131.

Talking about this to anyone would only earn me the label of a madman.

Yet, Dante’s instincts whispered to him over and over, urging him to believe.

These memories were real.

In the end, right before his eyes, Elze was killed by Marguerite.

And he couldn’t stop her.

Dante, Lucian, Benedict.

They were nothing more than pawns arranged for Marguerite’s grand ‘scheme.’

And Marguerite had no intention of letting those pawns stray from their positions.

So—

“Whether it’s me, the brat from Kalleid, or that bastard Benedict…”

A sharp, icy edge flickered in his crimson gaze.

“None of them should be tangled up with her any longer.”

At that moment.

Dante made a decision.

From this instant on, he would completely let Elze go.

And—

He would ensure neither Lucian nor that bastard Benedict could so much as lift a finger towards her.

* * *

A few days later.

Brigitte met secretly with the Marquis of Offenheir.

Truthfully, Brigitte knew all too well how much Elze had suffered because of her entanglements with Dante.

Even the nerve he’d had when Elze had barely managed to escape, demanding her whereabouts and issuing blatant threats—it still left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth…

‘For the proud Offenheir to beg so desperately like this—it’s a first.’

In truth, she would’ve ignored most requests without a second thought.

Opportunities to have a noble family like the Offenheirs owe a favor were exceedingly rare.

Most importantly—

‘Elze.’

Her one and only friend.

He had said he wanted to discuss matters concerning her.

Given that, how could she possibly refuse?

“It seems we meet often, my lord Marquis.”

Brigitte, seated with her back straight, greeted Dante as he entered the drawing room, her tone far from welcoming.

Dante shrugged.

“So it seems. I doubt the countess is thrilled to see me so frequently, though. My apologies.”

“…”

Seeing him now, Brigitte felt a twinge of surprise.

‘What has he been up to, for his face to look so worn in such a short time?’

It had barely been a month since they crossed paths at the imperial ball.

But Dante looked distinctly gaunt.

Shadows loomed faintly under his eyes, his cheeks had hollowed, sharpening his jawline, and a deep fatigue clung to him.

Yet somehow, his aura was as potent as ever.

If anything, he exuded the fierce intimidation of a starved predator.

Dante, seated across from her, looked at Brigitte intently.

“Do you know where she is right now?”

“Isn’t she staying at the Duke of Kalleid’s residence?”

“No.”

Dante shook his head.

“She’s on her way to the Fontaine region.”

“The Fontaine region? Why…?”

“Why? Because that thick-headed bastard Benedict blackmailed Kalleid into it.”

Dante responded with venom in his voice.

“What?”

Brigitte’s eyes widened slightly.

She was vaguely aware of the tensions between the Kalleid and Luneburg families. The Schmaikel merchant guild had pressured the Duke of Kalleid, causing a halt in grain sales. Recently, however, the transport routes had reopened, and the grains were beginning to be shipped to each domain again…

“Was that because of Elze?”

“Otherwise, do you think they’d abruptly send her off to the Fontaine region right after the routes reopened?”

Dante shrugged.

“Incidentally, Benedict has a safe house in Fontaine, and he’s staying there now.”

“…”

At this point, Brigitte didn’t know whether to admire the intelligence network of the House of Offenheir or to shake her head at the peculiar behavior of Benedict, who was usually so composed.

Perhaps both.

“From what I gather, they plan to confine her in Luneburg’s safe house this time, just as they did in the Duke’s residence…”

“Wait a moment.”

Brigitte interrupted Dante, startled.

“Are you saying Elze was confined? At the Duke of Kalleid’s?”

After all, the Duke had publicly declared that he was keeping Elze safe within his estate.

Not to mention how he had taken her as his partner to the imperial ball.

Granted, she couldn’t fathom when Elze and the Duke of Kalleid had grown close.

Nor could she deny that Elze hadn’t looked remotely happy.

Still, she had thought the Duke was sincere in his feelings for Elze…

“Oh, Countess. Can’t you see past the surface?”

Dante flashed an exasperated smile.

“What do you think she desires most?”

“That’s…”

The answer came easily.

Freedom.

From the days she lived as Dante’s lover and as a steward at the boarding school, Elze had always dreamed of freedom.

Enough to destroy the school and flee for her life.

“A woman who left my side to live freely suddenly returns to the capital, holding the hand of that boy from Kalleid?”

“…”

Brigitte fell silent for a moment.

There were still many things she didn’t understand.

Why the Duke of Kalleid was so obsessed with Elze, and why he sought to confine her.

And why the Count of Luneburg was willing to clash with Kalleid to claim her.

But—

‘Back then, when Elze had just escaped from the boarding school…’

Brigitte’s eyes narrowed.

‘…It was the Count of Luneburg who came looking for me.’

Not the Marquis of Offenheir, who had been her lover, but the Count of Luneburg who sought her out, much to her bewilderment.

She didn’t know the reason for his obsession.

But she remembered vividly that his emotions toward Elze at that time were genuine.

‘If that’s the case…’

For reasons she couldn’t grasp, both the Count of Luneburg and the Duke of Kalleid harbored twisted feelings for Elze.

And it was these feelings that ignited the current conflict…

“Anyway, I have just one thing to say.”

Dante’s voice was as sharp as a finely honed blade.

“I don’t want you tangled up in the boy’s power struggle with the merchant guild. I—”

His crimson gaze met Brigitte’s directly.

“I intend to get her out, no matter what.”

“…”

“So, I hope the countess will aid me in her escape.”

At those words, Brigitte regarded Dante with a wary expression for a long moment.

“But Marquis, aren’t you a danger to Elze as well?”

She pressed Dante further.

“What if you change your mind? You could help her escape, only to place her under your own control.”

“…”

A deep anguish crossed Dante’s face.

Brigitte was silently surprised.

She had never expected the arrogant Dante to show such an expression.

It was, in a way—

An expression void of all joy and happiness, utterly hollow.

After a moment, Dante gave a bitter smile.

“I promise you, that will never happen.”

“Anyone can say that,” Brigitte replied coolly, masking her astonishment.

“And you, Marquis, possess the power to overturn your words as easily as flipping a hand.”

“I understand. I get why you’re wary and unwilling to trust me.”

She had expected him to lash out or grow irritated by now.

Unexpectedly, Dante responded calmly.

“But all I can do is ask that you trust me.”

“…”

Brigitte stared at him thoughtfully before asking,

“What if I refuse to help?”

“Then, well, I’ll have to mobilize my people.”

“Your people?”

“I need to get her out somehow. If the countess rejects my offer…”

Dante’s lips twisted into a slight, bitter smile.

“All that’s left is war, isn’t it?”

A lie.

Brigitte swallowed dryly.

But Dante’s expression remained deadly serious.

“Honestly, I don’t want it to come to that either. She’s probably already thinking that the tension between Kalleid and Luneburg is because of her…”

Dante clenched his fist tightly on his knee.

“If I attack Luneburg, it’ll undoubtedly weigh on her.”

His smile deepened, sharp as a honed blade.

“But what choice do I have? I can’t just leave Elze in that bastard Benedict’s clutches.”

“Marquis.”

“That’s why I came to you, Countess.”

Dante bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood.

“Please, I beg you. I…”

The ever-confident man pleaded with Brigitte, his voice breaking into fragments.

“I want to separate her completely from me, from the merchant lord, and from that boy of Kalleid.”

“Why did you suddenly decide this?”

Brigitte, staring at him in bewilderment, carefully ventured to ask.

“May I ask your reason?”

“Because among the three of us, not a single one can make her happy.”

Dante spoke with absolute conviction.