The sound of a man’s footsteps breaking the silence and a woman’s footsteps quickly following him echoed through the corridor.

Rodrick confirmed Diana’s presence the entire time he walked.

He repeatedly grasped and released the slender wrist in his hand, as if to confirm it wasn’t an illusion.

He didn’t even feel that his own hand was burning hot as if it would catch fire.

“Ah.”

Staggering, she misstepped, unable to keep up with his pace. With beast-like physical abilities, he scooped Diana into his arms in an instant.

“Be careful.”

“……”

His eyes, which had only been cold, were now ablaze with blue flames rising from the depths.

Rodrick felt reassured by her breath felt at close range. As if that wasn’t enough, he held her tightly and headed to the bedroom.

“Rodrick.”

“……”

It was a strange experience. Sharing a body with someone else, but observing the situation as a third party was not a very pleasant sensation.

The body faithfully responded to her, but it was just frustrating not being able to move of his own will.

He sat on the bed and sat her on his lap. Without a word, worry was evident in her pink eyes at his fixed gaze.

“Did it hurt a lot?”

Diana tried to put her hand on her cheek, where the swelling was starting to go down with crazy recovery.

“Why.”

“Huh?”

The hand lost direction and headed for the firm chest muscles. Rodrick pulled her hand down and placed it on his heart.

The body that had momentarily lost control felt unfamiliar even moving a single muscle. Even his own voice seemed to feel strange.

“Why do you keep squeezing into my heart.”

Does Diana know?

When she collapsed in pain. When he saw her back turned into a mess of wounds. When she looked at her own back in a daze and pathetically shed tears. When her eyes lifelessly lost vitality as if she had given up. It felt like a heavy rock was pressing down on his chest.

An emotion he was experiencing for the first time seemed to invade and strangle his throat.

He wanted to hold Diana in his arms right away, but the body that had lost control wouldn’t move.

Frustration, longing, confusion, pity. Everything mixed together and incited anger.

“Why are you pretending to be fine. Why are you being so calm.”

He was stroking and caressing her back. It was a touch of worry, not a lascivious gesture.

Diana looked at Rodrick for a moment, then smiled subtly and said,

“I’m really okay.”

Rodrick rested his forehead on her shoulder to hide his distorted expression.

“You’re not okay.”

As time went by. The emotions she evoked did not lose their color, only becoming more vividly intense.

If the various colors become entangled and dyed black, would this frustration disappear?

“Diana.”

Rodrick’s blue eyes, having lifted his head, stared at her without avoidance as if they had made a decision.

Perhaps it was from the moment he met her. Like clothes getting wet in a drizzle, that’s how he gradually got soaked. Her every action stirs up his heart.

Her not crying made his throbbing heart ache. That made him angry. His voice lowered deeply.

“Don’t pretend to be fine in front of me.”

“……”

What are you talking about. She tried to gloss it over with laughter, but hardened her expression at his serious attitude.

How did he know? Diana bit her lower lip.

Just thinking she was an extra in a novel. That she must have a terminal illness. While thinking like that, it was an unimaginable shock when she discovered the unexpected whip marks and curse.

Although she tried to contain the aftermath of the shock, the suppressed emotions were leaking out.

She was just pretending not to know while desperately hiding it. Because there were many things to resolve right away.

“What does it matter to you.”

The protruding words came out harshly. However, the grief she had pressed down and contained was greatly shaken just by the other person noticing it.

“Diana.”

The low and emotional voice stimulated her eyes to well up. A teardrop fell against her will, feeling cold.

“What if I’m not okay?”

One drop, two drops. The suppressed fear popped out in the falling tears.

Think about it. The memories she had forgotten were absurd enough, but whipping on her back at that. She could only be scared. The fragmentary memories that were revived also evoked the terror of that time.

That it’s scary. That it was scary. She wanted to say that. She wanted to grab Rodrick’s ancestors and cry out why this happened to her.

“I’m really fine though.”

But the ancestors to confront had gone into the ring.

“I was fine.”

Diana hit Rodrick’s chest weakly as if venting her anger at him for inciting her to explode the emotions she had suppressed.

“I’m enduring it, so why do you keep making me weak. Wahh.”

She shed tears as he said, not holding back. In her blurry vision from tears, she saw Rodrick’s softened face.

“I’m strong, so it’s okay.”

At the words she uttered as if it was nothing, her grief exploded even more.

“What are you to me that it’s okay! What are you to me!”

She was neither his fiancée nor anything else to him. Just two people healing each other’s bodies. Nothing more, nothing less.

“If you tell me to become a knight.”

Rodrick lifted her clenched fist and kissed it.

“I’ll make a knight’s oath.”

The kisses continued without stopping.

“If you tell me to become a husband, I’ll send a courtship letter.”

He precisely kissed her fourth finger.

“If you tell me to become a servant, I’ll even write a slave oath.”

An indescribable emotion flowed down, making her pink eyes hazy.

“Don’t hold back. If you’re scared, say you’re scared. I’ll take it all.”

At the sincere confession, Diana couldn’t hold back and clung to his chest, pouring out her grief.

“Wahhh, I won’t let those bastards who made my body like a pufferfish get away with it!”

He silently held her and patted her back. The back that had become smooth again showed no trace of wounds.

