“Whoa, whoa!”

A group of travelers hastily halted their horses.

According to the map, there should be a path, but instead, a cliff appeared.

“What’s going on?”

The gentle voice of an elderly man inside a carriage adorned with gold decorations was heard.

They were the Duke of Rodwell, headed for the Holy See, and his knights who accompanied him.

The leader of the knights approached the carriage and reported.

“It seems we may have taken the wrong path. It looks like the signposts were wrong in the middle.”

Crunch.

The window of the carriage opened, and the Duke of Rodwell peeked out. As the leader of the nobility council, he had an affable demeanor with all white hair. However, his deep brown eyes seemed firm and unyielding.

“Oh, it’s already getting dark.”

As it was a forest, darkness would quickly fall as the sun inclined.

“If we turn back to go to the city, it will take quite a while. Are you feeling well, Your Grace?”

In response to the leader’s question, the Duke wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Sorry, but I’m already tired. It seems better to stay somewhere nearby for tonight.”

For him, who had just recovered from an illness, riding in a carriage all day was a strenuous task.

“Yes, I will see if there is a suitable accommodation!”

A while later, the Duke’s party found an old cottage not far away.

“Anyone there?”

“Is anyone there?”

Despite calling several times, there was no sign of anyone inside the cottage.

It seemed uninhabited, especially as there were no lights on in the darkening evening.

“It seems empty.”

Upon the leader’s report, the Duke nodded.

“There’s nothing we can do. We’ll have to stay quietly and leave tomorrow. Be sure to leave a generous fee in return.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Supported by the butler and the chief steward, the Duke went upstairs to the largest bedroom.

Though vacant, it seemed someone had lived there until recently. The furniture inside was neatly arranged, and the kitchen still had leftover provisions.

“We’ll prepare a meal soon.”

At the steward’s words, the Duke stretched and headed towards the bed.

“Alright. I need some rest.”

“If you need anything, please ring the bell at any time.”

“Alright.”

As the Duke lay on the bed, he soon closed his eyes. The steward covered him with a blanket and left the bedroom.

How much time had passed?

Awakened by the chilly breeze on his face, the Duke opened his eyes.

The candles seemed to have gone out, and the bedroom was shrouded in darkness. However, in the faint moonlight streaming through the open window, the shapes inside the room were vaguely visible.

Someone was standing by the window. Instinctively, an eerie shiver ran down his spine.

A stranger intruder!

However, he calmly responded. Suddenly making noise could only provoke the intruder.

“Who’s there?”

In the darkness, a deep, low voice responded.

“Don’t shout. Please don’t call for help. Even if all the Duke’s knights gather, I won’t be your match.”
The voice was polite, but the content was chillingly severe, and those words would surely not be empty boasts. The Duke, who had faced numerous people, sensed it.

“No way… Viscount Weiss?”

In the outskirts of Kallaim, the capital of Greenhill.

“What happened?”

Upon receiving Adele’s report, Jennifer led her subordinates and rushed to inquire.

Adele, waiting in the carriage, quickly jumped out.

“We need to find the Viscount quickly! Zimer left first, but it seems dangerous for him to go alone.”

“What’s suddenly going on…”

“The Viscount is heading to the Holy See in Bluegale. He might have fallen into a trap, so we need to go and help.”

Adele was desperate, but Jennifer still had a puzzled look on her face.

The thought that Kristin might need someone’s help had never crossed her mind.

“Understood. So, we just need to find the Viscount heading to the Holy See, right?”

“Yes, as quickly as possible. Let’s hurry!”

Adele’s urgency was due to Stone. Just a while ago, Zimer relayed the news that Stone had been released, adding:

“As soon as he was released, he headed to Bluegale!”

At that moment, Adele confronted the reality of the anxiety she had been feeling.

The reason Stone was heading to Bluegale was undoubtedly to attack Kristin.

Yan planned to use Kristin to assassinate Duke Rodwell and then instruct Stone to pursue him.

Yan, Stone!

In the end, the cunning devils joined forces.

“No! I won’t let it happen!”

Adele, along with Jennifer and W.G. 1st Division members, hurriedly headed to Bluegale.

“I heard you are on your way to the Holy See.”

Kristin’s voice in the darkness was polite but emotionless, making it eerie.

“Are you the one who lured us to this cottage?”

“Don’t shout. Please don’t call for help. Even if all the Duke’s knights gather, I won’t be your match.”
That was exactly what they desired the most.

But wasn’t Kristin the right arm of the Emperor?

“No way… Are you planning to betray the Emperor?”

With suspicion, a calm answer returned.