Drip. A droplet fell from the ceiling.

“…Ah.”

Summer raised her hazy eyes and looked around. She was clearly dragged somewhere after fainting, but it felt familiar.

“It’s been a while, Summer Lindsey.”

The figure sitting next to Summer greeted her.

Summer turned her head towards the sound and called his name with a shocked voice.

“Demian… Cheshire?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s me.”

“Why did you…”

Now she knew where this was. It was a temple. Slightly cool and damp feeling.

“Someone asked me to look after Summer for a bit.”

“Who on earth?”

“I can’t tell you that. More importantly, you look terrible.”

“…”

Demian reached out his hand and gently stroked Summer’s cheek. Summer glared fiercely and abruptly turned her head away.

Demian’s hand lingered in the air.

“Why do you have to stand out and suffer like this? Just stay quiet like a dead mouse.”

“I found a way to go back.”

“That damn way to go back. I’m washing my hands of it now. You and I are strangers now.”

“I thought you said we were accomplices before.”

“Haha. Summer, you’re so naive.”

Demian’s tone was as if he was admiring something cute.

That made her even more angry. Summer tried to get up but collapsed back down due to her bound limbs.

“…Demian.”

“Are you disappointed in me?”

Demian looked pleased. She thought that if she showed her disappointment here, he would probably be even more pleased. She hated that to death.

“No. I’m just curious if I’m the goal, or if you’re planning to lure out Russell or Duke Lancaster using me as bait.”

“Both. Ah, earlier Duke Bertrand came looking for me to find Summer.”

“…!”

Summer’s eyes flew open. Russell?

Demian’s red eyes gleamed strangely.

“How does it feel? To become that person’s weakness.”

“…If you think about the moment Selena gained meaning for you, it should be easy to understand.”

As expected. Just mentioning Selena’s name made Demian emotionally unstable. He wasn’t very rational to begin with.

Demian pinned Summer to the floor and strongly pressed down on her shoulders.

“Shut your mouth, outsider. Even if you’re an outsider, you dare not speak Selena’s name.”

Killing intent dripped from Demian’s voice. His fierce face looked like he would bite Summer at any moment.

“Only I can see Selena. You should know that.”

“Ha. What are you trying to see? Selena is already, already…!”

“Can you see Selena’s grave, the grave that exists in this world now?”

“…”

The sound of Demian sharply inhaling was heard. That level of agitation was enough.

“I’m the only one who can see the real Selena.”

“So you’re begging for your life?”

“No. What I want is the opposite.”

“…What?”

The hand gripping Summer’s shoulder lost strength.

“Kill me. You do it directly, Demian.”

Summer’s expression was calm as she said this. She had been thinking about it for a while.

If it was the Pope, he could break the laws of the world,

“Please kill me.”

Couldn’t he kill me?

“…”

Russell leaned his shoulder against a temple pillar, breathing heavily. When was the last time he ran like this?

He had searched every corner of the temple for hours without rest. But there was no sign of Summer, let alone finding her.

There were only about two hours left until sunset.

“…”

There was. There was a way. A way to save Summer.

Russell quickly climbed onto the waiting carriage.

“To the Gray Zone.”

“What? M-Master…”

“Hurry!”

The carriage quickly left the temple and headed for the Gray Zone.

The Gray Zone was an area that dug into the ambiguous line between illegal and legal. Strictly speaking it was illegal, but there were now too many people to crack down on.

The Empire gathered such people in one area and named it the ‘Gray Zone’.

Russell got off as soon as the carriage stopped. The Gray Zone residents glanced at the suddenly appearing nobleman.

Russell familiarly found his way and entered a shop.

“Welcome. Oh my, what an esteemed guest.”

The clerk greeted him but grinned when he saw Russell’s attire. Information was life for shops like this.

Duke Russell Bertrand. It was the first time he had come here as a customer, only showing up during Gray Zone crackdowns before.

“One short and light sword. Two vials of poison that leads to death in about 10 minutes.”

“Wow. What are you planning to do? This is quite an interesting purchase list.”

Instead of answering, Russell took out gold coins from his pocket and placed them down with a thud. The clerk examined Russell’s expressionless face, then went to the back while grinning.

When he came out, he was holding two brown vials and a dagger.

“Here you go. Do you need a bag?”

“No need.”

“Alright, have a good day!”

Russell gathered the items and turned to leave without hesitation. That’s when it happened.

“Oh right, information is very precious to people like us.”

“…”

“A very noble-looking lady like yourself came by before.”

Russell slowly turned his eyes to stare at the clerk. As if daring him to speak. A chilling murderous intent seemed almost visible.

The clerk’s body trembled slightly from the sensation of goosebumps all over, but he still opened his mouth.

