, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an ecstatic expression before.’

It seems like he hadn’t seen such a smile even when he gave her the most expensive doll in the capital for her birthday.

‘But Eve aside, why is that Anthony acting so strangely?’

‘Brother. I heard you even let that lady into the study?’

‘…Yes.’

‘I’m curious what kind of person she is for you to spend time alone with a lady.’

After bringing Kasha, who was injured in the garden, to the mansion, Anthony caught Leon as he was about to go up to his room and said such things.

The look in Anthony’s eyes as he gazed at Kasha moment by moment was also something Leon had never seen before.

However, what was actually more unfamiliar was Leon’s own emotion as he looked at that gaze.

Ridiculously, a displeased and aggressive feeling arose as if looking at a competitor. Towards none other than his own younger brother.

Leon shook his head, trying to shake off the traces of that groundless emotion.

‘Indeed, that woman Kasha is dangerous.’

Leon muttered as if trying to convince himself.

‘Even if not me, I can’t let her affect my family.’

A woman whose intentions are completely unfathomable.

‘I… hope you are happy.’

How suspicious is it to say such things to someone you’re meeting for the first time?

Fearlessly grabbing his hand every time she sees him,

‘I know… that you were lonely.’

Daring to say such things,

‘Thank you.’

…And bewitching people with such a flustering smile.

‘Everything is suspicious and dangerous.’

He tried hard to erase the unfamiliar and suspicious feeling that tightened his chest every time he thought of her.

Hahaha.

Laughter was heard from outside the window again.

Hiding his body in the dark study, Leon stared down.

He convinced himself that he was looking at Eve, but in fact, he knew.

That he couldn’t take his eyes off that suspicious woman, Kasha, for even a moment.

Swoosh.

Leon roughly drew the curtains.

The study instantly became dark again.