At first, Silvia thought Reneola had suddenly gone out due to an urgent matter.

But on the morning of the third day, she realized something was wrong.

Worried, she asked the head maid about the reason for Reneola’s outing, but her expression turned subtle. Moreover, the hesitant answer that came out was also evasive.

Silvia, who immediately went to Reneola’s room, noticed that nothing had changed from when she had come before.

Suddenly, she remembered Ginger, who had looked very happy these past few days. And she was certain.

‘Something must have happened to Lady Reneola!’

Moreover, there was a rumor among the maids that Reneola was transferring to the First Prince’s Palace. If that was true, there was one thing she could guess.

These days, there were no court ladies who wished to transfer, and it was considered an unpleasant custom that had been mostly abolished, but she had heard that in the past, there was a self-imposed punishment to control transferring court ladies.

It was a terribly cruel act of confining a person in a dark room for days.

‘Surely they haven’t confined Lady Reneola?’

It seemed ominous that she had suddenly disappeared and hadn’t been seen for days.

Silvia immediately searched the Second Prince’s Palace thoroughly. However, the places she could go were limited, and even those yielded no results.

The head maid would know where the separate room was, but she wouldn’t willingly tell.

“Let’s go find His Highness and tell him.”

Silvia, who was turning around, stopped abruptly. She suddenly remembered how Reneola had acted like a different person after being drenched by Ginger.

It wasn’t the first or second time she had clashed with Ginger, but Reneola, who always responded coldly, was different that day. The only difference from usual was that Floria was watching.

“Even if I go, the court ladies won’t let me meet him.”

While the head maid silenced the transferring maid, it couldn’t happen without the tacit approval of the court ladies.

Silvia, who had been pacing anxiously, went to find Matthias. She thought he could help since he was usually on good terms with Reneola.

“Lady Reneola has disappeared, you say?”

Matthias, who dropped the book he was holding in surprise, turned pale at Silvia’s continued words.

“How could such a terrible thing…”

“I’ve searched the palace thoroughly all day, but I couldn’t find Lady Reneola anywhere.”

Silvia sobbed.

“I don’t know what to do. What about Lady Reneola?”

“Calm down. She’ll be alright.”

Matthias handed Silvia a handkerchief. Though he pretended to be calm, he too was anxious, not knowing what to do.

He wanted to rush to the Second Prince’s Palace right away to find Reneola, but reason held him back.

Even if he went to the Second Prince’s Palace, there was nothing he could do.

He could ask the Second Prince or the Princess for help, but if that were possible, Silvia wouldn’t have come to him first.

The fact that she came to him first meant that Reneola’s relationship with the Second Princess wasn’t as close as he thought.

Moreover, he was reluctant to add another rumor to Reneola, who had already been embroiled in scandal once and suffered embarrassment.

‘Isn’t there anything we can do?’

His mind kept tangling with worry about Reneola, who would be alone in a dark place.

‘Think quickly.’

Matthias moved around anxiously, looking for a way.

He wanted to mobilize all his connections, but there was no one who would dare to search the Second Prince’s Palace.

Moreover, if it was said to be for finding just one maid, it was clear that they would look at him like he was crazy and pretend not to have heard.

Suddenly, he remembered Cal, whom he had encountered in the library a few days ago.

At the time, Reneola seemed troubled, so he didn’t ask in detail, but it wasn’t common for the owner of a small bookstore to frequent the palace, let alone the royal library.

It was strange even if he had gotten permission, and if he had sneaked in, it was even stranger. Although not as strict as the inner palace, the outer palace also had tight security.

‘He’s certainly not an ordinary person.’

The atmosphere the man exuded was extraordinary for just a bookstore owner. Matthias, recalling the cold gaze that had fixed on him, grabbed his coat. There was no time to think further.

“Strange.”

As Cahirun de Hilic lightly flicked his fingers and muttered lowly, Marche, who was looking at documents beside him, turned his gaze. Then he immediately nodded.

“Yes. It is strange.”

Marche narrowed his eyes and stared at the magic item.

“It’s been quiet for three days now. Usually, there would be various curses about Your Highness flowing out almost every day.”

The bracelet that Cahirun de Hilic had given to Reneola Violet was serving its purpose very well.

This was because the Second Princess called for Reneola at every opportunity.

