《Can We Become a Family?》 Chapter 1 In the office of the richest family in the Eden Empire, Duke of Agnes. ¡°You ungrateful girl!¡± Slap! Duke Nikan Agnes was unable to overcome the fiery anger rising from the bottom of his heart, so he raised his hand and slapped his foster daughter, Navia, on the cheek. Navia, who was still at the tender age of 22-years old, was still a small and delicate young girl. She couldn¡¯t withstand the strength behind Nikan¡¯s slap with her fragile body, so she stumbled backward. ¡°¡­¡± She didn¡¯t respond to the slap and chose to keep her mouth shut. Normally, she would¡¯ve burst out in tears or trembled in fear when she was faced with Nikan¡¯s violence, but today, Navia was unusually calm. She stood there as if nothing had happened. She stood there with a straight back and a pair of unwavering eyes. Her hands were clasped calmly in front of her and her silver hair was scattered neatly behind her. Her unwavering gaze and straight posture exuded an unusual amount of elegance. She appeared nobler than any of the aristocrats in the empire. Her manner and bearing had been personally taught by the Duke of Agnes himself. However, Nikan was even more upset with Navia¡¯s calm and graceful manners. This was because the time and money he invested in Navia to make her become into an elegant and graceful lady had backfired. ¡°I gave you the best tutors and allowed you to enjoy the wealth that normal commoners could never dream of. Instead of repaying my generosity, you decided to hurt my daughter!¡± Navia¡¯s face sank as a cold sneer flickered across Navia¡¯s red eyes before quickly disappearing. Ah, he¡¯s lecturing me again about the first-class tutors he hired for me and about the wealth that he had allowed me to experience¡­ She was thankful for him for adopting her from an orphanage in the countryside, but he merely did it out of interest rather than goodwill. ¡°If only Vivian wasn¡¯t so sickly, then I wouldn¡¯t have needed to foster a commoner¡¯s orphan as a shabby stand-in¡­ tch!¡± Nikan needed another healthy and beautiful daughter to take the place of his daughter to marry the prince. He didn¡¯t want his foster daughter to be an aristocrat from another noble or influential family. After all, he didn¡¯t want to share the glory with another aristocratic family once his foster daughter became the queen in the future. Nikan had killed off all the distant kinsmen and framed the incident as an accident, solely to disguise Navia as one of his daughters. There was a fake portrait in the mansion of her and she had a fake background story. Even her family members and relatives were fake. Everything that made her ¡®Navia¡¯, was fake. So, she vowed to herself that she would become ¡®real¡¯. She endured the strict training and education that Nikan pushed upon her. She sacrificed sleep and her health to become a real ¡®Anges¡¯. Even when she had a nosebleed, she would continue to work. No matter how tired or overworked she was, she preserved on. What Navia wanted was very easy, but at the same time, it was also very difficult. She didn¡¯t want to starve or sleep on the cold ground again. In addition to that, she wanted to live in a real house with a real family. At first, living with her foster family was a dream come true. She was whisked away from the poverty-stricken orphanage and was given a soft bed to sleep in and delicious meals to eat. It was like she had stepped into a fairy tale world. Family. She thought she could include herself in that warm and beautiful word. It seemed like it was something almost within her reach. It was all in her grasp until she reached adulthood. Vivian, Nikan¡¯s real daughter was cured of her incurable disease. Nikan forcibly broke Navia¡¯s engagement with the prince and then formed an engagement between the prince and his real daughter, Vivian. He told the others that he had broken Navia¡¯s engagement off and removed her status as his successor because she was unsuitable. Nikan didn¡¯t care whether or not his words had ruined Navia¡¯s reputation. He acted unreservedly and cruelly, all for the sake of Vivian. Due to this, Nikan thought that Navia must have held a grudge and tried to poison Vivian. ¡°Everything I have given you belongs to the family. None of this belongs to you in the first place. Did you actually think that a commoner like you could actually become the queen?¡± Chapter 2 Navia¡¯s expression fell as she listened to her foster father reveal his true feelings in front of her. He didn¡¯t hesitate to dash her dreams and pin the entire blame on her. He didn¡¯t even care that Navia had become the laughing stock of the aristocratic society. ¡°Good job, my dearest daughter.¡± Navia would¡¯ve done anything for him if he had ever uttered those words toward her. ¡®All I wanted from you was some trivial but warm words.¡¯ But now, she understood everything. She realized that no matter how hard she tried, she was merely a substitute for Vivian. It was all too late. Navia spoke with the last ounce of strength she had. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to poison Vivian, Father.¡± SLAP! His palm slapped across her cheek as soon as she finished speaking. Navia couldn¡¯t withstand the force behind the slap and fell backward on the floor. ¡°The poison was detected in the tea leaves you gifted Vivian! Are you still trying to deceive me till the very end?¡± Vivian asked Navia for some rare tea leaves because she wanted to treat the guests with it. Navia, like a good sister, rushed to the rescue and procured some rare tea leaves for her. But soon poison was discovered in the tea leaves. ¡°The prince and I broke off the engagement a long time ago, so I have no reason to poison her!¡± ¡°Lies! You were jealous that Vivian became Prince Ares¡¯ fiance¨¦, so you tried to poison her!¡± It would be a lie for her to say that she wasn¡¯t disheartened that her foster father had abandoned her and broke off her engagement, but she never harbored any hatred towards Vivian. She never loved Princes Ares or coveted the position of the future queen in the first place. This incident was instigated by someone and she was framed for something she never did. If she pondered over the happenings of the incident, then there would be many strange points in the entire incident. In other words, Nikan hadn¡¯t made the least effort to understand Navia¡¯s point nor did he even care to investigate the matter more thoroughly. ¡°How could you try to harm the Prince¡¯s fiancee? Hurting her is the same as instigating an imperial assassinationg!¡± There was a tinge of sadness in Nikan¡¯s voice. It was a pity that he had to kill his most useful pawn with his own hands. Navia was no longer blinded by her desire for a family, so she knew why Nikan appeared somewhat sorrowful. Please read this at Sleepy Translations. ¡°If I truly hated Vivian and wished to harm her, then I wouldn¡¯t have planned something as obvious as poisoning the tea leaves I gave her.¡± She knew better to do something so brainless and obvious since she was eight. Nikan¡¯s eyes instantly turned cold at her bold words. He immediately drew his sword from his waist. ¡°You dare!¡± Just before Navia¡¯s throat was cut, another man entered the office. ¡°Father.¡± A low and husky voice echoed in the silent room. Navia turned to look at the man who had just entered the room. The man had red hair that resembled Nikan. His name was Wood; he was the eldest son of the Duke. ¡°His Highness, Prince Ares is here.¡± Nikan frowned at the news. ¡°What a disgrace to the imperial family!¡± ¡°Go, I will take care of this child.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Duke left the office and handed the situation to Wood. ¡°Heh.¡± A sharp sneer could be heard. Wood approached her and squatted down in front of her. He was genuinely entertained and satisfied with Navia¡¯s current appearance. Navia¡¯s eyes flashed with anger. ou¡¯re a being that is more inferior than animals.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Wood dropped his pretense, Navia¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°I know that you, my brother, was the one who poisoned the tea.¡± ¡°Ah, it seems like I got caught.¡± Wood shrugged his shoulders lightly. ¡°If she had drank that tea, Vivian would have really died. Don¡¯t you feel any bit of remorse for what you have done?¡± ¡°Vivian is lucky enough and didn¡¯t die. What more do you need?¡± Navia gripped the carpet in anger. She looked down at the floor and closed her eyes. In the first place, it was impossible to find unbiased people in the aristocratic society. It was normal for aristocracts to look down on commoners. It¡¯s more accurate that there was no choice but to think that way. It was vicious to be treated like this just because he was trying to fight for the right to inherit the dukedom. Chapter 3 Wood has always been vulgar and violent. ¡°You knew I hated you from the beginning, but do you know the reason behind it?¡± Navia already knew what he was going to say. ¡°You¡¯re a commoner that is worth less than dirt.¡± Wood had a disgusted expression on his face as he stared back at Navia. Navia quietly rolled the word commoner in her mouth. I thought that I was the daughter of a low-ranking noble, but it was only later that I discovered that I was merely an orphan of a commoner. ¡°Are you a commoner?¡± Ah, was it when Wood was 20 years old? She could still clearly remember the day that Wood asked whether she was a commoner. ¡°I don¡¯t think an ugly bee like you should mingle in the aristocratic society because you¡¯ll only muddy the water. However, father is stubborn and I cannot change his mind¡­¡± Wood reached out and grabbed Navia¡¯s chin and tilted her to look at him. He then swept her lips with his thumb. The fresh red blood stained his finger. ¡°A noble¡¯s blood is blue; not like a vulgar red, like yours.¡± He laughed heartily in satisfaction of what he said. ¡°Although I am the one who orchestrated everything, there was actually someone who asked me to do this. Do you know who it is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Her Highness, the Empress,¡± Navia answered calmly. Wood stared at Navia as if she knew everything. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. So, why did you seduce Prince Ares and offend Her Highesss, the Empress?¡± He took a small vial and threw it at Navia. It was a type of poison that could dissolve a person¡¯s organs immediately after drinking it. ¡°Come on, drink it. Now is the only time you can live as a princess. Do you know why the prince came here today?¡± ¡°He wants to hold a slave trial for you and I¡¯m sure his wishes will come true if you don¡¯t drink this.¡± Ares loved Navia because of her beauty and because of how ruthless she would act towards her enemies. He had loved her as a tool, not a person, which was no different from how Agnes viewed her. Wood was nervous that Prince Ares would burst in and take Navia away, but he pretended to be calm and continued his bluff in front of her. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to die now than to live as a slave?¡± Please read this at Sleepy Translations. If Navia didn¡¯t drink the poison, she will still be forced to drink it. The Empress had promised Wood that he could marry Princess Sarah Lucia for taking care of Navia. The Duke of Lucia was the Empress¡¯s father and Sarah Lucia was her niece. Navia stared down at the small vial of poison vial in front of her. In the end, it turned out like this again. She drank the poison in one gulp with no hesitation, Wood¡¯s shoulder relaxed as he watched her. He was glad that she consumed the poison. He hated her and was completely fed up with her at this point. ¡°You¡¯re pretending to be an elegant and graceful aristocrat till the very end. How disgusting.¡± Navia vomited blood due to the poison. She laughed at her situation. ¡°Kkeuk¡­ Hahaha¡­¡± It didn¡¯t matter whether she acted humbly or arrogantly. Her ending was always the same. ¡°How much more should I try?¡± How much more effort should I put in to be accepted and loved? I did my best. Yes, I really did my very best. Navia took off her blood-soaked gloves. There was a number on his right wrist. She was the only one who could see the number. 1 Looking down at the number, she confessed calmly. ¡°Brother, I have lived the same life seven times.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Now, I only have one last chance to be reborn¡± ¡°Are you going crazy because you¡¯re dying?¡± Wood¡¯s face was scrunched up in confusion. The poison took its final effect and Navia slowly lost the ability to see. The number on her wrist turned blurry. ¡°I thought we could be a family, I tried so hard¡­,¡± she continued speaking with great effort. The smile on face turned chilly and the voice that came from her parted mouth was even colder. ¡°But now, I¡¯m going to stop playing these games.¡± Just before her sight went out, Navia stared directly at Wood. Under that eerie gaze, Wood froze like a prey in front of a beast. He couldn¡¯t say anything under that spine-chilling moment. ¡°See you in the next life, Wood.¡± I will never do anything for you again. ¡°You-!¡± Wood belatedly opened his mouth and shouted something, but Navia couldn¡¯t hear it. She went deaf. And dark. The number on the wrist changed. 0 Then it disappeared without a trace. Chapter 4 Navia opened her eyes once again from death. ¡®I have to live from the age of eight again.¡± How long can I live this time? The first rebirth she experienced was from her first death. She died in a carriage accident at the age of 20 in her first life and every time after that, she would always be reborn to the time when she first arrived in Anges. The reason for her sudden rebirth each time was unknown. In fact, ¡®rebirth magic¡¯ doesn¡¯t exist in the world. Navia raised her arm to check her right wrist. ¡°The numbers are gone.¡± Was the number gone because she had used up all her chances? She could no longer see the remaining count on her inner wrist. Yes, this was her last chance at living her life after eight consecutive failures. Thud. Navia dropped her arms weakly to her side and stared at the ceiling with hollow eyes. ¡°When did it start going all wrong?¡± How could I stupidly endure and hope that something would change for eight lifetimes? Trying to be loved? Trying to be recognized for who she truly was? Trying to be a family? Why was I born? She just wanted to be loved by her family, just like ordinary people. She just wished that someone would wish her a genuine ¡®happy birthday¡¯ while she blew out the candles on the cake. When it rained and stormed, she wanted to be able to hug a teddy bear gifted by her parents. She wanted to be able to complain to her parents about not wanting to study or eat. She wanted to get into trouble for eating sweets after dinner and getting cavities from it. She wanted to receive the same type of love that Wood and Vivian received¡­ ¡°I was greedy and blind.¡± Yes, she could admit it now. The desperate fact that she cannot be loved. Navia slowly grabbed her sheet. Tears pricked her eyes and her vision turned blurry. She clamped her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut, muffling her voice so that no one could hear her cry. She didn¡¯t want anyone to see her breakdown. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Sadly, she could not control her tears as tears flowed endlessly from the corners of her eyes. She wanted to pretend that she¡¯s okay, but in fact, she was slowly falling apart on the inside. Her heart clenched tightly; it was suffocating. It seemed as if all the emotions she had bottled up inside in her heart had burst forth without any warning. Navia painfully gripped the clothes in front of her heart. She had given up eight lives. Navia had been admired as a prospective empress and had been viewed as the most beautiful flower in aristocratic society. The Agnes Family was able to strengthen their footing and remove all obstacles thanks to the information Navia acquired after each rebirth. ¡°Did you actually believe that you could become a real Agnes just because you did all of that for them?¡± She devoted all her life and heart to the family, but she received nothing in return. ¡°Sobbb¡­¡­¡± Navia covered her face with her arms and burst into tears. Don¡¯t be sad. It will all be okay, I just need to endure it a little more¡­ She endured that foolish thought. No, it was more accurate to say that she was ¡®brainwashed¡¯ to think like that. But after eight lifetimes, Navia could no longer live like that. No! Things will not be okay and nothing will change. She was in pain. She was hurt. She was sad. She wished that this was all but a dream. ¡°I want to die.¡± Did it make sense to continue living like this anymore? She had lived too long and she was tired. She was very tired. ¡°Should I just die?¡± Then, everything would really be over. ¡°Huuuuu¡­¡­¡± She wanted someone to stop her. She wanted someone to save her. ¡®I won¡¯t hold any resentment or hatred. I just wish that someone could just take me away from here.¡± Please. Please¡­ No matter how much she prayed, nothing had happened. ¡°Hiccup.¡± How long did she cry for? Chapter 5 Her cries gradually subsided, but her eyes were slightly swollen in pain. Navia¡¯s fragile body was exhausted from all of this. She laid on the bed weakly. Rattle! A strange sound was heard outside the door. Rattling sounds echoed outside the room followed by a peal of laughter. She stared emotionlessly at the door. By now, all her feelings had dried up. She didn¡¯t even need to try and guess the person who was trying to prank her. After all, she had experienced this prank numerous times in her past lives. ¡®Wood.¡± Wood had often locked Navia in her room. ¡°Please unlock my room, brother! If I am late again this time, I have to starve for three days. Please¡­.!¡± ¡°Only three days? I thought you¡¯d starve for a week if you are late again! Geez, so annoying.¡± Navia had to starve for more than three days a week because of Wood. It became a routine for her to soothe her hunger with water. She didn¡¯t want to die of starvation, so she used to stand outside her room and wait for the head maid to fetch her for her lessons. This way, she wouldn¡¯t be late or punished. However, contrary to what she expected, she was still punished for acting unladylike by standing outside her door. ¡®As a result, she escaped her lock room through the balcony.¡¯ In order to reach the first floor, she tore apart her blankets and tied them together like a rope. She would hand the rope on the balcony post and then climb down. It was a dangerous thing to do. Unfortunately, the bedding she had was made from poor quality cloth. The fabric couldn¡¯t bear her weight and immediately ripped apart when she tried climbing down. She fell and almost died. Luckily, she managed to survive the fall. ¡°Hahaha! What a moron!¡± Wood laughed and pointed at Navia, whose clothes were all torn and bloody. ¡°Why do you hate me?¡± she asked impatiently. ¡°Your inferior status has caused my family¡¯s social status to drop. If it wasn¡¯t for you, then I would¡¯ve never been humiliated in front of Sarah¡­!¡± Wood was deeply in love with Princess Sarah Lucia since childhood. However, Wood¡¯s friend had humiliated him in Princess Sarah Lucia¡¯s presence by mentioning Navia and Narvia¡¯s inferior birthright. In the beginning, Wood already disliked her because of her origin. But after that incident, he began to torment her even more. Navia climbed off her bed with a cold expression on her face. Wood had left after locking her in the room. ¡°Ah, how diligent.¡± Wood had always slept in. Today, he woke up at the crack of dawn just to hang the chains outside her room and lock the door. Nikan and his children lived on the third floor. Navia¡¯s room should¡¯ve been located on the third floor as well since she was his adopted daughter. However, Navia spent the rest of her life on the second-floor guest room from her rebirth to the end of her life. Even so, she had viewed this place as her precious home. She believed that as long as she lived under the same roof as them, then she would be considered to be part of the family. It was a heartwarming thought. Navia burst out laughing at her foolishness. ¡°Haha!¡¯ She was merely a dog that was thrown away once she became unnecessary. She was a tool of convenience for the family. Navia walked up to the door and tried turning the doorknob. Rattle! Just as she expected, the door was locked. Navia reached out her hand and touched the door. The door was made from dark wood and it was dirty. There was a distinct indent on the door, but it was never replaced. Why did she long for a family? What was so great about a family? It was all pointless. No one would suddenly appear and save her from this nightmare. She was alone and she only had herself to depend on. ¡°If you try to harm me, then you have to pay the price.¡± Isn¡¯t that right, Wood? Chapter 6 Squeak! Navia dragged her chair and stopped in front of a decorative cabinet. Tak! She climbed onto the chair. As she raised her heels and stretched out her arms as high as she could, she caught an oil jar by the tip of her fingertips. She took it out carefully to avoid spilling its contents and looked inside. The jar was filled with extra oil for refilling her lamp. Navia grabbed the oil jar and approached the room¡¯s door, which had a small, unnatural hole. It was the hole Wood drilled to put a bee into Navia¡¯s room. She poured the oil into the hole as if it had spilled. Pour pour. Navia dispassionately poured the remaining oil into the door. To destroy the evidence, she threw a candle that had been softly illuminating the room. Fwoosh! Fire blazed over the spilled oil. The combination of painted wood and oil wasn¡¯t a bad mix. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Navia wanted a bigger fire. She needed a terrible fire that would swallow itself, burning this place to the ground. Navia looked away and found a few books in her room. She picked up a history book that kept her up at night because she wanted to memorize it, an etiquette book that she studied to become the empress, and a liberal arts book for high-class society ladies. Rip rip~ Navia tore the book to shreds with her bare hands. The books aimed at creating a good Princess Agnes became fuel to the fire. ¡°But the good Princess Agnes is dead.¡± Those books were relics of the dead, and Navia was merely putting them to good use. The fire spread like fear. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± The flames were hot and sharp, but Navia had not a grain of fear despite the flames. She had died too many times to be scared of these flames. Navia turned to the balcony. Dawn poured in through the window¡ªa new morning, a new life. Has she ever felt so refreshed? Navia knew, from previous experiences, where Wood watched this place from. She headed to the balcony at a slow pace, like she was performing a ceremony. It was time to meet the only spectator watching this place. Navia pushed the balcony door wide open. The smell of a cold, late autumn morning filled her lungs and awakened her whole body. As soon as the black smoke came out, tears spilled from her eyes. Navia took a deep breath and screamed as hard as she could, with all her might. ¡°Save me!¡± Unlike a normal person trapped in a burning building, Navier waited calmly. Instead of leaping down from the balcony to her death, Navia stayed trapped in her room, waiting until the maid in charge came. She wouldn¡¯t choose that path anymore. ¡®Fire attracts people.¡¯ Of course, people would have to extinguish the house¡¯s fire, allowing Navia to leave the room. And in the process, nothing would happen to her. It was still quiet because the morning sun had just risen. But soon, people discovered the black smoke wafting over the massive fire. ¡°Fire! Fire!¡± Oh, the boy watching Navia¡¯s room was the one who became frightened and informed everyone about the fire breaking out. ¡°There¡¯s a fire in the second-floor room! It¡¯s Lady Navia¡¯s room!¡± shouted the first witnesses who had spotted the fire. Not long after, Navia heard the sound of people running with buckets of water. Rattle! Rattle! Navia averted her gaze. The sound of violent thumping came from her door. Perhaps they were trying to break down the burning wooden door. Bang! ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± ¡°Cough! The flames are too big!¡± The workers poured the water they had carried. ¡°Damn it, can¡¯t you hurry?¡± She heard someone roar. It was Wood¡¯s voice. ¡°Why is it on fire? The next room is my toy room!¡± Since Wood was a ¡®water wizard¡¯, he tried to extinguish the fire using his magic. However, the fire Navia had set did not fizzle out easily. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t be easily extinguished.¡¯ ¡°Please save me¡­ Cough! Cough!¡± Suddenly, Navia heard a cold voice through the roaring flames. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Nikan Agnes, her foster father, had come. ¡°How did this happen? Why is a fire starting in the morning?!¡± Chapter 7 Navia leaned against the white bed and despite her improper posture, she exuded an irresistible dignity. ¡®Who would think the Lady is eight years old?¡¯ Such extraordinariness had never been felt in the slightest from Wood and Vivian, who were of Agnes¡¯ direct lineage. Maybe even Nikan. ¡®Is this what the highest nobles are like?¡¯ The blood of aristocrats was said to be blue. If so, it seemed that the blood of Navia would flow a much thicker and more vivid blue than any other nobles in existence. It seemed dangerous. There was nothing that can be guaranteed. It was a gamble. Charlotte¡¯s mind was dizzy with all of her thoughts, but she soon became as quiet as a calm lake. Charlotte bowed her head much deeper than when she did to the master of Agnes. ¡°I will follow the lady¡¯s command.¡± Then Navia smiled brightly like a child. It was an innocent laughter to anyone who didn¡¯t know the meaning behind it. ¡°I look forward to working with you, Charlotte.¡± Charlotte bowed even lower. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you what you need to do now.¡± Navia¡¯s laughter was frighteningly cold. ¡°Philippa is embezzling child support with the chef. When you go out, meet with the chef right away and talk to him to suspect Philippa.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to drive a wedge between the two.¡± Nod. Navia continued, ¡°Now that I caught Philippa¡¯s weakness, she has to give me proper meals in the future. You can use this to separate the two more deeply.¡± Charlotte nodded eagerly at the reasonable words and asked, ¡°Shall I rid of the evidence that Philippa embezzled?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another evidence of Philippa¡¯s embezzlement that the chef has secured ahead of time, so there¡¯s no point.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Then Philippa was a rat stuck in a jar. ¡°Make it so that only Philippa knows that you¡¯re loyal to me. Then the chef, you and I will look like three people in one box.¡± ¡°¡­.you¡¯re very clever.¡± Charlotte was afraid of Navia¡¯s change but could not prevent herself from developing an admiration. Her young lady seemed to be a transcendent being who already knew all the logic of the world. Navia seemed lost in thought for a moment and untied the necklace around her neck. That necklace, which Nikan patronized, was Navia¡¯s first birthday present. Although it was a trinket that was worse than the most insignificant piece of trash Vivian¡¯s, it was a priceless necklace. ¡°Sell this to get what you need right now.¡± The necklace, which had never been removed from the body until her eighth regression, was now just an accessory to raise funds. ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± Navia continued with a slightly tired look, ¡°You can go out now.¡± Charlotte looked at the tray and asked, ¡°Do you want me to serve the meal again?¡± ¡°¡­no. I¡¯ll eat a little later.¡± ¡°Then call me when you need me.¡± When Charlotte left the room, Navia breathed out the hot breath she had held in. Her forehead was wet with cold sweat. Her spinning head felt dizzy and nauseous. Navia huddled up under the covers. In the heavy silence, only the sound of hot breathing resonated emptily. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rustle. She tossed and turned. She thought she would fall asleep soon, but she became nervous. The room was majestic and splendid. However, it felt somewhat desolate, so she pulled the blanket to the tip of her chin. The good and gentle Navia, the obedient Navia, and the meek Navia. Fingers were always pointed. ¡°You ungrateful b*tch!¡± Navia closed her eyes and erased her thoughts. I¡¯m doing well. I won¡¯t let anyone touch me. No one¡­ She soon fell asleep. 2. Black Moon (ºÚÔÂ) A pitch black night. The moonless sky was black as if it was covered with ink. Navia looked up at the sky as if she had been forced to. A strange gaze was felt. An instinctive fear swelled up. Navia felt like she was going to be swallowed by something. She was convinced Something was looking down at her. At that time, her right wrist suddenly hurt terribly. Navia let out a scream. But nothing came out. The surrounding scenery tangled up in a fast-flowing time, and the shape became strange. The black sky also began to distort violently. The gaze looking down at her quickly wandered in search of her, but it was blocked by an unknown force. The sky broke apart and a thin moon flowed out. Then the gaze disappeared. Navia breathed a sigh of relief. Her wrist, which had been hurting, had also become normal. Strangely, she thought that the crescent moon was protecting her. Exhausted, she raised her arm to check her wrist. ¡­why is it hard to see? It was the moment she focused to check properly. ¡°Huk!¡± Navia opened her eyes with a shudder. Her surprised heart thumped as if it was hitting her ears. Perhaps because of that, her head as well as her whole body became very tired with terrible anxiety. Navia thought that the space she was in was still under the black sky, but the view in her sight was a glamorous room. She frowned. Where am I? Why am I in this room? I was just outside looking at the sky. ¡®¡­let¡¯s calm down. Think calmly.¡¯ Navia gave a deep breath as she stared at the cold dawn coming through the window. Slowly, her reasoning returned. Her whole body was soaked in cold sweat because of the dizzying vivid dream. Navia trembled at the feeling of the traces of the gaze that remained on her body. Is the gaze of a ruthless God like this? ¡®It must be a nightmare because I¡¯m sick.¡¯ Navia rose from her bed feeling strange. Seeing the new sunrise, she seemed to have slept all day yesterday. Maybe that¡¯s why she felt relaxed. ¡®Thank God.¡¯ Even if she had a fire accident, she could not miss class. Nikan wouldn¡¯t tolerate it. ¡®There¡¯s something else I need to do anyway.¡¯ Navia thoughtlessly wiped the sweat off her forehead and paused. ¡°¡­what is this?¡± There was a strange pattern on her right wrist. The wrist that was in terrible pain in her dream. This was originally where the remaining regression numbers were written. There was no new regression. Only. ¡°A crescent moon?¡± A ¡°black moon,¡± which resembled a crescent moon that flowed out as the sky split in her dream, was placed on her wrist. The black crescent moon, stamped like a stigma on her thin white wrist, felt like a bleak hint. As she looked at it, it felt like the black moon would engulf her. Navia carefully touched the moon with her left finger. Nothing unusual happened. She murmured with a slight frown. ¡°I think it¡¯s because of my dream.¡± The gaze in the dream. And the moon in the sky. What the hell is all this? What¡¯s happening to me? ¡®On top of that, why is it all in my last life?¡¯ What¡¯s certain was that this crescent moon blocked any ¡°being¡± that tried to devour her. The terrible gaze, which was too vivid to be a dream, came back to her mind. She felt a chill in her spine ¡®Is it okay to be relieved for now?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t like these variables.¡± Ha. Navia rubbed her temple as if she felt troublesome. If anyone saw a small child who was tired from living, they would be overwhelmed and laugh. Chapter 8 Knock knock. ¡°It¡¯s Charlotte. I will come in.¡± When the morning came, Charlotte arrived to prepare. Navia pulled down her sleeve to hide her wrist. It¡¯s better to hide the black moon because it hasn¡¯t been determined whether it is visible to others or not. Charlotte came in with water to wash her face. ¡°Ah¡­ you were up.¡± Charlotte looked surprised that Navia woke up early. ¡°Yeah, I woke up early.¡± Navia always woke up at dawn. It was a habit she had over her life. ¡°It¡¯s wash water. I¡¯ve also prepared for a bath.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Her body felt like it was chewed up from the amount of cold sweat all over. After placing the wash water in front of Navia, Charlotte found the untouched meal while cleaning up. Navia slept without waking up last night. The meal Charlotte left in the afternoon remained the same. Was her condition that bad? Charlotte asked Navia awkwardly, who was washing her face. ¡°Um¡­ do you feel okay?¡± It¡¯s been a year since she¡¯s been working as a dedicated maid, but she¡¯s never had this worry before. It wasn¡¯t just Charlotte who felt the awkwardness. Navia blinked slowly and smirked. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Charlotte¡¯s face was burning. She avoided Navia¡¯s eyes. Navia continued, putting the towel down, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s a relief.¡± Charlotte lowered her head and cleaned the water hurriedly. ¡®Did the alliance make you feel grateful?¡¯ Navia headed to the private right next to her with a dry expression. A large bathtub with golden legs was seen on the marble floor. The bathtub was filled with warm water. ¡°The third floor is certainly different.¡± Navia liked this change. Before, she had always been busy washing herself in cold water. Navia had to wash herself without a bathtub and then walk back to her bedroom. Because she had few clothes and accessories, it was better to dress herself in the bedroom than in the dress room. ¡°I will help you.¡± All of Navia¡¯s clothes were shabby dresses without ribbons, let alone lace. But Navia didn¡¯t care. It was better than the vulgar and luxurious dresses that she wore when she went outside. ¡®I need to see if the crescent moon is visible to others now.¡¯ Seeing that the black moon wasn¡¯t reflected in the mirror, it seemed like it wasn¡¯t visible like the number of regressions, but there was nothing bad about being careful. Navia purposely scrunched her sleeves in front of Charlotte. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the sleeves have gotten short?¡± Charlotte looked at Navia¡¯s wrist. ¡°It must have gotten shorter as you grew taller. I¡¯ll have it tailored.¡± This time, she pointed at the moon. ¡°To here?¡± Navia¡¯s eyes became sharp as Charlotte¡¯s gaze reached the crescent moon. ¡®It¡¯s not reflected in her eyes.¡¯ ¡®Her eyes reflected read this on Lady Keke.¡¯ Navia¡¯s wrist, reflected in Charlotte¡¯s brown eyes, was spotless. It was the same as the regression numbers. ¡°We should do it right above the back of the hand.¡± ¡°Yeah, please do that.¡± So like the regressions, is it a mark that doesn¡¯t have anything to do with magic? While Navia was lost in thought, Charlotte helped her groom, and when someone knocked on the door, she left briefly and came back. ¡°Miss, Spencer has arrived at the Duke¡¯s residence. You can go to the study room after eating.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The meal Charlotte prepared was a proper meal. It was only a small salad with cold ham, but it was satisfying somehow. (T/N: Our baby is too malnourished¡­) It takes strength to fight the enemy. ¡°Have you started your work?¡± Understanding the question, Charlotte¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Yes.¡± Navia ate the meal grudgingly, as if it were her job. For her, eating was only for survival. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡± Navia jumped out of her chair and left the room. The study room was in the east building on the first floor. ¡®To leave Agnes, Vivian¡¯s disease must be completely cured.¡¯ It was her tutor who would cure the incurable disease. A former Academy professor in the Holy Empire, an Academy where only elites who didn¡¯t use money can enter and only those who had proven their abilities can graduate. Despite his brilliant background, he became a tutor, a henchman of Agnes. ¡®Edward Spencer.¡¯ Navia stopped in front of the study room. There was an eerie chill flowing from her expression. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know that you¡¯re about to be a dead person. You¡¯ve been brainwashed.¡± Click. Finally, the study room¡¯s door opened and Navia laughed as bright as the breaking sun. ¡°Hello, Mr. Spencer?¡± *** A young man with brown hair and a cool appearance entered the study room. He was Edward Spencer, Navia¡¯s tutor. Edward waited for Navia to arrive at the study room and endured the boredom. Even when he was a professor at the Academy of the Holy Empire, dealing with undesirable students was particularly a difficult task. A child¡¯s tutor. If Navia was a genius, even though she¡¯s young, it wouldn¡¯t have felt this hard. ¡®Her head isn¡¯t terrible, but at her level, she couldn¡¯t be considered a genius.¡¯ She is a genius if you can give grades based on an appearance that isn¡¯t like a human¡¯s. ¡®But her blood is lowly.¡¯ A dull expression. Unexpected attitude. Embarrassing way of speaking. Insufficient knowledge. Nikan wanted to tear all of that apart and change Navia into a member of the aristocratic society when she would become nine. There was one more task in the contract Edward had to carry out. ¡®To brainwash her ideas with magic. Read on lady Keke¡¯ Edward wasn¡¯t powerful, but he can use mental domination magic. Rather than his academic knowledge, Nikan hired Edward because he can use mental domination magic. ¡®I¡¯m becoming Agnes¡¯ dog on my own will by brainwashing.¡¯ It was a cruel and vicious act for the child, but Edward didn¡¯t care about anything other than his own purposes. ¡®To cure my little sister¡¯s mana reflux, being here would be the fastest and most advantageous.¡¯ Edward looked dark as he recalled his younger sister, a mana reflux disease patient. He studied magic frantically only for his little sister and became a professor at the Holy Empire Academy. There was no other purpose. Of course, it was a matter of course. The mana reflux disease was usually a disease among aristocrats, so there was an absurd lack of test subjects, so they could not have multiple samples. However, Agnes was different. This powerful family will find a way to cure the mana reflux disease faster and more accurately than anyone else. That was why Edward colluded with Agnes. While he was briefly lost in thought, the door to the study room opened. Click. Edward looked at Navia at the door with cold eyes. She¡¯ll look timid and scared as usual. He¡¯s mentioned several times to change her attitude. At that moment, Navia smiled brightly. ¡°Hello, Mr. Spencer?¡± From the soft and clear tone, Edward raised his eyebrows. It didn¡¯t seem like she was forcing it. Her straight back, calmly stretched shoulders, and her proud noble appearance without arrogance. It¡¯s only been one day that he hadn¡¯t seen her, but Navia looked different. ¡®¡­it¡¯s perfect.¡¯ She looked like a specimen of a noble family. ¡®It looks like imperial etiquette.¡¯ A person cannot change in one day. Especially in areas that would require such detailed training. Did she pretend to be stupid all this time? Edward clicked his tongue. ¡®That¡¯s impossible.¡¯ He dismissed himself as being too sensitive. ¡°Hello, Princess Navia. Let¡¯s start the class.¡± Edward started the class missed from yesterday without asking why class was cancelled. ¡°Last time, I briefly told you about the three greatest Duchies of the Empire.¡± Navia showed an indifferent attitude with a disoriented expression. Edward raised one eyebrow. How dare you be recklessly bold when you¡¯re struggling with your assignments? ¡®No matter how much you study, your birth will never change.¡¯ He deliberately asked Navia a difficult question to let her know her place. ¡°Do you remember the titles of the three greatest Dukes?¡± The three greatest Dukes had distinct magical abilities and were titled accordingly. He thought Navia would never remember them because he had only mentioned them roughly. Navia raised her gaze and spoke with a strange smile of unknown meaning. ¡°Agnes of Water, Lucia of Fire, and Eseled of Law.¡± Without realizing it himself, Edward had a surprised expression. That was the end of the first question. ¡°Why is Eseled titled as Law?¡± Water and fire are the properties of magic, so it was nothing special. But Eseled, nicknamed ¡®Law¡¯, seemed to be special. Navia was unbothered again this time. ¡°As it sounds, they were the first family to create a new civilization using the laws of magic.¡± The wizards of Eseled studied the law of magic, made formulas and formed the base. ¡°And as a result, they created the ¡®harness¡¯.¡± Such a great family was in a ridiculously declining state with the current head, Lark Eseled. ¡°¡­that¡¯s right. Read on Lady Keke¡± Edward looked at Navia strangely. She answered perfectly, even the parts he didn¡¯t teach. ¡°You must have prepared well¡­¡± ¡°The House of Duffman is also called the ¡®Duffman of Dominance¡¯ because they specialize in domination magic. In the days of the four great Duchies, there was also ¡®The Eiles of the Flash.¡¯ Navia knew that he had asked these questions to embarrass her. After this explanation, Edward always taught about the Duffman Royal Family and the power structure of the Dukes. Navia grinned. ¡°Shall we talk about how Duke Eiles disappeared into the back of history?¡± With those words, Edward¡¯s usual cool expression was distorted slightly with astonishment. Chapter 9 Those were never taught to Navia. And she even talked about the next lesson as if his mind was read. Watching Edward¡¯s expression, Navia laughed quietly, ¡®It¡¯s fun.¡¯ He always looked at her disgustingly, but he became like that. When he saw her smile, Edward¡¯s expression was more clearly distorted. He then controlled his expressions again. He was as great as his ability to control himself. Edward asked as if it were ridiculous, ¡°So what do you wish to say? Do you want to be tested for your hard work?¡± It was ridiculous to get angry with a child. He had no intention to respond to her jokes. But it was the same for Navia. ¡°I just want to tell you that I have nothing to learn from Teacher now.¡± Edward¡¯s expression hardened to the point that it was frozen. ¡°What did you say just now?¡± Instead of answering, Navia held her sharp pen like a blade. The paper would be easily torn if excessive strength was used when writing. However, if you write weakly, the handwriting would look terrible. Naturally, Navia at this time couldn¡¯t use that pen at all. Jrrr-! Navia, with that pen, drew on the middle of the paper without hesitation. Edward frowned. The paper was about to be a ripped mess. ¡°!¡± However, contrary to his expectation, the paper didn¡¯t tear. Only a straight and clear line was created. Navia wrote in an elegant gesture. Edward couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Navia was writing the annals of the Eden Empire in a concise manner! This could not be done without a good understanding of the subject. The handwriting was as good as a master¡¯s, and it was fast on top of that. ¡®If I want to discourage the opponent from looking down on me, I have to neutralize my weaknesses.¡¯ He¡¯ll be overwhelmed! Tak. Navia put down the pen. ¡°Don¡¯t you think class is a waste of time?¡± Edward¡¯s eyes widened in shock and scattered the timeline. ¡®There aren¡¯t any mistakes!¡¯ Edward was a very strict professor at the elite academy. Receiving a ¡®not bad¡¯ from him was the best compliment. Edward had already felt ¡®perfect¡¯ about Navia twice today. ¡°Do you have another teacher?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Navia was sick and tired of history class. At this point, she had written enough to fill a small library. This was just a lame trick for her. ¡°You may have found out about my origins, but you probably won¡¯t be able find that I have another teacher.¡± ¡°¡­what do you mean?¡± ¡°You already know that I¡¯m a commoner.¡± Edward frowned when Navia spat out the taboo word. For only a year, Edward had steadily brainwashed Navia. ¡®The brainwashing couldn¡¯t have broken.¡¯ Edward raised his mana and began to implicate. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that. In the future, if the Princess shall speak such words out of her mouth¡­¡± Navia smirked. ¡°I have a way to cure mana reflux.¡± Thud! Edward jumped up without realizing it. His gaze on Navia was desperate. ¡°Is that true?¡± Navia nodded. Edward wiped his face with his big hands as if he couldn¡¯t believe this unbelievable situation. Thank you. God, thank you. He prayed with sincerity over and over again. Navia looked at him with a dry expression. Navia only thought that Edward was a very cold-hearted person. When Navia found out that he was a good brother to his younger sister, Navia was shocked as if her mind was completely emptied. ¡®Why were you so hard on me, Teacher?¡¯ You could be such a good person, but for the long time we saw each other for, you were pushing my back and tearing my limbs. One of the corners of Navia¡¯s mouth twisted. ¡®It was the sixth life.¡¯ What Edward did when she was sold to the barbarian King. ¡°Teacher, please persuade Father. They want a living sacrifice, not a Queen!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your use.¡± ¡°¡­yes?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the barbarian King still a King? It would be better than being obsessed with the position of a princess.¡± Only then did Navia realize that Edward had recommended her as a sacrifice to the barbarians. ¡°I don¡¯t want a high position, I just want a family¡­¡± ¡°Ha. Even if this is the result of the brainwashing, I¡¯m getting tired of this.¡± Navia thought of him as a teacher. She believed that a long-standing affection would exist even a little. That was just an illusion. Edward felt little guilt about making himself a loyal slave of Agnes. She was hoping that if she did her best, she would have his generous favor. I wanted a family, Teacher. Edward responded coldly. ¡°Accept it. They will be the Princess¡¯ family.¡± Then Edward felt strange suddenly. ¡®I haven¡¯t heard that Princess Vivian has recovered.¡¯ ¡°Does it work? How does the Princess know?¡± Navia spoke with a grin, ¡°No one knows how to cure mana reflux yet. I¡¯m the only one who knows.¡± Edward was bewildered. Anger soon arose at the thought of a child¡¯s prank. You dare play with your opponent¡¯s desperation? ¡®This is why higher aristocrats are!¡¯ He paused. ¡®Higher aristocrat¡­? Did I just call her a high noble?¡± No, how did she know that he was looking for the mana reflux cure? Nikan wouldn¡¯t have told Navia. As soon as he realized that fact, a sharp alarm scratched throughout his whole body. By comparison, Navia was too calm. He couldn¡¯t guess what she was thinking. The red eyes, so dark that it seemed like there was darkness lurking in an abyss, were emotionless. Edward gradually became anxious and nervous. ¡®Was the magic weak?¡¯ But then he could just use domination magic again. Then everything would go back to normal. Edward suppressed his nervousness and released mana. Afterwards, he waited for information from the mana linked to Navia¡¯s spirit. As soon as the other person¡¯s clear longings and deprivations are felt and caught in his hands, he was going to strengthen that desire. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But it was calm, as if magic was never used. Edward¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡®What? What went wrong?¡¯ At that time, Navia¡¯s clear voice sounded creepy. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t seem to be going your way, Mr. Spencer.¡± Edward¡¯s face hardened. Am I being ¡®read¡¯ by that child? ¡®Did I get caught brainwashing? That¡¯s impossible!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t resist and spoke threateningly. ¡°Just what the hell do you want?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Teacher.