Chapter 11
A Dangerous Scheme
Everything had seemed fine… but when the day came, Diego was nowhere to be seen.
Even Helene and Leon, who had been planning a welcoming party for him, were oddly quiet.
Had the visit been postponed or canceled? Worried, Ebony decided to ask Leon about Diego’s whereabouts.
“Didn’t you say your friend was coming to the estate? Is he… not coming after all?”
“There’s been a swarm of monsters in the north. I only heard about it from the newspapers. He’s probably so busy he doesn’t even have time to get in touch.”
Leon pressed his temples as if this problem had been weighing on him too.
Ebony, on the other hand, felt like she was about to lose her mind for a different reason.
“Does… does that mean he won’t be coming?”
“They’ve mostly handled the monsters, but now he’s swamped with other tasks. Who knows if he’ll have the time to visit.”
“Oh…”
As Leon said, the hero who barely managed to fend off a monstrous invasion was now faced with piles of pending work.
Diego had said winter was the busiest time of the year, and this was a particularly hectic season. There was no way he’d have the leisure to drop by Leon’s estate for a visit.
For Ebony, who had even written a script for their meeting, this news was a crushing disappointment.
“I see…”
She had been thrilled about taking an easier route, but now she was back to square one. Worse yet, she had to come up with a new plan entirely.
Leon noticed the sudden change in his sister’s mood and glanced at her curiously. His usually bright and adorable little sister was now slumped over, wearing a gloomy expression.
“Now that I think about it, she was pleased when I said Diego was coming.”
Ebony, who was usually reserved, had shown an unusually positive reaction to Diego’s visit.
“Don’t tell me…”
Leon’s mind wandered to a worrisome possibility. Could it be that both of his sisters had fallen for his friend?
With a suspicious look, Leon decided to question his sister.
“Ebony, don’t tell me you’ve taken a liking to Diego.”
“…What?”
“I don’t want to hear you say you’ve fallen for him at first sight. One ridiculous story like that is more than enough with Irene.”
“N-no, not at all! That’s not something you need to worry about!”
Ebony denied it fiercely, horrified at the suggestion. However, Leon didn’t seem entirely convinced, likely due to Irene’s history.
“I don’t care about the others, but Diego is a definite no. You’re not getting involved with him—over my dead body! Got it?”
“Seriously, you don’t have to worry about that…”
Leon had no reason to worry.
What Ebony wanted wasn’t love—it was marriage.
Despite her firm denial, Leon continued lecturing her for a long time.
As a result, Ebony gained extensive knowledge about the tragic ends of women who gave their hearts to men.
She also learned how ruthless a man like Diego Magnus could be.
Exhausted from her brother’s endless nagging, Ebony dragged herself to the table and sat down.
Since Diego wasn’t coming in person, she had no choice but to revise her plan quickly.
She only had seven days of legal time left. If she planned to run away, that gave her just six days.
“To meet Lord Magnus → Go to the Magnus estate.”
Her next move was simple: if Diego wouldn’t come to her, she’d go to him.
The problem was how.
“They said travel to the north is restricted now.”
To cross into his territory, she’d need prior approval. But the person who handled entry requests was, of course, Diego Magnus himself.
She’d have to state her reason and destination on the request, essentially exposing her entire plan.
Even if she was honest about her intentions, there was no guarantee Diego would approve her visit.
There was also the risk of Leon finding out. Based on today’s experience, if Leon learned that Ebony was headed to the north to meet Diego, he’d likely lock her in her room to stop her.
If every path was going to be difficult, she might as well choose the simplest, fastest one she could execute immediately.
“…There’s no other way.”
Even if it came with the heavy burden of guilt.
Ebony glanced at the paper in her hand, then pulled out an expensive piece of parchment.
Next to her, she unfolded a note Leon had written for her before.
“Dear Lord Magnus.”
She carefully began writing, comparing her work with Leon’s note as she went.
Her green eyes showed a glimmer of satisfaction.
“I’m sorry, brother.”
Her alternative plan? A bold frontal attack.
She was going to forge a letter like Leon.
Pretending to be her brother, she’d write to Diego and request access to the north.
Once the reply came, her ruse would be discovered, but by then, she’d already be gone.
Ebony packed her belongings quickly and snuck into Leon’s study that night. She carefully placed her forged letter among the stack of correspondence he’d asked the servant to deliver.
“A letter from Sir Dominic has arrived.”
The head butler approached Diego, who was buried under a mountain of paperwork and handed him a letter.
Diego assumed it would be filled with the usual, tiresome worries from his friend.
Normally, he would’ve left it on his desk for later, but for some reason, he decided to read it immediately.
“What’s gotten into him?”
As Diego read the opening line, he suddenly rubbed his face with his hands. He was sure he must have been seeing things.
No matter how many times he blinked, though, the words didn’t change.
A letter from Leonhardtt? It was practically an incident.
“Dear Lord Magnus.”
That bold knight would never start a letter with such a formal greeting. Leon rarely included greetings at all.
Suppressing his discomfort, Diego continued reading.
**“I hope the matters in the north have been resolved. I’ve had many sleepless nights worrying about your struggles.
Despite this busy time, I humbly ask for permission to visit your estate.
By the time this letter reaches you, I may already be on my way. Even if you refuse, I won’t receive the message.
Please don’t be angry and kindly open your gates to me.
With God’s blessings,
Your respectful friend,
Leonhardt Dominic.”**
The content was even more absurd.
The sender essentially announced they’d be barging into the estate regardless of approval.
“He must’ve lost his mind.”
And the tone? Sickeningly polite.
Diego couldn’t believe this overly respectful letter came from Leonhardt.
Had he been poisoned by one of Helene’s experimental dishes? Otherwise, how could he have changed so drastically in just a few days?
Still, the letter bore Leon’s seal.
“The tone is flowery, but the shameless attitude? That’s him.”
The butler, noticing his master’s troubled expression, grew worried.
“Has something happened, my lord?”
After a moment of contemplation, Diego sighed and tapped his fingers on the desk—a habit of his when deep in thought.
Finally, he spoke.
“Leonhardt will be arriving soon. Open the gates.”
