On a chilly early summer morning filled with cold air, Biare was carefully seeing off her father who was leaving for a territory inspection.

Not long after the Duke departed, Gaizen also headed to the Cheilo Trading Company to handle overdue work.

Today was the day Biare could get her hands on evidence of the imperial family’s wrongdoings, so she was moving cautiously.

The Duke had rarely gone out or on business trips lately, so she hadn’t had a chance to open the safe at the Cheilo Trading Company.

Biare was being extra careful, worried that the Duke might have noticed it was her who had entered the study like a little mouse.

Having waited for the right moment, she finally felt joy filled with delight when the Duke’s territory inspection schedule was set.

Taking out the key Laymon had made for her, Biare was steeling herself given the urgency of the situation.

It was no easy task to suppress her anxious and churning insides, so she closed her eyes to gather her thoughts.

Just as Biare had decided it was time to depart for the trading company and was about to board the carriage with her usual expression:

“My lady, I will accompany you as an escort.”

As the Ruschef Knights had joined the Duke’s territory inspection, it seemed Joian had remained behind in place of Tonio this time.

Joian, who had taken over escort duty from the knight about to board the carriage, silently intended to fulfill her role.

Watching her, a pleased smile spread across Biare’s lips.

Inside the carriage, Biare briefly explained her plan for today, to which Joian appeared quite surprised.

After pondering for a while, she seemed to make a decision and spoke to Biare with a serious gaze.

“Please allow me to participate in your plan, my lady.”

“That’s not possible, Joian. I don’t want to drag you into this plan.”

Biare, not wanting her to feel an overwhelming burden, could not easily grant permission.

“That’s precisely why I want to join you even more.”

Joian showed no signs of backing down despite her mistress’s refusal, and was sending Biare a gaze close to determination and resolve.

At this, Biare let out a shallow sigh and reluctantly nodded.

“Alright, from today onwards, many things will change.”

“Yes, my lady. I will carry out your orders.”

As Biare intended, the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Cheilo Trading Company, and Biare and Joian began to move according to their pre-arranged plan.

Biare, hiding Laymon’s key inside her clothes, acted calmly as she exchanged greetings with the trading company staff.

Though she was pretending to be nonchalant to appear normal, unlike her outward appearance, her heart was racing rapidly.

Thinking that she was just one step away from obtaining proof, it felt like the pounding of her heart could be heard outside.

Fortunately, as she went upstairs, there were no staff or close associates of the trading company head in sight, and only Biare’s footsteps echoed quietly in the corridor.

Gaizen must have briefly stepped out, as the door to his office was slightly ajar.

Thinking her brother had probably gone out to smoke a cigar, Biare considered this fortunate as she slowly approached the Duke’s office.

Carefully placing her ear against the office door, she heard a clattering sound from inside that soon stopped, and just as she was swallowing dryly, the door clicked open from within.

It was Joian, who had entered the office first through the window as planned, opening the door for her mistress to enter.

Biare hurriedly went inside and locked the door again, and was about to place her hand on the windowsill, looking at the wide open window on the opposite side.

“My lady, please hurry and gather the documents. I will close the window.”

At those words, Biare nodded, and took out from her bosom a replica of the key possessed by the God’s Absence.

As before, when she pried open the gap between the floorboards, a deep space was revealed, and she found the safe hidden among ledgers and bundles of documents.

Knowing that she needed to move even more carefully in such a situation, Biare calmly inserted the key into the lock mechanism and turned it.

Click―

‘Laymon really has created a masterpiece.’

Thinking she had finally obtained physical evidence, Biare felt a rush of exhilaration.

But it was too early to marvel. They had not yet left the office, and not knowing when a variable might occur, she hurriedly gathered the bundles of documents inside and was relocking the safe.

At that moment, hearing heavy footsteps coming from the far end of the corridor, Biare looked at Joian with round, shocked eyes.

Listening to the conversation outside, they realized it was none other than the Duke and his close associate, which greatly alarmed them.

“My lady, come this way.”