¡± Navia shook her head and continued with an expression of indescribable dignity. ¡°You should be telling me what you can do for me.¡± Edward shut his mouth. Navia¡¯s way of making her opponent cry, showing no gaps, was as if she were an experienced negotiator. Her energy weighed down Edward¡¯s shoulders like a predator. ¡°Kgh¡­¡± Edward had fully realized that he was losing the game. The opponent caught him. His eyes flashed fiercely as if he were trying to resist his opponent, but his spirit gradually subsided. It was time to admit defeat. Edward put one knee on the floor and slowly lowered his gaze below Navia. ¡°If having the cure is the truth, I will risk my life.¡± Then Navia looked down at him with satisfaction. Edward was struck by an unknown thrill from the gaze. ¡°Teacher is a wizard, so you can sign a ¡®wizard¡¯s contract¡¯.¡± Every wizard is able to write an absolute contract with magic. Edward¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯m a wizard¡­!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I obviously know that Teacher is a wizard after I woke up from the brainwash?¡± Edward sighed softly. ¡®Just what the hell is this kid?¡¯ To break domination magic, it would take a level of mental strength beyond human beings. ¡®Furthermore, the moment it¡¯s broken, the human body can¡¯t handle the shock and dies.¡¯ So it was impossible. Navia held up three fingers and said the terms of the contract. ¡°In exchange for the cure, you have to promise three things.¡± Chapter 10 ¡°¡­yes? The Eseled Duchy, that place is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a family that has fallen to the point of being called a garbage camp.¡± The Eseled family, which had attracted the troubles of all families, was given the title of garbage camp. To request being sent there as their successor¡­ Edward was silent for a moment. Navia¡¯s ultimate goal seemed to be leaving Agnes. But why? ¡°Why do you want to leave the Agnes Duchy?¡± It was as if he was asking why do such a stupid thing about this good place. Edward didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°You will have to be in Agnes to get married with good conditions.¡± It was a little doubtful whether an eight-year-old girl understood the story of marriage yet, but somehow Navia seemed to understand it enough. ¡°And even if Duke Eseled is single with no children, his cousin has three children. Do you think they¡¯ll leave you alone?¡± It¡¯ll be walking on your own limbs. Even if he didn¡¯t explain, Navia understood fully. Walking on your own limbs? ¡®I¡¯m already doing that here.¡¯ ¡°That makes sense.¡± Navia smiled as if the mouse was thinking of the cat. ¡°But that¡¯s none of your business.¡± Edward shut his mouth, feeling the nuance that she had already calculated everything. He thought about whether he had ever been so badly pushed by someone, but he couldn¡¯t remember. This was the first time. But he didn¡¯t resent it. He had strange expectations. ¡°I will sign the contract, Princess.¡± Light gathered in the air as Edward released mana to make a contract. Whoo-. Light was converted into letters. Navia and Edward checked the content and joined hands. Fwaa! A more intense white light came from the letters. It was the sight of a contract being made. The letters changed into rings and fell in his palm. Seeing Edward wear the ring on his index finger, Navia gave him the cure. ¡°A wizard absorbs the back flowing mana from the patient¡¯s body and makes it in a temporary vacuum state. Just follow the correct path and inject mana into the empty body.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± It would be impossible for a poor wizard, but Edward could do it. ¡®He was the one who discovered the cure in the first place.¡¯ Edward¡¯s head began to spin at an unexpected idea. It¡¯s possible. It¡¯s a theory that¡¯s possible enough. When his expression brightened up with joy, Navia asked suddenly. ¡°Today is the day you report my academic achievements, right?¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s right.¡± Edward was tired of asking how she knew now. ¡°When you report today, say that the brainwashing has weakened. That way, you¡¯ll be less embarrassed no matter what happens in the future.¡± From the threats, Edward was bewildered, but he had no choice but to follow her. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Navia sprang down from her chair, grabbed her skirt and greeted him gracefully. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you next time, Teacher.¡± If a stranger saw her being too formal, they might have smiled, saying she was cute. However, Edward, who received the greeting, couldn¡¯t take it as a cute action. It was because he felt the pressure of his owner holding onto his leash. Navia turned around and left the room in a flash. Her silver hair fluttered like wings. ¡°¡­ha.¡± He was completely defeated to the end. Edward swept his face and sighed, but continued to look at the door. Like he was chasing the missing silver afterimage. *** Tak. When the door to the study room was closed, Navia had a big smile. ¡®It was so easy to persuade him.¡¯ The image of Edward on his knees and lowering his eyes was so refreshing. But she wanted to scream at the same time. ¡®How could you do that to me when you knew better than anyone else, what I yearned for!?¡¯ Navia had the same dream, seeing the caring Duke and the proud members of Agnes who had saved her life in the gutter¡­ She didn¡¯t even know that she was brainwashed. Navia was helpless against the cunning adults. Edward¡¯s magic strengthened the general human desire to be loved and recognized. Since Navia was very deficient, Edward¡¯s dominant magic was especially effective. ¡®Because of that magic, I lost my 7th life.¡¯ Navia now had a mental barrier where Edward¡¯s level of dominance didn¡¯t work. So in the eight life, she thought and acted on her own will. Was that why? It was her longest life. The most recognized. But in the end, it was a failure. Love? Family? That¡¯s all an illusion. Navia had a scary face and stopped in the hallway. ¡®Ah. Unconsciously, my manners¡­¡¯ The etiquette that was educated very strictly in her eight life came out habitually and unconsciously. Even now, as she stopped walking suddenly, her appearance wasn¡¯t disturbed at all. Like she was a real Lady from a great aristocratic family¡­ It was when Navia¡¯s eyes were locked darkly. ¡°Hey, low-life.¡± From a short distance away, the voice of an enemy was heard. Navia could tell who it was without looking. Turning her head, Wood was at the corner of the hallway. Wood was receiving his first punishment right now. He thought he was going to die of anger. He couldn¡¯t stand the disgrace without letting Navia be. However, Nikan would scold him if he was caught. It was unfair and upsetting, but the king was his father. He didn¡¯t want to be trapped again, so Wood was rolling his head around. ¡®At this time, no one is near the East Wing on the first floor.¡¯ This was a stage to use violence without hesitation. Wood¡¯s choice was appropriate. Nikan was in the midst of a sensitive external gaze, so he would be greatly reprimanded if he makes another big fuss. Navia remained calm even though she was clearly in a crisis. ¡®Wood, you¡¯ve used your brain quite a bit.¡¯ She wanted to give a round of applause to Wood, who was impatient, for wait in the hallway to get revenge. Wood snickered. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d just let you go?¡± Navia was inferior physically and in status. If Wood decided to be violent, Navia won¡¯t be safe. ¡®But is this situation only favorable to you?¡¯ ¡°Today, with my hand¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll kill me?¡± With an innocent look that seemed to know nothing, Navia said something frightening. Under strange pressure, Wood denied it unknowingly. ¡°W-who said anything about killing?¡± Wood felt a sense of intimidation as if he had entered a tiger¡¯s den himself. However, he was used to this pressure because he had felt it before. Yes. Yesterday. Like a rabbit with its ears jolted up, Navia asked. ¡°Then why were you waiting here like a mouse?¡± Wood was a typical human being who was weak to the strong and strong to the weak. ¡°Pathetically.¡± Wood hardened in his seat like a stone. ¡°¡­pathetic?¡± Pathetic? No, but is that b*tch talking down on me? Wood¡¯s expression was horribly distorted when he realized the situation. ¡°Do you really want to die?¡± When he raised his fist, Navia burst out laughing as if she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°How consistent.¡± Since Wood realized that his father valued Navia¡¯s appearance, he had been sneaky by hitting her in places other than her face. ¡°Then kill me.¡± He was still only ten years old. Killing would be in his near future, but not yet. A ten year old Wood, who committed the evil acts of putting bugs in a confined space, could not hold the weight of murder. But he could handle death. ¡°Try to kill me. Father would like it very much.¡± Trudge, trudge. When Navia narrowed the distance in an instant and offered her neck, Wood became frightened by the momentum. ¡°Y-you¡­! Get lost!¡± Pak! He was terrified and pushed Navia hard. Navia pushed by Wood reeled back. Her shoulders were tingling, but this kind of thing didn¡¯t hurt much. Navia shot Wood a fierce look, ¡°Do you think you can kill me with that?¡± Wood shouted, ¡°If you come closer, I¡¯ll really kill you!¡± Navia¡¯s piercing red eyes felt unbearably terrible. Navia grabbed Wood¡¯s hand and made him squeeze her neck. ¡°Hurry up and kill me!¡± ¡°Let go!¡± Wood shouted and screamed, raising his mana with all his might. It was an action that was close to an instinct to live. Shwaaa! A large cylindrical column of water soared in front of Wood. ¡°Eub!¡± Navia was captured in the water. Wood looked dejected but rose slowly. ¡°Ha, haha! Why would you act up?¡± Navia knew how to swim, so she tried to get out of the water. But her body didn¡¯t listen. Wood laughed meanly and mocked Navia as he watched her flounder in the water. ¡°Do you think water made from magic is the same as normal water? This contains my willpower!¡± The water restrained Navia¡¯s behavior at Wood¡¯s will. She was losing her breath, her body was heavy, and her heart was beating like crazy. It was the same feeling as when her carriage fell into a lake in her first life. ¡®No way, no, it wasn¡¯t.¡¯ But this feeling¡­ ¡®¡­I was killed with magic? It wasn¡¯t an accident?¡¯ As Navia twisted her body in anger and distress, Wood laughed while holding his stomach with a relaxed expression. ¡°Look, I said I would kill you, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡®Why do these humans have powerful abilities? Just why?¡± Despair and anger trampled her spirit. A disgusting sense of helplessness rose. Navia had a lot of information. However, she wasn¡¯t armed with a real force. But. ¡®I can¡¯t die here!¡¯ Then, like in her dream, her right wrist heated up. Chapter 11 ¡°!¡± Navia looked at her wrist surprised. The black crescent moon was scattering black light with a dangerous energy. The moment she thought, ¡®what is this?¡¯ Kuaaa-! The water that trapped her was sucked up by the moon in an instant. Wood was shocked. ¡°W-what? No way!¡± The water disappeared completely. Navia, released from the prison of water, slumped to the floor. ¡°Cough! Huk, huk¡­¡± She looked down at the black moon in confusion. A powerful force that had never been experienced before and sucked Wood¡¯s water magic was felt. You can return this magic to that guy. It was as if the moon was whispering in her ears. ¡®I¡¯ve absorbed Wood¡¯s magic.¡¯ The black moon ¡®stole¡¯ Wood¡¯s magic. Navia clenched her fist. It wasn¡¯t that she became a wizard, but she can use stolen magic. Navia spoke, ¡°Brother.¡± Wood was shocked by the water that disappeared against his will and found his reasoning as if he had been struck by lightening. . His pupils grew into an unknown anxiety. He felt an instinctive crisis like a wild animal. The magic was gone because of her. He can never win. ¡®I will definitely die!¡¯ Wood shouted in defiance from the warning sent by his instinct. ¡°Shut it! Who¡¯s your brother!?¡± He shouted with all his might. He raised his voice threateningly. He did everything he could to scare Navia. Navia stood up slowly. Her red eyes, beneath the soaked silver hair, pierced precisely at Wood. There was a brutal yet beautiful smile from her mouth. ¡°Did you know that violence should be governed by greater violence?¡± That¡¯s what your father taught. Burst-! When Navia reached her hand out, the same water column trapped Wood. ¡°Uub! Euk!¡± Wood was dropped suddenly by Navia in a blind spot. It ended up strangling him. In the end, he fell into the trap he set himself. Just like Navia did earlier, Wood struggled to get out. Navia smiled brightly. ¡°How does it feel to be in your own water.¡± It felt very disgusting to me. ¡°Euuuk!¡± Navia watched the water column disappear with indifference. To maintain the water, there had to be a continuous supply of magic, but it was impossible for Navia because she was not a wizard. . Therefore, the water column would be maintained as long as Wood had before. ¡°You won¡¯t die then.¡± This wasn¡¯t a cover-up accident. Things had already happened, so it would be better to take advantage of the situation. ¡°Hang in there, Brother.¡± Navia smiled and ran toward the lobby. As she went out to the lobby, countless of eyes fell on Navia. The more attention gathered, the better. ¡°Brother Wood is in danger!¡± When Wood was mentioned, the response was immediate. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Navia spoke, pointing to the entrance of the East Wing where she escaped from. ¡°Brother is stuck in water!¡± *** At that time, Nikan was in his office. He frowned as he read the invitation in his hand. It was an invitation from the Empress. The Empress sent an invitation to visit the newly hired Tapissier, saying there was wonderful winter interior, as she intended to hold a tea party five days later. Nikan burst into laughter because he was amazed. Do you think I¡¯d be curious about the skills of a Tapissier, who was said to have laid spotted fur belonging to a young bourgeoisie in the Imperial Palace? ¡¸I heard the Duke¡¯s foster daughter¡¯s appearance is outstanding. I am also curious about the family that gave birth to such a pretty daughter.¡¹ Navia¡¯s identity itself was suspicious. The Empress was asking for her birth family¡¯s portrait. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know your intentions?¡± Nikan had expected this, so he prepared a portrait. It was when he sneered at the Empress. Knock knock. The butler, Lyndon, came in and spoke, ¡°Master, Sir Spencer has asked to see you.¡± Nikan looked up at the butler¡¯s words and checked his watch. ¡®Hm? It¡¯s earlier than usual.¡¯ Navia took off basic studies recently and started in-depth classes. In order to put Navia into the Imperial family in the future, classes such as politics, economy and history were essential. In the process, it was also necessary to brainwash her obedience to Agnes. ¡®She¡¯s already fully tamed by domination magic.¡¯ Spiritual domination magic was a common ability in the Imperial family, but it was occasionally seen with others. One of them was Edward. Nikan folded the invitation and spoke, ¡°Tell him to come in.¡± Click. The 26 year old Edward greeted the Duke in a dry manner unlike a young man. ¡°I greet Your Grace.¡± Nikan appreciated his swift personality. ¡®This job should be seen as just hiring the best tutor to raise a foster daughter perfectly.¡¯ So Edward¡¯s presence couldn¡¯t stand out too much, but the young, capable, handsome and single man caught the eyes of many. Nikan had Edward move as inconspicuously as possible. He made his way to the office not through the lobby, but through a secret passageway. In other words, Navia¡¯s actions were different. ¡°Welcome. Sit here.¡± The two sat with a table between them. ¡°Yes, how are Navia¡¯s accomplishments?¡± Edward rubbed his contract ring and spoke, ¡°Was there something traumatic that happened to Princess Navia?¡± Nikan¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± Edward told a bunch of lies. ¡°The brainwashing has weakened. That¡¯s why I finished class early today.¡± Nikan managed to patch up his almost crumpled expression. ¡®It must be because of yesterday¡¯s fire.¡¯ It¡¯s none other than his son who¡¯s interrupting the most important time. He rubbed his forehead and asked with a sigh, ¡°¡­then what should I do?¡± ¡°It is not difficult. All she needs to do is calm down.¡± Navia was given a room on the third floor yesterday, what else was there to do? It was pretty good. ¡®New clothes and accessories should do it.¡¯ He was also thinking of offering a lavish dinner. Imagining Navia¡¯s reaction to a full table under a gold and crystal chandelier wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡®It¡¯s easy to deal with lowly things with things they¡¯ve never had before.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s definitely not difficult.¡± Slam! At that time, the butler who was waiting outside rushed into the room. If the butler, who was usually neat and solemn, rushed in, it was a matter of grave concern. ¡°Master, it¡¯s big trouble! The young master is trapped in a pillar of water!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? A pillar of water?!¡± ¡°Please go to the first floor! The young master will be in trouble at this rate!¡± Nikan forgot about Edward and hurried to follow the butler. But the direction was weird. The butler headed for the East wing on the first floor. ¡®I¡¯ve kept the East wing empty at this time of day?¡¯ That meant the same for Wood. ¡°There!¡± Where the butler was pointing, there was Wood throwing up water. Nikan shouted with a frightening voice. ¡°Wood!¡± Nikan pressed Hans, who had arrived in advance. ¡°What about Wood? Is Wood alright?¡± ¡°He is alright since he got out of the water without delay.¡± Nikan swept down his chest. Wood was soaked in water, but his consciousness seemed to be clear. ¡®But why was Wood suddenly trapped in water?¡¯ On top of that, there were traces of dark mana. This¡­ his son¡¯s mana was sensed. Chapter 12 A hypothesis he didn¡¯t want to assume crossed Nikan¡¯s mind. ¡°You there.¡± Nikan called a servant who had a stiff expression. The servant couldn¡¯t be here at this time, so it was obvious why that servant was here. He was a witness. ¡°Why was Wood trapped in water?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ It seems that the young master summoned the water and got trapped. Lady Navia told me.¡± The servant said so and glanced at Navia behind him. Nikan¡¯s gaze also reached Navia, who was soaked in water like Wood. Even though her lips were shaking as if she were cold, Navia was anxiously looking at Wood. The East building on the 1st floor was blocked from access. Wood and Navia, who were soaked in water. A space where Wood¡¯s mana can be felt. He knew the situation without having to ask any more questions. ¡®Just when the brainwashing weakened!¡¯ ¡°Ha¡­¡± Nikan grabbed his throbbing head. To make matters worse, the Empress had sent an invitation to ask for a portrait of Navia. At this time, it was clear that if the foster daughter suddenly changed, the Empress would pick on all kinds of faults. ¡®Looking at her, it doesn¡¯t look like the brainwashing has been disturbed.¡¯ Nikan¡¯s eye¡¯s went dark. ¡°Navia, you look wet, what happened?¡± Navia flinched when Nikan called out to her. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, so tell me.¡± Navia dropped her head as if she was in agony. Her eyes, which were trembling in fear, dried cold in an instant. ¡®This is a test.¡¯ As Navia began to think earnestly, her expression faded and became blanker. It was a habit that appeared the more she would concentrate on her thoughts. ¡®He¡¯s trying to check the brainwashing.¡¯ Even though his son was like that, Nikan was testing Navia¡¯s loyalty. ¡®Disgusting.¡¯ This was the true appearance of a high noble. Of course, Nikan was a considerable figure. He wasn¡¯t called the head of the most powerful family of the three greatest Dukes for nothing. He had an excellent talent for distinguishing long-term chess pieces and short-term chess pieces and controlling them appropriately. ¡®I¡¯m a long-term chess piece.¡¯ So he spent a long time brainwashing her every time. Edward confessed the truth just before Navia was sent to be Queen Barbarian. ¡°You still don¡¯t know? I¡¯m a mental domination wizard and you¡¯ve been brainwashed.¡± ¡°But I have a clear consciousness!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve been exposed to weak brainwashing since you were seven.¡± Mental domination would blur the conscious because strong uses of it would break the opponents mind. Navia¡¯s conscious was clear because she was brainwashed little by little, making her cravings stronger. ¡®So I didn¡¯t know until my sixth regression.¡¯ Edward spoke for the last time. ¡°Your strong desire is your weakness. Well, it¡¯s late advice.¡± Navia raised her head. It was so easy to play how Nikan wanted her to. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, Father.¡± She knew clearly what she looked like without having to look in the mirror. What expression she had on. The amount of breath she was exhaling. How droopy the tail of her eyes were. ¡®I¡¯ve collected a lot of data in my eight regression.¡¯ ¡°I asked Brother to show me his magic.¡± Why would she ask Wood to show her magic after he almost burned her to death yesterday? In addition, this place was under Nikan¡¯s orders. It was an excuse that wasn¡¯t elaborate at all. Just like a child¡¯s excuse. Nikan¡¯s eyes softened with satisfaction. Navia¡¯s answer passed his standards. ¡®But my real purpose isn¡¯t to reassure you.¡¯ She was throwing up water, but when she saw Wood gasping for air, like an innocent little sister worried about her brother, Navia ran to him and held his hand. ¡°Brother, are you all right?¡± Then Wood pushed Navia down hard with an angry look. Pak! ¡°I said so!¡± Wood jumped at Navia, thinking he was safe now. ¡°You monster! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Kyaak!¡± Navia smiled faintly, defending herself from Wood¡¯s fists with her arms. ¡®Ahh, It¡¯s such a relief that Wood is so stupid.¡¯ No one could stop Wood, who was running like a horse. Nikan grabbed Wood, ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡± Then, Wood shook Nikan¡¯s hand off and pointed at Navia. ¡°That low-life tried to kill me! She trapped me in the water!¡± ¡°This brat¡­!¡± ¡®¡­wait.¡¯ ¡°She trapped you in the water?¡± Wood looked at his father, who did not immediately punish Navia, and shouted as if he was frustrated. ¡°She stole my magic! Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been trapped in the water! Father, you¡¯re not going to let her go, right?!¡± Nikan¡¯s complexion suddenly changed. Stealing magic? The only person who could do that was a wizard with the copycat ability. ¡®So Navia is a copycat wizard?¡¯ Magic had laws. In this regard, copycat magic, which can use any magic, was a fairly unusual ability. Of course, there was a limit. Usually, 30% of the opponents ability can be copied at best. Even so, it was a great privilege to be able to perform any kind of magic you want. If Navia were a copycat wizard, it would be a great hidden card that would bring her closer to becoming Empress. Nikan immediately checked Navia¡¯s mana. ¡®¡­there¡¯s nothing?¡¯ Contrary to his expectations, he couldn¡¯t feel any mana. At then, Navia spoke up, ¡°I¡­ I think I saw a blue light when brother used magic¡­then Brother suddenly got stuck in the water.¡± It was a symptom that occurs often when a wizard would use magic beyond his or her abilities. ¡®Tch! That¡¯s what it was.¡¯ A copycat wizard, he was hoping for too much. ¡°Wood! I¡¯ve told you to be careful and watch out for mana rushes!¡± Wood felt like he was going to go crazy from the false accusation and being framed. ¡°There was never a blue light! The low-life lied. Father, punish that low-life immediately¡­¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± As Wood said, if Navia had used magic, there would have been traces of mana in the space. Other than Wood¡¯s mana, there was no power felt. In other words, it meant that Wood was lying. Nikan became annoyed that his ugly son tried to beat Navia. He spoke as softly and caring as possible to reassure the trembling Navia. ¡°Father is ashamed, Navia. I will firmly punish your Brother, so go and rest.¡± Navia nodded cautiously. The Wood ran wildly. ¡°I said she did it! Why don¡¯t you believe me!¡± Navia looked at Wood, whose face was burning red. Smirk. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll kill you! Let go of me!¡± Navia turned away, ignoring Wood¡¯s words. ¡®Getting this worked up for something like this, it¡¯s excessive.¡¯ This is just the beginning. Navia calmly walked out of the first-floor. It was silent. No one handed the wet and cold Navia a towel. Her appearance resembled a shabby skeleton. ¡®But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Now, she had no intention of proving her value here anymore. Without paying attention to the people¡¯s eyes, she moved on, only preoccupied with the new power that she had. However, the silence was a different kind of contempt from what Navia had thought. The Agnes residents, as if they were lost in thought, couldn¡¯t take their eyes off Navia, who was heading for the stairs with a blank face. As the mansion was tall in floors, the windows were long. As the sunlight pouring in from the huge windows shone on Navia, the drops of water glittering on her body looked like diamonds. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Exclamations flowed from all over the place. Rather than being ugly, Navia was admired from all viewers. Not because of appearance. Because of Navia herself. As Agnes was one of the three greatest Duchy¡¯s, there had been numerous noble guests. Among them were not only the Emperor, but also Empress Diana. As such, Agnes residents had high eyes. They didn¡¯t blink at other¡¯s etiquette. But now, Navia¡¯s figure was truly amazing. Even though her shoes were wet, her steps were straight, her gaze was graceful, and her wet hem made her dress look like a magnificent velvet dress. Chapter 13 ¡°¡­¡­¡± Even though it was a lobby where many people walked around, the tension was hovering like a spectator waiting for the main stage to begin. The low sighs that flowed out sometimes were like the sounds of instruments. They were holding in their breaths without realizing it. They were fully focused on each step Navia took. Then, walking down the stairs, a red-haired maid came down quickly. With both hands, she was holding a thick towel politely. It was Charlotte. ¡°Lady, you must be cold. Please use a towel.¡± Navia looked surprised for a moment when Charlotte took care of her. Her wide, round eyes soon folded. The dignity felt earlier disappeared as if it was an illusion and was replaced with a clear and cute smile. ¡°Thank you, Charlotte.¡± Only then, did the other servants, who had forgotten how to breathe, give up their breath. Then they scratched their heads with an expression as if they couldn¡¯t understand why they were so nervous when they saw Navia. Navia covered herself with the towel and bit the tender flesh in her mouth. While thinking about the black moon, Navia¡¯s etiquette came out again. ¡®It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s rather better to have some manners.¡¯ Navia had been placed as the daughter of an aristocrat. It was safe to meet Nikan¡¯s expectations until she left. Navia walked up the stairs with Charlotte and looked down at the black moon. ¡®Just what kind of power is this?¡¯ When Wood¡¯s magic was absorbed, the black moon scattered a dangerous light, but now it was as calm as a beast hiding its claws. ¡®I¡¯ll just change my clothes and go to the library.¡¯ Duke Agnes had a lot of money. But money was all that he had. It was what was passed down from generation to generation in Agnes. Water magic was definitely strong, but it was an ability that had no expandability. How was Eseled compared to them? Regardless of what magical ability they were born with, genius mages had been produced from generation to generation. Agnes created a library with enormous volumes of books to somehow compensate for their weaknesses. It probably had the largest number of books, after the Eseled family. Sadly, Navia had already read most of the books to find out about her ability to regress. ¡®But maybe there¡¯s something I missed.¡¯ ¡°Sister?¡± Navia, who had been walking with her eyes on the floor, suddenly lifted her head. A lovely pink-haired girl could be seen. ¡°Vivian.¡± Vivian, standing with a teddy bear in her arms half her height, spoke to her maid, ¡°Look, Maki. That¡¯s Sister Navia, right?¡± ¡°Haha, it is.¡± Vivian tilted her head. ¡°But why are you here? This is the third floor.¡± It was a pure and innocent question. Even so, it was a rude remark that could be questioned by anyone. Charlotte¡¯s expression hardened. On the other hand, Vivian¡¯s maids covered their mouths with handkerchiefs and giggled. Navia, who had been humiliated openly, was as still as a lake without any wind. The maids felt something strange and slowly closed their mouths. Only then did Navia open her mouth, ¡°Sorry, Vivi. Your maids¡¯ laughing was too loud so I couldn¡¯t hear you, could you say it again?¡± ¡°That¡­!¡± The maids couldn¡¯t refute anything, and their faces became all sorts of colors. Vivian happily repeated what she said like a parrot. ¡°Sister¡¯s room is on the second floor. Did you come to the third floor to see Vivi?¡± (T/N: We have another one who speaks in third person¡­) Navia grinned, ¡°Ah, it was about that? Father told me to use the third floor too.¡± ¡°Wow, really? So exciting! Then play with Vivi everyday!¡± Vivian smiled and approached Navia to hug her waist. But she fell back in shock. ¡°Uah, what is that?¡± The maids glared at Navia fiercely as if they were angry at her and protected Vivian with exaggeration. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lady?¡± Vivian grimaced, ¡°It¡¯s wet, so it feels bad. So dirty!¡± ¡°What does that¡­¡± It was when Charlotte was about to refute. ¡°Charlotte.¡± Navia dissuaded Charlotte quietly. She understood how Charlotte felt at the rudeness. ¡®But I¡¯m the one who will be disadvantaged the moment I refute.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be helped. Vivian was a true princess of Agnes who would be forgiven no matter what she did, and she was just Vivian¡¯s stand-in. In addition, Navia was despised for too long to be hurt or upset by such treatment. ¡°You can just have Sister Navia do this kind of annoying thing. Sister listens to everything.¡± Ignorant innocence. It was a perception that Navia should obviously be like that. But Navia always tried to be a good and nice sister. It wasn¡¯t unusual if she took care of Vivian all night for the smallest cold. She would complain about her lack of appetite and barely ate the porridge she made herself. In fact, Vivian was healthy other than the fact that no one knew when her mana would explode. Rather, Navia, who couldn¡¯t eat properly and didn¡¯t have time to rest, took care of herself. But it was okay. Didn¡¯t Vivian have a deadline? ¡®And we¡¯re sisters.¡¯ But Vivian¡¯s incurable disease was cured every time. Vivian escaped the danger of the mana reflux disease. ¡®And I was killed.¡¯ Until now and always. Every time. All the time. But she didn¡¯t want to blame Vivian. To be honest¡­ it was too annoying to care now. Navia skillfully put on her good sister mask and smoothly let out a lie. ¡°Ah, sorry. I was playing in the water with Brother and got wet.¡± Navia purposefully said she was playing. ¡®That way Vivian will get angry.¡¯ On the surface, it would seem like a vague way to protect Wood¡¯s incident. As expected, not only Charlotte, but also the other maids couldn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Navia¡¯s words. ¡°What-!¡± Of course, Vivian had a bewildered expression. ¡°Why did you play without Vivian? Sister is bad. Vivi wants to play too!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold, Vivi.¡± The maids became very embarrassed. They had already picked up the bad quickly and violently. It was not the situation to go to Wood to play in the water right now. Vivian¡¯s head maid, Maki, glared at Navia. ¡®You should¡¯ve made smarter excuses, you stupid and fake Princess!¡¯ ¡°Lady, why don¡¯t you play with your toys in the bathtub?¡± ¡°But Vivi wants to play in the water with Brother.¡± Navia teased her gently, ¡°Vivi, play later. Brother is busy, so he can¡¯t play right now.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± Vivian gave a ¡°hmph!¡¯ and spoke with a sulky face. ¡°Vivi will go talk to Brother himself.¡± ¡°L-Lady!¡± Vivian ignored all the tricks to stop her. When Navia tried to stop her, Vivian hit her violently. ¡°Don¡¯t block me!¡± Navia backed away with a grimace. ¡°Let¡¯s go together, Miss!¡± The maids glared fiercely at Navia and followed Vivian. When the third floor was empty, Charlotte burst out the anger she endured. ¡°How could they do this to Miss? Particularly Maki¡­!¡± Navia spoke calmly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not something that happens only once or twice.¡± Charlotte felt suffocated from Navia¡¯s composure. ¡®That¡¯s right¡­¡¯ Navia was always like this. When Charlotte became so stuffy it was indescribable, Navia suddenly made a strange request. ¡°Charlotte, can you get some cold pumpkin porridge and tea? If you say it¡¯s for father, the kitchen staff will prepare it. Charlotte couldn¡¯t understand why she was asked to prepare food for Nikan so suddenly, but she readily agreed. ¡°Then I will go after helping Miss change clothes.¡± Navia shook her head and refused. ¡°I can do it. Bring the snacks to Father as soon as they make it. In the meantime, I will be in the library.¡± Charlotte¡¯s head ached and her chest tightened again when Navia acted maturely, not suitable for her age. ¡°I will do as you say.¡± Navia sent Charlotte away and went back to her room to change into dry clothes and dry her hair. ¡®I¡¯t might get cold in the library.¡¯ It would be nice to have at least some warm water. Navia didn¡¯t have anyone to ask for such a favor because she only had one maid, Charlotte, not three like Vivian did. Instead of warm water, Navia wore another layer of clothes and headed to the library. It was not uncommon for her to go to the library. ¡®I often stayed up all night there because of Edward¡¯s homework.¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for that, there were many times when she was stuck in the library transcribing as punishment. Creak. There was no one in Agnes who used the library except for Navia, so the doors weren¡¯t properly greased. She used to go around the library and take all the books she could use and pile them up on her desk. Actually, she didn¡¯t expect much. ¡®I¡¯ve searched all the libraries that were open at the time, but there was northing special.¡¯ It will probably be the same for this ability. ¡°I still have to look.¡± Navia turned the page. Chapter 14 3. Trap Thanks to the mana stone mine, all of Duke Agnes¡¯ riches were gold. The golden chandelier on the ceiling was decorated with top-class crystals, spreading the light more beautifully. The red carpet was woven from expensive wool. Only the most fashionable combination of furniture made from rosewood by the best artisans everywhere, ceramics featuring paintings with delicate technology, and masterpieces created by family painters and sculptors. Nikan Agnes, who owned a mansion comparable to the Imperial family¡¯s, had nothing to fear in the world. There was no difficulty for him. There were only things in the world that were easy or could not be done. What he couldn¡¯t do was become the Emperor himself. The easy task was the making of the next great Emperor. Eventually, he could take over the Empire. ¡°Let go! Let go, you bugs!¡± But for the first time, he thought that everything was a mess. Nikan looked down at his son kicking knights with his cold and evil green eyes. Wood resembled Nikan¡¯s childhood. His superior build, his natural talent for magic, and his strong impression. It was like his son. However, that idiot screaming on the floor was not what he wanted. ¡°Bring that low-life b*tch! I¡¯ll kill her!¡± It was unbecoming of a noble to be so angry at a powerless commoner. The stress of yesterday¡¯s disturbance did not go away. But today too¡­ ¡°Ha¡­¡± Just when Nikan sighed, ¡°Brother!¡± ¡®Vivian?¡¯ When he heard his daughter¡¯s sharp yell, he looked back to see Vivian with a painful face. Nikan was briefly taken aback by the unexpected situation. Vivian pouted her lips and snapped at Wood. ¡°I heard you and Sister Navia played in water? Why didn¡¯t you call Vivi?¡± ¡°Lady¡­! The maids who followed to stop Vivian looked at Wood and Nikan¡¯s face with worry. It was because of the tense atmosphere that was definitely not the aftermath of playing. Nikan spoke gently because he couldn¡¯t scold his young and sick daughter. ¡°Vivi, your Brother and Navia never played in the water, so stop¡­¡± However, it was faster for Wood to burst than for Nikan to finish his sentence. Wood was so angry he shouted threats with a violent expression. ¡°Do you want to die? Get lost!¡± Wood was already feeling tremendous shame and humiliation over what was happening. In that situation, Vivian was pouring oil and fanning the flames without realizing it. ¡°Wood!¡± Nikan hurriedly shut Wood up, but Vivian had already been shouted at. Vivian hardened in shock from the thunderous roar. Then she slowly began to realize what Wood said. What did Brother say? No way, right now, to Vivian¡­ did he threaten to kill her? Vivian has a time-limit, so she received all the affection and attention from everyone in the duchy and was only protected. The warm and sweet constant was ruined in one moment. Vivian¡¯s face turned white. ¡°How, how could you say that to Vivian¡­?¡± Her big eyes filled with tears in an instant. Vivian eventually burst into tears. ¡°Heuk, heu¡­uaaang! You¡¯re so mean!¡± Nikan covered his face with his arms and hugged the sobbing Vivian. His expression was distorted like the devils. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Wood stood up to Nikan¡¯s roar. ¡°The low-life is mocking me!¡± ¡°What did Vivian do? Your little sister is only six years old!¡± Wood was heartbroken by Nikan, who kept scolding him, unable to reach him. ¡°Father, why are you only blaming me? The low-life tried to kill me earlier, so why didn¡¯t you cut off her neck!¡± Nikan felt a dizzying anger because of Wood, who kept blabbing nonsense. Even if they say your child doesn¡¯t follow your wants, is there ever this much trouble? He eventually released a spell with mixed mana. ¡°You¡¯re bringing my prestige to the bottom today.¡± Wood wanted to refute but was overwhelmed by Nikan¡¯s determination and exhalation. ¡°Fine. If you keep going on like this, your whole allowance will be cut.¡± ¡°Father!¡± ¡°The hunting trip will be cancelled, and you won¡¯t be able to go to any social parties.¡± Wood sensed that his father would not withdraw. ¡®Why would I, Agnes¡¯ successor, suffer this humiliation?¡¯ Wood, whose world was as easy as it is, was helplessly frustrated in front of the huge wall that suddenly appeared. Wood slowly lowered his eyes. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong.¡± Nikan had finally gained the momentum. His mental fatigue gathered. He spoke in a low and subdued voice. ¡°Go back to your room.¡± Wood had to obey his father¡¯s orders. Nikan looked around and asked sharply, ¡°Where¡¯s Philippa?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± The maids were speechless for a moment. Philippa would be slacking off somewhere right now. Nikan kicked his tongue as if he knew and then passed Vivian, who was still crying, over. ¡°Just take Vivian away.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Nikan walked out of the East wing of the first floor with a cold expression. They pretended not to, but curious eyes could be felt everywhere. He clenched his fist from his rising anger and managed to regain his composure. ¡°Anyone who adds useless gossip to today¡¯s childish quarrel will be punished!¡± When the Duke spoke fiercely, the servants immediately lowered their knees to the floor. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Nikan went back to his office. Only then did he recall leaving Edward without saying anything. The butler, Lyndon, spoke. ¡°Sir Spencer left first, saying that he hasn¡¯t seen or heard anything about today.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Nikan leaned back on the sofa, responding roughly as if he didn¡¯t want to think anymore. It was when there was a deep silence suffocating the office. Knock knock. Someone knocked on the office door. ¡°Master, Lady Navia sent some snacks.¡± Nikan frowned slightly. Lyndon, the butler, kicked his tongue. ¡®The Master isn¡¯t even a child, what kind of snacks.¡± ¡°Go back, the Master has to rest.¡± Nikan shook his hand. ¡°Let her in.¡± Lyndon quickly lowered his head and followed Nikan¡¯s orders. When the door opened, Charlotte came in cautiously with a tray. ¡°Navia sent it?¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Nikan looked curiously. ¡°Bring it.¡± Charlotte laid the tray on the table with great politeness. Lyndon approached and checked the tray. The snacks were simple. Cold herb tea and Pumpkin porridge. Lyndon snorted inwardly after checking the contents. It¡¯s not a high-quality dessert made by a well-known chef. What is this commoner-like food? Lyndon spoke in a hurry, worried that his already depressed master might be angry. ¡°Lady Navia is still young, so she seems to lack insight. I will bring something else¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Nikan picked up the spoon and tried the pumpkin porridge. The soft texture spread around his mouth. Nikan, who had never eaten the yellow porridge before, kept eating with a tilted head. Strangely, it fit his tastes perfectly. Whenever he ate the fancy snacks that the chefs prepared, he had always thought that snacks were childish. He rinsed his mouth with the cold tea after eating all the porridge. He felt much better. ¡°Did Navia tell you directly to prepare this?¡± Charlotte answered with her hands together and her head down. ¡°Yes. She said Master may be hungry, so she asked for simple dishes to be prepared.¡± Lyndon had a prickly expression from Charlotte¡¯s words. Wood was trapped in a pillar of water. It was so frantic that the time for a quick dish before dinner had passed. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Nikan put down the teacup and let out a shallow laugh. It was ridiculous that Navia, who was not even his own child, acted as the most ideal child. ¡°Navia is mature for her age.¡± Even though he was of a superior descent, Navia seemed to have more affection than his rotten children. It was the wish of all parents for their children to be smart and nice. It was also a parent¡¯s desire for their kids to be lovely. Nikan also felt more comfortable because he felt that his decision to choose Navia was not wrong. ¡°Thinking about it, Navia will need new winter clothes and accessories.¡± When Lyndon realized that Nikan was feeling better, he replied with a hasty smile. ¡°It seems so. I am ashamed that Master is so careful in taking care of the house that there is no place for this young man to step up.¡± ¡°Haha, you really are good with your words.¡± Nikan seemed to be lost in thought for a moment until he opened his mouth. ¡°Tell Ansier Boutique to send items that Navia can use.¡± Not only Lyndon, but Charlotte also looked surprised. Ansier Boutique was a very expensive premium boutique that only dealt with high nobles. Originally, the clothes Navia wore were from general clothing stores, which couldn¡¯t even be called boutiques and didn¡¯t have a sign. Lyndon expressed concern, which was quite unconventional. ¡°Master, however, there is¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to reverse my decision right now?¡± ¡°¡­no. I will take care of it.¡± Charlotte greeted him with couresty. ¡°The Lady will be very happy.¡± Chapter 15 ¡°Miss!¡± While Navia was searching through books, Charlotte came into the library. She was holding blankets, warm water, and a meal. Navia took her eyes off the book and looked at the approaching Charlotte. ¡°Did you deliver the snacks?¡± Charlotte nodded as hard as she could. ¡°Yes! Master will send gifts from Ansier Boutique in return. Agnes¡¯ orders are usually processed within two days, so you¡¯ll get them soon.¡± Even nobles had to go through a long reservation to purchase goods from Ansier Boutique. However, the story was different for the privileged Duke Agnes. ¡°How did you match master¡¯s taste perfectly? I¡¯ve never seen him eat pumpkin porridge before.¡± Charlotte was nervous when she prepared the cold tea and pumpkin porridge. But her worries were pointless. Navia shrugged her shoulders and smiled softly with an unknown meaning behind It was a regressor¡¯s knowledge. ¡°The Duke must have been terribly heartbroken.¡± Ansier Boutique. She didn¡¯t go with this plan having this kind of compensation in mind. ¡®I¡¯ve never received anything from that boutique as a gift.¡¯ Ansier was only allowed for Vivian. ¡°Sister. Look at this. Isn¡¯t it so pretty? Daddy is the best! I¡¯m the only one in society who has the latest dress from Ansier.¡± ¡°Of course, since Father loves you. For my coming-of-age ceremony, a dress from Ansier¡­¡± ¡°Really, I saw a clothing store yesterday that suits sister. It¡¯s a commoner¡¯s clothing store. What was the name? Anyway, Sister can wear a dress from there for your coming-of-age ceremony!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Thanks for caring.¡± ¡°Everyone ignores matters about Sister, so I can¡¯t help but come forward!¡± She felt bitter at them, but she forgot about it, thinking it was because Vivian was so innocent. Thinking about it now, she laughed without realizing it. ¡®It must have been Vivian¡¯s own strategy to protect the fact that the real Princess of Agnes is herself.¡¯ Did the six-year-old Vivian already feel that way? ¡°Charlotte, don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± Although it was difficult to understand Navia who would not use the good news to raise her status by informing people around her, Charlotte nodded. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± *** By the time the untimely water crisis was over, Philippa, who had been out for a while, returned to the mansion. She was immediately informed about Wood. ¡°What? The Young Lord was trapped in a pillar of water?!¡± ¡°And Master ordered me to be vigilant again¡­¡± ¡°I have to go see!¡± Philippa rushed to Wood¡¯s room. ¡°Young Lord!¡± Crash! As soon as the door opened, expensive vases with flowers were thrown at the wall, splashing debris everywhere. Wood did it. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill them all!¡± Philippa looked at Wood, who was in a frenzy. His hair was still wet, and he was still wearing his wet clothes. What if her precious Young Lord catches a cold¡­! Philippa slapped the servant next to her with all her strength. Slap! ¡°What are you doing not taking care of your Master?!¡± Wood had been like this since he came into his room, so the servants had no time to dry his hair and change his clothes. However, Philippa was a person who would never consider that. They had to bow and complain silently. ¡°¡­we apologize.¡± ¡°Nothing goes well without me!¡± Philippa grumbled and looked back at Wood, weeping with sadness. ¡°Oh my, what if you get hurt like this¡­!¡± Wood, who had been smashing everything in his room for a long time, stopped, breathing hard. Philippa approached him quickly, ¡°Your precious body will get hurt! Please think of your body.¡± Wood gritted his teeth. ¡°This is all because of that low-life!¡± Philippa¡¯s eyes suddenly changed when she heard it was because of the low-life. That was Wood¡¯s reference to Navia. ¡°¡­Lady Navia?¡± ¡°That goddamn low-life tried to kill me, but why is Father taking that b*tch¡¯s side!¡± Philippa was astonished. ¡°She tried to kill the Young Lord?¡± ¡°How the hell did that low-life trap me in water? Damn it!¡± ¡®Trapped in magic¡­ isn¡¯t that magic? Does that mean she¡¯s a wizard?¡¯ ¡°Young Master¡­ are you saying that the Lady is a wizard¡­?