“From now on, you shouldn’t easily reveal your affiliation.”

In the first place, she would have been trained to keep her mouth shut even under torture. Even if the purpose was to monitor her, she had spoken too easily.

“I’m sorry, I apologize.”

The woman stood up straight with a disciplined stance. Diana put the dagger back in its sheath and tilted her head slightly.

“Are you going to stay here?”

“Pardon?”

The woman observed Diana’s expression like a bewildered new recruit.

“You can go. Tell elder sister that I will personally visit her.”

“Yes.”

“And you.”

The woman flinched. Diana’s pink eyes shone coldly. Those eyes resembled the owner’s. The fierce gaze had the power to bind people.

“On your way, take care of the other three.”

Three? As far as the woman could tell, there were only two following behind. Diana commanded with a gesture of her chin.

“You may go.”

With a disgruntled bow, the woman quickly disappeared.

And some time later, the woman dealt with the two but lost her life to the third assassin she had failed to detect.

[This is the timeline separator]

“……”

Diana didn’t return and stood there with her arms crossed.

She was sorting out her thoughts. Clearly, quite some time had passed since she had told Rodrick to spread the information, but only now were people flocking.

It could be said to be contrived. Coincidentally, as soon as she left the castle, someone had followed her.

The one who just disappeared was useless. She had to wait for someone worth extracting information from. For now, she would know once she caught and interrogated them.

“Young lady.”

It was just as Diana finished her thoughts and was about to return. A familiar voice descended in front of her.

Warmth was breathed into the face that had been as cold as an emotionless doll.

As the man took off his hood and revealed his face, Diana’s face brightened.

“Heli?! It’s been so long.”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

The man glanced around Diana and checked her physical condition.

“The master told me to check on your condition.”

It was someone she hadn’t seen even before she died. The shaggy hair covering half of his face and the blunt voice were just a welcome sight.

He was one of Debir Beatus’ close aides. Growing up training with him since childhood made her even more delighted to see him.

“Originally, Black was supposed to come. But I just said I would go.”

Black was a code name for Debir Beatus’ right-hand man. Did elder brother send his right-hand man?

That was unexpected. Even when she was sick before she died, he had never assigned anyone to her. She thought he didn’t care much.

“Disappointed?”

It meant if she was disappointed that he came instead of the master’s right-hand man. Drooping ears seemed visible above his fluffy hair.

“How could that be? You came at the right time.”

At her sincere words, a pleased expression flashed beneath the shaggy hair.

It would be surprising for someone who knew him. Heli, who lacked motivation and bluntness in everything, didn’t even bother expressing emotions, saying it was tiresome.

“So the third one hiding was you? How many did you face in total?”

Heli, tilting his head, folded his fingers one by one to estimate the number, then gave up folding his fingers.

“Don’t know. There were many.”

There were many people whose movements overlapped, so it took more time to deal with them all and come. Moreover, there were traitors among Vanessa’s direct subordinates, adding to it.

How tiresome.

But seeing Diana’s face, such thoughts disappeared.

She reached out to wipe the red mark smeared on his shaggy bangs.

“Still, seeing you is so…”

She was about to say it was nice, but

“You went to another man right after having me?”

A low voice intervened coldly, and a firm hand grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t you think that’s too much, Diana?”

Though he pretended to be nonchalant, he was suppressing his boiling emotions.

“Rodrick?”

As if unwilling to hand her over, Rodrick lifted her wrist and pressed his lips against the back of her hand. His murderous gaze was fixed on Heli.

“Heli. Stop.”

Heli, who was moving a string embedded with glass in his hand, stopped at Diana’s command.

The eyes hidden behind his bangs flashed with murderous intent.

It would have only taken a few seconds. Time to gauge each other’s strength. The two men were on the verge of clashing at any moment with Diana between them.

“Now, let’s talk about it later and have a meal first?”

But Diana wasn’t one to allow that.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Young lady, is your stomach all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”

Carol placed a spicy stew in front of her, worrying about her who had drunk a crate of alcohol.

The same menu was placed for the two men sitting across and next to her.

“Mmm~ It’s so delicious, Carol.”

Carol smiled pleasantly at Diana’s compliment and also gave her tea brewed with medicinal herbs.

Carol winked at the gaze asking what it was.

“If you have it after intense physical activity, it relieves fatigue. It’s good for women.”

Diana’s face flushed red at the implied meaning behind the subtle words. It seemed that last night’s events were all heard since the place wasn’t soundproofed.

“Thank you. I’ll drink it well.”

As she was lifting the teacup to Carol’s kindness, Heli, who had been tapping the table irritably, quietly dropped a bomb.

“Young lady, should I tell the master that you slept with the northern envoy?”

“Pfft.”

It wasn’t her who spat out the liquid. The knight, who hadn’t left yet and was in the middle of a meal, spat out the water he was drinking.

Diana carefully put down the teacup and showed the warmest smile in the world.

“Heli.”

“……”

Heli slightly retreated at her expression.

“Do you think you can?”

Heli, who had been mischievous for nothing, immediately raised the white flag. He meekly shook his head, and his bangs covering his eyes swayed gently.

