He had intended to give Diez to him as a gift from the beginning.

He deliberately interfered with their business to ensure she would have no choice but to roll into his hands.

It felt like a blow to the head. Binding Diez to a 20-year contract period was done with none other than with Jürgen in mind, who would soon ascend to the position of Duke.

From the beginning, her life was ruined because of him.

Because he showed interest in Diez.

Because he inadvertently revealed that he had feelings for her.

His right arm, covered with burn scars, started to hurt again. But Jürgen couldn’t even think of taking painkillers.

He had no right to try to forget the pain.

The early morning sunlight woke her. Diez opened her eyes while holding her throbbing head and inadvertently looked around, meeting the eyes of a couple of maids who were watching over her.

They were clearly servants from the Klaus ducal family. The moment she saw the maids, memories of what had happened the night before began to resurface one by one in her empty mind.

Dad came to my room with drugged alcohol…… and while I didn’t know what to do, the Duke appeared before me.

Her memory was cut off after that. Could it be that the Duke took me just like that? She wanted to check her body’s condition by lifting her clothes, but she couldn’t do so with the maids watching.

“Miss, are you feeling better?”

One of them politely asked. For Diez, who didn’t understand the situation, she explained slowly.

“Last night, the Duke summoned us. He instructed us to look after you as you were very tired.”

“The Duke did that?”

“Yes. Fortunately, your condition didn’t worsen, but just to be safe, you should rest.”

There was something else Diez wanted to know, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask the maids. They were mere servants and probably didn’t know the details either.

There was no pain rising from between her legs that would suggest she had spent the night with Jürgen. Even the negligee she had been wearing before her memory cut off was still wrapped around her body without a single wrinkle.

Did nothing happen…?

She wasn’t sure if she should consider it fortunate. It was because she thought she had failed to fulfill what her parents had so desperately asked of her.

Suddenly, she felt she should visit her parents. Last night’s incident had made her realize clearly that forcing herself to fall into Jürgen’s arms was too much for her.

‘I should tell them we need to think about other methods together.’

With that in mind, Diez got out of bed and tried to put on her robe.

“Miss, you need to rest now.”

“I’ll just visit my parents briefly. Their room isn’t far away, so I can return quickly.”

Despite the maids’ attempts to stop her, Diez left the room and headed straight for her parents’ room. The entire hotel seemed to be still asleep, as it was quieter than ever.

Finally reaching the door of the room, Diez knocked.

“Dad, it’s me.”

There was no immediate answer. Were they still asleep? Puzzled, Diez knocked once more.

“Mom, Dad.”

Still no response from inside. Diez gently turned the doorknob. Surprisingly, the room door wasn’t locked.

As she carefully opened the door, Diez was shocked. The room was completely empty. There was no luggage in sight. Confused, Diez double-checked the room number.

This was definitely her parents’ room.

What could have happened?

After standing frozen for a few seconds, Diez hurriedly went down the stairs toward the front desk. She felt dizzy, but she had to endure it. Her physical condition wasn’t important right now.

Fortunately, an employee was at the front desk. Diez asked him with a trembling voice.

“C-could I ask about the guests staying in room 503?”

“Why do you need to know?”

“My parents were definitely staying there…… but when I just went to see them, no one was there.”

The employee, who seemed to be checking something, spoke again.

“They just checked out.”

“……What?”

Checked out? It didn’t make sense. The festival wouldn’t be over for quite some time, so why would they check out?

Unable to accept his words, Diez’s head suddenly turned toward the entrance. As if drawn by something, she ran toward the main entrance before the employee could say anything more.

Outside the hotel, she could only see a few black cars parked nearby. Then, a vehicle that looked slightly different from the others caught Diez’s eye.

It was definitely a taxi.

A man who appeared to be the driver loaded the trunk and then got into the driver’s seat. Who else would be leaving the hotel at such an early hour besides her parents?

No, it couldn’t be anyone else. Following her intuition, Diez desperately ran after the taxi, but she was far too slow to catch up with the taxi that had already departed.

