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John looked at Erich and spoke in a cold voice.

“Lord Gaspard’s amethyst necklace — as much as the lady knew about it, there might be a connection to the Libertan family. I suppose there’s nothing more to disappoint me, right?”

“Of course not.”

Erich, a former servant of the Libertan family, was the best at uncovering the family’s corruption within the Blanchet faction. But even while hearing about an important mission, all he could see was teddy bear cookies.

‘It must be related to that fake.’

Otherwise, there was no reason for such cute cookies to be in John’s neat office. Suddenly, John’s memory came to mind — him looking at women’s jewelry.

‘He said it was all to execute the plan perfectly, but…’

Suddenly, Erich felt like all of this was to worry about and protect the fake.

“I will not disappoint you.”

John then tapped the desk with his index finger and said.

“And, I am canceling Plan A for this fake lily project.”

“Pardon?”

Lily is the symbol of the Libertan family. The fake lily symbolized Estelle. Erich asked with a doubtful look.

“Plan A was a good idea, using the fake to lure spies and shake them. Wasn’t that why you deliberately kept the Libertan’s rat alive?”

Plan A involved using a spy from the Libertan family to test Estelle — a method to threaten her physically, increasing her anxiety and dependence.

Then, Erich asked, with a hint of suspicion.

“So, you plan to use other methods with the spies you’ve already kept alive? Do you have a reason?”

“It’s too risky to move the spies now.”

“Are you saying… the problem is that the fake might be in danger?”

Erich’s voice grew louder, reacting emotionally. If his lord had been swayed by that woman’s tricks, just as he had been.

“She’s not worth such high regard. The only value she has…”

Suddenly, the image of Estelle crying at the window flashed through Erich’s mind.

“When did you start questioning my words?”

At that moment, Erich realized he had made a mistake. He had been so captivated by a mere woman that he had disrespected his lord.

“I apologize.”

Erich knelt and looked up at John. His cold reaction didn’t change.

“I won’t say this twice. Cancel Plan A. Tell Patricia as well.”

Only then did Erich obey without further words.

“I will follow your orders.”

A loyal retainer should only advise and never overturn the master’s decisions. Erich left John’s office. As he carefully grasped the mission details, a timeline appeared.

‘I won’t be able to return to the mansion until I find all the connections.’

Come to think of it, it seemed almost as if they were trying to keep him far away from the estate.

‘Or maybe, if I think badly, the lord is jealous and trying to push me out.’

But there was no hint of such emotion on John’s face. At the last moment, the image that appeared was of the duke of Blanchet, whom he had been serving all along. Erich tried to deny the question that had been bothering him.

‘He doesn’t know, and the lord wouldn’t waver.’

There was a clear reason why everyone in the Blanchet family worshipped John as a divine figure, even when he was nothing at the time. John was perfect — stunning looks, innate combat skills, sharp intellect, a ruthless charisma that seemed to rule above all, and even that noble posture in the muddy trenches. He was born a ruler. That’s why everyone, even knowing the downfall of the Blanchet family, risked everything to rally behind him. They believed John could turn the impossible into possible. And as a reflection of their devotion, John had utterly destroyed the corrupt Libertan.

Meanwhile, as John sensed Erich’s presence fading, he turned his head to look at a small model. A perfect replica of the Libertan duke’s estate, with the lily emblem symbolizing Libertan engraved in the center — the same lily as the family crest. This model had many meanings so far. John’s bored gaze was directed toward the brightest room in the estate, the princess’s room. The room loved by the duke’s family — the one Estelle had been staying in. He looked at it listlessly, then lightly tapped the room with his slender, pale fingers. The slow, rhythmic tapping echoed in the silent room.

‘This is because of dust in my eyes, and I cried.’

‘It’s because I tend to cry easily, even over small things.’

Despite being harshly rebuked by Erich, Estelle spun a ridiculous excuse.

