"When will the Loisar family arrive?"
"They will arrive in a week."
"Sigh. This is worrying."
If the Loisars know about the second piece of information about Irene, the problem has grown.
That would also mean that the Artban family knows.
Helena's complexion was dyed with concern. She hopes that it won't happen, but if it does, a choice will have to be made.
Either way, allowing the Loisars to visit the South was a gamble. There will be a constant war of nerves to check each other's cards.
"The opponent will also be desperate. Have you prepared a way to react in case of an emergency?"
To bring the successor back safely, they will try to take Irene by all means. If that doesn't work, they could even threaten war to get her back.
But Cade shook his head.
"I didn't think much about it."
He grinned as he put the report to one side.
"I hate having a headache."
Seeing that, Ian clicked his tongue.
Cade had a habit of making decisions at will when things bothered him.
'He's at it again.'
It was also proof that he cared about Irene that much.
"Yes, you're going to do pretty well."
The serious talk was ending and Helena looked around the office to change her mood.
Helena, who slowly turned her eyes past the red family's seal, desks, and sofa, had to doubt her eyes for a moment.
"Cade."
"Yes."
"...What is that?"
Helena pointed between the cushions with a trembling hand.
There was a snake doll that a child could play with.
Until now, they were having a serious conversation, so she didn't have time to look around. But now she was seeing a colorful snake doll curled up on the far end of the sofa opposite her.
It was very cute.
Ian, who turned his head in the direction Helena pointed, coughed with a shocked face.
"When did you get such a taste?"
No matter how you look at it, it was a doll that didn't match Cade.
"Ah."
Cade smiled contentedly at the doll. He never got tired of looking at it every day, so it was still giving him satisfaction right at this moment.
"Don't touch it. It's mine."
"What is that?"
"Irene's first prey."
"...It's her first prey?"
Does that make sense?
Ian, who raised the doll with his index finger and thumb as if he was checking something unfamiliar, frowned.
The doll had a fragrant scent, it looked like it was going to the laundry regularly.
"The way you are doting on this makes it look like you are keeping an heirloom."
Ian, who had put the doll down in its original place, looked at Cade with pity.
Helena began to scrutinize the office to see what else was there.
And.......
"...What else is this?"
There was a strange font on a framed paper.
Cade raised his chin and smiled.
"It's my name written by my daughter."
"......"
"She wrote right away as soon as she learned how to write."
Is this what you call bragging about your children? Helena and Ian were stunned by Cade's act of showing off his daughter to his parents.
"You don't feel anything when you see it?"
Ian, who couldn't wait, asked quaveringly. If he had received a gift from a child, he must have felt something when he saw it.
Ian and Helena recalled Cade's childhood.
Cade had never given them his prey as a gift even if he hunted an excellent game, and even after he learned how to write, until now, he had never written their names like that.
Don't you usually feel happy when you get something like that as a gift and reflect on your past?
The two, who had experienced their son's child bragging, felt very wronged.
"Enough with the no comment attitude, Cade. Is that all you have to say?"
Helena asked with a bright smile. It's not too late, so tell us what you need to tell us right now.
As she waited for the answer, Cade opened his mouth, saying, 'Ah,' as if he remembered something.
"So, how long are you two going to stay?"
"You punk."
Ian shot something with a sharp pheromone.
It was a quill with a sharp tip.
The quill was aimed precisely at Cade's vital point.
Cade, who lightly hit it, smiled as if he knew it would happen.
* * *
It was deep in the dawn.
I was lying on the bed pretending to be asleep, and I opened my eyes.
The long-awaited time has finally come. Now that Rosaria went back and she was alone, it was a perfect time to start the operation.
"He'll be waiting for me now, right?"
I wore pink pajamas with stars on them and fluffy slippers.
Opening the door slightly, there was a dark hallway with no one in sight. It was so dark that I couldn't see the end.
I quietly called Messi.
"Messi?"
"I'm here."
Messi appeared in the dark in a white shirt and black pants.
I closed the door quietly and came out. The empty hallway felt very unfamiliar.
He looked down at me with an unwilling attitude.
"Since I made a promise, I came as I was supposed to, but... Do you have to go there, miss?"
"That's right."
"Think about it again."
"Again?"
"Yes."
I have to go there even if I think about it again. Messi sighed a little at my unchanging will.
"What are you going to do in the basement?"
"There's a reason. Messi doesn't need to know."
"You mean you want to know what kind of place it is?"
"I know. It's a place where bad people are imprisoned."
Maybe it wasn't just being locked up.
The reason Messi is nicely following along now is probably because he thinks there's no one in the basement.
"How did you find out about the basement?"
"I found out by chance."
"......By chance?"
Maybe because my answers are unsatisfying Messi has been asking questions non-stop. If he finds out that someone is detained inside, he might really want to stop me.
"There are people standing guard from here, so you have to be careful."
"Yes."
I went down to the first floor and carefully looked around. Unlike the upper floors, I could see some people standing guard on the first floor.
What should I do? To get to the dining hall, you have to go through the central lobby of the mansion.
There were two men standing guard facing each other.
"...What if I get caught?"
"You should calmly go back to your room."
"Messi, you're not helping at all."
He seemed to want me to get caught and go back to my room. He seemed to become more uncomfortable as we got closer to the basement.
But I couldn't give up when I came this far.
I tugged at Messi's sleeve.
"Why are you doing this?"
"You can avoid all of them, right?"
"......No."
"You came to my room without being caught."
How would you explain that?
Messi washed his face dry when I sent a glare telling him to obediently say the truth.
"Then promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"If you think there's someone in the basement, close your eyes and call me right there."
"......"
"Then I'll take you so you don't get caught."
It was a very difficult request because I already knew there were people inside. I'm doing all of this because I want to know who that person is. My conscience was stabbed for telling a lie. Still, it's more important to go first. Because there is something I want to ask.
"Okay. I'll do that."
"Then hold on tight. From now on, I'll run at full speed."
Messi hugged me and lifted me up. How fast are you running if you hug me this tight? More than that, you're running right in front of them and you're doing this so I can hide?
I grabbed Messi's shoulder in half doubt and everything else was a fleeting moment.
The afterimage passed so quickly that things around me could not even be properly distinguished. The people standing guard in the lobby were still looking forward as if they felt nothing.
......Did this really work?
"We are here."
"Already?"
"Yes."
Messi nodded his head and blinked at the wall leading into the basement.
I was worried if I could pass by safely, but now, I was worried that things might be too easy. His ability was so strong that I couldn't keep my mouth shut.
"If it takes too long, I'll pick you up right away."
"Alright."
"Wait a minute, Miss. This."
He took something out of his inner pocket.
It was a small lantern.
When he turned the switch on the handle, the wick inside the glass blazed and lit up brightly.
"It's dark inside. Take this with you."
"Thank you, Messi."
I gripped the torch and pushed slightly against the wall that had already been opened. A space was created between the gaps, and the wall was pushed in.
Gulp.
I swallowed dryly and was about to go inside, but Messi hurriedly grabbed the door.
"Or shall I go in with you?"
I shook my head resolutely.
"Messi stays here to watch if someone comes or not. I'll be right back."
Kung.
The wall closed heavily.
⊱⋅