¡± Wood frowned at Philippa¡¯s question. ¡°Father said that isn¡¯t it. But my magic suddenly disappeared, and she used the same magic as mine. I clearly saw it!¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ Philippa was relieved. If you¡¯re not a wizard, that wouldn¡¯t possible. Then that meant that Wood was hallucinating. But Philippa tried to make Wood feel better. ¡°Oh my God, if that¡¯s true, the Lady needs to be kicked out right away!¡± ¡°Father said he would cut my allowance! Do you think that¡¯s all? He threatened to ban me from parties and hunting trips!¡± ¡°How could he!¡± Philippa beat her chest, feeling as if a rock had fallen inside. How dare you persecute Wood, the precious young Lord, and threaten me, who has been loyal to Agnes for years. ¡®How dare you threaten me with embezzlement when you¡¯re not even an Agnes?¡¯ Philippa could not let Navia, who was only a stone that had rolled in, use Agnes¡¯ gold to enjoy a bountiful blessing. It was right for her to use the money meant to take care of Navia. But you¡¯re saying it¡¯s embezzlement? Philippa hated Navia so much that she couldn¡¯t stand it. It was the same for Wood. ¡°I can¡¯t live in the same house with the low-life who tried to kill me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I will not let her be.¡± Philippa¡¯s eyes became vicious. ¡®There¡¯s no way she found out herself that I had stolen from her child support. Someone told her. Who else would it be other than the one besides me in this place who used the stolen money?¡¯ In addition, Charlotte was definitely suspicious. ¡®The three of them must be holding hands.¡¯ Philippa had already suspected it since yesterday. She was concerned that the chef had betrayed her, so she was watching his irregularities. As long as the chef worked in Agnes, the ledger that recorded everything about the corruption will arrive in her hands in two days. ¡®I just need to weave Charlotte in somehow.¡¯ Philippa spoke to Wood, who was still trembling, with a gentled voice. ¡°This nanny will do anything to help you. You know that, right?¡± Just wait a little bit, Young Master. Philippa will never sit and watch them try to ruin the precious young master¡¯s future. Philippa¡¯s lips twisted evily. Her heart was already full of joy at the thought of punishing hateful three: the chef, the suspicious Charlotte, and of course, Navia. Wood, next to Philippa, was also lost in thought. ¡®The low-life definitely stole my magic. Then what if I don¡¯t use magic? I¡¯m stronger.¡¯ Admiring his cleverness, Wood was filled with vengeance. He wanted to show Navia her place right away, but if he was caught by Nikan, he could lose his allowance. A good place will have to be chosen and it has to be proceeded secretly. He spoke bluntly, as if nothing was wrong. ¡°Forget it, Nanny. That low-life isn¡¯t my opponent.¡± ¡®Getting flustered today was a mistake.¡¯ But it¡¯ll be different next time. Wood and Philippa were glistening from the thought of their ideas. Chapter 16 The next morning. There were several lamps and candlesticks next to Navia. Flip. ¡°Marking magic¡­ it¡¯s not this.¡± Flip. ¡°Hm¡­ it¡¯s not this either.¡± Navia turned the pages quickly and reread what she already knew, but as expected, there was nothing to refer to. ¡®If not now, I don¡¯t know when I will have time to look again¡­¡¯ Because of that, she did take a nap, but she was so tired. Navia stretched and glanced at the book she had last looked at. It was a thin booklet with dark red leather on it. Navia picked up the book. ¡°Do the regressions and the black moon have anything to do with this?¡± In addition to the God that made up this world, there was an ¡®external God.¡¯ The book described the existence of the external God like this. The external God is indifferent to human good and evil and considers human beings worthless. Also, the external God is chaos itself and has the ability to break the laws of the world. It means that the laws of this world, the rules of magic, are simply ignored. Magic is a great power, but life and death cannot be controlled. In this regard, regression is a force that does not follow the rules of the world, as it is an ability related to life and death. ¡®If my ability really is the power of an external God, it¡¯s even more strange.¡¯ Now she even has the power to steal other people¡¯s magic. ¡®Maybe my biological parents have some secrets?¡¯ Biological parents. Navia bit her lips without realizing it. It was said that she was dumped in a basket when she was a baby. The only clue to who her biological parents were was one card with her name written on it. The one word ¡®Navia¡¯ was written in a beautiful handwriting. ¡®It seems that they had the nerve to even name a child they were going to throw away.¡¯ Navia¡¯s eyes subsided coldly and soon continued to think as if she never had those thoughts. In the last 20 years, there had been no one near the nursery with silver hair or red eyes. ¡®The card was the only trace of my biological parents. As if they intended to isolate me completely.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t it because she was unnecessary in the first place? ¡®If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s understandable. .¡¯ She had seen, heard, and experienced a lot of things in Agnes, where they easily crushed a child. Navia left the library after arranging all the books. Her eyes looked as if she were immersed in a deep swamp. There weren¡¯t any special results, so she wasn¡¯t able to leave in a good mood. She was so sleepy she was even dreaming. Navia found Charlotte as she was walking. ¡°Did you stay up the whole night?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Where in the world do people say you stayed up all night a little? Charlotte was very upset but spoke as if she was relieved. ¡°Sir Spencer took three days off for some reason, so there¡¯s no class. Get some good sleep now, Miss.¡± Navia found out that Edward took time off to cure his little sister¡¯s illness. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Thinking about it, she couldn¡¯t remember the lat time she ate properly because she was looking into the black moon. Once she recognized her hunger, her flat stomach was filled with hunger. ¡°Can I have some warm soup?¡± ¡°Of course. I saw an apple in the kitchen yesterday and made juice from it this morning. I will bring it. Apple juice? Navia looked at Charlotte with a surprised look. Apples were a fairly common fruit in the capital, but they were as precious as gold to Navia. Nikan prevented Navia from eating sweet food saying things like ¡®your habits will get bad if you taste them.¡¯ ¡°Miss?¡± Navia¡¯s cheeks blushed slightly as Charlotte waited for her answer curiously. ¡°Ah, yeah. Yes please.¡± ¡°What do you mean please. It¡¯s my job to bring it to you.¡± Charlotte smiled softly as she saw Navia become happy because of apple juice. But somehow, she felt sorry and proud at the same time. ¡®I¡¯ll bring a very big glass.¡¯ Such juices and desserts weren¡¯t allowed for Navia. That¡¯s why she was going to steal some, but Charlotte was confident. Her hands were very fast. She was skilled at stealing and replacing. The kitchen will be cluttered with chefs and other servants, so there will be many opportunities. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s not time for the young master¡¯s or Lady Vivian¡¯s servants to work, so I should be able to bring enough.¡¯ ¡°Lie in bed and rest. I will be right back.¡± Navia went into her bedroom after nodding and Charlotte headed to the kitchen humming. Click. When the kitchen door was opened, unwelcome people were seen. ¡°Oh my, Charlotte?¡± Maki, Anne, and Laura. Vivian¡¯s exclusive maids. ¡®What are they doing at this hour?¡¯ Charlotte looked at the three curiously. Did Vivian wake up early today? She thought it was possible because it¡¯s not impossible. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing that was weird. ¡®Where are all the chefs and servants?¡¯ It¡¯s a kitchen. The employees may have gone to take a rest after taking care of Nikan¡¯s and the blood relatives¡¯ meals, but it was strange that none of the kitchen servants were seen. Like someone had intentionally left the kitchen empty. When Charlotte¡¯s eyes went thin with some kind of foreboding, Maki spoke. ¡°Did you come here to prepare Lady Navia a meal?¡± Charlotte knew that Maki wasn¡¯t one to express interest in what she did, so she felt suspicious and responded bluntly. ¡°Yeah. It seems like you are busy doing the same, so don¡¯t mind me and keep working.¡± ¡°¡­hmph.¡± The two entered the mansion as workers almost at the same time. Both of them worked well and were well-informed, allowing them to quickly advance to the position of the Princess¡¯ exclusive maids. . The fate of the two divided there. One became the maid of the real Princess and the other became the maid of the fake Princess. Charlotte had no intention of burying her bones here anyway, so she had no complaints. Rather, it was nice since Navia didn¡¯t require much hands. But Maki didn¡¯t think so. She looked down on Charlotte, who served Navia. ¡°I envy Charlotte so mich. You¡¯re going to be done preparing Lady Navia¡¯s meal soon, right? We have a lot to carry, so it¡¯s heavy.¡± ¡°Pft!¡± Anne and Laura, who were by Maki¡¯s side, couldn¡¯t hold back their laughter as they watched Charlotte pour soup in a dish. Charlotte put down the ladle and turned towards the three with cold eyes. Maki gave an exaggerated reaction and spoke with a surprised look. ¡°Are you perhaps offended? It¡¯s a joke! Haha.¡± ¡°¡­ha.¡± Charlotte stopped while turning her head. It was because Maki was holding a full glass of freshly squeezed apple juice. Maki, who noticed, spoke deftly. ¡°Lady Vivian is so sweet that she also give us juice, so we¡¯d better take plenty of it. Right, you two?¡± ¡°If our Lady Vivian doesn¡¯t drink it, there wouldn¡¯t be anyone else to drink it anyway, so we should take care of it all.¡± ¡°Ahaha!¡± As their mockery went too far, Charlotte tried to refute with a tearful look, but held it back. ¡®I was supposed to bring the Lady apple juice¡­¡¯ At this rate, she didn¡¯t know if they would empty the whole jar. Charlotte¡¯s insides were burning, but Maki took out several cups and filled them as if she was teasing her. ¡°There are five cups of juice. One for the Lady and three for us. Then there¡¯s one left. What should we do?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, has Lady Navia ever tried something called apple juice?¡± Maki smiled and turned around, winking at Laura. ¡®Put it in.¡¯ Then Laura took out a small bottle of medicine from her pocket and quickly mixed the contents into the juice and hid the bottle back in her pocket. With Maki and Anne blocking Laura¡¯s small movements, Charlotte couldn¡¯t see. Maki picked up the glass and turned around again. ¡°Charlotte, give this to the Lady. It should be okay to bring her at least a glass secretly. If it becomes a problem, we¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Maki¡¯s eyes glistened sneakily as she spoke. ¡°You have to ingratiate yourself with Lady Navia in advance. It will give you points later if she becomes the Empress. This is what society is like.¡± On the surface, it was a plausible reason, but neither Maki nor Charlotte knew that Navia was nothing but a puppet. Maki¡¯s lips twisted. ¡®We can¡¯t let the fake who messed with us yesterday go.¡¯ They were waiting for Charlotte to come and even deliberately got medicine for an upset stomach to retaliate against Navia. ¡°Here, take it.¡± Maki put the juice mixed with stomach medicine on the plate containing Navia¡¯s meal. Chapter 17 Charlotte was furious, but let Maki be. When she thought of Navia who got happy when she heard about the apple juice, she couldn¡¯t bring out the words to refuse. ¡°¡­thank you.¡± Charlotte thanked them with a gentle attitude. ¡°Did you say that you have a lot to pack for Lady Vivian? I¡¯ll help you.¡± Maki¡¯s mean smile deepened from the servility. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Maki said that, but did not dissuade Charlotte from helping. Charlotte quickly brought trays and plates, helping them work easily. Then when Charlotte tried to move the glass of juice, Maki took it. ¡°I¡¯ll do this.¡± She was just going to move the glass since it didn¡¯t matter if Charlotte did it but Maki felt like she was going to be caught, so she asked Laura to carry the juice herself. Laura poked her lips out when she picked up the tray of the four cups. ¡°My arms are going to fall off.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so heavy about holding those for just a moment?¡± Because Maki made a big deal about the apple juice and fit all the juice, which could have filled ten cups, in five large cups, it was quite heavy. Laura mumbled discontentedly. ¡°¡­it¡¯s really heavy though.¡± At that time, Maki pretended to be busy when Charlotte looked at them with a strange look. Charlotte cut the bread with a knife for Navia and Vivian and then took out the butter. When Charlotte resumed preparing the meals normally, Maki relaxed and moved slowly. ¡®Even if we prepare food right now, the Lady won¡¯t wake up so we don¡¯t need to take any.¡¯ So she was going to pretend to work moderately. When Charlotte showed signs on leaving with a tray soon, Maki, who was mixing a salad, greeted her with a big smile. ¡°Let¡¯s help each other like this often, Charlotte.¡± Charlotte nodded with reluctance. ¡°Okay.¡± Soon, after Charlotte left the kitchen, Vivian¡¯s maids burst into laughter. ¡°You¡¯ll get in trouble if Master catches you drinking juice, so even if you get sick, you won¡¯t be able to talk, right? Ha, serves you right.¡± While Laura was cackling, Anne chuckled looking at the door in sympathy. ¡°The cook still hasn¡¯t looked for the doctor. The medicine we put in must be really effective.¡± To avoid being caught for putting medicine in Charlotte¡¯s apple juice, Maki fed the chef stomach pills. Laura stuck her tongue out, letting Maki float. ¡°As expected of Maki, you¡¯re scary. You were born for these things.¡± Maki shrugged her shoulders. ¡°This much is nothing.¡± They gave a toast with their own apple juices. ¡°Mm, it¡¯s sweet. It¡¯s such a waste that you gave that fake some. It would¡¯ve been better to mix it in the soup.¡± Maki shook her head. ¡°No, Charlotte¡¯s quick-witted. We would¡¯ve been caught if we did that.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± They took care of Vivian¡¯s meal as the servants, who had been idle and sent out to rest because of the chef¡¯s absence, began to return. Maki spoke as soon as she left the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s about time the medicine started working.¡± ¡°Already? We must have been moving too slowly. Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± ¡°Yes. We can¡¯t afford to miss the good scenery¡­¡± Laura suddenly stopped talking to Anne mid-sentence. Her complexion turned white in an instant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± When Maki asked curiously, Laura hunched over without answering. Crash! The tray she was holding fell and all the food spilled on the floor. Of course, the apple juice for Vivian also spilled. ¡°Kyak! What are you doing, Laura? Lady Vivian fell asleep looking forward to the apple juice so much today!¡± ¡°Eu¡­¡± Laura was shaking and curled up, hugging her stomach. Maki looked flustered and was at a loss for words, but slowly became alarmed by Laura¡¯s behavior. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± ¡°My, my stomach¡­¡± Laura left in a hurry as if she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Laura!¡± Anne shouted out to Laura, but there was no answer. ¡°Maki, what do we do! What do we tell the Lady? We should have left our share of the drink!¡± Maki¡¯s expression changed suddenly. ¡°No way.¡± She muttered in disbelief and asked Anne urgently, ¡°Anne, did Charlotte approach Laura earlier?¡± ¡°Charlotte? No. She didn¡¯t even talk to Laura.¡± However, Laura¡¯s reaction made it clear that she drank the juice mixed with pills. Maki stared at the food spread on the floor furiously and ran wildly. ¡°Just when the hell did she change it? Charlotte, you f*cking thief!¡± *** Knock knock. ¡°Miss, please eat.¡± When Charlotte arrived at the Emerald room, she shook the sleeping Navia gently. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Navia blinked with a look of sleepiness. Charlotte took the bowl of soup and gave a spoonful to Navia. ¡°Eat the soup, take the remaining medicine and then rest.¡± Navia quietly ate the soup as Charlotte said to. Maybe it was because she hadn¡¯t fully waken up yet, but these services still felt like a dream. When Navia emptied half the bowl of soup, she didn¡¯t want to eat anymore. Then Charlotte took the bowl and held out the apple juice instead. ¡°Apple juice, Miss.¡± Navia woke up when she said apple juice. ¡®You really brought it.¡¯ Navia clasped the cup with a puzzled look. There was a golden liquid in the cup. Her mouth seemed to be sweet already from the smell without having to drink it. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°This is nothing. Please enjoy it now.¡± Navia brought the cup to her lips carefully. ¡®It¡¯s my first time drinking apple juice.¡¯ Though rare, she had baked apples a few times, but it was her first time trying apple juice. Navia swallowed a sip. ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ How could it be so sweet? Navia blinked several times as if her tongue was melting. ¡°How is it?¡± When Charlotte asked with an anticipated look, Navia answered with a slightly choked voice. ¡°¡­it¡¯s delicious.¡± So this is what apple juice tastes like. The deep taste of the apple juice made her feel drowsy as the sweet taste spread through her mouth. Navia took another sip and gave the glass to Charlotte. ¡°Let¡¯s drink it together.¡± Charlotte looked embarrassed because she didn¡¯t know Navia would offer her the juice. Then, she carefully took the glass with a moved look. ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± For Charlotte, the juice was a little expensive, but not precious. However, she knew how precious the juice was for Navia. She couldn¡¯t believe she was willing to share it. ¡®I¡¯m glad I brought the juice.¡¯ Charlotte pretended to drink it so she wouldn¡¯t reduce the amount that Navia could drink. Navia endured the sleepiness and drank the juice slowly. There was no class, and she drank sweet juice. ¡®It¡¯s like a birthday.¡¯ Navia was savoring the juice when she suddenly realized the cup was quite strange. ¡®I don¡¯t think this is for juice.¡¯ The cup was so heavy that Navia had to use both hands to lift it. ¡°It must have been heavy to bring everything by yourself, Charlotte.¡± Charlotte shook her head, recalling the situation earlier. ¡°This cup is the work of Lady Vivian¡¯s dedicated maids. I wasn¡¯t going to use this cup because I thought it might be heavy for Lady Navia¡­ but I think they did something to the juice, so I traded it for theirs.¡± Charlotte suddenly wondered who drank the juice she switched in. It would be nice if Maki had drank it. ¡®How can I not know the juice is weird if you¡¯re acting that suspicious, I¡¯m not an idiot.¡¯ Charlotte was convinced that Maki, with her personality, would have mixed something to upset the stomach into the juice. Laura also had neither patience nor strength because she¡¯s small. But what would happen if you made that Laura hold such heavy things and work like a snail? ¡®Of course she¡¯ll put the tray down and rest her stiff arms and shoulders.¡¯ Charlotte purposely took a long time to prepare the food and circled around the kitchen. Thankfully, they used the same cup, so it was easier to change the juice. ¡°So that was what happened.¡± Navia figured out the situation in her head without haring any other explanation. Such a childish and low prank was what Maki enjoyed doing. ¡°Then someone drank juice that was tampered with.¡± ¡°Someone must have.¡± Navia got out of bed and poured her own medicine into the cup. Then the color of the golden juice changed strangely. Chapter 18 ¡°Miss¡­?¡± Charlotte was flustered and called out to Navia. However, Navia only put the perfectly ruined juice on the table. Actually, more than half of the juice was left, but she still felt like she was dreaming because of the happiness she felt from the juice. It was a great luxury for her. Flustered, Charlotte alternated between the juice and Navia. Does Navia have a weird taste for juice? The taste of the juice must have become quite terrible. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to take the medicine separately than mix it in your juice¡­? Slam! Without a knock, the door slammed open. Charlotte looked back at the uninvited guest with a face mixed with absurdity and anger. It was Maki and the butler Lyndon who came in. Charlotte asked with an unpleasant look. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Lyndon looked around the room without a word with a disrespectful expression. He could see a cup placed on a table. ¡°What is that?¡± Lyndon pointed at the cup and asked Charlotte. Charlotte couldn¡¯t open her mouth. Maki spoke with a calm but energetic look. ¡°It¡¯s the same cup we used. One of them disappeared, but it looks like it was here.¡± Charlotte refuted with a cold look. ¡°That¡¯s weird. You even put it on the tray for me to take earlier, but why did your words change?¡± Maki shook her head. ¡°Look at her trying to frame me, butler. You stole it, yet you¡¯re being abominable.¡± Lyndon questioned Charlotte with irritation. ¡°Charlotte, even if it was for the Lady, isn¡¯t this against the Master¡¯s will?¡± ¡°Butler, this¡­¡± Maki stopped Charlotte from refuting. ¡°Not only that, but you mixed something in our juice! I told you about Laura earlier, right?¡± She covered everything she had done, framing Charlotte. Maki murmured with a miserable look. ¡°If Lady Vivian had drunken it and not Laura¡­¡± It didn¡¯t happen, but it made them feel terrible thinking about it. As Maki said, if Vivian had drunk the juice with the laxative, not only the maids but also the kitchen staff would have lost their necks. Lyndon also wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid it. ¡°How dare you do such dirty and cruel things in Agnes!¡± However, in the end, it didn¡¯t happen. ¡®Tch, it¡¯s hard to pass it over lightly because of Maki. I¡¯ll erase this matter by demoting Charlotte to the laundry maid.¡¯ Lyndon was determined to cover this up because he could be reprimanded by Nikan because of this incident. ¡°You should know the consequences of disobeying the Master¡¯s will. You are now a maid of the laundry room¡­¡± ¡°Eu¡­¡± A faint sound of illness was heard. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned. Navia was curled up and her forehead was resting on her knees. ¡°Miss!¡± Charlotte was surprised and approached Navia. Maki rolled her eyes and shut her mouth. Something felt weird. Lyndon¡¯s eyebrows furrowed when Navia, who had no sense of presence, suddenly became sick. What¡¯s wrong with her? There was no time to think. ¡°My stomach, euk¡­¡± Navia raised her head with a distorted look. Blood was scattered from her face to her neck and her eyes were bleak. it was the aftermath of staying up all night in the library. She would look like a sick person to anyone. When Charlotte looked at Navia, worried that she was actually sick, her eyes went to the juice. ¡®It was definitely just juice¡­¡¯ But then the image of Navia putting her pills in the juice came to mind. ¡®Ah.¡¯ A smile brushed on Charlotte¡¯s lips and disappeared instantly. She glared fiercely at Maki. ¡°Maki! You gave me the juice with this intention!¡± ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Maki was flustered. Laura definitely had the tampered juice, but why is Navia showing signs of the pills? The laxatives were only in Charlotte¡¯s glass, so there¡¯s no way two people would get an upset stomach. ¡®How dare you try to trick us!¡¯ Maki found her composure and spoke to Lyndon. ¡°They¡¯re acting because they¡¯re cornered! There¡¯s nothing wrong with that juice. They must be after Lady Vivian seeing that only one glass had stomach medicine in it!¡± Maki was determined frame Charlotte for attempting to kill Vivian. Charlotte laughed inside. ¡®You must be very flustered by Lady Navia¡¯s behavior, Maki.¡¯ She made a fatal slip of the tongue. Charlotte asked with a look of incomprehension. ¡°Why is juice with stomach medicine in it cruel? You don¡¯t even know what this juice is like.¡± Maki¡¯s complexion hardened. Lyndon stopped upon hearing Charlotte¡¯s question. The atmosphere became strange quickly. Maki began to deny it. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s the juice you took, so wouldn¡¯t it obviously be fine?¡± Charlotte spoke silently, helping the sick-looking Navia. ¡°Ha¡­ Butler, it¡¯s important to cover up the mischief, but this would get you in big trouble too.¡± ¡°Uh, hm. That¡¯s true.¡± Maki became impatient when Lyndon suddenly changed his attitude to neutral. ¡°Sick my ass, then we¡¯ll know if I drink it, if it¡¯s real or not!¡± Maki took an urgent step to steal the juice from the table in case Charlotte or Navia spilled it. ¡°Maki!¡± When Charlotte rebuked her with a look of great displeasure, Maki gave a thin smile. ¡®Hmph, look at that. You¡¯re afraid of being caught lying.¡¯ Maki drank the juice in one shot. ¡°Euk!¡± Maki spit out the juice because of the disgusting taste that was definitely not apple juice. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ Maki was flustered by the unexpected situation. She looked blankly at the juice without any thoughts. What is this? Was the stomach medicine really in here? Then why is Laura stuck in the bathroom? Charlotte spoke coldly at Maki. ¡°My Lady has never had apple juice before, so she doesn¡¯t know what it tastes like.¡± ¡°N-no¡­ Charlotte¡­¡± ¡°But based on your reaction, it doesn¡¯t seem to be apple juice.¡± Lyndon remained silent from the moment he felt the situation was strange, and immediately changed his attitude. ¡°I think I need an explanation, Maki.¡± ¡°H-however, Butler, Laura is definitely still like that because of the stomach medicine that was in her juice¡­¡± But then Charlotte pushed back hard. ¡°Where is that juice? I¡¯m sure you have the evidence since I¡¯m guilty, right?¡± Maki broke into a cold sweat. Only then did she realize she got caught in her own trap. In fact, if the situation hadn¡¯t escalated to this point, there would¡¯ve been enough room to escape. I should¡¯ve trapped Navia for drinking juice without permission! ¡°¡­it looks like the juice was spoiled. I must¡¯ve been over thinking it.¡± Maki glossed over the problem with the juice being the cause. Lyndon turned his attention to Navia. ¡°Fortunately, it seems that Lady Navia hasn¡¯t had a lot, but we¡¯d better have the doctor take a look.¡± Navia was still curled up and hugging her belly. Lyndon glared at Maki, who almost put him in trouble with something she shouldn¡¯t have done, and tried to sort things out. His master had already been nervous about the recent incidents, so it would be very troublesome to say that there was another problem today. ¡°Tch, Maki, you take responsibility and bring Doctor Hans. If you create another problem, it won¡¯t end like this!¡± Maki gritted her teeth. ¡°¡­yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lyndon tried to find justification for questioning Navia and Charlotte in the beginning. ¡°Charlotte, I will cover for you breaking the Lord¡¯s will this time, but I won¡¯t let you go next time.¡± ¡°I will keep that in mind, Butler.¡± ¡°Ahem, Lady, if you are in bad condition, be sure to report it.¡± Lyndon walked out of the room after his sentence like he had nothing to do with it. It was when Maki tried to leave with her fists clenched. Charlotte mocked Maki with a worried face. ¡°You¡¯re going to get Doctor Hans, right? You should come back quickly¡­ If my Lady¡¯s condition gets worse because of the delay, I¡¯ll have to report it to Butler Lyndon, won¡¯t I?¡± Maki replied with a forced smile and anger in her eyes. ¡°Y¡­es. I will.¡± Maki couldn¡¯t hide her twitching lips. Click. When Maki closed the door and left, Charlotte picked up the apple juice that had been put back on the table. Navia straightened her curled body, slid into her bed, and lied down. ¡°Throw that away in the pot.¡± Charlotte replied, shrugging her shoulders, ¡°Yes. I was thinking about which pot to throw it in.¡± Their breathing was in sync. The two faced each other and smiled. Chapter 19 After a while, Maki showed up with Hans. Maki¡¯s clothes and hair were slightly disheveled, as if she had just tried to run away. Hans examined Navia and said that she didn¡¯t have an upset stomach but she was definitely not feeling well. Actually, it was obvious that she wouldn¡¯t be feeling well. Navia inhaled smoke from the fire, she didn¡¯t eat well, and she even stayed up all night. When Maki heard the results of the examination, she went back quietly, feeling confused. When Navia fell asleep, Charlotte left the room to secure delicious food in advance for dinner. ¡®Oh right, I have to get some thread and cloth to repair the clothes.¡¯ It was when she was going down the stairs, lost in her thoughts. ¡°Ahem, Charlotte?¡± Lyndon, who hadn¡¯t been seen for hours, suddenly reappeared and quietly called out to Charlotte. ¡°Yes, Butler.¡± Lyndon spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for the shipment from Ansier Boutique to arrive early tomorrow morning. K¡¯heum. I asked for accessories, so one that you can use will come.¡± In other words, let go of the previous situation with this. Charlotte knew that Lyndon was opportunistic yet pretended to be a gentleman, but she didn¡¯t like being a bad person, so she reacted appropriately. ¡°You really are the only one who cares about Lady Navia. And how dare I with the accessories¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, what should I do?¡± Lyndon felt at ease when she acted modestly. ¡°Haha, what¡¯s the big deal with a piece of jewelry? This is something I can handle at ease, so don¡¯t hesitate and take it.¡± ¡°Thank you, butler.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Go and finish your work.¡± Charlotte bowed her head again and left. The thought that things had been going smoothly since she held Navia¡¯s hand made her smile. ¡°Ansier.¡± ¡®Then I can take a little bit more time to fix the Lady¡¯s clothes.¡¯ Charlotte hummed, recalling the cute and pretty clothes in Vivian¡¯s closet. ¡®I hope tomorrow comes soon!¡¯ *** The third morning of Navia¡¯s return. The mansion was quiet. The servants were rather relaxed because Wood and Philippa were busy for unknown reasons. It was when they were preparing in the peaceful morning. Clack, clack. At that time, wagons entered the Duke¡¯s estate. There was a silver seal embossed on the wagon. It was Ansier boutique. The employee, who seemed to have the highest position, got off first. Lyndon knew about their visit, so he came out to meet them in advance. ¡°Nice to meet you, Butler Lyndon.¡± ¡°Good to see you. Please move the goods to the third floor.¡± At those words, the senior employee clapped. Clap! Clap! ¡°Everybody move!¡± Then handsome men in uniforms with straightened hair got off with luxurious boxes made of rosewood. The female staff were ecstatic to see the men enter the lobby. As they were employees of a premium boutique that boasted ultra-high prices, their appearances were all beautiful. ¡°Didn¡¯t Lady Vivian just get a lot of clothes for the winter? And it¡¯s from Ansier!¡± ¡°As expected of Master!¡± They recalled Vivian, who burst into tears two days ago. At that time, everyone looked moved, thinking that Nikan had ordered a gift for Vivian. ¡°The Master has always devoted himself to the Lady. If the Lady were healthier, she could enjoy them much more¡­¡± The servants stared at the procession with wide eyes. The family of great nobility had the power right behind the Emperor¡¯s and was usually relentless in governing large organizations. However, fear could not always be used to govern people. The sense of belonging, pride, and respect for the Master played a very important role in consolidating power. In this regard, Nikan was a competent and charismatic Master, but he was also respected for also being a widower who raised his daughter with great care. Another, the people were proud of the work they did. No one had expected the boxes from Ansier boutique to be headed to the room of the foster daughter, Navia. Vivian¡¯s dedicated maids also thought so. Vivian¡¯s maids ran up to the third room faster than Ansier¡¯s staff. Before they opened Vivian¡¯s door, they glared down the aisle on the other side. It was Navia¡¯s room. ¡°Hmph, fake.¡± Maki, in particular, left the door wide open. How envious of Vivian would Navia be? It was delicious just thinking about it. ¡°Lady Vivian, Ansier Boutique is on the way! If you¡¯re sleepy, why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer and open the boxes together?¡± Vivian jumped up rubbing her eyes at the word of Ansier Boutique. ¡°No, I¡¯m awake!¡± Then everyone laughed. ¡°Our Master is so caring. He loves our Lady the most in the world!¡± Vivian¡¯s mood got better. Two days ago, she was sad because of Wood, and yesterday, she got even more depressed because there was a problem with the apple juice she was looking forward to. ¡®Dad gave Vivi a present so Vivi wouldn¡¯t be sad!¡¯ Vivian sat on her bed with a look of anticipation and swayed her feet. ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m going to call Sister Navia to show her the presents. Sister always says that the presents I get are pretty, so she envies Vivi.¡± The sight of Navia looking at her dress and hairpin made Vivian feel excited. ¡°When are the presents coming?¡± Laura answered Vivian¡¯s question quickly. ¡°I will go check!¡± Then, Maki added. ¡°See if anyone is peeking in from the other side, Laura.¡± ¡°Pu-ha! Okay, Ah, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± They were even angrier because instead of beating Navia, they got in trouble. ¡®I will have you realize how insignificant you are today.¡¯ Maki waited with blazing eyes for the Ansier Boutique staff to arrive. She was going to make loud noises so that anyone in the hallway could hear it. Laura suffered a lot from an upset stomach yesterday, so she wanted to get revenge somehow on Charlotte and Navia. She snooped down the hall and smiled broadly when she found Ansier¡¯s staff. Vivian¡¯s expectations were inflated at the same time and smiled. But Laura¡¯s smile hardened like she had been hit with cold water in an instant. ¡°Huh?¡± Maki and Anne, who were laughing while waiting for the boxes together, also stopped laughing after feeling something was wrong. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Laura?¡± ¡°The boxes¡­¡± Anne, who was impatient, couldn¡¯t stand it and went out the hallway herself. Then she found it. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Emerald room?¡± As they saw it, the Ansier¡¯s employees were standing in front of Navia¡¯s room, not Vivian¡¯s. The staff knocked politely. Knock knock. ¡°Excuse us, Princess. Duke Agnes has sent you a gift, may we come inside?¡± Click. Then the waiting Charlotte opened the door wide. ¡°Come in.¡± Ansier¡¯s employees piled the boxes in Navia¡¯s room. ¡°This can¡¯t be!¡± Vivian¡¯s maids who found the scene started shouting and screaming. Ansier Boutique is a place for the bloodline of those who were exclusive nobles, like Vivian. It isn¡¯t for someone like Navia, a fake princess! Vivian, who didn¡¯t understand their reactions, went out the hallway and tilted her head. Familiar men were seen entering the unused room on the other side. ¡®Where is that?¡± She soon left the maids behind and approached the room where the Ansier staff went into. Silver hair was seen passed the open door. Vivian was speechless for a moment. ¡°Sister Navia?¡± Why is Sister here? Ah, Sister said she was also using the third floor. Then, this is Sister¡¯s room? ¡®So that means¡­¡¯ Those presents aren¡¯t Vivian¡¯s, but Sister Navia¡¯s?¡± ¡°Ah, Vivi, you came.¡± Navia¡¯s welcoming voice was sweeter than a bird¡¯s singing. The soft gaze was so deep that it was as if she were being sucked in, and her smile was exuding extravagant elegance. Navia suited the sight of the room packed with boxes from Ansier Boutique. The boxes seemed to offset her modesty. (T/N: It¡¯s saying that the luxury doesn¡¯t look excessive and tacky for Navia.) ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look good.¡± Vivian felt like she was floating in the air a few moments ago, but suddenly, she felt like she was thrown into reality. The lights were already white. Complex and dizzy emotions attacked Vivian like a tidal wave. Her hands were shaking. She suddenly recalled a fact that she had never been conscious of. That her sister came to marry Prince Ares on behalf of Vivi. Chapter 20 Dash! Vivian ran back to her room. Her heart was pounding and her breathing became rough. Navia suddenly seemed like a terrible monster who came to ruin her. That¡¯s outrageous! Vivian, stomping her feet, shouted at the maids who couldn¡¯t stop the ridiculous situation. ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°M-Miss¡­?¡± ¡°Everyone get out! Right now!¡± As such a disturbance was taking place in Vivian¡¯s bedroom, Charlotte looked absurdly at the spot where she ran out. ¡®I knew that Lady Vivian¡¯s maids were lazy, but I can¡¯t believe you just watched them move things without helping¡­¡¯ Charlotte sighed and frowned inwardly. It was because the employees were glancing alternately at Vivian¡¯s room and Navia. ¡®The staff management for a boutique that only deals with high nobles is a mess.¡¯ Charlotte glanced at Navia. ¡®Is it okay to leave it like that?¡¯ Navia stared at the spot where Vivian was for a moment. She felt everyone staring at her. She tilted her head. ¡°Huh? Did something happen?¡± Silver hair fluttered as Navia tilted her head. Because of her repeated regressions, Navia had a unique atmosphere that no one could imitate. When the dreamy and mysterious aura of being shrouded in fog was exuded, the Ansier employees were slightly amazed. Charlotte gave a small cough and scolded coldly. ¡°What are you doing in front of the Lady right now? You¡¯re not thinking about being rude, are you?¡± ¡°N-no. Apologies.¡± They hurriedly arranged the boxes neatly on top of a large table. When the employees finished their work, they stood side by side and bowed sharply. ¡°We will leave now, Princess.¡± When the employees left, Charlotte asked, ¡°Will it be okay to leave Lady Vivian alone? I¡¯m sure bad things will come out.¡± ¡®They¡¯ll say that the daughter of a lowly aristocrat was given too much.¡¯ As Vivian¡¯s heart was hurt, Navia would be a terrible step sister. Actually, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if Nikan had prepared Vivian¡¯s together. Navia spoke calmly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Also, I was the one who told you to keep the story about Ansier a secret.¡± Charlottes eyes sparkled when Navia said that. Is she planning something again with this? Her heart began to pound with strange expectations. Navia looked at the boxes, lost in her thoughts. ¡®Stepfather is an arrogant man.¡¯ A firm belief that everything is in his palm, that everything is within his control. It was Nikan¡¯s deep-rooted idea and source of confidence. And it had to be left alone. ¡®That way, not only Wood and Vivian, but also the servants¡¯ complaints will grow rapidly. Then, they¡¯ll doubt the chief¡¯s judgement.¡¯ Nikan was convinced that his decision to adopt Navia as his foster daughter was right. That¡¯s why the friction would grow bigger, causing cracks in the community. ¡°One, two¡­¡± Charlotte counted the boxes. Vivian usually received more than 30 boxes as presents. ¡¯15 boxes, however¡­¡¯ Ansier Boutique is still exclusive to the great nobles. A gift from such a place meant that she is to be treated properly as a Princess. ¡°Open them up quickly, Miss.¡± Charlotte spoke excitedly. Navia knew better than anyone that Nikan¡¯s gift had no effect on his property. To think that this was a present. ¡®You expect me to shed tears of joy if you throw anything expensive to me.¡¯ Navia started opening the boxes one by one dully. A velvet dress with with luxurious ribbons, a cape with accessories attached everywhere, and cute winter boots. Like a product from Ansier Boutique, it was extravagant and dainty with delicate workmanship. ¡°Look at this, Miss. Everything is the best of the best!¡± Charlotte happily brought over the new clothes to Navia but shut her mouth slightly flustered. Navia looked in the mirror and laughed at herself. ¡°I look like like a kid who stole Vivian¡¯s stuff.¡± All the gifts Nikan gave were suitable for Vivian. The colorful, cute clothes and accessories that would go well for a child with pink hair and green eyes were childish and excessive for Navia. She looked like a senseless and foolish low-born who only had her face, imitating a noble lady. Charlotte, flustered, swept things back into the box. Among them was a hairpin made of iron with only one pearl, that was clearly put in from what Lyndon had said. ¡®Rather, this hairpin looks the best.¡¯ Charlotte suppressed her disappointment and left the hairpin for Navia. She spoke in a bright voice on purpose. ¡°Really, Miss. There was orange marmalade in the kitchen today, would you like to try it with scones? I can bring them in quietly today so there isn¡¯t a repeat of yesterday.¡± Navia was going to say that it was okay, but when she realized that Charlotte was trying to make her feel better, she nodded. . Charlotte hurried to the kitchen hoping that Navia would feel better. It would take a little time to heat up the scones. Charlotte went out and Navia looked at the boxes in front of her, lost in thought. Now, there were two days left before she escaped from Agnes. Navia had a reason to set the showdown five days after her contract with Edward. Because of the Empress¡¯ invitation. When Vivian¡¯s disease was cured, Nikan would accept the invitation to change the target of the engagement. When Nikan was away, Navia was going to make Wood drag her out of the mansion, then run away to Eseled. Navia recalled the head of the Eseled. Duke Lark Eseled was, in many ways, a very unusual man. He was a very mysterious man who¡¯d never come out of his mansion. He didn¡¯t even respond to the Emperor¡¯s call. There was a lot of gossip surrounding him. He¡¯s a very talented wizard, but he never went out because he¡¯s ugly, no, he¡¯s very beautiful, but he¡¯s suffering from madness. He¡¯s not a person but a monster, etc. ¡®What¡¯s his reason of staying in? The most possible likely rumor is that he¡¯s sick.¡¯ Even though the Eseled Duchy had fallen to the point of being called a garbage camp, no one could touch him. It was because the current Duke magically dyed the mansion black at the age of eight. Outside, each ostentatious behavior was disputed. The most dominant public opinion was that the Duke was trying to show off his power by pressuring his surroundings. That rumor quickly withered. Even if he was a great wizard, he never came out. Far from getting married, he wasn¡¯t engaged, so he had no heir. ¡®Then, in the eight life, an abnormality occurred.¡¯ It was the eight life, the one when Navia survived until she was 22 years old for the first time. Empress Estelle, who died from poison and was resurrected, the second Prince, Creed, suddenly appeared with Duke Eseled backing him. At that time, the appearance of Prince Creed was very shocking. Although he was a man of great beauty with black hair that resembled Empress Estelle¡¯s, it was because he was able to use various magic attributes even though he wasn¡¯t a copycat wizard. ¡®Or was it actually because of his looks?¡¯ Navia had nothing to do with him, who excited the hearts of ladies who were of marriageable age. Ah, there was one time. ¡®Was it at the Royal Ball?¡¯ It was when Navia¡¯s engagement with Prince Ares was broken and a humiliating rumor spread throughout the social world that her body was ¡®lacking¡¯ so she couldn¡¯t bear a successor. At that time, there were several people who took advantage of Navia¡¯s miserable situation as an opportunity. On that day, persistent rude people made her dress dirty with drinks, making her look terrible. . Even when she ran to the terrace where no one could see, there were people who followed her. ¡°Get lost.¡± Indifferent blue eyes. An indecipherable cold expression. And an overwhelming atmosphere. That was when Navia saw Creed up close. Creed looked at Navia with an indifferent gaze that drove out the bullies. ¡°Are you Princess Navia Agnes?¡± ¡°¡­I greet Your Highness, Prince Creed.¡± ¡°Leave it. I¡¯m not a prince because I¡¯m entrusted with Duke Eseled.¡± With rumors that he had a blunt personality and didn¡¯t mix well with people, he tried to leave without talking to Navia anymore. But¡­ ¡°These clothes, you take it.¡± He took off his jacket casually and left the terrace. Navia couldn¡¯t wear those clothes. It was because she didn¡¯t know what kind of scandals could form. But she took something from those clothes. ¡­the first favor she ever received in her life. ¡®Anyway, Prince Creed said he entered Eseled before he was eight years old.¡¯ Creed was a year younger than her. So he¡¯ll probably be at Eseled in a year. Navia remembered what the Empress said in resentment. ¡°I should have sent my men to Eseled¡¯s successor earlier. That monster bastard who¡¯s difficult to kill just had to be entrusted in Eseled¡­!¡± ¡®When Prince Creed appeared, Duke Eesled still didn¡¯t show up.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know exactly when the second prince would appear in Eseled, but when the time comes, she intends to hand over the position to the original owner. ¡®And then I¡¯ll leave.¡¯ Children of noble families can be independent by marriage. Therefore, Navia was determined to find a marriage partner in her favor and become completely independent. Until then, she had to survive. Step, step, step, step! Urgent footsteps were heard outside. Navia opened the door slightly. ¡°Bring the Master! Lady Vivian has fainted!¡± Navia, who heard a loud cry, closed the door again. Vivian¡¯s collapse was probably due to Navia receiving gifts. It was a good situation for Philippa and others who didn¡¯t want Navia to bite. But she wasn¡¯t nervous at all. ¡®A crisis can be turned into an opportunity.¡¯ Navia picked up a box. Click. The door opened. Chapter 21 There was another uproar in the morning at the Agnes Duchy. This time it was because of Vivian. ¡°Miss, it¡¯ll be bad at this rate!¡± ¡°Get out! I said get out!¡± News spread widely that Vivian was crying and making a fuss after seeing Navia¡¯s gift. People frowned when they heard why Vivian was crying. ¡°Master gave Lady Navia gifts from Ansier Boutique?¡± Navia was a foster daughter anyway. They heard that she would become the Empress later, but people here were quite keen on politics. Navia was just a chess piece for Nikan to roll under his thumb. They knew exactly that the one they should be loyal to was Nikan. That¡¯s why it was difficult to understand Nikan¡¯s behavior this time. ¡°What if Lady Vivian gets in trouble..?¡± They clenched their tongues as they recalled the young Vivian. The news about Vivian quickly entered Nikan¡¯s ears. ¡°I only have two kids, but they¡¯re both troublesome!¡± Nikan couldn¡¯t beat the kneeling man at the moment, so he threw his teacup next to him. ¡°She already enjoys those things regularly, but she¡¯s acting like a vulgar commoner just from a couple of products!¡± As problems with his family continued, his irritation rose to its peak. He thought that yesterday was quiet, but now Vivian was causing trouble. Different from his usual composure, Nikan was furious. ¡°Ruling a Duchy is like ruling a small kingdom!¡± ¡°You are correct.¡± Lyndon responded to Nikan¡¯s words while swearing at the servants who failed to take care of Vivian properly. At that time, a servant rushed in. ¡°Master, Lady Vivian has fainted!¡± ¡°Vivian fainted?!¡± She was a child who inherited his blood and a daughter like a sore finger. When Nikan heard that his daughter fainted, his face became pale and he ran to Vivian¡¯s room. Bang! ¡°Vivi, is Vivi okay?¡± He went to the bed where Vivian lay. Vivian¡¯s eyes were closed tightly, stained with tears. Doctor Hans spoke. ¡°Because it¡¯s caused by stress, stability is the most important.