The brown-haired maid hesitated.

“He’s in the underground prison. I was originally in charge of feeding in the prison, so I saw Lord Milan...”

I paused briefly, then spoke to the two other maids besides the brown-haired one.

“You two go outside, leave only her here.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Yes...”

The two maids glanced nervously at the remaining maid and left.

After their footsteps faded, I asked the brown-haired maid,

“How did you get that hairpin?”

“H-Huh, it’s definitely not stolen! If you check with Lord Milan in the underground prison—!”

“I don’t think it’s stolen. Milan is cautious by nature. Now that he’s imprisoned, he wouldn’t express affection to a maid.”

“...”

The maid briefly frowned but quickly composed herself, noticing my gaze.

“He asked me to take care of Lady Canaria.”

Milan asked to take care of his mother?

“Why Lady Canaria?”

“At first, because Lady Canaria has asthma, he asked for medicine from the jurisdictional authorities. Then he asked to bring water or food occasionally...”

I sprang to my feet.

‘The situation must be bad enough to ask for medicine and food?’

Until now, I thought Milan and Aunt Canaria were imprisoned as a formality.

No, everyone except me thought so.

Like collateral family children, they were still treated properly as nobles in the prison...

“You two go back now.”

Saying this, I hurried out of the room.

‘I should have visited the underground prison more often.’

Ever since I showed Grandfather that I met the collateral branches and Erekka in the prison, I had been very cautious.

My father and I were the main contributors to the Hernan incident.

I kept my distance so it wouldn’t look like I was showing off.

I hurriedly entered the underground prison.

A neat-looking man in his early thirties blocked my way.

He seemed to be a guard.

“Uh, you can’t come in here.”

Having trained for seven years in the study while receiving noble education, I knew many of the guards.

Besides, I had spent time here in my first life.

But I had never seen this face before.

‘They changed the underground guards too?’

Probably someone had placed their own people to make it easier for me to come and go.

I tried to pass without a word.

But—

“I said you can’t come in.”

The guard blocked me firmly.

“Don’t you know who I am?”

“Well, one of the third generation direct line, I suppose. Even so, no. This place is under the special care of Lady Bastina.”

“I warn you, if you block me one more time, I won’t spare your neck.”

The guard chuckled dryly and crossed his arms.

“No matter how much you threaten, my duty is to guard this prison—”

“Miss!”

Another guard hurriedly came up the stairs.

He carried a lantern, probably returning from patrol.

‘I recognize this face.’

Another guard quickly made way.

The guard who blocked me frowned but did not stop me.

I went down the stairs without saying anything.

From behind, I heard the guards whispering.

“What are you doing? What if Sylvain and Bastina find out?”

“It’s not about Bastina, you fool!”

“Huh?”

“This is Lady Erilot of Daymond jurisdiction. She’s a third generation direct line whom the Duke cherishes greatly.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Oh dear... no matter how hard she falls, what if she causes trouble over there?”

A startled voice followed my shadow.

Ignoring them, I walked through the prison.

Milan and Aunt Canaria were not in the noble detention cells on underground level 1.

‘They must be deeper.’

The lower levels held those undergoing severe torture.

I carefully checked the cells on underground level 1, but saw no sign of Milan or Aunt Canaria.

I bit my lip tightly and descended to underground level 2.

The prisoners in the cells saw me and began to wail.

They were covered in blood and looked less than human.

I understood how brutal Astra’s torture was.

“Miss! Miss! Please save me! Please!”

“I have children. If I go this way, there will be little ones left behind...!”

The mages and nobles related to the shrine tower incident... and...

“Ex-excuse me...”

A beast-like man locked alone in a cell was Viscount Girard.

The sight was so horrific that I involuntarily stiffened.

At that moment, a hand suddenly reached out from the cell and grabbed my leg.

“...!”

Startled, I looked down to see a ragged man staring at me with wild eyes.

“P-please... save me...”

“...”

“Save... save me...”

He seemed completely insane.

No wonder my ankle felt like it was being torn apart.

“Please save me—!!!”

Just then, I flinched in shock.

Bang!

Someone crushed the man’s hand holding my ankle with the hilt of a sword.

“Aaaaah—!!”

The prison shook with the man’s ripping scream.

“Are you okay, Erilot?”

Someone gently held my shoulder from behind.

Turning around, I saw Uncle Grimyé looking at me with worried eyes.

“Uncle...”

The hand that crushed the man’s hand seemed to belong to his knight.

Uncle Grimyé sighed at the sight of my pale face.

“What brings you here at this hour? The underground is dangerous.”

“Ah... I wanted to check on something. What about you, uncle?”

“I came to see Milan.”

“Milan?”

“Yes. I found it suspicious that the torture officers and guards were replaced two days ago.”

I nodded.

Uncle Grimyé gently patted my back and said,

“You came to see Milan?”

“...Yes.”

“Since our purpose is the same, let’s go together.”

He smiled kindly and extended his hand.

I stared at his hand, and Uncle Grimyé rubbed his palm on the hem of his long jacket.

“Ladies your age don’t like being treated like children. My apologies.”

I glanced at him, then took his hand.

He looked surprised but smiled softly.

Together, we walked through the prison.

His knight followed behind.

Uncle Grimyé said,

“It’s embarrassing to say as the one extending my hand, but noble hands shouldn’t be grabbed carelessly. Some have blessings like .”

“If someone cursed me here, they’d be a fool, so I’m not afraid.”

“Hm?”

“Many servants saw me going to the underground prison. They also witnessed that you were here at this hour.”

“That’s right.”

“If I had been cursed while alone with you, it would be like announcing the culprit.”

