The Grand Duke’s expression changed subtly.

‘Not only did she notice the bomb, but the red mana dissipated?’

The Grand Duke lifted Arne’s chin. A strange smile spread across his lips as he looked down at her red eyes.

“I thought you were a sick kitten, but you’re a wildcat, aren’t you?”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind. There were many discourtesies at the banquet. I’ll invite you again next time.”

The Grand Duke released Arne’s chin. As he was about to turn away, he stopped.

“Ah, what was the name of your trading company?”

“Mercedes.”

“I’ll look forward to it in the future.”

Cedric’s pupils, who was still holding Arne, slowly dilated.

That Calon Schopendha de Renigrad said he’s looking forward to it?

Cedric’s gaze lingered on the Grand Duke’s back as he quickly left the banquet hall.

‘It’s the first time I’ve heard him say he’s looking forward to something.’

It’s a familiar situation. Except for the Grand Duke’s last words.

He knew where the Grand Duke was heading. Such vast red mana would be too much even for a contractor’s body. He must have gone to purify the demonic energy.

Thud. Thud.

Turning his head at the dull sound, he saw Samuel banging his head under the table.

Cedric sighed deeply, running a hand over his face.

“Young lady, drink this right now. If you feel unwell at all, come to me immediately.”

After placing a bottle of holy water in Arne’s hand, Cedric turned to Samuel.

“Father.”

“Ramona is dead.”

“Father.”

“Ramona…”

“First, drink the holy water.”

Cedric’s face looked tired as he took out the last bottle of holy water. At that moment, red mana also rose from Samuel’s body. With unexpected strength, he violently knocked away the holy water.

With an ear-piercing crack, the precious high-grade holy water spilled onto the floor.

“Ha, that was the last bottle of holy water.”

Cedric pressed his throbbing temples and firmly covered his eyes with his palm. He closed his eyes against the familiar fatigue. He bit his lip hard and exhaled.

“Ramona!”

Samuel ran out, avoiding Cedric’s gaze.

“Father!”

“Ramona!”

Cedric’s neck veins bulged as he quickly moved to block Samuel from Arne with his body. Despite his lean frame, his arm strength was considerable.

“Stop it!”

Even with Cedric’s yelling, Samuel didn’t stop. Samuel’s fist struck Cedric’s chest and pushed, but his body didn’t budge.

“Father, please…”

Despite Cedric’s desperate voice, Samuel didn’t stop. At that moment, Samuel’s hand caught Arne’s white hair.

Cedric’s heart sank. He didn’t want to do this, but now he had no choice but to subdue him by force. Just as Cedric clenched his trembling fist,

“Samuel.”

“……”

Cedric and Samuel’s movements stopped at once. Cedric’s red eyes slowly turned to Arne. Arne, with an unreadable expression, stepped towards Samuel. She held out the holy water she was holding.

“Samuel, drink the holy water.”

“Then will you not leave me?”

“…If you don’t drink it, I’ll leave right now.”

Cedric’s dilated pupils fixed on Arne. His gaze seemed to ask, ‘Do you know what you’re doing?’

Samuel, pushing Cedric aside, hastily took the holy water Arne offered and drank it. Watching the red mana evaporate as if burning away, Arne was certain.

That red mana is definitely demonic energy. And it seemed to affect each person differently.

Unlike Cedric’s red mana which gave her a strange feeling, the Grand Duke’s red mana made anger well up the moment it touched her.

‘Samuel’s red mana as well…’

Samuel’s rough breathing gradually returned after he had drunk all the holy water. Despair clouded Samuel’s face as his eyes met Cedric’s.

Samuel turned his head, following the white hair he held in his hand.

“Ah…”

Samuel’s face contorted.

“Ramona…”

“It’s Princess Raniarne Frea de Ronia, Father.”

Cedric’s tired and firm voice rang out. Samuel’s hand dropped.

“I’ve been very rude.”

Samuel stepped back hesitantly. Even in the midst of this, unable to take his eyes off Arne, a worried voice flowed.

“That blood?”

“It’s not my blood. It’s from the servant, the assassin.”

Arne answered calmly, and only then did he nod.

“That’s a relief. The young lady must have been startled. Cedric, take good care of her. I’ll… go ahead first.”

Samuel left with weak steps. The banquet hall, now with just the two of them, was a mess.

Cedric’s face was terribly fatigued. However, after pressing his temple once, Cedric immediately called a knight to remove the assassin and ordered a servant to clean up. Lastly, he called a maid to bring Serena’s dress.

