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“Miss! You can’t do this!”

Blanshe was sweating bullets.

She was trying to stop the lady she served, Bella Izakhel.

“Eh. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine for me!”

Bella, who had gone to Paradise and then straight to school, arrived in front of the Chairman’s office.

Blocking the firmly closed door was Blanshe.

“What you’re about to do now is a crime.”

“I’m just going to borrow the Count’s library pass.”

What Bella needed was a special library pass for the Wall of Truth. Only Tristan, the owner of the library, had it.

Blanshe cleared her throat and said,

“Borrowing requires the other party’s consent. Taking it without consent is theft—”

“Blanshe.”

“Yes?”

“What did you say about my relationship with the Count?”

“……You said it’s more than lovers but less than spouses.”

“Good memory. Then, if we’re more than lovers but less than spouses, it’s okay to borrow each other’s things without asking, right? Isn’t it?”

“No…. That’s….”

Blanshe, who was about to say that was nonsense, had no choice but to shut her mouth.

Bella wasn’t seeking her consent but giving a one-sided notice.

“I’ll just check if the book I need is in the underground archive and return it, so don’t worry. There’s absolutely nothing for you to be concerned about.”

“Miss….”

Blanshe thought.

What Bella was trying to find with the pass wasn’t an ordinary book. It was a book containing powerful curses passed down through generations.

She guessed that Bella was working so hard to break the curse on the Count.

Blanshe wasn’t unaware of Bella’s feelings. But having been abandoned by Tristan once, she wasn’t sure.

Whether that man was truly deserving.

Tristan was still a man with many secrets.

No one knew what he was hiding.

Not long ago, Blanshe saw it with her own eyes.

Even the Emperor couldn’t touch Tristan lightly.

Even when surrounded by the Imperial Guard in the palace, he never used honorifics for the Emperor.

He didn’t kneel and kept his head high, overwhelming the Emperor instead.

It was a scene that clearly showed Tristan’s position in the Empire.

That’s why he was such a dangerous man.

Blanshe wanted to keep Bella away from him.

But as a Bodyguard Knight, she didn’t have the power to stop Bella. Then….

‘At least, I’ll protect the lady by any means necessary….’

In the end, Blanshe reluctantly agreed with Bella.

“…If you say so, I won’t stop you. If you’ve decided, I’ll just follow.”

“Huhu…. Thank you.”

Bella stroked Blanshe’s head with a kind expression.

“Our Blanshe. So good. So good.”

“I’m not a child.”

“I know. But what can I do if you’re cute in my eyes?”

“I’m not cute at all….”

“That’s what makes you cute.”

“Ahem…. We don’t have time. Please go in.”

Blanshe easily opened the door.

Bella tilted her head at the sight.

“Huh? Wasn’t the door locked?”

“Ah….”

Blanshe realized her mistake.

One of her specialties as a former assassin was unlocking magical seals.

She had unconsciously opened the door and decided to play dumb.

“Ah, yes. The Count must have forgotten.”

“Hmm…. That man has such a careless side too. How cute.”

“Yes…. Definitely cute.”

“Huh?”

“Ah? Ah?! I mean, definitely careless!”

“Hmm…?”

Blanshe hurriedly shook her head, and Bella gave her a strange look before slipping into the office.

“Phew….”

Somehow, she felt drained.

Was it because the tension had eased?

Or was it because she felt a sense of stability in this life?

She thought she had always maintained her composure.

But lately, it felt like small cracks were forming in her once flawless emotions.

Blanshe looked out the window.

Snow was falling over the school grounds.

As she gazed at the beautiful, quiet scenery, she slapped her cheek with her palm.

“Get a grip….”

She had grown too complacent, admiring the scenery.

One of the important things Blanshe learned as an assassin was not to have unnecessary emotions.

Carelessness comes from emotional gaps.

The only emotion she needed now was loyalty to Bella.

To repay the debt to the Izakhel family, she had to discard useless emotions.

And though she didn’t want to admit it, the man always disrupted her emotions.

“Tristan….”

Blanshe bit her lip.

In his gaunt face, she could still see the boy who had shot her off a cliff.

No, now even she didn’t know if she resented or missed that boy.

She had sworn to kill him.

But now, she no longer had the confidence.

The blade of hatred she had sharpened was dulling over time.

In times like this, ignoring him was the answer.

As soon as Bella comes out of the office, let’s get out of here.

Staying as far away from him as possible is the answer.

Yes. That’s the best.

Just as Blanshe thought that and sighed,

Click.

“……!”

When she looked up at the sound, she saw a figure in the distance.

Click.

A woman walking down the corridor in high heels was Helga.

One of the strongest fighters Blanshe had ever met and the strongest shield protecting that man.

Of course, Helga was walking with the Black Nobleman.

“It’s still early, though….”

Recognizing the man, Blanshe couldn’t help but mutter like a groan.

“Why now of all times….”

As if lying, Tristan was approaching.

*

The Imperial Guard Knight left after delivering a message to come to the palace tomorrow night and the Emperor’s telegram.

It was a bit anticlimactic for such an errand, but it didn’t matter.

“It’s nice to come this early.”

“Yeah.”

Walking down the quiet corridor with Helga, she said,

“It’s nostalgic. It’s like going back to school days with the Count.”

“…I don’t remember spending school days with you.”

“It’s just a saying. Hehehe….”

As she laughed, Helga suddenly stopped.

“…Oh? Why is that woman here?”

A woman was walking towards them.

It was surprising to see her at school at this hour, but it was a face I knew.

“Good morning… Count.”

The cold-faced beauty, Blanshe.

“It’s early. What’s the matter?”

“Uh, well….”

She hesitated and spoke to me.

“Co, could you show me around the school?”

“The school…?”

What kind of request is this?

“Yes.”

“You’re asking me that?”

“Uh, well….”

Blanshe was stuttering.

Something was off.

I had never seen her like this before.

Helga must have thought the same.

“…Did you drink?”

“No.”

“Are you sick?”

“No.”

“Ah, then what?? Ah?! Are you crazy?”

“…I’m completely sober.”

At that, Helga asked incredulously.

“Blanshe. Do you know what you’re saying?”

“Yes.”

“What are you asking the Count now? Do you think the Count is some tour guide? If you want a school tour, I can….”

“No. I want the Count to show me around!”

Blanshe said desperately to me.

No, looking again, she wasn’t desperate.

That face was definitely hiding something.

I decided to test her.

“I don’t know the reason, but I’m not your friend. I’m going to the office now, so step aside.”

“Yo, you can’t go!”

“I can’t…?”

“Ah…. I mean….”

Cold sweat was dripping down Blanshe’s forehead.

Seeing that, I was sure and opened my mouth.

“…My time is money.”

I stared at Blanshe with a stern face.

“If you keep wasting my precious time, you’ll have to pay for it with money.”

“…!”

Remembering the debt she owed me, Blanshe flinched.

Her trembling shoulders showed her emotions.

I tried to ignore her and walk past.

“B, but you can’t! Please give me some time!”

Blanshe blocked me again.

I could feel her desperation.

But it was useless to me.

“Persistent. Helga.”

“Yes.”

That was enough.

Helga put a friendly hand on Blanshe’s shoulder.

“I’ll show you around.”

“Le, let go of me!”

Blanshe couldn’t move under Helga’s immense strength.

“Count…! You can’t go!”

“Hey now. Just trust this unnie and follow me. Pretty girl.”

“Who’s a pretty girl! Let go of me!”

Listening to Blanshe’s screams, I opened the office door.

 

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