Ansi’s voice was filled with desperation.

It was the first time in half a year that she had seen her express her emotions to this extent. Dather couldn’t help but hesitate, as Ansi had always had an emotionless gaze and way of speaking.

However, that didn’t mean he could accept his enemy’s younger sister as family.

Dather still couldn’t trust Damion. There was no way someone who had lived their entire life in Orphe could easily abandon Orphe.

So Dather was convinced that the bastard must have coaxed Ansi out by some method.

“I can’t accept it.”

Dather shook his head and stood up from his seat. His cold face was stiff as if he couldn’t understand. He went outside just like that.

“……”

Ansi bit her lower lip. Surging emotions welled up inside her.

She shifted her gaze to Sofia.

Sofia was looking at Ansi with a complex and subtle expression. She seemed to have something to say as she opened and closed her mouth a few times. However, in the end, she turned her head away without saying anything.

In the heavy silence, Ansi lowered her eyes.

She knew that her family’s reaction wouldn’t be good. But when she actually witnessed it before her eyes, it was painful. A feeling of her heart being squeezed tightly gripped her.

It’s still okay. Let’s try a few more times. Ansi struggled to comfort herself. She thought that until Damion came to find her, she would definitely have time and opportunities to persuade her family.

After a light knock, the door to the study opened. Damion raised one eyebrow. Kardian entered with a smiling face.

“I came because I have something to ask you, Damion.”

As the door closed, Kardian spoke softly.

Even after revealing his true nature several times, Kardian always maintained a kind tone as if nothing had happened each time. At least it was fortunate that he stopped using that disgusting nickname.

Damion laughed.

“Have you decided not to call me by that nauseating name anymore?”

“If you want, I can still call you Mion.”

Kardian laughed. Damion didn’t answer his words. However, Kardian approached him as if he wasn’t affected at all and asked.

“Did you meet Ansi well?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I heard you were together at the masquerade ball.”

Damion was certain that there was no sign of anyone around when Ansi took off her mask. There was no one nearby.

Lorelai had followed, but even she wouldn’t have known that the person with Damion was Ansi.

Then… there was a high possibility that Kardian’s words were just speculation. Damion crossed his arms, pretending not to know.

“How could Ansi have come to that ball?”

“You must have brought her.”

“Am I crazy to bring that woman there? How would I know that you would look at Ansi with those dirty eyes again.”

“Stop making excuses and tell me where she is.”

The smile gradually disappeared from Kardian’s face. But of course, Damion had no intention of telling him anything.

Now that Kardian’s vigilance had intensified again, it seemed that the plan to go to Marel would have to be delayed a bit.

However, he wasn’t too worried. He had sincerely confirmed his feelings with Ansi, and he had also found a way to restore her lifespan through Amor.

Now, it felt like he could easily overcome the obstacle called Kardian.

“You seem to be mistaken. The person I briefly talked to at the masquerade ball wasn’t Ansi.”

“Useless excuses…”

At that moment.

Suddenly, the telephone bell rang. Damion pushed Kardian’s shoulder and approached the telephone.

“This is Damion de Orphe.”

– This is Ron.

A familiar code name. The other party was someone Damion had planted in the imperial palace to quickly obtain information. Damion’s brows narrowed. There would be no reason to contact at this hour unless it was urgent information.

An ominous feeling rose.

As expected. Ron conveyed the facts in an urgent voice.

– It’s war. Lezen has launched a surprise attack on northern Belgader. They have deliberately started a war. They are currently moving southward at an aggressive pace…!

Damion’s hand gripping the receiver tightened.

It was not pleasant news at all.

Marel was located in a remote part of the south. There were no households with telephones, and newspapers would sometimes arrive a week’s worth at a time if they were late.

Therefore, information in Marel was significantly slower compared to other regions.

However, some news spreads earlier than usual. Through word of mouth, at a very fast pace.

