Chapter 130.2

Yurina took off the street coat she had put on to go see the warlock boy and picked up a dressing gown. Reynard helped her put on her gown. His lips rested nervously on the nape of her neck.

“Don’t go anywhere, just stay in the Marchioness’ bedroom.”

“Okay. But you also have to be careful.”

Yurina turned around and stood on tiptoe to hug his neck.

There was a time when Yurina thought that one day such a day must come. She didn’t want to mess with Marquis De Flon if she could. But from the moment she met him on the streets of the capital and saw the echoes of his madness, Yurina knew that she and Reynard were in danger.

‘I hoped so much that this would pass us by.’

Yurina buried her face into his neck and muttered, just like Reynard usually did. Reynard’s arm went up and wrapped around her waist.

“Yurina.”

His low voice was more rigid than ever.  At the same time, Yurina was nervous as she hugged his neck more tightly.

“Are you really going to announce everything between us when this all is over?”

What did he just say? Wondering if what she heard was right, she took a step back and examined his face. Reynard pulled her back tighter with a stiff face and asked again.

“Really… Will you?”

It was absurd that what he was concerned about in this serious situation was their relationship, not Marquis De Flon and the warlock. However, Reynard’s face was so serious that Yurina nodded.

“Yes. So come back safe.”

“Okay.”

Yurina lightly kissed Reynard on the lips and left the room.

The dark hallway was empty. The time was late, but that must have been because the butler had told the servants not to leave the rooms today. And Yurina’s three older brothers were already ready and waiting.

Feeling a chill on her back, Yurina entered the Marchioness’ bedroom. As soon as the Marchioness heard the creaking of the door, she stood up and became alert.

Yurina quickly ran up to her and hugged her.

“Mother.”

“Yurina?”

A soft warm hand stroked her hair. A hand that was unfamiliar and awkward seven years ago. Now Yurina thought she was afraid of losing that touch forever.

This kind hand would probably have hardened coldly if he hadn’t been possessed by ‘Yurina’.

Feeling that she was about to cry, she went limp in the arms of the Marchioness, like a child.

“You must have had a nightmare.”

If only it was a nightmare.

“Everything will be fine. You have a mother, a father, your brothers and even Reynard.”

Yes. She couldn’t even say a word because she felt choked up.

“Sleep with your mother today.”

And after a while, a deafening loud alarm sounded in the mansion. It was a sign that the warlock boy had escaped from prison.

Marchioness Carthia covered Yurina’s body with a blanket and hugged her tighter. She feigned composure, but even the hand of the Marchioness trembled a little.

“It looks like it will be a difficult night to sleep.”

* * *

It had been more than an hour since she went to bed, but Lydia could hardly sleep.

And it wasn’t just today. It all started a few days ago, to be exact, when she went to Carthia’s mansion with wounded Karion. Now the more Lydia tried to sleep, the faster the thoughts raced through her head.

‘Is my father really like that?’

The words she wished she had asked but couldn’t.

Did her father really try to hurt Lady Carthia’s maid?

Every time she saw Marquis De Flon, a conflict flared up inside her, but Lydia always turned around without saying anything. Because what she was trying to ask felt like a box that shouldn’t be opened.

Lydia knew that her father, Marquis De Flon, had been sharpening his teeth against the Cartia House all his life. But she didn’t know why.

However, judging from the fact that he always forced her to become an Empress and emphasized that Yurina wasn’t the talent to become an Empress, she thought it was related to politics.

Looking at the recent behavior of Marquis De Flon, it seems that the true reason has remained in the shadows. But Lydia couldn’t understand what the real reason was.

It was something sheI could just pretend she didn’t know and move on. Thinking rationally, she thought it might be better to pretend she didn’t see it and move on.

‘But…’

She remembered Yurina’s face. A friend of her age, whom she first met and talked to properly. She had always had Karion, but the feeling of having a friend of the same gender was very different.

Who knows if Yurina considers her a friend, but Lydia enjoyed that short time with Yurina.

So…

It was time for Lydia to make up her mind and get out of bed. The closed door opened and someone came inside. Lydia was startled for a second and tried to scream, but before that a large hand covered her mouth.