“Have you not yet given up on the position of the Holy Maiden?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you had already given up and gone on a trip.”

The Count muttered as if surprised, and Evie wondered what he meant.

So she pondered, confusedly, then belatedly understood and opened her eyes wide.

The Count had thought that Evie had already given up on the position of the Holy Maiden.

That’s why he guessed that coming to this village was a kind of refuge.

But when Evie talked about everyday life and demanded the withdrawal of the declaration, he realized she was still struggling, and he laughed in mockery.

Evie was shocked by the Count’s attitude.

He seemed so confident that she thought he had no thoughts about it, but he clearly knew how difficult his declaration had made it for Evie.

So he even guessed that Evie would have given up on the position of the Holy Maiden long ago.

“Why are you here if you haven’t given up on the position of the Holy Maiden?”

“I had some spare time, so I just stopped by.”

She didn’t want to retort, but her mouth moved on its own, so Evie evasively replied, hiding her original intention.

“……I was originally on my way to see you at the border, Count. To beg for your mercy.”

“You would have wasted your efforts.”

“Whose effort was wasted?”

Evie asked, incredulous.

“Is it the effort of not meeting the Count, or not receiving mercy?”

“Both, I suppose. Tonight, the latter has already been a wasted effort.”

At the Count’s futile response, Evie’s defense crumbled.

She pleaded as if clutching at straws, but he didn’t budge at all. Far from giving in, he cut her off sharply.

So Evie started to feel more and more aggrieved.

What did I do so wrong? …I did do something wrong. But that was because of the curse.

Besides, this rogue only manipulated Evie because of his suspicious circumstances, not because of Evie’s mistake.

At such rampant tyranny, Evie bit her lip and hung her head. Otherwise, she felt like she might curse or bite the Count.

It was then that Evie had her mouth shut.

“……The Tienda social circle is frivolous and has a good memory. Therefore, they will soon forget this incident if there is a suitable opportunity.”

Suddenly, the Count opened his mouth. Then he began to speak slowly with a somewhat softened voice.

“But that place is far from the stable everyday life you speak of. The aristocrats want only your ability, and once that value is exhausted, Tienda will easily discard you.”

What is he suddenly talking about?

Evie blinked her eyes, her head bowed at the Count’s unexpected words.

“Even if you become the Holy Maiden, it’s the same. Without any foundation, if you take that position, you will only be exploited. That won’t be the appearance of the difficult person you talk about and hope for.”

It hurt a little as she listened.

Evie glanced up at the Count, looking at him.

The Count had a very serious face. If one could momentarily forget his misdeeds, it seemed one could look at him with a worried expression.

So when Evie looked at the Count with a confused face, the Count calmly asked,

“Is what I said wrong?”

“There’s nothing wrong.”

“Then why the aggrieved face?”

“It’s all your fault!”

Evie screamed involuntarily and covered her mouth with a gasp.

Then the Count seriously asked Evie’s sincere confession,

“What is my fault…”

“Stop asking!”

Startled, Evie tried to cover the Count’s mouth like before.

But this time, she couldn’t knock him down like before.

As if he wouldn’t be fooled twice, the Count caught both of Evie’s wrists in a flash.

In the end, Evie was caught by the Count and couldn’t move at all.

Evie tried to pull her arms away a couple of times to get away from the Count’s grip, but the Count did not budge.

So Evie looked up at the Count with angry eyes.

And Zion was inwardly worried that this might really make her cry.

Earlier, he was slightly startled, thinking she was crying because she kept her head down and said nothing.

Zion thought that at least he shouldn’t make her cry when he looked at Evie.

But on the other hand, he also wanted to make her cry once.

Like a weak and not particularly clever child, stubborn only, Evie Ariate.

Zion was still in a dilemma. How to deal with what that fool had been pampering, and what he wanted to do himself.

Zion, looking blankly at Evie’s face, which seemed ready to cry at any moment, swallowed a sigh at the sight of her pure white nightgown.

Feeling his gaze move, Evie spoke in a suppressed voice,

“Let go of my arm.”

It was a voice on the verge of breaking.

So Zion thought that he should let go at this point if he really didn’t want to make her cry.

But then an unexpected voice came.

“Who’s in the kitchen?”

It was Mrs. Marso’s voice.

Apparently, Mrs. Marso had woken up from sleep due to Evie’s sudden scream.

Since the lady’s room was right in front of the kitchen, Zion let go of Evie’s wrists and stepped back as soon as he heard the sound.

Then, as he thought of a suitable excuse, another unexpected situation ensued.

Evie Ariate, who had just been let go, did not step back but grabbed Zion and buried her head in his back.

When Evie’s forehead touched his back, Zion glared back, trying to shake her off, but Evie resisted with a desperate face.

In the meantime, Mrs. Marso had reached the kitchen, and Evie once again buried her head between Zion’s shoulder blades.

Feeling like a kitten burrowing into his arms, Zion was quite startled. But he couldn’t forcefully shake her off, so he stood with his back straight as Evie intended.

Thus, Evie’s small body was completely hidden behind Zion.

Still not feeling safe, Evie clutched Zion’s hem.

So Zion unknowingly clenched his fist but then managed to relax.

It was staggering.

He vividly felt the unique warmth of a small creature against his back, but still, Zion couldn’t quite believe it.

That Evie Ariate had decided to hide behind his back to avoid Mrs. Marso’s eyes.