At those words, Albi’s eyes widened. He shook his head frantically as if genuinely flustered.

“W-What?! It really wasn’t me, Lord Vandermir! Why would I receive orders to kill someone? I’m not that kind of person!”

Albi actively asserted his innocence, saying they could search his house in the capital if they wanted.

Unable to find any particular evidence against him, Demian sent Albi away.

Even after calling in and investigating others one by one, there was no one among those who participated in the subjugation with any special connection to Ken or the Vandermir ducal family.

Of course, since there could be an informant among those who did not participate in this subjugation, Demian did not completely let go of his suspicions.

Meanwhile, while he was conducting the interrogations, Isaac was tasked with investigating Ken’s background.

Isaac, who had returned from meeting Ken’s mother residing in Poshan Village, reported:

“Originally there was about 50 million gold in debt left by his deceased father, but a few days ago Ken suddenly paid off that debt at once. When his mother asked how he got the money, he said not to worry about it and didn’t tell her.”

“Then it’s certain he received instructions from someone.”

It became clear that Ken hadn’t suddenly gone mad and attacked Demian, but had received orders from someone to try to kill him.

After sending Isaac away, Demian remained alone in the room, lost in deep thought.

Ken had officially joined the investigation team a week ago, he said. Just one day later, the Red Hawk Knight Order took over this request.

The timing was too perfect.

And no matter how much he thought about it, it was too rushed for the Vandermir ducal family to obtain information that the knight order was leaving for subjugation and bribe Ken.

In less than a week, it would not have been easy to single out and bribe Ken, who had a huge debt, from among the investigation team.

‘Unless he was bribed from the start and pushed into the investigation team.’

Thinking that way, the entire subjugation operation itself became suspicious.

Perhaps the whole thing had been set up to target his life from the beginning.

Demian suddenly recalled Ben Diak’s words.

‘Rather, a high-ranking official of the imperial family strongly recommended you, saying your skills were trustworthy.’

Could that high-ranking official of the imperial family, whose name couldn’t be revealed, be connected to the Vandermir ducal family?

He had to think carefully, as the imperial family was not an opponent to be doubted carelessly. Moreover, the ducal family tended to keep their distance from the imperial family for generations.

That was a separate matter from personal friendships like between the previous duke and the emperor.

As a prestigious family called a pillar of the empire, there was no need to show a submissive attitude to the imperial family, and they avoided getting entangled in interests out of wariness of each other’s influence.

It was unpleasant for both the Vandermir ducal family to interfere in imperial succession, and for the imperial family to be involved in designating the ducal heir.

‘But the current duke’s family are not so deep-thinking, and will do anything for their own safety.’

There was a good chance they had joined hands with someone from the imperial family to make Oscar the next duke.

Then the question was who exactly had helped the Vandermir ducal family…

‘There’s only one person I can think of right now.’

Crown Prince Frederick. He was the only one among the current high-ranking imperial officials who could have deep hostility towards Demian.

Demian slowly rubbed his chin with a rather serious expression.

‘Surely, the crown prince wouldn’t have joined hands with the ducal family.’

Perhaps he had temporarily joined forces with the ducal family out of ill feelings towards him. It seemed clear that he liked Arasila.

‘I should investigate the crown prince’s side as well once I return to the capital.’

Demian let out a quiet sigh as he ran his palm over his face.

Whether Frederick was involved or not, there was no doubt that besides the Vandermir ducal family, another troublesome obstacle had arisen for him.

Since taking the recovery magic potion made from herbs that Rudy had arbitrarily brought, Arasila’s complexion had noticeably improved.

However, the days of not being able to open her eyes continued until now.

In between investigations, Demian visited Arasila to nurse her and check on her condition.

Tonight too, he stopped by Arasila’s room late in the evening, fetched water in a bowl and wet a handkerchief. Then he carefully wiped Arasila’s face and hands.

Bathed in the pale moonlight pouring through the window, Arasila looked just like a fairy tale princess fallen into a deep sleep.

One who had received a curse for no fault of her own, simply for having an evil being by her side.

As he meticulously and gently wiped each slender finger, Demian bit his lip and rested his forehead on the back of Arasila’s hand.

‘It’s because of me that you’ve become like this.’

The guilt from that wouldn’t leave Demian’s heart. To the point where the nightmares of his dead mother had changed to Arasila collapsing in front of him, bleeding.

“Ah, damn it…”

Demian squeezed his eyes shut. Just thinking of Arasila jumping in to save him made his heart beat erratically.

Just imagining losing her felt like someone was strangling him.

‘Since when did losing you become so terrifying?’

Demian looked at Arasila with affectionate eyes.

