Delphine quickly opened her mouth towards him as he approached with an expressionless face.

“This is, well…”

However, he lifted her up without answering, supporting her with his large hands.

Then he examined every part of Delphine’s body with persistent eyes.

If this wasn’t an alley, he looked ready to strip her clothes off and check her naked body right away.

“So, I…”

“First.”

He cut off Delphine’s words in a chillingly calm tone.

“To the mansion.”

Now even the anger and displeasure had disappeared from his face.

It was rather more frightening that no emotion could be read at all.

He took off his uniform jacket and placed it on her shoulders.

Thanks to the size difference, Delphine seemed to be buried in the large clothes.

He frowned as he examined her appearance, then pulled the jacket up to cover her head.

“This isn’t necessary. I can’t see in front of me to walk…”

Before Delphine, who had become quite a comical sight, could say anything, he scooped her up into his arms.

She was about to struggle for a moment, but soon realized that resistance was meaningless and quietly nestled in his embrace.

The firm arms and body that wrapped around her didn’t even budge no matter how much she struggled.

Above all, she had a certain intuition that she shouldn’t provoke his anger any further here.

“…”

As she lay quietly in his arms, her vision was blocked by the large jacket, making it impossible to know the surrounding situation.

However, she could hear him muttering something quietly to someone.

And she could feel the light movement of mounting a horse.

“We’re going to the mansion… Madam.”

He whispered softly through the jacket and soon began to gallop with all his might.

His arm around her waist was more tense than usual.

Even though they were rushing at this crazy speed, she wasn’t afraid at all, being held in the strong man’s arms.

But what was this anxiety that kept making her body tremble?

He wouldn’t harm her.

She could be sure of that now.

But strangely, she felt as if some kind of punishment she couldn’t imagine would be waiting for her when they arrived at the mansion.

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, he jumped off the horse and headed for the women’s quarters.

During that time, Delphine had remained quietly in his arms to avoid provoking his anger.

The door of the women’s quarters closed.

She thought she would be thrown down roughly, but surprisingly, he placed her very carefully on the bed.

Delphine sat on the soft bed, buried in his jacket, looking up at him.

His expression as he looked down at her was filled with all kinds of anguish and turmoil.

“Just…”

He spoke through gritted teeth.

“Explain. Why on earth, in that state, in that condition…”

Ioan paused for a moment, clenching his teeth as if trying to suppress his rising anger.

Only after regaining some composure did he continue.

“…were you in such a place, dressed like that.”

What answer should she give?

She had never seen Ioan this angry except when his background was brought up.

As Delphine hesitated to answer promptly, he added in a harsh tone.

“Should I finally drive out of the mansion the maid who provided that damned maid’s uniform?”

She couldn’t let Betty get involved in this trouble.

Moreover, judging by his irrational eyes and tone, he really didn’t seem to have any intention of showing mercy.

Delphine, who had been biting her lower lip, finally opened her mouth carefully.

“To District 3…”

“What…?”

As soon as she uttered those words, Ioan’s expression, which had been filled with anger, greatly wavered.

Delphine, staring intently at that beautiful white face, spoke softly as if whispering.

“…I wanted to see it.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that she had actually gone inside.

However, that alone seemed enough to provoke the man’s anger.

“Ha! In that, in that state… You tried to go to District 3?”

He pressed between his brows with his hand as if dizzy with anger rising to the top of his head.

A suppressed voice came out, grating through his throat.

“Do you even know what kind of place that is…”

Delphine looked up at the man, who was beside himself with anger, with transparent eyes.

But you came from there.

Ioan, because you wouldn’t tell me, I went to find the truth myself.

To the place where you were born and raised, which you now ‘manage’ as a marquis.

However, she couldn’t say that in front of him when he was so angry.

Instead, Delphine asked.

“What kind of place is it?”

“Don’t try to change the subject. Why are you so curious about that place?”

“Because you work there.”

Delphine replied immediately to the man’s cold retort.

“…”

As if it was an unexpected response, a look of surprise appeared on Ioan’s face.

