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- It's true, miss.
- You're lying, right? My dad told you to do that, right?
- How could I lie in front of you?
The answer I heard was always the same.
When I continued to ask, the aide gave the same answer.
It felt like I was talking to a parrot.
- I don't know much about this, so I'd like you to ask His Highness when he comes.....
In the end, he showed a puzzled expression.
I had no choice but to leave because I felt like if I asked anymore, the frail aide would collapse.
The news of the Grand Duke's death also spread throughout the rest of the Duke's estate as well.
The servants seemed to be confused as to why the Visenna family, with whom Yekart had a hostile relationship, was leading the charge for the Grand Duke's funeral.
I haven't been there so I don't know how things work.
However, I still hoped that the news Shurei had given me was a lie.
Even though we exchanged letters several times, the Grand Duke only reported that he was alive without saying much.
'Is that why you reported yourself alive?'
I clutched the last letter Ferze left me with reddened eyes.
It didn't matter that it was dinner time when my dad and brother were all gathered together.
An odd silence fell over the dining hall.
I remembered what Ferze had said to me before he left.
- Shwilin cookies, I'll give to you when I come.
Who's the villain? Who's the Grand Duke? If you're going to die so easily.....
As my tears fell, Sharkis Oppa suddenly got up from his seat.
He was flustered and couldn't help but fidget as he watched me shed tears.
"Your Highness, that's why I told you not
to kill him."
"This is entirely father's fault."
What does that mean?
When I looked up at my father with a cold gaze, he turned his head away.
It was the first time my father, who always looked at me, avoided my gaze.
"Ciel, you're too young to get married. I'll find you a better groom later."
"Yes, youngest. It's not like there's only one man, the Grand Duke, right?"
Looking at the two people, Eustia and Sharkis, who were so good at killing, I tightened my grip on my fork.
My father and brothers were far beyond my expectations and lived up to the name of Visenna.
'Even if he's a villain, it's like that.'
I didn't know that he would kill Grand Duke Ferze, a member of the Djibril Empire's royal family and renowned as the Dragon Knight.
It was only then that I remembered the conversation I had with my father.
- Will the Grand Duke still be alive in thirty years?
- Of course, I plan to send it to a good place.
- Where is that place?
- It's the goddess's embrace.
I thought it was a cruel joke, typical of Duke Visenna... ... but it was real.
My dad, who had been looking at Sharkis Oppa coldly, held me in his arms and began to comtort me.
He patted my back with somewhat clumsy hands, as if he had never propewer comforted a child before.
"What about a young and fragile groom from a humble family?"
After that, all I heard was, it couldn't be from a high family because they were arrogant, it couldn't be someone who was older, it couldn't be someone who was stronger than my father or my older brother.
These were all words that were completely uncomforting.
Shurei, who couldn't stand to watch, muttered, clicking his tongue.
"Just give up on marriage. If you're going to compete with me for the Dukedom, it's better without a troublesome husband."
"The youngest one shouldn't get married and should live with these older brothers."
Is this how I'm going to be mortgaged to
Visenna for the rest of my life?
It was the moment when the term lifelong contract actually came true.
"Ugh, ugh... Hiks... I told him to buy me cookies when he came."
As I cried more and more, my father began to hug me and roll me over.
Don't do it, you evil villain!
"...... Who did it?"
"Brother."
Shurei answered in a brief tone.
He made a face that said he wouldn't die even if he did, and pointed to Sharkis with his eyes.
"What are you talking about, Shurei? You were the one in charge of the last thing."
My father, Duke Eustia Visenna, is a genius alchemist and great magician.
My eldest brother, Sharkis Visenna, is a royal knight suspected of treason.
Shurei Visenna, my second-oldest brother who once had a bounty equal to half a year's worth of the imperial palace budget, but now works as a high-ranking priest at the temple.
The culprit was among them.
Surely there aren't three of them who would be so lethal? No, no.
My father was tall and slender, but he didn't move much.
Originally, the final boss would just wave his hand and order his subordinates around.
If Sharkis and Shurey come out, even Ferze won't be safe.
