Olivia snapped without meaning to.

“How am I supposed to trust a promise made in someone else’s name when I don’t even know who you are?”

She squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the figure.

The man had pulled his hat down low over his face. Dressed all in black – from head to toe – he looked like he had just come from a funeral.

Even his hair was black.

“If you didn’t mean any harm, you wouldn’t have practically kidnapped me. Isn’t it wrong enough that you followed me without permission and dragged me away without asking?”

“I apologize for that.”

“Although there were unavoidable circumstances, I won’t pretend that we were entirely in the right.”

“Unavoidable circumstances?”

“Were you aware that others were following you?”

“Because you were…”

Olivia began, but the man cut her off.

“Not my men. There were others-didn’t you notice?”

“I… I did, but… wait, are you saying you wanted to save me?”

The man silently ran his fingers along the tip of the staff he held.

“That’s part of it. I also have some questions for you. But I must say – you’re awfully calm, even after hearing that someone was chasing you. Does a name come to mind?”

Olivia fell silent.

The man spoke the name she had thought of.

“Eric Anderson.”

He said it slowly, as if biting off each syllable.

Olivia’s eyes widened in shock.

“How do you know that…?”

“You uncovered Eric Anderson’s secret – isn’t it only natural that I know? Judging by that surprised look, you were thinking the same thing.”

This time Olivia was surprised for a different reason.

“You believe me?”

“Was it a lie?”

The man’s voice, already cold, grew even harder.

“No! I’m not saying it was a lie. I just… no one else believed me.”

“Of course not. You were a woman who barged into a funeral, raving like a madwoman. Your hair was a mess, you weren’t even wearing proper shoes. Everyone probably thought you were just a lunatic talking nonsense. Especially since Sir Anderson was known to adore his fiancée.”

Olivia fell silent.

He was right.

Even she – Olivia herself – had never imagined that Eric would cheat on her, let alone try to kill her.

“I didn’t believe it either at first. Not until Anderson’s men came after you.”

“……”

“What you said was damning, yes – but it could have easily been ignored. Nobody takes the words of a lunatic seriously. But they wanted to get rid of you. Now why should that be?”

With a loud crack, the man slammed his cane against the floor of the carriage.

“Because what you said is true.”

“……”

“The real question is – how do you know that?”

The man’s voice grew cold again, this time openly threatening.

He no longer tried to hide his emotions.

Olivia felt as if his very presence was suffocating her, as if the murderous intent emanating from him was wrapping itself around her throat.

The feeling of not being able to breathe was painful – but even more painful were the memories of her past.

The memory of being strangled by the man she once loved came flooding back – so vivid it was as if it was happening all over again.

“Hhng… ngh…”

Olivia clutched her throat with one hand and clawed at the carriage wall with the other.

Only then did the man withdraw his threatening aura.

“My apologies.”

Wiping away the tears that had welled up in an instant, Olivia spoke with difficulty.

“You still haven’t answered my question. How can I tell you what I know if I don’t even know who you are?”

The man slowly removed his hat and looked straight at her.

The moment she saw his face – Olivia recognized him instantly.

Duke Arendt.

It was Kaiden Arendt.

A swordmaster and the head of one of the only four ducal houses in the Empire.

Olivia knew who he was – not just in the way one might recognize a duke.

They had met in person.

She had first seen him at last year’s debutante ball, and since then they had exchanged greetings whenever their paths crossed at social gatherings-even danced together a few times.

You could say… they were acquainted.

‘But were we close enough for him to attend my funeral?’

It wasn’t as if he’d been particularly close to her father, the Marquess of Grosvenor.

Olivia had never once seen Kaiden visit her estate to meet her father in private.

Stranger still, she hadn’t seen him at the funeral at all – probably because he’d hidden his identity under that low-pulled hat.

‘But why was he at my funeral? And why in disguise?’

‘More importantly… why did he take me with him?’

As Olivia stared at him wide-eyed, the man-Kaiden-tilted his head and asked with a hint of curiosity:

“Do you know who I am?”

“Of course I…”

Olivia started to answer, but stopped herself.

‘Should I tell him I do?’

If she were still Olivia, it would make sense to know him – but as Sarah, it would be strange to recognize a duke.

But then she remembered how famous Kaiden was throughout the realm.

“Of course I know you. You’re a war hero – I saw you at the victory parade.”

Fortunately, Kaiden didn’t press the matter.

“You still don’t trust me?”

And yet Olivia hesitated.

Just because his identity was real didn’t mean he could be trusted – not in this situation.

‘What if he was somehow connected to Eric? What if they were working together?’

“And what if I say I don’t trust you?”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“After all, Your Grace, you are still a noble. You could very well be connected to Eric Anderson. What if I tell you everything, and then you turn around and have me arrested for slandering a noble?”

“……”

“If that happens, I’ll just be used… and then discarded.”

“A fair point.”

Despite his words, he lifted one corner of his mouth in a faint smile – a smile that felt more like mockery than amusement.

“But you should also remember that I’m the one protecting you right now. If I change my mind, I could turn you over to Eric Anderson right now.”

“……”

“And I’m not exactly known for my patience. The fact that I choose to talk to you face to face, when I have plenty of other methods at my disposal – that alone shows that I’m being considerate. Don’t you see that?”

That was probably true.

Right now she wasn’t Olivia, the noblewoman, but Sarah – a commoner whose life carried little weight in the eyes of the nobility.

Someone who could die at any time and no one would question it.

If Kaiden had really lost his temper, it wasn’t inconceivable that he would torture her just to get the answers he wanted.

‘He’s… not the Duke Arendt I thought I knew.’

Society called Kaiden Arendt a cold-blooded man-someone who killed his own uncle without blinking an eye.

But the Kaiden Olivia had met was very different from the rumors.

He smiled from time to time, and he was capable of a gentle, even pleasant conversation.

But the man sitting before her now was exactly as the rumors had described.

“So it would be wise to speak while I’m still feeling merciful.”

“I want to ask you one thing first.”

Kaiden furrowed his brow in displeasure but said nothing, allowing her to continue.

Olivia asked quickly.

“Why are you asking about that day? It doesn’t concern you, Your Grace.”

She added the last part, trying her best to sound calm.

“You don’t strike me as someone who fights for justice.”

Kaiden let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“You’re either incredibly bold… or completely unaware of your situation.”

“If you were working with Eric Anderson, then hearing the truth from me would only give you a reason to silence me and cover it up. That’s why I need to be sure – sure that you’re not on his side.”

Kaiden hesitated for a moment, then murmured.

“Let’s just say… I have a score to settle with Eric Anderson.”