Dazed, the maid followed Rette, who was making a fuss in the dead of the night.

Rette had been acting strangely more often than not, so she assumed it was just one of those instances.

Moreover, the goods she was asked to deliver was just an empty note. But just because the paper was empty, it didn’t mean nothing had been written.

To convey confidential information, Rette used a type of ink that, although first invisible, gradually became visible.

It had a small probability of discovery, particularly when sending highly private information, but the risk was further reduced when coupled with a short code.

Especially in urgent situations like now.

The window unlocked quietly, and a shadow slipped into the room.
Of course, the recipient of that note was Quincy, or Crow.

Quincy lowered the mask that covered half his face and opened his eyes wide.

“Rette!”

“Shhhh.”

“Rette.”

Hunching over, Crow spoke in a more subdued voice.

“What the hell is happening? Why me…”

“It’s a long story. Have you finished your errands?”

“Huh? Yeah. I just got back.”

Rette looked clearly relieved. However, her expression changed, and she dropped to the widely spread carpet on the floor.

“Crow, help me with this.”

Rette wanted him to help her roll up the carpet. She couldn’t possibly lift such a huge carpet with her small physique.

Crow looked puzzled, but he helped Rette anyway.

They rolled the carpet, revealing the wooden floor beneath it. There was a crevice too suspicious-looking to say that it was just a wooden floor.

Recognizing the suspicious crevice, Crow unwittingly blurted out.

“Trap door?”

“Yeah. Trap door. You’ve never seen it before, right?”

“Even I, who have been living in this house for 20 years, didn’t know about this…How the hell did you know?”

“I’ve known since I first set foot in this house.”

“Is this what betrayal feels like….”

Crow was shocked when he learned that Rette had a secret area in the room that he often visited.

Looking at him, Rette smirked and opened the trap door with all her might.

Phew–

Panting heavily with the exertion, Rette brought a gas lantern.

“It can’t be helped. This place is only accessible to Orpheus leaders or seasonal users.”

“What do you store here anyway to be this secretive?”

“What do you think is in here to be this secretive?”

Rette shot back and gestured to him to follow her climb down the stairs.

The way down was pretty deep. It was probably more than one floor below.

Rette reached the bottom and lit the lanterns attached around the place.

Only then could Crow get a clear view of the place.

A large library.

The library that only the family heads or the seasonal users belonging to Orpheus could enter.

The library that stored the literature about seasonal power written by the previous summer users.

He had only heard of it but had never seen it in person. As Crow was distracted by the library, Rette spoke first.

“I’m sure you know that the area where I live in the mansion is like some sort of isolation facility that has been used by the summer users for generations.”

“I know…but…”

“Even if it’s dead silent, I know for a fact that there’s always Herod’s man outside my room. That’s why I brought you here. What I’m going to say now is a very important thing that no one should hear.”

Crow frowned.

“What if you get caught by Herod?”

“He can’t barge into my area. It’s an unspoken agreement between us. Although he violates it sometimes…”

But the agreement was not one to be taken as lightly as breaching it twice a day.

“…More importantly, Herod was in a terrible mood today. With that personality, I’m sure he went to relieve his stress now.”

“Yeah, the mansion was a complete wreck when I came in earlier. Was there an assassin or something?”

“No, it was the Dark Flower. He went crazy looking for Herod.”

“That guy? Did he turn?”

“The way I see it, it’s very close to happening. We are very close to winter now.”

“Huh? No way.”

Despite Crow’s denial, Rette nodded slightly and explained further.

“Ravia Leontine is in critical condition.”

“…What? My Lady? Why!?”

“I don’t know the details.”

Rette spoke calmly as she sat at the table. But her shoulders were clearly shaking.

Ravia Leontine’s life was at stake, just as predicted.

To awaken winter, just as they had hoped.

They weren’t happy at all.

It was hard not to feel guilty.

Although she didn’t say it to Ravia directly, Rette was also someone who wished for Ravia’s survival more than anyone.

‘It’s gotten a bit personal…’

She denied it at first, but it was so clear now.

When she heard that Ravia Leontine was in critical condition, her heart throbbed.

Even as the winter awakening came closer, her heart was not happy at all.

Everything had come true.

If everything went according to the prophecy, Ravia Leontine would die.

But the summer prophecy meant to prepare for the future.

They had a contingency plan at hand.

No, Ravia Leontine had prepared a contingency plan.

Rette spoke with much deliberation.

“Ravia Leontine told me about the spring user.”

Upon hearing that, Crow realized why Rette brought him to this remote place.

What she was going to reveal was something that should never be leaked.

* * *

A day before the Duke Leontine carriage accident.

To be exact, 12 hours before it.

The time when Crow was working outside, and Rette was sitting in the Cheshire Cat alone.

A sound of bell chiming could be heard as someone stepped on the mat with a cheshire cat pictured on it.

Obviously, it was Ravia.

Rette glanced to see who it was before turning her eyes back to the book.

“Crow is not here. He’s been busy running errands for you recently.”

“I thought so. Because I gave him a difficult task on purpose.”

Rette looked up again, and before she knew it, Ravia was already sitting across from her.

“Because I’m here to see you today.”

“I thought you didn’t believe me.”

“Being doubtful is my habit. I’m sorry if it upset you.”

“No, that’s understandable.”

Rette leaned forward. Her gaze on Ravia was tinged with confusion and mild amusement.

“But I didn’t expect that you’d come to see me again. And to specifically come to see me at that.”

“I thought about it after hearing your story. I learned something I didn’t know thanks to you.”

“What is that?”

“My feelings. Something like that.”

Ravia’s smile was small, but it was a self-deprecating one rather than a joyful smile.

“I think I need him.”

“Oh no…you’re in trouble.”

“Yeah, this is really bad for me in so many ways. Made worse by my decision to not follow your prophecy.”

Rette’s complexion turned dark listening to Ravia.

“You might die. Are you serious?”

“I’m serious. My death has always been a possibility anyway. I can also survive. I want to think about that possibility as much as I can.”

“You’re quite optimistic, I see.”

“That word doesn’t suit me at all.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, you should apologize for that.”

Ravia waved her hand lightly. It seemed that she also thought the idea sounded too optimistic.

“I’ve thought about the probability of my death. I’ve ruled out the probability that things might turn for the worse, but I still don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Any variable was possible, and fate worked in a mysterious way.

“But if it’s not immediate death, I can think of a way to survive. Fortunately, I know where to find the master key.”

Ravia added and lightly tapped the armrest with her index finger as she continued.

“So I’m going to create my own insurance. If I lose consciousness and can’t use that key, I need someone to bring the key to me.”

“Do you mean….me? But I’m in Herod’s camp.”

“I thought you wanted to save me before him?”

She had a doubtful nature, but that was because she chose who she trusted carefully. It wasn’t because she didn’t trust anyone.

“Even with my death, Herod will find the spring user one day, and….I believe that you’ll be able to free him from a painful life by then. So it was for him and the spring user’s sake.”

She was a selfless person until her death.