“A gloomy-looking lady with blonde hair and blue eyes, do you know what she bought?”

“…”

“The Breath of Blenkis. It was an extremely deadly poison.”

The clerk spoke rhythmically with a smirk.

Russell abruptly turned and strode over to the clerk. He then grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.

The clerk wasn’t small in stature, but his feet dangled in the air as if lifting a light package.

“Was she really the only one who bought that poison?”

“N-No! Another customer bought the Breath of Blenkis before the blonde lady came!”

“I see.”

When Russell suddenly released his grip, the clerk fell to the floor with a thud and coughed.

Russell swept his eyes over the shop once indifferently and then left.

Summer Lindsey who bought the Breath of Blenkis.

And someone else.

At Ferotia’s banquet, Summer Lindsey clearly collapsed after drinking the Breath of Blenkis.

It was an extremely deadly poison that killed people instantly, but Summer Lindsey got up much faster than expected.

It was one of two things. Either Summer Lindsey bought the poison for another reason but hadn’t used it yet.

Or that day’s incident was Summer Lindsey’s own act.

“Haha, ha…”

A bitter laugh escaped Russell’s lips.

Summer Lindsey. What on earth were you thinking? He wished he could see right through her mind.

“Master. Are you alright? You don’t look well.”

The coachman glanced back at Russell’s mood and cautiously spoke.

Russell rubbed his tired face with his large hand. The day had been unbearably long.

“I’m fine. Let’s go back to the temple. After that… head straight back to the mansion.”

“But what about when you return, Master? I’ll wait in front of the temple even if it takes a long time.”

“How long do you think it will take?”

“…Pardon?”

The coachman was startled and almost dropped the reins.

“Don’t wait, you go straight back to the mansion.”

Russell turned his gaze to the window. Dusk was falling, and the sun was setting behind the ridge.

“I don’t understand myself either.”

The murmur scattered like a breath. The carriage moved slowly this time. As if sensing something.

The white marble was dyed redder than blood in the sunset.

“We’ve… arrived.”

The coachman hesitated a bit as he stopped the carriage.

“Good work. Oh, when you go to the mansion, tell the butler to keep this.”

“What is this?”

“A key.”

Russell casually handed a key from his pocket to the coachman. It didn’t matter much if it wasn’t delivered properly.

Anyway, there would only be one document in the safe that key fit.

“Master. Are you sure I shouldn’t wait?”

“Yes.”

The coachman fidgeted for a while before finally pulling the reins and departing.

“…”

Russell looked up at the temple once and then went back inside. The decision was made.

He needed to meet Summer quickly.

Russell took off his outer coat and unbuttoned his white shirt sleeves, rolling them up a couple times as he climbed the hill through the temple’s back path.

When he reached the top of the hill, the city was visible at a glance.

“Looks like you have time to be distracted, Duke.”

Russell slowly turned his gaze at the sarcastic voice.

Under a large tree on top of the hill stood Duke Legacy. About a dozen armed knights stood by his side.

“That’s fortunate.”

“Fortunate?”

It was fortunate that Duke Legacy was arrogant enough to think he could subdue him with that many men.

And,

“I was worried what I’d do if you weren’t here. It’s really fortunate. That you showed up yourself.”

A cool breeze blew. And beneath his fluttering hair, Russell lazily raised the corner of his mouth.

It was the first time Duke Legacy witnessed this expression on Russell. Some ominous feeling sent a chill down his neck.

“Where is my weakness?”

“Haha. My, how touching. Are you quite romantic like your mother?”

Duke Legacy openly sneered and signaled to a knight behind him.

Soon a knight roughly dragged Summer and threw her down in front. Russell’s eyes burned a deep purple in the sunset.

“How unlike you, Duke. I thought at least one of her limbs would be intact.”

That terrible poker face and calm tone. Even Duke Legacy momentarily doubted if they had really captured Summer properly. Russell showed no wavering.

“Haha! Duke Bertrand. Relax. I didn’t come here to fight you. Of course, if you reject my offer, this place will become your grave.”

“I’m not sure if you’re arrogant or stupid. Or both.”

“…Seeing how loosely you talk, it seems you still have composure.”

Duke Legacy shrugged once and took out a small knife, aiming it precisely below Summer’s neck.

“Now. Do you feel like talking now?”

“Say what you want.”

At that moment, Summer opened her hazy eyes, exhaling roughly. As her head shook, the knife lightly grazed her skin.

A drop of blood formed on Summer’s neck and stained her collar.

“The Empire. I want the Empire. But I don’t have talent like you around me, Duke. What do you think?”

“Even if I say I’ll give you the Empire here, what would change?”

“Bring me the Emperor’s head. Then I’ll quietly hand over your weakness to you.”

Duke Legacy’s eyes gleamed, twisted with greed.