Despite being beautiful, when expressionless, her upturned eyes looked sharp, giving a frightening impression.

The atmosphere changed when the person who looked like a delicate doll smiled, her pink eyes curving.

“Our sister, isn’t she pretty?”

With a start. A child barely reaching the thigh had suddenly appeared beside. I hadn’t sensed their presence… A chill ran down my spine.

“Ah, y-yes.”

The young man who had been staring at Diana as if entranced, tried not to show his surprise as he answered.

“I don’t like that mister. You don’t either, right, brother?”

Ah, so the captain is ‘mister’ and he’s ‘brother’. The young man scratched his cheek, pleased with the form of address.

Still, contrary to his infamous reputation for being bloodthirsty, the captain was also paradoxically the pride of the North.

It was because he never failed to show up and excel in wars that the imperial family and central nobles didn’t bother with.

When the captain takes the lead, the North is safe.

No matter how much of a group of ruffians the Duverque Knights were said to be, being a knight of the North was something everyone aspired to.

It’s almost painful to speak of how great the leader of such a knightly order is. Regardless of like or dislike.

Just as he was thinking he should say something good about the captain,

“Once we eat them all up, we should tear them apart with sister.”

What? This kid is scary. The child muttered with flashing red eyes that sister should meet the most wonderful man in the world.

Whether no one heard the child’s voice, or pretended not to hear, everyone went about their business.

“Noel, come here.”

Noel, running over with a patter, was like any other child.

The search party’s march was going smoothly. As it was a forest full of magical beasts, the knights who couldn’t bring horses were moving on foot.

Everyone cast worried glances at the child and woman accompanying them, but soon withdrew those looks.

Despite the difficulty in keeping up with the stride of large men, Diana followed along well. However, they didn’t adjust their pace and speed for her.

She herself had asked not to be given special treatment.

The only peculiarity, if it could be called that, was that she occasionally engaged in displays of affection with Rodrick.

The knights were no longer surprised even when Diana clung closely to Rodrick.

They only sighed with bitter eyes.

“Rodrick.”

Diana approached Rodrick, disregarding the knights’ gazes.

Since it had come to this, it was only natural to pretend to be in love.

She had told Rodrick from the beginning.

‘Let’s say I fell for you at first sight.’

‘What?’

‘That way, it won’t be strange if I touch you.’

‘Do you realize how weird you are?’

‘I have some sense of decency, you know?’

‘…’

Rodrick’s expression hardened as if wondering what he had just heard.

Yeah, I’ve probably been branded as a completely strange woman (pervert).

Interestingly, the knights seemed to think that her love was not one-sided, but mutual with Rodrick.

There was no particular reason to correct this, so she left it be. In any case, she needed to maintain constant contact with the high-quality cure.

Especially when reading magical power, she felt drained. She spoke to the air.

“I think a crow is coming, Rodrick.”

Soon after, as she had said, with a caw−, something shiny fell onto their heads along with the crow’s cry.

“Captain! This looks like the young master’s!”

It was none other than the sub-male lead’s earring.

“We move.”

The group began marching again, following the crow. As they went deeper, the path became more treacherous, and the appearance of the magical beasts grew more foul.

At the place they arrived following the crow, logs were artificially strewn about, but there was no trace of the sub-male lead.

How many days had it been? Diana roughly brushed up her sweat-soaked hair.

Huff, where on earth is this sub-male lead?!

They hadn’t secured water for days and were filthy from not being able to wash. But they couldn’t use precious drinking water for bathing either.

Honestly, she thought she would be able to find the sub-male lead quickly if she read the magical power.

However, there was something she had overlooked. That this was a forest of magical beasts.

According to Noel,

‘The magical power is clashing. It accumulates and clashes, creating magic stones and magical beasts. This place is strange. Magical power leaks out and is created, it’s chaotic. That’s why it’s hard for sister to read the magical power.’

Even more shocking were the words that followed.

‘This forest is poison to cursed people. They might go mad because of the high purity magical power.’

That’s why she had to absorb Rodrick’s curse even more.

It would be troublesome if he went mad. She had no intention of hastening her death.

At least, while she couldn’t help in finding the missing person, she could ease her conscience by helping to suppress Rodrick’s madness.

“Today we’ll…”

Thud. Thud.

The forest vibrated. Trees were uprooted and the entire forest shook. Rodrick drew his sword before finishing his words.

A mountain seemed to rise in the dark forest, and then a menacing reptile appeared. It was a subspecies of dragon.

Kwaaa− Without any warning, the reptile breathed fire.

“Everyone, formation!”

Even without instructions, the well-trained knights formed a formation to protect Diana and Noel.

Meanwhile, Rodrick moved far ahead.

His blue-glowing eyes were tinged with madness. The corners of his mouth turned up with excitement for the slaughter.

It seems Rodrick’s condition is becoming more serious. His excitement was blatantly evident in his back view.