Ansi went to the market street to buy groceries. Even on the way to the market, she had a constant bad feeling. The spring breeze was refreshingly pleasant, but the wind brought an ominous atmosphere.

Gradually, the uneasiness deepened.

She wished it was just her own feeling.

But when she arrived at the market, she realized that her apprehension didn’t end as just apprehension.

Some merchants were gathered, having a serious conversation. Normally, Ansi wouldn’t have paid attention to other people’s conversations, but today was different.

“So now we’re in a state of war?”

“Yes. I heard that Lezen attacked Belgader a few days ago. It’s said that a war has broken out.”

Ansi’s eyes trembled.

A war has broken out?

There had been a few small battles at the border until now. Perhaps they were referring to that.

But the merchants’ conversation seemed to really indicate war.

“Don’t worry, Marel is relatively safe. It’s quite far from the north to here, isn’t it? It probably won’t reach here. If it does… then Belgader would be completely ruined.”

“I guess so?”

“Yes. But there may be people who come here to take refuge, so we should think about places and such in advance.”

The merchants were engulfed in anxiety but laughed it off, trying not to show it.

It was then that posters were scattered on the street.

“Extra! Extra!”

A few boys shouted, holding thick stacks of paper. The boys distributed the posters to people and posted them on the walls. The expressions of those who saw the posters hardened.

Ansi quickly turned and headed home.

They were posters announcing conscription.

“Where is Dather?”

Ansi rushed into the house and looked around. Seeing her daughter frantically turning her head, Sofia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Why are you acting like this, Ansi?”

“A war has broken out. Lezen has attacked the northern part of Belgader.”

“War? Then…”

Sofia trailed off with a serious expression. Ansi quickly said.

“We need to hide Dather.”

Belgader basically adopted a voluntary recruitment system. However, it was different when a war broke out. If it was judged that the number of soldiers the empire had was insufficient, all men of fighting age were mandatorily conscripted.

This war with Lezen was no exception, and the target was no exception even for “Lukes”.

“I’m here.”

Dather opened the door and came out. Ansi hurriedly approached Dather.

“You’ll probably receive a draft notice soon. Before that, we need to erase your identity as a Luke.”

“…Erase my identity?”

“You’re not a Luke anyway. An identity like this, you can just erase it. If it were your original identity, it might be questionable, but it’s easy to erase a temporary identity.”

She already knew this because she had erased Lein’s identity before. So Ansi had to erase Dather’s identity no matter what. Then Dather wouldn’t have to participate in the war.

“…Yes. Let’s erase the identity of Luke as you said.”

Dather nodded. Fortunately, it seemed he had the same thought. Ansi hurriedly told him what to do next.

“To Lady Roma…”

“I’ll go to war under my real name.”

“…What do you mean?”

Ansi’s brows narrowed. She couldn’t understand what Dather was talking about.

Dather was already a dead man’s name in Belgader. It might have been a sad and unfair thing until now, but it was rather fortunate at this point.

But going to war under his real name…

“I’ll revive the name of Dather de Lubelsa.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“I’m a soldier. You want me to erase my identity and stay back, even if I can’t take the lead? Damn it, I can’t do that.”

“Dather.”

“I’m sorry. But don’t stop me, Ansi. I’m leaving today.”

Dather went into the room and came out with a travel bag. It belonged to someone who had already finished preparing to leave. Ansi’s face stiffened.

“…You already knew that a war had broken out, didn’t you?”

“I heard people talking about it at the port.”

“And you came back and packed your bag first?”

“Yes.”

Dather was stubborn. It seemed he had no intention of putting down the bag. Ansi tried to add a few words to persuade him, but it was no use.

Ansi turned her head towards Sofia.

Ansi was most worried about Sofia now, knowing how much she had suffered when she thought Dather was dead and how happy she was when he returned alive.

But Sofia’s face was rather calm. Her trembling lower lip revealed her sorrow and sadness, but she neither shed tears nor stopped or held onto Dather.

She just approached her son and reached out her hand, gently stroking Dather’s hand.