For a moment, the man looked at Roselia with a surprised expression.

“What, what? You’re not letting go?”

Without giving the man time to react, Roselia burrowed into his arms and hung the man’s arm that was holding her on her shoulder.

Then she pulled his arm with all her might while bending her body.

As a result, the man’s feet floated in the air, and with a final scream, he flipped over.

Thud−!!!

Before anyone could say anything, the man who had instantly landed on his back on the floor rolled his eyes and fainted from the sudden impact.

Only then did Roselia stand up and look at the man lying down, saying one thing.

“I let go, why.”

To think that she would use self-defense skills learned in real life like this…….

Just as she was feeling proud that it wasn’t money wasted, when the fallen man’s colleagues glared at her fiercely, Roselia gulped.

While she hesitated, the men began to approach, each spewing curses.

As a fierce aura emanated from the men, only then did Roselia have to swallow a troubled groan.

Damn it, even if she luckily managed to stop one, it was impossible to deal with several big men.

It would be nice if, like in common novels, a superpower appeared with a bang! in a moment of crisis…….

There was no way such a thing would happen.

“Catch that energetic woman first!”

At one man’s shout, the men all rushed at Roselia.

Just as she thought this was the end and closed her eyes tightly, a familiar voice was heard.

“Your Grace!!!”

This voice is…… Alejandro……?

As she opened her eyes in confusion while thinking that, an incredible scene unfolded.

A long, sturdy leg that flew in from somewhere sent the head of the man approaching right in front of her eyes flying.

Thud bang bang−!!!

The man whose head was struck with tremendous force not only crashed to the floor with a loud noise but was also pathetically pushed away.

The other men were just as surprised by the sudden situation.

Everyone’s gaze turned questioningly in one direction.

There, Duke Balthasar was standing straight, looking at the men insensibly with a very calm appearance.

Only then did Roselia, belatedly recognizing the situation, call out to him.

“Your Grace……?”

Klaus, who was standing in front of the men with his back to Roselia, slowly turned his head to look at her.

That gaze was so cold, rather than filled with worry or relief, that even Roselia shrank back.

“You always surprise me in unexpected situations.”

While Klaus was distracted by Roselia, another man rushed at him, aiming for an opening.

“What’s a noble doing here!”

Not expecting someone of a duke’s status to appear in such a back alley, the man who thought he was just some low-ranking noble rushed at Klaus without fear.

Although it had been quite some time since he last held a sword, his movements were flawless, having excelled not only in academics but also in swordsmanship and sports at the academy.

Avoiding the man’s attack like flowing water, he drove his leg into the back of the man who was flailing in the air after missing.

Thud−!!!

“Kheuk−!!”

At that moment, another man who had carefully approached Roselia and Nadia reached out to take Roselia hostage.

However, Klaus’s hand, which reached her first, grabbed the throat of the man approaching Roselia.

Klaus, gripping the man’s neck, spoke in a lowered voice that sounded like a beast growling, without even looking at Roselia.

“Is this the kind of place you chose after rejecting my offer?”

After spitting out those words, Klaus kicked the man whose neck he was gripping in the abdomen. The man slammed into the wall and groaned in pain, coughing violently.

Unlike his fierce glare at the man, as if he would tear him apart, his words were once again directed at Roselia.

“Neither you nor Antonio ever seem to listen to what I say.”

As he said that and slowly turned around, a menacing aura emanated from him, causing Roselia to unconsciously gulp.

Faced with such a cold and vicious gaze that he probably wouldn’t even look at a street dog that way, Roselia felt an unreasonable sense of injustice welling up.

No, who asked for help? He came running without being asked, took care of everything, and now why is he glaring like that?

It was as if a dark aura was emanating from behind his back as he glared coldly.

For now, since it was true that she had received help from Klaus, Roselia carefully offered her thanks.

“Th… th, thank you.”

At that moment, Alejandro, who had been running from a distance, finally arrived beside Klaus, catching his breath.

“Oh my, Your Grace! Do you know how surprised I was when you suddenly got out of the carriage?”

Unlike the calm Klaus, Alejandro was panting as if he was about to pass out, and Klaus looked down at him as if he found him pathetic.

Alejandro, avoiding his gaze, looked around with wide eyes.

“But…… Who are these men? No, that’s not what’s important right now!”

Alejandro, who had been looking around in confusion, suddenly shouted as if something had occurred to him.

“At this rate, we’ll be late for the meeting about the Algricha school construction! It’s the first meeting with the construction company owner, merchant guild leader, and local government head!”

