Hello, Readers! I am celebrating my birthday with extra chapter updates, so please enjoy this special chapter release of 4 bonus chapters! 🥳

(Lurelia’s Birthday Bonus – Update 4/4 🎉)

♡ To all readers who purchased these chapters before my Birthday: I can’t express this enough – Thank you for your support. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

I clicked my tongue and opened my mouth.

“Well then, shall we hear it properly?”

“Hear what?”

Captain Hesium looked directly at me.

I responded with a smile on my lips.

“The apology, of course.”

At my words, Hesium’s eyes across from me shook uncontrollably before he tightly clenched his fist.

In response, Sion and Lionel stepped in front of me to block him.

Feeling reassured by their presence, I smiled and spoke.

“I’ll specially let the others off the hook.”

“……”

“If you don’t like it, do as you please.”

“No. This incident is clearly my mistake. But let me ask one more thing.”

I nodded as if telling him to go ahead.

“Why didn’t you immediately send back the Grand Duke’s vassals?”

“At first, Lord Ante had lost his memory and had no idea where he came from, and after that, as you know, the severe cold arrived.”

“……”

“If I had known you would appear like this, spectacularly destroying someone else’s mansion wall, I wouldn’t have taken care of the three of them.”

As I delivered the final hook, he bowed his head deeply for a moment. Perhaps the trembling fist just now was from self-reproach. Looking at the top of his head without much interest, I asked.

“Now it’s my turn to ask. Why were you so certain I was a kidnapper?”

I was genuinely curious about the reason for the kidnapping commotion that started with Ante and extended to the Grand Duke’s knights. Why kidnapping of all things?

“There was an eyewitness.”

“The carriage and mercenaries I initially borrowed?”

“…No.”

“I have no intention of retaliating against them. Please tell me.”

“……”

He remained silent, perhaps to protect the coachman from harm, but his silence was affirmation.

I leaned back on the sofa with fatigue, and the captain continued his explanation.

“While searching based on the report, two knights sent a signal that they had found Lord Ante near the market. But when we arrived, the knights had already disappeared without a trace.”

“Now things are starting to make sense.”

Could a situation get this tangled?

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Ante, the source of all this trouble.

He flinched and fixed his gaze on the fireplace.

If only that person hadn’t turned the knights into amnesiacs, it wouldn’t have come to this.

I let out a thin sigh.

The captain continued to speak seriously.

“Given the circumstances, we had no choice but to suspect intentional kidnapping. We couldn’t delay even a moment and continued searching despite the severe cold, and all circumstances pointed to Lady Lorazie…”

“So you judged based on circumstances?”

“Well, it was said everywhere that Lady Lorazie was quite capable of such things…”

He kindly explained even things that didn’t need to be added.

So it meant that Lorazie Epine had the personality that made kidnapping entirely plausible. Once again, Lora’s infamy clouded my path.

While I was lost in thought, the restless Captain Hesium suddenly stood up.

Then he approached at the speed of light and knelt before me.

THUD-

“I apologize!”

“Ah, you startled me!”

“I truly apologize.”

I was startled by the earth-shaking sound of kneeling and the loud apology, causing me to back away.

When he suddenly stood up with that large body, I thought he was attacking. Lionel and Sion had already positioned themselves in front of me in a defensive stance.

As I caught my breath, wondering if his knees were alright, Ante, watching this scene, moved his lips.

“Hah. He’s a good person. Despite appearances, on the battlefield, when hunting magical beasts…”

“Whew, Sion, Lionel. It’s alright.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

I calmed my startled heart for a moment and moved Sion and Lionel aside.

Then I addressed Captain Hesium.

“Are you the person in charge of this incident?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’ll be taking this matter up with the Grand Duke’s house. You’ll need to provide proper compensation for the damages.”

“Of course.”

He answered resolutely.

“Then please get up and leave now. I’ll need to file a separate claim for damages regarding this incident, so leave your crystal ball number as well.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Despite my calm and cold dismissal, the captain bowed his head.

Even seeing this, I felt no sympathy for him. My kindness truly ended here.

One of the people behind the captain approached and handed over a crystal ball through which I could contact the Grand Duke’s residence.

“Ante, and knights as well, please get ready.”

“Pardon?”

Ante and the knights, who had been living off my provisions, showed disappointed expressions.

Why on earth were they disappointed?

It was absurd, but I held my patience one last time and said.

“They came to fetch you all. You need to return.”

“Yes. I truly enjoyed my time here. Thank you.”

“Thank you!”

“I will definitely repay this kindness someday!”

“Yes, yes.”

“I apologize for everything. I will contact you to ensure the Grand Duke’s house provides compensation and gratitude first.”

“Please do so as soon as possible.”

“Yes, then.”

“Yes. Farewell.”

The captain stood up and bowed his head once more, and I returned the greeting with an expressionless face.

I also greeted them inwardly: It was unpleasant meeting you, and let’s never see each other again.

The Grand Duke’s people gathered their belongings and flowed out like the ebbing tide. Watching their backs, I muttered.

“You should be grateful for the rest of your lives that you’re from Kalschmitz.”After all, a mere illegitimate daughter of a Count’s family, no matter how justified, couldn’t treat the Grand Duke’s people rudely.

Even though it was unpleasant, I had to endure it to this extent.

Tap-

After they left, the morning sunlight filtering through the door cracks and windows into the living room caught my eye.

I could also see the now-empty floor with footprints scattered about, disheveled furniture, and the garden outside that had been devastated with deep holes here and there.

Fortunately, the snow had stopped.

It was a severe cold that had come earlier than usual and departed early as well.