Tiptoeing carefully.

Catherine slipped into the maids’ quarters. For now, it seemed best to change into a maid’s uniform if she wanted to move around freely.

Fortunately, obtaining a maid’s uniform wasn’t difficult. By following the maids’ movements, she was able to find the space where they stayed in no time.

“Perfect.”

Tying the frilled apron around herself, Catherine steeled her resolve with grim determination.

Even if things might sour between them later when Viscount Delkist died, it had been said that Amy had been quite fond of both Vivi and Catherine when they were young.

Not a single line of dialogue had been described, but for now, they were on good terms.

However, the last time Amy had come to visit Kelt had been when she was very small. That is to say, before Catherine had possessed this body following the traffic accident.

The fact that they had been out of contact for far too long was one concern.

But there was no time to deliberate at length.

As Vivi had said, if Rowell was traveling by magic carriage, he would arrive here by this afternoon.

Catherine looked out the window.

She had rushed here as fast as she could, but the sun was already high in the sky.

“I need to find Amy’s room.”

Since she had been said to be buried in books and shut inside her room, she would certainly be there.

Catherine hurried her steps.

– – –

Just as Catherine and Vivi had feared, Rowell was traveling by magic carriage.

If things went well, he could have this wrapped up today or tomorrow.

Catherine and Vivi, who were inexperienced in intelligence operations, had let slip a great deal of information he could use. One of those things was that Catherine was impersonating Amy Delkist.

It was a bother, but all he had to do was go down to the Delkis region himself and meet Amy. If Amy was quietly staying in Delkist Castle, he could catch the loose thread proving that the communication ring conversation had been a lie, and the matter would resolve itself swiftly.

Even if Amy had genuinely gone on a trip, it wouldn’t be a major problem. He could simply ask Viscount Delkist and go to wherever she had traveled.

The magic carriage reduced travel time and made many things possible.

Rowell looked at Sandy, who was seated across from him.

Honestly, the easiest method would have been to press Sandy and ask whether the voice on the ring had been Catherine’s. After that, he could arrest Vivi on charges of giving a false account, and threaten Catherine to return at once. Implying that Vivi Cheliano might suffer the consequences if she didn’t.

It was a somewhat forceful approach, but giving a false account in the course of carrying out an imperial order was tantamount to lying to the Emperor himself.

Without having to scour the entire continent for Catherine, he could make her come back on her own two feet.

‘I could even let the sounds of Sandy being tortured carry through the communication ring.’

In truth, there were many methods available.

He simply wasn’t using them.

Sandy had no idea that Rowell was entertaining the thought of torturing her, and was absorbed in her own thoughts.

Whatever she was thinking was written plainly across her face.

‘Why is he going to see Viscount Delkist?’

‘If he needs to catch Miss within a week, there can’t be much time to spare.’

‘No, wait. I shouldn’t be hoping for Miss to get caught.’

Watching Sandy shake her head back and forth, Rowell opened his mouth.

“When did that scandal start?”

Sandy, who had been gazing out the window, snapped back to attention with a start.

“Oh, that would be, it has been about two months.”

“Two months…”

Rowell turned the words “two months” over in his mouth.

Thinking that Catherine must have been suffering in silence for two whole months, he felt a distinct unease settle over him.

Edwin had women in abundance, so why was he tormenting a woman who clearly wanted nothing to do with him?

Well. It wasn’t as though this was anything new.

He had always wanted the finest of everything. When he couldn’t have it, he stopped at nothing. And the woman considered the finest in current high society was Catherine Rochelin.

On top of that, her romantic history was practically nonexistent, so he must have wanted to claim her all for himself.

Even so, the fact that Edwin had been so blatantly forward in front of others suggested that Catherine had endured his advances for quite some time.

The s*xual harassment from Edwin that Sandy had mentioned came back to him.

「You’re clearly different between day and night. That’s your charm.」

「I wonder how you’ll entertain me today.」

「I’ve heard there are people out there who enjoy someone for one night and then discard them.」

Every single one of them was related to the bedroom.

It was a testament to just how many times Edwin had undressed Catherine in his mind over that time.

Despite having no special connection to Catherine, he felt strangely unsettled. No, it went beyond unsettled. He felt genuinely disgusted.

On top of that, he could easily imagine the parts Sandy didn’t know about.

Edwin had probably been requesting, over and over, long before any of this, that Catherine come to his bedchamber.

‘Filthy.’

Imagining the ordeal Catherine might have been subjected to if she had been forced to comply under the guise of an imperial command made him involuntarily furrow his brow.

‘What is to be done about this.’

But he had his own position to consider as well.

He couldn’t refuse Edwin’s orders. Yet strangely, he had no desire to bring Catherine in.

What exactly was this feeling…

But regardless of his feelings, he was far too capable. The picture of how to catch Catherine was already forming in his mind on its own.

He would simply choose the method that allowed him to take as long as possible.

Even he couldn’t understand why he was doing this.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been just another troublesome task to be finished immediately.