Although it couldn’t obtain important information as its master had wanted, it was giving joy to Marche and Randolph in a different sense. But for the past few days, that magic item had been quiet.

“Well, maybe there’s nothing to call her for.”

Marche, with a regretful expression, smacked his lips, but soon shrugged nonchalantly.

“Miss Reneola must be busy preparing for her transfer as well.”

Unlike Marche, who immediately turned his gaze back to the documents, Cahirun still couldn’t take his eyes off the magic item.

The last thing they heard was Reneola receiving an unfunny threat from Eric.

And then, not calling Reneola again kept bothering him. The woman who usually acted so sickeningly sweet didn’t even offer a word of comfort to her elder sister?

Cahirun, who had been tapping the sofa, lowered the hand that had been supporting his chin. It seemed he would have to go and check.

‘I was planning not to meet her until seeing her at the First Prince’s Palace, but I guess it can’t be helped.’

It was a bit of a shame that he had patiently waited, curious about what she had been doing these past few days, expecting to see what kind of dumb expression Reneola would make when she saw him, but if he didn’t resolve this uneasiness right away, it didn’t seem like he would be able to focus on work.

Marche, who glanced at Cahirun getting up from the sofa, stretched the corners of his mouth with an expression that said he knew this would happen.

‘Your true feelings are so obvious, yet you’re the only one who doesn’t realize it.’

Just as Cahirun was about to take a step, Randolph, who had been guarding the bookstore upstairs, came in.

“The librarian has come. He says he wants to see Your Highness, what should we do?”

Randolph recalled the librarian who had been knocking on the locked door despite the closed sign as he continued speaking.

“He looked quite urgent.”

“What business could that man have to come here?”

Marche wondered as he took off the glasses he had been wearing.

“It doesn’t seem like he would come urgently just to order some books.”

“We’ll find out when we hear him.”

Cahirun, who would have usually ignored this, strode forward. The only connection between him and the librarian, who had no particular relationship with him, was Reneola Violet.

Indeed, Matthias looked urgent, as Randolph had said.

However, Matthias, who had been anxiously pacing outside the bookstore, seemed unable to speak when he finally faced Cahirun, and hesitated.

Cahirun, who was looking down at him askew with his arms crossed, furrowed his brow. He asked impatiently.

“What’s the matter?”

Despite suddenly being spoken to informally by the bookstore owner, Matthias didn’t find it strange as it felt too natural.

Of course, his mind being complicated with thoughts of Reneola also played a part.

While waiting outside the bookstore, Matthias gradually came to his senses.

No matter how urgent, it was too absurd to try to ask for help from a bookstore owner. He could have entered the outer palace by some other method that Matthias didn’t know about.

…In fact, the moment he saw Cahirun, he recalled the scene of him exchanging playful jokes intimately with Reneola.

Matthias could immediately tell that he harbored feelings for her, just like himself.

Amidst all this, a wave of jealousy rose. He didn’t want to ask this man about anything related to Reneola.

Matthias never thought he could be such a petty person.

“I don’t like having to ask twice.”

I’m asking what business you have with me. Cahirun’s voice lowered further.

‘There must be another way. What could this man do?’

It might be better to try asking for help from the King through his father. He wasn’t sure if his father would listen to him, but he had to grasp at straws.

“It’s nothing. I’ll come back another time.”

Matthias turned around. But he had to stop after barely taking two steps.

This was because Randolph was standing firmly in front of the door, looking down at him expressionlessly.

He looked like he had no intention of moving until Matthias spoke. His gaze looking down was too sharp for an ordinary bookstore clerk.

“You’re making me ask a third time.”

A voice gritting teeth was heard from behind.

Turning around, he saw Cahirun frowning in annoyance while running his hand through his bangs.

Purple eyes shot him a cold look. An intimidating aura rose, enough to make his spine tingle.

‘This person is just a bookstore owner?’

There’s no way that could be true. Matthias clenched his sweaty hands into fists. Although he didn’t know exactly what his identity was, it was certain that he was no ordinary person.

As Cahirun took a step forward, Matthias flinched and took two steps back. If he didn’t open his mouth right away, it seemed he would force it open.

‘Yes, maybe this person might be able to save Lady Reneola.’

Although he couldn’t know his identity, some strange certainty came over him.

Now was not the time to indulge in useless jealousy. Matthias, who had been biting his lips, slowly opened his mouth.

“…Lady Reneola has disappeared.”