‘…That day?’

‘Scratched?’

Finally realizing they had made different assumptions, both of their faces turned pale simultaneously.

Or more precisely, Serena turned pale while Magnus’s face darkened.

The reason was simple.

They belatedly understood what each other was talking about.

“…Scratched, you!”

Magnus didn’t hold back anymore.

He grabbed Serena’s waist and abruptly pulled off the blanket.

Then Serena’s forearms came into view.

Her arms were covered in bright red scratch marks, showing signs of severe self-harm.

“…Serena!”

Seeing this, Magnus couldn’t contain himself any longer and shouted.

“S-Sorry. It’s just that when I came to my senses, it was already like this…”

Serena was flustered.

She hurriedly blurted out an excuse, but it had no particular effect.

She didn’t have any special thoughts about it.

She just felt stuffy and itchy, so she scratched.

To Serena, it was really nothing.

So, it was truly nothing.

It was like a habit that occasionally flared up, something she was used to enduring alone.

“S-Sorry! I’ll wash up quickly and come out!”

Serena quickly retracted her words.

Seeing her hurriedly enter the bathroom and close the door, Magnus immediately stuck his foot in the door gap.

Thud–!

Along with the heavy sound, Serena’s eyes widened.

“M-Magnus!”

She let go of the doorknob she was holding with a surprised expression and opened the door wide again.

Magnus didn’t miss this opportunity and entered the bathroom.

The scratch marks were clearly visible on her white skin beneath the camisole.

“Are you okay?”

Serena, turning pale, kneels down in the bathroom.

As if nothing was wrong, as if her own wounds were invisible, she quickly examined Magnus’s foot.

‘…Why is she so accustomed to lowering herself like this?’

He suddenly thought, feeling a sense of discomfort.

Serena Lavernia, Serena Kelahinum is a noble lady.

Even if she grew up as a ruffian… no, rather because she grew up as a ruffian, she would have been treated more like a noble lady.

It’s strange for her to lower herself so easily.

Nobles are taught to never kneel.

They only bend their knees to the Emperor.

They don’t even kneel to the Crown Prince.

They just bow their waists and lower their heads.

So they’re not very accustomed to kneeling itself.

If they needed to lower themselves to the floor, they usually used the hands of servants or maids. But now she lowered herself without hesitation.

Rather than hurting others and acting violently, she chose to hurt herself.

This is not a sight easily seen in nobles.

It’s strange.

Magnus thought for a moment.

At the sight of her kneeling without any hesitation, at the sight of her not hesitating to harm her own body.

“Are you alright?”

“Huh? What? I’m fine, but you… Should I call a doctor?”

“No, I’m perfectly fine.”

His body wasn’t so weak that it would be damaged by a door pulled by such a weak arm in the first place.

“Serena.”

“Yes?”

Magnus bent one knee.

When swearing as a knight, all men kneel.

But it’s not common for women to kneel. So how is it possible for her to prostrate herself like this?

“…It might be better for you to call a doctor.”

“It’s okay, I’m like this sometimes.”

Serena spoke comfortably in the slightly relaxed atmosphere.

“You’re like this sometimes?”

“Yes, when I’m a bit… struggling or feeling stuffy, I’m like this.”

“……”

“I’m sorry for making you worry. I’ll be careful from now on.”

That’s not what he wanted to say.

It’s not what he wanted to hear either.

Magnus pondered how to convey these complicated feelings, but couldn’t find a clear answer.

“This time was a bit… shocking.”

“What was?”

Magnus asked calmly, forcibly swallowing his lingering doubts.

“I hit someone.”

She said, still sitting on the bathroom floor.

Magnus, not wanting to see her like that anymore, gently grabbed her under the armpits and lifted her up.

“Ah, thank you.”

“Keep talking.”

“Yes, the way he screamed, I couldn’t believe I had hit someone… So, I thought he was dead.”

Once again, Magnus felt a sense of discomfort.

He couldn’t understand.

How many people has Serena hurt until now?

Although he sees her with more than just fondness, that doesn’t mean he wants to beautify or sugarcoat what Serena has done in the past.

After all, it wouldn’t be good for even Magnus himself to lose his discernment.

He’s saying that he’s willing to endure to some extent whatever trouble she causes or whatever disappointing things she does.

But that doesn’t mean he intends to stand by and watch her wrong methods or the wrong path she’s taking.

Magnus will stop her when necessary, he will cease her, and sometimes he’s even willing to confine her.

Nevertheless, Magnus has decided not to abandon Serena.

At this point, he couldn’t abandon her anyway.

Even if it means putting shackles on her ankles and chains around her neck.

“…I’m glad he’s still alive though.”

Serena said, slowly rubbing her face with her palm.

It was a slightly smiling face soaked in relief.

“It’s the first time I’ve hit someone like that…”

Serena said, looking down at her own hands.

The hands that had thrown things and slapped cheeks until now gave her goosebumps.

‘They say only those who have stolen before can do it again.’

Even if she had borrowed someone else’s body, only someone who had done villainous acts before could do them.

This incident made her realize clearly that she’s not capable of hitting someone.

Rather, if it were about using her head to make someone suffer, she would be confident.

“Why…”

Magnus unconsciously opened his mouth impulsively.

After all, it was strange no matter how he looked at it.

Magnus had seen Serena hit servants more than once or twice.

“Why do you care about such things?”

Serena’s eyes widened softly at Magnus’s question.

So looked so surprised, as if she’s asking how he could say such a thing, that Magnus’s heart sank.

“What… are you saying? You…”

Serena reflexively blurted out, taking a step back.

Magnus covered his mouth with his hand at Serena’s attitude, which seemed rather disappointed in him.

‘I made a mistake.’

He should have pretended not to know and probed more.

Magnus pondered for a moment.

He didn’t approach her further. He was suspicious.

However, seeing Serena’s wary expression made his insides churn again.

“I’m sorry for saying this first of all.”

Magnus apologized first.

“But, you… you often used to hit the servants. To say now that you’ve never done it before…”

“……!”

“It’s strange.”

erena’s eyes widened.

She opened her eyes wide like someone who had heard an unexpected story, then clenched her fists tightly.

That expression was as if a big secret had been discovered or a huge weak point had been hit, so Magnus slightly hardened his expression.

‘…Who is she?’

Suddenly, that a question arose in his mind.

“That’s…”

Magnus was certain.

The moment he says this, she will be greatly shocked.

No, maybe she might even be hurt.

Magnus knew how scary his expression could be when he was angry.

However, despite this, Magnus opened his mouth without moving from his spot.

He had to.

“Who… are you?”