Diana, who had been staring at the portrait with the same bright pink eyes, averted her gaze.

“Let’s go.”

Despite the hot body temperature of the child in her arms, a chilling cold lingered, making her feel the need to go outside.

The secret passage seemed to have been made for the portrait. They put in so much effort just to protect a single portrait?

It was puzzling. Moreover, the fact that the woman’s eyes in the portrait were pink bothered her.

Holding Noel in her arms, Diana retraced her steps back the way she had come, deep in thought.

Red eyes were the symbol of the Beatus bloodline.

All her siblings had red eyes, but she alone was born with faded pink eyes.

It was said to be the first time in the family’s history. There was much controversy at the time, with people questioning if she had been conceived by another man. However, Diana was indeed a direct descendant.

Unlike her siblings, her hair was neither completely black nor red, but an ambiguous dark violet color, and her eyes were a faded reddish-pink.

Everything about her was ambiguous.

The branch family disparaged her as a defective product, but it had no impact on her and she didn’t care. Her elder siblings also responded with indifference and apathy.

Then one day, the branch family started avoiding her. They did so even though she had not taken any action against them.

Later, she found out that her elder sister had secretly dealt with the branch family members who had badmouthed her.

‘There was no need for that, I could have handled it myself.’

‘Ha, what are you saying? I didn’t do it for you, I took care of them because they were getting on my nerves. Got it? You insignificant youngest.’

Those were the words uttered by the 10-year-old villainess. Hmm, come to think of it, my sister definitely had the makings of a villainess.

Recalling the past, Diana chuckled. It was at that moment when she was taking a step forward. A chilling sensation brushed past the nape of her neck.

“Sister.”

At Noel’s firm voice, she was about to turn her head.

“Sister. Don’t turn your head and run straight ahead.”

“What?”

She seemed to hear incomprehensible words behind her back.

“Run!”

At the same time as Noel’s words, a gust of wind pushed her back, and Diana ran against her will. It was Noel’s supportive magic.

Unbeknownst to Diana, a man’s soul was desperately coming towards her.

Noel, who was being held in Diana’s arms and looking behind, stretched out his hand towards the empty air.

The moment he confronted the soul of the man following them, a part of Noel’s sealed memories fully awakened.

Flash. Light burst out from Noel’s small hand, and Diana escaped the passage.

The man’s hand that had been reaching out pitifully towards her back disappeared as if scattering.

Seeing that, the corners of Noel’s mouth twisted up fiercely. It was an eerie smile unsuitable for a child, but Diana did not see it.

“Huff. Huff. What on earth happened. What was behind us?”

With a mere gesture, Noel controlled the wind and turned the gauntlet on his wrist. Kukuku- The wall that had disappeared rose up again.

During that entire process, Diana failed to notice anything amiss.

She was already short of breath, and running had made her lungs lack air. She had no mental capacity to pay attention to anything else.

“Noel?”

Diana was worried about Noel, who wasn’t responding. She separated Noel from her arms and checked the child’s face. Noel’s fierce expression changed in an instant.

“Sister, you’re scared of ghosts, right? A scary ghost was chasing us!”

He said that with such an innocent face? Phew, but it’s a relief that we made it out safely.

Sighing in relief, Diana placed her hand on the child’s head.

“Yes, as long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”

The mysteriously darkened red eyes sparkled brightly. Diana’s words made her heart flutter.

“Let’s not go in there again.”

“………”

As Diana walked ahead, trying to leave the villa, Noel did not give any response.

“What is that woman doing?”

It was an abrupt question. The maid, who had been kneeling and tending to her nails, answered promptly.

“She’s in the villa.”

“How on earth did she catch the Duke’s eye?”

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. How much effort had she put in? What trick did that woman use to become the center of the ducal castle in an instant?

“She even visits every day like she’s clocking in for work? I get rejected right at the door!”

“Please don’t be too disheartened. Miss Irene. It will ruin your skin.”

Irene Moneta. She could not be satisfied with the current situation.

Two years ago, when the Marquis and Marchioness died in an unfortunate accident, she found herself in a precarious position.

She couldn’t inherit the debt-ridden marquisate right away, nor could she bring in a son-in-law or appoint a proxy.

With no relatives to rely on, Irene had nowhere to turn. If things continued like this, the creditors might take everything from her, and she could end up becoming a commoner.

It was then, as she trembled with anxiety and guarded the grave in a pitiful state, that a lifeline was thrown to her.

People dressed in black priest’s robes appeared before her and offered her a way out.

‘Please examine the personal belongings.’