Joian urgently yet carefully called out to Biare, who was too shocked to move, and flung the window wide open again.

Biare hurriedly approached the window and, with Joian’s help, was able to safely climb out with the bundle of documents tucked inside her clothes.

“Joian, quickly, take my hand.”

With no time to spare, she extended one hand so Joian could quickly come out the window.

However, Joian shook her head as if she had made up her mind, and was wearing a deliberately calm yet bright smile.

Seeing her expression, Biare had an indescribable intuition about what her loyal servant was intending to do.

“No, Joian. Please don’t do this…”

Yet she merely smiled at Biare. As if this had been the only option from the beginning.

“I said take my hand now!”

Even at her mistress’s command, whispered quietly for fear of the sound escaping, she looked at Biare as if she had already made her decision, and the footsteps had now reached the door.

Joian, her expression hardened, spoke urgently to send Biare away quickly in the tense situation.

“Please go now! This is my choice, my lady.”

Joian closed the window behind Biare, who had been pushed away, and Biare headed towards the opposite railing, embracing her confused feelings.

‘Please. I mustn’t be too late.’

Peering into Gaizen’s office, fortunately he had returned, so Biare urgently knocked on the window.

Gaizen, who doubted his eyes upon discovering her clinging to the railing, quickly extended his hand so his sister could enter.

Biare, pale-faced, was barely supporting herself on trembling legs, and her blue-green eyes were shaking uncontrollably.

“Sister, what on earth happened?”

“Joian… Joian is in danger.”

Gaizen, who had watched Biare hide the bundle of documents in a place no one would find, could not close his mouth.

By now, he must have realized what his sister had done.

However, Gaizen first calmed his sister, who seemed pressed for time, and soon arrived with her at the Duke’s office.

“Father, what is going on here?”

At Gaizen’s calm question, the Duke stroked his chin as he looked at Joian, who was held by the knights.

Not knowing what had happened in the meantime, Biare felt her heart would break at the sight of Joian’s pale face and cold sweat.

“I ended up showing you both an unsightly scene unnecessarily.”

“What do you mean by that, Father?”

Biare’s lips trembled, but she asked pretending to be calm, and the Duke answered with a satisfied smile as he looked at Joian before him.

“To think there was a little rat hiding in the Ruschef family.”

According to him, after learning that a little rat had been entering and exiting his office, he had smeared a deadly poison on the window handle, guessing the culprit’s escape route.

The deadly poison of the Pahenberg, which only inhabits the Ruschef territory, was that of a venomous snake that causes excruciating pain and a miserable death even with minimal skin contact.

Biare could not say a word at the Duke’s incongruous appearance as he marveled that it was amazing she had endured this long after touching that poison.

The Duke added that he had fortunately been able to catch the little rat when he returned to the trading company due to a schedule change.

Looking at Joian, who would not even glance at her mistress for fear of causing her harm, Biare’s insides were burning black.

‘Joian, you knew from the beginning.’

Biare could now understand why she had prevented her from opening the window herself, and why she had seemed more flustered than usual.

Even as her body weakened and ached, Joian had not shown it and had helped her mistress escape safely.

Perhaps she had intended to endure everything herself rather than collapse while fleeing and end up getting caught with her mistress.

As the deadly poison was already spreading through Joian’s body, Biare hurriedly knelt before her father.

For he was the only one who had the antidote.

“Father, we must give her the antidote quickly.”

“Bia, I know you will be saddened. But that child has betrayed us.”

The Duke seemed to firmly misunderstand that Joian was a spy planted by another family.

Naturally, he did not think this situation was caused by his daughter.

“That child simply refuses to open her mouth.”

He says that before Biare and Gaizen arrived, he had personally shown mercy and given Joian a chance.

If she wanted to take the antidote, she should quickly reveal who was behind this.

Biare could only look at him with resentful eyes at the fact that such a cruel person was her father.

Biare’s heart was pounding so fiercely she could barely control it, and it felt like all her nerves were going mad.

“Hmph, to not take the chance even when given one.”

The Duke clicked his tongue and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard.