And even stranger was that Joan felt the urge to cry just from the young lady’s simple observation.

Having taken on dirty jobs and even accepted bribes, she had no right to cry. Joan admonished herself and regained her composure.

Neris chuckled inwardly at this.

Those who don’t keep their promises are unreliable. The reason they chose Angelo from the Elandria family in their previous lives was that they never intended to trust anyone in the first place.

Although Neris didn’t know the exact situation, Angelo must have had some leverage over the Elandria family.

Their way was simple. Whoever got what they needed would then see who stabbed whom in the back first.

The faster hand wins, the slower one dies. It was a ruthless game that couldn’t last.

At least Neris, not holding any definitive advantage over the other party, couldn’t resort to such tactics.

So she needed to gather trustworthy people, those who wouldn’t forget what they received and who didn’t have betrayal in their nature.

To Neris, Joan was worth recruiting. The probing question was to gauge her suitability.

“Angelo Railing is not to be trusted. That should be the most important fact for you.”

Just as Neris had thought, Joan’s face turned into that of someone who had their weakness hit spot-on.

Joan, enduring hardship under Angelo, was a person with the potential to build a rising upper level in the future. In her past life, Neris had been his tool, but if left alone now, Joan would inevitably be ‘disposed of’ by Angelo.

She probably knew well that Angelo wasn’t someone with whom to build a relationship of trust.

Joan’s eyes trembled with conflict.

“Miss……there are points of no return for adults.”

“There’s really no such thing as a point of no return.”

Even lives of the dead had returned, hadn’t they? Joan didn’t seem to believe Neris’s words. However, her brightened expression conveyed that she ‘wanted to believe.’

Neris pulled at her small lips and smiled.
Joan was confident that she had never committed an unforgivable sin, like killing someone, in this lifetime. Had she, Angelo would have exposed it when he ruined her in her past life.

There was no reason to hesitate after knowing her humanity through their brief conversation.

She had enough experience in attracting people from her previous life. Although she had lost all the conditions she once had, her invaluable asset called “experience” could still assist Neris.

“Courage is always what’s needed by people. The courage to easily let go of things that torment me. Until death, at least.”

“Miss.”

Joan’s face turned slightly anxious. The words from Neris touched something crucial within her.

“Why are you deliberately telling me all this?”

“Because you can help me, and I can help you in some way.”

“Is it about Miss Heder?”

“There’s something even bigger.”

Joan finally realized that no one had passed by for quite some time. It was strange, given that this was a place where goods should constantly be moved.

…From the beginning, this lady came here either to say something or to hear something. She had dismissed the servants.

And what Neris needed to hear was clear to Joan. She hesitated momentarily before leaning forward. Scanning the area, her lips moved quickly by Neris’ ear.

Hearing all this, Neris simply nodded without showing surprise.

“Understood. Thank you for letting me know. For now, leave. My person in the laundry room will tell you what to do next.”

The person Neris had bribed in advance was an old and clever woman. She would skillfully divert Joan.

Joan deeply bowed her head and quickly left the place. Neris stood still in the dark hallway in front of the back door.

Soon, the sound of footsteps resounded behind Neris. It was not the step of a child as light as a feather nor the heavy step of an adult; it was a step filled with presence yet light, as if fueled by anger.

“Is this what you wanted?”

Neris turned around to find Heder glaring at her. She had apparently been hiding around the corner all along.

The expensive-looking pink taffeta dress accentuated Heder’s delicate beauty, but it was overshadowed by the malicious smile on her face.

Heder walked toward Neris with a boldness that would be unimaginable to those who thought she was generally gentle and obedient.

“You think our dad’s a fool? Without any evidence, whatever that woman says won’t matter. Did you think the count and countess would utter a word just because a mere servant chatters? What will you do? Go tell that wench Diane? Haha, you’re nothing in this house without her.”

Contrary to Heder’s expectation that Neris would be startled and flustered, Neris responded with a smile.

“Even with Diane, you’re still nothing. Did you follow me because you’re curious about what I’ll do?”

Heder was momentarily speechless. She glared at the calm Neris as if to consume her, then declared tersely.

“You. Never. Come. Here. Again.”

“That’s your freedom to think so, and whether that happens is up to me. Unfortunately.”

Until a moment ago, she had been laughing it off, but suddenly, Heder felt a chill.

Why is she so confident? Does she have something else to rely on? Moreover, those eyes.

Eyes that seemed to say she was fundamentally different from her, eyes so genuinely indifferent as if to say that whatever happened, they couldn’t touch the true sadness within her.

A strange fear rose along with the anger in Heder’s chest.
The child couldn’t have had eyes like that. When could a child that young have ever felt desperate survival instincts, or overwhelming sorrow?

Heder had seen multiple people exploited and ultimately ruined by his father, but none of them had a face like this, even though they were the ones who had been betrayed and had lost something important.