Someone approached her as she stood panting, wearing only a thin silk robe over her negligee.

“Lady, is something wrong?”

It was a man in a black uniform. As soon as she made eye contact with the man who appeared to be a hotel employee, Diez pleaded desperately.

“Please, just give me a ride. Please. I’ll be sure to compensate you later.”

What changed the confused employee’s expression was just one sentence.

“I’ve lost my parents.”

Fortunately, thanks to the employee who decided to help her, Diez was able to get a ride in a hotel-owned car parked nearby.

“There, they went that way. Just now.”

Diez, sitting in the back seat, pointed to one side. It was fortunate that the road didn’t split along the way. They soon spotted a taxi driving in the distance.

“Is that the taxi?”

“Yes, definitely.”

The taxi drove for quite a long time. It seemed like they were about to leave the city. The employee who had been following the taxi spoke over his shoulder.

“It seems they’re heading toward the harbor.”

“The harbor, you say?”

“If you continue in this direction, you’ll reach the passenger ship terminal. There’s no reason to drive this way unless you’re taking a ship.”

The confusion only intensified. Why would her parents need to take a ship? The main mode of transportation in the Empire was the train. Only those planning to go abroad would take passenger ships.

As the employee had said, the taxi headed toward the terminal that was slowly coming into view. They seemed to be in quite a hurry as they braked in front of the terminal.

“Please let me out here.”

“Be careful getting out, Miss.”

Diez got out of the car, barely listening to the employee’s words. Her indoor slippers kept threatening to come off, but this wasn’t the time to worry about such things. Diez chased after the Schleicher couple, who were trying to move away with their trunk, and called out.

“M-Mom! Dad!”

Startled, the Schleicher couple turned around, their expressions hardening. Why were they making such faces? As if something had gone terribly wrong because of her……

Finally stopping in front of her parents, Diez looked up at them and asked.

“W-why are you…… what’s happening here?”

Mrs. Schleicher approached Diez and suddenly slapped her across the face. Having been hit without knowing the reason, Diez stared at her mother’s face with blank eyes.

“You stupid girl. Didn’t I clearly tell you not to carelessly reveal anything about us to the Duke!”

“Mom……”

“Because of you, we’ve not only offended the Duke but also His Highness the Prince. Did you hate us so much for selling you to the Duke’s family? Is that why you’re forcing us to leave this country? Were you planning revenge against us from the beginning?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Revenge?”

“I thought we were fortunate to have raised such an obedient, good daughter. I was truly relieved when I saw you being sold as the Duke’s mistress without running away or making a fuss. I thought you wouldn’t resent us. But it seems I’ve misjudged you all this time.”

Diez’s gaze trembled slightly, forgetting even the stinging pain. The woman in front of her merely resembled her mother but seemed like a completely different person. Mrs. Schleicher had never looked at Diez with such eyes before.

“Do you think anything will change by doing this? Your fate won’t change. Whether you help us or not, you’ll spend your life spreading your legs under Duke Klaus!”

“Why are you doing this? Please explain……”

“We don’t have time to waste. Diez, you should go back. We need to board the ship before the passengers crowd in.”

“Dad!”

“I’m truly disappointed.”

Mr. Schleicher looked down at Diez with what seemed like regret. His gaze, as he gently lifted her chin, was like looking at an art piece rather than his daughter.

“I’d like to take you with us, if I could. To leave such a pretty child behind. The loss is immeasurable.”

He spoke to Diez, who had lost her words, once more.

“Since we’ll likely never see each other again, let me tell you one last thing. You were supposed to be our valuable asset. I had hoped that someday you could elevate our social status. It’s unfortunate that things have turned out this way.”

“……”

“Don’t look for us anymore, I’m telling you.”

“Let’s go, honey. We’ll miss the ship.”

Mrs. Schleicher turned away first and walked off. Diez tried to hold onto her father with desperate eyes, but his gaze never warmed as it used to.