“What?”

Rosie couldn’t understand why Benjamin frowned.

“Never mind that, tell me why you’ve come. I heard from the Duke that you’re seeking leniency?”

Her father had sent a message to Benjamin in advance, asking for leniency on her behalf.

“Yes… I was short-sighted. As you said, I don’t have the right to hate that damn… I mean, Yerena…”

‘Yerena, you damned woman. I’ll hate you until the day I die.’

Rosie uttered words she didn’t mean, while inwardly condemning Yerena.

“It’s good that you realize it now.”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“So.”

“…Yes?”

“Is that all? I’m asking if you thought you’d receive leniency just by apologizing to me.”

“……”

Rosie bit her lower lip.

She couldn’t tell what kind of answer Benjamin was looking for.

That mysterious quality seemed to ensnare the person he was facing. Although frustrating when on the receiving end, it was incredibly charming.

Rosie found it absurd that she could find Benjamin attractive even in this situation.

Perhaps that’s why she missed the time to respond.

“Answer.”

Regardless of finding Benjamin attractive, she couldn’t fathom his intentions no matter how much she thought about it.

Rosie slowly opened her lips.

“I’d like it if I could be forgiven by apologizing. But if you have something else in mind, please tell me.”

“……”

“You said it before, didn’t you? If I like you, I should do things you would like. I’ll do that. So this time, please tell me what you would like.”

“Right. This is better to see than when you were acting vulgar.”

‘Vulgar’ was a word she had never heard in her life.

Nevertheless, Rosie didn’t feel bad.

It was because of Benjamin’s somewhat gentle tone.

She felt that if she could just receive kind treatment from him, she wouldn’t mind hearing even harsher words.

If anyone else had dared to call her vulgar, she would have cut out their tongue.

Was love this great? Rosie realized how deep her love for him truly was.

“So what should I do?”

Benjamin looked at Rosie with languid eyes and spoke without a hint of hesitation. As if discussing something he had long thought about.

“Point to Duncan as the culprit who killed Yerena.”

“…What?”

“Testify that Duncan instigated you to take Yerena to the cliff. Then I won’t push you too hard either.”

“By Duncan… you mean the Center Director, right?”

“Yeah.”

“May I ask why you want to do this?”

“Why?”

Why indeed,

Benjamin recalled Duncan, who always seemed to challenge him.

He was annoyed by Duncan’s constant interference in matters related to Yerena.

He couldn’t stand the sight of Duncan’s golden eyes, which seemed ready to challenge him at any moment, regardless of his family’s power and his own position.

He wanted to bury Duncan in the gutter, who seemed to know something about Yerena.

When cornered with no way out, would he then reveal where Yerena was hiding?

Benjamin wanted to make Duncan pay for his fearless, challenging attitude.

Benjamin, who had been leaning back on the sofa, leaned forward.

Eventually, a cold sneer formed on his previously expressionless face.

Rosie flinched at this. It was similar to the expression he had shown when scolding her knights.

“I told you, just do what I would like.”

“……”

“If you didn’t understand, I’ll tell you one more time, for the last time.”

Benjamin continued in a voice that seemed tinged with frost.

“You don’t have the right to ask for reasons. Just do as I say.”

“……”

“You say you like me. Then you should follow me without questioning the reasons.”

“……”

“Right?”

Rosie nodded, fidgeting with her lips that had dried up without her noticing.

Although she couldn’t understand the exact reason, it was clear that Duncan had angered Benjamin.

“I-I’ll do it.”

“That’s right. Now you’re giving the answer I want to hear.”

Having finished speaking, Benjamin leaned back on the sofa again.

“You can go now.”

At these harsh words that left no room for argument, Rosie stood up.

It seemed unreasonable to expect any more leniency from him.

Rosie boarded the carriage returning to her home after leaving the Vicente Duke’s residence.

Although she was relieved to have handled things as her father wished…

‘What did Duncan do to anger Benjamin?’

She was quite curious about the situation between Duncan and Benjamin.

What could have changed Benjamin, who had seemed indifferent to everyone and unlikely to wish for another’s downfall?

