IBTWBD 04

That meant that if she disappeared, they would either have to repay the debt that had been forgiven—or offer another woman in her place.

That stubborn, sly old man hadn’t chosen her simply because she had a pretty face.

‘Even if I’m an illegitimate child, the blood of the Lawrence family still runs through my veins.’

Since he wanted a child, there was no way he would be satisfied with a maid or some other woman who didn’t carry the blood of a count’s family.

‘In the end… Erze will have to take my place.’

The moment Evelyn imagined Erze’s misfortune without the slightest sympathy, a faint laugh escaped her lips.

“What a pity.”

Misinterpreting her smile however she pleased, Erze crossed her arms and circled around her with a mocking grin.

“What? Have you gone mad from fear? Don’t worry so much. You’re an expensive toy. There’s no way he’d kill you on the very first night.”

Ignoring every venomous word Erze spewed beside her, Evelyn simply turned her head and gazed out the window.

‘Right. He probably won’t kill me. After all, I’m the Count’s daughter.’

She merely repeated Erze’s words to herself with a faint smile on her face.

After leaving the library and heading toward the annex, Evelyn suddenly heard a loud shout behind her.

“Make way!”

Footsteps that had seemed distant rapidly drew closer.

Startled, she stepped aside and watched the Count’s private soldiers rush past her with a mixture of curiosity and unease.

Their expressions were so grave, and they hurried by so quickly, that even the candle sconces mounted on the walls trembled violently in their wake.

As the tense atmosphere instinctively made her shoulders stiffen—

“Miss!”

Leah, the assistant to the Count’s physician who stood near a statue modeled after a holy knight, came running over.

She was a distant member of the royal family from a small kingdom absorbed into the Empire and the youngest daughter of a prestigious family that had produced physicians for generations.

‘I saved her when she was trapped inside the burning herb warehouse.’

In her previous life, Leah had died in that accident.

Remembering that tragedy, Evelyn had rescued her only two days ago.

She hadn’t saved Leah entirely out of kindness.

She remembered that Leah would become someone she would need in the future, so forming a connection beforehand could only benefit her.

‘Just as expected… she’s been following me around ever since.’

Looking around to make sure no one else was nearby, Evelyn frowned.

“I told you not to call me ‘Miss.’ What if the Countess hears you?”

“Huh? But the Count’s blood really does run through your veins. Wouldn’t it be strange to call you by your name?”

“Shh! Keep your voice down.”

Now that she’d saved someone destined to die, even the smallest things made her heart sink.

Everything was still uncertain.

Survival had to come first.

“All right, all right.”

Watching Evelyn awkwardly press a finger to her lips, Leah burst into cheerful laughter.

“So I just have to be careful with titles, right? Anyway, that’s not what’s important. I came to escort you because a dangerous guest has arrived. You should head back to the annex…”

“A dangerous guest?”

When Evelyn stopped walking, Leah lit the oil lamp she was carrying and gently pushed her forward.

“I don’t know the details either. But you should hurry. Orders came down that no one is to leave their bedrooms tonight.”

Evelyn’s emerald eyes darkened like a bottomless abyss.

The shadows cast upon the stone walls stretched and shrank with the flickering light, making the unease inside her grow even stronger.

“How dangerous is this guest for them to issue an order like that?”

Asked in a timid voice, like a frightened child, she watched as Leah mischievously held the lamp beside her face.

“According to the rumors, they captured a humanoid monster in the desert and locked it up in the western tower. They say it’s such a vicious creature that the Count had a terribly difficult time bringing it all the way here.”

If Evelyn hadn’t already known there was a prison beneath the eastern tower, she might actually have been frightened.

There was no way they’d house some insignificant monster in the luxurious western tower.

Not wanting to waste Leah’s sincere effort to safely escort her back, Evelyn widened her eyes in feigned surprise.

“Really?”

Leah nodded while opening the side door leading to the annex.

“So if you’re thinking of sneaking over to the tower out of curiosity… I’d strongly advise against it.”

“I… see…”

With a heavy sigh, Evelyn tilted her head back.

As though reflecting the despair in her heart, rain began to fall.

The hallway outside the bedroom at the top of the western tower was as bright as midday.

The honored guest staying at the Count’s estate was none other than Grand Duke Orpheus.

The Grand Duke’s aide addressed the guards in a stern voice.

“Until the Count returns with a priest, no one is to enter except the physician.”