¡± Nikan grabbed his head. Then didn¡¯t that mean that Vivian fainted because she was crying and jealous of Navia? ¡®It¡¯s not quiet for even a day!¡¯ He was already busy transforming Navia into someone suitable for an engagement. He thought that things were going smoothly since Navia had excellent learning skills, even though she had dirty blood. ¡®The engagement is just around the corner.¡¯ At this rate, because there had been a series of rumblings, the family¡¯s turmoil could enter the Empress¡¯ ears. It could still be passed on as children fighting. However, it would be a problem if another big problem arised. Nikan gritted his teeth as he looked back at Vivian¡¯s dedicated maids. ¡°How were you taking care of Vivian to let her get like this?¡± ¡°We, we¡¯re sorry, Master¡­¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Nikan rubbed his eyes. The rustling greens under his palms went in full bloom. ¡°Does it look like I want to hear a useless apology right now?¡± Maki was keenly aware of the fact that she looked incompetent. Maki made an excuse in a hurry. ¡°Master is correct a hundred times over. But it was inevitable for us.¡± Nikan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Maki, what¡¯s wrong¡­!¡± Maki fell flat on her face, throwing the hands of the other two maids, who were anxious to dissuade her, to the side. ¡°Lady Navia opened her door wide open on purpose to show off her gifts to hurt Lady Vivian! We, who are only maids, couldn¡¯t stop it.¡± ¡°Navia did?¡± ¡°Yes. If she hadn¡¯t bumped into Lady Vivian two days ago and said that she played in the water with the Young Master, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Nikan¡¯s expression hardened. Did Navia really create this? ¡®But¡­ that situation could be true if Navia was a normal child, but she is brainwashed.¡¯ Furthermore, when he recalled Navia¡¯s actions, the maid¡¯s words didn¡¯t make even more sense. ¡®Did I see you carelessly?¡¯ (P/R: He meant if he carelessly looked over the actions and missed something.) Is the maid deceiving me? Or is it Navia? As Nikan¡¯s eyes were gradually darkening, a refreshing voice, which did not suit the atmosphere, was heard. ¡°Father.¡± Looking back, Navia was entering Vivian¡¯s bedroom with a small box in her arms. The faces of the servants, who thought that this was all caused by Navia, hardened coldly. ¡°What happened?¡± Nikan was also in a state where it was hard to play as a caring father as usual, so his voice came out quite coldly. A stingy hostility. There was a lot of criticism towards the stone that rolled in. Navia opened her mouth as if she was familiar with this kind of atmosphere. ¡°I came because I have something to tell you.¡± Maki glared at Navia. She didn¡¯t know what nonsense she was here for, but she wasn¡¯t going to let her do whatever she wanted. Maki saw the box in Navia¡¯s arms. ¡®Pft.¡¯ A good prey. ¡°What¡¯s in your arms, Lady Navia?¡± ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it looks like a box from Ansier Boutiques.¡± Even within the family, politics was heavily involved. In this regard, Maki was pretty talented. Maki asked as if she was wondering. ¡°Did you bring the box knowing that Lady Vivian fainted?¡± Navia shut her mouth. In other people¡¯s eyes, it looked like she was overwhelmed by the momentum and couldn¡¯t speak. Maki thought so too. ¡°Did you come to share with Lady Vivian to comfort her? It¡¯s like¡­charity.¡± The looks of the servants became colder at the end of Maki¡¯s words. Click! ¡°What is the meaning of all this?¡± The door opened, and Philippa came in. Actually, Philippa had already arrived in front of the bedroom after hearing that Vivian had fainted. But after hearing sounds from the inside, she waited for the right time to enter. When she was convinced that Navia was cornered, she opened the door to support Maki. ¡®Little b*tch. You¡¯ll be finished today!¡¯ ¡°What do you mean charity for Lady Vivian!¡± Philippa was so bewildered that she stumbled as if she were dizzy. ¡°I cannot believe it. I can¡¯t believe that you tried to fool and wipe out Lady Vivian, who has the most noble blood!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do that!¡± Philippa snorted inside at Navia¡¯s rebuttal. You¡¯re calling that an excuse? Philippa glanced at Nikan. Nikan was looking at Navia coldly. He was obviously suspicious of Navia. Another, he was actively sitting on the sidelines. ¡®He¡¯s trying to prove my standing.¡¯ (T/N: Philippa thinks Nikan is letting her prove her authority in the duchy.) Philippa went on a rampage with confidence. ¡°Then let¡¯s take a look. Let¡¯s look at what you brought to show off to Lady Vivian!¡± Pak! Philippa grabbed Navia by the arm immediately. ¡°Ah!¡± Navia dropped the box she was holding in her arms dearly helplessly. She made the drop loud and big enough for everyone to witness. And like that, the box rolled loudly on the floor, revealing what was inside. A shabby hairpin with only one pearl. It was so crude that it didn¡¯t even have a proper finishing and the pearl looked like it was inserted using an awl. It was an accessory a noble would never use. Philippa wanted to burst into laughter when she saw the hairpin. She felt so happy to see Navia humiliate herself like this. ¡°My goodness. There must have been a lot of precious and valuable stuff today, but you brought something like this?¡± You can¡¯t throw away your greed, but you bring in a trashy hair pin! Maki spoke, holding in her laughter. ¡°That looks like a product from Ansier Boutique¡¯s basement?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even the most modest headdress Lady Vivian has¡­¡± The maids pretended to whisper, allowing everyone to hear them. They had no qualms about bullying an eight-year-old girl. How much did they suffer because of that fake princess yesterday and today? That b*tch deserved more criticism than they suffered. When the giggling got the loudest, Navia lifted her lowered head. And took one light step. Another step. And another step. Her last step stopped in front of the hairpin. At some point, the room fell into silence. Navia slowly boiled on her knees and picked up the slender hairpin preciously. It was an act of reverence and solemnity, as if she was treating it like a gift. Philippa grinned. ¡®This is why dirty blood is¡­!¡¯ It was when Philippa tried to shoot something back that Navia, who had been sitting still until now, broke the silence with a clear voice. ¡°Father.¡± Nikan, who had tolerated the mockery of the servants, raised his eyebrows. Then something even more unbelievable happened. The movement of standing up naturally without touching the floor while raising the gaze. Shoulders that stretched out calmly with her hands under her chest. Her head turned slightly to the side, and she made eye contact with Nikan. Her timing and the natural movements of her body resembled a dance move! When Nikan gaped without realizing it, Navia opened her palms and spoke. ¡°I only need this hairpin.¡± Everyone froze as if there was a northern wind in the bedroom. What did she just say? Chapter 22 Philippa, the maids, and the other servants were holding their breaths without realizing it and made stupefied faces. Until now, like a fun game, ugly feelings mixed with relief poured towards Navia. This was because they received Nikan¡¯s permission to do so. However, with one sentence, the situation was reversed. The hairpin wasn¡¯t brought to be given to Vivian. It was for Navia. As a result, all justification leaned toward Navia. One by one, everyone started to gape. No one here expected Navia to step up like this. It was the same for Nikan. Navia left the silence alone for a while, then cringed her fingertips slightly and spoke timidly. ¡°Am I too greedy?¡± Nikan let out a low sigh without realizing it. Until now, Navia was like a prisoner on death row. But the atmosphere turned around in an instant. It would have been difficult for even an experienced schemer to turn the tables so easily. Is this all part of her plan? Otherwise, it was too subtle. He looked at Navia closely with suspicion. Navia suddenly found everything laughable. ¡®You don¡¯t realize how funny it is that you¡¯ve made such a mess with a piece of junk from a boutique?¡¯ On top of that, the opponent was an eight-year-old girl. In the end, it was a matter of birth. Receiving even just one gift like this should have a valid reason. However, she had never received a gift since she came to the Duchy, except for the necklace that Nikan gave her for the first and last time. ¡®Ah, then is this the second gift?¡¯ Her fingertips trembled at that moment. It wasn¡¯t acting. Her hands were shaking regardless of her will. Navia took a deep breath. It was not the time to get caught up in personal feelings. Because she had not escaped Nikan¡¯s suspicions yet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was being greedy. I, I was just so happy. I was so happy to receive a gift from Father¡­¡± But her voice was shaking. It was strange. She wasn¡¯t sad at all right now. Rather than unfair, she thought it was funny. It was normal to hold back laughter from stupidity. Normal¡­ But tears welled up in her eyes. Fever-like emotions swept through Navia¡¯s head, which she believed to be cool. ¡®No, get a hold of yourself!¡¯ Navia held back her tears and bit her mouth. Everyone was paying attention to her. If you finish poorly, the chance to win will be lost. ¡°I only need this hairpin.¡± A low wet voice flowed out, filling the room with deep depression. ¡°I won¡¯t wish for anything else from now on.¡± As if to peak the heavy atmosphere, a teardrop that she couldn¡¯t hold in fell. The moment Navia¡¯s tear fell onto the carpet, Nikan realized that he was clenching his fists so hard that his palms turned white. Somehow, he had cold sweat. That¡¯s how focused he was on Navia¡¯s eyes and words. ¡®¡­It¡¯s surprising.¡¯ It was hard for Nikan to believe that he was overwhelmed by his opponent¡¯s emotions, even though it was just for a brief moment. In fact, until just now, doubts were growing in the corner of his heart. What if Navia really did deceive herself with presumptuous greed? Nikan didn¡¯t trust Navia. It¡¯s stupid to trust tools. It¡¯s normal to trust people who use tools. Therefore, he looked at Navia with suspicion. He had seen many things standing at the pinnacle of the upper class. False joys, sorrows, smiles, and tears¡­ It was an aristocratic society where each person wore a mask and played dirty. With all sorts of dark political struggles, Nikan was going to let Navia get torn apart. It was clear that an eight-year-old¡¯s mask would be ridiculously childish and sloppy. And just now, he was convinced. ¡®The brainwashing hasn¡¯t shaken.¡¯ There was no need to push further. Her heavy heart was so strong that it covered the room like a storm. Even Nikan was swept away momentarily by the intense emotions that Navia emitted. What mattered now was not this ridiculous fuss. ¡®Her actions just now!¡¯ Even from watching up close, her movements showed unbelievably perfect etiquette! Nikan was filled with joy. ¡®She looked like a great noble!¡¯ His choice to choose Navia was not wrong. No, it couldn¡¯t have been wrong. It was Nikan Agnes¡¯ judgement, how could it be wrong? Nikan spoke like a generous father. ¡°What are you saying? Navia, you are a Princess of Agnes. It means you¡¯re in a position to wish for more.¡± This time, Navia almost burst into laughter. ¡®I¡¯m a Princess of Agnes? I can wish for more?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, what was the doubt that you just showed? The tears and feelings of joy dried up. Instead, terrible hatred filled up. ¡®Just like how you spout things you don¡¯t mean, I should also say things I don¡¯t mean.¡¯ Isn¡¯t the word brazen made for that person? (T/N: In this sentence, brazen could be replaced with two-faced, iron-faced, shameless, etc.) Navia wore a formidable, more complete mask. ¡®It¡¯s so damn easy playing the nice and stupid daughter you want.¡¯ ¡°However, because of me¡­¡± She deliberately cut off her words and looked around. ¡®You haven¡¯t forgotten the mockery and sarcasm that just filled this room, right, Duke?¡¯ Nikan immediately glared around after seeing Navia¡¯s face. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll have to see who really caused this mess first.¡± Philippa almost bit the bubble. ¡®Master is being deceived by that wicked brat!¡¯ ¡°That is all acting!¡± Philippa shouted and pointed her finger at Navia with a glare. ¡°You mustn¡¯t fall for her sly words! Look at her trying to escape the crisis by pretending to be pitiful. How abominable¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop?!¡± As Nikan shouted loudly, Philippa replied as soon as possible without thinking about what was going on behind her back. ¡°If Master saw what that b*tch has done to me, you would never let things go like this¡­¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Philippa shut her mouth after a gasp, but the water was already spilled. Nikan questioned Philippa with sharp eyes. ¡°You dare to open your mouth after my words?¡± Philippa already burned all the evidence of her embezzlement. She was going to burst the chef with corruption and corner Navia and Charlotte. The manipulated book was to arrive in her hands today. ¡®I can¡¯t act without the book¡­!¡¯ Philippa glanced at Navia. There was no evidence, but if Navia mentioned the embezzlement in this situation, things could get complicated. Whatever tricks Navia used, Nikan¡¯s attitude changed completely! But Navia was quiet. It felt somewhat bleak, but Philippa lost interest because of the problem in front of her. Philippa spoke cautiously. ¡°That¡­ there was some friction because I couldn¡¯t take care of Lady Navia properly.¡± ¡°But how could it be Navia¡¯s fault? ¡°¡­I must have been out of my mind because I was hurt. Please forgive me, Master.¡± Philippa quickly lowered her head. But it was only after Nikan was visibly upset. ¡°I guess I trusted you too much, Philippa.¡± His gaze reached Maki, who was still kneeling on the floor. ¡°So a maid like that dared to frame a princess.¡± Maki¡¯s complexion turned pale. The situation was clearly flowing as intended. An eight-year-old couldn¡¯t possibly be a formidable opponent in the first place. But when she came to her senses, Nikan was holding her by the neck. The crime of deceiving one¡¯s master. The price was high. Maki began to tremble. It was the same for the other maids. ¡°M-Master¡­ that, I, I misunderstood, I misunderstood that¡­¡± Sriing-. When Nikan drew his sword from his waist, Philippa quickly fell on the floor. If she just endured a little more, the evidence of embezzlement would arrive. Then the situation could be turned around again, she can¡¯t get killed like this. ¡°Master, we were wrong! Please forgive us just this once. Please, just this time¡­!¡± Nikan spoke coldly, ¡°Your self-indulgence went too far.¡± It was then. ¡°Daddy¡­?¡± At the peak of the uproar, Vivian, who had fainted, regained consciousness. Chapter 23 Navia tried to turn her head, but Wood¡¯s order was faster. ¡°Hit her.¡± (T/N: Wood here doesn¡¯t actually say ¡®her¡¯ here but for English grammar purposes I added that here. I thought that mentioning this shows how Wood doesn¡¯t see Navia as a human. BTW, Wood has never called Navia by her name. He always called her ¡®low-life.¡¯) Pak! Just like that, she lost consciousness. Navia walked slowly to her room with the hairpin in her hand. It felt like sharp thorn vines were spreading on the floor through her thin slippers. No, it was like walking barefoot on a sheet of ice. Vivian¡¯s room and Navia¡¯s room were opposite of the central staircase, so there was a considerable distance. The distance felt longer and more boring as she walked slowly with her short legs. But she couldn¡¯t put enough energy into her steps. She was tired. Only ¡°Yes, good girl.¡± Nikan patted her head as if he was relieved and spoke to the servants again. ¡°Your salaries will be cut for three months.¡± That was a moderate punishment. ¡°Thank you.¡± Nikan left the bedroom, clicking his tongue. He told Lyndon while heading to his bedroom instead of his office. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Imperial Palace right away, get the clothes ready.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Nikan planned to have a face-to-face meeting before the engagement on the day the Empress invited him. Nikan drew a satisfied smile. ¡°We can reduce the cost of lobbying for the Empress.¡± Mana was not unique. In the Lucia family, even if the quality was poor, it was good enough to use. However, Nikan wanted the position that only one could have, the Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e. The Empress took full advantage of that and pressed Nikan, citing other misgivings. Nikan was furious, but he had to postpone the face-to-face meeting until Navia was ready to be sent outside. Is this how a knight feels walking back to camp after fighting a never-ending war? ¡®Let¡¯s hang in there a little longer.¡¯ Navia paused and rubbed her tired eyes. Her head was pounding and her body was sluggish. Then, she could see the crescent moon on her wrist. The symbol of the power to steal other people¡¯s magic also proved it¡¯s the 9th regression. Only . The ninth life. Yes, this is the last life. ¡®Is this really living?¡¯ ¡°¡­uk!¡± She suddenly felt nauseous. Navia closed her mouth quickly and ran to her room. Then, she lost her balance and fell on the floor. She closed her eyes tightly and blocked her face with her arms. Thud! Nikan, who was staring at Philippa and Maki lying on the floor, responded immediately to his daughter¡¯s voice. ¡°Vivian! Are you okay?¡± Vivian looked around her bedroom blankly. Her crying maids, nanny, Philippa, and the calm Navia were all looking at her. ¡®Why is Sister here¡­?¡¯ Her head was blank. Vivian was unaware of the situation, but the moment Doctor Hans examined her, she realized that the situation was very strange. ¡°Why is everyone like that?¡± Her eyes soon reached the sword in Nikan¡¯s hand. Looking at it, isn¡¯t Daddy trying to kill Maki? At that moment, she was convinced that the reason her father was trying to kill Maki was because of Navia. She had been living the same life nine times already, so maybe something was broken? But she couldn¡¯t quit here. ¡®Quitting is death.¡¯ Navia slowly rose from the floor. She then put the pin in her hair with a smooth motion like flowing water. Her hands were neatly lowered and her head raised. She took a deep breath. The air that entered her lungs woke her back to reality. ¡®I don¡¯t have time to be emotional.¡¯ Navia pulled the corners of her mouth up. Even without forcing it, a smooth smile was drawn. Yeah, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m still fine. I¡¯m not broken. Navia stood in front of her room and pulled the door. Click. ¡°Where did you crawl out from?¡± A voice was heard from right next to her. ¡°!¡± ¡®That will end today, Empress Diana.¡¯ He thought he would need more time, but the level of etiquette that Navia showed today exceeded Nikan¡¯s expectations. ¡°Master, the carriage is waiting outside.¡± Before Nikan left the mansion, he looked around the quiet hallway once. Vivian was soothed and Wood was dead silent as if yesterday¡¯s warning worked. But you never know. ¡°Have a knight keep an eye on Wood so he doesn¡¯t make another mess.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Everything was going as planned. Navia ignored the looks of resentment directed at her and left the bedroom. When the door closed, Nikan let go of Vivian and told Philippa and the maids. ¡°Vivian saved your lives.¡± Philippa and the maids bowed their heads. ¡°¡­thank you for your mercy.¡± Nikan clicked his tongue looking at the pathetic things and turned back to Vivian. ¡°Vivi, it¡¯s not like an Agnes to be jealous of Navia just because she received a gift.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Of course your father will buy you a lot of better and prettier things, so how could you do that?¡± Vivian wasn¡¯t completely satisfied, but she was relieved to hear that he would buy her prettier and better things than Navia¡¯s. ¡°Okay. Vivi won¡¯t cry anymore.¡± She always watched his ecstatic affection, like the brilliant sunshine and the scent of flowers of the center of the world, from afar. The brighter the brilliant family seats for them were, the darker the shade where Navia sat was. She was the darkness here. That was the fate of stand-in. Navia¡¯s eyes were on Philippa and Maki. They were relieved and had smiled on their faces. Their loyalty to Vivian deepened, not to mention that their hatred for Navia also deepened. ¡°Navia.¡± Nikan spoke to Navia while holding Vivian. ¡°The gifts I gave you are all yours. So you don¡¯t have to return them.¡± Vivian flinched for a moment but didn¡¯t react any further. Because she felt instinctively that it was better to stop there. Navia took a step back and greeted him with flawless and graceful movements. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± Nikan sodded satisfied. ¡°Yes, go back now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The strong shock hit her arms and her whole body, but Navia didn¡¯t scream. She just squinted and got up slowly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Right in front of her was the hairpin. The hairpin that she chose to trick everyone. Navia looked at the hairpin blankly and reached out to grab it. She could feel the smooth and firm texture of the hairpin with her fingers. This was Navia¡¯s humble and insignificant spoil. It was the result of fighting alone with a spear and shield between those who pointed their swords at her. There were still days left to fight. So she had to come to her senses. She had to stop thinking weakly. She had to be more evil and spiteful than those who tried to trample on her. But her heart was worn out. Her feelings and her mental stability were running low. The thorns made for survival dug into her flesh and blood seemed to be flowing out. ¡®Will I be alright like this?¡¯ Vivian began to shed sad tears again. ¡°Don¡¯t kill Maki and Nanny! Uang!¡± Nikan took a deep breath. ¡°¡­ha.¡± It was a sigh to replace the curse that almost came out. No matter how young his daughter was¡­ it¡¯s unacceptable to defend a deceptive maid. However, he could not ignore his daughter¡¯s words. If he ignored his out of breath crying daughter, he felt like she would really go out of her mind if he disposed of them. ¡°Okay. Okay, so stop crying, Vivi. You¡¯re going to faint again.¡± Nikan, who held the crying Vivian, patted her on the back. Whether that looked like a caring father¡­ Navia looked at the situation quietly as if she had already been forgotten. She was used to this. Chapter 24 4. Discord When Navia was lying on the floor, Charlotte came into the room. ¡°M-Miss!¡± Wood quickly cast a spell and knocked Charlotte out. Thud! Unless it was Navia who could steal magic, this was no big deal. Of the three servants in Navia¡¯s room, Tom began to tremble as two people had already fallen to the floor. Wood snorted at Tom. ¡°You¡¯re not closing the door?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Young Master¡­¡± Tom swore inwardly at the fact that he was caught by Wood and got involved in something dangerous. But as seen just now, Wood was a wizard, so he could endanger him even as an adult. If he doesn¡¯t follow his orders, he will be retaliated, so he trembled but didn¡¯t disobey. ¡°Shit, I didn¡¯t think of the fact that she has a maid¡­¡± Wood looked at Charlotte annoyingly. ¡°You two keep this maid in an unused detached house. The remaining one, take the low-life to the warehouse.¡± Duke Agnes had many external facilities other than the main house. Some were small huts that even some of the workers didn¡¯t know of. He was going to take Navia to an outside warehouse and use violence to show her his dominance. ¡®I¡¯ve been searching for a place all day yesterday for this.¡¯ ¡°But¡­ will we be able to go without being caught?¡± Wood got annoyed with Tom asking cautiously with an anxious expression. ¡°You¡¯re going down through the balcony anyway, so what¡¯s the problem?!¡± Wood¡¯s magic was never lacking. It was an excellent axis because of his superior descent. It wasn¡¯t a problem to lower an adult woman and a girl with his power. ¡°It won¡¯t take long anyway.¡¯ It won¡¯t take half a day to overpower Navia. Even if Nikan considered Navia important, he could only pick out parts that wouldn¡¯t be noticed and form bruises. Wood giggled, imagining Navia crying and begging for help. ¡°Come on, go down and be on standby.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He hummed and lowered the two down magically. His movements were surprisingly delicate. ¡°Kikik. You can¡¯t get hurt now.¡± It would be a big problem if she broke before he could vent his anger. So Wood went down the first floor quietly. The servants did not find it strange for Wood to go out of the mansion. Upon arrival at the back garden, the other two servants had already disappeared with Charlotte, and Tom was left alone with Navia on his back. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Tom sighed inwardly as he just had to take Navia. He just prayed that he wouldn¡¯t get caught by anyone. Wood moved away from the main building. Entering the forest trail behind the mansion, a place decorated like a mountain cabin appeared. There was also an old warehouse that had been abandoned for more than 100 years. ¡°Lower the low-life over there.¡± ¡°Huk, huk. Yes¡­ Young Master.¡± Tom was carrying Navia during the long walk, so he was out of breath. He put Navia down in the old wooden warehouse. He frowned upon the mold. ¡°Now, shall I wake up that low-life now? At that time, the servants who were in charge of moving Charlotte rushed in. ¡°Young Master! You have to go back to your room quickly!¡± Wood, who just poured water on Navia to wake her up, looked back annoyingly. ¡°What is it!¡± ¡°The Master attached a knight to keep an eye on the Young Master. He asked where the Young Master is right now and was told that you were taking a walk in the garden¡­¡± Wood gritted his teeth. He was just about to take care of the low-life, but there¡¯s surveillance? ¡°Why did Father suddenly put me on watch?!¡± ¡°It is probably because he was requested at the Imperial Palace.¡± Wood¡¯s eyes shined. ¡°He¡¯s going to the Imperial Palace? Hm, then that¡¯s rather better.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll lie that I¡¯ll be in my room to get rid of the knight, then I can come back here and beat the crap out of the low-life.¡¯ He thought that it was a perfect plan. ¡°Let¡¯s go back for now. Lock the warehouse.¡± Wood returned back to his room on the third floor. As the servant said, there was a knight standing in front of his room. He snorted as he entered his room. But the knight, whom he thought would be guarding in front of his door, followed Wood inside. ¡°¡­what¡¯s with you? Why are you following me in?¡± ¡°His Excellency ordered me to escort the Young Master right next to you.¡± ¡°This¡­ you¡¯re not leaving right now? Stay outside!¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± The knight apologized, but he wasn¡¯t thinking about going outside. Wood was so angry that he tried to throw things at the knight but tried to calm his anger. It was because the knight could consider it suspicious if he got more angry about why he didn¡¯t leave. ¡®There¡¯s still time to take care of the low-life.¡¯ If Nikan went to the Imperial Palace, he won¡¯t be back until late afternoon. In the meantime, there will be a way to get rid of the knight. To do that, he needed someone to help him. Wood ordered the servant bluntly. ¡°Hey, you there. Get the nanny.¡± It was clear that Philippa would do anything for him. But a lot of time passed since the servant left to get his nanny. By the time he was about to get annoyed, the servant came back. But, he was alone. ¡°Young Master, I don¡¯t see Ms. Philippa.¡± Wood¡¯s anger exploded at the servant¡¯s words. ¡°Just where the hell did the nanny go?¡± *** Philippa, who was humiliated in Vivian¡¯s room, returned to her room with a face that had aged ten years. She was about to go mad in anger and resentment. On top of being shamed of her loyalty, Nikan pointed a knife at her. ¡°How could you do that to me? How¡­! Punch! Punch! Philippa punched her chest. If she didn¡¯t, she would have suffocated. ¡°This is all because of that b*tch.¡± Her anger naturally turned to Navia. Nikan was just fooled by the evil girl. If things are corrected, everything will flow the way it was. However, there was nothing unusual, so it was time to be angry inside. Knock knock. One of Philippa¡¯s close aides came with a book in his hand. ¡°The item you mentioned has arrived.¡± ¡°What were you doing for it to come so late!¡± Philippa took the book violently and checked the contents. Philippa, who scattered through the details of the embezzlement that the spy had coaxed, drew a mean smile. Charlotte¡¯s name was newly inserted in the middle of it with the fact that the chef had embezzled. ¡®It¡¯s done! It¡¯s perfect!¡¯ She went to Charlotte¡¯s room with a bag full of trash-like items. She was nervous that Charlotte may be in the room, but the room was empty. Heaven was helping her sin. Philippa quickly stuffed her belongings into Charlotte¡¯s closet and escaped. The trap was ready. She took the book and went to the office pretending to be in a hurry. ¡°Master!¡± But Nikan wasn¡¯t seen. Instead, Lyndon, who was organizing receipts related to housework, looked at Philippa curiously. ¡°Butler, where is the master?¡± ¡°Master was requested at the Imperial Palace. What¡¯s the matter?¡± The Imperial Palace at this important moment! Philippa frowned and looked at Lyndon with a straight expression. Lyndon was the ledger who wrote down the evidence that Nikan had taken care of the household affairs to some extent, ¡°The chef has been committing embezzlement.¡± ¡°How dare!¡± Lyndon opened the book with anger. There was a detailed record of the embezzlement in the kitchen. ¡°But the chef didn¡¯t do it alone. You know the maid Charlotte, right?¡± ¡°Charlotte¡­ Lady Navia¡¯s personal maid?¡± ¡°Yes. Charlotte is an accomplice. Those shameless ones even tried to shut me up.¡± One truth and one lie. Philippa devised a scheme as if she wasn¡¯t receiving anything. ¡°Lady Navia even tried to make me guilty! Of course. because it was a lie, it didn¡¯t work.¡± As evidence of embezzlement, she included Charlotte as well as Navia. It didn¡¯t matter if Navia couldn¡¯t be kicked out right away due to lack of evidence. What mattered was public opinion. ¡®Everyone just needs to be aware that Navia is a problem.¡¯ Then the chance for revenge will surely come! Philippa spoke sharply with a voice intoxicated with triumph. ¡°You have to catch them right now, Butler!¡± Chapter 25 The evidence Philippa had was not just the book. As long as she had embezzled, she collected various other evidence of exploitation. Originally, she would have been strangled to death by Nikan with those, but it was different now. ¡°Capture and search the chef!¡± The searching went by in a flash. ¡°W-what is this, so suddenly?!¡± The chef¡¯s face turned blue when he saw the knights and administrators who came into the kitchen like lightning. He had eaten so much during the time, his feet were numb. (T/N: He stole a lot of items.) There were so many expensive items in his accommodation that the cost of the restaurant wasn¡¯t even enough. The administrator looked at the chef with a fierce look. ¡°An administrator like you who embezzled is eliminated. You¡¯d better not think about running off.¡± As the kitchen was being searched, Lyndon and Philippa searched Charlotte¡¯s room. Lyndon¡¯s expression became grim while Philippa was triumphant when a record-like object was found in her room. ¡°Find Charlotte right now!¡± He couldn¡¯t let the unworthy servant of the great Agnes be. However, Charlotte was nowhere to be seen. Philippa went to Navia¡¯s room swearing at her for making things annoying. If she wasn¡¯t anywhere, she had to be in Navia¡¯s room! ¡°Charlotte!¡± Philippa slammed the door open and shouted triumphantly, but paused. No one was in the room. ¡®She¡¯s not here either? But where did that brat Navia go?¡¯ Are they working on something somewhere? Otherwise, there¡¯s no reason for both of them to be unseen at the same time! Philippa was impatient and pressed the servants around her. ¡°Hurry and find Charlotte! She has to be caught before she runs away!¡± Philippa treated Charlotte as a sinner and commanded the servants. ¡°A maid called Charlotte is nowhere to be seen inside the mansion!¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Philippa was baffled but soon almost cheered. It¡¯s rather better this way. The evidence was very clear towards the chef, but there was only a few pieces of evidence framing Charlotte. But hiding during a time like this completed the painting. ¡°That damn b*tch caught on and ran away! We need to find her!¡± Lyndon sighed with annoyance. ¡®Yesterday it was Charlotte, today it¡¯s also Charlotte. There seems to be a real problem today.¡¯ If it was reported that a maid committed embezzlement and quickly fled, a candlestick might fly into his head. She has to be caught before Nikan returns to the Duchy from the Imperial Palace. ¡°Expand the search!¡± They expanded their search not only within the main building but also for the gardens, greenhouses, and detached houses. ¡°I found her!¡± At the good news, Lyndon hurried to one of the separate houses along with the servant. Philippa quickly followed the butler. It was because she had to deny the accusations that she had embezzled. And. ¡°¡­What is going on?¡± Charlotte was in an unused detached house. On top of that, she was unconscious. ¡°Something is weird, Butler. The house was also locked from the outside.¡± ¡°What? Then doesn¡¯t that mean that someone knocked out Charlotte and locked her up!¡± Philippa sensed that something had gone wrong and spoke hurriedly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it the chef¡¯s work? He did this because he was scared of the embezzlement!¡± It was pure nonsense, so no one answered and frowned. ¡°¡­Move Charlotte for now and have the doctor look at her.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Lyndon thought that the process for catching thieves was flowing strangely. A servant, who was searching the mansion, spoke carefully, ¡°Um, Lady Navia has been missing the whole time.¡± ¡°What? Since when?¡± ¡°Since we have been searching for the maid called Charlotte, probably since before that too¡­¡± At then, a fierce roar was heard from behind. ¡°What do you mean!¡± Lyndon looked back quickly with a tingling look. Nikan, who had just returned, approached with a scary expression. ¡°M-Master!¡± ¡°Explain what is going on right now!¡± Lyndon and Philippa reported briefly about the chef¡¯s embezzlement. Nikan looked more threatening as he heard the explanation. He couldn¡¯t stand the fact that a family servant dared to embezzle without knowing his place. But there was also Navia¡¯s disappearance and her maid trapped in a separate house unconscious. This is apparent kidnapping! He was so angry he felt dizzy. ¡®Why did this happen right when I arranged a face-to-face dinner with the Empress!¡¯ Nikan lost his mind and shouted. ¡°Find her! Even if you have to search the whole capital, find Navia right now!¡± *** Blink. Navia just blinked her eyes. It was because nothing was identified. The surrounding area was only dark. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ She felt the touch of the floor behind her back. Navia lay down and moved her hand slightly to feel the floor. ¡®It¡¯s wood floor.¡¯ It was also spoiled and smelled. ¡°Hit her.¡± She was able to guess the situation with her last memory. ¡®¡­I was kidnapped.¡¯ The shitty Wood finally ignored his father¡¯s bluff and touched her. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The area she was hit was throbbing painfully. Navia took a short deep breath and suppressed her pounding heart from the sudden incident. ¡®Let¡¯s stay calm for now. The answer won¡¯t come out from just struggling.¡¯ If Wood kidnapped her, she has to look like it. Something could have broken in the meantime. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to have been hit yet. In addition, she wasn¡¯t tied up, ¡®I didn¡¯t get a gag and my feet and hands aren¡¯t tied up.¡¯ It was surprisingly a sloppy job. Navia was dumbfounded for a moment but sorted out the situation. ¡®You can tell how unprofessional he is because of how clumsily he did the job.¡¯ It seemed that Wood ordered his servant to lock her up here. ¡®The reason you locked me up here is obvious.¡¯ It was clear that he was trying to knock her down with force and not magic. But Wood left her without touching a hair. Also, he wasn¡¯t here right now. It meant that she was in a state where he could take care of her at any time. Or there was an unexpected situation causing him to have to leave. ¡®Like Nikan looking for him.¡¯ There was one thing she could guess. ¡®I¡¯m still inside Agnes.¡¯ If so, where am I? Navia wanted to check the inside, but nothing was identified because it was so dark. Because of that, it was better to close her eyes and focus all her attention to the sounds. Where is this place, how long she was unconscious for, whether there are people outside¡­ A recognizable sound could be heard. ¡®A bird¡¯s cry.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what bird it was, but the cries she would hear at night were always clear. ¡®So is it night right now?¡¯ Other than that, another piece of information was attained. ¡®The smell of wood rotting and the sound outside, this is probably an external warehouse.¡¯ Where would Charlotte be? Wouldn¡¯t Charlotte, who would have found the situation strange that she wasn¡¯t coming back to the room, be leading the people to search the mansion? ¡®That¡¯s unlikely.¡¯ It was highly likely that Wood knocked out Charlotte and locked her up somewhere else. ¡®It¡¯s cold¡­¡¯ Navia crouched down. The mansion was thoroughly heated, so she only had a dress on. Navia reached out and shook around. She carefully raised her body when her hand didn¡¯t catch anything. She didn¡¯t have any thoughts of being locked up like this. ¡®It would be nice if there was even a little bit of light.¡¯ Navia looked around, touching the floor. Thud! An empty wooden box was met with her foot. Chapter 26 ¡­¡­¡± Navia held her breath with a nervous face. If anyone was guarding outside, they could have come inside after hearing the sound. But nothing happened. There seemed to be no one guarding outside. ¡°¡­sigh.¡± Navia let out a long sigh and began to check her surroundings more actively. However, it was practically empty. Navia felt boxes stacked up, confirming that she was in a warehouse. ¡®I¡¯ll find something useful if I keep searching.¡¯ There was no law against death under any circumstances. Navia grit her teeth from the cold, but got a hold of herself and checked the items in her hand. How long had it been? Navia found a ray of light shining through a very small crack in the wall. The sound of grasshoppers crying at dawn couldn¡¯t even be heard. Chirp, chirp! Instead, the familiar chirping of sparrows in the morning were heard. When Navia saw the light, it felt like a star was twinkling in front of her eyes, pointing her to the correct path. Grumble. ¡®Ah¡­ come to think of it, I haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday morning.¡¯ Hungry. Navia had been shivering for a long time and her whole body hurt. She was paying attention to escaping, but her concentration was suddenly broken. She was in a state she had never felt before. But she kept moving. If she failed to find any breakthroughs and stayed like this until Wood came¡­ Clang. Navia felt something bump her hand and brought it to her nose. It had a small handle and a palm-sized plate. ¡®¡­hand mirror?¡¯ If it¡¯s this shape, isn¡¯t it just a hand mirror? Navia lifted it up to the ray of light. The amount of light shining in the warehouse was extremely little. It was a situation where more light was needed to actually see what was in her hand. ¡®Light can be reflected on the mirror to get more light.¡¯ Navia stuck the mirror out to the sunlight shining through the cracks in the wall. Shine! The light that flowed in lightly hit the mirror and created a new beam of light. Navia moved the light to gain a wider view inside. She could see the abandoned cabin covered with dust and spider webs. It seemed no different from what she speculated all night. ¡®Was there a place like this in the Duchy?¡¯ Looking back on her past eight lives, she couldn¡¯t even figure out the purpose for this place. She was almost surprised that Wood found this place. Navia was soon able to find out where the door was. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to break the door open with force since it¡¯s such an old place? After a deep breath, Navia hit her body hard against the door. Slam! ¡°Euk!¡± Even though it was an old wooden door, it didn¡¯t budge with Navia¡¯s strength. Because she was in a starved and cold state, Navia didn¡¯t seem to have any strength. Navia tried to hit the door a few more times with her body, but she collapsed in the corner. Wood had a very persistent personality. It was clear that he would definitely come to get even with her. ¡®Who knows I¡¯m missing?¡¯ Wood knew she could steal magic, so he wouldn¡¯t ever use it. Even if Navia was in a good state, she wouldn¡¯t be able to beat Wood in strength, but now she doesn¡¯t even have any energy. It was best to get out before Wood came back. Navia leaned against the pile of boxes, touching the floor with her hands. ¡°The floor is wet¡­¡± Navia frowned as she looked back, feeling the dampness of the floor with her fingertips. ¡®The floor is wet?¡¯ Navia looked at the floor. It was damp near the bottom of the box, but the other places were fine. Why was it only wet here? ¡®Thinking about it, it did rain a few days ago.¡¯ If it was the rain that made the floor like this, other places should also be wet. Navia began to clean up the boxes that had been piled up behind her. ¡®There¡¯s got to be a reason!¡¯ Perhaps, maybe¡­! ¡®There is!¡¯ When she moved the boxes that blocked the wall, she felt a small hole. Navia fixed the mirror reflecting the light to face the small hole. ¡®Could I go through this?¡¯ She reached out and checked the hole. It was narrower than expected. However, since she was skinny, she felt like she could go through it. Navia leaned down and went in. The hole was narrower than what she was able to see. She scratched the floor with her nails to force herself out. Whether it was her face or clothes, soil was getting everywhere, but it didn¡¯t matter. The only thing that mattered right now was escaping! ¡®I can see light!¡¯ Navia clenched her teeth and struggled. ¡®Please, a little bit more¡­!¡¯ Fortunately, her back, which had been stuck, began to slip out. I did it! I¡¯m finally outside¡­! ¡°Huh? Huuh? She¡¯s escaping!¡± With a servant on his way to the warehouse, Wood found Navia trying to escape and shouted. Navia pulled herself out completely and ran. ¡°Catch her!¡± The servant ran with Wood¡¯s command and quickly caught Navia. No matter how much Navia ran, she couldn¡¯t beat an adult man in speed. But she didn¡¯t intend to remain in custody. Navia pulled out the pearl hairpin from her hair and stabbed the servant in the thigh. Stab! The Pearl hairpin was definitely not a quality item. If it were real silver, it wouldn¡¯t have been able to easily pierce through flesh like this! ¡°Aahk!¡± The servant screamed and let go of Navia when he was stabbed in the thigh. Wood, witnessing the scene, was upset and went wild. ¡°You incompetent bug! Can¡¯t you catch a low-life like that?¡± ¡®If we lose the low-life, we¡¯re done!¡¯ The house turned upside down yesterday for many reasons. First, those who embezzled were being loud, and then Charlotte, who was locked up, was found and created more noise. The fact that Navia disappeared was quickly discovered by Nikan. Wood was nervous that the servants may find Navia. But was the location selected that outstanding? No one came to look. The search was intensified outside the mansion, suspecting the outside world. Wood was quietly holding in his breath so he wouldn¡¯t look suspicious to others. He came here before dawn. ¡®And I was going to beat you up and threaten you to keep your mouth shut that I kidnapped you!¡¯ He picked up a servant that he could use to make the situation easier to handle, but the servant couldn¡¯t even catch Navia. ¡°Catch her! I said, catch her! You worthless bastard!¡± He had to cover Navia¡¯s mouth somehow. Navia could steal her opponents¡¯ magic no doubt. But it wasn¡¯t that there was no way to overpower that. She couldn¡¯t be given time to steal magic! It was the way to deal with copycat wizards. Wood sent a stream of water towards Navia. ¡°Keut!¡± Navia was beaten by the stream of water and fell on the floor. Wood was thrilled that his idea was correct. ¡°Puhaha!¡± His fear of Navia, which loomed in his heart, disappeared as if washed away by his one success. ¡°This is real power. You stupid low-life. Did you think you could beat me just because you were lucky enough to steal my magic?¡± Wood approached Navia with the look of a winner. In the meantime, Navia got up with her trembling arms on the floor and shouted, ¡°Please save me!¡± The helpless cry made Wood laugh louder. ¡°You should¡¯ve run away earlier like that, idiot.¡± This proved that he was stronger. ¡°No matter how hard you struggle, you¡¯re just a low-life.¡± Pak! Wood kicked Navia without mercy. Navia rolled back on the floor again. She turned her head and glared at Wood. Wood was in high spirits but flinched at the look in her eyes that were tearing up. ¡®It¡¯s okay as long as I don¡¯t use magic. She¡¯s not a wizard anyway, so there¡¯s no other ability!¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re no match for me even if I don¡¯t use magic!¡± Wood forgot about the faint fear he felt for a moment and grabbed Navia. ¡°Die!¡± It was then when Navia held his arm reflexively. Thump! A big drum rang throughout her whole body. The echo was so great: it was as if her whole body was a bell and someone had hit her body, creating a loud ring. An unexpected change occurred with the single beat. The wind stopped. Chapter 27 The smell of grass was wonderful. The birds were silent. No¡­ no, they weren¡¯t. The wind was blowing. The smell of grass was on the tip of her nose and the birds were singing. It was just slow. Everything was just slow. Navia looked at Wood with wide eyes. He had a vicious look, his eyes glistening with life. His upper body was bent out of proportion. His elbow was pulled back, close to crushing his nose with his tightly twisted fist. His upper body gradually rolled inward. His fist flew like a strained arrow. ¡®Slow.¡¯ The whole scene looked much slower than the flying dust falling on the floor. Wood¡¯s eyes, radiating hatred, penetrated the view clearly. Had she ever looked for this long and with such inspection at eyes showing insignificance and disgust? Wood always waved his fist at her with these kinds of eyes and that expression. In the slower world, Navia lived alone. She followed her instincts and squeezed Wood¡¯s arm with her full strength and speed. The black moon greedily extorted its opponents mana. A strong force was felt. The rich power of water poured in. Now, she was sure. ¡®I can steal my opponent¡¯s magic.¡¯ Not only the magic that emerged, but also, with contact like this, she could suck up the opponent¡¯s ability. What nightmare of a power was this? Wood¡¯s expression was seen clearly. Spark! There was a spark of blue energy between Wood and Navia. It was a harbinger of a mana explosion. This was Wood¡¯s limit. It was the end of his potential. Navia had extorted all of it. Originally, the body would have split up after vomiting blood, but this was not the case for Navia. The phenomenon occurred. There was a big bang. One, Navia wasn¡¯t a wizard who created magic with the mana she had in her body. The black moon was an out-of-the-box force. Spark!! Navia was covered in sparks. Wood made a fist. He was about to step back after losing hold of Navia¡¯s collar. His expression was filled with fear. At that moment, the speed of the surrounding world resumed. Red eyes clearly looked back through the blue sparks that covered Navia¡¯s entire body. The red eyes met with Wood. Navia returned Wood¡¯s words with a laughable voice. ¡°You should¡¯ve run away earlier like that, idiot.