Last evening, as soon as I discovered Delphine, I issued an order to secure the entry list before heading to the mansion.

So unless she suddenly cast some magic, it was impossible for her to manipulate the list.

“I wanted… to go to Section 3.”

Clearly, coming here was just a momentary amusement.

She was a noble lady who had spent her entire life only in Section 1.

Pryde couldn’t imagine that she would dare cross that barrier and go deep into Section 3.

To begin with, it was an area impossible for a woman alone to enter and return safely.

‘But the innocent lady’s outing ends here.’

He couldn’t let her get any closer to the truth.

You just stay in this sweet and happy world, like this sugar candy house.

Only in my mansion, arranged just for you.

Because I’ve trampled on all those bleeding bodies to climb up here for you.

He had never received or given any kind of favor to anyone in his entire life.

So how could he know that forcibly giving an unwanted gift was a kind of violence.

“I’m going to the mansion. …Bring a new uniform.”

Even if I stain my hands with blood every night like this, please always remain untainted.

Like that girl who applied ointment to wounds with a face that knew nothing.

Swallowing words he couldn’t bring himself to say to her, Pryde headed to the mansion where she was today as well.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ioan didn’t need to bother trying to prevent Delphine from going out.

It was because Delphine had been bedridden with a high fever since that night.

Was it because she sat in the cold bathtub for too long?

Or it might have been due to the mental shock she experienced that day.

Whether it should be called a blessing in disguise, Ioan’s anger subsided rapidly upon seeing the sick Delphine.

That busy man hardly ever left unless it was for urgent business.

He took care of her diligently, never leaving her side for a moment.

Whenever Delphine woke up from her feverish sleep, she could find him by her bedside.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

Even without making any sound, he immediately noticed when she opened her eyes.

“…”

Then, without saying anything, he would change the wet cloth or personally feed her porridge.

It was the same in the early dawn when she suddenly vomited due to the rising fever.

The man who was still sitting beside her quickly approached to wipe her lips and calmly changed her nightgown.

‘Does this man… not sleep at all…’

Such a thought vaguely crossed her mind, but with her whole body aching from the fever, she couldn’t think deeply at all.

Even when he lifted her lightly like a doll to change her nightgown, no thoughts came to mind.

She just wanted this pain to go away quickly because it was too cold and painful.

She might have unknowingly whimpered between her lips.

Then the man, without a trace of irritation, would just gently say—.

“I’m sorry. I’ll finish quickly.”

That was all.

Thus, Delphine couldn’t move a step from her bed for a week.

In the Empire where medicine was not very advanced, a fever was by no means a light illness.

In winter, even in noble families, there were occasional sudden death reports.

As her body weakened, perhaps her mind followed suit, and Delphine wondered if she was going to die like this.

However, somehow reading her mind, Ioan’s firm voice would come flying whenever she had such thoughts.

“You absolutely won’t die.”

“…Huh.”

Through her feverish and hazy consciousness, his low voice was heard.

“As long as I’m here. …In this Empire, you can’t.”

What could those words mean?

But overcome by drowsiness, Delphine fell asleep without remembering those words.

[This is the timeline separator]

The dangerously persistent high fever finally broke after exactly twelve days.

The doctor who came for a consultation congratulated and consoled Pryde, saying she had passed the critical point.

To confess now, he also said it had honestly been dangerous.

“It’s a miracle there aren’t even any aftereffects after such a high fever.”

To this, Pryde unusually opened his mouth and gave a long answer.

“There are no miracles because there is no God. …At least not in this Empire.”

[This is the timeline separator]

Even after Delphine fully recovered and got out of bed, peace continued in the mansion for a while.

During the coldest period, they spent time without growling or being sharp towards each other.

Almost like an affectionate couple.

“The wind is very cold, my lady.”

Ioan’s strange obsession with her safety did not diminish, but rather intensified.

Now he tried to interfere not only with her leaving the mansion but even with opening the windows of her chambers.

“…”

However, each time this happened, Delphine didn’t flare up in anger like before.

If he had acted forcefully and overbearingly, Delphine’s rebellious spirit would have ignited again.

But to this man who had nursed her for two weeks, barely sleeping properly—.

To this man who said he had almost gone crazy with worry for her—.

She couldn’t bring herself to confront him irritably like before.

Delphine finally yielded her stubbornness and nodded.

At such times, he too would smile brightly and kindly towards her.

Perhaps this was the first time she had seen his sincere smile.

If only I don’t try to uncover his identity, can we maintain such a peaceful married life?

Hiding her complicated feelings that arose whenever she saw his kind self, Delphine smiled back awkwardly.

All while remembering the radio hidden deep in the study, received from La Rouge.

[This is the timeline separator]

Once she recovered, the man again left early in the morning and returned late at night.

Delphine could no longer associate only with the maids she cherished.

This was because stern-faced maids under Ioan’s orders always followed her around.

The number of knights guarding the mansion also doubled.

Seeing the man who took all sorts of measures behind her back, yet smiled elegantly with a beautiful face in front of her, was exasperating.

It was on an evening when this precarious peace continued, like the calm before a storm.

Crackle—.

Delphine, who was sitting alone in the study reading a book, lifted her head abruptly.

Fortunately, even the maids Ioan had assigned didn’t follow her into the study on the third floor.

They knew there was no escape unless she jumped out the window.

Of course, she knew they were monitoring outside the door, pretending to clean the corridor.

Delphine quickly brought the radio she was holding to her mouth.

“Black cat!”

When she called out the password she had received during her last visit, Belly’s voice finally came through from the other side of the radio.

[“Are you well, Mrs. Pryde? I trust your fever has fully subsided by now.”]

Are they receiving updates about me?

How, when Ioan is monitoring so thoroughly?

However, this was the first contact received after nearly a month had passed.

Delphine whispered hurriedly into the radio, worried that the sound might leak out the door.

“There’s no need to worry about my health. More importantly, have you found out anything in the meantime?”

Then Belly replied in a cheerful tone through the radio.

[“Of course. Oh, have you perhaps heard the news? They say a ‘Devil’s Violinist’ has recently appeared in the capital.”]

Delphine murmured in a puzzled voice at the somewhat unexpected answer.

“…Devil’s Violinist?”

[“Yes. Haven’t you heard? They say he’s the most famous man in social circles these days.”]

“…I’ve been avoiding social gatherings for a long time.”

Ignoring her embarrassed mumbling, Belly continued.

[“There are various rumors circulating about his incredible playing skills. Some say he has six fingers, others that his fingers are twice as long as normal. Everyone is saying this. It’s as if…”]

Belly’s cheerful voice lowered ominously.

[“It doesn’t seem like human skill.”]

“Not human skill…”

Delphine, who was seriously repeating what he had said, soon spoke.

“You suspect he’s using the black crystal.”

[“That’s right. We only have circumstantial evidence and no concrete proof yet, but it just so happens that he’s holding a solo concert at the Marynask Theater in a week.”]

Of course, the theater is in Section 2, inside the barrier.

And the audience for concerts was always nobles from Section 1.

“You want me to go and investigate.”

As Delphine muttered softly, Belly replied in a joyful voice.

[“Yes. I’m asking for your help. For us, it would be a very dangerous mission requiring us to disguise our identities to infiltrate, but it should be easy for you, madam.”]

“What exactly do I need to do?”

[“As you probably already know, their pupils change shape when they exert demonic power. Please observe if his eyes change during the concert.”]

It was a simple task, almost disappointingly so.

Just as she was about to ask if there was anything else she could do, another voice flowed from the radio.

[“You just need to confirm, my lady. Please don’t think of doing anything dangerous.”]

It was Lin.

Just like when she visited La Rouge headquarters last time, that man seemed to find her quite unreliable.

He still seems to think I’m just a noble lady who can’t do anything on her own.

“…I understand.”

Delphine replied reluctantly.

After exchanging some more precautions, the radio transmission ended.

Suddenly, the study where she was alone felt even quieter.

The bold response was short-lived.

Delphine put down the radio and sank deep into the study sofa.

Of course, as they said, she was a Section 1 noble, so accessing the concert hall wouldn’t be difficult at all.

However, there was one problem…

“How am I going to get permission to go out from that Ioan?”

Delphine let out a long sigh.