Due to tossing and turning all night, Diana got up with tired eyes.

‘How should I get revenge……’

To improve her mood, Angela busily prepared foot bath water from the morning.

However, now was not the time to leisurely receive a foot massage.

“Angela, did you find out what I asked about?”

“Yes….. As you suspected, Miss, it seems Vincent reported Young Master Theodore.”

After confirming Raoul’s wounds last night, Diana immediately called Angela to accurately gauge public opinion.

According to Vincent’s explanation, Theodore was incompetent and lacking in chivalry, so his reputation was at rock bottom.

It was quite a feat to turn everyone in the castle against him in just one day. The upright loyal retainer was the quickest to inform the Duke of his misdeeds.

“It seems he’s not afraid of future consequences…..”

“What was Father’s reaction?”

“……He said he would properly check his skills in today’s sparring match, it seems he’s preparing thoroughly…..”

After pondering all night, Diana decided to report Theodore’s misdeeds to her father.

‘Even though he’s the villain, he’s never once dismissed my opinion.’

If Theodore went to the academy like this, it was obvious he would come down every vacation to torment Raoul.

‘I don’t want that. Even if I have to kneel and be confined to a room…… I will protect Raoul.’

A controversy over his qualifications has already arisen among the knights.

If she explained point by point why he was unsuitable to be the family head, her father might listen. After all, in the future, when Theodore became embroiled in a violence incident at the academy, her father immediately stripped him of his successor position.

The area around the training ground was full of servants. Following their gazes, she saw Theodore standing next to the Duke, as expected.

“I’ll give you a chance to choose your opponent.”

The Duke spoke in an impossibly cold voice, gesturing to the tall knights.

Everyone’s expressions were gloomy, as if they found this situation awkward and dishonorable.

His purple eyeballs rolled around as if pondering, then suddenly stopped in an unexpected place.

He smiled innocently like a child who had come up with an amusing idea and pointed to one person.

“I’ll spar with that child.”

Everyone’s gaze followed the tip of his finger. The person he pointed to was none other than Raoul.

The Duke raised an eyebrow crookedly and asked again.

“That child is a slave. Wouldn’t it be more honorable to spar with a knight?”

“Lycans are called rulers of the snow fields, aren’t they? I want to test my skills.”

Vincent, who was holding Raoul’s shoulder, whispered with a deep sigh.

“The lord is watching, so there’s no need to be nervous. Just do as you usually do.”

Without answering, Raoul advanced to the center of the training ground. The two people standing at opposite ends faced each other with contrasting expressions.

Theodore’s eyes gleamed like a snake staring at trapped prey, while Raoul calmly took his stance holding the wooden sword.

Diana clasped her hands as if praying, without blinking once.

“Raoul, fight….. I’ll take care of the aftermath somehow.”

As the Duke gestured, the whistle signaling the start of the match blew. Theodore swung his sword first.

Unlike a normal sparring match, he persistently aimed for the face and neck.

It was playful and annoying movements, as if torturing a trapped insect. Diana’s spine chilled every time the sword grazed near the eyes.

“Why aren’t you counterattacking!”

Raoul deliberately let himself be grazed by swords he could have easily dodged.

Diana’s insides were burning up.

As the boring swordfight continued, a sneer burst from the Duke’s lips.

“What on earth are you trying to do? Did you take a bribe or something?”

Theodore was the one at fault, but the arrow of criticism was aimed at Raoul. Diana bit her lip hard in frustration.

Theodore, who had been observing the Duke’s expression, seemed to feel impatient and suddenly erased his playful gaze.

He whispered softly to Raoul, mouthing the words.

‘Do it properly without being obvious.’

At the same time, their wooden swords clashed properly.

Although normally Raoul could subdue such an opponent in an instant, he only defended steadily while stepping back.

“……Not bad! But, it’s futile!”

Despite his words full of bravado, Theodore’s skills were terrible.

Since Theodore couldn’t defeat Raoul, the match didn’t end.

In the end, he hastily bared his fangs. The mana subtly overlaid on the wooden sword flashed with light.

‘That’s against the rules……!’

At the moment Diana reached out her hand to protest,

Peeeeeeeep!

The whistle blew and the Duke struck the armrest of his chair.

“How pathetic. To dare try to deceive my eyes.”

The atmosphere of the training ground sank coldly.

Diana also swallowed hard and observed her father’s mood.

The Duke, sitting cross-legged on the platform chair, looked down at the two and sneered.

“Why didn’t you face him properly?”

He asked Raoul, not Theodore.

“Don’t tell me you received some kind of request?”

“……”

“You’d better answer. The severity of your punishment will depend on your answer.”

Diana’s complexion turned pale.

‘Why are you questioning Raoul instead of Theodore? Are you saying you won’t humiliate the future family head in front of people?’

Her clenched fists trembled.

“I’ll ask one last time. Why didn’t you face him properly?”

“……I’ll answer!”

Diana ran to the center of the training ground with fire in her eyes. She knelt down next to Raoul and bowed her head deeply.

“Please let me answer….. Please.”

The Duke’s expression darkened at the sudden action.

“Get up, Diana! I’m fine.”

Raoul pleaded, but Diana didn’t budge.

She desperately wanted to sever the ill-fated connection with Theodore here.

Seeing Raoul suffer hardships, her heart became even more resolute.