‘There was no one here who hated me that much. Even if there was, I don’t feel that resentful.’

Despite having done nothing to the duchess and not even receiving formal greetings from the housekeeper, Estelle didn’t even get angry.

‘Of course they hate me here.’

John thought her expression looked even sadder because she looked so indifferent.

‘That’s why I can’t expect her to like me. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t like to have someone like me as the duchess.’

So John changed his plan. Anyway, Estelle was the final step of revenge. He hadn’t even dealt with the Libertan couple who committed the evil deeds directly, so there was no need to hurry.

‘Estelle already trusts me.’

Of course, the black magic book he brought to the garden was very strange. In that moment, John realized he was only thinking about Estelle.

“Interesting.”

His index finger, moving rhythmically, stopped.

“Very interesting.”

And in that instant, he completely shattered the model room with a snap.

~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~

As soon as I entered the room, I collapsed onto the bed.

‘Of course, I came twice already.’

I knew I was being foolish, but I had been swayed by John and left the black magic book I brought from the library in the garden. So I had to go back to the garden again.

‘He probably saw the book I borrowed too.’

I worried if I had caused unnecessary suspicion.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have borrowed it in the first place.’

I fanned myself and kicked my legs restlessly, then hugged my pillow tightly and lay down. I saw the red mark John had left on my wrist — a possessive trace, as if claiming me as his property. Suddenly, I remembered that dizzying moment when his teeth had touched me. My face flushed again, and I buried my face in the pillow, panicking.

‘I must be crazy!’

Even if it was to seduce me, how could he act so without any feelings at all?

‘…So, he’s the mastermind.’

John was a man who would do anything for revenge, that was who he was.

‘Will he come again tonight?’

The image of him lying in just a gown last night flashed through my mind, and my face turned red again. I didn’t think he was that kind of person, but his handsome figure… was really…

-Be careful.

An unknown voice echoed. I was startled, pulling my face from the pillow and looking around frantically. No one was nearby.

-Something dangerous is coming.

But the voice was clear, as if speaking directly into my ear.

‘A man’s voice?’

It was a layered voice, as if multiple people were speaking at once. I remembered hearing this voice in the study too.

‘Is it coming from outside the window?’

Just as I was about to get up and go to the window, there was a knock. I held my breath and looked at the door. Knock, knock, knock. Unlike Betty’s, this sound felt ominous. My heart pounded as I clung tightly to the pillow. Suddenly, someone outside burst the door open recklessly. It was a stranger I had never seen before. A very ordinary, honest-looking man. But he held a bright blue dagger in his hand. He bowed his head politely and greeted me.

“Good evening, miss. My name is Anton.”

I couldn’t help but find it amusing, given I had never received such treatment from the Libertan family.

“Are you talking about me?”

“Are you Miss Estelle of the Libertan family?”

“…That’s correct. What’s going on here?”

“I have come to rescue you on the orders of Lord Libertan.”

Now I remembered the original story.

“There was an episode about an espionage from Libertan.”

At that point, Estelle was greatly shaken by the story that she had been summoned from the Libertan estate. Especially upon hearing that her abusive foster parents longed for her desperately, she was about to betray the black plot and run away. It was her first escape in the story.

“But it was a trap set by the black mastermind.”

Afterward, she was despised and criticized for being a traitor, like her Libertan origins. And Estelle began to obsess over John, the only one she could rely on.

‘…This time, I just have to run.’

Fortunately, I had no lingering attachment to the Libertan couple.

“Miss. You’ve been trapped here all this time, how much hardship you’ve endured.”

Anton spoke as if sympathizing. His unpleasant brown eyes flicked over me.

“Lord Libertan has sent me to rescue you.”

“My parents?”

“Yes. They miss you very much. If that weren’t the case, why would I come here?”

I nodded innocently and asked.

“But my parents wouldn’t miss me…”

“If you don’t believe me, you can come with me. The escape route is secured. Shall we go?”