It was like any other day. The battle with the magical beasts began.

“Excuse me, Sir.”

“Yes, speak, my lady.”

“Did you always travel around having fun like this?”

She asked the vice-captain, but someone else jumped up. Perhaps feeling guilty.

“Having fun?! We’re on guard duty here!”

I see. It seems the subordinates are comfortable because their superior works hard.

Diana was sitting on a large rock that had been pulled out. It was a boulder that appeared due to the battle.

She stared blankly at the flesh of magical beasts scattered in the air, resting her chin on her knees.

Rodrick’s movements were so clean that it was like watching a controlled dance.

With that level of skill, I think my second brother would lose. I wonder if he’d be on par with my eldest brother.

Perhaps because the search had been arduous, the expression gradually disappeared from her face.

Diana had become a cold beauty, as much as their lord.

“But are you alright?”

Daren asked, his gaze fixed on Rodrick.

“With what?”

Noel was already safely asleep in Daren’s arms.

It was bedtime for children in the new country.

“Such scenes must be unpleasant for you to watch, my lady.”

She didn’t even scream or get scared when the magical beasts first appeared.

Even new recruits tremble and can’t move in front of magical beasts.

It was unexpected that a delicately raised noble lady would remain calm when exposed to killing intent.

Ah, what am I saying.

“I’m from the Beatus family.”

“…”

As if that one sentence explained everything, Diana shrugged her shoulders.

The Beatus family wasn’t called the family of villains for nothing. They committed murder, torture, and even curses.

Yes, her family could cast curses. Though she didn’t know the method, they could cast curses using magic stones.

In the original story, while the sub-male lead Felice Schwartz suspected the imperial family, it was highly likely that it was her family who cursed his.

The Beatus family was called the imperial family’s dog, doing dirty work under the surface.

For Diana, who grew up in a family exposed to all kinds of evil deeds, magical beasts were not objects of fear.

The knights’ expressions became strange upon hearing her words.

“But, miss, you’ve always stayed at home, so isn’t this your first time experiencing such harsh things?”

That’s right. That’s what everyone believes. As the rumors said, she was indeed a homebody.

However, one could taste the harshness of the world sufficiently even at home.

The minimum duties required by the family included all sorts of education.

Just the fact that they taught assassination techniques and even bedroom arts says it all.

The intensity of training was severe for the direct line of the family. It was as if they were trying to create human weapons.

Thinking about the things she had experienced, it didn’t seem quite sane.

That’s why she was most afraid of formless ghosts in the world.

If it had a form, she could remain indifferent.

“Are you curious?”

Diana asked meaningfully, tilting her head slightly while resting her chin.

Her slightly raised smile caught the eye, but her eyes weren’t smiling.

Why did this unfamiliar young lady give off the same aura as their lord?

Shuddering at that coolness, the knights shook their heads.

“We’re not curious!”

“I see.”

Diana smiled fully at the knights’ disciplined response.

The battle was over. Rodrick, who had stabbed his sword into the corpse, was taking off his sticky black gloves.

Diana took the black gloves from Daren’s hand and headed towards Rodrick.

After the fight, only the vice-captain Daren was allowed to approach him when he was sensitive.

But, an exception had been made.

“Rodrick, good work.”

Rodrick’s face was expressionless as he received the black leather gloves. Diana acted affectionately, regardless of his reaction.

“Look, I wiped those hands.”

“…”

I said it because he seemed to have a cleanliness obsession, but there’s no answer.

“Rodrick, can you hear me?”

She stood on her tiptoes and placed her hand on his cheek.

Perhaps because it was night and the temperature had dropped, her fingertips were cold. Rodrick closed his eyes momentarily at that cool sensation.

The uncontrollable energy that had been boiling inside him began to calm down.

Rodrick, quietly leaning into her slender hand, looked like a gentle lamb.

Diana’s standing among the knights increased at the sight of her looking like a trainer who had tamed a wild beast.

As the knights tactfully made way for the couple, the two stood there, having their private moment.

In reality, their conversation was far from romantic.

“Rodrick. I didn’t want to say it because I might be a bother, but I really want to wash up.”

“…”

His blue eyes mellowed lazily between his slightly open eyelids.

“Don’t you want to wash up too? You’ve been covered in magical beast blood for days? What’s the use of just changing your gloves?”

“…Alright.”

It’s really strange.

Rodrick’s condition seemed too erratic. Sometimes he’d be sensitive and prickly, other times he’d become docile and quiet.

Like now. He stays still even when I poke his cheek with my finger. This isn’t like him.

“I heard while coming here, there seems to be a valley nearby judging from the sound of water. I’ll go first, okay?”

Whatever. She turned around, thinking it wasn’t a big deal. However, she had to stop after a few steps.

Rodrick had grabbed her wrist.

“Where are you going alone?”

His lowered voice was heart-throbbing and charming.

Am I imagining that it sounds like ‘Where are you going alone, leaving me behind?’