Diana fixed her disheveled coat and picked up a pillow placed at the edge of the bed.

Tuk.

As a golden line appeared between the two, signifying a safe distance, Raoul’s brows twitched in displeasure.

“You don’t have to do this. I won’t come any closer if you don’t allow it.”

“Good idea… but I’ll leave the pillow here, so please don’t cross that line.”

Diana rubbed the bite mark on her neck with her fingertips and crept towards the bedside.

Too many things had happened in less than half an hour.

Diana shuddered as she recalled Raoul, who had been whispering love on top of her body just moments ago.

‘This is crazy…! Why couldn’t I push him away firmly!’

Raoul, who was half-carrying Diana’s heavy weight, took advantage of her exhausted and docile state to unleash his pent-up affection without restraint.

Soft locks of silver hair rubbed against her cheeks and neck, and slightly heated breaths scattered over the finely grown fuzz, repeating the process.

Even though Diana thought she should push him away, she couldn’t move an inch like a prisoner tied up with ropes.

It was because Raoul’s appearance, seen in place of the ceiling, was stimulating enough to take her soul away.

Above his tousled hair, his thick eyebrows were revealed, and beneath them, his eyes were filled with heat.

Every time he called her name, her fingertips trembled.

She should have firmly rejected such lover-like behavior and told him not to do it, but at that moment, no words came out.

She had no choice but to accept it. Even after such a passionate reunion had ended, Raoul was not satisfied.

Even now, he was dissatisfiedly tugging at the end of the pillow, shooting pleading glances at her.

However, Diana could not tolerate any more than this. Whatever picture Raoul had in mind for their reunion, she thought they had already exchanged sufficiently passionate greetings.

Now it was time to have a proper conversation with Raoul.

Of course, she could have left this place without listening to any excuses, but she didn’t want to see Raoul crying and pleading anymore.

Until then, Diana had no idea that a bombshell remark would come out of Raoul’s unchangingly lovely mouth.

She had expected him to say that he had received an offer he couldn’t refuse from the rebels or that he had to stay because he couldn’t return to the estate.

However, the story Raoul brought up was completely different from what Diana had anticipated.

As their conversation deepened, shadows fell over Diana’s face.

This was a truth that Diana could not handle.

As befitting a large estate located in the north, the castle of the Duchy of Homerne had wide and desolate corridors.

Diana dragged her leather shoes, which were a mess due to the snow, and headed to the second-floor bedroom with Biche.

“It is said that the roads are completely blocked due to the heavy snowfall. Others were informed before departure, but since our estate is far away, the news must have been delayed.”

“Yes… but thankfully, no one is trapped in the snow.”

Biche smiled as she put down the simple luggage in the guest bedroom.

Despite the difficult schedule of waiting outside for a long time, she never frowned.

Diana tapped her wet shoulders and turned her head towards the servant in charge of the escort.

“…They said they would prepare a bedroom for Biche to stay in as well. You must be tired from waiting outside, so go in and warm up your body. I plan to stay in the room until dinner, so don’t worry.”

“Yes… If you need anything, please call me anytime.”

With a click, the door closed, and the spacious bedroom fell silent.

Diana finally unleashed the anxiety she had been trying to hide and rubbed her trembling arms until they felt hot. Otherwise, she felt like she couldn’t stop this trembling.

“Ugh… Ugh…!”

Diana barely managed to hold back the heaving that hit her throat and sat down on the carpet, gasping for breath.

“Haa… Haa…”

She couldn’t accept this situation at all. Raoul… the hero of the original work! Becoming Albert’s pawn!

Diana grabbed her heated head and denied the reality.

It can’t be… Raoul… How could Raoul think of siding with the emperor…

But Raoul said he would. With those pretty lips, he delivered the news that he was in cahoots with the emperor, throwing Diana into a panic.

Raoul’s expression as he spewed out the bombshell remark was indifferent, even cold.

He explained the military structure of the rebels, mentioning the leadership that led them and the executive branch that carried out orders under them.

〈The executive branch is just a chess piece that can be replaced by someone else even if a few are killed. On the other hand, the leadership includes the cult leader of the pagans, who can be said to be their spiritual pillar.〉

He mentioned that even Ayla was just an action leader and argued that the veiled leadership must be uprooted.

〈I haven’t figured out the exact location of the leadership yet. It will probably take some time.〉

〈What are you trying to do?〉

〈I can make contact with a senior member of the leadership on the day I’m first appointed to the executive branch. Of course, I’ll have to find the relic first. It will take some time, but it’s not impossible.〉

Diana asked in disbelief.

〈Do you really mean it…?〉

〈Of course, I mean it. Otherwise, there would be no reason for me to be here.〉

Raoul answered with indifferent eyes, as if there was no cruelty in the rebels.

〈No reason to join the rebels…? You are a victim of the war, Raoul… Think of your tribesmen who died due to indiscriminate slave hunting… How can you say you have no reason to join the rebels? It doesn’t make sense…〉

Raoul shook his head firmly and grabbed Diana’s shoulders.

〈The elder members of the leadership intend to purge all the nobles who were loyal to the emperor. If the rebellion succeeds, you will never be safe…〉

What Diana wanted was Raoul’s happy ending. Hoping that he would become a villain who would be loyal to the emperor and annihilate the rebels to be with her… It was nonsense. Diana turned pale and clutched Raoul’s hand pleadingly.

〈Just because of me… you’re going to turn your back on the rebels?〉

Raoul brushed off her grasp and spat out his resentment like a wounded beast.

〈…Just? To me, a future where we can be together is everything in life. But you… you consider our love to be a trivial thing not even worth choosing?〉

The distorted area around his eyes was red.

Diana stroked Raoul’s cheek, thinking about how she could conclude this conversation that was only hurting each other.

But no matter how much she pondered, there was no answer. Diana clutched his firm, heated neck and pleaded with a sorrowful expression.

〈That’s not what I meant… If you do that to be with me, you will never be happy… The same goes for me, who sacrificed you to be a villain just for our future…〉

But no matter how much she pleaded, Raoul’s answer was always the same. He coldly untangled the arm around his neck and recited coldly.

〈If I have to become a villain to be with you, I will gladly do so. So you should also abandon your meager sympathy for me. We don’t need to think about anything other than us.〉

Diana suddenly became afraid of Raoul, who had an unfamiliar face.

Did I… did I ruin you?

Diana could no longer bear it and left the tower.

She heard Raoul’s voice trying to stop her, but she had no confidence in persuading him.

The Raoul now was not the brave and kind-hearted wolf that Diana knew. No, was he like that from the beginning?

Diana couldn’t shake off the thought that they were destroying this world with the blind love of a Lycan.

‘No matter what, we can never be together in this land. If you try to change that… what should I do?’

She imagined Raoul standing with his foot on the neck of the rebels.

Raoul standing on a mountain of bloody corpses, planting the emperor’s flag instead…

That wasn’t the Raoul that Diana knew.

“If I am the guide who should lead Raoul on the right path… what should I do at a time like this?”

Diana stared at the burning kindling and closed her eyes.

For now, she had to calm down and think about the direction to move forward.