The carriage entered the Hestein estate grounds. Rachel prepared to disembark as she surveyed the panoramic view of the estate through the carriage window. After a short journey, the carriage gradually came to a stop.

As the door opened and Rachel was about to step down, a hand suddenly extended toward her. Looking up to identify its owner, she found Edward standing there. He smiled gently at her and spoke, “Take my hand so you don’t slip. I’ll help you down.”

Rachel hesitated briefly before accepting Edward’s hand. Thanks to his large, firm grip, she was able to step down safely onto the ground.

“Thank you, Edward. How did you know to come greet me when I arrived without notice?” Rachel asked with curiosity.

Edward glanced upward. “I happened to be reading by the window and noticed a familiar carriage approaching. So I came down to meet you.”

Only then did Rachel understand how Edward had known about her visit, and she nodded in comprehension. “What brings you here today?” he asked.

“I came to see Viola.”

“Viola? She went out today.”

“Out? Where to? Did she have plans to meet someone?” Rachel asked with sudden concern in her voice.

“Well, I didn’t check those details.”

Edward noticed something unusual in Rachel’s intense questioning.

“What’s wrong? Is something happening with Viola?” he asked urgently, suddenly worried that something might happen to his sister in the future that Rachel knew about.

“No, it’s not that,” Rachel replied, momentarily hesitating as she struggled to explain her suspicions.

Since Duke Bermund had already approached Viola at her birthday celebration, he could easily approach her again anytime. “Did you happen to hear if she had plans with Duke Bermund?”

As long as Viola’s outing wasn’t related to Duke Bermund, there was no cause for concern.

“Wait here a moment.” Edward left Rachel standing there as he strode purposefully into the mansion. Rachel belatedly followed after him.

Edward headed toward the waiting room where Viola’s maid stayed. “Do you know Viola’s schedule for today?” he asked.

“Yes, I do,” one of the maids in the waiting room stepped forward. “She said she had plans to meet Young Master Sanchez. She mentioned they were meeting in town. Is something wrong?”

Edward turned to look at Rachel. Upon learning that Viola had gone to meet Tervan, Rachel exhaled a sigh of relief. “It seems I was worried for nothing. I’m sorry for alarming you, Edward,” she apologized with an awkward smile.

Only then did Edward also relax. “No need to apologize. I’m just glad it’s nothing serious. But are you alright?”

Edward studied Rachel’s expression carefully.

“I’m fine. Just a bit…” Rachel trailed off vaguely, unable to explain everything. Still, she was genuinely relieved that Viola wasn’t meeting with Duke Bermund. She had been worried that Viola might get hurt because of her.

Rachel thought that with Tervan by Viola’s side, there was less reason to worry. After all, Tervan was an accomplished swordsman, and Viola herself had exceptional talent as a spirit mage. The two worked well together, so even if Duke Bermund targeted them, Rachel felt confident they would remain safe.

“I’m glad it’s nothing serious. You must be tired from the journey—why don’t you come up and rest for a while?”

“Would that be alright? If it’s okay, I’d like to wait for Viola to return.”

“You would? Then I’ll keep you company.”

Edward made the offer knowing that no matter how close a friend’s mansion might be, staying alone in someone else’s home could be uncomfortable. Having someone to talk with would at least make the wait less awkward. Rachel appreciated his thoughtfulness.

“Are you sure? Don’t you have plans for today?”

“I don’t, so there’s no need to worry.”

Edward gave her a gentle smile to reassure her, and Rachel smiled back. “Thank you, Edward. I’ll take you up on that offer then.”

“Good. Let me escort you to the reception room.”

“Thank you.”

Edward began escorting Rachel, walking with elegant steps unlike his hurried pace from earlier when he was concerned about Viola. Throughout their walk to the reception room, Edward kept glancing at Rachel.

There was no ill intent behind these glances. Rather, out of concern for Rachel, he was conflicted about whether he should ask more detailed questions about the Time Demon Creon, and was trying to gauge her mood. Rachel was aware of Edward’s frequent glances but chose not to mention it since he didn’t bring anything up himself.

After they entered the reception room, a maid prepared refreshments for them.

“When do you think Viola will return?” Rachel asked.

“Hard to say. She loves wandering around, so it might take a while.”

“I hope she comes back early.”

Rachel wanted to warn Viola to be cautious of Duke Bermund. She remembered how Viola had acted at her birthday celebration. It was true that Duke Bermund was popular in social circles—with his handsome appearance, sturdy physique, and excellent manners. Not to mention his wealth and his rank as a duke, making him one of the most sought-after individuals in current society.

Rachel thought that if she had met Duke Bermund without knowing anything about him, she might have been charmed as well. It wasn’t strange that Viola could be attracted to someone like Duke Bermund.

However, if she had to name the person to be most cautious of in this timeline, it would undoubtedly be Duke Bermund—a man who not only coveted the imperial throne but also desired the power of the Time Demon Creon.

Rachel simply couldn’t think well of Duke Bermund, and for good reason. In the original setting of this world and throughout the many timelines she had experienced, Duke Bermund had always been the villain. He was someone who willingly chose the role of antagonist.

Unlike Rachel, who had somehow escaped her position as a villainess, he always acted according to his desires. The end result was either his own downfall or the destruction of his opponents, usually involving the imperial family.

Rachel reflexively thought of Ryan. She had wanted to help him because she believed Duke Bermund’s ambitions were evil.

That’s why when she first saw Ryan at the banquet, she unconsciously leaked information about Duke Bermund to him. While she had previously been a mere observer, that intervention placed her directly in the flow of the story.

“You mentioned Duke Bermund earlier. Can you tell me why Viola shouldn’t be with him?” Edward suddenly asked as he was about to sip his tea, recalling Rachel’s earlier words.

Rachel hesitated as she looked at Edward. Still, Edward was someone she could trust—perhaps the most reliable person among her limited connections. She decided it would be acceptable to tell him about Duke Bermund.

“Duke Bermund is aiming for the imperial throne. And he’s quite angry that he failed to recruit me to his side.”

Rachel shared only fragmentary information with Edward, who instinctively processed it with the understanding that she was a contractor of the Time Demon.

He likely assumed she had discovered Duke Bermund’s rebellion plans through time regression. This would explain why Rachel couldn’t readily join Duke Bermund, knowing how dangerous he was, and why she thought the Duke might approach Viola, someone close to Rachel.

Edward quickly pieced together the information Rachel provided and formed a complete picture in his mind. “So when Duke Bermund came to Viola’s birthday celebration…”

“He might have approached her because of me. That’s why I rushed here—I was worried. I wanted to warn Viola to be careful around Duke Bermund.”

Rachel finished her explanation with a small sigh. Understanding her genuine concern, Edward gently patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Rachel. I’ll talk to Viola about it separately.”

At Edward’s words, Rachel smiled brightly. “Thank you as always, Edward.”