“The reason Brother Theodore chose Raoul was to torment me. This child didn’t receive any requests. If anything, he was threatened.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Last night after dinner, Brother called me out and told me. He said he would torment the slave I cherish, so I should just watch quietly.”

“……Wh-when did I ever!”

“It’s okay if you say things to me. I could endure being abandoned in the forest, or being tied to a tree and shot with a slingshot….. But this is going too far.”

As she pleaded with her head bowed deeply, the Duke’s face contorted nicely.

Theodore protested in outrage.

“Uncle! Surely you don’t believe those words? Diana has lived confined to the castle, so her mind isn’t sound……! Why would I need to torment Diana?”

“You always threatened that you’d drive me out when you become the family head. *Sniff*…… Are you angry because of the imperial ball this time? I’ll never attend again, so please stop tormenting me.”

“……Imperial ball?”

“Th-that…! It was out of concern for Diana! The imperial ball is a place for interaction between families, but for Diana to represent the family… Isn’t it obvious she’ll be ridiculed?”

A cold light flickered in his murky, sunken eyes.

“This is absurd.”

“Pardon?”

“Tarnish the family name? That’s what I should say after seeing your swordsmanship.”

“U-Uncle… What do you mean…”

“You couldn’t defeat even a single ant without mana. I truly cannot fathom what Lord Todd saw in you to praise you so highly.”

“I’ll demonstrate properly again! I can win sufficiently without mana!”

“How? You fool who doesn’t even know your own abilities, deceived by flatterers. It would be fortunate if you were merely stupid and dull. To dare try to deceive me, I have no intention of raising a schemer like you as my successor.”

“If not me, who else could take this position! Uncle! Please give me a chance!”

“Arrogant brat.”

The Duke turned his gaze to Benjamin.

“Contact the academy and cancel the transfer request. Pack this fellow’s bags and send him back.”

As Benjamin signaled the waiting knights, Theodore’s arms were bound as if they had been waiting for this moment.

“Uncle! You can’t do this! I’m your only nephew!”

“Well, are you the only one? Your father was quite the womanizer. If we look, there’s bound to be more than one seed he’s sown.”

“Let go! How dare you lay hands on my body! Uncle! I can do better! Why did you send me to study abroad for 5 years!”

Diana smiled bitterly at his cries.

‘Only nephew, so what? Originally, I should have inherited the family head position. Father probably has no intention of passing it to me though.’

The training ground was quiet after Theodore disappeared. Despite the matter being settled, the Duke remained in his seat.

‘Why isn’t he leaving?’

Diana awkwardly met his eyes.

The Duke’s expression was unreadable.

He furrowed his brow as if in deep thought, and exhaled deeply with a blank expression.

‘What is he up to? Surely he’s not thinking of punishing me?’

“…If you were displeased by my intrusion, I’m sorry.”

“…I never said such a thing.”

Diana held Raoul’s hand and only blinked slowly.

‘I’m scared, say something! Don’t just glare at me as if you’re going to kill me!’

The Duke kept them in suspense for a long time, turning people’s insides upside down, but eventually stood up without saying anything.

‘What? Really?’

Seeing this, Benjamin, who had been nervously clutching his hair, finally composed himself and greeted Diana.

After the two left, Diana was finally able to examine the injured Raoul.

“Lift your face. I need to treat it.”

“……”

“You’re lowering it again.”

“I heard you.”

The handsome face came to rest on Diana’s palm. It was like a reluctant dog extending its paw, and laughter escaped Diana’s lips.

“……Why have you been so sulky since earlier?”

“Sulky…… I’m not.”

“Are you upset about being hit by Theodore…?”

“I’m not childish enough to get upset over letting myself be hit.”

‘Then what on earth is the matter?’

Without pressing further, she opened the medicine bottle, and Raoul turned his gaze away while muttering.

“You knelt because of me……”

Slender fingers moved ticklishly over his face.

‘Do wolves have a loyal side too?’

Lately, watching Raoul reminded her of a diligent and dependable Jindo dog.

There was no need to be upset over something like this….. Diana gently rubbed the long cut below his eye as she spoke.

“It wasn’t just because of you. I wanted to drive Theodore out too. I was bullied a lot when I was young.”

His sullen expression quickly turned cold. Raoul grabbed the wrist applying medicine and asked seriously.

“Tell me in detail. Is that all you mentioned earlier?”

“Yeah. Though the nature was different, it was all pranks of about that level.”

“How… can that…!”

The captured wrist was lowered, and Raoul’s head also bowed.

“How can that be a prank…!”

“Huh? Did I say it was a prank?”

Diana covered her mouth and rolled her eyes.

At that moment, the image of Theodore sneering flashed through her mind.

Diana, pressed tightly against a tree trunk with an apple on her head, nodded repeatedly.

What sister…! Diana shook off the unpleasant memory and patted Raoul’s shoulder.

“It wasn’t a prank, it was bullying! Don’t worry, he won’t be able to do such things again.”

Raoul bit his lip and muttered.

“Just because you say don’t worry doesn’t mean I can stop worrying.”

“That’s true….. When I worry about Raoul, my body moves first too……”

“I will worry. And I’ll protect you so that no one can bully you.”

Diana smiled broadly, feeling a slight burden and great honor.

“Thank you….. Raoul is kind as always.”

She brushed Raoul’s hair aside, inhaling the scent of early summer air mixed with bitter herbs.

Their desire to protect each other touched as one.