“We’ve arrived rather quickly.”

The scenery of the Delkis region spread out beyond the window.

Rowell let out a quiet sigh.

He still had six days.

– – –

“Found it!”

Catherine cheered inwardly.

Finding Amy’s room in Delkist Castle hadn’t been difficult. The problem was how to spirit Amy away.

Hmm. Perhaps a gentler choice of words would be better.

Not spirit away, but rather, take a beloved younger sister she hadn’t seen in ages out for a little outing.

Knock, knock.

She tapped on the door.

Her heart beat rapidly.

‘Will Amy recognize me? Will she welcome me with a “Sister Catherine!”? If I suggest going out, will she come along willingly?’

“……”

There was no response from inside.

Surely not.

Oh, surely not…

“Are you still asleep? Amy. The sun is already high in the sky. Sleeping this late is a bit much, don’t you think?”

She lowered her voice uneasily and turned the handle with a click. Fortunately, the door was unlocked.

“Amy. I’m coming in…”

Catherine carefully stepped inside.

The light filtering through suggested she wasn’t still asleep.

‘But I heard she lived buried in books, so why is it so dark in here? The curtained room was lit only by candlelight, dim and shadowy.’

Stepping a little further inside, she spotted Amy.

Catherine was seized by a sudden eerie feeling.

And for good reason. Amy was crouched on the floor, murmuring something to herself. It was impossible to tell whether she was reading a book or reciting some kind of incantation. On the floor, strange geometric patterns had been drawn haphazardly all over.

Like a reclusive sorcerer…

‘But sorcerers have disappeared, haven’t they?’

There were no more sorcerers in this world. They had vanished into the pages of history, leaving behind only a handful of objects imbued with magic. There were no records at all of why they had disappeared or what had happened to them.

“Amy?”

When Catherine called out again, Amy startled and looked up.

“I told you not to just barge in…! Oh?”

Amy, who had been snapping irritably, looked surprised to recognize Catherine. She scrunched her face with a sharp frown and adjusted her glasses, but then her expression brightened so completely that the scowl seemed like it had never been there at all.

“Sister Catherine?”

She had worried that Amy might not recognize her after not seeing her since they were very small.

But Amy had a remarkably sharp eye, and recognized Catherine at once.

“Oh, oh. Hello. It’s been a long time.”

“What brings Sister all the way here? How did you get here?”

Amy jumped to her feet and came toward Catherine.

She was wearing large glasses that took up nearly half her face, giving her the impression of a bright and well-mannered bookworm. Except for the initial shout and the sharp scowl, that is.

Amy noticed that Catherine was wearing a maid’s uniform and asked in surprise.

“Why is Sister wearing that?”

“Ah, well, there’s a reason for it. Let’s just go somewhere with me for now, Amy.”

“Huh?”

There was a sense of urgency in the way Catherine was pulling at her.

But Amy didn’t move along willingly.

“Where are we going?”

“Would you like to go on a countryside trip with me? I’ll explain the details on the way. You can even communicate with Vivi.”

In her haste, she brought up the green ring.

But who would follow along when someone suddenly proposed a countryside trip out of nowhere?

Haste makes waste, as they say.

Composing herself, Catherine decided to explain things calmly from the beginning.

“Amy. I actually have a favor to ask. This is a very important matter that involves Vivi as well.”

“What is it?”

Catherine placed a hand over her heart as she spoke. Conveying as much earnestness as she possibly could.

“I’m currently being chased by the Emperor.”

“Sister is?”

Amy’s eyes were visibly wide with surprise. She was being chased by none other than Edwin?

Catherine continued.

“Yes. That madman has become obsessed with me, so I’m on the run right now.”

“Pfft. Really?”

‘Hmm? That’s strange. It felt like she just laughed at me.’

‘Maybe she doesn’t know how remarkable I am in high society?’

Catherine tilted her head in puzzlement, and Amy continued.

“But isn’t that a good thing for Sister? Why run away? It’s a golden opportunity to become Empress.”

“Well… the thing is… His Majesty is not my type.”

“What? What are you talking about? The two of you suit each other perfectly.”

“……”

What is this?

Catherine was seized by a strange feeling. There was something subtly mocking about Amy’s tone.

It was then.

Knock, knock. With a knock, a maid entered.

“Miss. Viscount Delkist is asking for you.”

“Hmm? Father is?”

Amy turned her gaze toward the door.

“Duke Windhart has arrived from Kelt. He says he would like to see you, Miss.”

‘Oh no!

Catherine was horrified.

‘What?! Rowell is already here?’

Her heart pounded wildly.

Good heavens.

To think they had been in the same place at the same time.

This was an extremely dangerous situation.

She needed to get out of here immediately.

Catherine grabbed Amy by the shoulders.

“Amy. I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes. What is it, Sister?”

“If Duke Windhart ever asks about me, say you absolutely, absolutely don’t know anything. Understood?”

Amy blinked her eyes wide.

Then, with a bright smile, she nodded.

“Yes. Understood, Sister.”