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Chapter 10
The estate was huge. There were five large halls on the first floor, and the main building rose up seven floors. The Duke lived on the seventh floor, so Ilyin was only allowed up to the sixth.
Lizzie’s explanation about the top floor was short.
“Only the Red Delroses can go in. You can go in if you marry.”
It meant guests were strictly forbidden.
Ilyin wondered why there was only one main mansion, yet so many restricted areas inside it. Some corridors were clearly marked—without signs—as places no one else should enter.
The Red Delroses clearly held the most authority here.
“Thank you for guiding me,” Ilyin said.
Lizzie bowed. After walking through the estate with a few breaks, evening had already come.
“Things are different here, aren’t they?” Lizzie said as she placed a small glass in front of her.
Ilyin nodded. But she understood something deeper.
The Blue North and the Delroses were enemies. If she wanted to survive here, she had to keep balance between them.
“I want to meet the other families tomorrow,” Ilyin said calmly.
She was surrounded by Blue North maids. She had not met anyone else except Den. That was not a coincidence.
The Blue North was blocking her from others.
If this continued, she would naturally be seen as part of the Blue North.
The land was ruled by Aden de Biflten, a Red Delrose.
“Would he like someone close to the Blue North?” Ilyin asked herself silently.
Lizzie hesitated when she heard her question.
“That’s…”
Ilyin smiled slightly.
“Would that be a problem?”
“I… I would need to ask the elder of the Blue North,” Lizzie said awkwardly.
Ilyin lowered her eyes, pretending to be disappointed.
“Then I just want to meet one of the other families. I’m curious. You don’t need to bring anyone important.”
“I’ll try to arrange it,” Lizzie said with a smile.
But Ilyin knew she wouldn’t.
She would have to find another way herself.
“I’ll be waiting,” Ilyin thought, hiding her real intentions.
She turned her gaze to the window with a faint smile.
Night came.
Only the Biflten estate was lit by torches placed at intervals. The light was weak, scattered like fading fire in a snowstorm.
Ilyin stared outside while Lizzie glanced at her.
“This will help with the cold.”
“Thank you,” Ilyin said, taking a sip.
She immediately frowned.
“Liquor?”
It wasn’t tea. It was strong alcohol.
“This is a drink ladies here often have,” Lizzie said casually.
So women here drank alcohol like this.
Ilyin only took a small sip—and heat instantly spread through her body like fire.
Then she looked outside.
One torch suddenly went out.
“A messenger has arrived. Probably to apologize for the earlier attack,” Lizzie said.
A messenger?
But what Ilyin saw didn’t look human.
As it approached under guard, red scales shimmered in the light.
Ilyin placed her cup down sharply.
Then she saw him.
A tall man walked out of the estate. His face was not visible, but his presence was overwhelming. Everyone around him bowed instantly.
Even the creature turned its attention to him.
“Who is it?” Ilyin asked.
Lizzie answered without hesitation.
“It is the Duke of Biflten.”
No one dared to meet his eyes.
The Duke and the monster stood facing each other in silence.
“Can you communicate with monsters?” Ilyin asked quietly.
“Of course. They are different from the ones in the sunny lands,” Lizzie replied.
Ilyin was shocked by how normal Lizzie sounded.
The monster bowed.
It was clearly an apology.
Then—
Something glinted beneath its scales.
In an instant, the Duke drew his sword.
The monster collapsed.
Ilyin froze.
She understood only one thing clearly.
“Killing a messenger means war.”
Lizzie spoke calmly, as if reading her thoughts.
“Please don’t worry. We are safe here.”
Ilyin picked up her cup again and drank.
The fire inside her body felt warm—but everything she saw outside was cold.
No one reacted like it was strange.
That monster would be buried in snow by tomorrow.
Ilyin finally understood.
This place was not like the capital at all.
“It’s different here.”
