“I know everything that’s in there. Open the door. I have something to say.”

I was dumbfounded by Leonie speaking so boldly without even knocking on the door.

‘Now you’ve really decided to go all out.’

I even thought that her previous fake demeanor would be better than acting like this.

Should I just pretend I’m not here?

As much as I wanted to just lock the door, I held myself back.

I had to meet Leonie at least once anyway. There was something I needed to warn her about.

I took out the defensive artifact I had prepared in advance from the bedroom drawer.

I examined it, which I had deliberately made into a necklace for easy everyday carrying.

The black jewel with a silver chain showed no luster.

It must have been due to the flower component of Elaine grass.

I stuffed the necklace into my pocket and headed straight for the door.

As I unlocked the latch to let Leonie in, she pushed her way in on her own.

Her hatred for me was evident in every little action.

“Move.”

She shoved me with her shoulder and entered the house. An utterly unpleasant attitude.

‘Be patient, be patient. Just say what you need to say and send her out.’

If I chased her out now, Leonie would inevitably end up dead or brainwashed at Siegfried’s hands.

Despite my dislike for her, I didn’t want her to meet such a fate, so I barely held onto my reason.

Leonie strutted around the house confidently before sitting down at the table.

I took a deep breath and sat across from her.

Something sparkled in the light.

Only then did I notice the elaborate ring on Leonie’s left ring finger.

‘An engagement ring.’

Seeing her wear it so preciously, not knowing it was hastening her demise, gave me a headache.

That’s when Leonie suddenly spoke up.

“Why didn’t you come? To your only precious sister’s engagement party?”

“Did I absolutely have to go there?”

In truth, I didn’t go because I couldn’t, not because I didn’t want to. I didn’t receive the invitation in time.

But even if I had the chance to attend, I don’t think I would have gone.

“You don’t know how upset I was that my elder sister didn’t come to my engagement party. I really wanted to show you how I looked.”

“I think you know better why I didn’t go.”

Leonie sighed as if feeling hurt.

“That’s right, I know well. Elder sister, you don’t like seeing me do well. Can’t you be a little more gracious? My sister is becoming the future empress, but you don’t even think to congratulate me.”

“…What did you just say?”

I could barely speak due to such an absurd statement.

Of course, Leonie only continued to push her story, regardless.

“I’m telling you to stop your paranoia.”

Paranoia.

Those four letters were enough to instantly crumble the patience I had maintained since my youngest days.

I stood up abruptly, slamming the desk.

“Don’t be ridiculous, paranoia? I’ve never had such a thing for even a moment!”

My voice trembled with anger.

How, how can you face me with such an attitude right now.

I felt the blood rushing to my toes. My neck stiffened. Suddenly it became difficult to breathe.

Leonie just looked at me calmly and smirked.

“See? You’re being paranoid even now. Think about what you’ve done to me.”

“What exactly did I do? The one who deliberately lured me into the forest of monsters, the one who tried to ruin Mother’s dress, it was all you!”

All the emotions and words I had been holding back leaked out through my open mouth.

“That day I went into the forest! I almost died. I almost got torn to pieces by monsters while trying to find a ball you deliberately hid! You think that’s all? I lived my whole life neglected without proper education.”

All the things my family in name only had done to me flashed through my mind like a panorama.

Was it because my face was flushed? My eyes began to moisten. I shouted in rage.

“But what exactly are you saying I did!”

I stared straight at Leonie’s face with wide eyes. Contempt was clearly evident in her gaze.

“See? You don’t think any of that is your fault, and you think it’s all because of me! If that’s not paranoia, what is it?”

How can a person say such things.

It was a statement that could only be made if she thoroughly regarded me as a fool.

“I know everything. How you told strange lies to our parents to slander me. You were always the one who made Mother’s keepsakes like that and made me miserable. Yet you’re saying that miserable life was my fault?”

Leonie’s expression, which had been composed all along, cracked.

“Of course it’s elder sister’s fault!”

The short shout echoed in the room for a moment.