¡± Burst!!! Silver hair fluttered like a storm. *** cold. His movement was infused with unmistakable fatigue. It was understandable. After the disturbance from this morning and the previous day, he immediately went to the Imperial Palace to meet the Empress and returned. But when he came back, his foster daughter disappeared. The recent days had been bad so he was thinking that any bad news ¡°What about Navia?¡± When the man¡¯s incompetent answer returned, Nikan suffered the urge to strangle him. A dignified chief. A generous chief. In the meantime, extreme stress tormented him as his reason, that had been balancing on an edge, was about to tip. If he couldn¡¯t find Navia and had to reverse his words to the Empress, he calculated how astronomical a sum would be needed to make up for it. ¡®Where else can I get a new foster daughter?¡¯ The unscrupulous things in life were stuck in mud and the feeling of defeat ate at Nikan. There had never been such a big failure in his life. ¡®No. It¡¯s not a failure yet.¡¯ Night already passed. The torches went out one by one as the sun rose. Time was approaching for the scouts to make an interim report. ¡°Oh¡­that, over there¡­!¡± down. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ It was then when Nikan frowned and turned his head in the Sting! In a flash, his left cheek, nose, and right ear became numb. To be exact, his whole body stood up sharply from a strong energy felt from the direction of the pointing finger. ¡°!¡± He turned his head in disbelief. And then he witnessed, ¡°¡­water?¡± No, no, there¡¯s no way. matter who saw it, there was a huge water storm. A very frightening storm at that. ¡°Just how, just how did this kind of phenomenon¡­?¡± Nikan felt as if his heart was splitting in half. This dark energy was familiar. It belonged to his son. ¡°Wood¡­¡± His son couldn¡¯t use this ability. ¡°Wood!¡± Nikan ran in the direction of the rising storm. It was far. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to run like that. He hurriedly grabbed a horse out of the stable and climbed on. He penetrate the sky. The obstructions in the way were removed by magic. The fog-like mana in the lake filled Nikan with an ominous feeling. It was a sign of heavy rain. trace. But the aftermath was clear. The whole area was devastated. Nikan had a tired look on his face. No, looking overwhelmed was a more accurate expression. The area was filled with mana so dense that it was hard to breathe. Nikan was depicting what might have happened. With rain this heavy, he might run out of vitality! He could see Wood lying on the floor. ¡°Wood!¡± Nikan got off the horse and hugged his son. Although he was wet because of the water, blood could be seen clearly around his mouth. He vomited blood because of internal injuries. Still, warmth was felt. He was breathing enough. Nikan thanked God. ¡°Master!¡± A large number of people who witnessed the water column soon arrived. ¡°Just what¡­¡± Almost all the buildings with unknown purposes were broken and tree branches were scattered everywhere. The ground was dented here and there as if a giant scratched it. This disaster was man-made! Wood was a wizard of excellent descent. However, everyone knew his ability wasn¡¯t enough to cause this. In the first place, it was impossible for even Nikan to demonstrate this destructive ability. ¡°Take Wood to the doctor for a check up! Hurry!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± At that time, someone shouted from a short distance away. ¡°We found Lady Navia here!¡± Nikan closed his eyes tightly. This incident eventually happened because of Wood. But Wood was the important matter anyway. Navia was nothing but property. A priceless possession to make the Empress, produce a successor, and place the Empire at the feet of If Wood killed Navia, he would be angry, but if he replaced it with something else, it would be enough. Nikan sent Wood to the main building first and then approached Navia. He hoped that the child¡¯s condition would be intact. ¡°She fainted.¡± Navia¡¯s clothes were messed up as if they had been dipped in muddy water. Small wounds were also noticeable here and there. However, ¡®Is it a good thing¡­?¡¯ Rumors will spread throughout the capital. He was already annoyed to think that the hyenas, who were curious about Agnes¡¯ every move, would snoop around to find food. ¡®Especially if it¡¯s the Empress.¡¯ Tomorrow¡¯s face-to-face meeting could be put off with an excuse from today. However, it was obvious that the Imperial family would call for an investigation about the water pillar. It was when Nikan was lost in his thoughts with a cold expression. Sparkle! ¡°Hm?¡± Nikan picked up something that sparkled. It was the hairpin Navia brought into her room yesterday. However, there was blood on the other side of the pearl. He looked at Navia. He could see scratches but how could there be blood on the hairpin? Chapter 28 Right when he became curious, he heard another cry. ¡°Master! There¡¯s a servant who was assisting the Young Master!¡± There was even a servant. It became even clearer that Navia had been kidnapped. ¡°Take Navia to the doctor for now.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Nikan gave the order and then approached Wood¡¯s servant. Fortunately or unfortunately, the servant was conscious. However, he was shaking with his head stuck on the floor. ¡°Save me, God¡­! Please save me¡­¡± The servant was out of his mind at the shock of witnessing a disaster that seemed like the world was ending before his eyes. Nikan¡¯s forehead crumpled and he signaled to the knights with his chin. The knights held the servant from both sides and forced his upper body up. Slap! Nikan slapped the servant on the cheek. The servant raised his head with a blank look from the slap that came out of nowhere. ¡°M-Master?¡± Nikan quickly decided on the scapegoat by looking at the servant¡¯s stupid face. ¡°How dare you kidnap the Princess!¡± The employees around were aware that Wood was responsible for the kidnapping. But Nikan blamed the servant who witnessed the scene. If that was what he decided, then that was what had happened. The employees remained silent. ¡°Yes¡­? I-It wasn¡¯t me! This is Young Master Wood¡¯s¡­¡± Slap! When Wood¡¯s name was mentioned, Nikan slapped the servant on the cheek. ¡°You dare frame my son?¡± Nikan already completed the scenario for this job. A presumptuous servant kidnapped and detained Navia, and Wood discovered it and saved his sister. ¡°Put him in jail right now!¡± ¡°We heed your orders!¡± ¡°This is unfair! I was only following orders! Master!¡± Nikan looked down at the servant coldly. ¡°Why is this bastard calling me ¡®Master¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why would you, who is not a vassal, but nothing but a servant, call me master?¡± Unless the ransom was paid to invalidate the life contract, the employees had to call Nikan master. It was practically being a slave. The servant was devastated and lost his words. Nikan turned around without looking back. It was because he had to check Wood¡¯s condition quickly. ¡®This couldn¡¯t have happened with just one servant¡¯s help. There must be more accomplices.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t the only thing he had to deal with. The embezzlement of the chef and the disposal of the maid named Charlotte remained. As soon as Nikan returned to the main building of the Duchy, he ordered Lyndon to come forward. ¡°Send a message to the Imperial family that the successors are in jeopardy due to a mana explosion, and the face-to-face meeting should come slowly.¡± As Lyndon left to carry out the order, an administrator who had been investigating the embezzlement case since yesterday approached Nikan. ¡°Master, I¡¯d like to report the investigation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen on my way.¡± Nikan headed to Wood¡¯s room and began to listen to the administrator¡¯s report. There was no major abnormality in the investigation. The books and embezzlement that Philippa showed were almost all right. ¡°But there is something strange about it. The part of the maid named Charlotte was not in line with the other books.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°That part is under review.¡± Nikan clicked his tongue. She was a maid anyway. He didn¡¯t have time to waste any manpower on such a useless thing right now. He was going to assign Charlotte as a laundry maid. ¡°Master.¡± Nikan was about to enter Wood¡¯s room. But there were several servants waiting for Nikan with pretty grim looks. ¡°What is it?¡± With Nikan¡¯s question, a servant stepped forward. The servant who was slapped by Philippa for not immediately taking care of the wet Wood. ¡°I am accusing Philippa of corruption.¡± A new celebration took place. *** Slavery was prohibited by Imperial law. However, it was only prohibited to treat people as property. There was a similar system. A life contract. A life contract that paid a fairly large down payment, as well as a monthly salary, for commoners. However, they belonged to the family. If they couldn¡¯t afford to pay ransom, they had to live like a slave, but if they did have money, the story changed. Charlotte wanted to pay it and get out of the contract. In the first place, it wasn¡¯t her will to enter this place. Her family sold her and fled with the money. Many of the employees were attributed to the aristocracy this way. No matter how much you save the frugal salary earned as a maid, you can¡¯t leave in your lifetime. Charlotte was not incompetent, but it was difficult to earn more in a legitimate way. So she looked for chances to make a back pocket. ¡®If I get out of here, I¡¯ll set up a small cafe.¡¯ Charlotte was good at making fruit jams. If she set up a cafe, she was confident that she would make great jams for teas and desserts. She would use frozen strawberries, since they can be stored and aren¡¯t sold by fruit merchants at a hefty price. Making jam out of frozen fruit was killing two birds with one stone since it was more delicious and more cost effective. When the strawberries are boiling, squeeze lemon juice into the pot. Then the strawberries don¡¯t turn brown and create a pretty red color. Ah, the strawberry taste will be much better if a couple of cherries are added to it. The sweet jam will be sold in separate glass bottles, but will be served to customers who order coffee and scones. Yes. She was dreaming of such a sweet and peaceful daily life. ¡°What do I do now? All the employees who have ties with Philippa are in her hands!¡± Charlotte was in custody in her room on charges of embezzlement. But her room was suddenly empty. Was there a storm? Charlotte frowned at the incomprehensible words. And employees, who had colluded with her, took advantage of the lack of surveillance. ¡®Pathetic bastards.¡¯ If the group enlarges, the number of people inevitably increases. There were more than five places for supplying food. Therefore, it meant that the number of idiots increased. These were the people who had been referred to by Charlotte and awaited the loss of the vigilant Philippa. She wasn¡¯t exceptionally smart, but when she saw these morons, she swelled up at once. But Charlotte soon calmed down. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to seize the opportunity even in a crisis with these idiots? ¡®Lady Navia controls these idiots like toys.¡¯ Charlotte, who had not yet heard that Navia had returned, looked very worried. Then, she smiled at the employees who looked anxious. Exactly like Navia. ¡°What are you all worried about? This is an opportunity.¡± ¡°An opportunity?¡± ¡°The chef was betrayed by Philippa and the corruption was exposed. Those two were already holding hands for the embezzlement.¡± The employees hesitated. ¡°But how do you know that?¡± Charlotte seemed to sigh when she was asked to prove it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to doubt it. Go to the cell where the chef is locked up right now and ask him. It¡¯s Philippa who betrayed you.¡± ¡°What does that¡­?¡± ¡°The chef who knows about Philippa¡¯s betrayal may expose her weaknesses to retaliate.¡± The eyes of the employees shone as if they were being fed. They immediately did what Charlotte said to. They visited the chef and were told that Philippa created the situation. ¡°I knew it would be like this!¡± The chef, who was already given a heads up by Charlotte that Philippa was strange, told them at once. ¡°I will definitely not die alone!¡± The chef also didn¡¯t completely trust Philippa. He had her weaknesses prepared in advance, just like Philippa had. It was very important to destroy Philippa and the chef together, as they were the oldest members of the family. Even though they were stupid, they understood that removing the two giants that had previously dominated the house would open new opportunities. The employees exposed the corruption to Nikan, believing they would become the new main characters. They said everything the chef told them. In the process, they didn¡¯t forget to clear Charlotte of the charges. ¡°The items from Charlotte¡¯s room were bribes Philippa accepted.¡± Nikan furrowed his forehead. ¡°Investigate Philippa based on their testimonies.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The administrator left and Nikan looked at the employees. They were hostile to Philippa who had already been fully inferred from the accusations. ¡®They covered the maid Charlotte.¡¯ He thought she was just a competent maid who handled her work neatly, but looking at the work done today, there seemed to be something else. Those who wanted to be loyal to Agnes were widespread and laid down. Was it necessary to keep someone whose intentions were unclear? Nikan ordered coldly. ¡°Send the maid Charlotte to the laundry room and attach a new maid to Navia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 29 After all that, Nikan sighed deeply and stood in front of his son¡¯s room. Of course, as the head of the family, Nikan used the best room in the Agnes Duchy. The next person to use the best room was the heir, Wood. Other than the bedroom, his room had a separate playroom, reception room and dress room, so nearly half of the floor was all Wood¡¯s. Because of that, he had to walk long on the central stairs to Wood¡¯s bedroom. When the door was opened after a long hallway, unlike Vivian¡¯s room, a clear and strong color-oriented bedroom appeared. Click. Nikan entered his son¡¯s room with a complex expression. Wood was lying on a bed with red curtains. ¡°Master.¡± Hans, who was looking at Wood¡¯s condition inside, greeted him. Nikan waved his hand and bid his greeting. ¡°How is Wood?¡± ¡°There is nothing dangerous. But I think it¡¯s better for a knowledgeable wizard to find out more.¡± ¡°¡­I see. If you¡¯re done treating, go get some rest.¡± Hans, with Nikan¡¯s disdainful words, bowed his head and left the bedroom. The bedroom was in silence. Nikan dragged a chair and sat by the bed. His head was pounding nonstop. ¡®There should be an aftereffect from the mana explosion.¡¯ Although his life wasn¡¯t at risk, it was clear that a sharp scar would be left on his body caused by the tremendous storm. If the mana was twisted, it¡¯s safe to say that the life as a wizard was over. Nikan clasped his face in a terrible mood. ¡°Just why the hell did you do that, Wood¡­?¡± Do you hate Navia that much to take that risk? A terrible sense of skepticism weighed in his whole body. He was never wrong. There had never been a failure. The only failure in life was the fact that his daughter was born with the mana reflux disease. But now he doubted his choice. Was it right to have Navia here even if things got this far? ¡®Should I get rid of her?¡¯ His foster daughter could die in an accident. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to disguise it. He looked out the window. The sunny sky began to cloud quickly after the emergence of the storm. ¡°It looks like it will rain.¡± Nikan¡¯s eyes sank coldly as he looked at the sky, which was likely to rain tomorrow. Rainy days were easier to disguise as carriage accidents. ¡®Should I just get rid of Navia?¡¯ Clean and bright silver hair without any impurities. Fair and smooth skin. From the dim colors to the red eyes that marked the beauty of a flower at the top of a hill. When he recalled her great beauty that would overwhelm an audience in ten years, he couldn¡¯t help but feel regret. If a nickname was given to Navia¡¯s beauty, it would be ¡®calamitous beauty.¡¯ (T/N: The word used here for calamitous beauty is ¡®????¡¯ which is an idiom that means a beauty so great that tilts a country, a woman so beautiful she may jeopardize the fate of the country because the ruler favors her so much.) She was objectively the greatest beauty, but he was more regretful because she matched Prince Ares¡¯ tastes according information he obtained secretly. Nikan was tired, but he took care of the sleeping Wood. Time went by quickly as he had to deal with the embezzlement problem that broke out in the house, and wizards were called in to continuously inject mana so that the aftereffects of the mana explosion would not remain. The day passed in a flash. In the meantime, Wood and Navia remained unconscious. Nikan fell asleep on the sofa in Wood¡¯s bedroom and soon heard his son¡¯s voice. ¡°Eu¡­Dad¡­?¡± It felt as if he had been hit with cold water. ¡°Wood!¡± Wood raised his upper body with a distorted look as his body throbbed. Nikan ran quickly and held his son in his arms. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Wood looked around, wondering why he was in his bedroom. ¡°You were unconscious because of a mana explosion. What the hell happened for the storm to appear? It¡¯s a relief it occurred close by¡­¡± Nikan was heartbroken to see his son¡¯s pale skin in daylight. His little son almost died. Rather than that event, the truth was more important for Nikan. Wood didn¡¯t understand Nikan¡¯s words and frowned. ¡°Mana explosion¡­?¡± A storm was created? ¡®I don¡¯t remember such a thing¡­¡¯ When he woke up at dawn, he called in a servant and went to the cabin where he kept Navia. He remembered that he was a little scared because of the cold dawn air and the calmness in the depressed forest. Then he found Navia escaping from a hole in the cabin. And, and¡­what was it? ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± It remained clear in his mind until he caught Navia. He clearly remembered the feeling of being swept away by the intense desire to extinguish the red eyes that looked straight at him with death. Strange memories were mixed in between. The sparks with the blue energy were so bright it looked white¡­ Within those sparks, red¡­ Shock! He got goosebumps all over his body. Perhaps because of his red hair, his favorite color was red. Until now. Wood was suffocating because of the red curtains that filled his room. Red. He was afraid of the color red. The color red that flew eerily through the pure white light was scary. ¡°Aaak!¡± He screamed and tore sheets on his bed. ¡°Wood!¡± Nikan was surprised and grabbed Wood, but he was violently repelled. Wood tore and trampled the curtains while squinting his eyes. He didn¡¯t understand why he did it, but he followed his instincts. And then, he suddenly heard a voice. ¡°Why should I?¡± This was something he couldn¡¯t remember. But he knew exactly whose voice it was. Wood murmured as if he were possessed. ¡°It¡¯s all because of her¡­¡± His body was throbbing, and his mana felt like it was swept away empty. ¡°She made me like this! It¡¯s because of her!¡± Wood¡¯s angry face was mixed with unnoticed fear. Nikan watched his son¡¯s unstable condition and pat Wood with a mixed expression. ¡°Yes. Father will handle it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Then he called in the doctors to take care of Wood¡¯s condition and left the bedroom. Nikan unconsciously walked in the direction of his office and then turned to Navia¡¯s room. Lyndon approached him and assisted him. ¡°What about Navia?¡± ¡°She is still asleep.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Nikan had complicated thoughts. As long as Navia was engaged, Agnes could reign the Empire for at least 100 years. They would be at the pinnacle even after Wood led the family¡­ The emotion that came to Wood¡¯s face referring to Navia was most definitely fear. Fear. Why on earth did he feel fear from that little girl? ¡®It¡¯s probably because of the mana explosion.¡¯ Nikan concluded with that and spoke to Lyndon. ¡°We need to get ready to meet the Imperial Family.¡± ¡°Yes, Master. However¡­ Lord Spencer is requesting an audience and is waiting in the drawing room.¡± ¡®Ah, is today the day his vacation ends?¡¯ But Navia was still unconscious, and he had to go to the Palace. ¡°Tell him we¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡± ¡°That¡­ He said it¡¯s an important issue that he needs to tell you right now.¡± When Lyndon spoke cautiously, Nikan sighed and nodded. ¡°Ha¡­ Okay.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to make time to talk for a bit. But he didn¡¯t like it when it was bothersome. He thought he would get angry if it was something worthless. He went to the drawing room and saw Edward dressed neatly. ¡°Mr. Spencer, you have something to tell me?¡± Nikan, who was tired and had no time to relax, greeted him and got straight to the point. Edward spoke regardless of Nikan¡¯s attitude. ¡°I asked to see you because I have something important to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Nikan asked half-heartedly. Edward expected his attitude to change quickly. ¡°I found a cure for the mana reflux disease.¡± Chapter 30 ¡°¡­what?¡± Nikan made a face as if he couldn¡¯t understand because it was an unrealistic story. Then his eyes slowly widened. ¡°Is that true?!¡± Edward nodded seriously. ¡°It is true. I came here after treating my little sister.¡± ¡°Oh, my God¡­!¡± Nikan¡¯s hand trembled at the unbelievable situation. With his disorganized emotions, he covered his mouth and wiped his dry face. He managed to calm down with a deep breath. His eyes were red with blood. ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°The method is simple. A high-ranking wizard pulls out the mana from the patient¡¯s body and puts them in a temporary vacuum state, then the wizard instills mana.¡± Nikan retorted nervously. ¡°However, wouldn¡¯t there be a flood if all the mana is pulled out?¡± A patient with mana reflux disease was not a wizard, but an explosion could occur if the mana was let go of. In fact, similar experiments had been conducted, and patients with mana reflux disease had caused explosions and had died. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if the controlling wizard continues to carry the patient¡¯s mana.¡± And it was Edward¡¯s specialty because mind-dominating wizards were particularly outstanding. Nikan urgently asked, ¡°My daughter, save my daughter Vivian!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long, so let¡¯s go to Princess Vivian together.¡± The decision was quick and the action was even faster. The fact that mana reflux disease was a disease, which didn¡¯t not have any premonitory symptoms and the day of death, made it so. And¡­ ¡°It is a success!¡± The treatment was successful. Vivian¡¯s mana flowed like its original flow. A wizard can read the flow of mana, so of course, Nikan could see it. His eyes turned red. His daughter, who had always been sick, recovered from her illness. Even if she were lucky, Vivian, who was expected to leave for heaven before reaching adulthood, became healthy. (T/N: You sure about heaven?) He held his daughter tightly in his arms. All the skepticism from yesterday evaporated. Vivian, in Nikan¡¯s arms, asked innocently, ¡°Daddy, is Vivi all better now?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ You¡¯re all better. Vivi is very healthy now.¡± Vivian smiled lovingly. ¡°Hehe, good! Vivi is healthy!¡± Nikan smiled softly and stroked her pink hair, which was as fine as flower petals. This child will be the Empress. ¡®As I thought, I don¡¯t fail.¡¯ ¡°Vivi, Dad will go to the palace for work. I¡¯ll buy a pretty teddy bear as a celebration for Vivi on my way back.¡± ¡°Wow! Daddy is the best!¡± Nikan let go of his daughter from his arms and left Vivian¡¯s room with Edward. This great discovery should be reported immediately to the Emperor. He spoke first favorably to Edward, before offering him a carriage to the Imperial Palace with him. ¡°Thank you very much. You saved my daughter.¡± ¡°I just did what I had to do.¡± Nikan had a high opinion of Edward¡¯s not-so-business manner early on. But Edward¡¯s appearance of keeping his composure at such a moment increased his favorability. ¡®Such a competent man deserves to be mine.¡¯ As Nikan recalled some kind of plan, Edward briefly swept the ring under his glove with his fingers and spoke, ¡°What will you do with Miss Navia now?¡± ¡°Ah, Navia¡­¡± Nikan had intended to engage Navia to Ares until just now. But it was originally Vivian¡¯s seat, so it was total nonsense now. ¡®Should I just kill her now?¡¯ Wood hated her so much, so he thought it was unwise to keep Navia. Then Edward suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you send Miss Navia to Duke Eseled as a successor?¡± Nikan looked up at the idea he had never thought of. ¡°Duke Agnes is the richest man in the Empire. But it is certainly a shame when it comes to power.¡± Nikan clenched his teeth for a moment. Agnes had enough money to hire many mercenaries, and they have also produced powerful water wizards for generations, but to the Duffman Imperial family, where they can draft soldiers, it was incomparable. But even such a royal house faltered in front of Eseled. That was the power of knowledge. Magic could be strengthened through research. Eseled used all kinds of knowledge to create a new level of power, which soon let to the cultivation of a powerful military group. ¡°There is no one who can follow Eseled in magic. It is said that they are 100 years ahead in the whole Empire.¡± Deep jealously rose in Nikan¡¯s eyes. With the most powerful force among the three Duke¡¯s, Eseled was the most dangerous place out of any family. Edward lowered his voice. ¡°However, look at Eseled now. They¡¯ve fallen.¡± Eseled, who had been making brilliant achievements, began to falter at some point and was declining completely as a great family. Still, it was undeniable that their troops were strong. ¡°Theorban Alvin, as you know, is acting as the head of House Eseled.¡± The count in the Empire who was foolish enough to follow him. ¡°To think he takes the Head¡¯s place¡­ can¡¯t you guess Eseled¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°The other vassals in Eseled¡¯s household have also lost a lot of influence.¡± Edward informed him of the exact plan. ¡°If Miss Navia and Young Master Wood get married, you will naturally have the power of their family in your grasp.¡± All of Edward¡¯s whisperings were fascinating. Nikan calculated quickly in his head. ¡®It¡¯s a good idea to keep Navia away until Wood¡¯s condition is stable. When Wood is a little older, he will understand how useful Navia is.¡¯ If it worked out like that, it would be perfect, but there remained a problem. ¡°That really is idealistic, but there are two problems.¡± It was something Edward had already predicted. ¡°Yes, whether Eseled will accept this or not, and the risk that the Empress will take the same aim and strap in Miss Navia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hard to send Navia to Eseled. If His Majesty offers to cover up the disloyalty that the Eseled House has committed, it will be difficult for them to reject.¡± ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°But if the royal family covets Navia. That¡¯s definitely a problem.¡± Edward smiled calmly and brought out Nikan¡¯s true inner feelings. ¡°Do you really think that is a threat to Agnes?¡± Nikan quietly closed his lips and drew a smile. As Edward said, he didn¡¯t think he would lose. No, he couldn¡¯t lose. ¡®Since Navia is the chess piece I raised.¡¯ And Edward could be his vassal managing Navia. It was already his win. It¡¯s not safe to be the king. He took countless risks and won. It would be like that again. ¡°Haha, really. I¡¯m being terribly scolded for saying something I didn¡¯t say.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how great Agnes is.¡± Nikan smiled satisfactorily. ¡°Just in time. I had to go to the palace today, you should go with me. If I tell the Emperor of this great achievement, he will give you a title.¡± Edward lowered his head slightly. The treatment was not a happy tribute for him because it was Navia¡¯s discovery, not his. ¡°If that happens, Sir Spencer, won¡¯t you be a vassal of Agnes?¡± It was a sudden promotion, so if it was not too long ago, he would have accepted it. Edward couldn¡¯t say he would. Strangely, he hesitated. Therefore, he showed humility for now. ¡°That seat is too much for me.¡± ¡°No, no. How could it be too good for someone like you? I¡¯ll give you the best possible conditions, so think about it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± At that time, a servant prepared a carriage so they could leave at anytime. The servant made an additional report. ¡°Ah, and Lady Navia just woke up.¡± Edward was not in a hurry, but he spoke quickly. ¡°Then I will check on Princess Navia¡¯s condition before leaving for the Palace.¡± Nikan quickly nodded when he understood that checking her condition was about brainwashing. ¡°Yes, do that.¡± Edward headed to Navia¡¯s bedroom under the guidance of a servant. The ring on his index finger had already disappeared. Chapter 31 5. Escape The moment Navia came to her senses, she opened her eyes as if she were surprised. When her red eyes focused, there was an antique ceiling. ¡®¡­was the ceiling in my room like this?¡¯ And soon, she realized that she was in the Emerald room. It was unfamiliar because she had only used it for a few days throughout her lives. She turned her head sideways to check the clock in the corner. 9 A.M. Navia wrinkled her brows. She didn¡¯t even know what day it was. ¡°Ha¡­ eat sh*t, Wood.¡± Did I miss the golden opportunity I originally planned while I was unconscious? Navia covered her eyes with her palm and looked at the black moon. Looking at the quiet black moon reminded her of the white fog that appeared. In the middle of the fog, Navia had held Wood and continued to pull out his mana. The red blood flowing through his lips came to mind. ¡°Let go-!¡± His fear was clearly portrayed on his face. ¡°Brother, do you know what you said when I begged you to stop hitting me?¡± ¡°Let go! I said let go!¡± The struggling Wood was drawn from the steam and tied to his limbs. And she let him know. ¡°Why should I?¡± His violence had no particular meaning. Just. Because he could. Because he wanted to. Because she¡¯s a lowlife. Navia woke up from bed with a dry expression. First, her top priority was to figure out the situation. When she pulled the rope, a maid came in. ¡°Did you call? But it wasn¡¯t Charlotte. ¡°Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡± ¡°Charlotte was demoted as punishment for not serving the Lady properly. I will serve you from now on.¡± What does Charlotte have to do with the kidnapping to be punished so severely? Navia thought there was a different reason. ¡°Then where is the nanny?¡± The maid replied cautiously. ¡°¡­she is in the cell¡± ¡®So Charlotte also got the Duke¡¯s suspicions after she bit Philippa.¡¯ That¡¯s why I told you not to accuse Philippa too early. But it must have been hard to come up with a better idea when she was framed. Navia understood the situation at once and asked the most important question. ¡°How long have I been unconscious for?¡± ¡°One day.¡± ¡®If it¡¯s been one day, today is the day the contract is to be carried out.¡¯ What is Edward doing right now? At 9 o¡¯clock, it¡¯s early, but it¡¯s also the time for him to go to work at the duchy. Navia looked at the new maid calmly. She read quite a bit of information from the maid¡¯s attitude. First, Wood is safe. ¡°What about Brother?¡± The maid responded, ¡°He¡¯s caused a mana explosion in the process of saving the Lady, but fortunately, he is safe.¡± Wood knows I can use magic by exerting mana, so he couldn¡¯t have stayed still. Navia frowned at the elusive situation. ¡®So the kidnapping never happened.¡¯ (T/N: Navia is saying it is to be known that Wood didn¡¯t kidnap her.) It wasn¡¯t surprising because it was such a natural move. However, it was a little strange that Charlotte was punished in the process. ¡°What position was Charlotte demoted too?¡± The maid felt a strange about the questions asked. Strangely, it felt like she wasn¡¯t handling a child. ¡°She is in the laundry room.¡± The amount of laundry in the duchy was enormous. Washing and drying wasn¡¯t even average, but you also had to iron all of it. If you continue to work as a laundry maid, your body won¡¯t be intact. ¡°I see. It¡¯s not hard, right?¡± When Navia asked naively, the maid was speechless for a while. She was a bit flustered at the stupid question she asked. She didn¡¯t know if Navia was innocent or bright. ¡°Ah¡­ yes, well. A little.¡± It occurred to her that she might continue to ask stupid questions if she stayed here. It was an annoying part of working with a child. Just in time, a knock was heard outside. ¡°Miss, Sir Spencer is asking to see you.¡± Navia spoke calmly. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened and Edward came in. His expression looked refreshed, as if all the tension that had been somewhere had been relieved somehow. He must have successfully cured his younger sister¡¯s illness. Navia asked the new maid, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Kate.¡± ¡°Yes, Kate. You can go now.¡± Kate slipped out of the bedroom, relieved that she no longer had to deal with the child. Navia¡¯s expression subsided coldly when only the two were left in the room. ¡°Did you cure your younger sister¡¯s illness?¡± Edward answered dryly with his signature calm expression and voice. ¡°Yes, thanks to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Edward glanced at Navia, who was overly calm for being just kidnapped. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Navia replied with a strange look, as if she was asking why he was asking that. ¡°Yes.¡± Edward knew well that Navia did not see him in, more or less than a contractual relationship. Maybe that¡¯s why he was nervous. Edward asked what he had wanted to ask. ¡°Why was it today?¡± Why did Navia ask him to cure Vivian¡¯s disease today, the fifth day? There seemed to be a reason for that. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the Palace with Duke Agnes today?¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°When an adult is away, it becomes a lawless zone for children.¡± At that, Edward guessed that Navia would turn this place upside down again. Navia stood at the center of the duchy and became a huge typhoon herself, causing all kinds of accidents. In the process, she got injured and broken, but she never stopped, even when she ran into a dangerous moment. That¡¯s how she swept it away. She swallowed it. ¡®I can¡¯t understand how she¡¯s all right after being caught up in a mana explosion.¡¯ When he realized an eight-year-old girl was creating the current situation by stirring her surroundings, a thrill flowed through his body. After treating his little sister¡¯s illness completely, Edward completed his assessment of Navia. This was not the end for her. He didn¡¯t know how big the painting Navia was looking at was, but he knew it was a masterpiece. No, it didn¡¯t matter if it was a masterpiece. It was okay if there was failure. Rather, that would make it greater. And Edward only dared to think. ¡®If only one person could be in that person¡¯s grand country.¡¯ If only Edward Spencer was by Navia¡¯s side! There was no desire to be recorded as her teacher. He just wanted to be recorded as an advisor or colleague. Navia was the first person who gave him, who was only every cynical, such an intense hope. And she would definitely be the last. Edward would have usually claimed to be on the sidelines, but he confessed what he knew to Navia. ¡°Come to think of it, it turned out that Young Master Wood lost some of his memories.¡± Navia¡¯s eyes opened wide at the unexpected remark. ¡®That sounds like he forgot that I can extort mana with just a touch.¡¯ Then it was good news because it would be much easier to escape from here. Knock knock. A servant knocked on the door and asked carefully, ¡°Sir Spencer, are you perhaps busy? Master asked if you needed more time.¡± Edward took a feeble breath at those words. ¡°¡­take care of yourself.¡± He left after saying those words. Navia looked at the door for a moment and shook her head. ¡®I can¡¯t tell what he¡¯s thinking.¡¯ Edward was acting as if he were her companion. Navia looked out the window, determine that it couldn¡¯t be. The sky was full of muddy clouds. ¡®Is the climate change caused by the storm?¡¯ Only a week after the return and there was always a gloomy rain that announced a full-fledged winter. The raindrops, half-frozen, tracking and defiling the streets, seemed to signal that the session had already failed. But it felt that the rain was going to fall a day earlier. This rain was supposed to help her. ¡®If it rains, Nikan¡¯s return will be delayed.¡¯ Navia confirmed that a wagon was waiting outside the window and quickly began to get ready to go out. She slowly changed herself and combed her hair neatly. She didn¡¯t even touch the stuff from Ansier Boutique. Then, she found the pearl hairpin on the table. She thought she lost it after stabbing the servant in the thigh, but it followed her through a long journey. Navia looked at the hair pin without a word for a moment and stuck it in her hair. Since there was still work to do around in the mansion, it was good to look like a poor and shabby fake princess. No one could be seen through the window. Nikan and Edward left. ¡®I have to go to Charlotte.¡¯ Chapter 32 Navia crossed the corridor and went to the center stairs. Then, a loud noise came from the other side. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle that the Lady¡¯s illness got better so quickly!¡± ¡°God took care of it. No matter what anyone says, the Lady is of noble birth.¡± Vivian and her maids were on their way to Navia¡¯s room, so they met in the middle. Navia made eye contact with Vivian, who looked at her and was in a flamboyant dress and with her maids by her side. Vivian sang to Navia triumphantly. ¡°Sister! I¡¯m all better!¡± A sense of superiority was felt in her voice. The expectation in the eyes looking at Navia were high. She was hoping for Navia to be surprised by the fact that she had recovered completely and hoped that she would collapse with defeat. ¡®Now that I¡¯m all better, you¡¯re nothing.¡¯ Vivian was saying so with her whole body. A cold sneer flashed through Navia¡¯s subtle smile. Vivian flinched. What was that just now? Navia looked surprised before she could fully process the situation. ¡°What? Are you really all better?¡± It was a little more boring than the reaction she wanted, but she was satisfied. Vivian smiled sweetly. ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Lady Navia is a fake who came to take Lady Vivian¡¯s place.¡± Philippa cursed Navia, saying that she was just a stand-in and could not dare being mixed up among the great nobles. However, that was not the case for Vivian. ¡®Everyone likes Sister.¡¯ When Vivian heard about Navia¡¯s kidnapping, she honestly hoped that she would disappear and never return. However, Wood almost died of a mana explosion from saving Navia. When Vivian heard that, she felt like the world was falling apart. ¡®Brother thinks Navia is more precious. He told Vivi to die.¡¯ His real younger sister wasn¡¯t Navia but her. Vivian was resentful and felt unjust. It was like Navia came into her room saying, ¡°This is my room now.¡± The real Agnes was not Navia but her. Even though Sister Navia was a fake! But today, Nikan came and said he could cure her disease. And somehow, after feeling a strange sensation that made her float for a while, she relaxed. Adults were telling stories, saying that mana was moving on its own again. Vivian could only understand one thing. She was cured of her illness. Vivian¡¯s maids spread the news so that everyone in the duchy knew that she was cured of her illness. Then they said in unison that Vivian should enjoy all the rights that Navia, the evil sister Navia, unfairly stole. In addition, they criticized the fact that Navia would be compared to Vivian. Vivian saw the dress Navia was wearing. It was a shabby dress that didn¡¯t seem to be Ansier¡¯s. ¡®That¡¯s something a maid wears.¡¯ On top of that, what¡¯s with the hair pin with the pearl? In comparison, Vivian¡¯s dress was full of frills, lace, jewelry, and silk ribbons. That was the difference between the real and the fake. Vivian spoke, lifting her chin in triumph. ¡°Sister doesn¡¯t have to replace Vivi anymore.¡± The maids couldn¡¯t hide their excitement as Vivian looked down on Navia and drew a clear line. Maki, who had even more bad feelings towards Navia among the maids, did not miss the opportunity and sarcastically mocked her. ¡°Lady Vivian recovered from her illness, so of course you should regain your rights as the real princess. Isn¡¯t that right, Lady Navia?¡± In other words, if you have a conscious, you should back off. Navia spoke calmly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Vivian should use her true rights as a real princess. I¡¯m here as Vivian¡¯s substitute.¡± Maki felt uncomfortable suddenly when Navia admitted it so gently. But nowhere in Navia¡¯s words did they come at a disadvantage. It was decided that it was right to retire herself, so when they tried to push it, Navia suddenly spoke with determination. ¡°But I¡¯ll take care of the nanny.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t understand what she was saying so she looked around. When the maids understood that she meant Philippa¡¯s embezzlement case, they became confused in a different sense. What on earth can Navia do? Navia¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I heard today that the nanny is in prison.¡± ¡°Nanny is in jail¡­?¡± Vivian asked back blankly at the words she heard for the first time. Navia lowered her gaze. It was a woeful appearance that would make the viewer feel more heartbroken. ¡°We can¡¯t let the nanny who took care of us die.¡± The maids frowned when Navia spoke plainly about death. Vivian shouted back. ¡°Nanny is going to die? That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± ¡°I think so too. So, Vivi, wouldn¡¯t this be better for me to do this¡­?¡± Navia deliberately stretched her words significantly, giving Vivian room to step in. Vivian spoke sharply as Navia expected. ¡°No. Vivi will do it.¡± ¡°Vivi, this is a difficult job¡­¡± Vivian was irritated. Then, she suddenly realized that Navia was looking very anxious and nervous. ¡®I got it. It¡¯s because if Vivi solves this beautifully, Sister will really be useless.¡¯ When she saved the nanny in the last crisis, people applauded her saying the real princess was Lady Vivian. Vivian kindly taught Navia the reality. ¡°Sister, that kind of work is only for the real princess.¡± Then, Navia couldn¡¯t refute and closed her mouth in a melancholy manner. Vivian was convinced that the answer to beat Navia was to act and say she would solve it. Maki, who was listening, spoke with a perplexed look as the conversation flowed in an increasingly unexpected direction. ¡°Miss, this is the master¡¯s authority¡­¡± Navia confronted Maki even before she could finish talking. ¡°Yes. I will tell father instead, so you¡¯d better stop, like Maki said.¡± Vivian got nervous as soon as she heard Navia. ¡®She¡¯s trying to take Father, as if Brother wasn¡¯t enough.¡¯ ¡°A real princess can do anything like this!¡± Vivian turned her head with a look that she didn¡¯t want to hear anymore. How hard was it to let the nanny go with just one word? Vivian went down the stairs. She was going to go to Lyndon and order him to release Philippa. ¡°No, Vivi!¡± Vivian ordered as Navia followed her. ¡°Block Sister!¡± The maids looked anxious and blocked Navia from going down the stairs. Vivian saw how Navia wasn¡¯t able to budge from just a single word. ¡®As expected, Sister is a fake. That¡¯s why you have to follow Vivi¡¯s words.¡¯ Step step step! The steps down the stairs were light. Navia turned her eyes away from Vivian. ¡°Will it be okay to leave Vivian like this?¡± At Navia¡¯s words, the maids bit their lips. No one can overturn the family head¡¯s decision. Even if it¡¯s Vivian. ¡°It will be even more troublesome if Vivian punished someone who contradicts me.¡± They knew that well. ¡°Brother Wood is the only one who can stop Vivian right now.¡± However, Wood was not someone to step up in this situation. In addition, he couldn¡¯t dare to release Philippa. Maki grit her teeth in resentment. ¡°¡­let¡¯s go to Lady Vivian.¡± As soon as they followed Vivian, Navia moved straight away. The place Navia was headed to was the laundry room. ¡®That was so I could see Charlotte.¡¯ The maids in the laundry room glanced curiously when the heterogeneous girl appeared in the laundry room. Navia asked the maids. ¡°Where¡¯s Charlotte?¡± After hearing the question, the maids blinked and pointed far away. ¡°You will find her there.¡± Navia headed where the maids pointed. There, Charlotte was alone in the water doing laundry. ¡°Charlotte.¡± When Navia called her, Charlotte straightened her bent waist and looked straight ahead with surprised eyes. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Frozen hands, disheveled hair, and haggard face in icy cold water. The work in the laundry room was hard work for Charlotte, who had only been in charge of a princess. Charlotte¡¯s eyes shook as she bowed. ¡°¡­After becoming like this, I remembered what the Lady said. You told me not to accuse Philippa of her crimes.¡± Navia had warned her earlier against such a situation. ¡°Still, I¡¯m glad my life is safe.¡± Charlotte murmured, and soon, her eyes met with Navia again. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even apologize to the Lady for the rudeness I¡¯ve done so far. I was most pleased to be assigned in the laundry room.¡± She gave a deep nod and spoke in a voice of deep penitence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss.¡± Navia watched her silently. In fact, she didn¡¯t expect to hear such an apology. Charlotte added with a look that she didn¡¯t expect to be forgiven. ¡°Rumors could be spread if you stay here. You should go back now.¡± Navia had no intention of having anything to do with Agnes and giving her heart to anything. It was the same for this situation. Navia approached Charlotte and took the bucket of water from her hand and threw it on the ground Pak! And she ordered firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t do these things.¡± Charlotte hesitated with astonishment. ¡°M-Miss¡­ however¡­¡± Paak-! Navia kicked the bucket further as if she wasn¡¯t going to change. Charlotte shut her mouth to the violence. Navia looked at Charlotte without any expression. ¡°You know that this is a cover up. Are you going to stay here going this your whole life?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You need to break the contract.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes opened wide at Navia¡¯s words. ¡°How do you¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to exchange what I got from Ansier Boutique for money. That will leave you with extra money. Do what you want with it.¡± To break a life contract required paying ten times the initial deposit. Navia added carelessly, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long, but you¡¯re an ally.¡± ¡°¡­Miss.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes were dyed red. Her voice was tingling with a cry. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be thrilled about. I¡¯m doing this because I have one last thing for you to do.¡± Navia spoke in an insensitive voice that didn¡¯t let out any emotion, but Charlotte somehow felt warmth in it. She asked with a firm look, wiping the tears in her eyes with her sleeve. ¡°What should I do?¡± Chapter 33 Wood was resting in his room when he was told he had to keep his mana running smoothly for a few days. ¡°Young Master! Lady Vivian has been cured of her incurable disease!