Knock. Knock. Knock.

Exactly three knocks on the hard grain of wood, the door opened wide.

Beyond the brightly opened door as if waiting for him to come, stood a suspicious woman with a dark veil from her head to toe.

“I was waiting for you.”

“What?”

“Patience and perseverance. It’s the epitome of persistence. Your Excellency, Duke of Gertium.”

The soft voice that spoke with force was somehow familiar.

Perso frowned and stared intently at the suspicious woman whose face was hidden.

His dark green eyes shone fiercely.

The woman was resolute in front of those eyes that gleamed in a different light under his red hair.

“You don’t have to be so surprised. Come in.”

Even though her face was covered with a veil, she could not hide the calmness in her voice.

Perso was once again curious about the woman’s identity.

For any person, his momentum alone was enough to scare people.

His appearance as a large and solid figure incomparable to those of ordinary people, and his spirit as a knight who went through his life and death several times was threatening enough.

‘Tamon Krasis…’

Perso thought of the temporary owner of this mansion and looked at the woman walking in front of him calmly.

There was a suspicious maid and a woman who greeted him as if waiting.

And… Anna who disappeared.

He felt like jumping into something very organic.

‘It doesn’t feel like a threat to be a trap…… ’

Perso followed the woman up to the parlor on the second floor. It was the first time he had visited the temporary residence of a foreign minister in this way. He mainly came in to bring out or lead foreign delegations.

“Tamon is out for a while. He said he’ll be back soon, so wait a little bit.”

Tamon?

The woman casually said the name of Amor’s foreign minister.

Unless you are the king of Amor, how many beings can call Tamon Krasis by name?

Perso had no choice but to grow even more suspicious.

“I didn’t come here to see Tamon Krasis.”

“I know. You came to see Anna.”

Perso’s face twitched at Anna’s name that came out casually.

‘He can’t hide his expression. Is it because he has nothing to hide?’

If he had only swung his sword under his armor and helmet, he wouldn’t be good at scheming.

Of course, it would be a different word if he was a clever man like Tamon.

Asha smiled quietly and spoke once more.

“Anna is resting comfortably upstairs. She knows you’re here. Don’t be in a hurry.”

Every time Anna’s name came up, Perso’s eyes twitched slightly.

He clenched his fists as if holding back, and said in a stern voice.

“I think I need an explanation of what the situation is now.”

“Soon everything will be explained.”

Asha and Perso stopped talking at the same time and looked out the window.

A faint sound of horseshoes was heard.

“Looks like he’s here.”

After her words, voices were heard downstairs.Asrell’s voice and Hannah’s voice were intertwined, and Tamon’s voice intermingled between them.

The sound of heavy footsteps leading up the stairs.

When the sound of footsteps approached the door, Perso reflexively got up.

At the same time, the door opened and Tamon entered.

As two men of great majesty were standing there, the small parlor seemed to be full.

Tamon looked at Perso as if in shock.

“You’re really here.”

Perso was also surprised to see Tamon.

It was because Tamon Krasis, who was a formidable person for his size, was holding a baby the size of a pea.

“Um….”

The baby wiggled.

When the baby he was holding moved, Tamon was startled and grabbed the baby with clumsy hand movements.

“Baby.”

“Hm?”

“…… I didn’t know you had a baby.”

At Perso’s words, Tamon wrinkled his face.

“It’s not my child.”

He said, looking at Perso with a frown.

It was Perso who became more puzzled by Tamon’s words.

It was not even his baby, but he came out of nowhere with a baby in his arms.

“Then why are you holding someone else’s child…”

Tamon, who glanced down at the baby, approached Perso and gave the baby to him.

“Look for yourself.”

Perso, who was suddenly holding the baby, looked down at the baby wrapped in swaddling cloth.

The baby looked up at him with clear blue eyes without crying.

It was a very pretty baby with blue eyes like a clear sky, abundant blonde hair, and distinct features.

Perso, who was staring at the baby, narrowed his eyes in surprise.

The baby looked remarkably like someone. If these eyes were orange instead of blue…

“What is this?”

“Who do you think it resembles?”

“….”

“To me, the baby looks just like its mother.”

