The coachman’s whip cracked fiercely.

The flag of the Genova ducal family hung atop the carriage fluttered violently, and the horses’ hooves clattered loudly.

People passing by on the street stared with wide eyes, but the coachman didn’t care about such things.

How quickly they arrived could determine the young lady’s fate.

Unlike usual, Eriel sat motionless inside the bumpy carriage, staring endlessly out the window while gripping the hem of her dress tightly.

Her face, tinged with anger, was lost in thought.

Because of the merchant ships, countless nobles had come to the duke’s residence to discuss with Damian.

There were imperial faction members, but also noble faction members. Even if they were politically opposed to Damian, business was another matter.

If someone had bribed the tutor, someone may have visited the mansion. If so, where was the starting point for ordering the tutor?

…But Eriel’s thoughts kept focusing on one person.

Bruno, who had most recently come home regarding the Eastern Continent envoy matter.

Though she couldn’t be certain, knowing Bruno’s ill intentions, she couldn’t help but be suspicious.

Of course, she wanted to believe it wasn’t to that extent. After all, they were family under the name of Genova. No matter how much he coveted the duke title! This was…!

Eriel gritted her teeth and furrowed her brow, scrunching up her face.

“My lady, we have arrived!”

As soon as the maid hurriedly opened the carriage door, Eriel began climbing the hill.

Even when in a hurry, Eriel had never lost her duchess-like steps, but this time was different.

Lifting the hem of her dress slightly to walk more easily, Eriel’s eyes moved fiercely.

“D-Doctor!”

The maid who reached the top of the hill first cried out with a start. The doctor, who had started a bit late carrying his bag, began hurrying up the hill at the maid’s cry.

“Instructor Daniel has collapsed here!!”

“It’s around here! The young lady disappeared around here. Find her quickly!”

As the mansion staff scattered in all directions, for some reason Eriel slowly approached Daniel.

Eriel, who had reached the hill before the doctor, looked down at Daniel.

“D-Duchess, I’m sorry… The young lady…”

Daniel raised his upper body as he began to apologize. But as soon as his eyes met Eriel’s, Daniel’s head bowed quickly.

It was a face that made it difficult to utter even a single word. Daniel realized that if he made the slightest mistake, he would die right here.

“Oh my. The wounds are severe…”

The doctor, who had reached the hill, was startled to see Daniel’s condition without seeing Eriel’s face. The doctor quickly opened his bag.

Only the clattering sound echoed on the hill, and even that ceased when the doctor’s noise stopped, leaving silence.

Just as the doctor opened his mouth to approach Daniel, his hand stopped.

“For now…”

It was because he realized something was off with the madam.

Normally she would have been surprised to see Daniel’s injuries, but for some reason the madam’s reaction was unusual.

Moreover, neither Daniel nor the madam had spoken a word.

The doctor who slowly turned his head back quickly withdrew his body. He quickly hid the hand that was taking out medicine behind his back.

The madam was… angry.

“Daniel.”

At Eriel’s voice, Daniel swallowed hard and gave a small response as Eriel moved closer to him.

Bending her knees, she matched Daniel’s eye level.

“Why… is my daughter’s scarf on your shoulder?”

Eriel’s trembling hands and eyes fixed on one spot.

One fact that no one who arrived there had noticed.

Something even Lucy hadn’t thought of in the changed situation. That was… Lucy’s scarf.

Daniel’s shoulder had Lucy’s scarf wrapped around it.

Seeing that small scarf stained with blood, Eriel clenched her fists and trembled on the spot.

If Lucy had truly been kidnapped suddenly, there wouldn’t have been time to tie that scarf.

“Ah…”

At those words, Daniel flinched and tilted his head to look at his own shoulder.

Breathing heavily with tension, Daniel couldn’t continue his response.

Fear could be felt in Daniel’s gaze as it slowly rose to meet Eriel’s.

His trembling face met Eriel’s gaze, but that only served to provoke Eriel’s anger further.

The fact that he couldn’t give a proper answer was enough to tell Eriel the answer.

Slap-!

Eriel, who had struck Daniel’s cheek with her hand, asked in a low voice.

“Is it true… that our daughter… was kidnapped?”

Tears fell from Eriel’s eyes.

“Th-that is…”

Though he recalled his promise with Lucy, Daniel couldn’t keep that promise in the face of Eriel’s fury.

