When April screamed in surprise, the man only laughed, as if enjoying her fear. Seeing his yellow teeth between his lips, April instantly sobered up.

‘Wait, this place…!’

It was an alley even the people of the capital avoided. Countless citizens of the empire had gone missing here at night, and even noble ladies could be sold off to somewhere unknown.

In her desperation to get money, she’d forgotten that the pawnshop she was heading to was located in this dangerous back alley.

April glared at the man blocking her path.

“If I’m alone… what are you planning to do?”

“Well, all sorts of things could happen.”

The man made a vulgar gesture as he spoke arrogantly. April hurriedly looked around, but there wasn’t a soul in sight.

Just as the man strode toward her and reached out his hand, April, who had been waiting for just this moment, kicked him squarely between the legs.

“Aaagh!!”

The man doubled over in pain, clutching himself and rolling on the ground. But April didn’t let her guard down. In books, they always got right back up after that…

“You little—!”

Just like that.

April knew that even if she tried to run, she wouldn’t be able to escape his grasp. Just by looking, it was clear the man’s legs were much sturdier than hers, which were more used to holding teacups or books gracefully.

As the furious man took long strides toward her, someone caught April’s eye.

A man, who seemed to have just come out of the pawnshop, looked as if he was part of the darkness itself—everything about him was black. Black hair, black eyes, even his clothes were all black, making him shine like a piece of obsidian.

April shouted at the man, whose face practically screamed “noble”:

“Please help me!”

The thug, who had raised his fist, turned at April’s cry. Seeing that the noble-looking man was alone, the thug waved his fist threateningly at him.

“Mind your own business and move along, Mister.”

April was sure of it. After hearing those words, there was no way this man would just walk away. She could tell by the way his handsome, aristocratic features twisted at the thug’s words.

“Who are you calling ‘mister’? Are you talking to me?”

The man, who had been about to walk past, turned his body in April’s direction.

April clenched her fists at his words. He hadn’t stepped up to help her, but thanks to him, she felt she might be able to get out of this situation safely.

The thug swung a small dagger at the man who approached. But with a scoff, the man grabbed the thug’s wrist and twisted it. There was a clatter as the dagger fell to the ground.

“Argh!!”

It took only a single move. The thug’s hand dangled uselessly. April blinked, unable to believe what she’d just witnessed.

The man kicked the now-helpless thug, who collapsed without resistance, and coldly ordered the knight who had silently appeared behind him:

“Take him away.”

“Yes, sir.”

At the man’s command, the knight dragged the thug away. Judging by the direction, it seemed he was taking him to the city guard.

April, who had been watching the knight’s retreating back, turned her gaze when she felt the man’s eyes on her. There was something unusual in the way he looked at her.

“Thank you.”

She bowed in gratitude. She didn’t even know his name, but if it weren’t for him, she might have suffered something terrible.

April thanked him, but the man remained standing where he was.

‘If he’s received my thanks, shouldn’t he leave? Why isn’t he going?’

She was curious, but didn’t say it out loud. After all, she was dressed as a maid. Doing her best to act the part, April addressed the man again.

“If it weren’t for your help, I would have been in serious trouble. May I know your name and where you live…?”

“Why? So you can climb into my bed if I tell you?”

“…What?”

What kind of crude language was that?

The noble and beautiful impression she’d had of him instantly dropped. So what if he had a handsome face, if he talked like that?

April, who had quickly decided the man was trash, hid her true feelings behind a bright smile.

“I’ll be sure to repay you.”

“I didn’t help you expecting a reward, but if you insist, I’ll accept it.”

‘If I insist, he’ll accept it? What was that supposed to mean?’

April doubted what she’d heard, but when she saw his gaze fixed on her, she was certain. That look… he really did expect a reward.

“What will you give me?”

The man’s eyes glinted dangerously. Meeting his gaze, April found herself unable to move, like a herbivore frozen before a predator.

But she steeled herself and spoke again as if nothing was wrong.

“This is all I have.”

She wore a beautiful smile and stood with perfect posture, graceful no matter what anyone said.

Just as she would when dealing with the scum of high society, April offered him Wendy’s brooch.

Once she gave this up, the only valuable thing she’d have left was her silver necklace. But she had no choice. If she didn’t offer it, she felt he might demand something worse.

“A brooch?”

The man took the brooch she offered and looked at April with a dissatisfied expression. It was as if he thought it was too precious for someone dressed as a maid.

“So you’re not a maid, but a thief, then.”

“I am not a thief!”

Strictly speaking, she wasn’t. She’d just picked it up off the floor. If it belonged to Wendy, April, who was also a noble lady, could have it too.

“I found it.”

“You found it?”

“Yes.”

“This?”

The suspicion in the man’s eyes grew, but April raised her chin haughtily. If her poorly tied handkerchief hadn’t slipped from her head, she would have kept up the act.

“Oh?”

Her hair, freed from the handkerchief, tumbled down in golden waves, gleaming even in the dark. Anyone could see her striking blonde hair.

April hurriedly bent down to pick up the fallen handkerchief. At that moment, the man, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her, spoke.

“April Bright.”

‘Wait, how does he know my name…?’

April froze as soon as she heard her name. She considered fleeing with her head down, but if he knew her name, he could go straight to the duke’s house and report her escape.

“A noble lady wandering the back alleys at night in a maid’s uniform… Are you running away?”

“…”

April bit her lip at his question. She’d been caught after all.

‘I should have been more careful.’

If only she hadn’t come into the back alley, she wouldn’t have been caught so easily. April cursed her own rashness for seizing a sudden chance to escape.

“…What does that have to do with you?”

“It does concern me.”

That couldn’t be.

First, April had attended all sorts of parties, teas, and balls in search of a marriage partner. She had never seen a man with such a beautiful face at any of those events.

Second, she’d seen plenty of portraits sent by families suggesting possible matches, but none of them looked like him.

Third, none of the noble families she knew had black hair.

April, convinced he wasn’t a high-ranking noble she knew, pleaded with him.

“Can’t you just pretend you didn’t see me?”

“Of course not.”

“Everyone has their own circumstances. Still, won’t you reconsider?”

“No.”

At his firm refusal, April’s attitude changed.

“Tch! How petty.”

“What?”

“Why have you been speaking informally to me this whole time? You’re not even going to pretend you didn’t see me.”

If she had to go back to the duke’s house anyway, it was better to go on her own feet than be dragged back by him.

“Is he royalty or something? Why does he keep talking down to me…?”

“I can hear you, you know.”

“I said it so you would.”

“What?”

“You know, don’t you? That I’m a noble lady.”

‘So why keep talking down to me?’

April pouted at the man who spoke so casually to her, then glanced around. Since there wasn’t any commotion yet, it seemed her escape hadn’t been discovered.

Having finished her calculations, April turned to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Home!”

“Are you leaving this behind?”

Wendy’s brooch dangled from the man’s hand. April strode over and snatched the brooch back.

“You’ll regret this, you know.”