Amidst her questions, one thing was certain: Rosie also wanted Duncan to fall.

She couldn’t let Duncan off the hook for reporting her.

Moreover, she wanted to oust him from the position of Center Director that her family had suddenly lost.

Rosie resolved to thoroughly destroy him and drive him out of the Center with this opportunity.

‘I’ll make you pay the price for helping Yerena.’

A wicked smile played on Rosie’s lips.

***

Duncan, seated in the Guildmaster’s study at the Honey Guild, frowned.

“Evans. I feel like someone’s talking about me. My ears are really itchy.”

Evans, who was at another desk in the study dealing with Jinjijo Transportation matters, looked up.

“Hmm. There are quite a few people who might be talking about you, Master. Like Lady Rosie, or the knights of Alan’s Order. Oh! Guide Yerena’s parents were also cursing you, I heard.”

Duncan’s frown deepened.

He had also heard the outcry of Yerena’s parents cursing him at the Tachis Cathedral.

They seemed like they might storm into the Center at any moment, demanding compensation for Yerena’s death, but for some reason, they had remained quiet until today.

‘It feels like the calm before the storm.’

Thinking they weren’t the type to just let things go, he had instructed his subordinates to find out where they had disappeared to.

“I could curse you too…”

Duncan glared at Evans for his unnecessary comment.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Think about it carefully.”

“All I did was point out their mistakes accurately. And look how well I treat Minky.”

“The truth hurts more when it’s pointed out accurately. Especially for those who have committed sins.”

“Is that so? Well, whatever. They say the more you’re cursed, the longer you live.”

“Yes. Congratulations on living to a hundred.”

Duncan was puzzled by Evans’ curt response.

Had he done something wrong recently?

“Minky. Why are you suddenly being difficult?”

“No, I just don’t understand.”

“What now?”

Even though there was no one to eavesdrop, Evans lowered his voice.

“I mean Guide Yerena. Why are you helping her so much and treating her so warmly?”

Ah, that.

Duncan responded nonchalantly.

“Am I not allowed to help people? Why do I need your understanding for helping someone pitiful?”

“If you were always like this, I would have let it slide. But you’re giving special treatment only to Guide Yerena, and that doesn’t sit well with me.”

“Why? Are you afraid she might fall for me, as you once said?”

“Yes! But you don’t like women, Master.”

“I do like women, you know?”

“But…”

Evans hesitated whether to bring up Duncan’s past.

He felt he shouldn’t carelessly discuss Duncan’s painful past.

Doing so might genuinely anger Duncan.

He knew how terrifying that usually flippant man could be when truly angered.

Evans finally closed his lips, and Duncan, seeming to understand his circumstances, responded.

“Alright. That’s enough. I’ll be careful from now on too.”

“…Well, I understand why you keep helping Yerena, given your situation.”

“……”

“But don’t let her get too attached to you.”

“Minky, I get it. You know even good advice becomes annoying if repeated too much, right?”

“Yes.”

Duncan lowered his gaze, as if signaling the end of the conversation.

Evans’ eyes remained fixed on Duncan, who was now scanning documents.

Evans hadn’t meant to push Duncan with his stern advice.

It was advice he felt compelled to give, knowing better than anyone what had happened to Duncan before he became the Center Director.

Because he didn’t want Duncan to get hurt again.

Although Duncan seemed glib and relaxed about everything, as if he had never experienced hardship, there was a time when his heart had been torn to shreds.

That experience had made Duncan dislike people, especially women.

‘Guide Yerena seems to be in a difficult situation too… I hope neither of them gets hurt.’

Evans hoped that no feelings would develop between the Master who distrusted people and Yerena who yearned for human warmth.

But Yerena, perhaps due to mistreatment elsewhere, seemed touched even by Duncan’s small acts of kindness.

She was on the verge of tears just from receiving a jacket.

If Yerena were to develop feelings for Duncan due to his meaningless actions, she would be unhappy.

Because Duncan wouldn’t form a deep relationship with Yerena.

Because the weight of their feelings for each other would be different.

But as always, he had a feeling that reality wouldn’t unfold as he wished.

Evans’ eyes grew pensive as he looked at Duncan.