Chapter 10

In truth, neither of them had been her first choice.

Ferin had overheard Lorelia asking Sir Rohel to watch the fireworks with her.

“I’m not very familiar with busy places like that… Sir Rohel, could you accompany me?”

So both of them had not been her priority.

Still, Ferin shrugged.

“I’m not sure. Perhaps she wanted some time alone—”

“My sister?”

At Hailan’s sharp question, Ferin simply nodded.

Hailan frowned slightly, then slowly bit his lip.

“…If anything happens to her, you’re out of the knight order. Go.”

Ferin walked past him without another word.

***

“My sister is acting strange.”

At Hailan’s words, Rean slowly nodded.

He had noticed it too.

In his red eyes appeared the image of Lorelia—

Doing nothing.

What is she planning?

Why isn’t she doing anything?

She no longer came to breakfast.

She no longer joined family gatherings.

More than anything—

She had stopped bothering Arhen.

A deep, unsettling hatred stirred within Rean.

He didn’t even know why.

It had been there for a long time—

Buried deep inside him.

Running a hand through his hair, he frowned.

What was even stranger—

Was that Hailan had noticed this before him.

I noticed later than him…

A thought crept into his mind.

I’m becoming useless.

“She doesn’t do anything anymore. She doesn’t expect anything from us either.”

Hailan spoke calmly—

But inside, he felt uneasy.

Since childhood, she had always followed them around.

And now—

She didn’t seek them out at all.

Did something happen?

…Why am I even worried about her?

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

Then looked at Rean.

Ever since that day—

The day his mana suddenly failed during his duel with Ferin—

Something felt off.

Memories that didn’t quite make sense kept surfacing.

He had hated his sister.

And at the same time, loved Arhen almost obsessively.

…Why?

Why had he hated her so much?

When they were younger, he had liked her.

But whenever he remembered her bullying Arhen—

A dark hatred would rise uncontrollably.

As if something was controlling his mind.

And it wasn’t easy to suppress.

“…Maybe she’s really stopped. Bullying Arhen… trying to get close to us… all of it.”

Hailan’s voice grew bitter at the end.

When Rean didn’t respond, Hailan turned to look at him.

Rean looked uncomfortable.

Frowning deeply, he spoke—

“…No.”

“Huh?”

“She’s not that kind of person. She’s definitely planning something. There’s no way she’d just stop. That’s not who she is.”

“That’s ridiculous. Why would she—”

Hailan suddenly stopped.

His words had come out too quickly—

Without thought.

Both of them exchanged startled looks.

It had been instinctive.

When Rean spoke badly about her—

Hailan had defended her without thinking.

Why did I do that?

It wasn’t unusual for Rean to speak harshly about her.

If anything, Hailan himself had done it even more.

And yet—

“You just defended her.”

…He couldn’t deny it.

He hadn’t thought.

He hadn’t judged right or wrong.

He had simply reacted.

Why?

***

“Sir Ferin, at the upcoming masquerade ball, I need to meet the Duke of Kazendel.”

Lorelia set down her teacup.

Ferin, standing beside her as her guard, asked—

“You mean… the ‘Butcher Duke’?”

“That’s right.”

It had been three days since she made him her personal guard.

In that time, Lorelia had learned many things.

Looking at the notes she had written about the original story, she thought—

The Ilmare territory, which bordered the sea, handled trade as well as monster subjugation.

Through its ports, the Kazendel Duchy conducted the most trade with the neighboring Ocallt Principality.

In modern terms—

The Duke of Kazendel was like the head of customs.

That was why he held so much power among the three great ducal houses.

If she could reach an agreement with him—

Then if anything suspicious happened in the Shailen household—

She could escape to the Ocallt Principality under the guise of trade.

Running away directly was also an option—

But going abroad carried risks.

Ferin raised his voice in concern.

“Why would you meet someone like him?!”

“In autumn, he leads a monster subjugation campaign. And purification stones are essential for that. I’ve heard the Baien family’s supply is unstable.”

“So you’re planning to supply them yourself?”

“It’s the only way I can leave this house before summer ends.”

Lorelia met his gaze calmly.

“If I don’t do this, my brother Kabil will use every method to find me. He has a strong sense of responsibility toward family… oddly enough.”

As long as appearances were maintained—

He wouldn’t cause trouble.

But behind the scenes—

He would search relentlessly.

He wouldn’t use official means.

But he would find her.

However—

He couldn’t interfere with an official subjugation force.

“Still, it’s too dangerous.”

“That’s why it’s reliable. And there’s no guarantee he’ll even take me along.”

“If you want to go that badly, I’ll go with you.”

Lorelia’s eyes widened slightly—

Then softened.

“Sir Ferin… please don’t make me feel more guilty than I already do.”

Originally—

Ferin was meant to become the Empire’s greatest knight with Arhen’s support.

But Lorelia had changed that.

His future was now uncertain.

“That’s why. Just help me join the subjugation force. That’s enough.”

“Does it really have to be that?”

“It’s the only place my brother can’t easily track me down. And—”

“Cough—!”

She suddenly covered her mouth.

Her handkerchief stained red with blood.

A side effect of overusing her ability.

She had fainted twice already—

It was no surprise her body was struggling.

“My lady—”

“I’m fine.”

“No—someone is coming.”

Lorelia quickly wiped her mouth and hid the handkerchief under the bed.

“How many?”

“Two. They’re speaking with a maid.”

Ferin focused his senses.

Even the slightest presence didn’t escape him when he used mana.

“My lady, the Duke is calling for you.”

…Even Ferin hadn’t expected that.

***

Lorelia entered the large conference hall.

Her eyes scanned the room.

Her direct family, the Duke’s aides, and high-ranking retainers were all present.

Even Rohel was there.

This was the first time there had been an emergency gathering.

She took a breath.

This hadn’t been in the original story.

And the presence of Ferin and Rohel made it even stranger.

Her eyes grew calm.

This must be about what happened at the training grounds.

If so—

Why bring it to a formal meeting?

She couldn’t guess.

Still, all eyes were on her.

She couldn’t hesitate.

She walked to her seat beside Kabil and sat down.

Even Arhen was present.

“You’re just a witness.”

Kabil whispered.

As expected.

Lorelia nodded and glanced at the empty seat beside the Duke.

Her mother’s seat.

After reviewing the original story carefully—

She realized something.

Her mother would die of mana sickness.

And only Lorelia knew that.

Because her mother had hidden it out of pride.

Mana sickness slowly consumed the body.

Which meant—

Even now, she must already be ill.

More than anything else—

Lorelia wanted to know about her condition.

“Is Mother not coming?”

Arhen’s innocent voice rang out.

Rean gently stroked her hair.

That alone gave the answer.

The Duchess would not come.

She rarely left her room.

The Duke seemed to think the same.

He signaled for the doors to close and began—

“The reason I gathered you all today is regarding the temporary failure of magical tools—”

Bang.

The doors slammed open.

Everyone turned.

“I didn’t have free hands.”

A woman with deep violet hair, tied neatly, stepped inside.

Her gray eyes curved beautifully.

She had opened the heavy doors alone—

Doors that normally required two men.

There was only one person it could be.

The Duchess.

Lorelia’s mother.