“It looks like we’ve arrived, Your Grace.”

About two hours into the journey.

Mina pulled back the window curtain and spoke.

Whether her words were correct or not, soon the coachman approached and opened the door.

“We’ve arrived, Your Grace. Please disembark.”

Escorted by the coachman, as I got off, a crisp view of the mountain unfolded before my eyes.

The maids who got off the carriage afterward looked around with a more intense gaze, on guard.

“Did we really agree to meet here?”

I quietly asked Min beside me, and she nodded slightly.

“Yes, I thought it would be better to meet in advance and enter together. It might be dangerous, you know.”

The early morning mountain was still immersed in darkness.

Naturally, human presence was rare, and fog lingered thickly in all directions.

Only the sound of rustling leaves intermittently echoed in the silent surroundings, and the cool mountain wind kept slapping my cheeks.

A somehow mysterious atmosphere pervaded, making me unknowingly hunch my shoulders.

At that moment, Mina subtly grabbed my hand.

It seemed she noticed my hidden fear.

“Your Grace, are you really okay? Of course, we will protect you no matter what happens, but you came all the way from the Grand Castle to this humble place…”

Mina, who had grown like a greenhouse flower, seemed concerned about Rebecca.

Fortunately, I was no longer the Rebecca of the past, who had grown up sheltered.

I was just momentarily overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the morning mountain.

With five reliable half-blood demon maids around me, what was there to be afraid of?

I nonchalantly shrugged my shoulders, as if nothing was wrong.

“Mina, did I tell you about the mole game when I encountered the voodoo dolls?”

“Mole game? What’s that?”

As the scene of poking the heads of the voodoo dolls rushing towards me came to mind, a sly smirk escaped me.

“Yeah, that kind of thing.”

It was at that moment, while having a pointless conversation with Mina.

Rustle— Rustle—

The sound of someone approaching by stepping on fallen leaves gradually became closer from a distance.

At the same time, the faces of the maids gradually stiffened with tension.

“It seems they’ve come.”

Mina gazed into the distance and spoke in a low voice.

When I turned my head, a man was slowly walking out from the bushes.

Finally, the man standing in front of me opened his mouth, spreading his shoulders.

“Your Grace, you’ve come after all.”

The man’s eyes were slightly lowered with a hint of hostility towards me.

He silently scrutinized me from top to bottom before nodding.

“I am ‘Thomson,’ who was a sub-deacon of the Castle of Light.”

Thomson’s voice, introducing himself, was as chilling as the surrounding atmosphere.

“Of course, Your Grace, you might not remember me at all.”

As Thomson sarcastically remarked, Mina subtly glanced at me and let out an awkward laugh.

“Haha… Haha, Thomson! Why are you like this? It’s too rude to Your Grace.”

In response, I nodded my head faintly.
“No, Thomson is one of those who suffered because of me, so it’s a natural reaction.”

Grayzone Village, located around the middle of this mountain.

It was a place where former servants of the Twins family, who had received harsh treatment and even been dismissed by Rebecca in the past, gathered to live.

And Thomson, standing in front of me, was a resident of that village and the person who would guide me there today.

I slightly raised the corners of my mouth and spoke to him.

“Thank you for coming all this way to help me, Thomson.”

In a brief moment, Thomson’s eyebrows raised high.

The expression was one that hadn’t expected words of gratitude from the infamous Rebecca’s mouth.

However, soon, he, who had turned into a grim face, sighed deeply.

“It’s not to help Your Grace. It’s because of Min, my long-time friend’s request. I have no choice but to help.”

Thomson glanced at Min with an unpleasant expression before speaking again.

“Do you really intend to go to Grayzone Village?”

“Yes, Thomson.”

My firm answer caused Thomson to have a pained expression.

Most of our village people won’t welcome Your Grace. No, there will be those who come out even more hostilely than me.”

“…I suppose so.”

“While I will guide Your Grace to Grayzone Village as Min requested…”

Thomson’s gaze became sharp.

“My favor ends there. Even if the people of the village cause harm to Your Grace afterward, I will side with them.”

“…”

“I have no intention of helping Your Grace.”

Facing him, who spoke forcefully, I nodded slowly.

“I know, Thomson. I won’t shamelessly ask for more favors.”

Satisfied with my response, Thomson nodded and lightly tapped on the carriage door.

“Very well. Then let me guide you to the village.”

Meanwhile, inside the carriage of the Twins Duke.

The Duke family was following the traces of the Duchess.

Even now, they were on the road, following the knight’s report that they had found the last trace.

Bianca, who was leaning on Yumo’s arm, looked up and saw Cedric sitting across from her.