# 2
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* * *
Even though I said that to Jade, I actually had an indelible connection with the Duchy of Ellard.
Honestly, it's close to a bad relationship.
Duke Elad, known as the Sword of the Rakshtein Empire, was a man so notorious that he could even make a crying child stop crying.
But I know he's a really scary person and not just a rumor.
Even though ten years had passed, I could not forget those sharp eyes and merciless decision.
I remembered that time did not change what I did today.
“You want to know who the guest is at Elad Palace tonight and what they are talking about with the Duke, don’t you?”
I thought about today's mission as I looked at the massive main building with the blue roof and white outer walls, the attached outbuildings next to it, and the strong, high wall surrounding them.
My hands felt like they were sweating for no reason, so I let out a short breath while squeezing and unclenching them repeatedly.
Although I was nervous, I felt relieved when I thought of finally being recognized by my colleagues who belittled my skills and the master who always excluded me from difficult assignments.
I wanted to somehow complete this mission and prove my worth.
‘I feel like my heart will be completely broken if I don’t get recognition even here….’
I didn't want to experience eviction because I was no longer needed.
Forcing myf to ignore the deep desire in my heart that suddenly arose, I turned my head and looked at the guards.
'The true Rixian Knights are all here, right? What kind of customer is this? ….’
Even though it was information I already knew through Jade, my head was tilted.
The number of guard knights and guards guarding different parts of the palace was smaller than usual, but they were not ordinary knights, rather they were all silver wolves that the Duke's family was proud of, or Rexion Knights.
“However, I am confident.”
Without thinking long, I lifted my mask and covered my face.
Then, by moving the mana in his body, he hid in the darkness, concealing his presence as if he was dissolving into the air.
I passed through the walls of the Duke's Palace in an instant, as if I were on the move, passed through the vast labyrinthine garden, crossed the silver wolf statue, the symbol of the Duke, and a large fountain, and hid in the Duke's main building. The palace.
When I looked in through the large arched window, the palace was dark, as if it had been consumed by darkness.
'Why is it so quiet?'
Compared to a few months ago, when I went undercover as a maid at the birthday party of Diana, the treasure of the Duchy of Elad, the atmosphere was so quiet that I couldn't even think about the guests coming.
If the guards weren't all Rexion Knights, they would think they made a mistake.
At that time, I saw an unmarked black vehicle exit the back door.
After a while, two people got off the carriage, both covered in black robes.
Judging by his tall stature, he looked like a man, but his face was not visible because of the hat on his robe.
After searching for some time to find out who the customer was, I took a deep breath.
'Of course I thought it would be the butler or maid who would welcome the guests!'
The person who opened the palace door and walked out was none other than Duke Elad.
But there wasn't much time to think.
This is because the mysterious guest, the Duke of Elade, and the butler and assistant who followed him quickly disappeared into the palace.
I immediately tracked their movements outside the palace.
They moved stealthily and very quickly.
To the third floor of the main building where the Duke's office is located.
'Is it possible that they are planning treason?'
This was my immediate idea.
I also had a feeling that we had detected a large number of cases.
As expected, they arrived at the Duke's office and immediately closed the curtains to check security, but without anyone noticing, I opened the window slightly and peeked into the gap in the curtains.
Soon one of the dressed men was trying to remove the hood from his head.
"Who are you?"
I felt the force of a sharp sword behind my back.
Since I have a natural talent for concealing my presence, I was also very sensitive to signals from others.
But she approached me without me noticing.
“If you don’t reveal your identity, I will kill you.”
Hearing the low sound, my heart began to beat rapidly.
'No way, with this thought in mind, I climbed onto the roof without turning my head, determined not to get caught.'
Soon the sound of a flute was heard from behind, and enormous energies began to move at the same time.
“Damn, it looks like the wolves are starting to appear.”
It seemed that the Rexion Knights, one of the most powerful knights in the Empire, had begun pursuit.
Before the knights could approach, the person who found me at the duke's caught me.
I slowly knelt down as a cold sensation hit my neck.
He stood in front of me, pointing his sword in a semicircle from behind.
At that moment, like a twist of fate, the moonlight gently moved.
Dazzling silver hair and blue eyes could be seen through it.
Standing before my eyes was someone I never wanted to meet in this situation.
An unrealistically good-looking man, Lucio Ellard, the eldest son of Duke Ellard.
'Why is this person here?'
Apparently, Jade said that Lucio left for the Duchy today, leaving the Duke's residence empty.
If I had known he was there I would have been more prepared and snuck out.
