“Who’s there!”

Geddis shouted towards the marquis, who stood blankly, looking at the empty corridor outside the audience hall.

“No one, no one is here.”

Marquis Gart hesitated on how to respond and answered only with that.

There was no hiding place in the corridor.

Certainly, until he wetted this thin curtain, he saw a lurking shadow. No, it seemed like their eyes met, but now, there was no one, no one.

The place they were in was not visible due to the dark situation inside the corridor caused by the lighting. However, Duke Kuran definitely sensed their presence, and he, too, became aware of them.

Approaching the corridor, he also saw sparkling jewels embedded in clothes and surprised blue eyes.

However, even after wetting the curtain, there was no one.

As if he had seen something meaningless, there were no signs of human presence, let alone traces.

“Someone was definitely here.”

Geddis called his subordinate, who was staring blankly at the corridor with a vacant expression.

“Marquis Gart, who did you see?”

Gart, with a blank face, turned to Duke Kuran and replied.

“I couldn’t see the face properly. I only saw a green dress sparkling with jewels.”

“You know whose dress it is. Who is it?”

At the Duke’s prompting, Geddis hesitated before answering.

“It was Ruela, Ruela Romine’s dress at today’s Grand Ball.”

Duke Kuran walked towards Gart’s direction and looked outside the curtain himself.

“What color was the dress? I could recognize it, but now no one is there? Disappeared so quickly in this place with no place to hide?”

Gart Marquis, as if coming to his senses, wiped his face with his hand and said.

“I, I might have seen it wrong. We were talking about Ruela Romine…”

“That’s unlikely, as you and I both know. There was definitely something here. Moreover, things without any traces of my presence.”

Geddis Kuran turned his gaze to his garden.

There was no change in color or any strange signs.

Kuran returned to his seat, overseeing the garden, and ordered his subordinate.

“Release the people and thoroughly search this area. Also, go to the Peroz Mansion and confirm if Ruela Romine is among those present.”

Marquis Gart looked at the empty corridor and replied.

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“Did they recognize us?”

Ruela, who returned through the teleport, still held her chest pounding like crazy, recalling what happened a moment ago.

She vividly remembered the figure of Marquis Gart approaching through the semi-transparent thin curtain.

Although the place they were in was dark, it wouldn’t have been completely invisible.

Especially in such a flashy dress adorned with sparkling jewels.

Kite lightly wrapped his arms around Ruela’s shoulders as she looked anxious.
“Even if they saw us, it doesn’t matter. Who would believe it? We’re talking about moving to a different place beyond space and time. And even if we’re caught, what will change? It might be disadvantageous if our identity is revealed too early, but it won’t be a big problem.”

Ruela shook her head.

They were not perfect yet.

There were still many skills to learn, and their levels were insufficient compared to Duke Kuran and his demons.

“Why did you freeze there? It’s not strange that Duke Kuran resembles Kamun Duke’s wife.”

“We encountered the enemy directly. If we had acted as if nothing happened, that would have been more strange.”

“Kite was fine.”

“I was at the back, so I didn’t see it well.”

Ruela began to feel relieved by Kite’s reassurance.

Right, it was natural for her body to stiffen with tension after seeing the ultimate enemy directly.

It was nothing. Even if they were seen, it would be enough to act as if nothing happened. Without evidence, what could they argue about?

“Now, take a deep breath. Inhale deeply and exhale. Right, once again.”

As Ruela followed Kite’s instructions, trying to calm her mind, the sound of a carriage stopping outside the entrance could be heard.

“Oh? Have you two arrived already? Ruela, why is your complexion like that? What happened?”

Hazen, who was opening the door and coming in, asked with a surprised face, and colleagues who followed also looked concerned.

“We successfully sneaked into Duke Kuran’s residence, but we were quickly caught. He noticed our presence right away.”

Kite, who had been explaining the situation a moment ago, looked out beyond the open door and asked.

“Did Balder’s subordinates inspect you when you entered?”

Lapaire shook his head while undoing his cravat.

“No, they just stared at us blankly.”

“Surely, they’ll come to check us at Wangsong.”

Ruela’s words reassured Kite.

“Even if they come to check, we just have to pretend not to know. Even if it comes to risking the fact that Ruela has not returned to the mansion, as long as we explain it well, it should be fine. What will you say if they ask?”

Mitchell answered as he closed the entrance door.