As she habitually reached out to stroke Heli’s hair, Tak! A hand blocked her midway.

“If you want to touch, touch me.”

The voice of the man blinded by jealousy was terribly low.

A subtle atmosphere flowed between them.

Oh my! Oh my! Carol, grabbing a handful of peanuts, watched the amusing scene unfold.

Only Buzz, who had to stay by Diana’s side, had a sorrowful face, pondering when to intervene and start his duty.

Moreover, the unfamiliar appearance of his lord was not only spine-chilling but also eerie.

He didn’t know who the man sitting across was, but he just hoped he would leave quickly.

“Young lady, why are you just sitting there? Do you like that man?”

At Heli’s question, Rodrick’s hand holding Diana’s hand tightened. Diana’s narrowed eyes gauged Rodrick’s state.

This man, he seems to be jealous, right?

She was pleased by that, and the corners of her lips slightly rose. She wanted to tease him, but his expression was too serious. She shouldn’t upset him. Should she soothe him a bit?

“I like him. I’m still because I like him.”

Heli’s lips parted as if it didn’t make sense. Diana glanced at Rodrick’s expression.

His expression didn’t easily soften. But at her words that she liked him, his stiff expression seemed to relax a little.

Diana held Rodrick’s hand and patted it.

“More importantly, why are you so late? It’s been a while since I spread the rumor that I’m here.”

“It was blocked.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you know? The Schwartz side was blocking all outsiders. Especially in Schwartz Castle, unless you’re an assassin or a spy, you couldn’t easily enter.”

Diana looked at Rodrick. She asked if he knew, but Rodrick seemed unaware. Then was it something the Schwartz Duke did?

After all, the security of the castle wasn’t under Rodrick’s jurisdiction. Putting everything else aside, she asked what she was most curious about right now.

“What about elder brother? Where is he now?”

Heli glanced at Rodrick and spoke.

“You’ll find out when you go to the capital.”

“You’re not going to tell me now.”

Heli remained silent. The master’s orders are followed no matter what. That was the iron rule.

“Okay, I got it.”

Still, it was fortunate that Heli came. If unknowns came, she thought she might have to torture them to extract information.

Diana smiled brightly and pushed the still-steaming stew even closer to Heli.

“You’re hungry, right?”

Just then, a loud growling sound came from Heli’s stomach.

It’s okay. Eat up. As Diana responded with a smile like a loyal dog waiting for the master’s command, Heli devoured the stew without hesitation.

Heli, hunger relieved, would easily share any information. The fact that the man, known to be ruthless even among assassins, had a weakness for food was something only Diana and Debir’s closest aides knew.

Heli, serious about food, stuffed his cheeks full of chicken and ate it vigorously. He was a man full of enthusiasm only when eating.

[This is the timeline separator]

Rodrick had been in a very bad mood since she disappeared.

He wanted to catch her right away and keep her locked up, to the point where dark and sticky emotions were rampant.

Had the murderous intent somehow turned into possessiveness? His dormant mania seemed to be inciting his furious emotions.

“Rodrick? Did you hear what I said?”

She was smiling so prettily, but the fact that another man was seeing this sight was unpleasant.

He lifted his hand and brushed her cheek with his thumb. The warmth in his hand calmed his raging energy.

“What did you say?”

“I said I want to keep Heli by my side for the time being.”

Rodrick’s face, which had been looking down at her languidly, froze as if it had cracked coldly.

“Why?”

“Because I need him?”

Come to think of it, when she first saw him, she had approached him first, saying she needed him.

At this rate, would the number of men by her side increase? While he was having such serious concerns, the office door opened.

“Young lady, please come in. His Grace is waiting for you.”

Diana nodded and entered the office.

“Your Grace, you called for me?”

At Diana’s question, the Duke of Schwartz, who had been writing documents, put down his quill pen.

“I don’t remember calling for you.”

The duke’s indifferent yet sharp question was directed at Rodrick. His son was standing like Diana’s escort knight, not the commander of the family’s knights.

“Consider it as if you didn’t.”

“……”

“Lady, a letter has arrived for you.”

At Rodrick’s words, the duke, who really treated him as a nonexistent person, held out the letters to Diana.

“A letter?”

“Yes. One is from the imperial palace. The other is from the Beatus family.”

Diana took the letters and tore them open on the spot to read them. It was an informal action, but no one pointed out her behavior.

It didn’t take long to finish reading the letters. Diana’s eyes narrowed as she read through the two letters.

The veins on her temples throbbed, an expression that would have made Nathan run away in shock if he had seen it.

“Father.”

At the voice laced with subtle murderous intent, even the duke flinched.

“Could you lend me a carriage? A very sturdy one, as I need to return to Beatus.”

“…Is that enough?”

It was a sudden request, but the duke and Rodrick couldn’t dissuade her from going.

“Ah, and give me the delayed marriage proposal. I need to take your son with me.”

The letter from the Beatus family in her hand was mercilessly crumpled.

It contained information about an arranged marriage that had been arranged without her knowledge.

People sent to the North had all been dealt with.

How long would she stay in the North?

If she didn’t return, they had no choice but to marry off the maid she cherished in her place, a threat that wasn’t really a threat.