Anton approached holding a threatening dagger.

‘Even if I refuse, this might be problematic.’

There was no one around to protect me if I rejected him. Meanwhile, Anton was armed with a weapon.

‘If this is John’s plan…’

His refusal might be part of a trap, and I could get hurt. People tend to become more dependent the weaker they are.

“Sorry, I don’t quite understand the situation yet.”

I asked with a rational doubt, pretending to hesitate.

“I can’t believe you’re really sent by my father.”

“Oh! I see.”

Anton pulled out a small notebook from his pocket. It bore the lily emblem of Libertan.

“Now you understand, right? You should come with me.”

“I’m not sure if it’s real because it’s so far away.”

Anton’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. But he didn’t get angry, instead he threw the notebook on the floor.

“This is something Lord Libertan gave me. It was very difficult to keep in this dangerous place.”

I slowly picked up the notebook, pretending to check it. Anyway, it was real, so whatever.

“Have you confirmed everything now? We don’t have much time. We need to escape as quickly as possible!”

“I understand you’re really sent by my father. But…”

I acted like I was flustered and asked him.

“I just can’t understand why my parents are secretly trying to help me escape.”

“That will be explained calmly once we get out of this mansion. But right now, escaping is the priority.”

“This marriage is something my father ordered to be kept. I can’t just move without hearing an explanation.”

Anton’s face twisted in frustration.

“Hah… really.”

“I understand it’s frustrating, but if I run away here, the Libertan estate might unjustly come under suspicion among the nobles.”

I answered softly, as if being gentle. Anton then pounded his chest as if impatient. Judging by his reaction, he didn’t seem very patient.

‘How much time can I buy?’

If I hold out, maybe someone will come to rescue me.

‘John.’

Despite him being the man who put me in danger, his face appeared in my mind — the man who said he would protect me and take responsibility.

‘Do I think it’s worth risking all this for him?’

Is that why John said I was valuable? That this entire situation was his plan to torment me? A strange wave of betrayal and fear surged inside me with the fear. In the end, it was as the original story went. If John hadn’t silently approved, the spy wouldn’t have been able to come this far. I saw again the red mark he had left on my wrist. Strangely, I felt that this red mark might actually protect me — an absurd thought.

‘Getting caught up in noble misunderstandings isn’t the priority now.’

‘Then?’

‘That is…’

Anton hesitated as if considering mentioning ‘treason.’ But if he did, I wondered if he wouldn’t help me escape. Sorry, but I wouldn’t run away either way.

“Your marriage is now meaningless. Because it’s the culprit who burdened Lord Libertan with debt — John of Blanchet.”

“…I see.”

“You’re not exactly safe either. Lord Blanchet has been the culprit behind the murders that happened so far. If you stay, you’ll die too.”

Fortunately, I knew this story. The black mastermind John cruelly killed all those who had murdered his little sister and parents. Moreover, he even displayed their bodies as warnings.

‘What a… trash who should have some sense.’

Among those he took revenge on, only I was innocent. That was the saddest part.

‘Someday, John will kill me.’

John would never stop his revenge, no matter what I did. But what was immediately dangerous to me was that man with the dagger, acting excited. If I said even a little thing that annoyed him, he would hurt me.

“Do you understand now what kind of situation you’re in?”

“I understand.”

At that moment, a strange vibration was felt in the ground I was standing on.

“So, you’re saying Lord Blanchet is the one who burdened us with debt?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s also the culprit behind the murders near the capital?”

Sounds of movement came from nearby. The possibility that John was close increased.

‘Good.’

If John was nearby, I had a gamble I could try.

‘He’s scary with that black magic…’

Anton’s blade gleamed sharply in his hand. Still, if John arrived at the right moment, I thought I could survive. Even if I got hurt, enduring some pain would give me a chance to look very good to the black mastermind.

~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~

Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉

Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~~~Next Chapter~~~

Next chapter will be released Tomorrow.

See you then!!