I was speechless at the answer that came without a hint of hesitation. Meanwhile, she calmly opened her mouth again.

“Who told you to be born as an illegitimate child? Being an existence with an improper birth, yet not knowing your place and always trying to steal my share! If this isn’t elder sister’s fault, then what is it?”

“……”

“Why don’t you think about the harm I suffered because of you? You always think only you were wronged by me! If that’s not paranoia, what is it?”

I had expected it. That the reason for tormenting me was simply because the fact that I was an ‘illegitimate child’ didn’t sit well with her.

‘Yes, I clearly noticed it… I knew she would say something like that…’

My heart felt like it was being torn apart.

In fact, I had always hoped there was another special reason why Leonie came to hate me.

A sufficiently understandable reason that led her to despise me.

If the reason I had to receive such intense hatred was really because of my birth…

‘That would be too unfair.’

So back when I was still staying at the mansion, I thought countless times.

There must be things I did wrong. That’s why she hates me.

No matter how much I tried to recall, I couldn’t figure out what I had done wrong, but it was easier on my mind to believe so.

But… Sure enough, Leonie easily shattered the belief my past self had held.

‘It’s frustrating…’

I wanted to give up on this useless argument.

Nevertheless, there was a lot I wanted to ask. Whether it was really justified to torment me for such reasons.

After composing my emotions for a moment with my head bowed, I asked her in the calmest voice possible.

“You’re not going to break off the engagement no matter how much I try to dissuade you, right?”

“What? Why would I break it off for someone else’s sake? Why, are you envious after all? But what can I do? I have no intention of doing that at all.”

“Fine, I didn’t expect you to anyway.”

I took out the artifact from my pocket and held it out to her.

“What’s this?”

Despite her sharp reaction, I forcibly placed the necklace in her hand.

“Make sure to wear this on your wedding night. You’ll find out why that night.”

“Do you think I’m crazy enough to obediently follow what you say?”

“Do as you please. I’m giving this not for your sake, but for my future self who would regret not doing this.”

With this, I had finished all my business. I no longer wanted to allow her to be in my house.

“Now leave.”

“What are you saying? I’m not done talking yet!”

“I have no intention of listening, so just leave.”

Seeing her trying to resist, I just forcibly pushed her towards the door.

“Wait. I have one last thing. If you listen to just that, I’ll leave.”

Leonie, who had been pushed to the entrance, grabbed my wrist with an incredulous expression.

‘Even at a moment like this, you’re so selfish.’

Thinking she might come back again if I didn’t listen now, I said okay.

And at that moment, click.

“…?”

Somehow, a peculiar type of restraint was fastened on my wrist.

“They say elder sister is a serial kidnapper of handsome men?”

How on earth did she…

My heart raced at the sudden situation. Cold sweat ran down my back.

Leonie just smiled smugly, seemingly satisfied with my reaction.

At a time when he would normally be doing odd jobs at the hideout or Vivian’s house, today Ren had come out far.

It was to hear about the progress of the investigation from the Master.

Ren sat on the sofa in the guild leader’s office, crossing his legs and glancing at the clock.

Tick tock tick tock.

The second hand moved, making an impatient sound. Ren was starting to feel the limits of his patience.

The minute hand of that clock had moved more than ten times already, yet the Master still hadn’t appeared.

Usually, he was never late, but today for some reason he wasn’t showing his face even though the appointed time had passed.

Ren grew frustrated.

He was already worried about leaving Vivian alone at such a turbulent time, and now the Master wasn’t coming either, so he had good reason to be.

Contemplating whether to just go back, Ren decided to wait a little longer. It was 10 minutes later that the Master arrived.

“Master, we have a big problem!”

Panting heavily, he looked more urgent than usual.

Seeing his disheveled appearance as if he had been in a struggle, Ren instinctively sensed something was amiss.

“The culprit who recruited the fake witness was indeed Siegfried! But the problem is that he said he’s going to capture the young lady today!”

The moment he heard the last sentence, Ren felt his heart drop to the floor.

When he came to his senses, he was already running somewhere.