“P-Please spare me!”

The rat quickly picked up on her hesitation and shouted.

“What do you want to know? Ask me anything!”

From the start, he had no intention of resisting. Escaping would have been his preference, but now that he was caught, he had to consider other strategies.

“I’ll tell you everything—just let me live,” he pleaded desperately. Knowing he couldn’t overpower Raven physically, trading information seemed his best chance of survival.

“What’s the Emperor up to?”

“He’s suspicious but doesn’t have any evidence, so he’s waiting and watching for now. Even the instructor can’t confirm that you’re Raven.”

The rat answered swiftly, as if he had been waiting for this moment. After all, he had no loyalty to the Imperial family. To him, the Emperor was a suspicious old man, and the Crown Prince was a reckless fool. He had no intention of serving such people for the rest of his life.

“What about the Crown Prince?”

“He’s been placed under house arrest because of the disturbance he caused at the Grand Duke’s mansion. The nobles who supported Grand Duke Eustace protested, and the Emperor was furious. He’ll be lying low for a while.”

“What did the Emperor order you to do?”

“He told me to monitor the Grand Duke and you, reporting every move without exception. Oh, and he’s sent an investigator directly to Muwon. He’s also dispatched people to the Eustace territory.”

“Hmm.”

Contrary to her expectations, the information wasn’t particularly significant. Lila couldn’t hide her disappointment, as this merely confirmed what Grand Duke Eustace had predicted would happen.

“Why did the Emperor summon the Duke for a private meeting today? Do you know what they discussed?”

“That, I don’t know. Not even I can find that out. Perhaps it’s related to the recording crystal Grand Duke Eustace sent the Emperor.”

This is bad. The rat’s face grew anxious as he hesitated, noticing that Raven’s reaction to his words was lackluster. Her disinterest made him uneasy.

“Well, that’s about all I know! So now….”

“All right.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll spare you.”

“Really?!”

‘I’m saved!’ The rat’s face brightened at her words, but as Lila leaned closer toward him, a sense of foreboding crept over him.

“What… what are you…? Gah!”

Thud!

Before the rat could even process his ominous premonition, a sharp impact to his jaw rendered him unconscious.

“…I said I’d spare you, not let you go.”

Lila muttered in a low voice as she looked down at the unconscious rat.

“You can come out now.”

No sooner had Lila finished speaking than Huon and Elvin, who had been hiding under invisibility magic, revealed themselves.

“He might wake up halfway, so I’d like him bound with magic before we move him to the Grand Duke’s mansion. Can you do that?”

“Yes, I can.”

Huon’s magic coiled around the rat like ropes, binding him tightly. Lila, satisfied with the sight, nodded.

“Let’s head back.”

“What are you planning to do with him?”

Elvin asked curiously as he stared at the rat, now floating midair. He had heard this man was a prominent information broker in the back alleys, but up close, he was just a youthful-looking young man.

“I think he’ll be useful for something.”

Lila answered as she descended the stairs briskly. While she had some thoughts about what to do with the rat, it seemed best to consult with Grand Duke Eustace first.

“Will it really be okay to take him with us?”

Elvin muttered worriedly to himself. While the information broker could be useful, he doubted Duke Eustace would be pleased with the decision.

Come to think of it, it was about time for the Grand Duke to have received a report on this. The realization drained the color from Elvin’s face.

He’s probably furious. Elvin nervously glanced out at the darkening twilight. At that moment, Lila stopped in her tracks, sensing something.

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

“Someone’s coming this way.”

Another enemy? Elvin swallowed dryly. Following Lila’s gaze, he stared down the alley, his nerves on edge. Unlike before, the approaching figure made no effort to conceal their footsteps, so even Elvin could hear them.

“Lila!”

“The Grand Duke?”

Lila’s eyes widened as she spotted Grand Duke Eustace cutting through the rain toward them. She had expected he would learn of her outing from Emma, but she hadn’t thought he would come here in person.

“What are you doing here…!”

Before she could finish her sentence, her wrist was seized, and she was pulled firmly into his arms. Blinking in surprise, Lila found herself enveloped in Grand Duke Eustace’s embrace. She could feel his racing heartbeat through their contact, evidence of how far he had run.

“Grand Duke…?”

