“But why did you come to the North? You never even stepped a foot outside the mansion.”

Pushing aside the dubious feeling at Nathan’s words, Diana looked at him and smiled knowingly.

“So that’s why you came? The one who always holed up at home came all the way to the North, so far from the capital?”

“Yeah. Well. I guess.”

Nathan awkwardly scratched his mane-like red hair.

His mind was filled with nothing but thoughts of fighting, and he lived with an inflated sense of self-importance, but he had a deep heart. That’s why he was an elder brother she couldn’t hate.

“You haven’t changed at all, elder brother.”

“Would you like it if I changed? It’s enough that elder brother and elder sister have become strange.”

The villain and villainess of this world. Beings that make the sacred and noble female lead stand out.

Since when did it start? Vanessa Beatus blindly loving the crown prince.

Debir Beatus gradually becoming less talkative and an incomprehensible person.

“And you ran away, elder brother.”

Saying that the education of the Beatus family didn’t suit him, Nathan Beatus ran away from the family.

The Beatus mainly specialized in assassination, moving secretively or sinisterly behind the scenes. It didn’t suit Nathan, who liked to fight flashily out in the open.

“Who ran away! There’s no such thing as running away in Nathan’s dictionary.”

“Okay, you didn’t run away.”

“I left of my own accord. I abandoned that family.”

“Yes, yes.”

Nathan, who had been growling ferociously, tucked his tail slightly when Diana affirmed his words.

“You…”

The giant man who was about to say something eyed his little sister. Averting his gaze, Nathan opened his mouth.

“Are you still upset with me?”

Now what is this about?

“Me? Why?”

“You didn’t talk to me for a while back then. You were just spacing out. Since then, you never even left the house.”

Nathan muttered inaudibly that he left the house because he hated seeing her like that.

“When did that happen? Did I ever have a reason to be upset with you, elder brother?”

Even before she died, Diana couldn’t remember most of her childhood memories. What happened? Not leaving the house was simply because she found it bothersome.

“…”

It was more than 5 years ago. But Diana couldn’t remember. While feeling relieved about that, her insides twisted.

Nathan couldn’t say that she had been dragged away like she was kidnapped and experimented on. It was something she had to endure just because she was a direct descendant of the Beatus.

Nathan’s stern face softened as he abruptly stood up from his seat and approached Diana. He placed his large, calloused hand on top of her round head.

“So, you still haven’t told me why you’re here?”

“Eek. Don’t do that!”

Nathan messed up her long hair for no reason, trying to change the subject.

“Hurry up and tell me. Little sister.”

“I somehow ended up here.”

At the unconvincing answer, Nathan’s hand that was ruffling her hair suddenly stopped.

“Somehow ended up here? Out of all the many places, you came to the Schwartz? If you’re going to make an excuse, do it properly. Diana Beatus.”

Nathan seemed to truly not know why she was here.

Bringing his face close to hers, Nathan urged her to give a proper explanation.

Diana pushed Nathan’s face away. No matter how handsome he was, it felt burdensome. Okay, elder brother?

“You know I have a short temper, right?”

“I know.”

Those eyes were telling her to talk about Rodrick. She pondered. Where should she start and how much should she tell?

From the moment she opened her eyes and found herself kidnapped and imprisoned? That she had to absorb the curse, so she was going to propose to Rodrick to stay close to him? That it seemed like they would really end up getting married?

“Diana.”

At the low voice, the pink eyes that had been lost in thought met the serious red eyes.

“Tell me. Without leaving anything out. Don’t overthink it.”

“…”

Nathan Beatus. The outcast who doesn’t care about family affairs. Someone with no power or ambition in the family.

She had faith that Nathan was not involved in her kidnapping and confinement.

But it was a family matter that Nathan detested. Should I not tell him? The momentary temptation was defeated by Nathan’s earnest face.

Diana smiled as if she had no choice. Either way, they were family.

I should be honest with Nathan. She had always been lonely in the family and wished she had someone completely on her side. That’s why, although she was surprised to see Nathan, her joy took precedence.

Even if it could potentially be dangerous. Yes, no regrets. I trust my brother.

Steeling herself, she told him everything that happened since she opened her eyes, leaving out the part about this being inside a novel and her being reincarnated and regressing here.

As he listened with a stern face, Nathan’s complexion gradually turned pale.

“Wait.”

Nathan plopped down next to Diana.

“Putting aside the fact that you were kidnapped and imprisoned. If you hadn’t been able to absorb the curse, you could have died just like that, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

If she hadn’t met Rodrick, she would have died in vain once again amidst the pain.

“That’s right? That’s right?! How can you say that so calmly?!”

Now that she had Rodrick as her remedy, it was fine.

Of course, it wasn’t a fundamental cure, so to completely change her physical condition, she had to find a way. But at least her lifespan was extended.

Noel also said that the curse would become medicine. He didn’t say it would be completely cured. She would look for that gradually.

“You damn little sister!”

Her thoughts were interrupted by Nathan suddenly grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.

“You really almost died!”

This elder brother is going off again. Diana, who was about to say something, couldn’t part her lips. Worry and fear were etched on Nathan’s face.

“…Elder brother?”

“Please think about your body for once.”

At the sudden remark, Diana blinked her pink eyes and replied.

“My body is the most precious to me, you know?”

When he stared at her in disbelief, she pouted.

“What kind of answer do you want? I was going to propose to Rodrick because I didn’t want to die.”

Although he beat her to it. But it’s fine since I told Father.

“Yes, use that guy like that. Use him and then throw him away.”

When was it unsightly to stick together? He jumped up and down, completely changing his complexion.

“I’ll decide whether to use him and throw him away or not.”

