Iris suddenly lifted her head.
How did she know?
Sylvia added in a seasoned tone, looking at Iris who wore the same expression as before.
“Did you know? I lost my ability to see colors, but in exchange, I gained so much more.”
For someone who loved art, losing color was a sorrowful fate.
Yet, the world seen through brightness alone revealed a beauty she had never experienced before.
Freed from the biases that color imposed, she could perceive things differently.
“You seem to possess a pride that can’t be seen with color—like the founder of Valentine in the ancient legends.”
Sylvia was wise and kind, but proud—a holy warrior embodying the ideals Valentine pursued.
“And fittingly, your talents are exceptional too.”
“Huh?”
“Just look at how long you’ve invested in the Kirua Guild.”
Good heavens. How could she know that?
Iris had been careful to keep her guild activities under wraps.
She often operated anonymously or under the Valentine family name.
When using the Valentine name, people naturally assumed Orchid or Liliana was behind it.
I never bothered to correct them,
Iris thought.
Orchid subtly wanted it that way too.
“Everything you’ve done was thanks to the Valentine name. You mustn’t be careless enough to take credit yourself, so as the heir, I just said it was me.”
“Right. If Orchid hadn’t done it, it’s natural that you couldn’t have either. No need to claim you did.”
Facing family like that had grown exhausting and time-consuming for Iris.
“The major shareholder of the Kirua Guild is me. I sponsored talents using the guild’s funds. The head manager probably didn’t know it wasn’t him.”
Only now could Iris guess who had been backing the talents Cedric had discovered.
“The Tran family’s intelligence network is likely deeper and wider than you realize.”
With that final remark, Sylvia waved and disappeared from Iris’s sight.
For some reason, Iris couldn’t move from her spot until Sylvia vanished completely.
Cedric and Iris returned to Leontheim right away.
Maybe it was because of the unexpected encounter with Sylvia.
Cedric was quieter than usual on the way back.
Iris, her mind dizzy, also found it hard to continue the conversation.
Even after sleeping, her thoughts remained chaotic the next day.
What kind of illness was it?
Most color perception disorders lead to incurable diseases.
Had the condition really worsened, causing her death?
She was such a good person.
Iris wanted to know more about Sylvia but couldn’t bring herself to ask Cedric.
Neither in the past nor now.
The Tran family’s factions among branches were intense, so they likely hushed up Sylvia’s illness even more.
Even in novels...
Iris hoped to find clues by reading, but Sylvia was barely mentioned.
Just like Iris herself appeared only by name, Sylvia was the same.
I need to drop this line of thought here.
She had to give up what she couldn’t do.
I was arrogant.
Cedric had deeply regretted it before the reincarnation.
That image lingered in Iris’s mind.
While sitting at the table, lost in thought,
knock knock
—
“Milady, pardon me.”
“Oh, come in.”
Vincent arrived.
He entered and reported on things Iris hadn’t heard due to her late return yesterday—
about Margaret’s situation and the communication from Zeldaya.
Vincent finished recounting the events inside the mansion and added one final remark.
“And though it’s still some time away, preparations for the demon beast purge must soon begin.”
At the mention of demon beast purging, Iris stiffened instantly.
Seeing her reaction, Vincent misunderstood.
‘Ah, no.’
He realized she was not from the capital. No wonder she was startled at the mention of demon beasts.
Hastily, Vincent tried to reassure her.
“P-please don’t worry too much. It’s all fine. The master has never once been injured.”
Though that wasn’t entirely true, Vincent chose a kind-hearted lie.
However, Iris was no stranger to demon beast purges themselves. What truly caught her off guard was another detail.
“Never once?”
With Iris’ innocent, wide-eyed gaze, Vincent broke into a nervous sweat, smiling weakly.
“My lady is sharp—she can see through lies instantly.”
Avoiding her gaze, Vincent finally confessed,
“Well... there was one time she was badly injured.”
“Really?”
“...Didn’t you already know?”
Iris shook her head. Realizing his slip, Vincent rubbed his forehead, muttering, ‘Oh no...’
“Vincent?”
“Well... when the master first arrived in Leontheim, the situation here was quite poor.”
Leontheim was a territory outside the capital’s direct control.
The ducal seat had long been vacant, so the imperial court only sent a minimal purge squad—just enough to keep demon beasts from invading the capital. This neglect bred disaster.
Without regular purges, the demon beasts had grown extraordinarily powerful.
Ludwig thrust Cedric into that harsh environment.
‘The burden of the ducal title means you must bear its responsibilities.’
“For a young master to purge demon beasts was a near impossibility. Even the knight order—”
Vincent stopped there, unwilling to probe further. Neither did Iris press.
‘So Cedric was injured badly.’
Since becoming duke, the demon beast threats in Leontheim had sharply diminished.
Rumors spread that the duke’s ruthless nature was key to the successful purges.
‘I’ve never even seen a demon beast myself.’
Thanks to Cedric and the knights, demon beasts rarely ventured near the main settlements, so the populace had little reason to fear them.
