Prepare for what!

Alicia frowned as she recalled Reilly’s words about preparing to love her that day.

“I only came to deliver a message to the Viscount.”

Let’s just quickly deliver the letter and return to my room.

With that thought, Alicia took out the letter from her bosom and was about to hand it to Reilly.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Startled by the chilling voice coming from behind, Alicia shrank back and slowly turned her head.

At the end of the corridor stood Killian, arms crossed, glaring at the letter in Alicia’s hand.

It seemed Alicia wasn’t the only one surprised by his appearance. Reilly, who had a startled expression, composed himself and glared at Killian.

“Ki, Killian?”

“You don’t believe you can get away with calling me that again this time, do you?”

“Pardon?”

Get away with what?

Surprised by the sudden situation and unable to understand what he was saying, Alicia stammered. Meanwhile, Killian took long strides and approached her.

Then he snatched the letter from her hand.

The unsealed letter, Alicia, and Reilly.

It seemed he needed time to figure out what this meant.

However, Reilly, who realized the identity of the letter faster, didn’t seem to want to give Killian time to think.

“Why is Your Grace taking the letter Her Highness personally came to deliver to me?”

At Reilly’s words, Alicia, who came to her senses with a start, observed Killian’s reaction.

The fact that she was gathering information about the Variants was a secret only Reilly knew.

If Killian were to find out about this…?

Imagining a future she’d rather not think about, Alicia hurriedly spoke.

“Th-that’s right. It’s a letter to be delivered to the Viscount.”

“But the seal is broken?”

“I checked the contents first…”

“Why did Your Highness check the contents of a letter meant for the Viscount?”

“It’s a matter between Her Highness and me. Your Grace, please don’t interfere.”

“I’m talking to Her Highness.”

It was clear Killian was misunderstanding something.

But misunderstanding or not, she had to prevent Killian from seeing the contents of that letter…

Alicia fidgeted as she watched the letter being crumpled in Killian’s grip.

Perhaps because he didn’t like the way she looked?

Killian frowned and was about to unfold the crumpled letter when Reilly reached out to snatch it.

No, he tried to snatch it.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

To put it simply, Reilly failed to snatch the letter.

There was no way Killian wouldn’t notice his actions, and he was the one holding the letter.

In terms of hand strength alone, Reilly couldn’t beat Killian.

Reilly knew that too, so he seemed to be aiming for a moment when Killian let his guard down…

Anyway, because of Reilly’s actions, Killian felt the need to check the contents of the letter.

“…What is this?”

Why is this man so fast at reading too?

After reading the contents of the letter in an instant, Killian shook the crumpled letter and looked at Alicia.

“Your Highness Alicia.”

“Yes…”

“I think an explanation is needed.”

“Well…”

“And Viscount.”

“…Yes.”

“I think I need to hear an explanation from the Viscount as well.”

Killian laughs while getting angry.

Reilly’s face crumples in defeat.

And Alicia, who was watching the two… felt like crying a little.

Killian, who had dragged the two to his room, sighed deeply as he looked at Alicia, who was now standing in front of him like a child unable to raise her head, and Reilly, who was observing her.

Alicia flinched at his sigh, but even Killian had no choice this time.

“So you’re gathering information about the Variants by requesting the Information Guild?”

“…Yes.”

“And the Viscount is helping Her Highness with that?”

“…I apologize.”

Even though Reilly disliked Killian, he had no choice but to bow his head obediently regarding this matter.

Although he ended up helping Alicia by chance, it was true that he had done something the Emperor had not permitted.

Moreover, Killian was also in charge of matters related to the Malsu.

Even though he was a member of the imperial family, sharing internal information with an outsider who was not authorized to access it was essentially the same situation. No matter how brazen Reilly was, he couldn’t hold his head high.

“It seems you know you did something you shouldn’t have.”

“Ugh…”

“I’m sorry…”

Seeing the two bowing their heads again, Killian placed the crumpled letter on the desk and asked Alicia.

“Why did you do it?”

“…”

“You must know the reason why His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince hid this matter.”

“It’s for my sake. I know.”

Alicia, who answered Killian’s question, raised her head.

Her sky-blue eyes, sparkling in the flickering light of the lamp, looked at Killian.

“But Duke, you saw it too.”

“What are you referring to?”

“The Variants calling my name.”

Killian closed his mouth.

“How can I pretend I don’t know after hearing that?”

Alicia was half-convinced that the appearance of the Variants was related to her regression.

