“It won’t be very dangerous. I plan to provide transparent magic and offensive magic artifacts.”

[Dash] I will go. I’ll be more maneuverable than the bulky Bill.

I was surprised by her straightforwardness, without a hint of hesitation.

“It could be dangerous.”

[Dash] Lady Vee also risked herself to help us.
Her firm gaze turned toward me and Nathaniel. Marie’s opaque crimson eyes felt like they were burning.

“I’ll send the map and artifacts soon. If it seems dangerous, be sure to step back.”

After saying that, Nathaniel stood up. I left words of caution to Marie several times and left the house.

Feeling a bit reluctant to go back like this, I decided to explore the newly built village.

Most of the land in the still mostly empty village was eerily quiet.

“The children might find it scary.”

“Better than where they used to live, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Thinking about why the monsters had increased like this, and how many people might have turned into monsters, I felt a bit frightened.

“I hope we can find a way to turn back into humans soon.”

“We need something that could be a key. It doesn’t seem like simple dark magic.”

After saying that, Nathaniel sighed briefly.

He seemed more pressured than I thought, and it bothered me.

“Don’t worry too much. Nathaniel is doing his best, you know.”

“Not knowing is such a helpless thing.”

I patted his back with my hand. Nathaniel kissed my forehead as if to express gratitude.

And he remained silent until we returned to the villa.

The next day, I received a letter from Grandpa saying he would come to visit in a few days.
“I need to tidy up my mother before my uncle comes.”

Nathaniel, lying on the sofa, playing with my hair, asked.

“Why are you so cautious about your mother? It seems like she’s just after money at best.”

“My mother is greedy. She won’t be satisfied with the allowance I give. Look, she even brought another woman.”

At my words, Nathaniel chuckled.

Since I couldn’t explain it to him in detail, I decided to pretend not to know for now.

“Could you leave the room for a moment?”

“Is there something I shouldn’t hear?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

I didn’t want Nathaniel to see the mother-daughter fight unnecessarily.

Nathaniel looked at me silently and then got up from his seat and asked.

“I’ll listen to your request for now. But don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I won’t.”

With my words, he shrugged his shoulders and went outside. I immediately called a servant and ordered them to bring the two to the villa.

Before long, a tidied-up Cecilia and the woman came in, guided by the maid.

“Come to think of it, I don’t even know her name.”

Perhaps because she felt Teresa’s hostility, I was completely ignoring her existence.

I wondered if I should bother asking for her name.

“Lady Vee, nice to meet you.”

The two of them were much more dignified than when we first met.

“Please, have a seat.”
The two people who were watching my reactions sat on the opposite side of the sofa. I deliberately smiled widely and asked them.

“Do you like the newly moved residence?”

It was hard to like. It was small, shabby, and even cold.

But since it was a gift from the Crown Princess, I couldn’t voice any complaints.

Didn’t they thoroughly understand that fact last time?

“Yes, we are just grateful.”

Cecilia’s forced response was palpable.

Now that the whip had been cracked, it was time to throw the carrot.

“If you like it… Although it’s a bit disappointing, I’m considering suggesting another place for you.”

“A-a different place?”

Cecilia’s face turned slightly pale.

There was no doubt she was worried about being driven to an even worse place than now.

Clearing the surroundings, I brought up the main topic blatantly.

“I’d like to suggest going down to Krabi in the south.”

“Krabi…?”

Krabi was a warm resort city all year round. Unlike the modest Hyera, Krabi was truly glamorous.

It was a condition that Cecilia couldn’t refuse.

“Really… Is that true?”

She looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Of course. Thinking about your mother in this cold place makes my heart ache, and you should be able to sleep well there.”

In reality, Cecilia had no other choice.

She was almost out of money, and the daughter she trusted had thoroughly pushed her away.
Due to spending a few days in a house suitable for commoners, Cecilia couldn’t help but be desperate.

I continued with a polite demeanor and threw in another bait.

“I will provide a place to stay and living expenses. Also, I will give a reasonable allowance for your mother.”

It wasn’t a significant amount for me anyway.

It would be perfect as long as I could securely keep Cecilia tied.

“Alright…”

“No, it’s not allowed!”

I frowned at the words of the woman next to her.

She seemed flustered as well, her face turning red.

“I never gave you the right to speak.”

Upon my words, the woman lowered her head. She was trembling while tightly gripping the hem of her skirt.

“Mother, who is this woman you bring around every time?”

Intentionally treating her with kindness seemed to have lowered Cecilia’s defenses, and without objection, she introduced the woman.

“Bianca Little, a young heiress who sponsored me, an artist. I brought her to introduce her to a good man.”

The fact that the “good man” was Maximilian was the issue.

I looked at Bianca again.

Somehow, she felt familiar, perhaps because of a similar situation to Diana.

“Krabi is still bigger than Hiera, so it wouldn’t be bad to find a marriage partner there.”

In response to my suggestion, Bianca answered with her head bowed.

“I-I don’t want to move away from Hiera.”

Ironically, it was Cecilia who seemed displeased with Bianca’s statement.
She glared at Bianca with disdainful eyes and asked, “I don’t intend to stay here any longer… I’m sorry, but my sponsorship for you ends here.” Swiftly cutting ties was truly her style. Having obtained what she wanted, she quickly discarded what was no longer needed.

“Ah…” Bianca seemed surprised, her eyes wide as she looked at Cecilia. Then, she looked at me as if asking for help. Unfortunately, there was only one thing I could offer.

“If you go down to Krabi together, I can help you.” In the original work, she was also full of ambition, clinging to Maximilian. So, from the beginning, there was no option for one of them to stay here.

Bianca remained silent. “Then let’s go with that plan. Prepare for it,” I said. “Thank you, Lady Bianca,” Cecilia expressed her gratitude with a touched expression.

Perhaps, in the past, she would never have accepted such conditions. However, the undeniable experience of the past few days with the gift from the Crown Princess had shaken Cecilia’s resolve.

“I’ll help you get ready to go down soon…!” As I was about to get up, I stopped. Bianca had drawn a knife and was pointing it at Cecilia’s throat.