“I didn’t say it at the time, but thank you.”

Casus said with great difficulty, suppressing an awkward emotion.

Unable to meet Atia’s gaze, he hung his head.

To owe his life to the daughter of the Harad family, who was like an enemy.

But.

Embarrassing as it was, it was the truth.

“I wanted to say this.”

Casus, his head down, let out a short breath.

The discomfort he’d felt whenever he saw Atia was due to guilt.

The hope of not encountering her.

And the constant concern.

Struggling to say a single word of thanks, he had needlessly described flowers and plants.

Having finally given voice to the gratitude he had been holding in his heart, Casus felt relieved.

For a while, he had been so preoccupied with this that he couldn’t work.

However, when Casus raised his head again, she was already gone.

“Huh?”

[This is the time separator]

Thud thud thud thud!

Atia ran away as if being chased by something.

“Ma…Madam, what happened?”

Kesha, who had been at the training ground, asked in surprise.

Atia grabbed Kesha’s arm and ran fast.

Bang!

Clang.

In a blink of an eye, Atia, who had returned to her room, locked the door.

“Phew…….”

“Madam? Are you okay?”

“We finally made it.”

Atia’s silver hair, which had been tied up high, was now scattered.

Not only that, her entire body was soaked in sweat, and her pale face was red, perhaps due to the expansion of her blood vessels.

Surprised Kesha wondered.

‘What happened during that time?’

During the brief period when Kesha had run an errand, the madam who had been at the training ground was gone.

She was about to perform the tasks of the day as written on the routine.

When Atia came running with a desperate face and grabbed her arm in an instant.

Next thing she knew, she was running with the madam.

“Ah, I’m thirsty. Get me some water.”

“Yes, yes!”

Kesha poured water for Atia, who was fanning herself.

Glug glug.

As soon as she filled the cup with water that was neither cold nor hot, Atia drank it all at once.

“Kesha.”

“Yes?”

“For a while, don’t go out to the training ground, let’s stay here.”

“Madam, what happened?”

“I don’t think I should be in the Duke’s sight anymore.”

Atia said ominously, resting her hand on Kesha’s shoulder.

“We can do enough exercise in the room with home training.”

“Oh, yes, yes. I don’t mind. If I’m with you, madam.”

Atia was in deep thought about what to do next.

She had said that she would provide physiotherapy to the knights at the training ground.

She had promised to check their posture, soothe the painful areas, and take care of the injured parts.

She felt unjust thinking about the unfinished work at the training ground.

‘Oh dear, I even made all the exercise equipment.’

What a waste, but what could she do?

However, life came first.

If she annoyed Casus, the owner of the Duke’s estate, the disadvantages could be severe.

Moreover, Atia was on borrowed time.

She never knew when she might vomit blood and die.

Death itself was not scary.

Just,

‘If I die like this, I might become a ghost and wander around the Duke’s estate. No, I can’t die like this.’

Atia still had a lot she wanted to do.

Her life was already short, and it was better not to unnecessarily shorten it.

“Kesha, let’s do one more set.”

“Please…….”

“Ten, nine, eight, seven.”

“Madam, I think I’m going to die…….”

“Five, four, three…….”

The countdown to death continued without rest.

Then, suddenly,

Something quickly passed through Atia’s mind.

“Madam?”

“…….”

“Madam! Why did you stop counting!”

With her body trembling, Kesha bleated in anger.

“Start over.”

“Ah……. I can’t live anymore.”

Thud!

Exhausted, Kesha collapsed on the floor of the room.

The room was full of hot breath.

Atia, who had stopped the death count, widened her eyes.

“Eureka!”

“Oh, mom, you surprised me!”

“That’s it!”

“What? What is it?”

Atia smiled brightly at Kesha, who was lying on the floor.

‘It’s about winning Heidegger over quickly.’

If she builds a relationship with Heidegger and stays by his side, Casus won’t be able to treat Atia recklessly.
Casus, too, had not stopped Hades from going to the battlefield.

Considering Hades was still at the Duke’s house, there must have been a schedule change or another reason.

‘I have to seize this opportunity.’

Atia decided.

This time, she would certainly capture Hades.

“Kesha.”

“Yes…….”

Kesha answered, drawing rough breaths while lying on the floor.

She looked like a goldfish out of water, floundering about every time she was seen.

“Where is the Duke at the moment?”

At this moment,

His presence was more important than exercise.

[This is the time separator]

Hades’s office.

Various documents were stacked on the desk.

He was looking over the parts that his son, Casus, had missed or not seen.

‘Just like my son.’

Casus was handling his work perfectly and neatly. But there were gaps even he missed.

The brow of Hades, who was reading the newspaper, narrowed.

[Royal Special Report] [The New Owner of the Golden Yolk Land!] [Announcing the Beginning of a New Era!]