When Diana sighed silently, Angela clung to her side and relayed Theodore’s recent news.

“Don’t worry…! It’s only a week until the dormitory check-in.”

“…Okay.”

“Above all, you’ll be busy with sword practice, so you won’t run into him much.”

“…So that’s why the maids are busy.”

“Yes. It seems he’s requested duels against senior knights.”

“Did anyone get hurt?”

“Since the young master used mana…”

When mana is used, even practice wooden swords can be used like real swords.

Even Father refrains from using mana to prevent injuries during training, so this was behavior without basic etiquette.

“He’s so reckless.”

“…Yes. Who could stop that young master.”

Theodore had a very eccentric temperament.

In front of Father, he acted innocently like a fox curling its tail, but outside, he couldn’t tolerate even small mistakes from the servants.

He was probably the type to slack off if given leniency, and lie down claiming to threaten the next family head if taken seriously.

“Everyone must be having a hard time.”

“Miss, you just need to endure today’s family dinner.”

“Yeah…”

It was their first meeting since Father had appointed Theodore as the next family head.

Her cousin brother only pretended to be a good nephew in front of Father, but was no different from a devil in front of Diana.

‘I wonder how he plans to torment me this time…? I’m so sick of it!’

He despised Diana to the point of contempt.

〈If my father were alive, you wouldn’t have even set foot in this castle. You lowly half-breed…〉

Every time they met, he would look at her like she was less than a bug, deliberately getting on her nerves.

When she was young, he did many cruel things like lying that he had lost Diana after abandoning her in the forest, or shooting her with a slingshot while making her stand still.

Every time, he would ‘gaslight’ her, portraying the innocent Diana as impatient and a crybaby!

Just thinking about it made her stomach churn.

Diana changed into a lace nightgown, then left Sebastian’s bath to Angela and collapsed onto the bed.

‘I need to recharge my energy until dinner… To see that face again.’

As she buried her face in the pillow, a neat and cute face naturally came to mind.

‘…I thought he would come to greet me.’

Raoul was silent, probably immersed in training.

Raoul, who had noticeably softened over the past few years, was quite affectionate towards Diana.

Instead of coldly turning away when spoken to, he smiled gently, and when handed a tasty snack, he would split it in half and place it in Diana’s hand without sighing.

He devoted all his time outside of training to Diana, and no matter how busy he was, he always made sure to say goodnight at the end of the day.

Perhaps that’s why, even while riding in the carriage, she could easily imagine Raoul pacing in front of her bedroom.

‘…I miss him. Should I go see him?’

But she soon shook her head.

While she wanted to see Raoul, she couldn’t stand the sight of Theodore training in the practice grounds.

‘I don’t want dinner or anything…! If you want to encourage Theodore, just eat with him! Leave me out of it!’

Both her body and mind were tired. Diana tossed and turned in agony before drifting off to sleep.

“Miss, wake up. We need to get you ready.”

Angela woke Diana with a soft voice.

A ball of fur had climbed onto her stomach at some point, curled up and breathing evenly.

When Diana stroked the fluffy fur, a pleasant purring sound was heard.

“Looks like the bath tired him out… How cute.”

“He ate two bowls of food after bathing too. He eats so much for such a small body…”

“Life on the streets must have been hard.”

She placed the cat down on the bed and sat in front of the mirror.

“Shall we braid your hair? Or leave it down?”

“Should I wear a bonnet?”

“…But it’s a dinner gathering?”

“I guess you’re right?”

Angela puffed out her cheeks as she brushed Diana’s glossy hair.

“You don’t need to hide it. It’s so pretty…!”

“Okay…”

A sharp wariness towards Theodore instinctively raised its head.

‘I wonder what he’s prepared this time…’

She dragged her heavy feet reluctantly towards the banquet hall.

In the end, she stubbornly hid her hair under a bonnet…

Diana sat across from Theodore, silently spooning her food.

Her stomach churned, and she could barely swallow the soup.

Theodore cheerfully chattered about his study abroad days, subtly flaunting his excellence to his uncle.

“Do you remember Lord Todd?”

“Yes.”

“I heard he’s been appointed as a professor for the intermediate swordsmanship class.”

“He has excellent sword energy, so it would be good to keep him close.”

“Yes. But the teacher seems tired of seeing my face. He keeps telling me to move up to the advanced class…”

Theodore feigned modesty, narrowing his eyes demurely.

“I’m worried he’s overestimating me too much, since I only won completely because my peers in the Kingdom of Lumiere were terribly unskilled.”

‘Subtly bragging about himself… I wonder if Father understands.’

“One knows their own skills best. No need to be swayed by others’ words. Come down to the training grounds tomorrow. I’ll check your basics.”

Diana adjusted her wide-brimmed bonnet, swallowing a laugh.

Father, stingy with praise, responded robotically to whatever Theodore said.

‘Serves him right…!’

As she was about to enjoy his contorted expression, her eyes met Theodore’s.

Blazing purple eyes were glaring fiercely at Diana.

‘…What now. Why are you taking it out on me again? This is ridiculous!’

