Though it was just the act of wrapping bandages, Klaus’s entire body tensed up.

Roselia ignored the tense feeling and silently continued wrapping the bandages.

While wrapping bandages around his chest area, her hand brushed against his chest.

It was a brief touch, but her fingertips that contacted his body felt burning hot. Could his wound be infected and causing a fever?

Worried, Roselia carefully placed her hand near the wound to check his body temperature.

When she touched the sensitive area of his back near the wound, his body suddenly stiffened.

She could feel his muscles tensing up even more from the startled contraction.

Thinking he seemed to have a fever and she should get some antipyretics from the butler, Roselia moved around to his front to tie off the bandage.

As she knelt to tie the knot on his chest, she could feel him staring at her intensely to the point of discomfort.

Glancing at Klaus’s eyes, Roselia tried to avoid his piercing gaze and focus on tying the bandage.

But perhaps due to her own nervousness, her palms were sweaty and her fingers kept slipping, preventing her from tying the knot properly.

Unable to endure the continued fidgeting sensation on his chest any longer, Klaus suddenly grabbed her wrist.

As Roselia looked up at him in surprise, Klaus spoke in a strained voice as if holding something back.

“That’s enough.”

“But I haven’t finished…”

“I’ll call someone else. You may go now.”

Seeing that Klaus did not look well as he breathed heavily, Roselia carefully removed her hand as he said.

His rigid expression that seemed somewhat angry made Roselia’s heart sink.

Was he mad because she couldn’t even wrap a bandage properly?

Feeling dejected for no reason, Roselia slowly stood up.

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

As Roselia turned to leave after saying that, Klaus spoke in a low voice.

“I’ll say it again, just forget whatever you saw.”

At Klaus’s stern warning, Roselia stared at his back as he sat turned away, then quietly left the room.

After the door closed and she left, Klaus hunched over and buried his face in his hands.

He couldn’t understand his wildly beating heart.

The absurd suspicion he had been trying to deny as just a misunderstanding before was now almost a certainty swirling in his mind.

He had thought he was attracted to Roselia, so why was he feeling similar emotions towards Antonio?

Damn it, that can’t be. It can’t be…

Klaus remained frozen like that for a long while with his face buried in his hands.

A few days after that incident, Roselia visited Closet and Count Vernas as usual.

That day, they planned to enjoy tea time at a table set up in the Count’s garden.

It was a leisurely and relaxing time that made it hard to believe she had nearly been crushed to death by a pillar in the middle of a construction site just a few days ago.

“I’m glad the weather is nice today. It’s perfect for a picnic, isn’t it?”

Roselia smiled brightly and agreed with Closet’s words.

“It feels so nice to have tea outdoors like this.”

Count Vernas, who had been looking at them with disapproval, grumbled.

“Do you two think this is a picnic spot?”

“Oh come on, Grandfather~ It’s nice to have tea outdoors and enjoy the mood.”

At Closet’s words, the Count turned his head away pretending to be displeased, but he didn’t tell them to clear the table or leave.

Roselia found herself smiling at the Count who seemed like a shy 10-year-old boy, acting displeased while secretly enjoying it.

Just then, Closet, who had leisurely taken a sip of tea, observed Roselia’s expression and asked.

“Antonio. How are you feeling?”

Seeming sensitive about someone being hurt or sick due to the accident, Closet asked worriedly. Roselia smiled reassuringly in response.

“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine. The Duke seems to be doing better than expected too, so don’t worry too much.”

At the mention of Klaus, Closet replied somewhat gruffly, perhaps recalling how she had cried like a child back then.

“When did I say I was worried…”

As Closet buried her face in the paper she had brought while saying that, Roselia asked curiously.

“What’s that?”

“Oh… It’s a sketch I’ve been doodling lately.”

Closet handed over the sketched drawing somewhat sheepishly.

The sketchbook made of bound paper was filled with drawings of small birds.

Looking closely, they resembled the canary that Klaus had gifted to Closet before.

Seeing names written under each bird sketch, it seemed to indeed be the canary she received as a gift that day.

“Is the canary’s name Pipi?”

“Yes, it chirps ‘pipi’ when it sings. Isn’t it cute?”

Roselia smiled along with Closet, who had a loving smile just from thinking about the canary.

Just then, the Count, who had been sitting to the side pretending to be uninterested, spoke up.

“Be careful it doesn’t get eaten by an eagle.”

At the sudden talk of eagles, Closet frowned and protested.

“Grandfather, Pipi is in a cage.”

But the Count seemed to have no intention of listening to Closet’s words, and was only focused on saying his piece.

“Eagles are very clever and cunning creatures that wait for their prey to let their guard down.”

His dementia must be acting up again.

Knowing it was best to just quietly listen at times like this, Roselia nodded and obediently listened to the Count’s words.

“While the prey is distracted by other things like worms, it attacks in an instant and cuts off their breath.”

