The monster fur was expected to be supplied at a very cheap price. Most people in the north were poor now. It was natural since the north was freezing. Moreover, no matter how many purification rituals were shown, it was not easy to change people’s perceptions.

It’s better to approach with a low price.

The fur of monsters varied in luster, color, and pattern. The ones that looked like the highest quality at first glance were to be set aside to be made into luxury items and sold expensively to the nobles. And make and sell other things too. Things like shoes, bags, hats.

It wasn’t a bad plan for the start of the first trade group.

Eventually, all the safes in the basement were emptied. After everyone left, I set fire to the front of the basement. After confirming that the fire had properly caught, I turned around.

“I’ll take you outside.”

“What about the Duke?”

Edward glanced at me. We could just leave it like this. Can’t he find the front door on his own? Edward moved without saying much. And when we arrived near the entrance, I realized why Edward had followed me.

All passages leading outside were blocked by flames.

For a moment, I thought. Is this how I die?

The last moment with Edward…

But before I could finish my thought, Edward moved his hand. He picked up a suitable object from the floor. What, is he going to throw that? Will that make that huge door creak? Should I look for an escape route again?

But that was an unnecessary worry.

Edward overlaid the object with a blue energy.

Aura…?

Did I know Edward could do something like that…? I knew he was learning the sword as the next Duke, but to the extent of using aura?

The object Edward threw hit the front door accurately, and the door collapsed with a thud. Edward nodded towards the outside.

“Now you can go out on your own, right?”

Edward smiled at me.

“You’re not a child.”

*

“Ah, Adeline! My goodness, I was worried about you.”

Esme came running with tears glistening in her pretty eyes. As soon as she saw me, her expression hardened. Her change in expression was really certain.

“Mother… Suddenly, there was a fire… I was so scared…”

Despite not sharing a drop of blood with Esme, this god-given acting skill seems to resemble hers.

I shed tears profusely. Crying was easy. Unfair things, angering things, difficult things. I could think of hundreds of thoughts that could induce tears. In the midst of this, my eyes met Josephine’s. Josephine gave me a look and turned her head.

“How long are we going to stay here, Mom? Sister’s back now, so let’s go. I’m sleepy.”

“Ah, right. Adel, let’s go to the hotel. Oh, you’ve been through a lot. You’ll feel better after taking a warm bath when we get there.”

I nodded slightly. As we were making plans to go outside, something cold and moist began to fall. It was snow.

*

Every time Edward exhaled, his breath rose in a mist. Cold snow was falling, aided by the cold weather. And thanks to the heavy snow, the fire that had caught on the mansion was naturally dying out. Edward gazed at it coolly.

Due to the snow that had fallen the day before, the mansion was not in a completely dry state. Perhaps because of that, the Wesley mansion was fortunately preserving its original form.

At that rate, if repaired well, the mansion could be used again.

‘Lord Wesley might regret it.’

Adeline, who was setting the fire, looked as excited as a child. Adeline’s anger towards Esme and Jayden might be deeper than expected. What could have been the problem? From what I’ve learned, Adeline had returned alive after facing a near-death experience.

Since that day, Adeline had been showing new moves.

Carefully, so as not to be noticed.

There must have been some change of heart. She might have learned the true face of her adoptive mother. If you add up all the money Esme has embezzled from the Wesley trading company so far, you could probably buy a small territory.

Anyway, it was really grateful that Adeline chose Edward as her new business partner.

Tomorrow, newspapers with the same content were scheduled to be published nationwide. About the cold that has come to the north and the fur of monsters.

‘We should be able to put out the urgent fire.’

Edward glanced at the monster furs loaded in the wagon. Most of the furs would go directly to Adeline’s shop, and some would go to the temple. Edward lightly licked his lips. The image of Adeline setting fire without hesitation came to mind.

Edward narrowed his eyes.

The more he looked at Adeline, the more Leira came to mind. Leira was like that too. She never hesitated about what she had decided to do. She also had some of Leira’s habits.

“Leira.”

And Adeline.

Were they really just close friends? His sunken red eyes gleamed ominously.

Edward gave a brief order.

“We’re going back.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

The night raid ended like that. With a definite victory trophy for Adeline and Edward.

*

Esme was truly an amazing woman.

She threw all the people who had been working at Wesley out on the streets and came into the hotel with only me, Josephine, and Jayden. Watching people wandering the streets crying and wailing through the window made me feel a bit down.

Not that I had any reason to save them. They were the ones who had committed the sin of standing on Esme’s side and condoning Adeline’s death.

“But it feels pretty dirty.”

I let out a small sigh. I drew the curtains on the window and sat on the bed. Lying down on the bed of the luxurious hotel, my body relaxed comfortably.

I closed my eyes slightly.

I barely passed the first gate.

And I still haven’t heard any news about Theodore.

Are they looking into it?

I bit my lip slightly. Thinking about Theodore made this warm blanket on my back feel sinful. In this situation where I don’t even know if Theodore is dead or alive.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah.”

Josephine, who had gone to check on Esme and Jayden, returned. Seeing Josephine looking at me with an indifferent face, tears fell suddenly.

Josephine and Theodore.

We were happy enough living without them.

“My Lady?”

“…I’m fine.”

I raised my hand to cover my eyes. Tears that had burst once flowed incessantly. As if the dam of emotions I had been suppressing all this time had collapsed.

I felt Josephine sit down beside me.

A faint sigh echoed in the room.

“…After the young lady and young master I served disappeared, I secretly entered Andres.”

It was a quiet and low voice. Josephine went to Andres? Why such a dangerous thing…

“I felt I had to confirm with my own eyes that the young master was doing well. That way, my heart would be at ease, and the deceased young lady’s heart would be at ease too.”

“…”

“But the young master wasn’t in Andres.”

Josephine let out a small laugh.

“So I searched all over Andres. No one knew about the young master, so I asked and asked again. Then I caught the eye of the Duke of Andres.”

Josephine… I bit my lip hard.

“I almost died, but thanks to that, I found out where the young master was.”

“…”

“I heard he was taken to the northern mines. That vile bastard.”

Josephine chewed on the curse. A slightly louder breath filled the room. Tears fell quickly. My choice ruined everything.

If only I hadn’t been greedy, Josephine, Theodore, and I might still be living happily, albeit modestly.

Because I did wrong…

“I felt like I couldn’t face the young lady in death if things stayed like this.”

“…”

“So I went all the way to the northern mines. I couldn’t even get in and was chased away.”

Josephine’s voice trembled.

“But I haven’t given up even now. There will be a day when I can see the young master again, right? I live with that hope. The reason I’m telling you this story… is because it seems the Lady’s heart isn’t very happy either, having set fire to the mansion she’s lived in all her life.”

It was clumsy, but it was her own way of comforting.

“Everyone lives with their own misfortunes in their hearts. It’s the people who grab and shake others’ weaknesses that are bad. So… cheer up.”

I closed my eyes tightly. Josephine was still in the same hell as me. Josephine wasn’t just a maid. We were a tightly bound family. I lost Theodore, but so did Josephine. Josephine’s words were certainly comforting. I wasn’t alone in waiting for Theodore.

Theodore, please be safe. I beg you.