“A woman? There were only the three of us and that man; no one else.”

The general cocked his head, speaking in puzzlement.

“Really? Strange. A witness said there was also a woman.”

“…….”

The man looked distressed.

He had planned to testify to the military police that he and his colleagues were having a gathering at the construction site when a mad assassin appeared, started a fight, and caused a knife frenzy.

He couldn’t possibly say that he was chastised for trying to harass a woman.

So he was adamant until the end, but the general spoke again in a cold voice.

“You would do well not to hide it.”

At the gentle yet eerie pressure in his voice, the man had to spill the truth.

“I don’t know who that woman is.”

“…….”

The man had to plead his innocence again, as the general looked unconvinced.

“I… really. I really don’t know. I only know that she’s, she’s a noble.”

“A noble?”

“Yes……”

“What did she look like?”

When the man hesitated to answer, the general urged him.

“I won’t make an issue of it, so speak freely.”

“You promise?”

“I swear.”

At that, the man spoke in relief.

“Red hair… and purple eyes.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes……”

“…….”

“You’ll keep the promise, right?”

“…….”

The general only looked down silently, and the man grew uneasy.

But soon the general’s neatly arranged teeth flashed in a kind smile, and the unease vanished.

“Of course.”

Then, suddenly, the general drew a dagger from his waist.

The man jumped in shock and cried out.

“Why… why are you doing this, Your Highness? You swore you wouldn’t make an issue of it, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

The general’s voice echoed softly in the darkness.

“But I said I wouldn’t make an issue of it, I didn’t say I would spare you……”

With that, he spun the dagger between his fingers.

In that moment, the man saw the image of the assassin who had severed his wrist.

Why? Why did the two look alike?

But before he could think of a reason, the general’s dagger pierced the man’s vital spot.

The man died without a scream.

Looking at the dead man’s despairing eyes, the general clucked his tongue.

“You shouldn’t have recognized me.”

With an expression as cruel as it was indifferent, he turned and opened the door to the sickroom. Outside, his shadowlike attendant was waiting.

The general tilted his head slightly, gesturing to the bed, and ordered.

“Take care of it.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The attendant bowed obediently, noting the red stain on the general’s brown robe but not appearing surprised, as if he had foreseen it.

“And.”

The general issued another command.

“Get the list of young nobles. Names, ages, and all physical characteristics.”

(This is a time marker.)

Opening her eyes, Liz was surrounded only by darkness.

Whenever she woke, she always had that thought, but today her consciousness returned particularly slowly.

The air around her felt unfamiliar. The mattress beneath her felt strange, and the room seemed a bit smaller. Even the ceiling felt lower.

Though she couldn’t see anything, Liz felt it distinctly.

‘Where am I? Why am I here?’

Soon, memories began to return, little by little.

‘Right. I was almost attacked by thugs in the back alley and got saved. Then I went to someone’s house.’

That also came back to her after a brief lapse.

‘Right. It was the friend’s house of that Lorein noble. And I was waiting for dinner, got a bit tired, and closed my eyes leaning on the back of the armchair, and then…’

Now fully awake, everything came back to her.

‘I fell asleep right there.’

But as her memory returned, Liz was bewildered.

She had fallen asleep in the soft armchair, but here…

Suddenly feeling something odd, Liz looked to the side.

Gasp!

‘Why is this person here?’
Liz recognized the figure lying next to her and was silently astonished.

It was that man. The Lorain nobleman. The man who asked her to dance, the man who saved her from the ruffians.

Why was she lying in bed with this man?

She wondered if there were parts she couldn’t remember, and Liz discreetly lifted the blanket covering her chest.

Apart from her skirt being slightly rolled up, her clothes were intact. There were no signs of them having been taken off and put back on.

Thank goodness. Nothing happened.

Liz put the blanket back down and turned her head to look at the man again.

From his even breathing, it was clear that he was in a deep sleep. She didn’t know what had happened, but she had to get up before this man woke up.

She had to, but…

Unconsciously, she found herself staring intently at the man’s face.

Even after a second look, it was a sculptural face.

Even after a second look, it was an unrealistically beautiful face, completely devoid of any selfishness.

Was it like appreciating a work of art?

Come to think of it, she had heard that the Kingdom of Lorain was famous for its beautiful men and women. That’s why her father went there and didn’t come back for years. Was it the water?