It was just temporarily covered with magic as a stopgap measure. The wounds had not disappeared.

That shock remained etched in his mind and did not fade.

Yes, he will not let those who hurt her get away with it.

He preciously held her like protecting a small bird that had flown into his arms.

Although the rain had stopped outside the window, the rain dampening his chest continued to fall.

Tall stature with black hair. The red eyes characteristic of the Beatus family floated in the prison blocked on all sides.

“Cough.”

The man hanging from the chains was covered in blood from the whipping.

The man with not a single unharmed spot was the eldest son of the Beatus family. Debir Beatus.

“Haa.”

Spitting out a surging lump of blood, he threw back his head and exhaled. His whereabouts unknown, he was confined in the empress’ special prison.

“They say that child escaped.”

He spoke to the empty air where no one was.

“Yes.”

“Who is it.”

“They say it’s the Tyrant of Schwartz.”

Strength entered the body that had been limply hanging from the chains. A bloody smile rose on the sculptured face wet with sweat.

“The timing, how amusing.”

The youngest was not included in the plan to draw in Schwartz.

Trying to protect her by locking her up, she got involved with Schwartz. And at that, with the guy called the Tyrant of the Battlefield.

“Haa. What about Nathan?”

“They say he departed from the north to the capital.”

“Vanessa’s condition?”

“They say her mood fluctuates according to the crown prince’s attitude. Inside the imperial palace, bad rumors are already spreading that she’s being tyrannical.”

It was obvious even without looking that the crown princess-to-be’s position was diminishing.

The crown prince was using the newly brought in woman to weaken Vanessa’s mental state.

Debir Beatus firmly closed his eyes as if pressing something down, then opened them.

Killing intent rippled in the calmly burning gaze. The subordinate hiding in the shadows swallowed nervously.

“First, you go directly to the north and check on the youngest’s condition.”

“Yes.”

“If anything happens to that child, the north will also be excluded.”

“I will obey your orders.”

The subordinate bowed his head and carefully asked.

“How long will you stay here.”

“It’s about time I leave. The more I use my power, the more burden it will be on that child.”

This damn power. It eats away at the youngest’s lifespan.

“Since I voluntarily came in, I should at least shatter all the stone tablets the empress has.”

At least that much should be done for it to be worth it. The eyes distorted with madness grew chilly.

Clatter- Diana, who was riding in the carriage, came to her senses at the rattling. She had come out of the castle for a change of pace.

A lot had happened in a short time.

After the red energy disappeared, the attitude of the servants toward her became polite again. Those who had complaints were all fired.

The daughters of vassal families that Irene had brought in were also reportedly cut off by the duke’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering so they couldn’t recover.

Irene, the main culprit of all this, was rumored to have become an idiot from the shock of being confined to a separate residence. It may be a side effect from losing the medium she used for curses, but she decided not to care.

Nathan left only a single letter and disappeared. Leaving a terrifying warning to stay away from Rodrick, he left for the capital.

But wasn’t Nathan here on duty? According to Rodrick, Nathan was currently serving in the Western Ducal Knights.

She contemplated Nathan’s place of work, but figured he’d handle it himself. The contemplation quickly evaporated.

“Miss. Where shall I take you?”

The carriage door opened as it stopped at the village square. It wasn’t the person who usually escorted her.

“You’re not Sir Daren?”

“Ah, Vice Captain Daren has a separate matter to attend to.”

Daren had been excluded from the mission due to the rumor involving Diana earlier, but the knight spared his words.

“I’m Buzz Bogentaff. It’s an honor to escort you, Miss.”

When getting on the carriage, she had been lost in thought and couldn’t greet him.

The large, bearded man was one of the elite knights assisting Rodrick.

“Nice to meet you, Sir Buzz. I’ll be in your care today.”

Buzz scratched his head and laughed innocently, hehe-, at the beauty’s smile.

“Where shall I take you?”

“Hmm, what’s the most famous place here?”

“If you haven’t decided on a place, may I recommend one?”

“Of course.”

With her permission, Buzz showed a bright smile. Should I say he’s like an excited bear? He was a knight who made even those looking at him feel good.

The place Buzz took her to was a tavern bustling even at an early hour.

“Honey! I’m here!”

From the entrance, Buzz noisily went in, drawing everyone’s attention.

“You’re here? What’s the occasion? Isn’t it your work hours now?”

At the unfazed attitude of the lady owner responding, the hall became noisy and boisterous again.

The lady owner was busy carrying plates and wooden beer mugs.

“Honey, take a look here. See who I brought.”

“Can’t you see I’m busy?! If you’re done with work, help me out.”

“No, I’m on duty now.”

Diana, who had been hidden behind Buzz’s bear-like large build, stuck her head out a little.

Her pink eyes were sparkling with interest. Even if she had been born in this world, she had little experience outside. It had been a while since she’d been to such a lively tavern.

“Oh my.”

The lady owner, who had put down mugs on the table and turned around, exclaimed and approached her.

“Miss, this is my wife, Carol Bogentaff. Carol, this person is…”

“I wanted to see you! Miss!”

Before he could introduce Diana, Carol smiled delightedly and grasped Diana’s hand.

“H-honey. This person is the ducal lady.”

The only married man among the elite knights. Buzz Bogentaff profusely sweated at his wife’s rudeness.