Meeting his gaze, Delphine murmured once more softly.

“…I, I want to know more about you.”

It was quite a courageous statement for her.

It was also an expression of reconciliation, suggesting that they stop being angry and try to talk.

No matter how much the people she met today called him a devil or the greatest obstacle to revolution, deep inside her, there was still faith in Ioan.

That he, that beautiful boy, couldn’t be such a bad person.

A man who tries so hard to protect me couldn’t be a devil.

So tell me.

Tell me you’re not such a bad person.

That in fact, you had your reasons.

That you can explain everything – the strange power, the eyes, and the murder at the mansion.

However, the surprise was only momentary.

Ioan’s face became chillingly expressionless.

“…Why?”

“Pardon?”

Looking down at her bewildered appearance, Pryde gritted his teeth inwardly.

How much more does this saint intend to manipulate me?

He had become somewhat familiar with her behavior patterns by now.

She gives a stinging punishment to the heart, then immediately gives such a sweet reward.

She still tries to control and manipulate him like a master.

To tame him like a dog.

However, he had not the slightest intention of letting her hold his leash again.

“Why did you suddenly think you wanted to know more about me?”

Pryde asked with an icy cold expression that sent chills.

“Well……”

Delphine, who had mustered up the courage to reveal her true feelings, was surprised by the unexpected response and couldn’t finish her words.

Why did you think you wanted to know more about me?

Well……

‘Why?’

When asked bluntly for a reason, it wasn’t easy to come up with an answer.

To reveal that he was Ioan?

Of course, that was also true.

But the “want to know” she had just said didn’t mean that.

As she hesitated to answer, Ioan’s expression grew colder.

Then, she felt as if the feelings she had courageously conveyed were being ignored.

The embarrassment she felt when he caught her in a maid’s uniform faded, and she began to feel more and more heated by the man’s forceful attitude.

“Of course, I’m grateful you saved me, but……”

However, her trembling voice was immediately cut off by an angry voice.

“‘Saved’? Do you understand what would have happened if I hadn’t shown up?”

“I’m not a fool, so of course I understand.”

The atmosphere of trying to appear calm dissipated, and sparks flew between their gazes.

“But drop that attitude as if it’s all my fault!”

Delphine, finally exploding, shouted loudly.

“If you think about it, I’m just a victim who was walking down an alley!”

“You don’t know!”

Ioan, too, threw off the mask he had been barely holding on to and shouted in a voice that had lost all reason.

“You don’t know what those idiots are thinking inside when they look at you!”

“You keep treating me like a fool…!”

“If you knew, you wouldn’t go out alone in that kind of outfit!”

“Are you telling me to just sit quietly in this mansion?”

“Yes! That’s exactly it!”

He shouted in rage.

His thick chest, which was at the level of Delphine’s forehead due to his tall height, heaved.

“How can that……”

Delphine lost her words and opened her lips silently.

It was the first time she had seen him lose his composure like this.

He was as enraged as when she had forcibly exposed his back and ran her hand over it.

‘Why on earth?’

Delphine simply couldn’t understand.

He was hiding his identity, hiding his work, hiding the truth about her father’s treason.

While keeping everything in this world hidden from her, he was demanding that she stay in the mansion like a doll.

Her chest felt tight, and anger mixed with sorrow welled up.

Seeing her expression, Ioan asked with a slightly softened look.

“Why did you become curious about such a lowly place as District 3?”

Delphine glared at him with teary eyes and answered.

“……Someone I know is from there.”

“Ah……?”

An interested response came back.

“If they’re from District 3, they were probably a slave or servant.”

Glaring at him as he feigned ignorance so disgustingly, Delphine retorted.

“……No.”

“Then?”

Delphine silently stared into his brown eyes for a moment, as if trying to catch some trace.

“Then? Who was it?”

Ioan urged for an answer while maintaining eye contact with her.

At that question, longing gradually settled on Delphine’s face, which had been consumed by anger.

Ioan. In this lonely mansion, you were to me……

“The only comfort.”

The moment she answered in a choking voice, the man’s brown eyes trembled slightly.