Only then did Sharkis realize his big mistake, as he gently wiped my tear-stained eyes with his hands and said.
"I didn't get the last confirmation about it, so let's have hope"
At those words, I stopped crying.
As expected, you were the culprit!
Shurei just drank his tea with graceful
movements as if it was none of his business.
I didn't like Ferze very much, but he was still my Grand Duke.
The Yekart family, where Ferze was the owner of the house, was the place I trusted after I left my house to avoid my biological father.
Besides, exchanging letters was fun.
I wondered if there would be an answer or not once every seven times, but only the short answer that the letter was at least came, saying that he was alive.....
There can be no such thing as hope.....
It was then.
Boom, a loud, ear-splitting roar was heard as the castle collapsed.
My father, who was holding me, walked silently to the window and looked down at the crumbling outer wall of the castle with a cold gaze.
"Check what's going on. Sharkis, Shurei."
"Your Highness, this is an attack!"
As soon as my father finished speaking, an armed knight rushed in alone and shouted in an urgent voice.
"Sigh, I need to calm down our youngest. What kind of crazy guy attacked we again?"
"It would either be the royal family or the temple."
As Sharkis sighed deeply and nervously ran his fingers through his hair, Shurei responded in a calm voice.
Shurei, who had maintained the perfect
etiquette of a nobleman until the very end,
looked at me and said.
"I left the cookies."
I really should be thankful for this.....
As I wiped my damp cheek with the back of my hand, a loud scream was heard from far away.
Dad, who had been looking out the window, sat back down as if nothing had happened.
As he was leisurely drinking tea, the oblivious knight shouted.
"...... This is the Knights of the White Night!"
If it's the Knights of the White Night.....?
It was an order of knights led by Ferze.
'Why are the Knights of the White Night here...? Could it be they've come for revenge?'
They were people who were filled with loyalty, not only from their heads but also from their bones and marrow.
To put it nicely, they are loyal, but to put it badly, they are ruthless knights who have nothing in their sight but the Grand Duke.
My father, who had always been reserved, looked a little serious.
That was only for a moment, and soon my father, with a look on his face that said it was nothing, tried to comfort me and said.
"Just watch the youngest for a moment."
I saw it.
Unlike the trembling knight, my father's lips drew a flowing line as if he was having fun.
My father was also dispatched. My older
brothers, my eldest and second, had gone out to defend against the White Night Knights' attack, so I was left alone.
I was reading the letter with swollen eyes in my father's room, not my own.
[Wait, Ciel]
I couldn't put down the letter with this one sentence written on it.
Outside my father's room, there were armed knights everywhere.
Normally, if there was a raid, it would be worth going out and fighting, but it seemed like that was the job of Sharkis and Shurei.
The maids also untied their hair and took out the poisoned needles and ornaments.
I held my breath, alone in the quiet room with Barney.
"It's strangely quiet outside. I'll go out for a moment, miss. It's dangerous, so please stay inside and don't come out."
At some point, Barney ran out of the room, leaving me alone.
Are things not going well?
If not, there would be no reason for all the knights guarding the outside of the room to run out.
'It's too quiet?'
I took advantage of the quiet moment to gently pull the doorknob.
I hesitated before opening the door.
- Don't open this door until I open it for
you, my daughter.
Opening the door would have meant disobeying my father's warning, but I was a daughter who didn't listen well.
The outside, where screams and urgent voices had been heard, suddenly became quiet.
I felt strange.
Squeak, I carefully opened the door and there was no one outside.
To be exact, there was not a single person standing.
All the armed knights of Visenna were lying around.
'Is it dead?'
Fortunately, judging by the few people moving around, it seemed like they weren't dead, but rather passed out.
At that moment, I heard the sound of unfamiliar footsteps.
Thump, thump.
I stepped back cautiously, my steps heavy and steady.
Could it be the Knights of the White Night...? Or some other assassin?
"It's been a while, Ciel."
I flinched when I heard a low, bass-like voice.
Because I couldn't tell who it was just by
hearing the voice.
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