Walter laughed bitterly as he lowered his head.
In the dark room, his laughter spread sadly.
I had a headache.
I covered my face with my hands and lost myf in thought.
My hands were shaking.
"Let's think together.
If we think about everything he did to us, he's not exactly a victim, is he?"
“What are we going to think about together?
If you act on what comes out of your head, it will be an instant execution.”
"Are you kidding?
In this situation?"
I got angry at his laugh, and his face hardened in an instant.
“Stop talking so much and come back immediately.
Your presence here will ruin everything.”
I looked at him silently as he spoke firmly.
His eyes were twitching anxiously.
There is no justification for killing, but can't the circumstances be taken into account?
So I thought, then I shook my head.
This is unthinkable here.
Especially since the Marquis was close to the Emperor.
If it is known that he was killed, everything will be over.
'Now that I think about it, it's really disgraceful.
'I almost died for murder before the monsters tore me apart?'
If we are arrested for the murder of the Marquis, we will definitely face execution.
The best way to save Walter's life was to let the Marchioness bear the punishment alone.
But Walter seemed determined not to allow that.
"my lady."
Amy and Mary entered the room after returning from Lowen's, but stopped when they saw Walter.
They looked at me as if asking what to do.
“Pack the Duchess’s luggage.
I have requested a carriage.
Hurry and pack.”
Amy and Mary looked at me in confusion.
I nodded to them.
“Do as Walter says.”
I'm sorry, but now is not the time to worry about Walter.
If I stay here and get involved, Leon will be in danger too.
I feel sorry for Walter, but I'd better escape from here first and then think of a way to save him.
“Walter, hold on tight.
I will find a way to get you out.”
“What are you going to do?
The passing dogs will laugh.
Stop pretending to be a hero and live well alongside that idiot.”
Not an idiot, you're an idiot!
I wanted to scream, but I bit my lip.
"But I'm curious.
How did you know about my debt to Elizabeth?"
“I heard the rumor and tried to solve it, but Leon Astaire had already paid it off.”
You're really a good person?
If you just hang on, I'll find a way to get you out.
But I was shocked by my thoughts.
'What am I thinking?
Why am I so confident of my survival?'
Even if the execution had not been carried out by then, the prison where dangerous criminals would go would be difficult to bear.
“I will find some way.”
I said in a less confident voice than before.
I couldn't look into Walter's eyes.
Walter laughed softly and stroked my head violently again.
She frowned, but his complaining hand felt warm somehow.
“I'll distract my mother so she won't notice.
Quickly pack your things and leave.”
He looked at me for a moment and then hurriedly left my room.
“I didn't even say goodbye.”
I muttered, looking at the door he came out of.
“Amy, Mary, let's leave now.”
“Ma’am, we haven’t finished packing… let’s just go.”
Amy and Mary, with confused faces, quickly followed me out of the room.
Once I got into the carriage, I ordered it to start and looked at the palace as it drove away.
There was a specially lit room.
I caught a glimpse of a shadow at the window, but I turned my head.
Walter's eyes kept chasing me, making my chest heavy.
'If you're just a bad person, why are you shaking me like that?'
The sounds of forest animals in the scary road sounded particularly terrifying that night.
As soon as I arrived at Aster, I rushed to Leon's bedroom.
The familiar fragrance soothed me.
Leon was carrying the letter I had sent via the guard knight.
He looked at the letter and then at me in amazement.
“Ah, ghost!”
“I almost became a ghost.”
I approached him while talking.
He put the letter on the table and got up from the sofa.
The moment I stood before him, the complex feelings that had been weighing me down for a moment dissipated.
But when I took my eyes away from his red ones, the feelings came back again.
I tried to hold it back, but the tears suddenly fell.
"Bill Bill, why?
Are you crying?
Who did this?
You?"
Leon pointed at Calsen angrily.
Calsen, who was suddenly pointed at, flinched.
“I was by the master’s side the whole time.”
“Hug me.”
I asked Leon to hug me.
He stopped joking with Kalsen, tilted his head and looked at me.
The amusement disappeared from his face.
He approached me slowly and hugged me tightly.
His warm hand patted my back.
I buried my face in his chest and let out tears.
Leon didn't say anything, just patted my shoulder and back gently.
How much did you cry?
When my tears dried, I pushed him gently.
Leon grabbed my shoulders and looked at me with slowly sinking eyes.
“What happened?”
He asked in a low, slow voice.
His deep voice pierced my heart.
'How much should I tell him?
If he knew I was almost accused of murder, would he stay calm?
Why would Leon do anything for me?'
My head was filled with thousands of complex thoughts.
"Belle?
Bella?"
When I didn't answer and just moved my eyes, Leon called me.
His voice was so gentle that I fixed my trembling eyes on it.
'No, I can't say.
If he knew that the Marquis family tried to frame me for murder, Leon might hate me too.'
But I was worried about Walter.
But Leon, who was silent now, was in no position to help Walter.
If he tries to help me thoughtlessly, all his efforts may be in vain.
“I didn’t see my father.
I suddenly felt bad, so my tears flowed.”
Leon looked at me suspiciously.
But when I turned my head and said no more, he stopped asking.
I noticed that everyone had left the room, and there was silence.
“But Belle Belle is really a wolf.
You came right over and asked me to hug you.
Didn’t you come back early just so I could throw myf into your arms?”
Leon spoke in a completely different high tone, trying to change the atmosphere.
I nodded weakly to him.
“Yes, that's right.
Belle Belle is a wolf.
A wolf pretending to be a grandmother.”
My words were not wrong.
I'm a stranger wearing a Belle Belle mask.
When I looked more gloomy even though he tried to cheer me up, Leon seemed overly confused.
"No, that's not what I meant.
You're not a wolf, you're a vixen.
Yes, a better vixen."
“Aren’t a fox and a wolf the same thing?”
Leon's face gradually turned pale.
His reaction was funny.
How long will he continue to play this role with me?
“Since I'm a wolf...”
“A vixen.”
“Well, since I'm a vixen, I'll sleep with Leon tonight.”
"Not possible?"
“No, not that, but we should take a shower first.”
Why shower?
I suddenly felt uncomfortable.
I wanted a little peace next to Leon.
“...I was joking.
I'm so tired now, I'll go rest!”
I violently shook his hand and ran to my room.