¡± The news from the servants was deafening. He kept trying to recall the memories he had forgotten. Strangely enough, the animalistic senses rang sharply. ¡®I definitely remember holding the low-life by the neck.¡¯ When he tried to recall more memories, he felt goosebumps all over his body and his heart jumped. In addition, he almost died because of a mana explosion, but apparently, Navia was perfectly fine. ¡°Aak! So annoying!¡± He threw stuff in his room out of frustration. At that time, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Young Master, the maid who was dedicated to Lady Navia is asking to see you, what shall I do?¡± Navia? Wood was about to shout, but he stopped. He had a strange hunch. ¡°Tell her to come in.¡± Charlotte was demoted from a maid dedicated to serving a princess to a laundry maid, but she came into his room with an immaculate appearance. As soon as she saw Wood, she boiled her knees to the floor. ¡°Thank you for allowing me to meet you, Young Master.¡± The servile appearance made Wood feel good. ¡°Yes, what do you have to say?¡± Charlotte spoke solemnly. ¡°I have something to tell you about Lady Navia. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d like it to be private.¡± Wood knew intuitively that she was trying to say something against Navia and quickly cleared the servants away. ¡°Don¡¯t be around here, everyone go down for a while.¡± ¡°We accept your orders.¡± Charlotte spoke when everyone went out and the surroundings were quiet. ¡°Lady Navia is actually a commoner.¡± As soon as she spoke, the truth that came out shocked Wood. She¡¯s not even a lowly noble but a commoner? How dare such a terrible worm water itself for days! ¡®I¡¯m going go to kill that bug right now!¡¯ At that time, Charlotte spoke as if she were reading. ¡°This is strictly confidential to the Master, and it will be bad if this gets to the outside world, Young Master.¡± ¡°¡­Hm, I know at least that too.¡± ¡°As expected, you are clever.¡± Wood quelled his anger. If he disobeyed his father again, he would really be scolded this time. ¡°This is not what is important, Young Master. At this rate, Lady Navia will be sent to Duke Eseled.¡± ¡°What? No way!¡± ¡°If Lady Navia become the heir, she will be on par with the Young Master¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± It¡¯s a terrible disaster that should never happen! ¡°On top of that, the Young Master may have to marry Lady Navia.¡± Wood was shocked as if he had been hit in the back of the head several times in a row. The most terrible part was none other than having to marry a commoner. Wood even had a crush on someone already. ¡°Did father say that? Is that true!?¡± Wood strongly suspected Charlotte because the story was so unbelievable. ¡°There is a way to confirm if it¡¯s true. You can ask the Duke right when he comes back.¡± Charlotte¡¯s confidence was beyond description. ¡°But by then, Master must have already taken care of the work to make Lady Navia the successor to the Eseled Duchy.¡± That meant that the marriage arrangement was already in course. Wood was young, but he wasn¡¯t ignorant about politics. On the contrary, whether it was about marriage or not, he was rather precocious in terms of relationships between men and women, thanks to his poor friends. Charlotte lamented bitterly and brought out words to provoke Wood. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for the Young Master to have someone you love as your wife?¡± Of course that would be the best, but it won¡¯t be possible as long as Nikan continued as the head of the family. The woman he had in his heart was Princess Lucia, and he wasn¡¯t in a position where he could control the government. ¡°How could Father do that to me¡­¡± Charlotte, who was watching Wood¡¯s disappointment, spoke with a soft smile but with cold eyes. ¡°I have a good idea.¡± Wood raised his head. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Slam! The door suddenly opened without a knock before Charlotte could speak. The two looked curiously at the door. It was none other than Philippa who came in. ¡°Young Master!¡± Philippa had been trapped in prison, so her eyes were quaking in a sinister atmosphere. ¡°Young Master! Please help me, I¡¯ve been wronged¡­!¡± Philippa saw Charlotte while trying to complain about her injustice. Her voice snapped with incredible anger. ¡°You, you dirty b*tch, why, why are you here?¡± Wood¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled. It was because he was interrupted in the middle of an important conversation. On top of that, he heard that the nanny was in prison for a crime, so why was she able to come in his room? Charlotte spoke with a cold look. ¡°Why did you come into Young Master¡¯s room without permission, Philippa? Don¡¯t you know that this is a big disrespect?¡± Philippa turned towards Charlotte from her attitude of not using ¡®Miss¡¯ to call out Philippa. ¡°You f*cking b*tch¡­! Just whose fault is this!¡± Philippa grabbed Charlotte by her hair. ¡°Kyak! Let go!¡± ¡°You pest! You¡¯re the only one who needs to be gone!¡± Wood smacked Philippa, knocking her back with magic. ¡°Aaak!¡± Philippa fell back to the floor and raised her upper body. Her expression showed incredible shock. ¡°Young Master¡­?¡± Wood looked down at Philippa with disgust in his eyes. ¡°If you commit a crime, you have to be in jail quietly. What are you doing?¡± Those were eyes Philippa knew quite well. It was the eyes that looked at Navia! When she realized that, Philippa¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°H-how could you, I, I, I raised the Young Master¡­¡± ¡°Ah, so loud.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Just how did the nanny get out? Father went to the Palace.¡± Then, it occurred to him that there was another person who had the authority to do this. ¡°Vivian, that idiot¡­¡± Lyndon and the knights gasped as they got to the room when Wood was dragging his tongue with a disapproving expression. They came to check on Philippa just in case, because they were wondering what she would do. Wood spoke irritably. ¡°Lock the nanny up again. Whatever Vivian says, don¡¯t ever let her out!¡± ¡°We take your orders.¡± Philippa, with a blank expression, was dragged away by the knights. Wood glanced at Philippa with dirty eyes and turned around coldly. The useless nanny was no longer a concern. Then he spoke to Charlotte. ¡°So? Let¡¯s finish what we were talking about earlier.¡± *** Navia went back to her room and arranged her belongings while Charlotte took care of what she had ordered. She called in an accountant and asked him to exchange all the items from Ansier Boutique with money first. The accountant asked what she was going to do with a strange look. Navia said she wanted to buy gifts for her family, so she was exchanging them for money and going out. Navia had never been out so far. They didn¡¯t say no, but it was an implicit rule. But Navia had a good excuse. ¡°Today is the day Vivian got better. I¡¯m sure there will be a big dinner. I want to give a present for my family¡¯s health and happiness¡­¡± So the accountant accepted, thinking that a child won¡¯t be able to buy much. Navia thanked him with a smile. The accountant gave the money and shook his head helplessly with a shy smile. He was a person weak to children. Navia kept the money and waited for Charlotte to leave Wood¡¯s room. And then Charlotte came out. ¡°I did as you asked, Miss.¡± Charlotte got goosebumps all over her body throughout Navia¡¯s whole scheming story. It was because she had finally seen the whole picture that Navia was painting so clearly. ¡®Eseled¡¯s heir¡­¡¯ She was the foster daughter of one family and then she¡¯s moving on to another? Just who in the world can come up with such an unconventional idea! ¡®However, the Eseled family is being called a garbage camp.¡¯ What is she trying to do there? ¡°Here.¡± Navia handed over the money she received from the accountant to Charlotte. ¡°Pay the penalty today and then run away. It would be safe to set up a coffee house in the harbor and make money.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Go now.¡± Charlotte hesitated for a little and then left the room with the money. Navia remained alone in the room and looked out the window. Shwaaa-! Finally, a rainstorm began to pour from the muddy cloud. Chapter 34 Navia took a thick winter coat out of her closet and put it on. The sleeves were hopping as she tucked her arms in. There was nothing to do about it since it was the coat she wore when she was seven. Fortunately or unfortunately, her body was thin so it fit. Before leaving the room, Navia looked back. The room for the enmity that she could barely use until she reached her ninth life. A picturesque room every girl would dream of, but it was a creepy and disgusting place for Navia. ¡®I¡¯m finally getting out of here.¡¯ No one was expecting an Agnes to leave. For Navia to feel that way, her plan was very dangerous. ¡®If I fail, it¡¯s death.¡¯ Navia clenched her fist with determined eyes. Outside the window, the rain was noticeably lighter. ¡®Nikan must have started his way back to the Duchy.¡¯ The road from the Agnes Duchy to the Imperial Palace was so well maintained that the journey was short. But Navia wasn¡¯t impatient. If you create embers, you need time for big flames. Navia went down to the lobby with light steps. It was time to make an alibi now. ¡°Are you ignoring Vivi¡¯s words right now?¡± She stopped at the stairs as if she had waited. Looking down, she could see Vivian blocking Philippa, who was being dragged back to prison. ¡°Release the nanny! Hurry!¡± The knights answered bluntly. ¡°The Young Master ordered to lock her up again.¡± Vivian had been convenient so far because of her time limit. In fact, even though stress had nothing to do with the mana reflux disease, everyone treated Vivian as if she were really seriously ill. If bad luck matched Vivian¡¯s ill-tempered time and her mana went on a rampage, getting their throat¡¯s slit won¡¯t end the crime. ¡®But it¡¯s different now.¡¯ Vivian, who was cured and only six years old, was normal and healthy. Therefore, the rights, which had been enjoyed as a weapon, could no longer be used. ¡°Follow Vivi¡¯s orders, not Brother¡¯s!¡± Vivian was the only one who didn¡¯t know that fact. Lyndon dissuaded Vivian with an embarrassed look. ¡°Miss, in the absence of Master, it is only natural to follow the orders of the Young Master, the heir of the family. So please go back to your room.¡± Then Philippa shouted. ¡°You are too stern!¡± Philippa took the bull by the horns because Vivian was the only hope she had. ¡°You all! Don¡¯t you know that the Lady¡¯s recovery means that she will soon become the future Empress? Will you be able to bear the price of this disloyalty to the Miss, who will be the future Empress?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± No one could refute and shut their mouths at the mention of becoming Empress. Even in this situation, Philippa pressed her opponents with an unyielding melody. The knights held Philippa and waited for Lyndon¡¯s judgment. Lyndon was the one who would bury his bones here, so he didn¡¯t want to plant any resentment in Vivian¡¯s heart. When everyone was suffering from trouble, Navia came down the stairs and asked in a clear voice so that everyone could hear. ¡°Vivi will become the Empress?¡± The people¡¯s eyes fell on Navia.¡± Vivian glared at her maids who had been ordered to stay away, thinking that Navia must have come here to get in her way. ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to Vivi so Sister came all the way here to interfere with Vivi!¡± Philippa¡¯s expression was more fierce and vicious than Vivian¡¯s. ¡°What does that mean? Are you saying it¡¯s strange for Lady Vivian to be Empress?¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions turned cold at Philippa¡¯s words. They thought that the one who didn¡¯t her place was jealous of Vivian because she was greedy for the spot as Empress. Philippa spoke in high spirits. ¡°If Lady Vivian had not been ill, she would have been engaged to Prince Ares earlier. I¡¯m sure the Lady didn¡¯t not know that fact?¡± One of the servants murmured. ¡°Pft, the kite¡¯s string broke.¡± Navia spoke fearfully calmly as if she didn¡¯t hear. ¡°Of course, I would be very happy if Vivi becomes the next Empress.¡± But then she asked with concern. ¡°But Nanny, was there an official letter about Vivian¡¯s engagement?¡± Philippa¡¯s eyebrows wiggles at the word official letter. ¡°N-no, but¡­ it¡¯s a matter of course!¡± Navia spoke with a big smile of relief. ¡°As I thought, I was worried about something so useless, right? I think the story related to the Imperial family was too much because it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°!¡± It could have been interpreted as a retrograde step to transport the next Empress without an official letter. Realizing how dangerous Philippa¡¯s remarks were, the servants closed their lips like shells. As the situation reversed, Philippa was suffocating and her eyes were twitching. ¡°That sneaky b*tch¡­¡± Vivian suddenly realized. ¡®Aha. Sister is jealous of Vivi becoming Empress. That¡¯s why she¡¯s doing that.¡¯ ¡°Sister is jealous of Vivi becoming Empress, aren¡¯t you? I know everything!¡± Lyndon hurriedly covered Vivian¡¯s mouth and shouted. ¡°Shut that mouth, Philippa!¡± Philippa flinched at the thunderous roar. Vivian was surprised enough to hiccup. But Lyndon couldn¡¯t care less about that. ¡°How dare a sinner, who betrayed the family by trying to harm Agnes!¡± Lyndon¡¯s actions were appropriate. The power that Vivian would become Empress became ineffective because he said Philippa was a sinner who betrayed Agnes. ¡°Butler, this is a setup. Please believe me! Everything is made up by that fake!¡± ¡°Shut it! Lock up that sinner right now!¡± The knights dragged the struggling Philippa who cursed Navia. ¡°That b*tch is going to eat up this family!¡± Navia looked at Philippa being dragged away. Then, she mouthed, The. Na-nny. Is. Correct. ¡®Although you will die before you see it.¡¯ Navia laughed at Philippa with one side of her mouth raised up. Philippa had an expression as if she just fell backwards. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m going to tear that b*tch to death-!¡± When the knights were unable to handle Philippa¡¯s struggle, they struck her neck relentlessly and knocked her unconscious. Vivian froze in shock at Philippa¡¯s demon-like appearance and wept. ¡°Heuk¡­¡± It was all weird. The nanny becoming weird, the anger that was felt, and the butler shouting. ¡°Heuuk¡­ Lyndon, what about Daddy? Where¡¯s Daddy? Vivi is scared.¡± Vivian shed tears and sobbed pitifully. ¡°Vivi is scared of Sister¡­¡± Vivian, who was pretty and lovable like a fool, was like a baby angel. The sight of Vivian shedding tears because she was scared aroused pity from the viewers. This aspect of Vivian was certainly far superior compared to Wood. Using her lovely appearance, she turned the person against her into a villain, which later showed a great deal of brilliance in society. People treated Navia as a wicked step sister. ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re a Princess of Agnes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a stone that rolled in. You don¡¯t even know your place¡­¡± They knew that Navia was obsolete now, so they were more outspoken from excitement. Vivian cried earnestly, beyond sobbing. ¡°I want to see Daddy¡­ huang!¡± The servants rushed around when Vivian burst into tears. ¡°Our poor Lady!¡± ¡°Come here. Should we go eat cake the Lady likes while waiting for the Master?¡± Vivian¡¯s maids rushed to pick up the girl and pushed Navia while pretending she wasn¡¯t there. Navia took a few steps backwards. The maids took over Vivian held by Lyndon. ¡°We will take you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s all go together! You will be less scared if there are many people.¡± Maki glanced at Navia and gasped. ¡°Oh my, come to see it, is Lady Navia going out?¡± At those words, Lyndon asked as if he was annoyed. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Navia mumbled, ¡°To buy presents for my family¡­¡± At those words, Vivian cried louder. It was because she didn¡¯t want to hear Navia¡¯s voice. Lyndon was wondering who would shop when it¡¯s raining. But seeing Vivian cry without letting out a breath, he thought it would be better to let Navia go. If you¡¯re going shopping on a day like this, you¡¯ll catch a cold, but you won¡¯t die, right? ¡°Then call a carriage¡­¡± ¡°Miss!¡± Just in time, Kate, who had never been seen, came running and spoke impatiently with an awkward smile. ¡°I prepared the carriage for the Lady. Let¡¯s go.¡± He didn¡¯t even know she was going out, but a carriage was already prepared. It was funny that he let his guard down because his opponent was a child. Lyndon looked satisfied to save the trouble and spoke without bowing. ¡°Then go ahead.¡± Lyndon and the other servants had no intention of seeing Navia off, so they took Vivian up to the third floor without regret. Vivian stopped crying and was smiling because of the attention and care of the adults. Navia looked at their backs with a cold look. It was a warm and peaceful image. Just how long will they be able to be so harmonious? ¡°Miss, outside¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Navia cut off Kate, who was nervous to rush her. Kate was so distracted by the idea of fulfilling someone¡¯s orders that she didn¡¯t find Navia¡¯s cold tone strange. Navia followed Kate out of the lobby. The carriage wasn¡¯t in a suitable place, but in a corner people couldn¡¯t see well. There was no family emblem, and the coachman was the first to see Navia. Next to the coachman was a suspicious boy, who was wrapped up in a raincoat. Chapter 35 ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± When Navia asked, the boy flinched. The coachman replied. ¡°He is my assistant.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Navia approached the boy and held his arm. ¡°But why are you covering your face like this?¡± Pak! When the boy shook off Navia¡¯s arm violently, the coachman panicked and hurried to lie. ¡°Oh my, I apologize! The Lady is just so pretty that my assistant must have been surprised.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s okay.¡± Navia raised her hand and gave a shy smile. ¡®I achieved my goal.¡¯ Her cold eyes were on the black moon, dripping with mana. Kate pulled Navia with a nervous expression. ¡°Miss, you will catch a cold if you get wet. Come under the umbrella.¡± With a nervous expression, Wood, the boy who was said to be an assistant, watched Navia move away. ¡®How dare a dirty commoner touch me.¡¯ Wood grit his teeth and inadvertently swept his arm. ¡®What was that feeling earlier?¡¯ When Navia touched him earlier, it felt creepy. Maybe he was scared he got caught? In the meantime, Navia got on the carriage and asked Kate. ¡°You¡¯re not going?¡± Kate smiled awkwardly. ¡°I have a lot of work to do.¡± Navia nodded. The door closed, and Kate was seen leaving with relief through the window. ¡®It would have been better for you to leave the duchy with me.¡¯ If you¡¯re here, Nikan won¡¯t leave you alone. Soon, the carriage passed through the Agnes Duchy¡¯s back gate. This road was the opposite of the Main Street and was headed towards Duke Eseled. ¡®It¡¯s a good place to do ugly things since only a lake and forest surrounds it.¡¯ It was also a good place to ambush someone in a hurry. Navia knew Wood much better than Nikan. Using Charlotte, Navia whispered to Wood. ¡®Make Lady Navia a slave.¡¯ Slaves were prohibited under imperial law, but legal procedures existed. Those who attacked and lost without declaring a territorial dispute, and criminals who caused more than a certain amount of property damage or casualties. Up to this point, huge amounts of compensation had been covered up. But what about a commoner who harmed a noble? The imperial law was more severe on the common people, and Navia was just a commoner. Wood was willing to expose the fact that Navia was a commoner to the world and attribute everything to Navia before the slave trial began. Because Navia said so. There was a loophole in this method. ¡®It can be rendered useless when an attacked noble doesn¡¯t regard it as an attack.¡¯ Wood was at an age to understand the loopholes. ¡°Hire contractors who will do anything and pay for the carriage that will carry Lady Navia and go to Duke Eseled together.¡¯ Then Navia, rather than Eseled¡¯s foster daughter, will soon become a slave. This technique was still too dangerous for a young boy, ¡®Wood must be confident.¡¯ When it rained like this, the power of a water wizard would be the strongest. He may be counting on the fact that the rain can compensate for his lack of recovery. ¡®Those calculations are mine too.¡¯ Navia, who stole Wood¡¯s magic, was also able to take advantage of the rainy weather. Navia looked out the window. It was likely that they would reach Duke Eseled soon. The tension dampened her palms. Navia clenched her fist and caught sight of her badly damaged hands. It was the scratches that occurred when she struggled hard with her fingernails stuck in the floor of the warehouse. The blood under her nails made her look unsightly. Will Duke Eseled listen to her so shabby self? Wouldn¡¯t he kill her before she could negotiate? Navia pulled her short sleeves down by force. It was to hide her dirty and unsightly appearance. Then she laughed. In the first place, she wasn¡¯t trying to be a beloved foster daughter. It was to benefit from Duke Eseled and negotiate her own safety. The carriage stopped before she knew it. She heard someone leave from outside. ¡®The coachman must be running away.¡¯ She felt someone approach her this time. It would be the contractor hired by Wood. Sure enough, Wood¡¯s quiet whisper was heard dimly. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Navia counted with her eyes closed and pulled up her mana. ¡°Give the balance first.¡± Three. ¡°Here. I¡¯ll give a big tip when you¡¯re done.¡± Two. ¡°Kiki! Then we should deal with it more clearly.¡± One. Kwang-! Navia burst a condensed spell when the voices gathered at the door. ¡°Keuah!¡± The fragments of the bursted wagon stuck on the bodies of the contractors like a dagger. In an instant, two of the three contractors died. Despite the murder, Navia stole Wood¡¯s mana once more with a cold face. Neigh-! The horses, surprised by the explosion, began to run. Navia crawled from the horses seat in the carriage, which had flown all over. She knew how to drive a carriage. ¡°Keut!¡± Even if she were an adult, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle the strength, but she was in the body of a skinny eight-year-old¡¯s. Navia grit her teeth despite the pain of her arm breaking. She could see a monster-like black mansion in front of her. Kwang! The carriage was completely broken by magic, and Navia rolled over the muddy water. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡®An explosion wizard?¡¯ The black moon didn¡¯t absorb the explosion. Navia bit her lips tightly but ran forward without hesitation. ¡®Even if I die, I have to die in the duchy.¡¯ That way a definite weakness will be created for Agnes! ¡°Die!¡± Wood followed her closely in the rain. Navia was able to use her remaining power. And like Wood, she stepped forward and moved in the rain water. The places where Navia ran to quickly exploded. Kwang!! After a close chase, she was caught up in the aftermath of the explosion. It was chaos. Her wet clothes were heavy, and the coldness penetrated inside. However, nothing else but her life depended on it. Navia got up again. With only one thing on mind, she moved her shaky legs. Kwang! In a series of explosions, Navia floats in the air and soon sank into the ground. A deadly pain swept her whole body. ¡®Is this the pain from dying?¡¯ This wasn¡¯t deathly pain. Is there someone who knows how painful it is to be sick enough to die more than me! So she didn¡¯t give in. Even though it was hard to stand up, she crawled on all fours. ¡®I¡¯m finally here, I can¡¯t die in vain!¡¯ Paak! Before she knew it, Wood kicked her side. ¡°You have a talent for wriggling when stepped on, like a bug.¡± There was a thick flow of life washed on Wood¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re going to put me through this?¡± Pak! Navia swallowed a groan that was about to burst. When the light flashed from her eyes, Wood got more excited with anger. ¡°There¡¯s no use in you as a space. I¡¯ll just kill you!¡± Then, a contractor approached and grabbed Wood. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us that b*tch was a wizard?¡± ¡°This¡­ how dare this lowly!¡± Wood gave an expression that he couldn¡¯t believe that the rude contractor was facing him so openly. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± The contractor laughed. ¡°Young Master, do you know where we are? There¡¯s no one here. No one will be sanctioned even if they¡¯re beaten in front of the duchy.¡± That¡¯s why he accepted this contract. Compared to the pay, the work was too easy. You don¡¯t have to pay attention to the surroundings and the opponent was a powerless eight-year-old girl. ¡°So it¡¯s simple to get rid of the Young Master. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Even if Wood was born with an outstanding talent as a wizard, he was still only ten-years-old. In addition, his opponent was a grown adult with murder experience. Wood, who felt the danger, took off his hood and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m the successor to Agnes! Do you think you¡¯ll be okay after touching me?¡± The contractor flinched. He thought it was weird to see him use water magic, but to think he was an Agnes! Wood checked his opponent¡¯s reaction and quickly became arrogant. ¡°It¡¯s money that will just rot. I¡¯ll pay you enough to play and eat for the rest of your life after.¡± ¡°¡­I will remember that.¡± The contractor let go of Wood, approached Navia who was fleeing towards Duke Eseled, grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up. ¡°Kuk!¡± Navia struggled to get out of his grasp, but her whole body was sobbing. ¡®There¡¯s just three steps to the gate!¡¯ The contractor was horrified at the sight of her red eyes. How could an eight-year-old be so awful? ¡°Devil-like b*tch. I can¡¯t let you go because of my colleagues.¡± The contractor produced scarlet beads over his other palm. Navia¡¯s body suddenly drooped. ¡®I didn¡¯t die, but what is this¡­?¡¯ The contractor grinned as his eyebrows rose. ¡°Yes, die peacefully.¡± Navia looked at the contractor calmly. Chill! ¡°¡­huh?¡± The contractor¡¯s exploding magic suddenly died down, and he felt something was wrong. Navia smiled coldly. Kwaaang-! The ground under the contractor exploded. She was also tinged by the aftermath. She was aiming for Eseled¡¯s ground. Navia closed her eyes tightly. ¡®I¡¯ll be stuck to the ground like this.¡¯ Still, this one life, making the most significant death ever, can stain Agnes. Then, the body she thought was going to be stuck to the ground, was gently wrapped in something. At the top of her nose, there was a cold, pungent smell, not rain, blood, nor soil, and a strong man¡¯s voice fell over her. ¡°I get to see all sorts of things as I live.¡± As she gently lifted her eyelids, she saw a black cloth. As soon as she saw long flowing black hair, she realized she was hugged by the man. ¡®Who?¡¯ Before Navia could grasp the situation, a huge explosion was heard. Kwaaang-! It was a tremendous explosion that couldn¡¯t be compared to the contractor¡¯s magic. ¡°Ahhhk!¡± Navia, with a blank expression, came back to her senses at Wood¡¯s scream. ¡°You can¡¯t kill them¡­!¡± If he killed Wood now, it would give the Emperor and Agnes a reason to officially destroy Eseled. Navia¡¯s eyes met with the man¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The man¡¯s eyes were red. When Navia was frozen, the man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen your face before.¡± It was a strange remark. Of course it was, they had never met before, so wouldn¡¯t this be his first time seeing her face? But the man¡¯s words seemed to imply more than that. The man tilted his head slightly. ¡°Why are you scared of me?¡± Navia wanted to ask what he meant, but only a sound came out. Her mental capacity reached its limit. ¡®Is this the end?¡¯ The light faded and her view was getting dark. Navia knew this feeling well. Death was on the horizon. It¡¯s okay to die. So what, it isn¡¯t the first time. It didn¡¯t matter as long as this could hurt Agnes. Yeah. It¡¯s okay. Then a faint voice came out like a breath. ¡°Save¡­ me¡­¡± And then her consciousness was broken. Chapter 36 - Please Rai 6. Please Raise Me Navia opened her eyes with a yawn. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ An ominously black space. In it, Navia looked all over the place with trembling eyes. Am I dead? Did a new life start again? But the regression was over now. Throb! At that time, a blurry pain was felt all over her body, and her confused mind was cleared. Navia blinked her eyes slowly and calmed down her exhilarating breath. ¡®I didn¡¯t die.¡¯ The situation before she fainted passed in her mind. The rainwater as cold as ice, the bursting floor, muddy water everywhere, and heavy and cold clothes. The foot that kicked her. The grasp on her neck. A red-eyed man who suddenly appeared. ¡°Save¡­ me¡­¡± She even committed something she couldn¡¯t understand at the moment. ¡®I asked him to save me.¡¯ The ninth life began, and Navia had asked for help countless of times. But they were all necessary and all part of her plans. It was the first time she sincerely begged for her life. ¡®But I lived.¡¯ She thought she was going to die, but she survived. ¡®Then, was that man Duke Lark Eseled? Navia raised her upper body. The space was black all around. A black canopy, a black blanket, black walls, black furniture, and a black floor. There was only one place like this in the world. Eseled Duchy. She came in herself. Navia looked down and saw she was wearing pajamas. The texture of the fabric was very soft, like it was made of a very high-quality fabric. Just like Vivian¡¯s pajamas. Then, she checked her body. ¡®My wounds were healed and my body was washed too.¡¯ On top of that, for the whole body to have a lot of traces of treatment, the pain was very faint. ¡°Did they use an anesthetic?¡± Anesthesia was a fairly high-priced herb. This was because there were few farms that could cultivated it. In addition, the conditions for getting permission from the Empire were very difficult because they could also be used as a drug. Courtesy always came at a price. Navia thought it would be the same again this time. Weren¡¯t they supposed to benefit themselves? ¡®I hope so.¡¯ That way, they can negotiate for each other¡¯s benefits. ¡®What¡¯s important right now is to proceed with the next work on time anyway.¡¯ Navia checked outside the window. It was still raining. It always rained without fail for all eight lives. So if there was no change, it would still about a day or so after the day she escaped. ¡®Given that there was no exact sign of nursing or an attached maid, it¡¯s likely that it¡¯s the same day.¡¯ Then time was still running in her favor. Navia checked her wrists. When she checked the black moon, which had been completely depleted of mana, she felt calm. ¡®The black moon is the only thing on my side in this world.¡¯ That alone made Navia feel a little relaxed. Navia stumbled out of bed. There was a sharp pain all over her body, but she could move this much. Rather, because of the anesthesia candles, the subtle chronic headaches she always had disappeared, and her mind was satisfyingly clear. She had a lot to think about. Even though she was out of Agnes, she was still in his sphere of influence. ¡®I have to publicize this before Nikan hires an assassin to deal with me or the Imperial family forces me to be their foster daughter.¡¯ The justification was in Eseled, so as long as he held and welded it, she would have more time to escape. In order to do so, she had to succeed in her negotiations with the head of Eseled. Negotiate for her own safety and benefit Eseled. Grumble-. But before that, she was very hungry. ¡°¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡± Navia grabbed her flat stomach that produced a pathetic sound. She thought that she should relieve her terrible hunger before starting her activities. ¡®I need water.¡¯ She was glad that she was used to filling her stomach with water to soothe her hunger. Navia looked at the table where a kettle of water would be placed. On the table was a glass bottle full of medicine, water, and sweet snacks. Navia stared at them. ¡®Is it for me to eat?¡¯ It seemed to be so in this circumstance. She took the medicine first and then drank the water. But she didn¡¯t touch the snacks. It was just out of habit. Tok. Then something hit the cup. Navia put the cup down and lifted it up. It was the pearl hairpin. Originally, the hairpin wasn¡¯t suitable for a noble lady. Maybe it was because she acted so harshly now, but the painting was peeling off, making it look even more crude and shabby. ¡°This hairpin came all the way here.¡± If she were in Agnes, she would have thought that it was a good thing she didn¡¯t lose the hairpin. What about now? Tak. Navia walked in front of the window and opened it wide. Then, the cold rain and wind blew in. The wind and rain blew the black curtains. Navia¡¯s silver hair between the curtains also drifted thought the air. Between the achromatic colors, her cool red eyes were as clear as blood. She didn¡¯t need the hairpin now. She didn¡¯t want anything from them. ¡®And soon, I¡¯ll throw away that castle.¡¯ Just like this hairpin. Navia threw the hairpin. That¡¯s how the hairpin mixed in with the rain and disappeared. ¡°Ah.¡± The rain froze into snow. Navia looked up in surprise and looked up at the sky. ¡®It¡¯s already snowing in November.¡¯ Was this also the effects from the storm? Navia watched the little snowflakes fly in the wind and then closed the window, hugging her cold body. She didn¡¯t have any good memories of snow, so she wasn¡¯t as excited as an ordinary child. Navia hated the snow. Likewise, she hated the rain. She hated everything about her death. ¡®¡­I have to see Duke Eseled before it¡¯s too late.¡¯ Navia let go of her miscellaneous thoughts. Before she grabbed the doorknob to leave the room, the door opened roughly. Click! Navia identified her opponent with a slightly surprised look. Oily brushed black hair, murky eyes, and a superficial and splendid attire to show-off. ¡®Count Theorban Alvin.¡¯ Duke Eseled¡¯s cousin. Navia knew this man quite well. Not because Theorban was a great figure, but because he had a strong desire to rise in status. He caused many accidents here and there. ¡®He was a man who desired money and power and had no basic common sense, let alone manners.¡¯ Theorban was no different from Navia¡¯s memories. From opening the door without knocking, he didn¡¯t show even the slightest sign of embarrassment from Navia, a young child. Clear and thick hostility flood in with cold air. Navia breathed in slowly. Did they know who she was? It was a sense of forging herself sharper. Navia quickly wore a mid-sheep-like mask and pretended not to recognize Theorban. ¡°¡­Nice to meet you. I am Navia.¡± Theorban clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch!¡± ¡®This girl is a prisoner who was captured after attacking the duke.¡¯ It was very unpleasant that such a poor thing was in such a good room, receiving such good treatment, and in a fine state. ¡°It¡¯s such a spectacle that I don¡¯t take care of the house myself!¡± Navia stood motionless, unaware about Theorban¡¯s out-of-the-box roar. But the inside of her head was busy. ¡®Was Theorban Alvin the head of the family?¡¯ The head¡¯s representative. The position was to be held by a successor or someone of an immediate blood relative. If you become the representative, you have the authority to handle the work instead of the head when he is unable to perform his original duties. Such an important position won¡¯t usually be entrusted to Theorban without him going crazy. ¡®But Duke Eseled doesn¡¯t have an heir or any other immediate bloodline.¡¯ Consequently, Theorban was forced to act as Eseled¡¯s representative. As a matter of course, Theorban didn¡¯t perform his duties faithfully on behalf of Lark, who was unable to engage in any external activities. Thus, Duke Eseled suffered financial difficulties, and this place was about to be thrown over. ¡®That¡¯s why I have a chance.¡¯ Navia had an ace up her sleeve to deal with Theorban and intended to negotiate with Duke Eseled. Chapter 37 Theorban glanced Navia up and down and drew a mean smile. After news of Nikan bringing in a foster daughter came out, information about the child was rarely available. However, there were rumors that the child¡¯s appearance was outstanding. ¡®But a kid is a kid.¡¯ Theorban thought so, but as he saw Navia today, his heart was swept away. In five years, her appearance will be unmatched in the capital. ¡®The Empress isn¡¯t about a face, but the prince is also a man, so there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t be greedy for a beautiful woman.¡¯ He planned to establish his daughter as Eseled¡¯s heir, swallowing the family, and even create an Empress. However, it was reported that Agnes¡¯ successor invaded Eseled in the morning. As soon as Theorban heard that, he burst into laughter. ¡®The heavens are helping me!¡¯ His daughter¡¯s competitor for the Empress¡¯ throne became an invader and entered Eseled on her own! Navia¡¯s awful beauty eventually turned into a weapon of no use. ¡°Are you Agnes¡¯ foster daughter? I guess I can see that from how you¡¯re wearing night clothes at this hour.¡± Theorban laughed to his heart¡¯s content at Navia¡¯s misery. ¡°Well, you are a low-life aristocrat, so wouldn¡¯t you be lowly? I can¡¯t imagine how bad your parents must be!¡± Navia looked at him without any expression. There was nothing to refute. Whether she was a lower-class aristocrat or not, she didn¡¯t know her biological parents. It didn¡¯t matter how many times he cursed her. Theorban looked around without a moment¡¯s notice, as if he thought of Navia as a scarecrow. ¡°Lark is too soft. How dare he give a room to a criminal who raided another family? He¡¯s out of his mind.¡± Navia stood still in a polite manner and read from the information he spilled. ¡®He completely looks down on Duke Eseled.¡¯ The red-eyed man didn¡¯t seem to be someone to ignore. ¡®Rather, he looks like someone who will kill someone more than once.¡¯ Then, were you letting Theorban run wild on purpose? If that¡¯s true, why? Navia was lost in thought, feeling the slight scent of anesthesia rising from her body. Theorban planted an anesthesia. She happened to know in her eighth life that there were illegal farms, not legal ones, registered in the state. The anesthesia plant. There was some sort of connection between the two. Theorban murmured quietly with a grim smile. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense that a b*tch like you is taking over. A correspondence tomorrow¡­¡± He was muttering while snickering. ¡®Correspondence?¡¯ Navia tilted her head in response to his words. Theorban suddenly pulled her arm. ¡®It hurts¡­!¡¯ A sharp pain was felt through the weak anesthesia at the rough touch. ¡°So I¡¯m going to have to put you in a cell. Follow me!¡± Navia wanted to stand strong, but she wasn¡¯t fit enough for a grown man. Moreover, the opponent wasn¡¯t a wizard, so the black moon¡¯s power didn¡¯t work. Navia came up with words that could force Theorban. ¡°Let me go! It was Duke Eseled who let me in!¡± But Theorban snorted in a ludicrous way. ¡°Lark did? He doesn¡¯t care about anyone, you idiot. He wouldn¡¯t even blink an eye if you died or not. What a lie!¡± Theorban screamed threats. ¡°The sight of you rolling your head to survive is amazing!¡± Navia quickly opened her mouth to refute. ¡°That¡­!¡± From then on, a cold and pungent scent came. And. Tak! A large hand was seen grabbing Theorban¡¯s arm, who was holding Navia, pulling it upward as if to break it. Navia turned around with her eyes wide open. The man of the other hand had a fierce distorted look with glaring eyes. ¡°It¡¯s noisy.¡± ¡°Ahk! Who dares to-!¡± Theorban groaned in pain and tried to curse his opponent. But as soon as he confirmed his opponent, he shut up. Overbearingly tall and long black hair. Straight posture making his beautiful appearance stand out, a sharp nose, and a strong jaw. A perfectly proportioned body. ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯ The red-eyed man who saved her. Navia, a regressor, can discern much more than ordinary people. This may be because there was a significant difference in the amount of information she had. The figure of the man in Navia¡¯s eyes wasn¡¯t just simply good. It was a body for ¡®battle.¡¯ Theorban spoke, struggling to raise the corners of his mouth. ¡°¡­Lark.¡± ¡®As expected.¡¯ As Navia predicted, the man with red eyes was Lark Eseled. ¡®How did you show up behind me¡­?¡¯ There were no stairs behind Navia that led to this floor. Was there a hidden staircase? ¡°Ahem. Y-You¡¯re up early today.¡± Theorban spoke annoyingly to Lark, who appeared suddenly like a ghost. ¡®How dare a drug addict¡­¡¯ Although his eyes looked nervous, he pretended to be calm as he tried to pull Lark¡¯s hand off. But Lark didn¡¯t let go. With his head tilted at an angle, he lowered his eyes and looked at Theorban. ¡°I know. Someone woke me up.¡± Theorban swallowed his dry saliva. It wasn¡¯t known exactly what kind of ability Lark had, but he was a very powerful wizard. ¡®But that power must have caused a problem.¡¯ Unlike his decent appearance, Lark was stuck inside his house, unable to go out, and was helplessly depending on medicine. So he thought it was a good thing. He could sleep as much as he wanted while leaving the work to a scarecrow. Theorban was encouraged to reflect on the fact that Lark was socially dead. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. I was so surprised to hear about the news today¡­¡± Lark was standing still, asking for an explanation. ¡°This b*tch is a criminal who dared to engage in an invasion. Why did you give her a guest room? If this news goes outside our family, we will be a laughing stock.¡± Navia was watching the situation in silence. She felt very familiar with Theorban¡¯s behavior. ¡®¡­Agnes.¡¯ Humans who believe in the little power they have and deceive others. Navia felt a deep disgust for a moment. Theorban was posing as if he was the head of Eseled, even though his position was lower. It seemed natural and familiar for him to enjoy what was for Lark. Navia drew a sneer over her lips. Even if she fled from Agnes, the aristocratic society was eventually dominated by the same tribe as Agnes. But Theorban picked the wrong opponent this time. Because she¡¯s a regressor and knew what his weaknesses were. Navia put on a naive expression and spoke anxiously. ¡°Um¡­ Didn¡¯t Count Alvin get in trouble¡­?¡± As a thin voice came out, the eyes of the two fell down. Theorban looked disapprovingly at Navia, who made an unknown remark. ¡°What a load of crap!¡± ¡°Duke Eseled is the Lord and Count Alvin is the Lord¡¯s representative. But if the current image leaks out¡­¡± Navia spoke again after she thought for a little, as if she were trying to find the correct words to use. ¡°It may be said that the hierarchy of the family is dispersed from the great Duchy.¡± There was an eerie echo somewhere in the quiet voice that spoke accurately. ¡°Aren¡¯t¡­ aristocrat families sensitive in that respect?¡± Isn¡¯t that right, family representative, Count Alvin? As Navia progressed, Theorban¡¯s expression became increasingly distorted and heated up. Theorban knew himself what would happen if it were known in society that the vicar of the household dared to behave as if he were the lord of the family. But he ignored it. Since this family would soon be his! ¡®We¡¯ll see. As soon as I swallow Eseled Duchy, I¡¯ll kill them all!¡¯ He was enduring the humiliation of the present with one thought. But Navia caught his disgrace naked. Theorban trembled with rage. How dare a lowly aristocrat lecture me?! He pulled out his arm from Lark¡¯s grasp and shouted. ¡°Eek! There¡¯s nothing more to see. I¡¯ll beat her to death right now, tear her limbs apart and send them to Agnes!¡± Theorban raised his hand to smack Navia. It was to punish the spoiled girl who was manipulating everyone with her mouth. It was when his hand was about to grind her cheek. ¡°I said it was noisy¡­¡± Lark exuded a thick and suffocating voice. Theorban couldn¡¯t move as if his whole body had been wrapped around a chain, weighing him down. His eyes shook violently as his voice shook terribly. ¡°L-Lark¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you want to test my patience.¡± Theorban most definitely witnessed the blackness in Lark¡¯s eyes. But that guy needed him in the end. How else could he get such a low price for a large amount of anesthetic plants? Theorban forced him to swallow his fear. The strong conviction that his opponent couldn¡¯t harm him aroused his courage. Still, instinctive fear couldn¡¯t be helped, so he trembled and spoke, pretending to be fine as much as he could. ¡°Ah, ahhh. That¡¯s right. Haha¡­ I was going to take care of it for my little cousin, but I went a little too far, didn¡¯t I?¡± Lark lowered his upper body slightly and spoke threateningly. ¡°Yeah, so, Hyung.¡± Navia couldn¡¯t figure out how the word ¡®Hyung¡¯ could sound so disparate. (Hyung = older brother) ¡°Get out of my house now.¡± Chapter 38 ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Theorban wanted to be angry. But he knew it was time to back off. ¡°Ah, y-yes, I should¡­ I should go now.¡± ¡®Damn bastard.¡¯ Before leaving, Theorban gave Navia a deathly stare and strode away. It was as if he was telling her that he won¡¯t let her be. ¡®It¡¯s easier to deal with someone who shows their hostility like that.¡¯ The man who is difficult to deal with is a man whose thoughts are unknown. Just like Lark Eseled. Navia spoke while looking at Lark¡¯s back. ¡°Thank you for helping me, Duke Eseled.¡± Listening to her greeting, Lark looked back in slow motion. And then he lowered his indifferent gaze to Navia. Navia was well-mannered. ¡°My name is Navia. I am Duke Nikan Agnes¡¯ foster daughter.¡± Lark frowned strangely when she finished talking. As he swept his bangs with his fingers, his frowns were revealed and his strong impression deepened. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that name before.¡± Navia felt a sense of deja vu at those words. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen your face before.¡± ¡®Oh yeah. He said that before I passed out.¡¯ A never seen before face. A never heard before name. From those words, Navia felt strange. No wonder it was a feeling of wonder of why he existed, going beyond the meaning of first meeting a person. ¡®It could be because you¡¯ve never left the manion.¡¯ But why is it? Those words were as if¡­ there was no one he didn¡¯t know. ¡®Is it because of the atmosphere?¡¯ Even so, this place had a lot of secrets. ¡®It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t deal with it.¡¯ Money was essential to run a family. And Eseled had no money, and she had a way to solve that problem. Navia didn¡¯t miss the opportunity now that she ran into Lark. ¡°And thank you for saving my life. If it weren¡¯t for the Duke, I would have died at the hands of Brother Wood¡­¡± Navia spoke grimly with a weak smile. ¡°You must have been flustered by the sudden disturbance because of me. I didn¡¯t think Brother Wood would hire¡­¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Lark cut her off irritably with a bored expression. ¡°Throw away the sloppy acting in front of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Navia blinked and closed her mouth. Lark looked at her figure and anticipated the usual reaction. She¡¯s a child. She¡¯s about to cry or turn blue. But Navia smiled. ¡°Then I will do as you say.¡± Rather, her voice sounded refreshed as if it turned out better. Lark raised one eyebrow from the unexpected response. ¡°Wood Agnes hired contractors to fake an attack on Duke Eseled. To condemn me to slavery.¡± Even with the poor situation in her mouth, Navia didn¡¯t seem sad. She just calmly spoke. ¡°However, the plan failed and Duke Eseled was given a justification. Agnes attacked by surprise.