“No, I’m telling you Pipi is in a cage…”

As Closet retorted in frustration, suddenly the environmental herb found on the school grounds came to Roselia’s mind.

Could it have been a means of diverting attention?

She thought that perhaps someone targeting the Duke’s family was waiting for the Duke to let his guard down, deliberately trying to divert attention.

But if it was someone of that caliber, there’s no way they wouldn’t have appeared in the original story…

What part of the original story am I missing?

Although Klaus was portrayed as a villain threatening the Empire and Imperial Family in the original, it’s possible that Klaus might not actually be the villain.

Someone who could frame the Duke and use the Duke’s family to bring down the Imperial Family for their own gain.

Suddenly struck by a realization, Roselia froze while staring into space.

After returning from the Count’s residence, Roselia headed straight to Klaus’s office.

Reaching the office, Roselia knocked on the door without hesitation.

“It’s Antonio!”

At Roselia’s urgent voice, permission to enter soon came from inside.

Seeing her somewhat rushed appearance, Klaus put down his documents and asked curiously.

“What’s the matter?”

Roselia looked into Klaus’s eyes without wavering and spoke firmly.

“The emblem I told you about. Could it perhaps be a family crest?”

She seemed to be referring to the emblem she had drawn.

The same emblem on the badges worn by those who had targeted Roselia…

Klaus frowned deeply and spoke coldly.

“I told you to stay out of that matter.”

Despite Klaus’s words drawing a line, Roselia did not back down and continued speaking.

“It might be the crest of a specific family. Please look into it carefully.”

Sensing that she would not back down easily, Klaus sighed deeply and spoke coldly.

“I already investigated that emblem. It’s not a family crest.”

After a moment of silence at Klaus’s words, Roselia spoke with a resolute expression as if she had made up her mind.

“Then… could you please investigate the organizations under the Grand Duke Rubellio’s family?”

Klaus furrowed his brow at Roselia’s words.

“The Grand Duke Rubellio’s family?”

Despite Klaus’s questioning gaze, Roselia met his eyes with a determined look.

A presence known from the setting, though not properly appearing in the original story.

Grand Duke Rubellio, next in line for the throne after the Crown Prince.

He was the younger brother of the former Emperor and uncle to the current Crown Prince.

Normally, the Crown Prince would ascend to the throne after the Emperor’s death, but the noble council was delaying the coronation, claiming the Crown Prince still lacked the proper qualities.

And it was rumored that the successor they acknowledged was none other than Grand Duke Rubellio.

The Rubellio family would also benefit if the Imperial Family and Balthazar’s ducal family clashed.

They could keep in check the ducal family, which had more influence than any other noble family below the rank of grand duke, while potentially dealing with the troublesome Crown Prince without lifting a finger – killing two birds with one stone.

Even if the ducal family’s rebellion failed, Grand Duke Rubellio would lose nothing.

Rather, the Crown Prince would end up dealing with the ducal family that had been eyeing the grand ducal position in the noble hierarchy.

Roselia spoke calmly and clearly to Klaus.

“Please thoroughly investigate the organizations under the Grand Duke’s family. There may be an organization related to that emblem.”

“Antonio. Do you realize what you’re saying right now?”

“Yes.”

The grand ducal family was still part of the imperial family.

Roselia’s current statement could lead to imprisonment for insulting or slandering the imperial family.

“Do you understand what it means to suspect the grand ducal family?”

“I think it’s better to be prepared in advance than to be blindsided later.”

“Hah…”

Truly, both Roselia and Antonio were like unpredictable balls, impossible to know where they would bounce next.

But even while thinking that, he couldn’t help but be concerned.

Moreover, what Antonio had just said would cause tremendous waves whether it was true or not. One wrong word could lead to being silently murdered.

“I’ll say it again, don’t get involved in this matter.”

Klaus continued in a lowered voice, almost growling as if giving a stern warning.

“Don’t be curious about it either. Never utter those words you just said anywhere else.”

Frustrated by Klaus’s behavior of only trying to avoid the topic, Roselia burst out in protest.

“If Grand Duke Rubellio is the culprit, we’ll just end up being played by them if we stay like this!”

Suddenly, there was a sound of something hitting the window outside.

Before Roselia could react, Klaus quickly approached her and covered her mouth while glaring out the window.

“Damn it, Antonio. Not even the Duke’s mansion is completely safe. So please…”

At that moment, Klaus felt Roselia’s rough breathing against his palm.

In his haste to cover her mouth, their bodies were pressed too closely together.

Suddenly, he was reminded of the time he had covered Roselia’s mouth on the terrace of the Imperial banquet hall to hide from the Crown Prince.

It was inexplicable why that incident came to mind while he was with Antonio.

That maddening emotion and exhilaration from back then… everything felt similar.

Why was he feeling those same emotions towards Antonio, Roselia’s brother, of all people…

Frowning at the ticklish sensation on his palm, Klaus looked down at Roselia.

Roselia was also looking up at him with wavering eyes.