However, she couldn’t honestly tell Killian that fact.

So the only excuse she could utter now was this.

“The Malsu calling my name are appearing in various parts of the empire. How… How can I pretend I don’t know that?”

“Alicia.”

“What if they are a sign of impending disaster? If I think that those calling my name might bring disaster, I can’t just sit still and pretend I don’t know.”

Fortunately, she hadn’t heard any news of the Variants harming people.

However, there was no guarantee that they would continue not to harm people.

It is said that the Malsu are born from the gathering of all kinds of evil in the world.

It was not strange for violence and greed that seek human blood to be included in that evil.

In fact, the Malsu that tried to cross the Fortress of Sorrow every winter were beasts that enjoyed slaughter.

Variants are what happens when such Malsu encounter black crystals and transform.

The Malsu calling her name could unleash those desires at any time.

“Even if I can’t do anything right away, I needed to know. I should have known.”

“You mean you will continue to gather information about the Variants.”

“That’s right.”

If Killian tried to stop her, it would become twice as difficult to obtain information in the future.

Knowing that Reilly was helping Alicia, he might also be excluded from matters related to the Variants.

‘The Information Guild won’t be safe either.’

If he hadn’t seen the letter, he might not have known…

‘Then where should I get information from now?’

If Killian reported this to the Emperor, she might be banned from entering the Emperor’s study or office.

Adrian would be furious too.

Alicia, who lowered her head and sighed in despair, covered her face with both hands.

She was too pathetic for not being able to do anything properly.

“I understand.”

Just before her gloom turned into self-loathing, Killian spoke.

“If you’ve moved this much on your own, there’s no point in stopping you.”

“Yes…”

“I will keep it a secret from His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Surprised by Killian’s words, Alicia quickly raised her head to check his face.

Reilly also seemed unable to hide his puzzlement, as if he didn’t expect him to say such a thing.

“I will also allow you to gather information about the Variants.”

“Duke…!”

“However, you must do it with me.”

“Pardon?”

Ignoring the surprised Alicia, Killian glanced at the letter and shifted his gaze towards Reilly.

“I heard you have a connection with the Guildmaster of the Information Guild.”

“How could that be? I…”

“Are you saying Her Highness Alicia lied to me?”

Reilly, who realized that Alicia, who had run into Killian on the way out after visiting the Information Guild and had been practically dragged to his mansion, had shared the situation to some extent, looked at her with resentment.

“It seems your skill in gathering and delivering information is not ordinary. What is the Viscount’s assessment?”

“…It’s quite excellent. Cross-verification is necessary, but at least until now, the credibility is very high.”

“I see.”

Killian, who picked up the letter on the desk and folded it neatly, handed it to Reilly.

“From now on, all the information the Information Guild sends to Her Highness will be shared with me.”

“That’s…”

“Your Highness, what will you do?”

“I’ll do that.”

There was no reason to refuse when he offered to keep it a secret from her family and allow her to gather information.

Of course, Reilly seemed to have many complaints, but he didn’t say anything else, knowing what would happen if he got on Killian’s bad side here.

“Then, with that understanding… it would be best for each of us to return to our rooms.”

“Ah, right. I’m sorry for disturbing Your Grace’s rest. Then I’ll be on my way…”

“I will escort you to Your Highness’s room.”

“What? Why?”

“In case you pretend to go to your room but take a different path.”

“I won’t do that.”

“I found out you’re very good at lying, so how can I trust those words?”

“…”

“Let’s go.”

Unable to refute as she had been caught sneaking out of the palace and had indeed deceived him until now, Alicia left the room with Killian.

Reilly’s room seemed to be in the opposite direction of Alicia’s, so they parted ways with him at the door of Killian’s room.

She walked towards her room at a slightly faster pace, observing Killian’s reaction beside her.

“It seems White Gyeong hasn’t returned yet.”

There was no sign of anyone inside the room, indicating Marisa had not returned yet either.

“Th-then I’ll go in now.”

“Rest well.”

“Ah, but wait…”

Alicia, who had stopped in the posture of opening the door, turned her body and looked up at Killian.

Killian gently urged her as she struggled to speak.

“As I said many times, if there’s something you want to ask, you can ask anytime.”

“The letter… You read it all the way to the end, right?”

“Yes.”

“Um… Even the part about Count Findley…”

Ah, was she worried about that?

Realizing that the concern in Alicia’s sky-blue eyes was for him, Killian smiled.