When I declined his invitation, Leon suddenly thrust his face closer to mine.

‘What a lunatic.’

Surprised, my heart beat rapidly with a mixture of discomfort and fear.

I grit my teeth, afraid that such anxious feelings would seep out.

“Clearly, something has changed.”

“…!”

“I can’t put my finger on it.”

Leon withdrew from me and laughed, while I couldn’t even make a sound.

“See you.”

After patting me on the shoulder a couple of times, he brushed past me.

“Le-Leon!”

Lunarin looked back and forth between Leon and the incapacitated Jackal and then quickly ran after Leon.

‘He’s really gone, right?’

As Leon disappeared, I relaxed. I was awash with the relief of surviving.

“—Jackal, are you out of your mind!?”

Right on time, Jackal regained consciousness. He whimpered and struggled to open his eyes.

But then, as a result, he made eye contact with me standing near him.

Flinch.

Jackal trembled and cowered as if he was having a seizure.

Noticing the change in his son, Count Lawrence turned his head.

“Y-you…”

Neither Jackal nor the count showed any of the haughtiness they had shown earlier.

Now that the safeguard called Leon was gone, they recognized me as a dangerous threat.

‘I can see why they would think that.’

Contrary to their expectations, Leon spared me.

It was somewhat unfair, but I also thought that it might be better this way.

Trudge, trudge.

I approached them.

“D-don’t come closer.”

Shielding his son, the count growled, but that was all. He didn’t seem to have the courage or ability to stand against me.

I sneered and kneeled to match their eye level.

“Now stay out of my way.”

I spoke like a villain.

“I’m not patient enough, so there won’t be a next time.”

White as a ghost, Count Lawrence nodded repeatedly.

I stood up and walked to the main building.

Tia followed right behind me.

‘I’m exhausted.’

Because I was constantly on edge, my fatigue was no joke.

Moreover, the unexpected appearance of Leon may have taken a toll on me, and a sense of helplessness engulfed me.

When I returned to my bedroom, I fell asleep like a log.

“Milady, Milady…”

I forced my heavy eyelids open when I heard a voice calling me.

As my blurred vision became clearer, I saw Tia standing at my bedside.

“My apologies, but I think you need to wake up.”

“What’s going on?”

I asked, pushing my shoulders up from the bed.

“The duke has invited you to dinner.”

“Dinner…?”

“Yes, you need to wake up now to be ready in time.”

I turned my head and looked out the window, just in time to see the setting sun.

‘It looks like I’ve been asleep for quite some time.’

Evan and the Male Lead aside, facing that lunatic, Leon, had depleted me mentally.

I slowly left the bed and sat in front of the dressing table.

Tia had been waiting for me and skillfully combed my disheveled hair.

“Also, the Thieves’ Guild asked if you would like to continue the request.”

“Yes, just keep it up for a while.”

I had no intention of withdrawing my request just yet.

Until I had an individual means of contact with Yussis, it’d be best to exchange news through the Thieves’ Guild.

“Understood, Milady.”

After retouching up my makeup, styling my hair, and straightening the hem of my dress, I looked as if I had just freshly dressed.

“Well done.”

I left the room without delay. I didn’t want to catch trouble for being late for no apparent reason.

I walked down the central hall and arrived near the restaurant.

My half-siblings arrived before me, and their maids uniformly greeted me.

‘Ah, I don’t want to go in.’

Despite my reluctance, I forced myself to take a step forward.

Squeak.

“Welcome.”

As I entered the restaurant, Josephine smiled with a knowing look on her face. Leon glanced at me, grinning. Clark crossed his arms and glowered at me.

‘I’ll just ignore them.’

As I approached the table, the maid standing behind me pulled a chair for me.

I sat down, feeling like a death row inmate on the electric chair.

“How unexpected.”

Josephine cocked her chin and looked at Leon and Clark, who were seated next to each other across from her.

“I thought I wouldn’t see one of you alive today.”

Leon was the first to react to her challenge.

“Someone keeps hiding like a rat.”

“Brother, why don’t you keep your mouth shut? See the knife in my hand?”

Clark growled as he fiddled with his blade.

“Want to try to stab me?”

Leon scowled and craned his neck forward, as if provoking him not to be all talk.

“My brothers sure get along well.”

Josephine smiled and closed her eyes as if she was enjoying this situation.

‘I’m going crazy.’

Living among these lunatics infected my mind, so much so that I began to suspect I was going insane myself.

“Kiana.”

Noticing that I was quiet, Clark suddenly called out to me.

“I’m glad you’re alive.”

I couldn’t understand the intention of the guy, who rambled endlessly, so I stared at him half-heartedly.

“Do you know how worried this brother was that someone would kidnap you?”

‘You’re one to talk.’

Curses welled up in my throat as I wondered what these bastards were planning.

“Want the roles to be reversed?”

Leon looked at me as if he was in a competition. He licked his lips as if he was drooling over a delicacy he had saved for a long time.

‘Please, I’m asking you to leave me alone.’

At times like this, I didn’t know how much I appreciated the cold façade unique to the villain.

Since I didn’t wear my heart on my sleeve, I didn’t have to worry about my true feelings being revealed.

“What are you thinking about?”

When I turned my head, Josephine was looking at me with drowsy eyes. Her face was flushed. She started drinking before the dinner even started.

“Your expression barely changes; I can’t tell what’s on your mind.”

“…”

“No wonder the third and fourth children are starting to become interested in you.”

I bit my lower lip.

For me, it was a struggle to survive.

Pretending not to be intimidated, pretending not to be scared, pretending not to be shaken…

It was my best defense mechanism for survival.

The original Kiana didn’t have to put on a façade like me.

After all, she had her memories, abilities, and powers, while I had none.

As such, it was my only means of survival.

‘If anything, I should be the one asking…’

Look at my situation. Leon coldly stared at me, while Clark threatened to cut my throat.

“The duke has arrived.”

My half-brothers and sister, including me, got up from our chairs at once.

Creak.

With a creaking sound, the duke entered.

A lean body devoid of excess fat. A cape draped over the broad shoulders. A calm, yet sad look.

Due to the overwhelming presence of the Lord of the North, even the lunatics, who had been running their mouths until a while ago, obediently went quiet.

‘…I get nervous every time I see him.’

Every time, because the force he exuded was no joke.

As a villain, wasn’t he on par with an apostle?

“Sit down.”

With a single command from the duke, everyone sat down. The waiting maids busily moved around, serving the dishes.

In the blink of an eye, the table was spread with seafood and delicacies.

However, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle today.

The duke, who would normally have taken the first spoonful, sat still for some reason.

The longer the time passed, the heavier the atmosphere became.

‘What’s the matter this time? It’s stifling.’

I couldn’t even breathe properly. I saw his eyes land on the seat next to me.

‘Huh? What is…’

I was perplexed.

After Maria’s death, the seat next to me was always unoccupied.

There was absolutely no reason for the utensils to be set.

“Today, I’d like to introduce a child to you.”

The duke broke the silence and gestured.

‘R-really?’

Through the restaurant door, a boy with a physique that teetered toward adulthood walked toward us.

He had a youthful appearance, dark blue hair, and almost lifeless gray eyes.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the boy who stopped next to the duke.

“Evan von Brunak. He’s a nephew to me, and a cousin to you.”

__