As soon as Ivan frowned and stood up, a fierce downpour began to lash down. Kaiten instinctively hunched his shoulders against the torrential rain, as if the sky had burst open.

“What… do you mean?”

“So. Are you saying you really know nothing?”

“……”

“That’s even more disappointing, Sir Kaiten.”

Kaiten clenched both fists tightly and blinked. When he showed a genuinely confused expression, Ivan slowly walked over to stand in front of him.

“Just now. I saw Yevgeny on the back path behind the mansion.”

A pale hand reached out and grabbed the back of Kaiten’s neck. Ivan bent down to meet his subordinate’s eyes, glaring sharply as if to scrutinize his face.

“…Pardon?”

Kaiten, feeling a primal fear from the madman’s eyes, managed to answer after a long pause. He began to stammer, insisting it couldn’t be true, but Ivan’s sharp tone made him lower his head again.

“No one stopped him as he drove in confidently. Or rather, no one even realized he was here.”

Ivan irritably swept his hand from Kaiten’s neck and gave his shoulder a couple of light taps, his lips curling sideways.

“So what exactly happened?”

“Well…”

“Speak clearly.”

Forcing himself to breathe, Kaiten managed to straighten his upper body. It felt as if the flow of hot blood had stopped and his brain cells were being destroyed. He shivered uncontrollably.

“…I’m sorry. I’ll immediately assign more guards to the district.”

“That’s only natural. But that’s not what I’m asking for, Kaiten.”

“……”

“With the soldiers this undisciplined, is it any wonder the bastard born outside can crawl in here so brazenly?”

“I’m sorry.”

Ivan, perhaps frustrated by Kaiten’s repeated apologies and bowed head, frowned deeply and undid a few more buttons of his already open shirt, exposing his chest. His glossy black hair, shaken by his agitated movements, fell past his forehead to just below his eyes.

“Kaiten. Even on the ship, before he sent a carrier pigeon to General Bledoneur, you had plenty of time to inform me. But you didn’t.”

Ivan’s voice, suddenly gentle, swept over Kaiten from head to toe.

“You knew well that your greatest duty and mission was to find Rochelle Kotov, didn’t you?”

“……”

“You say you forgot you could use a carrier pigeon on board… I’m only restraining myself from snapping your neck right now, for old time’s sake.”

Step, step. Ivan slowly walked over to the desk, checked the letter on top, and leaned against it.

Kaiten cautiously turned his gaze toward the letter. The gleaming seal on the envelope caught his eye.

“Sir Ivan. Is that…?”

Breaking the silence, Kaiten asked in disbelief. Ivan reached out and picked up the letter.

“I thought we had caught them all… But maybe we’ll have to let her go for a while.”

“……”

“Love? Love, you say? That Yevgeny, with the noblewoman Rochelle Kotov? Do you think that makes any sense, Kaiten?”

Unable to contain the anger rising from deep within, Ivan grabbed a teacup and hurled it against the wall.

Crash—the glass shattered loudly. He continued, shouting furiously.

“Yeah, damn it, I’d rather Yevgeny truly loved Rochelle Kotov.”

“……”

“I hope he loves her so desperately it aches in his bones. So much that he can’t breathe without her, so much that just seeing Rochelle Kotov hanged and slaughtered in the square would make his heart stop. I want him to lose his mind in front of everyone, left with nothing but a ruined shell.”

“……”

“Just as my mother, driven mad by jealousy, did in front of that woman.”

Ivan let out a small, bitter laugh as he looked at Kaiten.

“Why do you think Yevgeny came to this mansion, huh?”

“……”

“We always have to move one step ahead of them, understand, Kaiten? We can’t give them even the smallest opening! Do you want to see all the fruits of our life-risking struggle snatched away by Yevgeny?”

Just as Ivan was forcefully tearing open the letter with his fingers, someone knocked on the door.

Both Kaiten and Ivan turned their heads toward the sound. The door slowly opened, and a servant approached them.

Catching her breath and offering a polite smile, she spoke.

“It seems Miss Rochelle has caught a cold.”

“Since when?”

“I’m not sure… but it may be because she was exposed to the cold air. After her bath, she kept lingering by the window.”

As expected—Yevgeny’s visit just now… Kaiten turned to Ivan as if he finally understood. Ivan scowled and nodded irritably.

“What can we do now? Proceed as planned. Nothing else can go wrong, Kaiten.”

“Yes.”

“Make sure she’s prepared until the end. Be careful not to get caught.”

***

Bang, bang, bang! Boarding up the window with thick planks and nails didn’t take much time. Kaiten, sitting on a chair and supervising the workers, stood up when the last nail was hammered in.

“She’s caught a cold. This way, no wind will get in.”

Had they realized Yevgeny had come to visit?

“Thank you so much for your consideration.”

Rochelle let out a cold laugh. She stood in a corner of the room, her head held high.

It wouldn’t take long for Yevgeny to come for her again anyway. Even with the window gone and thick bars in its place, she was certain she wouldn’t be consumed by fear as she had before.

There was no need to waste her emotions on these rioters. She tried not to make eye contact with anyone. She ignored the people bustling around her, until she saw Fabi’s back as she placed a couple of books on the table.

Books? Was she worried Rochelle would be bored while locked up? What a romantic and soft-hearted woman.

“……”

Kaiten soon left, and the other servants exited the room as well. Rochelle quietly approached and gently placed her hand on Fabi’s shoulder.

“Fabi.”

“Oh my!”

Startled, Fabi stepped back and looked at Rochelle in surprise.

“What is it?”

“I was just glad to see you. You helped me, didn’t you?”

As she spoke, she lightly waved her bandaged hand, and Fabi tucked her hair behind her ear, forcing a smile.

“To be precise, I didn’t really help. I just did what I was told. Still, I’m glad to see your face looking a bit brighter. Are you feeling better?”

“Thanks to you.”

“Have your nails healed? There’s not much to do alone, so I secretly brought you some books to read. Oh, but don’t tell anyone else, okay?”

Lowering her voice, Fabi glanced around the room, making sure they were alone. Rochelle smiled and stepped back.

“They still sting if I press on them, but they’re much better. I’m sure they’ll heal soon. Thank you for your concern, and I’ll enjoy the books.”

“It’s nothing.”

Fabi couldn’t hide her growing pity for the noblewoman in front of her. If only Rochelle had cursed or raged at those who imprisoned her, she wouldn’t have felt anything. But the world called Rochelle Kotov a villainess, while the real woman was clear, gentle, and transparent as a drop of water. How many people truly knew who Rochelle was?

“Well, I’d better go. If I stay any longer, people might think I’m conspiring with you.”

“……”

“I’ll come again.”

Fabi whispered softly and moved toward the door, the heavy ring of keys jingling at her waist.

Slowly pushing open the door and stepping outside, Fabi pulled out a padlock from her pocket. Glancing back into the room, she saw Rochelle still watching her, cheeks flushed.

Perhaps it was because she had spotted Ivan tilting his head at the end of the hallway. Fabi pretended not to notice Rochelle’s gaze.

The sound of the door closing rang out especially loud.