If a noblewoman — and a noblewoman with a rotten reputation at that — suddenly plunged into the water and flailed about, what would people say?

Camilla pressed her brow with her fingers, harder and harder.

The moment she jumped into the water to find the Guardian, she would be officially confirmed as the district’s real madwoman.

Still, honestly, she felt a slight — just a tiny — spark of curiosity.

Maybe if I find the Guardian, my chance of not getting killed will drop a lot?

They’d been searching for it for a long time, hadn’t they? If she found it for them, they wouldn’t just start killing her like before.

[Miss, you look ravishing tonight.]

“Are you saying I didn’t look pretty before?”

[No, no! The black dress suits you so well that I had to say it!]

Derrin chattered at her side, apparently trying to lift her mood.

Camilla only sighed, deeper.

[Truly! No one suits black like you, mi—]

“Enough.”

Footsteps.

A small group was approaching.

Camilla cut off Derrin and quickened her pace, still pressing her brow.

Underwater, huh.

Those approaching paused for a beat when they saw her, but Camilla, lost in thought, simply hurried past them.

She had been saddled with a headache; nothing else registered.

“Isn’t that Camilla?”

“It is.”

“Why on earth is she here?”

“Beats me.”

“We came because it’s your mother’s anniversary.”

Their surprised eyes tracked where Camilla had gone, and then they all fell silent at the same place. Someone stood there, not joining their chatter, watching without a word.

......

The first thing that caught their attention was the red hair like the sun. He looked a year or two older than Camilla.

“Odd, isn’t it.”

“The Sorpel noblewoman passed right by without so much as looking at you.”

“Didn’t see her?”

“Probably not. Camilla used to rush over even at a hundred meters if she saw Petro.”

“Huh.”

As her friends sniggered, the man, Petro, turned his gaze toward the place Camilla had just been.

Petro Jevillan.

Eldest son of House Jevillan, one of the Fableler Empire’s three ducal families. The man who will lead House Jevillan.

“You always chase after him like your life depends on it.”

“Right?”

The friends laughed.

Everyone knew Camilla liked Petro and followed him everywhere. Wherever he went, she hovered nearby.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Petro snorted and lightly scolded his friends.

“Don’t say things like that. It’s rude to her.”

“But it’s true.”

“This fellow’s too good-natured for his own good. Remember when Camilla stole your things?”

“She didn’t steal them — she picked up what I lost and kept it.”

“You really lose things a lot.”

The friends shook their heads as if helpless.

“Doesn’t Camilla look different today?”

“You noticed too? I was shocked just now.”

“Has her face always looked like that?”

“For some reason I keep looking at her today.”

“Exactly.”

Hearing their talk, Petro clicked his tongue and urged them to move on.

“Enough nonsense. Let’s go.”

They hurried off at his urging, but Petro’s eyes flicked back once more.

He stared briefly at the place where Camilla had vanished, then left with his usual faint smile.

Chapter. Guardian

“Ugh... ugh...”

Thirst.

Maybe because she’d been thinking about water all day. In the small hours, Camilla woke and slid out of bed.

“Ay...”

She’d lain awake unable to sleep, turning over how to pull the Guardian’s egg out from underwater. She’d finally dozed off, only to wake quickly again.

“Nothing.”

The kettle she’d set out before bed was empty.

She’d been drinking in her head and then in reality until the kettle ran dry.

......

Camilla glanced at the clock propped against the far wall and sat up fully.

It pointed three in the morning. It was far too late to call Donna for water.

I can fetch water myself.

She left the room slowly.

The ducal manor was deeply dark and utterly quiet. The silence was so dense her ears seemed to hum.

Her footsteps sounded loud. Camilla tried to tread as lightly as she could and headed for the kitchen.

“Huh?”

When she neared the kitchen, she stopped. There was light in the dining room.

Who would be here at this hour?

Curiosity won out and she stepped into the dining room.

She stopped again. Someone was eating.

Who? A fox.

Ravi.

He’d said he had research and hadn’t appeared even at dinner, yet now there he was, eating alone at this late hour.

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

Camilla’s sudden entrance made Ravi start and look up.

“Drinking water.”

“You could have had someone else fetch it.”

“It’s too late.”

“...Then what about me?”

Ravi muttered, as if to complain that he’d been made to prepare the meal at that hour.

“I can get water myself.”

He stared at her for a moment and then returned to his food.

The late-hour spread was simple: salad, soup, bread.

Camilla turned and left the dining room after watching him eat.

“Haah...”

She needed to drink ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) quickly and go back to sleep or she’d stay up all night.

Yawning, her gaze drifted back toward Ravi.

She’d been staring at him alone at the long table; then she turned and walked back to him.

Clack.

She set herself across from him.

“...?”

Ravi’s eyes widened at her sudden action.

“What are you doing?”

“Watching.”

“Uh?”

“I like watching people eat.”

“What kind of watching?”

“Just eat.”

She propped her chin on her hands on the table, as if she truly intended only to watch, and Ravi found it absurd.

He shrugged and went back to eating, ignoring her gaze. He seemed eager to finish and return to his lab.

Some people fall asleep to mukbangs, I hear.

The soft sound of someone eating in the stillness was oddly soothing, like a lullaby.

“If you’re sleepy, go to bed.”

“Not sleepy, not sleepy.”

“Open your eyes when you answer.”

“My eyes are open, my eyes are open.”

“They’re not.”

“...”

“Hey.”

“...”

“...Are you asleep?”

Camilla dozed off with her arm as a pillow. Ravi put down his fork.

He watched her sleep in silence a beat, then let out a wry laugh.

Strange.

When she sat down in front of him a little while ago, something had felt different. Something hollow inside had been filled.

He didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t dislike it.

Not long ago she had been nothing but an annoyance to him. Her constant troublemaking had vexed him. He’d feared his share of blood would fall from the Duke’s favor because of her.

But now...

Now, he didn’t mind. He didn’t dislike seeing her like this, sitting near him.

“Hmm...”

Seeing Camilla shiver, Ravi rose. He should take her back to her room.

Softly.

But a hand moved before Ravi could — lifting her gently.

“Brother?”

Ludville. Ravi’s brow tightened as he saw Ludville carrying Camilla.

“Finish your meal.”

“I will take her.”

“No need.”

“But—!”

Ludville walked out with Camilla. Ravi’s frown deepened as he watched them go.

****

Huh?

When had she fallen asleep?

Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Camilla sat up. She remembered meeting Ravi in the dining room last night.

“When did you bring me to my room?”

She had no memory. She must have been out cold.

“Oh my.”

So Ravi hadn’t carried her — he hadn’t? Had Ludville brought her all the way?

What a nuisance I was.

Camilla smoothed her face. How much scolding had she earned? She pictured him grinding his teeth, telling her to go to bed when she should have, berating her for lingering.

“Sigh.”

She aimed to get her scolding over with quickly today. She didn’t need to be late to breakfast and earn Ravi’s scowl again.

She hurried to prepare and paused at the mirror. A dream from the night came back.

“Now he even appears in my dreams.”

It had been Ludville. She had been trapped in his grip in the dream; she’d tried to escape but her body wouldn’t move.

Don’t kill me...

I want to live... sob...

Don’t kill me...

“Damn it...”

She’d begged like that in the dream, sobbing.

...I won’t kill you.

At that reply, she remembered laughing foolishly as if she’d never cried.

“Ridiculous.”

Even in a dream she’d gone from crying to smiling — what a spectacle. Camilla clicked her tongue and headed out.