I glanced up at Uncle Grimyé and said,

“A thoughtful person wouldn’t curse. Even if they did, it wouldn’t matter.”

“Why?”

“Because it lets me identify the enemy. And if I don’t intervene, Grandfather would remove any curse placed on me.”

“...”

“Either way, it benefits me, so I see no reason to avoid your hand.”

“Aren’t you afraid of curse pain?”

“I’m less afraid than having my enemy behind me, like my father.”

My life is a small price to pay.

Uncle Grimyé looked at me intently, then knelt.

Meeting my gaze, he said,

“Don’t say such things.”

“Huh?”

“Daymond will be greatly saddened.”

“...”

“No father wants to protect his life at the expense of his child.”

Uncle Grimyé looked deeply into my trembling eyes, then smiled softly.

“Yes.”

“Promise me. You will put yourself before anything else.”

His expression was perfectly gentle, with not a hint of deceit.

“...Yes.”

Uncle Grimyé ruffled my hair kindly and stood.

“Yes. Such a good girl.”

Together, we walked through the prison.

No matter how much I searched, Milan was nowhere to be seen.

“Could he be on underground level 3...?”

Uncle Grimyé muttered with a rare serious face.

The deeper it is, the stronger the torture.

I frowned as well.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

I heard a rhythmic sound of something dropping and raised my head sharply.

Milan had a habit of throwing stones when thinking, and the sound was similar.

I let go of Uncle Grimyé’s hand and hurried around the corner.

There was a cell with only a single torch.

Inside was Milan.

“Milan!”

“...Erilot?”

Uncle Grimyé followed after me.

Seeing Uncle Grimyé and me, Milan snorted and chuckled.

“What are you two doing here?”

“That’s what I want to ask. Why is Lord Milan on underground level 2?”

Milan shrugged.

“Well, I was moved to the underground prison a few days ago.”

“And Aunt Canaria?”

“Level 3.”

“What?!”

“...They tried to move me to level 3, but Mother stopped them. I heard from a maid she keeps asking a lot of questions.”

“What on earth...”

Milan glanced at Uncle Grimyé.

It seemed he couldn’t say it in front of him.

Uncle Grimyé nodded and said, “Ah.”

Then I heard footsteps fading as they turned the corner.

Milan approached me and lowered his voice.

“Father seems to have hidden something in the jurisdiction. Mother knows but doesn’t speak.”

“Who would do such a thing?”

“Uncle Sylvain or Aunt Bastina, probably.”

“What is it exactly?”

“I don’t know. You go secure it first.”

“...Tell me.”

“In Father’s study...”

After hearing Milan’s story, I nodded.

“I’ll get them out soon. I’ll tell Grandfather right away.”

“Please start with Mother.”

“Okay.”

I greeted Milan and quickly turned the corner.

Uncle Grimyé asked,

“Did you finish talking?”

“Yes. Will you go see Milan?”

“Judging by his state, getting him out is the priority. I’ll gather the second generation.”

“Yes.”

Just in case, I should notify Father too.

“Let’s go.”

Holding Uncle Grimyé’s hand, we walked.

But it felt strange.

The more I held his hand, the stronger a strange energy filled me.

My heart raced, and my inner magic surged.

I frowned, and Uncle Grimyé looked surprised.

“Not feeling well?”

“No... uh...”

“Ah, sorry. It’s my .”

One of the three blessings Uncle Grimyé has.

A holy blessing that strengthens other blessings.

If Selene has the strongest magic among the third generation, Uncle Grimyé and Father are the strongest among the second generation.

Especially Uncle Grimyé’s is extremely powerful.

Just by contact, it can evolve a blessing two stages higher.

“You still haven’t learned to control it at this age and cause harm to your niece.”

I gently pressed my pounding heart as if tapping a drum.

At that moment...

Uncle Grimyé is so kindㅠㅠ

Daymond is like a kitten, Grimyé like a puppy. Astra, the best house with precious middle-aged men.

└They’re both still in their thirties. Middle age starts from the forties lol.

Our baby is appointed as second father lol. Since there are no suitable sub-fathers, make the main male lead dad and sub-father Grimyé lol.

Milanㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ The sly clever boy must be protected.

Has Dalia appeared?

└No.

└Really?

└My wish lol.

└Ah lol.

The comment section looked different than usual.

Moreover...

‘Can I see the original text...?’

My blessing had evolved to level 2.

I hurriedly checked the original text.

...Erilot regretted for her whole life. For not being able to prevent Milan’s death.

And then she stiffened.

‘Milan is going to die?’

After Uncle Grimyé gathered the second generation, I quickly went upstairs to my room.

And started reading the original text.

‘Oh no. The original letters started disappearing once I was away from Uncle.’

I read the original as quickly as possible.

Though some words were missing, I grasped the gist.

There’s a traitor among the third generation, and that traitor harms Milan.

‘Then what’s the traitor’s name...!’

Uncle Grimyé gave me a strange look as I stared blankly at the air, unable to read further in the prison.

I pulled the leash tight.

Han Ji-hyuk hurried into the room.

“Why?”

“We’re leaving for Hernan’s jurisdiction.”

“What?”

“I’ll give you a blessing stone for transportation, so hurry! The location is Hernan’s study, a drawer hidden in the fireplace. The code is...!”

After writing down the code, Han Ji-hyuk asked,

“What on earth is going on?”

“Move quickly!”

“O-okay.”

Han Ji-hyuk hurried out.

I headed straight for the shrine tower.

‘I read the traitor’s conditions in the original text.’

I had a suspicion.

‘If the one I suspect really is the traitor...’

I couldn’t believe it.

Why would that person betray and try to kill Milan!