Besides, Bella was a woman whose greed came first, even before the man she loved.

Bella gripped Jerbek’s lapels tightly with her dirt-covered hands. The force contained her determination never to let go. For Jerbek, raised delicately all his life, this was probably the first time he’d encountered such a rough woman among all the men and women who’d touched his body.

“Duke of Kowan. You’d better behave properly from now on. Don’t pretend you don’t know me in front of the Duke of Drasia, and don’t act like we’re nothing to each other. If you said you wanted to marry me, take responsibility. Understand?”

“What are you talking about? Marriage? When did I say I wanted to marry you?”

“You d*mn Duke! If you seduced a noble’s daughter, take responsibility. You’re in league with that maid, aren’t you? You think I’m really stupid? If you don’t listen to me, I’ll tell the Duke of Drasia that you kidnapped the Duchess.”

“D-do you think he’ll believe that?”

“Of course he will. The Duke of Drasia hates you terribly, Duke of Kowan. So he’ll believe every word from me, the Duchess’s sister. Especially since you’re right where the Duchess disappeared! Did you understand what I said?!”

Jerbek’s pupils shook. He’d definitely thought he could easily remove this small brown mole when the right time came, but an ominous premonition struck him that the plan had gone completely awry.

The plan had derailed and was heading somewhere else.

“Al-al-alright! I understand. So please let go of this hand!”

“Argh!”

Bella tore at Jerbek’s lapels. The white fabric ripped away in an instant, and Jerbek’s lips trembled.

Bella paced back and forth inside the gazebo with quick steps, then began muttering like a madwoman. She struck the air with her arms. Jerbek began to wonder if this was really the Bella Sustain he knew. She seemed to have exactly the same personality as her sister, the Duchess of Drasia.

Then Bella suddenly sat between Jerbek’s legs as he crouched and glared at him.

“Duke of Kowan, you know who that maid was, right?”

“Maid?”

Jerbek realized who Bella was talking about but decided to play dumb according to the original plan.

“Who are you talking about? Of course there was a maid who brought me here. But I don’t know who she is, where she lives, or what she does!”

“Don’t lie. You know who that maid is, Duke. D*mn it. How many women do you have? When we get married later, get rid of that woman too. Understand?”

“Um, excuse me. Lady Bella. Did you eat something wrong?”

“Get your head straight. Understand? And if anything happens to Tina, I will mercilessly abandon you, Duke of Kowan. If even one of Tina’s fingers isn’t intact, I will kill you. Understand?”

“What are you talking about? Who’s killing who!”

“D*mn it. What do I do? What should I do? You didn’t say you’d take her! You said you’d just talk! You stupid bastard! Ahhh!”

The rose bushes forming the maze rustled softly. Bella seemed to have really thought they would only talk with Clementina. It was a naive thought.

No, perhaps she’d known. She knew it wasn’t simply about talking. She wanted to close her eyes and pretend not to know, but now that it had happened, she couldn’t.

She’d hoped so desperately that her ominous premonition was wrong. No, she’d hoped her premonition was right. But she didn’t actually want things to happen. Because she didn’t want to take responsibility!

But it had happened, and she had to take responsibility. Even if she wanted to run away, there was nowhere to run.

The Duke of Drasia was a cat, and she was a mouse. She still couldn’t calculate how useful the seemingly robust Duke of Kowan would be.

She felt trapped in a jar with no escape.

Late at night, the meeting with the Emperor showed no signs of ending no matter how much time passed. They kept saying the same things over and over. The endless circular conversation was tiresome.

He was sipping wine and letting the Emperor’s words wash over him. He desperately wished he could just lie on the bed holding Clementina.

When his head ached, burying his nose in her neck and deeply inhaling Clementina’s scent would make the day’s fatigue vanish completely.

He desperately needed that rest now. If he closed his eyes and held her, he’d pass out right there.

So Dion excused himself to use the facilities and slipped out of the room.

But the Duke and Duchess of Drasia’s bedroom was empty.

“Clementina?”

Dion quietly called her name in the empty room. But no answer came.

A cold sensation pierced the back of his head and ran down his spine. Something felt wrong no matter how he thought about it. An unpleasant sensation washed over him, like his body was suddenly floating.

It had been the same at Kentlen Palace. He’d been talking with the Emperor.

Someone came to tell him Clementina had disappeared. Now no one was telling him she’d disappeared, yet he felt the same way as then.

The window leading to the balcony was open about the width of an adult’s foot.