¡± At this point, it was something anyone could expect. It was the talk of reparations. ¡°It is strictly forbidden by the imperial law, and it is an accident in which Duke Agnes¡¯ own will is not included. He will use me as a scapegoat in this case and promise a large compensation.¡± This was a natural situation. Navia uttered her destiny as if she had seen the future. And Lark had a choice of answers. ¡°The Duke can dispose of me as he wishes and end the situation with compensation.¡± Agnes was so wealthy that it would be tempting to pay a considerable compensation to stop talking about it. But being content with it was short-sighted. ¡°However, it¡¯s hard to maintain a private army with compensation.¡± Lark¡¯s head tilted to the other side when she said private army. ¡°I heard that the outside squad will be back soon. It won¡¯t be enough to feed, provide housing, train, and pay them. No, she will cut off living expenses by drawing out all sorts of causes to prevent Theorban from doing so. As far as Navia knew, Eseled¡¯s businesses were all devolved to Count Alvin. ¡®The soldiers will disband and Theorban will buy them.¡¯ Navia looked at Lark clearly and spoke. ¡°I have a proposition for the Duke.¡± Lark tilted his head with his arms crossed. Navia interpreted it as permission when he didn¡¯t deter much. ¡°Please raise me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lark shut his mouth for a moment. The child in front of him appeared out of the blue loudly this morning and asked him to save her, but now, she asked him to raise her. ¡®I was wondering what you were going to say.¡¯ Ha. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Lark¡¯s eyes deepened. It was a very impulsive decision to let the child inside the house. ¡®Because of that hair.¡¯ His eyes already reached Navia¡¯s brilliant silver hair. Originally, he was just going to save that awfully beautiful silver hair and then send her back out. But the way she dealt with Theorban solidified his thoughts. This child is very clever. Another thing, she was extraordinarily skilled at hiding the vigilance surrounding her entire body at once. He never intended to let this troublesome thing into the house. Lark asked chillingly, ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Despite his cold response, Navia answered clearly and carelessly. ¡°Because it can make you money.¡± Navia explained why she can bring in money. ¡°I heard that Eseled Duchy is decades ahead of the Empire in magic.¡± That was evident only by the corpses of wizards who had been trained by Eseled with their independent magical science. ¡°Where anyone has weapons to covet, the Duke is still unmarried with no children. The Duke may see your successor through marriage in the future, but it probably won¡¯t be like that.¡± Navia didn¡¯t know much about Lark, but she did know the future. Lark had never been married in her eight lives. ¡°In the midst of this, if you consider leaving me by your side for some reason, you¡¯ll be able to predict what kind of possibilities are around you.¡± ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s possible to have you as my foster daughter?¡± Navia nodded. ¡°Then Eseled will have an heir to marry, and Agnes, as well as the royal family, will covet that opportunity. Because they are aiming for the wizards here.¡± How happy would Nikan and the Imperial family be if their plan to devour Eseled came by with marriage? Both Wood and Prince Ares were still young. That was the same for Navia. This meant that there was enough time to start new work. They were going to take care of the papers quickly, asking her to be their foster daughter with the same intentions. ¡°The Duke will receive a fair price from Agnes and the royal family in return for this mercy.¡± ¡°Are you asking to be my adopted daughter for that benefit?¡± ¡°I will take care of Count Theorban Alvin.¡± Lark shut his mouth. Instead, his eyes narrowed. She wasn¡¯t a wizard, and every word she spoke wasn¡¯t supposed to come out from an eight-year-old with no connections. ¡°The method?¡± Navia smiled quietly. ¡°If I tell you that, it wouldn¡¯t be my weapon then, would it?¡± Lark gave a shallow grin, as if he were elated. ¡°What a cheeky kid.¡± Navia bowed her head slightly from the complement and then spoke again. ¡°I have no intentions of remaining as the Duke¡¯s adopted daughter. Under the imperial law, children¡¯s marriage and independence can begin at the age of 15. I will get married and be independent soon.¡± With that, Navia waited for her opponent¡¯s reaction. Lark slowly squirmed his head. ¡°It certainly makes sense.¡± At that moment, the pressure, which she thought had calmed down, became stronger in an instant. ¡°But.¡± As soon as Lark reached out and grabbed her hair, Navia flinched unconsciously. ¡°I don¡¯t like people who think like you. Do you know why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If calculative people betray you¡­ it¡¯s annoying.¡± His eyes were tenaciously on the silver hair. Navia somehow felt an eerie resemblance to the coldness in his gaze. ¡°Especially if they have silver hair.¡± Lark¡¯s horrifyingly indifferent gaze looked down at her as if he were stealing a trifle of beauty. Chapter 39 Navia knew those eyes well. Those were the eyes of a person who could choose life or death. ¡®Did negotiating fail?¡¯ Navia rolled up her lip and pretended to avoid his touch. It was to obtain the most amount of defense power by sucking up the opponent¡¯s power with the black moon. ¡­but the black moon was calm. Lark¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°What was that just now?¡± Navia¡¯s face turned pale. ¡®What? Why wasn¡¯t there any change?¡¯ He¡¯s definitely a wizard, wasn¡¯t he? ¡°You.¡± It was when Lark approached Navia as if he would twist her neck. ¡°I will cut it.¡± She was trying to be calm, but her voice was shaking. ¡°If you don¡¯t like this hair, I will cut it. I will also dye it.¡± Hair didn¡¯t matter at all if she could achieve her goal. In the first place, she only grew it to her thighs in order to be sold for an expensive price at the nursery. Navia immediately bowed to the floor and begged Lark. The great nobles loved this kind of thing. The more humble you were, the more satisfied they were. Navia was well aware of it by experience. So there was no hesitation in being obsequious. Shame? Humiliation? Embarrassment? Those things won¡¯t save your life. ¡°I won¡¯t be a nuisance. If there¡¯s anything I need to fix, I will fix it.¡± This is the only opportunity. I finally got here. I have to survive. If I live, I will find another way. Navia spoke desperately, ¡°I can do anything. I will definitely have a use¡­!¡± At that time, the voice she heard countless times flew into her ears. ¡°You don¡¯t do anything right. This is why low-borns are, tch!¡± Her lips closed on their own. She couldn¡¯t speak because she was so choked up. Navia¡¯s gaze slowly sank down. There was only silence in the hallway. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®In the end, is it all because of my birth?¡¯ She had never lived a welcoming life. No matter how much she had proved her usefulness, she had never been respected. It was obvious. Because she¡¯s not a person. Because she¡¯s a tool. But couldn¡¯t someone hold her hand because she was a useful tool? But with his eyes, Lark said no harshly. For her thinking and her silver hair. ¡®Then what the hell do I do to survive?¡¯ Was dying the only option? Just like the last eight lives. Lark informed her coldly, thinking that the child was, as he thought, about to cry or shudder. ¡°I will save your life, so get out.¡± And it was when he turned around. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡± It was a low voice. It was a dry tone as if it was all used up. She spit out the word regret from her mouth. Lark turned back to Navia again. Navia was still facing the floor. However, it was not the atmosphere that seemed to be in despair as before. As his brows frowned, Navia gazed at Lark¡¯s shoes that caught her gaze. She saw the man Lark Eseled for the first time. There was no information about him. But something got caught in Navia¡¯s keen sense. As Navia¡¯s head cooled down and she began to concentrate, her expression disappeared from her face. She lifted her head and met Lark face-to-face. ¡°The Duke is protecting this place, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lark¡¯s expression, compared to before, was infused with an incomparable eerie look. Navia¡¯s red eyes shone more sharply. This man¡¯s weakness was definitely the duchy itself. The reasoning was that he never abandoned this place even though he acted as if he wasn¡¯t interested in anything in the world. Lark was outstanding. Even if she didn¡¯t check, she felt just how great he was in her gut. Appearance, magic, and status, nothing was lacking. A lot of information was read because such a person had never left the Duchy, but had a sane appearance. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed those with power of the possibility of attacking Eseled. Agnes and the Imperial family fought between themselves and turned to this place. I know how arrogant and persistent they are.¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± ¡°Duke. You have to listen to me. They¡¯ve resolved the problem of removing me. The will be after Eseled like a flock of birds, and then the second and third will come to this place.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me say shut it?¡± Navia, undaunted by Lark¡¯s fierce energy, continued. ¡°There¡¯s no room for negotiating like this if it were someone else.¡± They¡¯re going to come in here without breaking the chains of the brainwashing, like her. ¡°You will regret it if you miss me.¡± Most certainly. Navia threatened Lark by erecting her claws like a highly poisoned kitten. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was a moment of silence between them. But there was a fierce war of nerves between the two. Lark was genuinely dumbfounded. And genuinely angry. It wasn¡¯t because it was annoying as usual. It was because he was stabbed. (T/N: Because he¡¯s shocked, he wasn¡¯t physically stabbed.) It was anger that the little child had seen through him. It was ridiculous. It wasn¡¯t even funny. He was overwhelmed by the trivial theme of life that would turn into powder and disappear with just a touch of a finger. Lark spit out, ¡°It seems you don¡¯t value your life.¡± Navia did not lose and responded. ¡°I value my life, so I¡¯m threatening the Duke.¡± ¡°¡­ha.¡± Navia was so small and weak that it seemed that she would fall over with a light touch. She was shaking but her eyes were twinkling with will. ¡®I hate it.¡¯ Unlike himself, her silver hair gives off a pure and clear color. And her dazzling determination to live. It¡¯s all hateful. ¡®Then I just have to get it out of my sight.¡¯ It was when Lark reached out to the child. Grumble! Navia hurriedly wrapped her arms around her stomach with a flustered look. ¡®Why did it have to be now!¡¯ Her face, as well as her neck, was flushed with shame. She drank a lot of water, but that wasn¡¯t enough to fill her up. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lark¡¯s hand stopped on its own. Silver hair spread out like flames on the black floor and stood out painfully. His mansion is black. Inside, Navia was shining alone. Like white flames. It reminded him of someone. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hwik! As Lark raised his finger, Navia¡¯s body, which was kneeling on the floor, was lifted. Something soft raised her body. ¡°One year.¡± At a sudden remark, Navia looked at Lark. Lark spoke indifferently. ¡°Get out by then.¡± Huh? ¡°That means¡­?¡± Navia asked in a dazed voice. ¡°Then I can stay here until then?¡± Lark closed his lips for a moment when she asked back. Then he clicked his tongue and spoke, ¡°Do what you want.¡± Snap! He snapped his fingers and disappeared. Chapter 40 Navia narrowed her eyes slightly, staring into the air where Lark was. ¡®Just what is Duke Eseled¡¯s ability?¡¯ Being a wizard was certain, but the black moon didn¡¯t react. He used explosion magic and even space movement magic. And the ability to lift someone up was psychokinesis. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Her head got complicated. ¡®But he accepted me.¡¯ There was a one year condition attached, but she got permission to stay here. Even if she wasn¡¯t admitted as his foster daughter, the mere fact that she was staying here was advantageous for Navia. ¡®What a relief.¡¯ Navia became tired as if she dealt with a great deal of evil. As she lost her energy, the forgotten pain, from the wound she got because of Theorban, rose. ¡®Theorban, he¡¯s not someone who will back down quietly.¡¯ But observing the situation earlier, it seemed that Lark was letting him be for some reason, but Theorban couldn¡¯t fight him. ¡®It¡¯ll be hard to poison me recklessly, so maybe he¡¯ll try to drag me outside.¡¯ Anyway, she¡¯s secured her safety for now. ¡®I¡¯ll have to look at the situation and ask Duke Eseled to affirm it with a wizard¡¯s contract.¡¯ Now, all she had to do was wait. ¡®To move in earnestly, the Imperial family has to clearly decide on my disposition to move.¡¯ Nikan would not send an assassin to silence her if he found her useful. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At then, a stinging gaze was felt. As Navia turned her head, she saw a woman with mint-colored hair and big glasses. ¡°Heub!¡± The woman was surprised and dropped the bag in her arms. The contents appeared to be medical instruments. She was dressed in a white gown, so she was probably a doctor. But Navia still spoke formally to her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Navia approached her to take care of the dropped bag. Then the woman picked up the things that had fallen on the ground and nodded. ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m okay.¡± The woman greeted her with quite a nervous look on her face. ¡°P-please speak comfortably. I am Minerva Hart, the Master¡¯s doctor.¡± Navia¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment when she said she was a doctor. Even when the lord of the family wasn¡¯t sick, there was still a doctor. Although it was common for young lords to end up with a doctor, Lark seemed to have no need for a doctor, so it was unexpected. ¡®Is he sick as expected? Is that why he can¡¯t leave the house? That¡¯s why he might need anesthetic¡­¡¯ Navia didn¡¯t know much about the man named Lark, but she thought he couldn¡¯t be more specific. ¡°I¡¯m Navia.¡± And then there was a moment, there was no talking. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Minerva seemed to be very timid. She kept looking at Navia, who was just a child, but couldn¡¯t speak. In the end, Navia spoke first. ¡°Did you¡­come to treat me?¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to bed and lie down.¡± Minerva opened her mouth, looking curiously at Navia, who pointed out what she wanted to do. They went into the bedroom. As Navia lay in bed, Minerba examined her conscious condition and rechecked her wounds. ¡°Was it Minerva who treated me?¡± Suddenly hearing the question, Minerva winced and answered in deep dither. ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Why would she ask that? Maybe she didn¡¯t like the treatment? Was she going to scold her¡­? ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°¡­yes?¡± Navia looked down at her hand. All the badly damaged wounds from the carriage were treated meticulously. There was a sense of tenderness. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone treat me so kindly. So, thank you.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Minerva¡¯s face heated up from the unexpected compliment and gratitude. ¡®Wow, I was complimented.¡¯ ¡°Ah, no¡­it was just my job.¡± It was common for doctors to get annoyed with children because they¡¯re not as profitable. But without having to consider it, Minerva was already the sweetest doctor in all of Navia¡¯s lives. Navia smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Minerva bowed her head and began organizing her medical bag. ¡°The treatment is all done¡­! T-Then I will go out!¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. Thank you.¡± Minerva, who was thanked again, bowed with a red face and quickly left. ¡®She¡¯s a very shy person.¡¯ Navia blinked, sighed, and buried herself in bed. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Should I go find food this time? Navia endured her hunger and closed her eyelids, unable to overcome the drowsiness. *** Navia¡¯s room was on the second floor. Guests were usually on the second floor, so it was natural for her to be there. And the place Lark moved to was the corridor of the third floor. The dark hallway shone silently on the black floor with dim lighting coming in through the windows. No one was on the third floor. Not only people, but there were also no candles burning with a golden flame, that should have filled the walls and the ceilings as well. It was just darkness full of silence. ¡°Suleiman.¡± And an old gentleman with gray hair appeared suddenly from a space where no one was present. He was Lark¡¯s aide, as Count Suleiman Genegar. Although he only had a title and no land, it was very rare for a count to claim to be no less than a secretary of a Duke than the Imperial family. Suleiman had already long sworn allegiance to Lark. ¡°Please speak, Lord.¡± Suleiman ran to the front door at the sound of an out-of-the-blue explosion through the silence and found a girl in the arms of his master. The girl was covered in mud. Her clothes were ragged and blood was dripping. Suleiman expected Lark to pass the sourly distraught girl to dispose of her. But Lark looked at the girl gently. ¡°Save her.¡± It was a pleasure to see Lark show interest in others. But it was Nikan¡¯s foster daughter. Suleiman continued to stick by Lark¡¯s side, hiding himself. Therefore, he witnessed everything Navia said and did until now. And¡­ the child looked quite dangerous. ¡®Except for being Nikan¡¯s foster daughter, she¡¯s a child with a lot of dubious features. It¡¯s not good to have such a child in this house.¡¯ It was not a powerful natural disaster that would break down a bank but a small crack. Suleiman thought Navia was the small crack that would break down this place. Lark spoke. ¡°Do as the kid says.¡± ¡°¡­Lord, It would be better to send her back with Wood Agnes. There is no way Nikan doesn¡¯t have something on that child, isn¡¯t that right?¡± For example, brainwashing. Lark didn¡¯t care if such assumptions were true. ¡°I already told her to stay for one year. Are you trying to reverse my words?¡± Suleiman was forced to bow when he said so. ¡°I will heed your orders.¡± Then he left the third floor to carry out the order. Silence came. Lark walked slowly from his room. He could have used magic like he did coming to the third floor, but he didn¡¯t. The concept of time was meaningless to him anyway. He didn¡¯t need to rush. The sound of his clothes fluttering was the only presence in the silence. His face was deeply shaded, making it look bleak, as if he were wearing a black mask, covering half his face. He looked like a master who ruled a place that lacked warmth. Lark looked out the window suddenly. ¡®It never snowed on a day like this.¡¯ The colorless and meaningless gaze was again at the black hallway. The black scenery that might feel eerie in someone¡¯s view was in place. Was that inevitable? This place was a giant coffin in the shape of a mansion. A coffin where those who can¡¯t die, live. Lark was an ¡®infinite regressor.¡¯ Chapter 41 7. Failed Chess Piece November. After the peak of autumn, branches became thin and the garden lost its color, making the world approach winter. The nobles held frequent meetings around this time as if they were trying to change the atmosphere of the room to see how wonderful each other¡¯s mansions were. The Imperial palace was also extensively refurbished according to the trend. Remarkably high-priced winter trees filled the gardens, newly woven tapestries hung all over, and huge-sized furs adorned all over. It was already magnificent and great, but the Empress thought it wasn¡¯t enough. The Empress hired a young interior designer who was in the midst of a surge in popularity in the capital these days. The news that the designer¡¯s unique decision to dress the Empress¡¯ sofa in dotted fur, like that of a young bourgeoisie, was a very interesting topic in the social circle. Empress Diana laid slanted on the spotted furry sofa, with her blonde hair flowing down. The Empress boasted an incredibly slim figure and flawless skin that made it hard to believe that she had two kids. Indeed, she was the most beautiful beauty in the Empire. The beauty was born from perfect care. Empress Diana, whose hair was being brushed, sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think my hair is as shiny as it used to be. I¡¯ve grown old.¡± Far from wear and tear, she showed off her more seductive beauty. (T/N: What a pick me.) The maid, who was brushing the hair, smiled and flattered her as if she had oil on her tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t say those things. You¡¯re still as pretty as you were when you were a young girl!¡± Diana burst into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± It was when everyone was laughing. Another maid, who was brushing her hair, pulled hair without knowing that the Empress¡¯ hair was caught in the comb. ¡°Ah.¡± When the Empress briefly let out a sound of pain, the atmosphere that had been harmonious froze instantly. The maid, who made a mistake in combing, fell on the floor in contemplation. ¡°P-Please forgive me, Your Majesty!¡± Empress Diana looked into her fingernails without looking and spoke softly, ¡°Remove her.¡± ¡°Your Majesty! Please forgive me! Please save me, Your Majesty¡­!¡± Knights rushed in from the maid¡¯s plea and dragged her out immediately. The other maids in the bedroom were silent. The Empress, from her red lips, spoke. ¡°What are you doing, why aren¡¯t you brushing?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡± They smiled again, chattered, and resumed to help the Empress groom herself. The touches were much more cautious than before. The Empress acted like a generous person, but was cold-blooded and heartless. As the strange tension was circulating in the bedroom, the maid Helen entered. ¡°Your Majesty the Empress, Duke Agnes has arrived. He went to the Imperial Palace first.¡± ¡°Already?¡± The Empress invited Nikan to the Imperial family a few days ago under the pretext of a new interior decorator. ¡®It¡¯s been a year since he¡¯s had his foster daughter, so it¡¯s time for some trouble.¡¯ Nikan hid his foster daughter tightly without exposing her to the outside world. ¡°Navia needs absolute stability because of the shock of losing her whole family.¡± The cause was good, so people had no choice but to hold their breath and wait. However, Diana had people who were her eyes and ears without having to see or hear in person. ¡°I heard she¡¯s taking a special class. I¡¯m not sure because access is restricted near the study room.¡± ¡°Young Master Wood hates her exceptionally. His friends make fun of him for having a sister who has an inappropriate background.¡± When she heard that Navia was a very mysterious girl with silver hair and bright red eyes, the Empress drew a twisted smile on her lips. Her son, Ares, had a hobby of collecting animals with silver fur or red eyes. But his new foster daughter happened to be a silver-haired girl with red eyes? Haha. It was laughable. ¡°My, did he say that the young Lord Agnes is okay? Wasn¡¯t there a mana explosion?¡± ¡°He has recovered consciousness today. He says there¡¯s nothing wrong.¡± The Empress snorted when maid Helen explained. ¡°God is taking care of Agnes.¡± A wizard lost his life from a mana explosion. Even if you didn¡¯t die, the aftereffects would be formidable. The Empress knew exactly what kind of child Wood was. Although duller, more violent and more emotional than his father, he was not a child who would act recklessly in the midst of Nikan¡¯s full attention. But he caused an immense mana explosion? To deal with a weak little girl? Nothing made sense. ¡®Except for the fact that the opponent is strong enough to do so.¡¯ ¡°Hm¡­¡± The Empress somehow had a hunch that the foster daughter was not just a dull and ordinary girl as she was rumored to be. And her gut had never been wrong. Helen spoke, ¡°And Duke Agnes has brought another guest. Edward Spencer.¡± ¡®Edward Spencer.¡¯ It was said that Edward was paid a large sum of money by Nikan to work as a tutor for Navia. She thought he just hired a great tutor for his foster daughter to make up for her low profile. Was there something else? The Empress¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°I should go to the Imperial Palace.¡± At that time, the Imperial Palace¡¯s Ceremony room. Only Nikan and Edward stood alone in the solemn space where the nation¡¯s great affairs were discussed. If Nikan had simply wanted to report on the cause of the mana explosion, he would have visited the Emperor¡¯s private drawing room, not the Imperial ceremony room. However, what he will report was the treatment for the mana reflux disease. Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste for this great discovery, which must be recorded in history books, to be reported in a private parlor? The wait was short. The chief of staff appeared in a hurry and informed the two. ¡°His Majesty is entering.¡± Nikan and Edward straightened their posture and bowed to the man walking in. ¡°We greet the great Emperor.¡± Emperor of Eden, Yulrich Duphman. He was a wild handsome man with gray hair and blue eyes. With an overbearing stature of over 2 meters and a well trained body, he looked more like a warrior than a wizard. The Emperor passed between them and sat in his seat without an expression. ¡°Stand.¡± It was the voice of a ruler with dignity. Nikan instantly raised his mana to check if his mind was well protected. His opponent was an Emperor with military power, but he was also a wizard who could use powerful mental control magic. Usually, aristocrats would build up their mental barriers since childhood due to the magical abilities of the Imperial family. It was the same with Nikan. The layers of mana was like a knight¡¯s armor. Emperor Yulrich asked, looking precisely at Edward. ¡°Did you say you figured out a way to cure the mana reflux disease?¡± Edward replied with a slight bow. ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m surprised.¡± Nikan flattered the Emperor when he burst into pure admiration. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s reign has given us such a glorious achievement, and this is all your blessing.¡± This happy news will be declared by the Emperor himself, so it will be very positive for his influence. Equally aware of the fact, the Emperor smiled heavily. ¡°I will award you generously. Give Sir Spencer the title of Count. Wayne will be a good name.¡± Nikan spoke, looking at Edward with a nice smile. ¡°Congratulations, Count Wayne.¡± Edward knelt on the floor. ¡°Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°If you receive a title from a good job, how can you call it grace? Anyway, I don¡¯t know what would be good for Duke Agnes.¡± Nikan¡¯s smile grew thicker. ¡°How can I receive a reward when I haven¡¯t done anything? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± He deliberately showed modesty once. The Emperor also said it was okay because he knew it was empty words, urging him to say what he wanted to quickly. It was Nikan¡¯s loss if he made excessive demands on such an opportunity, as it would cause the Emperor to freeze. The Emperor also guessed that Nikan would demand proper compensation. Nikan finally let it out. ¡°Then, may I speak to you about a matter that I would like Your Majesty to consider, rathe than a reward?¡± ¡°Speak.¡± Nikan began to bring up what he and Edward had spoken about before coming to the palace. ¡°It¡¯s none other than about Duke Eseled¡¯s successor.¡± Chapter 42 At the unexpected remark, the Emperor raised one eyebrow. It was not a negative reaction. Nikan continued in a cautious but strong voice. ¡°Duke Eseled, let alone having a successor, is still single. If there is an unexpected situation in Eseled, there will be a vacancy in the successor position, a storm in politics.¡± The Duchy is a large group, so it is inevitable that there are many blood relatives and vassals. Without a successor, if the head of the family died, a war could be waged over who would get the largest slice of pie. That wasn¡¯t the only problem. The people of the Empire considered the four Dukes, the founding contributors and families consisted of powerful wizards, to be a national power. That was also a truth. Thus, the emergence of a great problem with a Duke would be regarded as a national hardship. If there was a problem with a Duke, great confusion would spread. Confusion was usually an opportunity. If the current Duke of Eseled died without dealing with the succession issue, the Emperor may appoint the person he wanted as the successor in the name of quelling the confusion. The desire to increase power was like a chimney, but it was a problem right now. It had only been eight years since the death of Duke Eiles. The nobles were sensitive to the disappearances of their families, and if Eseled were to be questioned, suspicions of tyranny would rise to the surface. This work was very cleverly intertwined. ¡®If Duke Eseled dies at a time like this, the first arrow of doubt will fly to me.¡¯ The Emperor shook his head. ¡°That makes sense.¡± Nikan continued smoothly because he was sure the Emperor would listen to him. ¡°Why don¡¯t Your Majesty help us prevent a confusion?¡± The Emperor smiled cheerfully. ¡°How can I help you?¡± Nikan went straight to the point. ¡°As Your Majesty knows, I am the only Duke who has two daughters. In addition, Vivian is very healthy because of Count Wayne here.¡± Emperor Yulrich recalled the foster daughter Nikan had taken in. Wasn¡¯t she the child who would become Ares¡¯ fianc¨¦e if nothing big happened? ¡°There were talks of marriage between the Imperial family and Agnes. Now that my own daughter is cured, the marriage will be arranged.¡± Nikan made a suggestion with a look of calmness in his eyes. ¡°My foster daughter, why don¡¯t we send her as the successor?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± The Emperor touched his chin without answering. It looked like he was calculating the profit he would get if that were to happen. Nikan added an explanation. ¡°It¡¯s a great opportunity to unite Emperor Duffman, Agnes, and Eseled.¡± Edward, who had been staying still, also added an explanation. ¡°There is a precedent for adopting a child from the same family of a Count and setting him up as the heir.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting story. It can stabilize the situation in many ways, and it¡¯s a good suggestion.¡± It wasn¡¯t a bad story. Only, if it¡¯s a matter that can be decided immediately, it¡¯s also ambiguous. However, it was a moment of silent consideration because it was a request rather than a prize. The chief of staff intercepted politely. ¡°Your Majesty, the Empress is waiting outside. What should I do?¡± Nikan snorted inside. Instinctively feeling that there was something to eat, she ran straight to the Emperor¡¯s palace. ¡®She¡¯s a woman with an amazing instinct.¡¯ Diana entered gracefully, radiating her own bright light, just like a chandelier. ¡°I greet Her Majesty, the Emperess.¡± The Empress approached the Emperor and asked anxiously, ¡°Everyone raise. I hope the new one didn¡¯t interfere the discussion of important matters?¡± Emperor Yulrich greeted the Empress with a soft smile. ¡°How could that be? You came at a good time. I have some very good news.¡± He told the Empress that a cure for the mana reflux disease had been found. ¡°It is thanks to Your Majesty that your subject is competent. I am more than happy that such a good thing has been achieved in your reign.¡± Diana showed her cuteness like a mistress without her Empress-like dignity. However, no one could underestimate such an Empress. For she became a pathetic and alluring flower only in front of the Emperor. The Emperor still loved his beautiful and lovely wife as much as he did when he was Crown Prince. The Empress acted like a sexy mistress, but sometimes also as a quiet and wise wife. The Emperor once had a concubine for a bit, but quickly returned to the Empress because of her charm. He was so disinterested in the concubines that they went missing every time. It was all speculative. The Emperor continued. ¡°Duke Agnes suggested sending his eldest daughter for Duke Eseled to adopt.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Diana was still smiling like a flower, but her eyes turned into those of a brutal politician. ¡®Put your foster daughter in Eseled? Huhu, you must know what you¡¯re drawing.¡¯ The Empress looked at Nikan with pure admiration when she realized that he was plotting to swallow Eseled. ¡°It¡¯s a great offer for Your Majesty to send a political gesture to get along while penetrating the doors of the isolated Duke Eseled.¡± Duke Eseled had passed the marriageable age stipulated in the aristocratic community. Meddling in by sending a child whose identity was guaranteed by the Imperial family as his successor was a pleasing situation. ¡°Duke Agnes¡¯ sharp view and great power always surprises this intruder.¡± Nikan bowed slightly with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± The Empress and Nikan were smiling at each other, but there were already a lot of calculations going on inside. ¡®Let¡¯s see who swallows Eseled.¡¯ The Empress grinned. ¡°Shall we take out time while we eat? Fresh deer meat came in today.¡± ¡°Let us all go to the dining room. It¡¯s a happy day, so I¡¯ll have the chefs put more care in their cooking.¡± They soon moved to the dining room. *** The atmosphere during the meal was peaceful. Each of them wore a mask full of smiles and treated each other mildly, which was forced. In that atmosphere, Edward was alone in silence, showing no presence. He wasn¡¯t interested in the ridiculous hegemonic fight. Instead, it was only Navia¡¯s next move that filled his head. ¡®How the hell are you planning to get out of the Duchy? Also, who do you plan to take advantage of in this game?¡¯ It was all drawn by Navia to have them all search and check each other¡¯s interests. Without knowing it, they¡¯re all puppets. Swaaa-! At that time, the sound of heavy rain filled Edward¡¯s ears. ¡°It¡¯s raining a lot. It must be dangerous to drive a carriage now.¡± With the Empress¡¯ murmur, Edward¡¯s eyes grew bigger and bigger. ¡®Did you know about the weather?¡¯ Of course, the sky had been in a glow since early this morning. But the rain could have fallen hours later. But maybe it meant that Navia was so confident that she wouldn¡¯t stall for time in her room and send Nikan away? ¡®Is this the courage of an eight-year-old¡­?¡¯ When young, recklessness and the ability to pursue are quite different. Edward thought this was determination. Nikan wrinkled his forehead. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait until the rain thins out.¡± They spent time enjoying tea, waiting for the rain to thin out. It was well after three hours of staying at the palace. ¡°Duke, it stopped raining but it has started snowing, but I think it is a good idea to go back before the road freezes.¡± Nikan spoke in content at the chief of staff¡¯s words. ¡°Snow in November? It¡¯s not a big deal. Call the carriage right away.¡± The Emperor spoke as he saw Nikan off. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon with another piece of good news.¡± It was about Vivian and Ares¡¯ engagement. ¡°I look forward to that day, Your Majesty.¡± Nikan climbed into a ready carriage. It was with Edward again this time. They were going to return to the Duchy together because Edward was invited to dinner. ¡°Thank you for accepting my invitation, Count Wayne.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been awarded the title yet. Please speak comfortably with me.¡± ¡°Haha. How could I do that? Your title has already been decided.¡± Nikan was very fond of Edward. The fact that he was a bookkeeper, a rare talent in Agnes, made him an even more attractive talent. ¡°Today was really the best day ever.¡± Nikan looked out the window, muttering like a beast after feasting. ¡°Ahh, stop for a moment. I have to buy a present for my daughter.¡± On his way back home, he stopped by a store and bought flowers and dolls. As if he had already won, he was so relaxed that anyone could easily guess that something good happened. The sense of anger and fatigue accumulated by the series of recent incidents had been wiped away. ¡®Now that we¡¯ve decided to send Navia to Eseled, if the Emperor is quick, he would immediately descend to the Holy Land tomorrow.¡¯ And if he married his son to Navia, Eseled¡¯s power would be his. Chapter 43 ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Master.¡± Nikan entered the lobby with Edward. He handed over his coat to Lyndon, who came to meet him. ¡°Did anything happen?¡± It was a ritual question on the assumption that nothing would have happened, but something really happened. Lyndon first looked at his Master¡¯s eyes before speaking. Fortunately, Nikan¡¯s expression was bright. ¡®The plan must be going well. There won¡¯t be an explosion.¡¯ Lyndon was relieved to report what had happened, about Vivian releasing Philippa from her confinement again. ¡°Philippa, that foul¡­!¡± Nikan felt like he was hit in the back of the head when he heard that Philippa had been coercing Vivian while he was out. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to see! Execute Philippa today!¡± Nikan controlled his anger and asked, ¡°Did you say Navia went out to shop? What kind of money does that child have?¡± Edward, who was standing by in line, glinted and focused on the story. Lyndon spoke. ¡°She exchanged her stuff from Ancier Boutique for cash with the accountant. She said she would buy a present for her family.¡± ¡®Exchanged goods with the accountant for money?¡± It¡¯s not an unimaginable idea, but it was difficult for the young Navia to think up of. ¡®Did the teacher tell you?¡¯ Nikan glanced at Edward, but it didn¡¯t matter much, so he asked another question. ¡°Who followed Navia?¡± When a young girl like Navia goes out, a maid usually follows her. Instead of Charlotte, a new maid would have followed her. Lyndon suddenly looked flustered when he suddenly asked about a maid. ¡°¡­that maid.¡± Where he pointed to was Kate, who was moving a tray. ¡®I didn¡¯t hear that the Lady came back though..?¡¯ Nikan called Kate over. ¡°You!¡± When Kate was called out with a loud voice, she flinched her shoulders and approached Nikan. ¡°I greet the Lord.¡± ¡°Are you Navia¡¯s new exclusive maid?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± Nikan looked down at Kate¡¯s tray. A clear bowl of tea and refreshments were seen. None of it was allowed to Navia. ¡°Where is Navia?¡± Kate¡¯s eyes trembled finely. ¡°T-that, she hasn¡¯t come back from her outing yet.¡± ¡°Then who¡¯s following Navia?¡± ¡°¡­the coachman followed her.¡± Nikan asked the next question as he felt his anger slowly rising. ¡°Which coachman?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± When Kate was speechless and shut her mouth, Nikan gritted his teeth. The strong intuition that this was Wood¡¯s work crossed his mind. ¡°Where is Wood?¡± Lyndon replied. ¡°Young Master Wood said he was going out a long time ago because he needed something. It was not the same time as Miss Navia¡¯s outing.¡± However, Kate was shaking as if it wasn¡¯t. Nikan noticed that the refreshments in Kate¡¯s hands were not for her master but a reward for herself, and then knocked them down with his hands. Crash! Kate immediately knelt down with a pale face. ¡°Forgive me, Master! I just followed the Young Master¡¯s orders!¡± Slap! Nikan slapped Kate¡¯s cheek. You mention my son in such a public place? ¡°Bash this maid!¡± He meant beat her to death. The maid was clearly guilty of deceiving her master, so there was no need to let her dry up in the laundry room like Charlotte. Nikan grabbed his throbbing head and ordered. ¡°Find out where the children are. Right now!¡± It was then. ¡°Master!¡± The guard, who was supposed to be guarding the main gate, ran in with astonishment.¡¯ Nikan had an ominous premonition. ¡°What is it!¡± ¡°A, A carriage from Duke Eseled came. However, however¡­!¡± The guard gulped and reported. ¡°The Young Master is lying unconscious in the carriage!¡± Nikan¡¯s complexion hardened like a stone in an instant. ¡®Duke Eseled?¡¯ The family that¡¯s been living ignorantly came to my family today? On top of that, with my son unconscious! ¡°¡­tell them to come in.¡± Nikan nervously waited with Lyndon and doctors in the lobby for the carriage to come in. Soon, with snow piled up, three black wagons approached the main building quietly. Nikan glared at the carriage with frozen eyes, trying to hide his nervousness. ¡®Out of all the families, why did it have to be Eseled?¡¯ An ominous premonition crept up step by step from the tip of his toes. Navia apparently disappeared with him, but the guard never mentioned her. Since there were three carriages, one should be Eseled¡¯s messenger, one should carry his son, and the other should carry Navia. Finally, the carriage was just around the corner. Soon, the door of the first carriage opened and a middle-aged gentleman with white hair came out. ¡°¡­Count Suleiman Zenegar?¡± Nikan muttered as if he didn¡¯t expect to see him. Suleiman, along with Margaret Romanov, set a highly mythical record that led to the undefeated war 23 years ago. At that time, he was so outstanding that there was public opinion that he should be awarded a title of Duke. ¡®However, he¡¯s just old junk now.¡¯ People criticized Suleiman for being senile, wondering how a Count could be someone¡¯s aide. Nikan scoffed at Suleiman, who only had glory in the past. It was none other than himself who was leading the Empire now. At that time, Suleiman took off his hat and greeted Nikan with a cool look, hiding his thoughts. ¡°Long time no see, Duke Agnes.¡± Nikan¡¯s expression distorted with displeasure from Suleiman¡¯s relaxed greeting. ¡°Where is my son?¡± It was a threat that he wouldn¡¯t let it be if something bad happened to his son. Although Suleiman understood his words, he gestured without a change in his expression. When the coachman opened the second carriage, Nikan led the doctor to Wood with a nervous face. Step. But his step was blocked by Suleiman¡¯s cane. Nikan¡¯s aggravated gaze climbed up from the end of the cane and reached Suleiman, who dared to block him. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Count?¡± His voice was filled with hostility that could tear someone apart immediately if he raised his mana. It was raining right now. No matter how powerful the opponent was, he had a reputation for being a powerful wizard, but he was old and past his prime. Nikan raised his bloodies energy. ¡°Move immediately.¡± Suleiman spoke calmly, facing Nikan with an indifferent gaze. ¡°Duke Agnes, are you taking in a criminal who declared a surprise territorial war without permission?¡± ¡°What nonsense!¡± A surprise battle of territoriality! Suleiman signaled at the coachman when Nikan retaliated. It meant to open the third carriage. Nikan thought the third carriage would definitely be carrying Navia. But it wasn¡¯t. ¡°They are contractors hired by Wood Agnes, Duke.¡± At that moment, Nikan¡¯s eyes trembled. He felt like he was bleeding from the top of his head. ¡®No way. This is a dream. That¡¯s right, this is a nightmare.¡¯ Otherwise, such a glorious day would not be ruined in the worst way! Nikan wanted to turn a blind eye from reality. His life couldn¡¯t be so messed up and twisted, but these days, it was really strange. ¡®It¡¯ll really go out of control if it stays like this.¡¯ He held onto his dizzying spirit. ¡°So they¡¯re contractors and my son hired them?¡± Suleiman pulled out the contract out from his arms when Nikan tried to escape the situation by playing with words. ¡°I came here to find out about the situation in case anyone thinks this is manipulation played out by Eseled.¡± Nikan reluctantly accepted it with a bloodless and cold hand. It was a contract. In Wood¡¯s handwriting, it was written that Navia should be taken to attack Duke Eseled and be abandoned. Nikan forced his stiff cheeks to move. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say that this is my son¡¯s fault with this kind of contract. You can copy handwriting as much as you want.¡± ¡°However, I don¡¯t know how you will explain the fact that the Duke¡¯s foster daughter was turned into a wreck in Eseled.¡± The situation had already been played out as written. On top of that, Navia was in Eseled? That was why Navia wasn¡¯t seen. ¡®What do I do about this situation?¡¯ Nikan closed his eyes grimly. If left as it was, his son¡¯s honor would be deeply damaged. The act of staging a territorial war by surprise to other families was the lowest and most vicious act that¡¯s absolutely a taboo. Even if it was Agnes, that level of criminality would follow like a tag for life. ¡®Another, Vivian¡¯s position will be lowered because she has such a brother.¡¯ Nikan somehow had to cover up the incident in the most un-harmful direction. To do so, he had no choice but to sacrifice Navia, whom he had worked hard on. ¡®I was sure the perfect picture was coming close to completing.¡¯ The world was a chessboard that was put together as he wanted. But a chess piece went wild. The picture was badly ruined. ¡®This is a failure.¡¯ He managed to admit his failure. You just have to throw away what failed. Nikan put on a mask with a grim expression and lifted his head. Chapter 44 ¡°Navia, that child is disturbing!¡± He heartlessly abandoned Navia. ¡°Actually, that child has a problem. The storm that happened yesterday was caused by my son who was caught up in that child¡¯s vicious pranks.¡± Nikan was cutting its tail. ¡®Just like the child said.¡¯ Suleiman¡¯s expression, which had no movement, became cold. As expected, that child¡¯s dangerous. It was when that thought was going through. ¡°Even if she¡¯s my foster daughter, I tried to correct her behavior like she was my real daughter¡­ but since it became like this, there¡¯s nothing I can do now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying this was actually the work of your foster daughter?¡± ¡°Wood is an innocent child. He was almost killed time by time because of Navia¡¯s tricks.¡± Nikan apologized politely with a distressed look on his face. ¡°I sincerely apologize for causing trouble to the Eseled family because of my house¡¯s affairs. This is a sin needed to be repaid for life, I will pay back financially.¡± Poorly skilled contractors and Wood couldn¡¯t have hurt a single strand of hair on Eseled. But, it was the kind of thing that could be done smoothly if Navia¡¯s life was given up and a sufficient financial compensation was promised. As long as Nikan kept a low profile and a cooperative attitude, pursuing more would be excessive. Since he¡¯s pushed all the wrongdoings onto Navia. Nikan expected that Suleiman would show bewilderedness even though he knew the truth. But Suleiman expression stayed the same. He moved his cane as if Nikan had finished talking. ¡°Are you saying Princess Navia Agnes will be passed to our jurisdiction?¡± ¡°Of course. That kind of wicked woman is not an Agnes. I will report this to the Emperor today and soon drop her from the family.¡± Suleiman nodded when he heard the answer he wanted. ¡°Then we will organize this part and send a messenger to the palace from our side.¡± Nikan smiled brightly. Although it was a pity to lose Navia, he didn¡¯t feel much as little property could always be lost. ¡°It¡¯s nice that the conversation went well. I would like to make a formal apology to Duke Eseled¡­ is that possible?¡± Nikan threw the bait with the intention of properly infiltrating the Eseled Duchy. Suleiman twisted his lips for the first time and smiled slightly. ¡°Well, if Duke Agnes is really okay with it, we will invite you.¡± At the ambiguous words, Nikan paused, unable to speak. Suleiman continued, ¡°Then take Young Master Agnes. I¡¯ll take the contractor¡¯s bodies.¡± Nikan glanced at the pile of corpses with slightly reluctant eyes. ¡®There aren¡¯t any other problems, right?