“What kind of guys are these again?”

With a displeased look, Nikolai glanced at a dozen men gathered.

In the hands of these rough-looking men were thick clubs and folding knives.

“Haha. We were just planning to take Boritz, but there are even some women. What a surprise!”

“If we sell these women, we can recover the principal and have some left.”

“Today is our lucky day!”

Even their vulgar speech revealed that they were cheap thugs.

As a signal to explain, Nikolai turned to Boritz.

Boritz, once again hiding under the black hood, trembled like birch leaves in the drizzle.

“They are debt collectors. They said they would come next month, but… I don’t know why they gathered today.”

Boritz was afraid that his involvement might harm me and Suzan.

“Oh? This red-haired woman looks familiar.”

“That’s the woman from back then! The one who always had a lot of guards!”

Somewhere, they seemed familiar.

The thugs I encountered in the alley behind the shop when looking for Boris.

One of the thugs pointed his finger at me.

“This time, there doesn’t seem to be a guy stuck to you, but you’re lucky to meet me! I wanted to find you and show you what real revenge looks like.”

“Are those guys from before? Nice to meet you. I’m not particularly happy about it.”

“The arrogant tone is the same! Let’s see if you’ll still be whistling with your tongue even after being beaten like a dog!”

The thug, showing off his biceps, rushed at me.

The others stood by, watching their colleague’s attack.

Confident expressions, believing that I would eventually beg for mercy.

That’s when Franz shouted, “Shade. Protect Elizabeth!”

There was no answer.

Suddenly, a man appeared in the empty space.

‘What kind of technique is he using? Did he really jump out of the shadows?’

Before I could question it, Shade rushed towards the thugs.

His figure wasn’t visible.

The black shadow flickered in the air.

Fast, silent, and eerie.

Everywhere the shadow passed, the men with weapons screamed and fell.

“Argh!”

“What’s happening? Ugh!”

Even while spitting blood, the men didn’t understand what was happening.

A gruesome scene unfolded one after another.

Franz’s eyes were filled with shock.

Even though he was cruel, he was only a 10-year-old child.

A noble boy who grew up surrounded by gold and jewels.

Suzanne hugged Franz from behind.

“Don’t look. It’ll be sorted out soon.”

Suzan covered Franz’s eyes with her small hands.

She was trembling too, but it seemed like she wanted to protect Franz.

Franz couldn’t act with a gentlemanly or adult-like demeanor.

Boritz couldn’t move either.

Blood flowed vigorously in the farm filled with warm sunlight and the refreshing scent of herbs.

Under Shade’s feet, the bodies of men whose fate couldn’t be confirmed wriggled.

“There was no need to kill them.”

Shade didn’t reply.

“They were unbearable debt collectors. We could have just chased them away, couldn’t we?”
Shade stared at me with eyes devoid of any emotion.

His demeanor was serene, almost like that of an innocent boy, not someone who had just taken the lives of at least seven people.

“Aren’t you going to speak? Or can’t you?”

“…….,” he remained silent.

“Never do that again. Before you kill, at least get my permission first.”

I warned him coldly, thrusting my index finger into his chest.

Shade seemed to ponder for a moment.

He subtly nodded, as if to say something, but the eyebrows seemed a bit furrowed. Perhaps it was just an illusion.

“Sister! We need to go back quickly. His Highness… is having trouble breathing!”

Suzanne, holding Franz, said.

Franz’s lips were dry and pale, and his complexion resembled wax.

Seeing Franz struggling to breathe, my heart ached.

“It’s all because of me. I was too reckless.”

I shouted, pushing the boiling guilt into me.

“Shade, escort His Highness to the imperial palace! As soon as possible!”

The long day darkened, and in the dim corridor, I bit my thumbnail.

“You must have been very surprised, but there are no other problems. If you rest for a few days, you’ll be fine.”

Even after hearing the palace healer’s words, I couldn’t relax.

I didn’t have the courage to enter Franz’s sickroom.

‘Why didn’t I predict this situation? I knew that Boritz was being harassed by loan sharks in the back alleys.’

It wasn’t that I didn’t know, but I neglected it.

I thought Boritz needed to realize reality sharply.

Only then would he move according to my will, like a gentle lamb.

I also knew that those guys would pressure Boritz in a dangerous way.

I intentionally didn’t clear his debts.

He would be more grateful if I rescued him at the right time.

As a result, such an incident occurred.

“I’m sorry, Elizabeth. I made it awkward by being stubborn.”

Franz, lifted by Shade, said.

Even in that moment, Franz’s affection worried about me stabbed my heart.

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Franz. Just do what you want, like an ordinary child. I’ll take care of the rest.”

I should have protected Franz no matter what happened.