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Disgusting b*stard.His stomach churned. And at last, he clearly understood that this was exactly what Dana had once called ‘debauchery’.
Noah bumped into a man. The man was wearing a pitch-black gentleman’s hat pulled low over his face. And Noah saw that very gentleman entered Justin Lancaster’s room.
Did Justin Lancaster call him?A snicker escaped him.After women, now a man too. And even summoning him to his dorm room? Crazy b*stard.
Needing fresh air, Noah immediately went out to the balcony to smoke. Not long after, he spotted two men walking through the garden below the balcony.
Justin Lancaster?Had he already left his room? He was neatly dressed up, heading somewhere. The man Noah had bumped into earlier was with him.Is he following that man?Going out at this hour should be forbidden. Now, was Justin planning to be even more depraved outside?Who cares.
Noah stubbed out his cigarette against the railing and snorted. If that woman saw this, she’d definitely start nagging. Not that it mattered to him.
I finally escaped!Allice ran excitedly through the imperial palace hallways. Her breath was ragged, but she didn’t care. Finally, she was out of that dreadful monastery!
It was really, really hard!She had been cooped up in the monastery for nearly a week, enduring what felt like torture. The food was tasteless. And not just that, she had to wake up at the crack of dawn and pray for hours! That made her resent Viego for confining her there. But Raios had saved her. He had even sent a messenger and ordered that she be brought directly!
“Your Highness!”
Bang!Allice burst into his bedroom with a bright face. However…
Huh?Allice blinked.Why was no one here?Raios had called for her, but where did he go?
At that moment, warmth pressed against her back. It was Raios.
“Your Highneeess! You scared me!”
“Haha, sorry.” After ruffling Allice’s hair, Raios walked inside.
Allice tilted her head curiously. “By the way, where were you?”
“Ah.” Raios took off his black hat and casually replied. “Just taking a walk.”
[Arriving soon.]
The message came from her secretary.
[The ‘item’ you mentioned has been secured safely.]
Perfect!Dana smiled in relief. Lethe had safely secured the item for a deal with the emperor.With that, I can annul my engagement with Raios.
Walking through the night garden, Dana was lost in thought. Raios was refusing to annul their engagement because he coveted her assets, but if the emperor pushed hard enough, he would eventually yield. After all, he had always tried to avoid friction with his uncle.So, if the emperor orders it, he’ll comply.
That would also push Carl further into a corner. Of course, she would also have to remove his powerful supporter, Sandra, from the Windsor family. Knowing her fatal secret, using that to drive a wedge between the two of them wouldn’t be difficult.
After isolating Carl like that, pushing him out of the deputy head position, and earning a few more merits herself…Then, the ring of deputy head will be mine.In three months, or half a year at most. Within that time, she would win no matter what.
“You look happy.”
Suddenly, the woman Dana was thinking of appeared.
Sandra approached, draped in a shawl.Step, step.The sound of her steps on the grass followed. “Your complexion looks good, Dana.” She stared intently at Dana’s face. “Well, receiving so much love from many people, it’s no wonder your complexion is good.”
Dana considered simply turning away, but then changed her mind. Because it was time to start laying the groundwork.
“My daughter is suffering all kinds of hardship at the monastery. As Allice’s older sister, don’t you feel even a little sorry?”
“I do feel sorry. Sorry that she isn’t receiving an even harsher punishment to come to her senses.”
“But don’t be too distressed, Aunt.” Dana smiled innocently and approached Sandra. “Allice will learn restraint and chastity there.”
“She doesn’t need to. She’s already more than chaste enough.”
“I suppose that’s true.” Dana chuckled softly. “With a wonderful father giving her such a wonderful education, isn’t that right?”
Perhaps sensing her sarcasm, Sandra’s eyes sharpened. “Carl is a wonderful man. He’s merely stumbled over a small obstacle for now.”