Before Iris’s reincarnation, when she had seen off a purge squad, Cedric had told her it was not so difficult and she needn’t worry.
All of it was thanks to Cedric’s and the knights’ efforts.
“I see.”
Iris suppressed her moved emotions behind a calm facade.
Vincent, uneasy about some other matters, exhaled deeply, grateful she hadn’t asked further.
“I’m glad everyone returns safely, though.”
“So am I.”
Aside from the tangled thoughts about Sylvia and Cedric, Iris was genuinely happy to be back in Leontheim.
The capital always brought troubling memories.
“Lady, there’s no need to worry so much. The purge is still far off. We just bring it up now to prepare thoroughly.”
“Far off?”
“Likely after the coronation ceremony. That’s when demon beasts grow most rampant.”
After Ludwig’s coronation, there truly was time before the purge.
Vincent paused, then added,
“Especially this upcoming purge—you need not worry at all. He will protect this place.”
Iris, still dazed for a moment, rolled her eyes at the vague remark.
“Him?”
At first, she thought Cedric was meant, but it didn’t seem so.
“Who is he? Is there someone here?”
Vincent’s report hadn’t mentioned any guests just now.
At her question, Vincent muttered, as if scolding himself,
“No, no… I can’t believe I forgot.”
“You probably haven’t met him yet, milady. Actually—”
At that moment, a loud crash thundered from downstairs.
Vincent wiped his forehead with a weary sigh.
“Of course. Again.”
“What happened?”
“Likely another knight who’s hit rock bottom with his pride and, as always, is causing chaos claiming he’d give his life for it. I’ll have to go knock him out.”
Vincent bowed deeply to Iris, exhaustion clear on his face.
“If it’s alright with you, I’ll head out.”
“Go ahead, don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you. Oh, the new arrival should be in the infirmary. Actually, I’m about to send him there now.”
“If I have time, I’ll visit.”
Truly, our lady understands everything with just a word, as if she had already grasped the meaning deeply.
Vincent ran off, quietly crying inside, to handle today’s troubles.
“Hmm—”
Stretching her arms and cracking her limbs, Iris gazed out the window.
She thought a long time had passed, but the sun was still high in the sky.
After pondering Sylvia without any breakthrough, Iris turned to her tasks instead.
She finished replying to the backlog of letters, answered messages through the communication array, and reviewed ledgers that piled up while she was in the capital.
Thanks to Vincent’s help, the work wrapped up faster than expected.
What should I do next?
Checking the time, Iris recalled Vincent’s words.
The returned person is in the infirmary.
Ah, right.
She had completely forgotten about the newcomer.
Could he really be there?
Rising from her seat, Iris headed to the top floor where the infirmary was located.
Since no maids were stationed there, it seemed unlikely he was a mere guest.
knock knock
—
“Entering.”
As she opened the door, a sudden gust of wind blew in.
Startled, Iris narrowed her eyes and saw someone sitting on the windowsill.
His long sky-blue hair fluttered in the breeze.
Though his hair was so fine and lengthy he could be mistaken for a woman, his tall stature and build were unmistakably male.
Sensing her presence, he turned slowly.
His pale eyes were not weary but carried a sacred austerity.
The man with mysterious blue eyes regarded Iris with a sorrowful expression.
A knight...?
Clad in the armor of the Leontheim Knight Order, he was arguably the most handsome man Iris had ever seen—almost like a living artwork.
As he slowly closed and opened his eyes, tears spilled down.
His wet, pale lashes shimmered in the light.
Sitting quietly like a doll or painting, the man simply stared at Iris.
Just as Iris was about to gather her wits and speak—
“Ah! No!”
He suddenly leapt out the window.
Iris dashed forward, reaching out to grab his wrist.
Ugh. Heavy.
Being a knight, his body was surprisingly heavy.
The man swaying in midair looked up at Iris with a confused expression.
“Why are you trying to catch me?”
“If you want to know, then get up here—now!”
Iris was struggling to muster enough strength.
Though he was a man like Theodor, this one was different.
The man, who had seemed as light as if the wind could blow him away, suddenly pushed off the wall with a powerful kick and leapt up.
The explosive force made Iris lose her grip. Yet he casually settled back on the window ledge without a care.
‘This...’
It was an aura wielded only by those who mastered the sword Qi.
Only then did she notice the uniform he wore more clearly.
On his right chest was an insignia similar to the mark worn by Greg, the captain of the knight order.
“Could it be... you are the deputy knight captain?”
Greg had once mentioned that the deputy captain wasn’t currently present.
‘The deputy captain is training in demon beast territories.’
He was honing his skills and would return when the purge period came.
Now was the time to prepare for the purge.
“Hey.”
At Iris’s call, the man sitting on the window sill steadied himself with his hands to stand up.
But then—
Thud!
“You!”
With a tremendous sound, he fell over.
His wrist, which had just grasped the window ledge, was swollen and reddened, as if broken.
Chapter 80