If he didn’t tell the truth, he would surely die on the spot.

The green pupils, dilated with anger, looked down at Daniel as if to swallow him whole.

*

Charles, who had just arrived at the back of the cathedral, slowly approached while surveying his surroundings cautiously.

Then, a black figure quietly emerged from the bushes.

Though he couldn’t see clearly because of the hood covering the figure, it nodded slightly upon seeing Lucy trembling in Charles’ arms.

“You’ve succeeded. … Hand her over.”

Though the hooded figure told him to hand over Lucy, Charles remained still.

This was certainly the place the tutor had told him about. If he had intended to betray the tutor from the start, there’s no way the meeting place would be the same.

Charles’ eyes narrowed inside his helmet.

Even though Charles didn’t immediately comply with the hooded figure’s order, the figure took no action.

Sensing something amiss, Charles took a stance ready to draw the sword at his waist at any moment.

The other party was clearly no ordinary person either.

A knight or mercenary. If not, then an assassin.

“…”

Even after reading Charles’ defensive stance, the hooded figure still stood silently.

“…Who are you?”

Charles, holding the young lady tightly in his arms, drew his sword from his waist in one motion.

He had an ominous feeling.

Sensing that this was definitely not a normal situation, Charles scanned his surroundings tensely with his eyes.

…Is it just one person?

Just as Charles thought that, he could sense the hooded figure smirking despite the hood.

As the figure quietly raised a hand, over ten men emerged from the bushes to surround Charles and Lucy.

Even if he got stabbed, he had to fight while protecting the young lady, but ten men…

-Clang!

Several men rushed at Charles. Quickly shielding the young lady in his arms, Charles blocked a few sword strikes.

He had to protect the young lady even if it meant retreating.

-Clang! -Clang!

“…Ugh.”

As a blade grazed his side, Charles let out an involuntary groan as his strength faltered.

“Young lady!”

Suddenly, the young lady in his arms wriggled and leapt out of Charles’ grasp.

As Charles cried out and grabbed Lucy’s wrist, Lucy smiled brightly at him and shook her head.

“I thought it was strange. If they wanted to kill me, it would be better to use the betraying knight to strike suddenly. No matter how stupid, they wouldn’t waste that opportunity…”

Lucy took a step towards the men and smiled brightly at them.

“So my life wasn’t the target. But that’s not the only strange thing.”

Lucy tilted her head and stared intently at the man who had first come out.

“The meeting place should have changed. If the original purpose was to eliminate the tutor, that is. Then was this all a trap to lure out my father? Hmm…”

As she spoke, Lucy began pointing at each of the hooded men one by one.

“The number of people is… odd for that. By the time father arrives, the defense corps will come too. Besides, assassinating father through a big scheme like a kidnapping? Too stupid a method.”

Lucy tapped her finger as she twirled in place.

Even the enemy seemed taken aback, stopping their attack to watch Lucy closely.

As her dress skirt settled from twirling, Lucy, who had been smiling the whole time, hardened her expression.

“You… wanted the duke’s mansion to be empty.”

*

Eriel closed her eyes after hearing the whole story from Daniel, starting with Lizzy’s tale.

The tears flowing down Eriel’s face conveyed her feelings.

“Send people to the back of the cathedral immediately.”

At Eriel’s words, the maid nodded and began relaying the message.

So according to Daniel, Bruno had orchestrated this, there was someone behind it all, and Lucy somehow knew everything… That kind of… story.

The fact that Lucy had deliberately chosen to select the tutor, and the reason it ended up being Daniel…

“Ah…”

Unable to hold back the flowing tears, Eriel buried her face in her palms.

Could it be a white lie…

Could it really be.

After choosing the tutor, you deliberately asked me, my child.

“…My lady! My lady!!”

Eriel collapsed to the side, shedding tears.

“This can’t be! My lady!”

“…My lady!!”

Though the servants and doctor nearby called out to Eriel, even as she was losing consciousness, Eriel was anguished at how stupid and utterly pathetic she was.

For not reading the meaning behind my child’s words, I…

Surely I could have prevented this before it happened… But I…

Only memories of her daughter sitting on her lap and embracing her flashed by.

My child, smiling brightly as she hugged me.

This mother was lacking… I’m sorry.

“The madam has collapsed!”

“Quickly, move the madam!!”