“Tea?”  

Eos paused at the doorway. She heard a cup being set down from behind, followed by Damian Heaven’s sarcastic remarks directed at the butler.  

“I believe I told Nyx to bring me coffee, yet the butler brought me something odd. Are my eyes deceiving me?”  

“It’s green tea from the Eastern Continent, sir. I hear it helps with quitting smoking.”  

“Who in this mansion would buy such nonsense?”  

“Lady Bleria instructed it before the celebratory banquet, My Lord.”  

Bleria? 

Eos placed her hand on the doorknob, her senses sharpening as she listened.  

“It seems she was thoughtful enough to consider your struggles with quitting. I thought the tea leaves might rot if unused, so I brought some here.”  

“…”  

“I can take it away if you’d prefer.”  

“Leave it. I’ll drink it.”  

What?

Unable to help herself, Eos glanced back and made eye contact with Damian Heaven. His previously relaxed expression turned icy as he spoke coldly.  

“What are you doing, eavesdropping like a rat? Get out.”  

“A-ah, my apologies!”  

Eos hurriedly left the office. Standing in the corridor with her hand on her chest to calm her pounding heart, she turned to glance behind her. For a fleeting moment, she had seen Damian Heaven’s expression.  

It wasn’t a look of anger or resentment.

Wasn’t he supposed to be the only one in Heaven indifferent to Bleria Heaven? The way her body was cremated immediately after her death had already raised suspicion. Should she report this to Mixel?  

As she mulled it over, a droplet fell from her face. At some point, a cold sweat had formed on her forehead.  

With a sigh, Eos reached into her pocket for a handkerchief, but her face stiffened at the unfamiliar texture she felt instead.  

“…”

Checking her surroundings, she moved to a more secluded spot. Once she was sure no one was around, she pulled out the letter tucked into her clothes. It was written in cipher, but she had no trouble deciphering it.  

They’ve lost their senses more than expected, so let’s skip the formalities.  

Eliminate the target using the enclosed toxic herb.

This is the last time.

At the bottom of the directive, a small paper pouch the size of a thumb was attached.  

***

When Gopher regained consciousness, he was lying in his bedroom. His physician and butler stood beside him. Naturally, Bleria Heaven was absent.  

Once again, I couldn’t pull the trigger.

His chest felt as if it were frozen, and every exhale came out cold. Though he wanted some time alone, the situation didn’t allow it. The butler spoke.  

“How are you feeling, young master?”  

“What’s my condition?”  

“Fortunately, you are unharmed. The wound was cleanly through, so your left hand is intact. No further issues arose thanks to Rex’s quick discovery of the Dreamer’s Bloom. When Priest Beirin visits, he will ensure complete recovery.”  

As Gopher glanced at his bandaged left hand, the butler inquired cautiously.  

“Was your hand injured because you hallucinated?”  

“Let’s go with that. You said it was Dreamer’s Bloom?”  

“…Yes. Someone had hidden dried Dreamer’s Bloom among the kindling by the fireplace. We are conducting a discreet investigation and will identify the culprit soon.”  

“It must be Mixel. Who else could it be?”  

The butler hesitated briefly.  

“The count has been away from the estate for some time now.”  

“And? Are you trying to claim there’s no one here working for Mixel? You know what Grandmother tasked him with, don’t you, Doyle?”  

“…Yes, I do.”  

“Does Grandmother know about this incident?”  

“She has yet to be informed, as she is at court.”  

“Good. Keep it that way.”  

Unable to distinguish who among the staff was loyal to Mixel, it was better to tread carefully rather than hastily report the incident, especially since he wasn’t dead.  

If another attempt came swiftly, the story might change, but it was unlikely Mixel’s goal was to kill him outright with Dreamer’s Bloom. The human body was far too resilient for that. To damage his brain with such a magical herb, they would have needed to stuff the fireplace to burst.  

This was likely a test to gauge how far his mind had deteriorated and perhaps even a petty act of revenge for the previous perfume incident. Having confirmed his instability, what would their next move be?  

Just like my uncle’s son to pull such a stunt.

It wasn’t impossible to play along. Not out of anger, but as a matter of habit, Gopher thought as much. He rubbed his dry eyes and spoke.  

“Don’t tell Grandmother.”  

“…Young Master.”  

“And about that herb—could you get me some more?”  

The butler’s voice, gentle toward the patient moments before, turned firm.  