Sensing something unusual, Lila called out to him in a puzzled voice. But the Grand Duke didn’t reply. Instead, he lowered his head and buried his face in her small shoulder, taking a deep, deliberate breath.

Lila’s eyes darted around as she remained in his arms. The warm breath grazing her neck sent a ticklish sensation coursing through her.

“Were you startled?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Lila raised her hand and cautiously wrapped her arms around his large frame. She gently patted his trembling back with her small hand, and the tension in his body seemed to jolt, then gradually loosen.

“Were you worried?”

“…Yes.”

The Grand Duke’s voice came out low and steady, slipping through his labored breaths. He tightened his arms around her as though confirming that the person in his grasp wasn’t an illusion.

“Whew.”

Taking another deep breath, the Grand Duke finally lifted his head.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

Even after her reply, Grand Duke Eustace meticulously scanned her face, as if unwilling to tolerate even the slightest scratch. In turn, Lila tilted her head back to check his face. His usually neat hair was disheveled, his typically pristine clothing soaked and rumpled from the rain, leaving him in complete disarray.

“What happened to your face?”

Noticing the pallor of his complexion, Lila reached out to brush aside the golden strands clinging to his forehead and cheeks. As her fingertips touched his skin, his trembling eyelids fluttered slightly.

“Did the Emperor give you a hard time?”

“No. Nothing of the sort happened.”

Grand Duke Eustace gave a bitter smile as he looked at Lila, who had no idea she was the cause of his distress. The moment he received word from the palace, he didn’t stop to think—he simply ran. She would never know how anxious and afraid he had been on his way here.

“I was so startled to hear that Raven had flown from her nest.”

“Huh?”

“This is a time when we must be especially careful.”

“Oh.”

It finally dawned on Lila why Grand Duke Eustace was in such a state. He had been worried about her.

“I’m sorry.”

If she had known, she would have waited for him to return. Lila regretted her actions. Her impatience had led her to move alone, causing him unnecessary concern.

“It’s fine. I’m just relieved you’re safe.”

Grand Duke Eustace smiled faintly, lifting the corners of his lips. After a brief hesitation, he added,

“It’s not that I didn’t trust your abilities, Lila.”

“I know.”

Just as she worried about him meeting the Emperor alone despite knowing how strong he was, she realized he must have felt the same way about her. Lila looked at the Grand Duke quietly.

“I was worried when I heard you were meeting with the Emperor alone.”

“Were you?”

“Yes. That’s why I came here.”

Lila turned her head to glance behind her. Only then did Grand Duke Eustace notice the rat, unconscious and bound, and his brows knit slightly.

“Who’s that?”

“The rat.”

“You mean the Emperor’s shadow, the information broker?”

“You know of him?”

“He’s quite infamous.”

Grand Duke Eustace narrowed his eyes at the rat. Through his own spies, he already had a thorough understanding of the Emperor’s shadow.

“Do you want me to use him?”

“What? Well, uh, if it would help you…”

For once, Lila hesitated and faltered over her words. She had acted to assist the Grand Duke, but his lukewarm reaction made her feel as though she had done something unnecessary.

“Leaving him alive means you don’t want to kill him, correct?”

“…Yes.”

Grand Duke Eustace easily inferred her true intentions.

“If we kill him, the Emperor might grow suspicious. And since he knows so much, I thought he might be useful….”

“The Eustace family’s intelligence network is excellent. Honestly, I think it’s better to eliminate the rat.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. However, if that is your wish, I’ll consider how he might be useful.”

His cold, blue eyes swept over the rat. While he didn’t find him appealing, he was willing to make use of him for Lila’s sake.

“There’s no need to overextend yourself.”

“It’s fine. Even dung has its use in medicine, doesn’t it?”

Grand Duke Eustace smiled faintly.

“The rain is growing heavier again.”

Drip, drop. The raindrops, becoming larger and more frequent, made the Grand Duke furrowed his brow.

“I’ve had a carriage prepared outside the alley.”

He reached out and fastened Lila’s hood securely before glancing at Huon and Elvin, who were hovering awkwardly nearby.

“You’ve both done well. Once we return to the Grand Duke’s residence, I’d like a private word with each of you.”

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

It’s over. Elvin awkwardly forced a smile, already imagining the hell that awaited him.

“Shall we head back now?”

“Yes.”

Lila hesitated for a moment before grabbing the Grand Duke’s sleeve. It was time to go home.

***