Theodore made a throat-slitting gesture at Diana behind Father’s back.

‘Oh please…!’

He glared at Diana with a contemptuous gaze, but then some thought seemed to occur to him, and he sneered.

“Ah, before coming, I received a gift from a friend. It’s something Diana would be very happy about, so I brought it.”

“I see.”

“It’s a surprise gift, so I won’t reveal it now.”

The Duke just nodded indifferently.

On her way back to her bedroom, Diana couldn’t focus due to the overwhelming fatigue.

‘Please… I just want to sleep now.’

But there was no way Theodore would back down like this.

Sure enough, he was leaning against the dim stairway landing with his arms crossed, waiting for her.

‘Sigh… Give it a rest. I’m not in the mood to play along with your childish tricks.’

As Diana’s face was reflected in his gleaming eyes, the atmosphere in the narrow stairway instantly grew tense.

“Hey, half-breed. Long time no see?”

Theodore’s mana surrounded Diana like sharp spears.

He approached step by step, looking down at Diana from right in front of her.

“This dirty hair color is still the same. It’s disgusting just to look at. To think such worthless blood would dare mix into our family.”

“…Stop it and go. I’m tired.”

“What have you done to be tired? You parasite, just staying cooped up in the castle and wasting food.”

The mana was so prickly that she couldn’t move a muscle. At times like this, she resented her own powerlessness.

“You attended the Imperial ball. Not knowing your place.”

‘So this was it after all?’

She almost laughed in disbelief.

“That’s enough, move aside. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Now all the academy students will know who my sister is, right?”

“Is that my fault?”

“It is. That’s why you’re being punished.”

Theodore smiled maliciously and whispered in her ear.

“What do you think happened to that guy you care about?”

“What…”

“The wolf cub.”

In an instant, her head went cold.

“How do you know about him?”

“Judging by your reaction, you really do care about him? I guess birds of a feather flock together?”

“Don’t change the subject. What did you do to him!”

“I just played with him a bit. When I mentioned your name, he didn’t make a sound even while being hit?”

For the first time, Diana grabbed Theodore by the collar.

‘This madman! How dare he lay hands on him!’

“Did you hit him?”

“Hit him? It was just a fair duel. Who can you blame if he lost due to lack of skill?”

“He’s not someone you could ever beat!”

“Someone like me…? You’ve grown a lot?”

His gleaming eyes suddenly darkened.

He smirked and yanked Diana’s hair hard.

“…I threatened that if he left a scratch on the body of the next family head, he’d never see you again. Then he really tucked his tail between his legs. How did you tame him? I’d like to have someone like that too.”

“…I won’t let this go.”

Finding something amusing, Theodore chuckled for a while.

“What will you do if you don’t let it go? Report to Uncle?”

“…”

“Uncle said this. You’re unsuitable for the position of family head because you have no mana or holy power. Me, who has value, and you, who has none. Whose words do you think he’ll believe more?”

“…You bastard.”

“The only time you have value is when you give me pleasure. So, keep your mouth shut and lie flat. I need to enjoy at least this week.”

Theodore raised his eyebrows leisurely, shoved Diana’s shoulder hard, and disappeared into the darkness.

Her teeth ground in anger.

She hurriedly ran to Raoul’s room and knocked on the door.

“Raoul? Are you not here?”

There was no response no matter how many times she knocked.

Her steps were heavy as she returned to her bedroom. Her head ached from too many things happening in one day.

‘Could he have gone for a night walk because he was feeling down? Should I go look for him?’

Just as she turned the doorknob fruitlessly, a familiar voice made her head snap up.

“Come down.”

Raoul was staring blankly at Diana with his cheek pressed against the cat’s paw.

“…Diana?”

“…”

“I’m sorry. I was going to wait on the terrace, but this cat…”

Her body, stiff with tension, collapsed right there.

“Are you okay?”

A flustered Raoul tossed the cat onto the bed and rushed to Diana.

Diana, who had sunk to the ground powerless, apologized in a voice tinged with sorrow.

“I’m sorry…”

“What are you suddenly saying…?”

His pale face gleamed between heavy eyelids.

Lowering her gaze, she could see red marks here and there under his tunic.

The scab on his fine lips was also vivid.

“Come here…”

When Diana stretched out both arms to Raoul, who was sitting with his knees up, the distance between them naturally closed.

She grabbed his cheek as he approached to be embraced, and examined his wounds. Only then did Raoul open his eyes wide in surprise.

“It’s nothing… I just got a little hurt during training.”

“Hold still.”

Her delicate hand moved carefully, as if tracing the wounds on his face.

Fixing his head that kept trying to turn away, she could also see yellowish bruises that were healing.

‘This isn’t a wound made by a sword. Did he even hit him…?’

As her head grew cold, her chest burned hot. Diana’s hand trembled as she held Raoul’s cheek.

“I can’t let this go.”

The girl who had been afraid of Theodore until just now was gone.

Diana’s eyes blazed fiercely.

‘…You should have just bullied me. You shouldn’t have touched Raoul…!’

Theodore had crossed a line he should not have crossed.