“I can withhold the report, but I cannot procure Dreamer’s Bloom for you.”  

“Why? What do you think I’m going to do with it?”  

“Regardless of your intent, I cannot comply.”  

Gopher removed his hand from his eyes and looked at the butler. His gaze shifted downward to the butler’s clenched fists. Seeing his startled expression drained Gopher of any will to argue further.  

“Fine. Have it your way.”  

He placed a hand on the mattress and began to sit up. The physician moved quickly to assist him, but Gopher swatted the hand away.  

“Sorry, but don’t touch me right now.”  

“Y-yes, young master.” 

While lying down, his entire body felt stiff, as though he had been severely beaten. As he stretched his sore limbs while stepping off the bed, Gopher noticed another man standing in the corner. His face looked even gloomier than that of the butler or the physician.

It was the servant who tended to Gopher’s dog.

“Young master, I need to tell you about Rex.”

A chilling sensation ran down his spine.

***

After burning the command order Mixel gave him, Eos immediately began writing a letter. The recipient was Gopher Allnight, and the message requested him to come to the estate regarding Bleria Heaven.

Baiting him was simple since he always inspected only Bleria’s room whenever he visited the Heaven estate. As expected, he came straight to Heaven.

Eos waited for Gopher in the parlor. When the door opened, she stood up from her seat.

‘His eyes… they’ve changed.’

Although people gossiped endlessly about the Heaven family, the most striking transformation was Gopher Allnight’s before and after Bleria’s death.

The man who used to smile even when speaking coldly or hearing insults had not smiled once. The light in his eyes was extinguished, dark shadows lingered under them, and his face had thinned, his jaw sharp like a blade.

Despite his large, well-trained physique, which he once used to conceal his intimidation skillfully and create a soft atmosphere, he now carried an icy aura like a winter tree. It felt as though he dragged death in his shadow wherever he went.

Even as Eos felt herself shrinking under that presence, she found it absurdly laughable. If someone was that precious, why hadn’t they realized it before losing them?

The Heaven family and this man alike. As someone who had devoted his life to protecting a cherished person, Eos couldn’t comprehend such negligence.

Regardless of her thoughts, meeting those chilling eyes and piercing gaze was difficult. Eos settled for looking at Gopher’s chin and offered a greeting.

“Thank you for coming, My Lord. I urgently needed to discuss something with you…”

Without bothering with pleasantries, Gopher asked, “What do you want to say?”

“Well, it’s about the jewelry box. I couldn’t stop thinking about how you mentioned it being small, so I did some investigating. It turns out some pieces are missing. I suspect the late young lady might have taken them, but there’s no word about finding jewelry on her body…”

Though she’d never checked such details, Eos spun a plausible tale to pique Gopher’s interest. She sipped her tea, keeping her actions casual to avoid arousing suspicion.

As Gopher’s gaze fell on the teacup, Eos casually added, “It must have cooled since I had it brought in advance. Shall I have a fresh one prepared for you?”

“No need.”

“Ah, I see. I’m glad it’s to your liking. By the way, the late young lady also intentionally cooled her tea before drinking it. Did you know that?”

Gopher didn’t reply but lifted his cup. Eos’s heart pounded as if it would burst.

This would be the end. As soon as Gopher Allnight drank that tea, everything would be over.

Though the price would be her life, Eos resolved herself to this.

‘Celia will live.’

Her poor sister, who had suffered all her life and suddenly fallen ill, could be saved. Nothing else mattered. Even if she had to become a devil herself.

Eos hid her trembling hands beneath the table. But instead of drinking the tea, Gopher set the cup down.

‘Why?’

As anxiety gripped her and she opened her mouth in desperation, Gopher spoke.

“So this is what it must have felt like.”

“Pardon?”

“There were times when Bleria would try to hide her feelings from me. I should have just pretended not to notice, but I always pried into her depths. It was easy, you see. A few carefully chosen words, a mention of certain people, or actions that would soften her defenses, and she’d spill everything.”

His voice was emotionless as he tapped the handle of the teacup lightly.

“I shouldn’t have done that.”

Gopher lifted his head and looked at Eos.

The moment their eyes met, Eos felt like a fish skewered by a harpoon, unable to move.

Those empty, greenish-gray eyes ensnared him, exuding a chilling menace. His lungs tightened, his skin prickled, and his mind went blank.

“You must have thought I was an easy target, Selene Pincher.”