“Yes, sir!”

Dozens of torches flickered along the stone walls as heavily armed guards lined up before the massive iron door with long spears in hand.

Beyond that thick door, beneath the darkness filtering through the enormous window, lurked the very being they both revered and feared—a beast crouching in the shadows.

“Grrr…”

Black smoke rose from the enormous body of the man as he let out an animalistic growl.

Not a single part of him was free from wounds.

“Haa…”

Every rough breath felt as though flames were raging inside his body.

The wildness consuming his eyes had long since erased all traces of reason.

Without a healer to stabilize him, Grand Duke Orpheus had yet to fully awaken.

Whenever he absorbed too much demonic energy or fell under the influence of an evil god’s power, he would descend into uncontrollable madness.

Even with restraints suppressing his strength, it felt as though his mind were melting away.

As he gripped the bedsheets with all his might—

BOOM!

Thunder shook the tower walls.

A brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the bed as rain pounded outside, revealing crimson pupils split vertically like those of a beast.

Normally, his eyes shone a brilliant golden color like the sun.

But whenever he lost control, they turned blood-red.

His vision blurred.

Feeling his consciousness drift, Kallian stared at the black scales tearing through the skin of his right arm.

“Damn this cursed affliction.”

Fresh blood dripped from the torn flesh along his forearm.

Grinding his teeth, he struggled to suppress the volcanic power threatening to erupt from within him.

“Ghk!”

Veins bulged at his temples.

His overheated head felt as though steam might burst from it.

An overwhelming hunger welled up inside him, making him nauseous while heat swelled painfully in his throat.

“Hng…”

A restrained groan escaped his lips.

The sensation resembled an uncontrollable urge to tear someone apart and kill them.

Though he had endured it for countless years, it never became any easier to bear.

“I’m reaching my limit.”

His patience was beginning to wear dangerously thin.

After brushing the rainwater from her clothes, Evelyn entered the annex and looked around in confusion at the unusual silence.

“Why is it so quiet?”

The annex served as the maids’ quarters.

Normally, it would have been bustling with servants preparing for bed.

Tonight, however, it was silent as a grave.

“It looks like they’re short-handed,” Leah replied. “If I hadn’t gone to fetch you, they probably would’ve dragged me off to help too.”

As Evelyn rounded one of the rough stone pillars, she accidentally overheard a group of maids whispering among themselves.

“Did you see the guest staying in the tower? Isn’t he unbelievably handsome? He’s so tall, and those broad shoulders…”

Since they were discussing exactly what she’d been curious about, Evelyn couldn’t help stopping.

“Shh.”

She pressed a finger to her lips and hid behind the pillar.

Quick-witted Leah immediately followed suit.

Their hushed conversation drifted toward them through the sound of the rain.

“Handsome? Don’t tell me you’re talking about the monster that came back with the Count.”

“Monster? Come on! If a monster looked that mesmerizing, I’d gladly let him bite my neck.”

“My goodness. You can still say that after seeing those murderous eyes? I was so scared my knees nearly gave out.”

A monster? Murderous eyes?

Evelyn felt the pulse in her neck quicken.

As she listened intently, trying to calm her strangely racing heart, the conversation continued.

“Isn’t that how it always is? Dangerous men are the most attractive. Besides, no matter what people say, he’s the only guardian capable of bringing peace to the Empire.”

‘!’

Evelyn swallowed the scream that nearly escaped her throat.

Cold sweat dampened the hand she instinctively clapped over her mouth.

There was only one person their description could possibly fit.

Kallian.

The husband she had never managed to forget, even as she stood at death’s door.

Kallian was actually a kind man.

However, his rugged northern appearance and naturally intimidating aura often made southern women see him as frightening.

If people were saying his presence alone made their legs tremble…

Then perhaps he was in a bad mood—or perhaps he’d been injured.

‘But when I first met him in my previous life… he was perfectly fine.’

Besides, it was still before the full moon.

Everything seemed to be happening earlier than it had in her previous life, leaving Evelyn flustered.

Perhaps even in her former life, Kallian had visited the Count’s estate while injured.

Maybe she had simply mistaken the timing because she never knew.

‘I have to get into the tower somehow and confirm whether it’s really him.’

Her thoughts in turmoil, Evelyn didn’t even bother hiding the expression on her face.

She suddenly grabbed Leah’s arm.

“Leah… I need your help.”