Crack! Lightning struck, and a bright flash swept across the pink irises. Could pink ever feel so cold?

Irene hid her trembling fingers under the table and clenched them tightly.

“Are you crazy?!”

Humiliated by Diana’s action, Irene was fearful but still held her head high.

I’m not going to take this lying down! She wanted to flip Diana over, but even the maids and servants seemed afraid of her.

Even under the charm curse, they cowered instead of protecting their mistress. The curse couldn’t overcome fear.

“Oh, why are you trembling so? It’s almost like I scared you.”

Diana’s eyes softened, and her demeanor completely changed, no longer intimidating.

She reached for the fork, easily pulling it from where it had been firmly stuck in the wooden table.

“I was just trying to catch a bug that landed in front of you.”

It was true. Stuck on the fork was a bug, perfectly intact, still wriggling, as if sending a warning to Irene.

Your future is this. Irene tried to ignore it and feigned calm.

“Nice excuse.”

“If you don’t want to believe it, then don’t.”

She casually dropped the fork to the floor, but no one picked it up.

In this greenhouse, everyone was on Irene’s side. Yes, everyone here is on my side. The servants of this house are all mine.

As her trembling hands steadied, Irene rose from her seat.

“I think I should leave now. I can’t stand such low standards.”

As Irene turned to leave, Diana caught her attention again.

“Lady Irene of the Count’s family.”

What now? Irene looked back irritably.

Diana, resting her chin on her hand and caressing the rim of her teacup, asked a question that baffled Irene.

“Where did you get that stone?”

“Stone?”

How does she know about that? Irene’s heart sank, but she forced a smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Are you aware it’s a curse? Using that thing, you might end up being consumed by it.”

Diana’s gaze shifted from the teacup to Irene.

“Where did you get it? That thing.”

Feeling as if Diana was seeing right through her, Irene stepped back.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I have no obligation to tell you!”

As Irene hastily exited, the maids and servants scurried out of the greenhouse. Watching her leave, Diana’s eyes narrowed.

Curses beget curses. The curse entwined with Irene seemed unstable.

Diana had not planned to directly ask about the stone, but Irene’s disrespectful words about Roderick had made her lose her temper.

She returned her focus to the tea in her cup.

“Poison.”

Her taste buds tingled with the bitterness of the poison. It was a paralytic, but it had no effect on her. It seemed a maid, overly loyal to Irene, had slipped it in.

“Thank you.”

According to Noel, removing the curse’s conduit might drive its master mad.

Considering Irene’s actions, Diana felt no need for remorse. She downed the poisoned tea in one gulp.

Clunk – The teacup she put down cracked.

Ah. Her emotions were running high, making it hard to control her strength. Fortunately, she hadn’t yet lost any of her powers, and her physical condition was still excellent.

She leaned back in her chair and tilted her head back, looking up at the sky through the glass ceiling. Water cascaded down like a waterfall, breaking against the glass.

The sky, dark as night under the heavy clouds, seemed to be wailing in sorrow.

Clang! The sound of objects breaking and the maids’ screams echoed down the hallway.

“Ah, Miss, please calm down! Eek!”
Returning to her room, Irene began hurling various objects at her maids and servants. She appeared somewhat agitated.

“Get out! Everyone, get out!”

“We are just worried about you, Miss.”

“It’s exactly times like this you shouldn’t be alone.”

“It’s for me to decide, not you! Get out!”

Despite potentially hurting someone, Irene stopped her rampage as soon as the maids and servants left. She took deep breaths, seething with anger.

“It’s all mine. This castle, the title of Duchess. All mine. As long as I have this.”

She took out a jewelry box and lifted a stone plate emanating a red aura.

At the open doorway, a small figure watched her. Noel, standing by the door, had a strangely subdued expression in his red eyes.

He had used his power to make her go on a rampage. Now, she wouldn’t be able to bother Diana anymore. Left to her own devices, she would soon lose her mind.

Startled by the presence of a man he hadn’t noticed before, Noel’s eyes widened in surprise.

Roderick, having entered the secret room in the library, opened the door to a secret passage against his will.

“Come forth.”

A shadowy figure of a man surrounded and followed him.

“What’s this?”

In front of a portrait resembling Diana, Roderick regained consciousness, but it was too late.

“I’ll just borrow this for a while.”

His body was swiftly engulfed by the ghost of the past.

“Ugh. Hah.”

The man flexed his fingers, inhaling deeply into his lungs for the first time in ages. He tossed away his gloves, feeling constricted.

His physique and appearance closely resembled his descendant. Not bad. There was no discomfort in moving this body.