Strength entered the hands of the startled Perso. As soon as he saw the baby, he thought of Natasha Roanti.

But from Tamon’s mouth saying that the baby resembled its mother. A name he (Perso) couldn’t get out of his mouth went round and round in his head.

‘No. There has been no news of the baby in the imperial family yet.’

He didn’t know the baby’s development well, but just by looking at it, he could tell that this baby wasn’t that old.

“…… Why are you trying to deceive me with ridiculous lies?”

Perso gritted his teeth and glared at Tamon.

“Natasha gave birth outside, and she hid it from the imperial family.”

“I told you not to lie.”

“Lie? Run to the Imperial Palace right now and tell the Emperor about this. The Emperor will tear off Natasha’s skirt and check it for you.”

“Rude!”

Perso grabbed the cold sword at his side.

The child, who had been gently embraced by him, burst into tears. Perso, startled, looked down at the baby in his arms. It looked just like Natasha. The blue eyes of the baby, apparently, resembled the Emperor’s.

“waaaaa!”

The baby’s crying became stronger even though he did not squeeze it.Asha, unable to stand it, gently pulled the baby out of Perso’s arms and held it. In fact, she didn’t even know how to handle a baby, but it was better than holding it so tightly.

This seemed to be fine.

“Waaaa!”

But Asha’s arms were also of no use.

As Asha was at a loss for what to do, Tamon laughed and took the baby from her arms.

Astonishingly, the baby stopped crying as soon as it entered Tamon’s arms.

“For now, let’s leave the baby to Asrell. And, Perso Gertium, your goal isn’t to clash with me, right?”

The eyes of Perso, who had been blurred by the sudden shocking news, returned again.

Tamon grinned and went out and came back alone.

“You said you were looking for Anna Rotrega?”

Tamon, who was wearing a tie loosely, asked as he lay down on the sofa as if tired.

Perso’s forehead was deeply dented by that relaxed posture.

“Why are you looking for her?”

“Because she’s not safe.”

“Not safe? Do you think Anna Rotrega is safer with you?”

“At least not here………”

“Really? Wouldn’t it be more dangerous with you?”

At Tamon’s provocative words, Perso’s eyes became bitter.

Tamon smirked and asked again.

“If the Emperor tells you to hand over Anna Rotrega, will you not?”

“That’s none of your business….”

“Gertium is the emperor’s dog, can a dog domesticated for hundreds of years bite its owner?”

“…!”

Perso jumped up from his seat.

In his dark green eyes, a murderous intent was fearsome.

An uncomfortable silence separated the three of them, as if the air was frozen.

“… I will not tolerate any more disrespect, Tamon Krasis.”

Perso’s low voice was calm, but the threat posed inside was not fake.

There was no way that Tamon was unaware of that, but his leisure did not fade.

“Gertium protects Anna Rotrega… Isn’t it strange to you? I don’t understand it. Rather, I think it’s more convincing that you came to catch Anna Rotrega at the Emperor’s command?”

“I have no reason to convince you.”

“If you don’t convince me, you’ll never see a single strand of Anna Rotrega’s hair.”

“…… I didn’t know Amor’s foreign minister was such a coward.”

“There is no reason for me to be afraid in this situation.”

“You mean you’re going to fight Gertium in the land of Tanatos now?”

A fierce atmosphere continued as if they were going to see each other’s blood at any moment.

Asha, who couldn’t stand it, sighed and cut in.

“There is nothing good about causing trouble with each other right now. Perso Gertium. From our point of view, there is no guarantee that Anna will be safe with you.”

Perso stared at Asha, whose body was hidden, and then took a step back.

Her words made sense.

But he couldn’t just leave.

“As long as I am convinced that Miss Anna stays here voluntarily, I will withdraw today.”

“…….… Today?”

“Tamon.”

Asha grabbed Tamon’s shoulder as he tried to provoke Perso more.

As she shook his head to signal him to stop, Tamon closed his mouth and he drank his tea.

“Okay, then I’ll bring Anna in. But she can’t be alone. As I said, you seem dangerous from our point of view.”

Asha said so and told the attendant who was waiting to call Anna.

For Perso, a few minutes were longer and more boring than ever before.

Then small footsteps were heard in his alerted hearing.