locked herself in her room for days without eating or bathing.
It was uncomfortable, but since I was soon to become her, all I could do was wrap my arms around my knees and endure.
After two or three days had passed, she suddenly got up and headed somewhere. Walking quickly down the corridor, the bright full moon with starlight came into view.
She arrived at the mansion’s garden. There, Lora met again with the man who had told her something.
Lora started frantically confronting him, saying this wasn’t what she wanted. But when the man said something, she collapsed in fear and cried.
[Don’t forget the promise.]
The man warned her in a low voice and disappeared instantly.
I still couldn’t hear any words properly, and could only recognize that one sentence.
Upon returning, Lora locked herself in her room again. She agonized, pulling at her hair. Sometimes she sobbed.
Time passed, and on the night of the ‘promised’ day from her conversation with the man.
Lora got up unsteadily and headed to the dressing room. Walking past a mirror, she saw that her eyes were hollow and lifeless.
[I want to live.]
Muttering that, she picked up the next page of the notes she had written. Lora’s hands were trembling in fear.
The scene in that room was completely cut out, as if removed. Lora, who came out of the small room, cried all night until dawn. Morning came, and a maid entered to deliver the news of Lindel’s death.
And here the dream was cut off.
“Irena. Bring me paper and a pen.”
“Pardon? Yes, Miss.”
After that, I had this dream whenever I slept. The dream was vividly remembered, and despite sleeping, it left me feeling unrested.
At the next full moon, Count Epine died, and after that, a distant relative died. By the time the fourth full moon passed, she was caught.
[BANG-]
With a loud noise, the small door in the dressing room opened. 
Looking up at the sound of approaching footsteps, I saw him, Ethan.
It was strange to see the Grand Duke looking down at Lora with an icy gaze I had never seen before.
[What a spectacle.]
Lora stopped chanting the spell and her pale lips trembled.
The Grand Duke looked in turn at the blood splattered around the room, the papers with spells written on them, and what must have been hundreds of candles. He bent down to pick up a paper that had fallen at his feet, read its contents, and frowned severely.
Sensing that the situation was not normal, Lora gritted her teeth. And she began to chant the spell again.
The Grand Duke, with his characteristic icy face, raised his sword. Lora squeezed her eyes shut. Soon after, she felt a terrible pain in her neck.
“Aaagh-!”
My eyes flew open at the same time.
It was with a tearing sound that could have been either Lora’s scream or my own.
“Miss! What’s wrong?!”
Irena, startled by my screaming, rushed in from the next room.
I touched the back of my neck with one hand. Wow, this time it was really scary.
But at least I woke up. I gave her a smile to show I was fine.
“I’m okay. Just had a nightmare. Irena, bring me some paper and a pen.”
“Pardon?”
“Quickly.”
I needed to write it down before I forgot.
“Miss, you’ve been looking so exhausted lately. Are you really alright?”
“Yes.”
Only after checking several times did she bring me paper and a pen. Then she sat beside me as I recorded my dream, watching me closely.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here.”
“I’m worried about you, Miss.”
Dawn was just breaking. I could see that Irena’s eye bags had turned dark. My appearance probably wasn’t much different.
“Irena, get some sleep.”
“You should sleep too, Miss.”
“If I sleep again, I’ll dream again.”
“But why are you writing down the dreams?”
“I thought they might be clues.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s just something.”
After finishing my notes, I sent the worried Irena away. I tried not to fall asleep, but as always, my willpower was weak when faced with sleep.
Perhaps because Lora had died, I stopped having those dreams after that final one. For a while, I was able to sleep soundly, though in an unsettling afterglow.

***

Time flew by. In two days, we would depart for the Blessed Land. The castle was bustling with reinforcements from the capital.
“There are many people, Miss.”
“Indeed.”
Looking out the window, there were far more people gathered than I had expected. It was an unprecedented composition made up entirely of nobles and knights.
“Miss, do you really have to go?”
“I really don’t want to go either. But what can I do?”
“Our Miss…”
If I went with the expedition force, Irena and Lionel would return to the mansion. This was to disguise it as if I were returning after the social season.
It was difficult for me to officially join the expedition. It was obvious that if a noble lady joined them, people would say it was like child’s play.
Anyway, there was another party today. All nobles attended to wish for a safe return. I also got dressed and left my room.
“Lora, you look beautiful today as well.”
“Thank you. So do you, Your Highness.”
By now, the Grand Duke’s escort had become natural. He wore a black uniform decorated with gold thread, with an ornate ceremonial sword at his waist. Thinking about his attire, he was clearly dressed as today’s protagonist, for whom everyone was wishing success.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, Lora.”
“Shall we go separately?”
He gently narrowed his eyes and continued walking forward. It was closer to being taken into custody than being escorted.
Thus, I was practically dragged to the banquet hall. The attendant announced our arrival, saying that Grand Duke Kalschmitz and Lady Epine had arrived.
Couldn’t he have said it a bit more quietly…
Muttering a meaningless wish, I walked in, and once again, the dazzling spotlight was all mine.
Wow.
With the added gazes of the people from the capital, my face felt even hotter.
While listening to the familiar whispers with one ear and ignoring them with the other, and skillfully blocking the Grand Duke who was trying to be overprotective, it happened.
“Why are they here?”
Suddenly raising my head and staring at one spot, I couldn’t help but freeze.
It was because I saw familiar faces, because that familiarity was a bad connection, and because there were two of them.
“Has Count Epine lost his mind?”
Sending all his heirs at once.
Calix and Lindel, whom I thought I would never see again, were at the party. They had come to participate in the expedition.