“Of course, I think so too.” Dana gazed calmly into Sandra’s crimson eyes. “Allice has a very wonderful biological father…”
Flinch.Dana clearly saw Sandra’s brow stiffen.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“I believe she’ll overcome every hardship and adversity, just like her biological father.”
Sandra then froze, like ice about to shatter if touched. Did the word ‘biological father’ sound that significant to her? Just a sentence or two, and she was already this shaken. Dana suppressed a sneer.
That was enough for now. Dana turned away. “Then, have a good ni—”
It was at that moment.
“You!” Sandra rushed forward and shoved Dana’s shoulder.
Thud.Dana fell backward to the ground.
“Watch your words. I don’t know where you heard such nonsense, but Allice is Carl Windsor’s biological daughter! Allice’s biological father is Carl Windsor!” Having shouted in panic, Sandra seemed to realize she had overreacted and clamped her mouth shut.
Still seated on the ground, Dana shrugged. “Who said anything?”
“Y-You were saying strange things! Anyway, stop talking nonsense!” With those words, Sandra quickly turned around and walked away as if fleeing.
Dana quietly watched her retreating back. That woman is really easy to read. Thinking that, she placed her hand on the ground.
Huh?Suddenly, darkness crashed down before her eyes. Everything turned pitch black.What is this?No, this wasn’t darkness. Dana slowly realized the scene before her had changed. This place was a dim forest.
And a man running frantically through the bushes.
Drip, drip.Blood drops fell behind the man.
What is this supposed to be?
And the sound of footsteps chasing him.
In the deep forest, a man was running madly, bleeding. Dana helplessly watched the one-sided scene unfold.
“Gasp, gasp, gasp.” The runaway’s breath was tangled violently.
Was he injured? The blood falling to the ground was getting darker.
“Keugh!” The man’s foot caught, and he crashed to the ground. He tried to get up immediately, however…
Bang!A bullet lodged in the man’s shoulder.
“Aaaargh!” The man’s scream echoed through the forest. He wriggled and tried to flee, but at that moment, again.
Bang―!It was a direct hit.
“P-Please,hng,aaah…” The man crawled like a bug, but the merciless firing continued.
Bang!This time it hit his thigh.
Step, step. The footsteps of the pursuer drew closer.
“Please, please.” The man trembled as he lifted his head.
By then, the pursuer had reached right in front of him. The long shadow engulfed the man.
“Please, I don’t want to die…” The man sobbed and begged. He clasped his hands and wept.
“I-I won’t approach Danae, that person, I was wrong, I won’t do it again, so please!”
But the pursuer unemotionally raised the gun again.Click, and the trigger is pulled. And,
“Please, please, please! Spare―”
At that moment, Dana gasped and lifted her head abruptly.Gasp, gasp,her suppressed breaths burst out all at once.What was that, just now?She looked around frantically.
This was the garden. The garden where I had been pushed by Sandra just a moment ago. Not the forest where the murder occurred, but the garden.
Dana placed a hand on her throbbing chest. Her heart pounded so fiercely it felt like her ribs would break.
Did I see it again?
The memory of the land. That ability had suddenly poured out again.
Dana clenched her teeth.Why, suddenly, for what reason… no, more importantly! Someone was killed!
Dana forced strength into her trembling legs and stood up. She had seen it. The scene of the murder. Though she hadn’t seen the killer’s face, she recognized the victim’s. It was a face she knew.
Justin…Justin Lancaster. Noah’s classmate at the academy and the boy who had sent her love letters. That boy was murdered in the forest. Being shot, brutally.
Dana’s head spun dizzily. In the memory, Justin had clearly shouted. That he wouldn’t approach Danae, that woman, anymore, begging to be spared. Please, to be spared. That means…Did he get killed because he approached me?A chill ran down her spine.
Was he killed just because he sent love letters to me? Who the hell?!If there was someone crazy enough to kill someone for sending love letters to her… For a moment, a face instinctively flashed across her mind.
Raios Geranze. The crown prince of this empire.