Receiving the dress, Cedric extended his hand to Arne.

“There’s a place we need to stop by. I can’t send you off like this.”

Arne obediently took Cedric’s hand. As they boarded the carriage, Cedric spoke with an indifferent and tired expression.

“How do you just follow without asking anything. It’s as if you know where we’re going.”

A tired voice flowed, unclear whether it was a soliloquy or a question.

“I don’t think you’d do anything particularly harmful to me, no matter where we go.”

It seemed like Cedric might have chuckled.

“Remember the hot spring we went to before? We’re going there. The holy water is there. That was the last of the holy water earlier.”

“I remember.”

“Why didn’t you use that holy water? I gave it to you to use. You definitely need it today too.”

“I felt I had some responsibility as well.”

“What responsibility could you have when you’ve just unfortunately been caught up in this again.”

Arne stared blankly into Cedric’s tired eyes.

“Samuel was startled when he saw me in the garden. He said he was mistaken because of my rare appearance.”

“……”

“But when he saw me covered in blood, his fit suddenly worsened. I think I might have triggered some difficult memories for Samuel.”

Cedric’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Did he really know what he was doing?

“Do I resemble someone named Ramona?”

Silence fell.

“…No. You are Raniarne.”

“Did she also have silver hair and red eyes?”

The silence continued. Silver hair and red eyes were rare features in the empire.

While red hair and red eyes occasionally appeared among the minority nomadic tribes known for using demons and sorcery, even among the defeated nations, silver hair and red eyes were sometimes seen only among dark elves.

During the war, they were enemy nations, and even after the war ended, they were likely to be stoned to death for being the dirty bloodline of war slaves. So it was a rare appearance in the empire.

“She had silver hair and red eyes, but she was different from you.”

Cedric’s hand brushed away Arne’s bangs from her plump forehead and traced along her downturned eyes.

“Your eyes are beautiful. Like a snow rabbit that instantly captures attention even in a snow-white field where it’s easy to lose your way.”

His fingertips traced along Arne’s nose bridge and then slowly brushed her lips. Her lower lip was slightly parted, softly crushed.

“Your mouth is cute, just as grandfather said.”

His thumb slowly slid down her straight neck, stopping at the mana core on her chest.

“Your neck is so thin and long, it seems like it could fit in one hand. You are beautiful, but different from her who was a knight. You are Raniarne.”

Cedric’s lowering voice was particularly melancholic and chilling. She remembered when he had such a bitter expression before.

“My mother was an elf.”

Arne always had pale skin due to poor health. On the other hand, dark elves tend to have darker skin.

However, even dark elves, when afflicted with a mutation disease called the blood clan disease, their skin color gradually brightens until it turns white.

As the pigment disappears, their hair turns silver, and their eyes appear red as blood vessels show through. The rare genetic manifestation of the blood clan disease among elves is called Arin disease in the empire.

‘No one in the social circle has ever seen Serena being sick, not even once.’

Cedric’s mother even more so. There are only rumors that she passed away early due to illness, and her name is not even listed in the Renigrad family tree.

It couldn’t be listed. Marrying a dark elf from an enemy nation during the war is a choice that could lead to being labeled a traitor and exterminated.

“……Lady Ramona was a dark elf.”

“…….”

‘Your mother is Lady Ramona.’

Arne swallowed those words. Even though the war ended and peace was declared, it is a threatening truth for Cedric and Renigrad.

“Are you disappointed?”

Cedric’s voice sank deeply. He knew she was keen and smart, but he hoped she wouldn’t know. Would those eyes looking at him, who deceived the entire empire, contain anger or hatred?

“What’s there to be disappointed about? You’re just Cedric, aren’t you? Just as I’m only Raniarne.”

“…….”

“You must have had a hard time.”

Cedric’s gaze became intense at her unexpected answer. Perhaps it was because of the sound of cicadas and the intense summer sun penetrating the carriage.

Cedric reached out his hand from the mana core to Arne’s cheek but withdrew it before touching her.

Rumble.

The carriage shook slightly. It wasn’t a big shake that would make Arne’s body hit the window, but Cedric pulled Arne close.

Her nose and lips touched his chest, tickling him. The familiar scent gave him comfort. Perhaps that’s why, even though Arne was the one being held, Cedric felt like he was the one being held by her.

This is all because of the rumbling of the carriage.

* * *