While Klaus and Alejandro were talking, Roselia quietly slipped away, supporting Nadia.

It seemed dangerous to show her face as Roselia even to Alejandro.

Unlike the unexpectedly obtuse Klaus, Esteban had noticed at a glance, so the meticulous Alejandro would surely notice.

As she quietly left the scene with Nadia, Alejandro’s lengthy speech continued.

“Why on earth did you beat up these innocent citizens? Huh?”

Klaus frowned and quietly rebutted.

“In what way are they innocent citizens?”

“Come on! You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance! No, why did you suddenly jump out of the carriage when we were sitting comfortably and start beating people up!”

Klaus frowned, seemingly upset at being painted as a scoundrel by Alejandro’s words, and looked back to where Roselia and Nadia had been, trying to continue. Or rather, he tried to.

“I just found that woman annoying…….”

“What? Woman?”

Alejandro, who had been looking around at the fallen men, looked at Klaus suspiciously.

“Where is there a woman here?”

“Surely Roselia and another woman were…….”

“Roselia? That name sounds familiar…… No! This isn’t what’s important right now!”

Alejandro, who had suddenly come to his senses again, ended up grabbing Klaus’s arm and dragging him to the carriage.

Roselia watched the situation from behind an alley with Nadia and let out a sigh of relief.

Nadia, who had been looking at her questioningly, said one thing.

“But why are we hiding?”

Faced with Nadia’s puzzled gaze, Roselia hesitated for a moment before smiling awkwardly.

“Well…… They seemed to be important people…… I thought things might get complicated unnecessarily.”

“Weren’t you acquainted with that noble gentleman from earlier?”

“Uh…… He was a former employer! Haha! Anyway, if we keep talking here, those men from earlier might chase after us, so let’s move somewhere else.”

At Roselia’s words hastily changing the subject, Nadia tilted her head but soon turned and started walking.

“Follow me. Since this is a fateful encounter, I’ll guide you to my house, though it’s nothing much.”

The place Nadia led them to was a dilapidated wooden house that was falling apart.

Judging by the collapsed roof on one side, it probably couldn’t even properly block the rain on rainy days.

The interior of the house was in similar condition.

Old and broken furniture and messy garbage that made one wonder if people could actually live here…….

However, here and there, what appeared to be backdrop paintings were set up.

And in the brightest spot of the gloomy house where sunlight shone best, there was an old easel with a painting that seemed unfinished.

It was an abstract painting with dazzling light streams and rainbow-like light clusters, contrasting with the damp and dark house.

But just looking at it made one’s mind go blank and feel as if being sucked into the painting.

As Roselia stared at the painting in a daze, Nadia approached carefully and smiled bitterly.

“It’s my last painting.”

At Nadia’s sudden confession, Roselia’s gaze turned to her questioningly.

Of course, in the original work, Nadia would die from a chronic illness, but she shouldn’t know when she would die…….

Looking at Nadia’s lonely expression as she gazed at the painting, Roselia spoke with difficulty.

“Why is that painting your last?”

To Roselia’s tense question, Nadia smiled as if it was nothing.

“I’ve run out of paint. And now I don’t even have money left to buy paint.”

Only then did she notice that the old wooden palette next to the easel showed the bottom of the paint tubes.

She must have bought those paints while scrimping on food to paint.

But why…… when Roselia came to buy a painting, did she refuse to sell it?

At the time, Roselia had come as Antonio, so she couldn’t ask that question.

As Roselia looked at Nadia with a complicated gaze, Nadia chuckled and continued.

“There’s no need to look at me with such pitying eyes. I was going to give up painting anyway.”

Roselia struggled to part her lips and asked.

“Have you ever…… thought about selling your paintings……?”

At Roselia’s serious question, Nadia chuckled and leaned against the wall.

“Painting…… was my only escape. When I painted, I felt free enough to forget this filthy reality.”

Nadia smiled bitterly as she said that.

“I may sell my laughter and body…… but I didn’t want to sell my freedom.”

As Nadia said this, she was smiling, but somehow it seemed like she was crying, making Roselia’s heart ache.

Even without hearing or seeing, just looking at her body and eyes now, everything could be guessed.

She must have worked at that bar since her hair grew out. Maybe even before that, she did many things to avoid starving.

She must have endured by selling her laughter, selling her body, selling her lifetime.

In the process, she lost love, lost health, and lost hope.

For her, painting must have been the only hope she didn’t want to sell or lose.