Hoping against hope, Dion threw open the window and went out to the balcony. The beautiful red cliffs of Tarian Gorge were visible. Not a single dragon was in sight.

Even Pink Lili and Leon were gone. Not in the room, not on the balcony.

Only the coolly risen full moon mocked Dion.

His heart pounded.

He’d probably have to wake all the Gold Dragon Order’s dragon riders.

Clementina had disappeared.

“Where were these huge dragons hiding before they appeared?”

“Haha! That’s what you’re curious about while being dragged away?”

“Am I being dragged? It seems like I’m going on my own feet.”

“What? Ah! I really like you more the more I see. Leave the Duke of Drasia and just live with me. How about it?”

“Don’t even dream of it. I’m too good for you! Whose lover are you anyway? The King of the Akarti Kingdom? Count of Suderel from Umbarot Kingdom? Of course, they’re both scoundrels. You have terrible taste in men.”

Clementina and Sue were currently sitting on a black dragon, flying through the night sky. It was the dragon that had kidnapped Clementina from Kentlen Palace. But today, instead of vacant eyes, it clearly exchanged gazes with her.

A mud-colored dragon flew beside the black dragon. Clementina glanced once at the mud-colored dragon flying alongside, then gripped Sue’s waist tightly again.

Sue must have expected Clementina to follow obediently, bringing both dragons she’d resonated with. She’d planned to persuade Clementina and fly to Diahart Island, but there was an unexpected obstacle.

Sue hadn’t anticipated at all that Clementina couldn’t ride dragons. When Clementina said she still couldn’t ride dragons, Sue muttered in bewilderment.

“Good heavens! What have you been doing all this time? Weren’t you at Aeskis Castle? Does it make sense that you still can’t ride dragons with all those dragons around?”

Nagging continued like they were old acquaintances. Eventually, two people ended up riding on one dragon.

“The mother of dragons can’t even ride dragons. No matter how I think about it, I can’t understand it, really.”

“Still thinking about that? It’s not that I can’t ride. I’m riding right now.”

“Yes, you’re riding. Sitting behind me. Hahaha.”

Sue now began laughing about this. At first she was bewildered, but Clementina’s awkward posture sitting on the dragon was funny. She couldn’t stop laughing, finding it amusing no matter how she thought about it.

Clementina watched the laughing Sue and thought this woman was very strange. At Kentlen Palace, Sue had been uncomfortable and burdensome to deal with. There’d been some distance.

But today was different. Though she said many meaningless things, unlike before, she was quite communicative. Yes, she’d become easier to deal with. Whatever had changed in her circumstances, something had definitely changed.

“But is it okay to concede to Bella?”

“Concede what?”

“Weren’t you trying to pair Bella with that guy? Was that also a joke?”

“Ah, that? Right. I was trying to get them married.”

“But you said he’s your lover.”

“What does being lovers have to do with marriage? Even if he marries, it doesn’t change that he’s my lover.”

“What? You’ll still meet him even if he marries Bella? No!”

“Why not? It’s not like I’m stealing your lover.”

“Still, no! If he becomes Bella’s husband—no, that won’t happen! But even if by some chance it does, you absolutely mustn’t meet! Understand?”

“Mm. That won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“Because that person is mine!”

Sue stretched both arms out to the sides and lifted her head toward the sky. The black dragon increased speed and began flying left and right.

“Kyaah!”

Clementina’s scream created stars twinkling on the pitch-black night sea. Why was the atmosphere so good again? Clementina was confused whether this woman was truly an enemy. She definitely wasn’t an ally.

In the distance, she saw an all-too-familiar mountain.

Toter volcano still proudly displayed its majesty, spewing gray smoke. The black dragon and mud-colored dragon headed west around Toter volcano.

Last time they came, Dion had said he headed south. He’d headed where there were as few dragons as possible. But she was different. Not south, and not north where the most dragons gathered.

“Where are we going?”

“……”

Sue no longer laughed. And she said nothing. The black dragon stretched its side wings left and right to slow down. Stopping suddenly in midair, Sue looked down below with sharp eyes. Then she suddenly changed direction and headed toward a place full of rough rocks.

A terrible plant smell hit Clementina’s nose. It was an acrid, foul smell painful enough to stab her nostrils.

Then the giant rocks suddenly stirred. At first Clementina thought she was mistaken. Rocks didn’t breathe—how could they move on their own? But the rocks covered with bumpy barnacle-like things were definitely moving. Not just one or two rocks, but dozens of them.