From the beginning, there had been anxiety that she might be harmed by his family, and a sense of responsibility for that. After all, the word responsibility was inseparable from Demian.

He hoped Arasila wouldn’t meet a tragic end like those who had tried to help him and left hurt by the ducal family.

Not because she was special, but because he disliked someone else being harmed because of him.

That was certainly the case, but… it changed at some point.

The feeling that he should help Arasila from the ducal family out of conscience transformed into a pure desire to protect her.

Arasila’s existence had naturally taken a special place in Demian’s heart. So naturally that even he himself hadn’t noticed.

“My lady, do you know? Since when I’ve changed like this.”

There was no answer to the question he blurted out. Demian laughed as if crying and brought his cheek to Arasila’s palm.

Seeing her hair spread out on the white bedsheet suddenly reminded him of the day he first met Arasila.

Demian still vividly remembered that day.

A strange magician who sent a letter proposing marriage out of the blue without even seeing his face, then barged in without notice.

Her hair, dyed like lavender petals, rippled softly, and beneath it was a small, pale face.

Her eyes, clear and pure like transparent glass beads, were full of intelligence and confidence.

There had been countless people who claimed to like Demian and followed him around, but Arasila was the first to look him straight in the eye without the slightest hesitation.

Most found it difficult to meet his eyes because of the pressure Demian gave off, knowingly or unknowingly.

Perhaps that’s why, when their eyes first met at the knight order training grounds, Demian unknowingly thought:

‘Her eyes are pretty.’

It was an impression that came to mind instinctively, without any calculation, and quickly disappeared.

Befitting the public’s assessment of her as eccentric and her shocking marriage proposal letter, Arasila showed an unusual appearance at their first meeting.

When she threw out words objectively evaluating and boasting about herself, Demian was dumbfounded yet amused, and yet had no desire to deny her words.

He just thought this:

‘She looks normal but must not be in her right mind.’

Otherwise, there’s no way she would suddenly propose to him.

But in the end, Demian accepted Arasila’s proposal and married her. It was a decision made entirely of his own will.

Arasila’s unpredictable words and actions were a fresh stimulus for Demian.

Seeing even the Vandermir ducal family unable to handle her, he felt relief along with a sense of exhilaration.

It felt like for the first time, he had gained a reliable companion to walk the same path with, when he had always had to fight them alone.

Of course, due to his unfortunate background, he couldn’t give her complete trust, and they experienced several conflicts because of it.

But as they slowly came to understand each other, they gradually grew closer.

Because the distance wasn’t narrowed all at once but developed little by little, even Demian didn’t know exactly what incident marked Arasila becoming an important existence to him.

‘You want to push aside your brother and take the duke’s position, don’t you? I’ll help you.’

Was it from the day she boldly came to him with what he desired most?

‘Of course not. From now on, always hold my hand like this.’

Or was it the day he first revealed his past wounds in front of her and held her hand?

‘My lady, you are the person I love most in this world.’

Perhaps it was when he ran to make a fake love confession, afraid that Arasila might receive the same wounds as him from the grand duchess?

‘It suits you well, Demian. It’s pretty.’

Maybe it was when she smiled while putting a flower crown on him after they joined forces to defeat the assassins.

Her smiling face then was truly beautiful.

Besides these, there was also the Johnny Pattinson case where they broke free from their preconceptions and fully faced each other, and the magic airship partnership that became an opportunity to share each other’s spaces.

When he urgently stopped Nora from slapping Arasila’s cheek in the party garden.

Most recently, when he went down to the ducal territory for the duchess’s birthday party and completely revealed his wounds to her.

Countless memories with Arasila flooded in like a tide.

A time that was short yet long, as Demian carefully traced it back, he realized.

Though he didn’t know since when, he knew why she had become a special and important existence to him.

The reason was really simple.

‘Perhaps it’s because I… you, Arasila…’

Because he had come to have extraordinary feelings for her. That emotion that had ruined his mother’s life.

Demian let out a quiet laugh mixed with various emotions. It was a laugh that was both dejected and refreshing.

For finally facing his own feelings head-on.

Feeling like he might cry, Demian pressed his lips firmly to the back of Arasila’s hand and whispered in that state:

“Wake up, my lady.”

Although he knew she hadn’t suffered an injury serious enough to endanger her life, just seeing her lying down injured because of him was torment.

If by any chance, really beating the extreme odds, Arasila’s condition worsened, Demian wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Because following his mother, he would lose another precious person.

Demian bowed his head deeply and tightly grasped Arasila’s hand. A low voice flowed from his slightly parted lips.

“I don’t have confidence to live normally if I lose you, Arasila.”

The words filled with sincerity echoed plaintively. Demian wished with the feeling of praying to God.

For her to wake up soon.