‘Since Terenceum is known for only dealing in accurate information, it cannot be false information….’
At that moment, my mind went blank as thoughts passed through my mind.
'You gave me false information on purpose.'
I lost all strength from my body due to shock and despair.
I knew Jade hated me, but I didn't know it would go to the point of pushing me over the edge like that.
However, we have been colleagues for 8 years...
'This bastard has no sense of loyalty!'
One by one, the faces of the executives and then the master flashed into my head.
There were times when I struggled to be recognized.
That was when I felt that the thin thread of belonging was suddenly cut.
Lucio raised his sword and swung it quickly.
A light breeze blew, and the mask that was barely hanging on my nose split in half, revealing my face.
". … You ."
Then Lucio's blue eyes widened and soon they began to shake slightly as if they had been struck by the wind.
She felt so embarrassed when she felt the intense excitement in his eyes.
'Is it possible he recognized me?'
It's impossible to remember me with typical brown hair and typical brown eyes.
Moreover, although I could see Lucio from afar, he had not seen me in nearly 10 years.
For Lucio, I would be nothing more than a ar who showed his sympathy for a moment.
So there is no way to recognize me.
“Why are you here...”
His voice was trembling.
I couldn't hide my excitement at Lucio's confusion when I saw him for the first time.
From the eyes that looked directly at me, I felt confident that he knew me.
When I realized this, I felt like I was going to burst into tears for some reason.
Lucio was the only person who taught me the meaning of kindness when I was at my weakest and least important.
I couldn't bear to see someone like that.
I chanted the summoning spell urgently, and soon a handful of the powder was in my hand.
‘If you sprinkle the special powder developed by Terenceum on the opponent, it will temporarily block your vision and all your senses, so I will be able to escape from this situation….’
Oof!
At that moment, my body, which I couldn't even sprinkle powder on, froze.
As I slowly lowered my head, I saw a sword stabbing me in the back.
Because I was only thinking about the people in front of me, I didn't even think about the Rexion Knights chasing me from behind.
For those who are accustomed to reading mana and sensing energy, the sight of me summoning gunpowder might seem like I'm trying to attack the Little Duke.
Many of my errors in judgment, negligence, and remorse passed through my mind...
"amazing."
I covered my mouth.
Fresh blood drips between my fingers.
“Leah...!”
Even as my vision became blurry, Lucio's voice calling to me sounded unfamiliar.
Because I never imagined in my life that my name would be called from his mouth.
At that time, coupled with a faint sound like a crack, a powerful wave of mana that I had never felt before shook my entire body.
And after a while.
As I closed my eyes and watched the whole world go black, I remembered one thing.
I never told Lucio my name...
* * *
How much time has passed?
I felt my heart beating and beating violently.
“Fortunately, I don’t think I died.”
Although I might be subjected to severe torture in the future, I was satisfied now that I was alive.
For me, with no family and nothing to lose, “survival” was my top priority.
But regardless, I still can't believe the betrayal of a colleague I considered family.
I'd like to think it was abusive on Jade's part, but you never know.
〈Do you think others will accept you because you are like that?〉
〈I can never be a good person for you, so, no matter what anyone else says, don't be wrong.〉
〈Remember Leah, never trust me.〉
Why, at this moment, do I remember what the master was saying?
He was the one who saved me from being a ar on the street and from dying in the rain.
He was also the one who pushed me to the limit every time with harsh words and unbearable training.
But I never took what the Master told me literally.
I thought everyone was saying this to make me stronger.
“But I'm not sure now.”
It was a moment when I felt tears streaming from my closed eyes and was confused about what to do next.
“But how did you manage to survive?”
I saw with my own eyes that my heart had been pierced.
It's not uncommon to die instantly, but is it possible to survive no matter how lucky you are?
Above all, it was strange that there was no trace of the pain she felt when she was stabbed.
As she quickly stood up to assess the situation, she frowned when she heard the sound of creaking metal.
Because it was the voice I hated most in the world.
I hated the cheap bed I used in the orphanage when I was little, so the first thing I bought with my salary was a soft bed….
"Oh, my God !"
Musty smell, torn curtains, rolling dust, old walls with several cracks.
I covered my mouth with the same sight I saw in the place I had not forgotten for a moment, and looked at my hand in shock again.
“W-what!”
When I saw the dry little hands with the soup dripping from them, I was speechless because it was so ridiculous.
After a while, my mouth, which had been frozen in shock for a long time, opened.
"I had returned . … ?"