A scream nearly erupted from my lips, but the woman stifled it, her hand clamped over my mouth as she made her way towards the door.

‘What strength…!’

The woman, whom I had assumed to be frail due to her thin frame, was surprisingly strong and aggressive. Whenever I tried to kick, she used her knee to forcefully strike my back and thighs.

The scream that had climbed to the tip of my tongue dispersed just before it could break free.

During that time, the woman reached the door leading out of the mansion. It was highly likely that there were other conspirators outside the mansion.

It was truly dangerous.

I hastily pulled an object from my pocket and flung its contents at her face.

“What, what is this!”

“…Cough!”

It was a sandbag I always kept on me. Seizing the opportunity, I threw another handful of sand.

“What’s going on?”

“Mother!”

Isabel, who sensed something odd, came out of her room.

I ran to her side, keeping my eye on the woman who was rubbing her eyes. Without asking any further questions, Isabel hid me behind her back.

“…Where are the maids?”

“I, I don’t know. I can’t see any. They might have been attacked by her.”

“It doesn’t look like they’re on the first floor. Let’s go upstairs.”

Although Isabel spoke decisively, my feet didn’t move easily. The woman was more dangerous than I thought. Her eyes blinded by desire had aimed to harm me. What was she afraid of now?

If the woman charged at us, Isabel wouldn’t stand a chance.

“What’s happening… Isabel?”

“Rise, Lord Father is also here. So don’t worry and go upstairs, hurry!”

At the moment my father appeared, Isabel pushed me from behind. I handed my only weapon, the sandbag, to Isabel.

“Use this.”

As I hastily climbed the stairs, the woman, who had regained her senses, began shouting. I couldn’t quite make out her frantic words, but they weren’t important. I didn’t need to listen.

Once upstairs, I grabbed the longsword displayed in armor and headed for the twins’ room. I tugged at the doorknob, but it wouldn’t open.

“Swell! Silke! Are you in there? Respond! Silke, Swell!”

“…”

Even if they were late sleepers, they’d usually be up by now. Something had undoubtedly happened to the twins.

‘Maybe their lives are in danger? Are they seriously injured?’

There was a key in my mother’s room to unlock this door, but there wasn’t time to go there. And Isabel’s room was on the first floor. I rummaged through my pocket again and pulled out a case containing needles.

It was another selfdefense item I had prepared against the woman.

Using the thickest, longest needle, I picked the lock.

“Silke, Swell!”

“…Eh!”

Upon opening the door, the twins, along with the missing maids, were tied up, their mouths gagged.

I quickly untied them.

“Rise!”

“Rise…!”

Thankfully, besides their fear, they seemed uninjured. I didn’t comfort them; instead, I hurriedly untied the other five maids.

“It was her! She threatened us to tie us up for the young master and miss!”

“I know.”

Betty, whose mouth was now free, grabbed my arm and spoke urgently.

“Are the Lord and Lady safe?”

“They’re with the woman in the foyer. So two of you should discreetly leave the mansion through the back door and inform the guards. Also, check if Felicia and Bernard are safe at school.”

The faces of the maids darkened.

“…Understood.”

“Be careful. There might be others outside who are in league with her.”
The maids nodded calmly. They exchanged glances and decided on their roles. Despite being tied up just moments ago, the maids braced themselves to defend the mansion.

“Betty, protect my sister and brother.”

Handing over a knife, Betty’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Where are you going, Miss?”

“The rest of us are going to Mother. So make sure to lock the door. Don’t open it for anyone, even if they knock. Understand?”

“Why are you so calm, Miss?”

Betty asked, gripping the knife with trembling hands. It wasn’t a sarcastic or criticizing question. I wondered if I really was calm.

I was scared. Less scared than before, but still scared. Back then, I was alone; now I had allies.

As I was about to rise, the twins held onto the hem of my dress, tears dropping from their eyes. I understood their fear.

“I’ll be back soon.”

“But you’re younger than us…”

“Don’t worry about that. When it comes down to it, I’m at least twenty years older.”

I gently smiled, placing my hand on the back of Silke and Swell’s hands. There was no time. Before the twins could hold onto me any longer, I left the room with the maids who were assigned roles.

“Don’t come closer!”

A woman’s voice came from below. As I descended the stairs, I saw my father and Isabelle confronting the woman. Except for an unidentified cane in the woman’s hand, the situation seemed the same as before.

“Give me the child!”

The woman’s gaze shifted to me as I came down. Isabelle’s eyes narrowed angrily.

“Why did you come down?”

“The maids are safe. So are the twins.”

“Then get back upstairs!”

I went up a couple of stairs but didn’t run away. Strangely, I wasn’t scared of the woman’s gaze anymore.