She did as they instructed, thinking she had nothing to lose. And to her surprise, among her mother’s belongings, there was actually a letter from the Duchess! How they knew about it was a mystery.

Following their directions, she immediately took the letter and headed to the ducal castle.

Duke Schwartz accepted Irene based solely on the letter bearing the Duchess’s handwriting.

Although it was on the condition that the title would be transferred to the ducal family, not only were her debts paid off, but she also received sponsorship from the Duke and was guaranteed a life in the ducal castle.

From then on, things went smoothly. Starting with the maids, she turned all the castle’s servants to her side.

At first, she pretended to be timid and frail, but as things went well, she became bolder and had no qualms about living according to her true nature.

They will always love me. That was her confidence.

Knock, knock. There was a knocking sound, and at Irene’s permission, the maids entered.

“We brought her.”

“Good. Well done.”

The maid who was dragged in by the maids with strong physiques was puzzled, not knowing what was going on. Irene got up from her seat and approached the captured maid.

“You’re that woman’s personal maid, right?”

The maid looked at Irene with wavering eyes. The maid in charge of Diana’s care was a newcomer who had only recently joined.

The gazes of the surrounding maids staring at her were sharp. Swallowing her saliva, the maid nodded.

The one referred to as ‘that woman’ must be the young lady she served. The kind and beautiful young lady whose name and family she didn’t know.

“The head butler has replaced all the people, so my influence has greatly diminished.”

“Pardon? Yes.”

The maid answered in a daze, rolling her eyes. So what was the reason she was summoned here?

“Here, take this.”

It was a sachet. Inside the sachet, which had no scent, were crumbled stone fragments.

“Wear this on your body and wander around wherever that woman’s personal maids are. Oh, that woman. She had knights too, right?”

Tsk. Clicking her tongue, Irene said with a smirk. Her tone was forceful, almost like a command.

“That woman’s guard knights. Go to the places where those knights are as well.”

“Why should I……”

“Because it’s my request?”

The moment she tried to refuse, an invisible red energy flowed out of the sachet and engulfed the maid. The maid took a deep breath at Irene’s words.

How could there be such a lovely young lady? And her voice. It was a voice that made one want to obey everything.

“Understood?”

“Yes, yes. Miss. I will do as you command.”

Irene smiled in satisfaction at the maid’s entranced eyes.

“Everyone, leave. Ah, and proceed with the tea party tomorrow without any setbacks.”

“Understood.”

In a castle without a mistress, holding a tea party was impossible without the permission of the head of the household, but Irene commanded the servants.

They were the ones who followed Irene’s words more than the head’s orders.

“The head butler is a bit of an obstacle. But somehow it will work out.”

For some reason, the ducal family, including the head butler, did not listen to Irene’s words.

Then she would start by taking control of the surroundings.

Using her influence in the Schwartz Castle, she intended to swallow the northern social circles according to her taste.

Irene’s goal was to become the Duchess. So she planned to make the young ladies of the vassal families her allies, secure her position, and marry Felice.

The plan was perfect. At least until that woman arrived.

“What the hell is she clinging to that beast for?”

Rodrick Schwartz, who was obsessed with blood and wandered battlefields before returning to the family and becoming the head of the knights. The eldest son who couldn’t even become the heir.

Whenever she faced those unfathomable blue eyes, she felt like her body was freezing. Just thinking about it made her shudder with discomfort.

“Hmph, once I become the Duchess, I’ll immediately kick him out of the knighthood. What does he think he is, looking down on me?”

Since that woman’s arrival, half of the people under Irene’s influence had been fired. The reason was that they had entered Diana’s room without permission.

What was even more absurd was the Duke’s attitude. The Duke, who wouldn’t even allow his own children near him, allowed that woman to be by his side. She was getting impatient. At this rate, she would lose her place.

Click- Irene took out a jewel box hidden under the bed and opened it. Inside the jewel box was a stone tablet more precious than jewels. The small stone tablet inscribed with ancient characters had one corner broken off.

It was the stone tablet given to her by those dressed in black priest’s robes. With just this, she could control people.

When I used this, even the Duke showed no reaction. What on earth is that woman?

Suddenly, she remembered the face of the woman who had choked her.

‘Ah, she nearly killed me.’

Those eerie pink eyes. Irene instinctively felt it. This power wouldn’t work on that woman.

Then she would use those around her. She would take control of the surroundings and suffocate her to get rid of her.

Hadn’t she gotten rid of the youngest daughter of this family in a similar way? She could do the same thing this time.

Irene smiled sinisterly. It was a pity to break the palm-sized stone tablet, but it was worth the investment.

Irene couldn’t help but laugh, looking forward to what would happen next.