“Well then Rachel, we’ll be going now.”

Viola rose from her seat and said goodbye to Rachel.

“Okay. Get home safely.”

“If you need anything at all, you must let me know.”

“I said I will.”

Only after receiving confirmation from Rachel several times did Viola finally turn to leave.

Rachel smiled faintly as she watched Viola close the door behind her.

Then she thought of Edward and Tervan who had left the bedroom earlier.

It would have been nice to properly say goodbye to them too, but they must have been busy as they had already left.

Still, Rachel, who finally had some time to rest without doing anything, planned to spend the day relaxing without complicated thoughts.

However, contrary to Rachel’s intentions, there was soon a knock at the door.

Rachel tilted her head in confusion, wondering who else could be visiting when it seemed everyone had already come by.

Ryan briefly crossed her mind, but Rachel quickly dismissed the thought. Ryan would barely have enough time to deal with the aftermath of the hunting competition incident and investigate the identity of the attackers.

So it seemed unlikely that Ryan would visit.

Then who?

“My lady, Duke Bermund is here to see you.”

Rachel froze in place at the unexpected visitor.

“My lady?”

When Rachel, who should have given some response, remained silent, Catrin called out to her again.

Finally coming to her senses, Rachel let out a small sigh before speaking.

“Tell him to come in.”

With Rachel’s permission, the door opened and Duke Bermund slowly entered.

“I heard you were recuperating from the attack…”

Duke Bermund spoke with exaggerated surprise as he saw Rachel confined to bed.

Rachel frowned at his theatrical tone.

“May I ask why you’ve come all the way here?”

Rachel’s voice became noticeably curt.

Duke Bermund shrugged with disappointment at Rachel’s response, which was anything but welcoming.

“How disheartening. I came to visit Lady Pluret, who must have been shocked by yesterday’s incident.”

“A visit?”

“Yes.”

Rachel stared at Duke Bermund, who spoke with a confident voice while she maintained her frown.

“If you’ve come to offer medicine after causing the illness, then you’ve succeeded.”

“Causing illness? What do you mean by that…”

Duke Bermund asked with a casual tone.

Rachel hesitated before carefully opening her mouth.

“Weren’t you the one who sent the attackers to this hunting competition?”

At Rachel’s direct question, Duke Bermund tilted his head.

“You think I did it?”

“…Wasn’t it you?”

When Rachel asked uncertainly, Duke Bermund shook his head.

“No. Unfortunately, it wasn’t me.”

When Duke Bermund responded so plainly, Rachel momentarily felt her mouth go dry at the thought that he might not be the culprit.

Certainly, the attackers seemed too amateurish to have been hired by Duke Bermund.

If Duke Bermund had orchestrated this, he could have hired more professional individuals, such as assassins.

But those who carried out the attack at the hunting competition were hunters, not assassins.

‘Then who on earth sent the attackers?’

Rachel tilted her head in bewilderment.

“Are you sure you didn’t send them, Duke?”

Rachel asked Duke Bermund directly, knowing it was impolite.

“Yes, I didn’t. You’ve guessed wrong this time.”

Duke Bermund denied it in a straightforward manner.

“If you say you didn’t… I apologize for the misunderstanding.”

Rachel apologized to Duke Bermund, feeling dumbfounded.

Duke Bermund readily nodded without hesitation, accepting Rachel’s apology.

“It’s fine. I understand why you would think so. But why would I bother with such troublesome actions? Especially something that would obviously make me a suspect. The Crown Prince is already suspicious of me as it is.”

Duke Bermund was right.

Ryan was already keeping a close eye on Duke Bermund because of his suspected preparations for treason.

In such circumstances, it would have been even more foolish to send such incompetent attackers and sow more seeds of suspicion.

Moreover, he was currently proposing to Rachel about turning back time.

If Rachel accepted his proposal and turned back time, everything would return to nothing anyway.

“Then who could it be?”

When Rachel asked directly, Duke Bermund shrugged.

“Well, I don’t know. The Crown Prince is investigating, so the culprit will likely be caught soon. And… until then, the Crown Prince will probably suspect me.”

Duke Bermund concluded with a bitter smile.

As he said, so far there was no one else to suspect but Duke Bermund, so it was undeniable that he would be the primary person of interest.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. The investigation will reveal that it wasn’t me.”

Duke Bermund let out a derisive laugh. Then he belatedly turned his gaze to Rachel.

“By the way, Lady Pluret.”

“Yes?”

“You don’t have much time left to make a decision… Have you decided yet?”

Rachel hesitated at Duke Bermund’s question.

But she couldn’t give an answer to his question.

She still had no idea what choice would be best.

“You haven’t decided yet, I see.”

Duke Bermund sighed with apparent regret.

When Rachel nodded in affirmation, Duke Bermund crossed his arms.

“Well, that’s fine. There’s still time left. It’s right for you to think carefully and make a decision. I understand.”

Duke Bermund nodded and muttered.

Watching him, Rachel hesitantly spoke.

“There’s something I still don’t understand, no matter how much I think about it.”

“Yes, please ask anything.”

“Even if I turn back time, it won’t benefit you at all, so why do you want me to do it? You explained before, but I still can’t understand, so I’m asking again.”

Rachel simply couldn’t understand why Duke Bermund wanted to reverse time.

If Duke Bermund himself were the one going back in time, it would make sense.

That he would turn back time and plot treason again.

But unfortunately, Rachel was the only one who could go back.

Even if Rachel turned back time, it would bring no benefit to Duke Bermund.

Yet Duke Bermund was still asking Rachel to choose to go back in time.

Rachel couldn’t understand the reason at all.

Duke Bermund had said it was to start over fairly, but how would the Duke Bermund in the next timeline even know whether it was a fair start or not?

Moreover, if Rachel went back in time and informed Ryan about Duke Bermund’s treason again, nothing would be different from now.

“Didn’t I explain the reason then?”

“That’s not a sufficient answer. No matter what, it only seems disadvantageous to you.”

“It might seem that way. But it’s not, which is why I’m making this request.”

“…”

Duke Bermund didn’t answer clearly. Rachel found that very unsettling.

Going back in time wasn’t difficult, but accepting his proposal without knowing Duke Bermund’s true intentions made her uncomfortable.

What if Duke Bermund knew something that she didn’t?

Could there be additional information in the journal he possessed?

It seemed she would need to see the journal Duke Bermund had to get answers.

However, to see that journal, she would have to accept Duke Bermund’s proposal.

Rachel stared at Duke Bermund with a complicated gaze.

Duke Bermund calmly met Rachel’s gaze before shrugging.

“Anyway, Lady Pluret has the opportunity to turn back time again even if she fails. Even if I am deceiving Lady Pluret, you can turn back time again and make it all disappear.”

Rachel agreed with Duke Bermund’s words. If Duke Bermund gained something from her regression, she could take it away by regressing once more.

“Well, it’s not something to decide hastily, so please think carefully and make your decision. Then I’ll take my leave now. Please take care of yourself.”

Having finished speaking, Duke Bermund rose from his seat. He gave Rachel a brief greeting before promptly leaving her bedroom with steady steps.

Only after he left and the door closed did Rachel let out a short sigh.

She couldn’t read Duke Bermund’s true intentions at all. Probably anyone else would feel the same way. For instance, even Creon couldn’t figure out Duke Bermund’s intentions.

Meanwhile, the time for the choice she had promised Duke Bermund was approaching.

But Rachel felt frustrated because she didn’t know what decision to make.