¡¯ He nodded and took care of Wood with a forced smile. Blood was the most important thing anyway. Suleiman fixed his hat and spoke, ¡°Then, when will be a good time to formally report this matter to the Emperor and sign it in writing?¡± ¡°I will get back to you within a week.¡± ¡°I understand. I will get back to you too.¡± As Suleiman climbed into the carriage, Nikan apologized with a look of abomination with success. ¡°I am sorry about today. Get home safely.¡± Eseled¡¯s carriage started to slowly make its way through the snow. Nikan stared at the carriage and turned his head in annoyance with falling eyes. ¡°What are you doing! Attend Wood right now!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nikan strode into the mansion with a stretcher carrying his son. ¡®I¡¯d better take care of Navia first, just in case.¡¯ It was time for a professional assassin, not a sloppy mercenary. ¡°I have to go to the Imperial Palace.¡± Nikan suddenly remembered Edward as he spoke while putting on his coat again. ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Spencer?¡± ¡°I showed him to the drawing room.¡± ¡°Tell him I¡¯m sorry but the dinner tonight will be postponed.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Although Nikan may lose some face in the process of overturning his plans with Navia, which he told to the Emperor and Empress today, he considered such an error to be nothing. The important thing was that Vivian¡¯s illness was healed and that she will be the future Empress who will produce the next Emperor. There may be another way to swallow Eseled. ¡®Yes. That¡¯s it.¡¯ Nikan set out for the Imperial Palace. *** Suleiman headed to the third floor as soon as he returned to Eseled to report his business. In a short period of time, the white snow that piled up on his black coat melted away. ¡®It¡¯s already snowing in November.¡¯ Snow in November and a mysterious girl from Agnes. Today was a strange day. ¡®Is it a good thing that Nikan told me that I could kill his foster daughter?¡¯ That didn¡¯t mean he¡¯s going to kill that poor girl. Just as soon as the treatment was over, he planned to get her out of the duchy. A year. What was the Lord thinking in allowing it? ¡®I don¡¯t think he helped her because he felt sorry for her¡­¡¯ Still, he thought it would be reasonable to give such a measure as there was profit gained from the girl. ¡°Ha¡­ still, was the big fire put out?¡± Duke Eseled did not use any servants, so he was able to set low labor costs. One problem was the soldiers. ¡®We¡¯re at our limits of maintaining the soldiers now.¡¯ Until now, they were maintained by dispatching Duke Eseled¡¯s soldiers to the border with compensation from the Empire. But that was also about to be blocked. ¡®The Imperial family said they would no longer borrow Eseled¡¯s hand¡­¡¯ There was a high probability that Theorban¡¯s breath would have touched it. Eseled¡¯s soldiers were not ordinary wizards. They¡¯re Eseled¡¯s strong knights grown through Eseled¡¯s magic. It was dangerous to let the powerful army glow into the hands of others. ¡®Especially Theorban.¡¯ Most of the families would have been wiped out if the soldiers fought a territory battle. But Lark was indifferent. He blocked all possibilities of ¡®forever,¡¯ as if he were about to die. You don¡¯t have the money to keep your men alive? If so, he would dissolute the soldiers without mercy. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Suleiman rubbed around his wrinkled eyes with a tired look. He wanted Lark to to be attached to something. He wanted him to live like a human being. He is able to do that. Actually, his feelings are closer to those of a Father towards their son rather than to a Master¡¯s. Maybe he couldn¡¯t help but feel that way after spending 23 years together. He still couldn¡¯t forget the brilliant performance of a seven-year-old who suddenly appeared and led the war against the Allied Army undefeated. Outside, the undefeated march was known to have been credited to Suleiman and Margaret, but the reality was different. That was Lark¡¯s achievement. ¡°Do you think people will believe the fact that I did it?¡± The boy snickered at him when he was advised to reveal the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I¡¯m interested in you and you, you two.¡± Lark spoke proudly with his legs crossed. ¡°Pledge your loyalty to me. You¡¯re going to do it anyway, so just do it early.¡± Until then, Lark definitely had the smell of living, even if it wasn¡¯t the smell of a human being. When did he change? ¡®Eight-years-old.¡¯ Yes. Lark suddenly changed from the age of eight. The Duchy was dyed in black and Lark trapped himself in it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go outside?¡± ¡°Do you know the fairytale about a prince trapped in a castle who turns into a monster?¡± ¡°Why a fairytale suddenly¡­?¡± ¡°You can roughly think that it¡¯s similar to that.¡± The boy was strange. Without taking a step outside, he was mastering the world as if he had a clairvoyance. Those who swore allegiance to Lark had dimly approached his secret. Their Lord¡¯s beyond human, and perhaps, that¡¯s why he can¡¯t leave the mansion. If Navia wasn¡¯t Nikan¡¯s foster daughter, Suleiman would have cherished her without doubt. ¡®I have a reason to protect the Duchy.¡¯ This was their home. It was natural to remove risk that could destroy the home. Knock knock. ¡°Lord, I¡¯m coming in.¡± Suleiman opened the door and entered without waiting for permission. That¡¯s because he knew that Lark wasn¡¯t interest in anything like that anyway. ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of it as you asked. He said he would hand over his foster daughter¡¯s disposition to us.¡± Lark raised his hand as if he knew without making eye contact. ¡°Then what are you going to do with that child now?¡± At that, Lark spoke, ¡°I told you. Leave her for a year.¡± Suleiman tilted his head. Are you really going to accept that ridiculous deal? ¡°Having that child will do more harm than good. The label that she used to be Nikan Agnes¡¯ foster daughter will follow her to her death.¡± That means that no matter how many children Nikan adopts, people would change their words like flipping the palm of their hand if they show any signs of embracing Navia. The shameless act will be done like water flowing from the top with consent of the Imperial family. ¡°They¡¯re going to put Miss Navia in Eseled. And they will marry their son to Miss Navia to swallow Eseled.¡± What would happen when Navia stays here is obvious. There were times when he didn¡¯t know what was going on in the world, but there were times when he had to suffer even though he knew. That was the case now. A year was enough to do so if willing. Suleiman thought about what to do with Navia. ¡°That¡¯s why the child also has her ideas, when she turns 15, she¡¯ll isolate herself from the family and become independent.¡± Suleiman shut his mouth. Thinking of it, this situation was strange from the beginning. Like¡­ ¡®Was this planned from the beginning?¡¯ You didn¡¯t just improvise because of a sudden incident? No, whether it was improvised or planned, it didn¡¯t make any sense. It¡¯s not something an ordinary eight-year-old, other than Lark, could do! ¡®Why didn¡¯t I realize that before?¡¯ Suleiman felt goosebumps all the way down his spine. ¡°¡­I will leave now.¡± It will be bad if the child continues to stay under the Duke¡¯s roof. Click. Suleiman left Lark¡¯s bedroom as his expression hardened. ¡°I can¡¯t go easy on you if you¡¯re a threat.¡± First, he was going to dig into reality with his own eyes. Chapter 45 Navia fell asleep like a log. Is it because the spirit and the body, which had been driven out to the brink of ruin, greedily coveted the rest that had barely been secured? Resting is important. But is it really okay to rest? Her mind kept asking her to wake up and look around properly. But her body didn¡¯t listen. Navia fell asleep wrapped in a soft bed and opened her eyes to a savory and delicious smell. When she lifted her head to the clatter, a middle-aged woman who was preparing a meal in a little distance was seen. ¡®Who?¡¯ The middle-aged woman spoke to Navia with a gracious smile when their eyes met. ¡°Are you up?¡± Before Navia answered, the woman spoke again, ¡°My name is Margaret Romanoff. I¡¯m the caretaker of the Eseled Duchy. Navia felt her sleep run away. ¡®Margaret Romanoff!¡¯ Margaret was one of the few female aristocrats who conferred titles, and although time passed, she was a war hero of her youth. Navia tried to get out of bed and greet her. Then Margaret put her tray down on the table and dissuaded her. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it while you¡¯re hurt. What¡¯s the big deal if you don¡¯t follow the rules?¡± The only time Navia was able to ignore manners was when she was unconscious. Therefore, she was flustered when Margaret said she didn¡¯t have to follow the rules of etiquette. ¡®Is she serious?¡¯ Navia¡¯s eyes searched the opponent in silence. She couldn¡¯t feel any hostility and there was no feeling of spying. It simply felt like she was being friendly to a child. ¡®Then it would be better accept the favor.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to have the same friction from Agnes while being here. Navia bowed her head. ¡°Nice to meet you, Count Margaret Romanoff. My name is Navia.¡± ¡°Do you know me? You¡¯re still young, but you must have studied hard about the nobility. That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡®Is this something to be praised for?¡¯ Navia was usually told ¡®not bad,¡¯ or ¡®you¡¯re of humble birth, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ The compliment of ¡®not bad¡¯ was not even heard enough to memorize. When she memorized a history book and carried out difficult tasks like high-quality etiquette, Navia was only praised with ¡®not bad.¡¯ That was the best compliment for Navia. But amazing? ¡®A person as great as Count Romanoff in particular couldn¡¯t be admiring these basic things.¡¯ But this was a greeting. It was a little vague, but there wasn¡¯t anything fake from this person. ¡®And it¡¯s weird to speak up to me.¡¯ Navia bowed slightly as spoke as if she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Please speak comfortably.¡± Then Margaret grinned. ¡°My Lord¡¯s guests deserve respect. I¡¯m talking comfortably enough, so do not worry.¡± ¡®Lord.¡¯ Navia wondered why Margaret was serving Lark as her Lord and took the role as the butler, but she didn¡¯t ask. Her position wasn¡¯t clear yet. Until the problem was resolved, she had to act like a complete stranger. When she was lost in thought, Margaret asked, ¡°Are you very hungry?¡± Growwwl-. Her answer came from her stomach. Navia blushed and replied, ¡°yes.¡± ¡°Here, I¡¯ve prepared a soup for dinner, but if there¡¯s not enough, please tell me. There¡¯s plenty more.¡± ¡°Thank you, Count.¡± Margaret smiled softly with a ¡®don¡¯t mention it.¡¯ ¡®Rather, I¡¯d be more comfortable if she was fake.¡¯ Margaret put a small table for patients in front of Navia and the strong smell of savory cream soup wafted up. Navia was so hungry that she quickly picked up the spoon and blew the spoon to take a mouthful of the steaming soup. ¡°!¡± It¡¯s good. Navia felt her mood soften by the warm sensation spreading inside her body. How long has it been since she¡¯s had warm food? The thick cream soup was not greasy at all but had a deep taste. The tip of her tongue was enchanted. Navia ate the soup little by little. ¡°Is it perhaps not to your taste?¡± Margaret, who was watching, asked in wonder, and Navia answered quickly. ¡°No. It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°But why¡­¡± Margaret spoke and then shut up. ¡®Food was precious.¡¯ Because food was precious, she had the habit of trying to feel as full as possible, even with a bowl of soup. ¡®Just what happened in the Agnes Duchy¡­¡¯ Margaret let out a miserable sigh. It would be a very cute and lovely sight for the child to be happy with the food. However, Margaret felt sorry for Navia because she knew what the problem was. ¡®Her whole body was hurt. There were also obvious marks of whipping.¡¯ Margaret was the one who washed Navia when she was unconscious. That was how she could see all the wounds on Navia¡¯s body. She remembered what Minerva said while treating the unconscious Navia. ¡°The lack of nutrition is severe. Her body has been so overworked that I don¡¯t know if her body will grow up properly.¡± Margaret looked at Navia with sad eyes and found the soup revealing its bottom. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you more soup. Help yourself. Is there anything else you want to eat?¡± But Navia politely declined. ¡°This is enough. I can¡¯t eat anymore because I¡¯m so full. Thank you for your care.¡± She had an overly polite and gracious attitude, but the thing that hurt Margaret more was the amount of food ate. Navia said she was full, but the amount she ate was ridiculously small. Although it was one bowl of soup, it was only a very small amount that would make one¡¯s mouth water before the main course. But she was full. ¡®But it can be bad to force her to eat more.¡¯ Then snacks should be prepared. Margaret wanted Navia to stay here comfortably. So she hope she will relax a little bit and relieve her anxiety. ¡®¡­I really.¡¯ Margaret smiled bitterly. It was heartbreaking to see a child troubled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll increase the amount of food a little bit for the meal. Before that, warm milk with honey and chocolate cookies as a snack will be good.¡± Warm milk with honey. And chocolate cookies? Navia opened her mouth to refuse unknowingly saying it¡¯s too much. ¡°You don¡¯t need to¡­¡± But Navia suddenly shut up. She was going to tell Marget she didn¡¯t need to care about her that much. But she stopped because she didn¡¯t think such an answer sound like a lovely child. Navia knew exactly where she was. ¡®Eseled is the best and I¡¯m at the bottom.¡¯ The objective had to be achieved without breaking this rule because there was a clear gap in the relationship. ¡®Let¡¯s not get in the way.¡¯ Navia replied with the face of a good child. ¡°Thank you.¡± Margaret was alert of the fact that she had not gained Navia¡¯s trust, but she smiled gently. Trust isn¡¯t formed in an instant anyway. She fully understood why the child is wary. It seemed that the child would need time alone. ¡°I will get you some snacks, so have some rest.¡± Navia nodded resolutely, a little relieved to hear Margaret go out. Margaret laid Navia down, covered her with a blanket, and looked out of the window where the curtains were rolled up. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will snow.¡± At the end of that remark, Margaret left the bedroom. Peaceful silence once again. Navia yawned for a long time. Tears formed around her eyes. She wiped them off with her sleeved one after another. Although she slept quite a bit, she was getting sleepy again. Maybe it¡¯s because she had to pay a lot of attention to adapting in a new place. Navia lay on the bed, looking at the black canopy, thinking, ¡®Milk with honey and chocolate cookies, will it be good?¡¯ What will it taste like? Can I have something like that¡­? Her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Chapter 46 Later, memories were sparsely cut off like she was drunk. Navia was sleeping, but when it was dinner time, she received food that was easy to digest. Then, she took medicine. After taking all the bitter medicine, sweet honey water flowed into her mouth. The sweetness lifted her mood again. ¡°The medicine is a little strong, so it will be hard to wake up.¡± Minerva¡¯s voice spread widely in her ears. She couldn¡¯t even remember clearly if she thanked her. Navia had never been relaxed during her stay at Agnes. She didn¡¯t know what would happen if she let her guard down for even a second. It was a place full of hyenas who didn¡¯t bother hiding their hostility towards her. But that didn¡¯t mean that this place was a safe place. Nevertheless, strangely, she was able to sleep deeper than usual. As if a baby bird was sleeping in the wings of its mother bird. Blink. Navia stared at the black canopy for a long time with a blank gaze. It was still difficult to tell where she was with her drunken sleepy eyes. ¡®Ah. This is Eseled¡¯s mansion.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t Agnes¡¯ guest room of the Emerald room on the third floor, it was Eseled¡¯s. With that fact, Navia unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®I¡¯ve been sleeping all day.¡¯ The dawn of morning was reflected in her eyes. ¡®Has it been two days?¡¯ Navia calmly shook off her sleep, recalling what she had to do. Lark said he didn¡¯t need money, but there was no way he didn¡¯t not need it. ¡®At least the vassals wouldn¡¯t think so.¡¯ It was just as important to win the favor of the appointed vassals as it was to Lark. ¡®Then first¡­¡¯ ¡°Do I have to be hired here?¡± Since the foster daughter was out of the water, it would be better to set a direction towards becoming a housekeeper. (T/N: She¡¯s saying becoming a foster daughter isn¡¯t an option.) Navia began to look for water before thinking of her full-fledged activities. Delaying hunger with water was a long habit of hers. Then she saw it. A wooden basket full of chocolate chip cookies. She was so sleepy yesterday that she couldn¡¯t eat a bite of the snacks. Actually, she wasn¡¯t even thinking about them. It was because she was already so satisfied from the nutritious meal of stew with solid ingredients. Those chocolate cookies were definitely for her. Navia hesitated and carefully picked up a cookie. They prepared it with all their heart, so let¡¯s try one. A small piece separated, and soon, the cookie snapped. Chew, chew. Gulp. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Navia was speechless. ¡®What is this taste?¡± It was sweet. Apple juice was also very sweet, but this was sweeter than that. And she tasted a flavor that couldn¡¯t be tasted from anything else. It was bitter at some parts, but it left a soft, strong, and deep taste. Ah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s aristocratic. This taste was more noble than anything else. So it was a taste that she had never been allowed to taste. She didn¡¯t know chocolate was this delicious. So this is why one becomes happy when eating. It was fascinating. Such a fascinating taste. Navia also didn¡¯t realize that she was scurrying the cookies away. Then, she belatedly realized that there was only one cookie left in the basket. On top of that, why were her hands so dark? Her palms, stained with a color the same color as chocolate, was very embarassing. Navia was very embarrassed by her poor self-control and calmed herself down. ¡®It¡¯s okay. I can just wash my hands.¡¯ However, there was nothing to wash her hands with in the room. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ Should I go outside and get a towel or something? ¡®¡­let¡¯s go out for now.¡¯ Navia came down from her bed with a slight frigid movement. It was because the anesthesia wore off and she felt a tingling pain throughout her body. Navia approached the door and opened it with a clenched fist. Click. As she left the black room, a darker passage was seen. Yesterday, she was too out of her mind to properly check her surroundings, but when she looked properly, it was quite overwhelming. ¡®Just like the owner of this mansion.¡¯ Navia thought the mansion was too quiet. Operating a huge mansion required an enormous amount of servants. No matter how little the number of servants was employed and used, it¡¯s difficult for it to be this quiet. It was also strange that there was no guard in front of the main gate yesterday. What¡¯s more, was it because it was a pity that Count Romanov was in charge as the general manager of the mansion? It was all about breaking Navia¡¯s mind. She remembered what Nikan said while showing off one day. ¡°How can a family so poor to even hire a servant be called a duke? In that case, it would be better for Eseled to return the title.¡± ¡®I think it¡¯s definitely difficult to finance, but strangely, the Duke didn¡¯t seem interested in money.¡¯ Navia breathed out a sigh because she didn¡¯t know the reason why. People usually want money or power. Otherwise, you¡¯d wished for people. People want to own something. Lark didn¡¯t seem to be interested in money or power, so was it people that he wanted? If so, it was strange that he doesn¡¯t go outside the mansion. ¡®It¡¯s complicated.¡¯ Navia didn¡¯t know what he wanted, but it was nice to be able to go around without caring about someone¡¯s gaze. If this was the regular Duke, instead of walking around without a maid casually, she would have tried to wash her hands from the snow piled up outside the window. While walking down the hallway, Navia thought that the mansion, without a trace of humans, was like a haunted house. ¡®No, rather than that¡­ it¡¯s like a coffin.¡¯ The black and silent place somehow felt like a coffin shaped like a mansion. She wasn¡¯t sure why she felt that way. Perhaps she felt an unusual feeling because she¡¯s a regressor? ¡®But why did Duke Eseled dye the mansion black?¡¯ As far as she knew, there was a claim that the Duke¡¯s coloring of the mansion black was the aftermath of the triggering of some sort of magic rather than for aesthetic reasons. ¡®If that¡¯s true, what magic is casted on the mansion?¡¯ Navia also had an intuition that it would be in line with the reason why Lark doesn¡¯t take a step out of the mansion. What kind of secret is hidden here? And how will the secret work out for one¡¯s survival? ¡°My head hurts.¡± As there were so many variables to consider, Navia sighed and pressed her temple but stopped. ¡®Let¡¯s wash my hands first.¡¯ Each nobleman¡¯s mansion had its own personality, but because it¡¯s still a house, it had a similar layout. Since Navia¡¯s room was a bedroom, there should be a dress room or lounge nearby. Additionally, there would be a bathroom attached to the dress rooms, so there should be a towel to dry herself with after taking a bath. What Navia was looking for was the towel. ¡®I just need to find the dress room.¡¯ Navia paused while snooping around. When she turned her head because she sensed someone coming up to the seconds floor, her eyes met with an old gentleman with white hair. ¡°Ahem.¡± Perhaps the old gentleman didn¡¯t know they would meet so he didn¡¯t make eye contact. Navia already knew who the opponent was. ¡®It¡¯s Count Suleiman Zenegar.¡¯ It was the old gentleman who appeared with Creed in her last life. Although he looked much younger than how she remembered, she was able to quickly recognize his impressive gray hair and his height that was comparable to Lark¡¯s. However, this was a time when she didn¡¯t know his identity. It would be an ambiguous situation to mention the name of a nobleman. Navia¡¯s hands were dirty, so instead of holding the hem of her clothes, she gathered her hands neatly and bowed. ¡°Hello?¡± Suleiman knew well that his impression wasn¡¯t very good. Children were often frightened by his overbearing physique and cold expression. But Navia greeted him with a smile. ¡®Well, she¡¯s a child who¡¯s not scared of the Lord.¡¯ His gaze soon began to look closely at Navia¡¯s silver hair and red eyes. Silver is a very rare color. And red eyes are even more rare. But the girl had both. Suleiman remained silent for a moment at the strange combination. ¡®If the Lord had married and saw his child, he would have had a daughter with pretty eyes like that¡­¡¯ The thought made him bitter. Suleiman deliberately came to the second floor early before Margaret started her day. From the moment she saw Navia, Margaret was already on the child¡¯s side because of pity, so she would have prevented him from going up. Suleiman understood Margaret. ¡®She probably remembered her late daughter.¡¯ Was her daughter only eight years old when she died of the mana reflux disease? Coincidentally, Navia¡¯s also eight-years-old, so it would be impossible to pass over that such a small child was abandoned here in a state of suffering. However, Suleiman paid more attention to the dangers rather than Navia¡¯s unfortunate circumstances. Navia¡¯s too clever. No, maybe cunning was a better word. Far from fainting, an eight-year-old threatening the Lord? Such a situation couldn¡¯t exist. ¡®Furthermore, insight and bold execution that seem to predict the future could never come from a child.¡¯ Suleiman suspected that Navia might be a child raised by some kind training from Agnes. For example, she could have been brainwashed with magic. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s enough to check in person.¡¯ He came to the child with a sense of dread as if he was talking to the commander of an enemy army. He firmly decided that he would never be deceived by the words or situation of the child, but¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Navia was greeting him with a bright face and her hands covered with chocolate. Hm, this was too different from what he was imagining. Chapter 47 ¡®This might be a trick to break my guard.¡¯ Suleiman raised his vigilance by hardening his heart that was about to be broken down in an instant. He smiled graciously as if he didn¡¯t know Navia. ¡°Hello, little Lady. You must be looking for something, right?¡± Then Navia looked down at her hands and told him. ¡°I am looking for a towel to wash my hands with.¡± ¡°Then, if you call a maid¡­¡± There was no maid in Eseled. Suleiman¡¯s forehead wrinkled. This child is a child of an ordinary noble family, so it would have been natural for someone to take care of her. ¡®But it seems like this child is accustomed to finding and doing things on her own¡­¡¯ Actually, that was a strange thing, too. ¡®It¡¯s probably normal for her to start something like this.¡¯ (T/N: I couldn¡¯t really understand what he was saying, but I think he thinks that Navia would do things herself without asking and then a maid/servant would take over.) This may have been the result of her being an unloved foster daughter. ¡®¡­well, helping her wash her hands is something I should do as an adult.¡¯ ¡°Then follow me. I am going to a place on the 1st floor where you can draw water.¡± He took the child to the kitchen on the first floor. Navia¡¯s steps were very slow. It was because, along with being in a small child¡¯s body, she was walking carefully and enduring the pain she felt every time she moved. Suleiman patiently matched the child¡¯s speed. Even if it is said that she is clever, the child is still a child. The sight of the whole body of a small, skinny girl in pain because of her step-brother was definitely an uncomfortable sight. ¡°Tch.¡± He clicked his tongue unconsiously. Navia bit her lower lip tightly to speed up her walking. She constantly tried not to show it, but her eyes were distorted with pain. ¡°Wait.¡± Suleiman stopped Navia with a flustered face. ¡®It must have looked like I was mad that you¡¯re walking slowly.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t used to children. This was because he was still single and had no children around him since he served Lark. ¡°You don¡¯t have to walk that fast.¡± Then Navia spoke very politely. ¡°Thank you for your words.¡± Navis answered like that but continued to speed up her steps. It was an attitude that interpreted Suleiman¡¯s words as ceremonial. Suleiman tried to do something more, but stopped and slowed down as much as possible. ¡®The small one is strong.¡¯ He thought so and clicked his tongue quietly. Navia¡¯s line was clear. She was excessively polite and courteous, blocking the approach of others. A huge wall so that no one could enter her territory recklessly. Navia hid behind the wall and protected herself. Her actions were so inert that she didn¡¯t seem to realize it herself. Suleiman was a fairly independent person. Even if the opponent was a child, he was not a warm-hearted person who showed favors beyond a certain level. Nevertheless¡­ strangely, Navia¡¯s alert attitude was uncomfortable. ¡®Is there nothing I can do? She¡¯s still a child.¡¯ He dismissed Navia as a child and had a strange feeling similar to that of guilt. He pulled himself together again and quickly went to wash her hands. Except for the fact that she was covered in chocolate, Navia was so firm that she looked like an adult. When water touched the wounds on her hands, she could have cried or get annoyed because of the pain, but her hand gestures only slowed down and her outside didn¡¯t show that she was sick at all. ¡®A lady who¡¯s used to holding it in.¡¯ Suleiman frowned unconsciously. Is it because the child is clever and because she is in an environment where one could not survive in otherwise? ¡°I¡¯ve finished washing.¡± Navia showed her clean hands and tried to go back. ¡°Wait.¡± Suleiman, realizing Navia did not know that she had chocolate all over her mouth, wiped her mouth with his wet hands. Only then did Navia realize that chocolate was on her mouth. With slightly red cheeks, she insisted on wiping it herself. ¡°It is okay, I will do it.¡± At her mature reaction, Suleiman spoke words unlike himself. ¡°I can help with this much.¡± While saying that, it felt awkward. Once Navia became conscious of the fact that she was trying to do everything herself too much, he reached his hand out towards her temple. He wanted to give the child some shade to rest in while standing. Navia smiled and refused. ¡°But, you don¡¯t like me, right?¡± Pause. Suleiman, suddenly caught off guard, made a silly voice. ¡°¡­huh?¡± Navia didn¡¯t particularly care if Suleiman liked her or not. That was obvious. ¡°Just because one is a child, I don¡¯t think they should receive help from adults. I won¡¯t blame you even if you don¡¯t help me.¡± Navia finished cleaning her mouth and continued. ¡°That kind of behavior is shameless.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Is it shameless for a child to get help? Navia spoke while Suleiman still looked blank. ¡°I fully understand that you are wary of me. My situation is not just one involved with Duke Agnes, but also the Imperial family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡®Did you know from the beginning that I came to monitor you?¡¯ Suleiman could affirm that there was no one except Lark who flustered him so much. Even more so from an eight-year-old child. It was clear that Navia was not aware that he was in the room with her yesterday. But it¡¯s as if she¡¯s saying that she already knew that he came to find her, right? Is it possible to grasp the situation so far by simply waking up early in the morning to wash? Suleiman laughed out a sigh without realizing it. ¡°Hoho¡­¡± He came to understand Navia¡¯s true intentions, but was caught in his innermost thoughts. By comparison, he did not get more advanced information from the child yesterday. He was convinced. He was convinced that this girl wasn¡¯t just exceptional and clever. Navia suddenly smiled. ¡°But I still appreciate your kindness.¡± Navia could sense that he didn¡¯t do her a favor to harm her. ¡®He¡¯s a good person.¡¯ Unlike his terrifying nickname, the iron-blooded Suleiman, he was only a little blunt and was actually just a good person. He¡¯s a good person and a nice adult who tried to resolve his misunderstanding and cared for her. And he seemed very attached to Eseled. In the end, the reason for rejecting her was to protect the family. Therefore, Navia put her situation with her own words more accurately. ¡°I wanted to be the Duke¡¯s foster daughter. Of course, I was rejected, but it wasn¡¯t to become the successor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that I need a father, I need a shield. Likewise, Eseled can use me as a window.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, it isn¡¯t right. How could a prisoner like me be the daughter of a precious person?¡± In addition, Creed, who will be Lark¡¯s real adopted son, will come here, so it¡¯s absurd for a strange object like her to be in the family. ¡°And I will be out of here in a year.¡± That¡¯s what was promised. Navia was so calm that she seemed indifferent. She was not flustered at all. But the absurd situation she was experiencing. As if it had always happened. Suleiman had a strange sense of sight from Navia. ¡®This is like¡­¡¯ Like looking at the Lord. Chapter 48 When Suleiman was shocked, Navia spoke brightly. ¡°That¡¯s right, I am good at paying for my meals.¡± What¡¯s the way to win favor in places with financial difficulties? It¡¯d be none other than making money. ¡®That¡¯s easy.¡¯ Navia had the qualities to be the perfect prisoner more than anyone else. Suleiman was finally at a loss for words. The child¡¯s not just resolute and intelligent. ¡®She¡¯s brilliant.¡¯ Whether that¡¯s a modifier for an eight-year-old or not, Navia is most definitely skillful. Like the seven-year-old Lark who suddenly appeared on the battlefield. ¡®¡­a sense of longing.¡¯ Looking the longing child, he helplessly choked. ¡°The price of food.¡± It¡¯s not even funny, but why did it feel like she¡¯s really going to pay? His slow beating heart tightened and fluctuated loudly. ¡®Am I looking forward to it right now?¡¯ At some point, he was immersed. The Duke always seemed to be in the midst of death, and it covered the living with a dark shadow. The past was faded, and the future was invisible. He lived with complacency in the present. In fact, Suleiman himself was thinking that there would be no more change here. With the thought of, ¡°I¡¯ll die here.¡± In that situation, he could feel the dazzling glow that he missed from the girl who unexpectedly appeared in Eseled. At the same time, he witnessed the reality he tried to ignore so far. Captivity. Food cost. It was the worth Navia had set for herself. The child wasn¡¯t clever. The child was on a brink. Still, the idea that Navia is dangerous remained unchanged. But is that a reason to turn a blind eye on a child? Suleiman couldn¡¯t answer that easily. ¡°What are you thinking of doing if you get out of here?¡± Navia, standing still, laughed. ¡°Of course I have to run away.¡± Suleiman saved his words for a moment. The words running away sounded absurd, but when he thought about it, there was nothing else the girl could choose. ¡®The world is crueler than ever to a child. A weak and powerless child without a guardian will be thoroughly excluded.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t one be afraid to handle that alone? Suleiman, somehow heartbroken, had these thoughts without realizing it. It would be okay to ask for help or to be saved. ¡®How difficult. How very difficult.¡¯ He watched Navia, who thanked him for the towel while folding it and left with a cute greeting. He suddenly came to the realization when he was about to tell her to leave the used towel. There¡¯s no one to clean it. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He approached Navia, who was trudging slowly, and picked her up. ¡°!¡± ¡°When do you think you¡¯d make it up all those stairs? I will take you to your room.¡± ¡°I do not want to trouble you.¡± ¡°This is not a trouble. This is a natural action.¡± It was awkward for Suleiman to take care of someone who was not his Lord, and it still felt hard, especially since the opponent was a child, but it felt quite good. Would this be what it would feel like to have a granddaughter? ¡°I hope you will accept my help.¡± When Suleiman said that, Navia nodded several times. Certainly, as he said, it would have hurt to go up the stairs. It would also have been very slow. So it should be okay to get this much help. Navia found a reason and used it to hold onto Suleiman¡¯s hem. Navia looked at Suleiman¡¯s reaction and found that he was quite favorable to her. ¡®I haven¡¯t told you anything that would benefit you yet, so why?¡¯ Although she was stunned by the undeserved favor when her usefulness and value hadn¡¯t been proved yet, it wasn¡¯t bad. No, speaking honestly, it was nice. ¡®The people of Eseled are kind and good.¡¯ Minerva, Margaret, and Suleiman. She only saw three people, but they were all so kind and nice that she felt suspicious. If goodwill¡¯s such a common thing, why was there never such a thing in her own life? ¡°These clothes, you take it.¡± Ah. There was one time. ¡®Creed.¡¯ No one knew what made Creed flow into here, but maybe thanks to growing up among these good people, he did her a pure favor for nothing? Navia felt a little heavy in her chest for some reason. ¡®Am I jealous of Creed?¡¯ This warmth, this sweetness all belonged to Creed. She¡¯s stealing his nest only for a while. She felt bitter envy to secretly taste a sweet dream that could not be hers. ¡®I really seem like a bad child.¡¯ Navia was accustomed to being treated as a child who stole other people¡¯s things. This was because she was always despised as a vicious child who always stole from Vivian and enjoyed luxuries that did not suit her. Those were not of her own will. But this time, it was Navia¡¯s choice. Feeling like an actual rolling stone, Navia had to bite the tip of her tongue slightly. ¡°Oh, M-Miss!¡± Navia looked up at the voice of Minerva, who was pacing in front of the door, calling her. ¡®We¡¯re already on the second floor.¡¯ With her large bag in her hands, Minerva changed her glasses, and her eyes widened. ¡°Count? Why are you with the Miss¡­?¡± ¡°I had some work to do.¡± Just in time, Margaret also appeared. In her hands, she held a tray full of sandwiches cut to eat and a tea pot. ¡°Good Morning, Miss Navia.¡± Navia responded to the friendly greeting not too late. ¡°¡­Good Morning, Countess.¡± ¡°Hoho, just call me Margaret.¡± ¡®How could I to someone of authority¡­¡¯ Navia was flustered by Eseled, where aristocratic common sense did not exist. Margaret soon saw Suleiman carrying Navia. ¡°Oh my, Suleiman. What an unexpected sight to see in the morning.¡± From the teasing tone, Suleiman¡¯s nose frowned and he turned away from the gently curved eyes. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that unexpected.¡± Suleiman carefully let Navia down. Margaret looked down at the tray of sandwiches. ¡°If I knew there were so many people, I would have made more sandwiches.¡± Navia¡¯s gaze reached the sandwiched. ¡®Um. It looks enough for everyone to have three.¡¯ ¡°A cup of tea is enough for me.¡± As Suleiman spoke, he naturally opened Navia¡¯s door but then stopped ¡°Ah. Now that it¡¯s the little Lady¡¯s room, I need permission. Will you invite me for breakfast?¡± Margaret also joined his sly attitude. ¡°I did make a lot for all of us, so can we do that, Miss Navia?¡± Minerva silently shifted her eyes, looking at Navia. Navia¡¯s eyes went wide when they asked to eat breakfast together. For her, eating was work. It was something she had no choice but to do in order to reserve her physical strength. But like this¡­ ¡®It¡¯s like a family.¡¯ Flustered, Navia spoke with her eyes to the ground. ¡°Of¡­ course.¡± Strangely, the moment she answered, her heart ached. As expected, she seemed to be sick because she went around too much with an injured body. While thinking so, Navia entered her bedroom together. Sandwiches and tea pots were placed on the table for exactly four people. Navia was standing to sit in the remaining chair after everyone sat down. But her body was lifted up again. Suleiman had seated Navia in the chair where the window was visible. ¡°Since the weather is nice today, the little Lady should sit here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes. Thank you.¡± Navia thanked him quickly. Margaret and Suleiman, who read her embarrassment, took their seat with a happy smile, and called in Minerva. ¡°You can carry on with the treatment after the meal.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± It was a normal meal that couldn¡¯t be called very aristocratic. Navia picked up a sandwich with both hands and bit it. She felt the soft taste of the mashed potatoes and boiled eggs with mayonnaise. ¡®It¡¯s good.¡¯ Next, Navia tasted a sandwich with plenty of jam and butter. It was also very good. ¡°It¡¯s all very delicious¡­ Miss Margaret.¡± Margaret smiled happily when Navia added her name with a cautious look. ¡°Oh my, I can feel the reward from making it. Eat a lot.¡± Yesterday¡¯s soup was really good, but today¡¯s meal was incomparably the best. It tasted sweeter than the cookies. And, strangely enough, she had emptied the basket of cookies, so she should have been full with a single sandwich, but she had two. That didn¡¯t mean she was stuffed. Rather, she was able to finish the meal very pleasantly. Navia carefully named this mood. ¡®Is this happiness?¡¯ Yes. She is very happy. She is very happy to spend time, effort, or perhaps even more on such good people. Chapter 49 Navia stepped into their conversation for a moment. She asked Margaret, ¡°Perhaps, is Duke Eseled awake now? I have something to tell him.¡± ¡°Hm. He is not a person who lives exactly by time. And if nothing particularly happens, he does not even come down from the third floor.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Then is it okay for me to go to his bedroom?¡± Margaret made a troubled look. ¡°That will be difficult because only a few people can go onto the third floor.¡± Margaret hurriedly added an explanation when she felt she was rejecting Navia. ¡°Trick magic is activated when a person who is not allowed to enter the third floor enters. Then, um.¡± ¡®They die.¡¯ Navia perfectly understood the part where Margaret was too flustered to explain properly. Minerva, who had been still until then, quickly intervened. ¡°Um¡­ Then I will check if the Lord is awake. I have to bring medicine anyway-.¡± Minerva made an ¡®oops¡¯ expression and shifted her eyes. ¡®Medicine? Ah, is she talking about anesthetics?¡¯ Navia had already noticed that it was something about the anesthetics. ¡®You¡¯re not making drugs out of it, right¡­?¡¯ His eyes were too relaxed for that. Navia changed the subject to help Minerva, who was in a panic. ¡°Then, since I can¡¯t go to him myself¡­ how about I write him a letter?¡± ¡°A letter?¡± Everyone was puzzled by the unexpected alternative. A letter to Lark. ¡®It would probably be the first letter in his life.¡¯ When they thought so, Suleiman spoke. ¡°Then I will deliver the letter.¡± They were excited by the wonderful idea of writing to Lark. It was already a very unconventional change that Lark had accepted Navia as a guest. ¡®It¡¯s been ten years.¡¯ After the meal, ink, pens, and paper were placed on the table in an instant. Navia swallowed a laugh as she watched everyone waiting with constrained expressions for her letter from afar. What they were expecting was unknown, but the contents of the letter were not grand. ¡¸Duke Lark Eseled. First and foremost, thank you very much for accepting me as a guest of this family and taking care of me like this. I will tell you right away because you do not seem to like unnecessary pretense. As I said yesterday, I would like to help the Eseled family to become greater. Please make me a vassal. Then, I will look forward to hearing from you. From Navia.¡¹ Navia wrote the letter with a stroke of her brush and put the pen down. ¡°I¡¯ve finished writing it.¡± The speed of writing the letter and the accuracy of her lines. Even at first glance, her writing was perfect with consistency and was smooth. ¡°My goodness.¡± No one could keep their mouths shut and only exclaimed continuously. ¡°Is Miss Navia a genius?¡± At Margaret¡¯s serious question, Navia smiled slightly. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡®I¡¯ve just lived more than others, so I¡¯ve written a lot.¡¯ To think she¡¯s calling someone a genius because of neat writing. Navia thought Margaret was a friendly person who would\ encourage children exceptionally well. However, Suleiman and Margaret didn¡¯t think so simply. ¡®My¡­ how could there be nothing ordinary about her?¡¯ Come to think of it, Navia was a child raised by the Nikan Agnes to make her Empress. It¡¯s only been a year since he¡¯s had that child, and if she¡¯s can do that much, how harsh her education would have been can only be guessed. Suleiman suddenly felt strange. ¡®He gave up his foster daughter, who was to be engaged with Prince Ares, much easier than expected.¡¯ It was clear that Nikan would never find another child like her. Navia is the only child that will be like Navia. ¡®Even Nikan must know that.¡¯ In addition to being brilliant, Navia has a natural dignity, a dignity that radiates even in the midst of pain. Even the slightly unnatural movements due to her bandages that were tied around her wounds was superior to young girls who have debuted. ¡°Here. I will leave it to you, Count.¡± Suleiman spoke suddenly as he received the letter Navia folded and handed. ¡°But why am I Count?¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Call me Suleiman. Navia also looked flustered and spoke a little more fluidly than last time. (T/N: Pretty sure ¡®last time¡¯ is with Margaret.) ¡°Ah¡­yes, Mr. Suleiman.¡± She¡¯s just calling his name, but why is it so awkward? Suleiman couldn¡¯t hide his satisfaction and smile when Navia called his name. ¡®Hm. Is this what is feels like to have a child in the house?¡¯ He forgot in no time that he was suspicious of Navia, and put the letter in his arms with a smile. ¡°Then, I will make sure to deliver the letter. *** Thus, Suleiman knocked on Lark¡¯s bedroom door in the morning. Lark¡¯s bedroom, except for the thin ray of light, is as black as night, even on sunny days. ¡°Lord!¡± Suleiman called Lark with a more lively voice than usual. Lark, lying down on an elongated sofa, frowned between his eyebrows and slightly raised his head. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have something important to tell you.¡± Suleiman took out the letter from the inner pocket of his jacket and held it out. ¡°A letter.¡± Lark glanced at the letter Suleiman held out. What about it? Was the expression he had. ¡°It is a letter from Miss Navia to the Lord. Hurry up and read it.¡± ¡®Ah, that from yesterday.¡¯ Lark shook his hand and leaned his head back on the sofa. ¡°Burn it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Suleiman reacted sensitively to what he would usually have accepted. Burning a letter written with those bracken hands and that sick body. However, it is difficult to disobey Lark. Suleiman opened the letter and gently pushed it next to the medicine bottles on the marble table next to him. The bright letter on the black table was unusually clear, like the moon in the night sky. ¡°Ahem, I will go out.¡± Tak. Light poured into the room for a while, and darkness rose again. Lark had been silent for a while, covering his eyes with his arms. It should have been impossible to feel anything, as if time in the room had stopped, but the letter Suleiman left kept bothering him. Lark eventually got up irritated. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Then, he sighed deeply and rubbed his temple. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that Suleiman to be so happy like that?¡± Tak! When he snapped his fingers, all the black curtains covering the windows were lifted at once, and bright light poured in. Lark picked up the letter on the table. ¡®Didn¡¯t he say that kid wrote this letter?¡¯ The handwriting was perfect, like a master¡¯s. He was still, reading the letter with a frown on his forehead. That was how he felt when he finished reading it. ¡°Ha.¡± A short snort. It was the general contents of the letter. ¡°I accepted you as a guest, but you want me to give you a job?¡± She¡¯s out of her mind. Lark crumpled the letter. He was going to burn the letter with his hand. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Tch. Instead of burning the letter, Lark just threw it on the floor. ¡¸Then, I will look forward to hearing from you.¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m even more out of my mind.¡± When he opened his palm, letter paper, ink, and a pen appeared. He wrote in complete mess, completely contrary to the ecstatic and beautiful handwriting of the letter he received, in blunt words. ¡¸Whatever.¡¹ ¡°Suleiman!¡± He called Suleiman¡¯s name with a not-so-loud voice, but the bedroom door opened as if he had been waiting. ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± Lark stared at Suleiman, who had a brazen look for waiting outside the bedroom, and folded the letter. ¡°Relay it.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Suleiman was hiding his expression with a stern look, but his excitement was not hidden at all. ¡°Damn it.¡± Lark finally lied down, thinking that the garbage shelter was going completely crazy.