After a moment of thought, he looked at her coldly.

“Instead, she should come live at the ducal house. Didn’t you once say it’s better for your sister to live here than in dangerous places?”

Cursed, Roselia thought, recalling her hastily made excuse about her sister’s well-being.

“I did think that, but my sister’s wishes are more important.”

Frowning slightly, Klaus spoke coldly.

“Do you know where your sister is living now?”

His suspicion that she was residing in a tavern prompted this question.

“It may be different, but she’s not doing anything dangerous, just serving and running errands as far as I know.”

“Aren’t you a bit concerned about her staying in such a place?”

Why so meddling? Does he want two hostages to pay off a debt?

Roselia replied sharply, annoyed.

“That’s her choice. I trust my sister. So should you, Duke. We will certainly repay the debt together.”
At Roselia’s cold response, Klaus stood silently, biting his lips. Then, Roselia, standing proudly, briskly walked past him down the corridor.

Klaus watched her go, then brushed his bangs back with a self-deprecating smile.

“I’m not like myself, worrying over trivial matters.”

He was always thrown into confusion whenever he got entangled in the matters of the Hesingk siblings.

Roselia, dressed as a woman again, headed to the back alley for the postponed meeting with Nadia.

The tavern located in a secluded alley of the Balthazar Ducal territory. She had previously visited as a customer but had to flee due to Klaus, despite being dressed as a woman.

As she was about to reach the alley with a firm resolve to buy Nadia’s painting this time, suddenly, a ruckus erupted.

“Stop right there!”

“That wretched creature!”

Amidst the rough shouts of men, someone was frantically running through the alleys – it was Nadia, chased by several men, running with her frail body as if she might collapse.

Without a moment to think, Roselia rushed to Nadia, who stumbled and fell due to her weak legs.

“Ah!”

Struggling to get up, fear filled Nadia’s eyes. Roselia couldn’t just watch and hurried to help her up.

Suddenly, the men closed in, surrounding Roselia and Nadia.

“Who is this woman?”

“Judging by how she’s lurking around this alley, she must be in a similar plight.”

“Since it’s come to this, let’s sell them both.”

Overhearing their sinister conversation, Roselia quickly recalled a similar dialogue from the original novel.

It was the scene where the female protagonist saves Nadia from being chased by men.

In the original story, Nadia was caught and beaten by the men, and the heroine arrived later to rescue her.

But this event was supposed to happen two months later in the original timeline…

Could her intervention have altered the novel’s plot?

As she contemplated, the men ominously approached. Roselia, still supporting Nadia, clenched her teeth.

Unlike the heroine who had knights in hiding to protect her, Roselia, a mere extra maid, had no such luxury.

“Resisting will do no good. Stay quiet.”

At the large man’s threatening words, Nadia, beside Roselia, spoke with a heavy voice.

“I’m sorry, miss. It’s because of me…”

A slim man among the group slinked closer.

“This one looks a lot healthier than that sickly woman.”

Reaching for Roselia’s hair, she quickly grabbed the man’s wrist.