As Ivie deliberately drank the water, the calm eyes of the secretary widened.

Ivie placed the empty cup on the table as if throwing it down. Then, cheerfully, she spoke.

“There, I fooled you. In return, give me this servant.”

“If you plan to force a false confession, it won’t work.”

“Of course not. Will you admit whether it’s a witness or evidence? Again, seriously.”

Ivie laughed mockingly as if it were pitiful. Then, with a brightly-toned voice, she recited,

“Arrogant fools, do you find the humans beneath your feet amusing? But you, pretending to be grand in front and scheming all sorts of tricks behind, are even more ridiculous. Acting all high and mighty, but that’s all there is to your swindling.”

“That’s a harsh remark.”
“What’s severe is that you make a living with other people’s lives. It’s not funny at all that you, who engage in such a theme and treat thugs, are so self-righteous. If you like fighting so much, then fight yourself, but don’t just deceitfully win bets.”

At Ivie’s scathing remarks, the secretary seemed at a loss for words, narrowing his eyes.

“Well, I’m just like you, only winning bets. It’s over now. Since we’ve received a hefty prize, let’s move on. Instead, leave this here. I need to vent my frustration.”

Ivie ridiculed him while extending her hand.

Despite receiving significant leniency, the secretary couldn’t turn away willingly.

He couldn’t just hand over the servant. The girl might mock him for no reason, and there was a possibility she still held the vial.

So, hesitating, the secretary was rebuked by Ivie.

“Don’t you hear? I said I’d let this girl go! Don’t provoke me; get out right now!”

Finally, yielding to Ivie’s stern reprimand, the secretary turned away. Then, avoiding the fierce and malicious woman, he left.

Once the Earl’s secretary left, only the trembling servant remained in the room.

The servant still sobbed silently. Her eyes, cautiously glancing at Ivie, were waiting for punishment.

Coldly, Ivie asked the servant, “How old are you?”

Twenty years old. The servant answered with a gesture.

“Family?”

The servant shook her head.

“Really none? I can find out easily.”

Even when asked again, the result was the same.

As the servant shook her head, insisting on her innocence, Ivie waved her hand as if disgusted. Then, she pointed to the room she used to occupy.

“Go into that room. I’m tired, so stay quiet until tomorrow. Don’t have any foolish thoughts.”

The servant, still cowering, just nodded her head.

As the servant entered the room, Ivie stared silently at the closed door.

Then, watching from afar, Dias, who had been observing all along, asked with her mask off, “What are you going to do?”

“I’ll make her a dead person.”

“And then?”

“After that, she has to figure it out on her own. I’ll just give her some money and send her away.”

Dias sighed at Ivie’s blunt response, as if laughing.

Ivie’s mannerisms were typical, from one to ten.

The fate of maids exploited in such ways was evident, whether they succeeded or failed.

Rather than organizing entrapments to conduct an investigation, silently eliminating them was more economical and safer.

Especially in a place where people dying was ordinary, the disappearance of one maid wouldn’t attract attention.

It was a common occurrence, but Ivie didn’t pretend not to see it.

Being Ivie-like, Dias jokingly murmured, “If you’re going to help, why not do it kindly?”

“What if she stabs me in the back?”

“Contradiction, isn’t it?”

Ivie’s sharp reply made Dias laugh heartily again.

Hidden beneath several layers of pretense and a few layers of vanity, Ivie was, in fact, like this.

Despite the extreme distrust of humanity, she couldn’t turn away from humans.

She could steal lives like a demon, but it was frightening, so she endured it.
Born in the lowest place but possessing the greatest potential, capable of soaring higher than anyone else but not flying alone.

In this way, Ivie was a product of various contradictions, and that’s why Dias had no regrets.

Choosing Ivie and devoting everything to her, whether she was aware of it or not, Ivie grumbled.

“I’m also human, so I should have some flaws. Otherwise, I’d be too perfect.”

“You must be skillful.”

Dias replied to Ivie’s arrogance with a dry tone. Then she added,

“Uvia will come tomorrow, so we should send that servant away before that.”

“Ah…”

However, Ivie, who was usually shameless and confident, suddenly malfunctioned.

It was only about Uvia’s arrival, but Ivie stiffened as if facing an embarrassing situation. Dias, suspicious of her reaction, asked quietly,

“…What’s wrong?”

“I’m nervous because the Viscount is coming along.”

“Why would you be nervous when the Viscount is coming?”

The butler’s gentle face instantly hardened.

Although they couldn’t make a loud noise because there was a maid in the adjacent room whose name was unknown, the two then began to fiercely argue over a trivial matter.

Dias loved Ivie’s contradictions.

However, she couldn’t tolerate that Viscount bastard.

At that moment, the secretary of Viscount Brick was looking at the inkwell rolling off his desk.

“This wretched fool…!”

After throwing the inkwell and creating stains everywhere, Viscount Brick, who seemed unable to calm down, roughly slammed the desk.

“I told you to handle it properly, and you ended up exposing it?!”

Despite the Viscount’s rage, the secretary bowed his head, flipping the inkwell and spilling ink, his teeth clenched.

However, he was equally frustrated.

It was all because of that servant. He chose her for being quick and calm, but she ruined everything.

“As soon as it gets bright tomorrow, go find her and settle things. If they leave tomorrow, you won’t be safe either.”

Despite the Viscount’s threat, the secretary deeply bowed his head and turned away.

And the Viscount, tearing at his hair, pondered.

“Now, the only remaining option is to offer them as bait to the Night Clan.”

If they couldn’t be swayed or killed and couldn’t be manipulated with poison, there was only spreading the curse.

However, he was troubled by how to lure them.

The Salt Palace, where the Night Clan was held, was at the innermost part of this castle, and one had to pass several layers of locked doors to get there.

But would they even come so deep? It was said that the women were extraordinary, so they would probably be on high alert after today’s incident.

It was when Viscount Brick was shouting at the servants, trying to find a solution.

“My Lord.”

“What is it?”

“The Dark Masked Lady has arrived.”

At the mention of the Dark Masked Lady, Viscount Brick’s anger subsided.

The Dark Masked Lady was undoubtedly an esteemed guest who came from Tienda. Though in a precarious situation, Viscount Brick had no choice but to welcome her.

And the Lady who had been giving orders through the servants until now unexpectedly spoke in person.
“Those two people wearing masks, immediately send them away.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll pay the reward in return, so kick them out.”

Three days had passed until then. Cassel was determined to personally eliminate all the potential threats.