“You couldn’t possibly…”

“Possibly what?”

“You’re not really going to marry him, are you? You can’t. I’m absolutely against it. I know that guy better than anyone. He’s not someone who will treat a woman well.”

Since when did Nathan know Rodrick? I should have recognized him since he came with Rodrick.

“Elder brother, do you know Rodrick?”

“We often ran into each other on this battlefield and that battlefield. When I was doing mercenary work, he was the one who formed the mercenary group… No, don’t change the subject!”

Diana shrugged her shoulders and tapped Nathan’s arm.

“I’ll handle my own affairs. Elder brother, you just focus on your own business.”

Before leaving, Diana asked one last thing she was curious about.

“You don’t keep in touch with elder brother and elder sister?”

“I don’t know!”

As if sulking, Nathan abruptly turned his head away. Haha. Not cute at all. Laughing out loud, Diana stepped out of the room.

“But it’s so nice to see you after a long time. Elder brother.”

At those sincere words, Nathan’s heart melted into a puddle.

“Diana.”

What kind of situation is this again? She clearly just left after seeing Nathan, but now she was in Rodrick’s room.

As soon as she came out, Rodrick had expressionlessly pulled her in. Bang. Closing the door with irritation, he pushed her against the wall.

Trapped between the wall and Rodrick, Diana raised her head under the shadowed hair. Blue eyes were thickly looking down at her.

“What’s wrong? Rodrick. Did something happen?”

Without a word, Rodrick caressed Diana’s cheek with the hand not propping against the wall.

Not wearing gloves, his skin could be fully felt. The rough sensation unique to those who wield swords was conveyed.

The cool fingertip caressed her cheek and headed towards her lips. Fiddling with the slightly parted, soft-looking lips, he lowered his head as if to kiss her.

“Rodrick?”

“Are you going to use me and throw me away?”

“What?”

“I asked if you’re going to use me and throw me away.”

She couldn’t help but be dazed by his words. Use him and throw him away? Suddenly, the conversation with Nathan came to mind.

‘Yes, use that guy like that. Use him and then throw him away.’

‘I’ll decide whether to use him and throw him away or not.’

Don’t tell me he overheard all of that? Come to think of it, this man’s expressionless face seems a bit crestfallen.

Diana bit the inside of her mouth. She felt like laughter might burst out if she wasn’t careful.

Ah, what should I do with this man?

Diana absorbed the curse abundantly through his hand. Using strength beyond her original stamina, she instantly pulled Rodrick and stood him against the wall. Their positions were reversed in the blink of an eye with tremendous force.

Thud! Instead of the wall, she propped herself against his thick chest muscles. It was never intentional. Due to the difference in physique, she couldn’t reach the wall.

“Oops, my mistake.”

“…”

Even though she said it was a mistake, she didn’t remove her hand from his chest.

Rodrick simply raised an eyebrow. He didn’t seem displeased either. More like surprised by the reversal of positions. She pressed his body firmly with her strength.

Raising the hand not propping against his body, she lifted his chin with her index finger.

“You asked if I’m going to use you and throw you away? Who knows?”

Diana’s lips curled up alluringly as she elongated the end of her words. Her slender fingers trailed down his Adam’s apple.

“It depends on what you do.”

Her touch passed his clavicle and reached his taut abs without an ounce of excess fat.

At the sensual touch, his Adam’s apple bobbed largely and his abs tensed.

“My thoughts…”

It was around the time her fingers descended to the second line of his well-defined abs. An intense gaze was felt from below, causing her to momentarily halt her movement.

“Lady, what are you doing with Sir?”

Huh, when did he come in?! Not even the sound of the door, let alone any presence, was felt.

“…”

“…”

It was a silence that made her feel like fainting. Diana’s face turned even redder than the child’s red eyes.

Noel was squatting down, propping his chin with his hands, watching them with a lovely face.

“What?”

Looking at the innocent child, she couldn’t possibly say she was trying to make this man fall for her. Absolutely not. No way, you don’t say such things to a child.

“Oh, well. What I’m doing is…”

Rodrick’s smile deepened as he watched Diana ramble incoherently, her boldness from when she was seducing him nowhere to be seen.

Smooch. Rodrick kissed Diana’s forehead and lifted her in his arms. Surprised by the sudden peck, Diana placed her hand on her forehead.

If you get surprised by this, how will you handle more? He seemed to be saying that with his eyes. Diana glared at the mischievous blue eyes.

“Why are you laying Lady here? Let’s go to Lady’s room.”

Fortunately, Noel didn’t display any further curiosity. Sighing in relief, she received Rodrick’s care.

It was so natural that until Noel’s question, she hadn’t even thought about why she was lying on his bed. Right. Why am I lying here?

“From now on, you’ll sleep here.”

“What?”

“What?”

Diana and Noel’s puzzled questions popped out simultaneously.

“Why?”

“You don’t like it? We’ve been apart for a long time.”

“It’s not that I don’t like it, but…”

There would be a lot of rumors if they shared a bedroom before marriage. It didn’t really matter since there were already plenty of bad rumors about her.

“What are you worried about? We’re going to get married.”

Look at this man. Sneakily asserting that we’re going to get married. Didn’t you say let’s start with engagement first? She was about to make a retort when—

Hnngh. The sound of exertion came from the lower part of the bed. A gray head that abruptly popped up gradually conquered the top of the bed.

When his eyes met Diana’s, Noel smiled brightly.

“If Lady sleeps here, I’ll sleep here too!”

Noel, who had crawled up the huge bed, claimed the spot next to Diana.

Snuggling close to her, Noel grinned triumphantly and looked at Rodrick.

As Rodrick’s eyebrows twitched, Noel stuck out his tongue. Bleh—