Scarlet Evande stepped out of the room where Yoon Si-woo was and headed back to her own room.

As she quietly walked, gazing out the window at the scenery, she turned her head at the sound of clattering nearby.

Could it be that he was cleaning up the leftover food from earlier?

Sebastian, pushing a trailer laden with trays from the direction of her room, spotted Scarlet and politely bowed his head.

“I see you’re coming from that direction; it seems you’ve been tending to Yoon Si-woo. How was it? Was there any trouble on the way?”

“…No, unfortunately not.”

“I see… Yoon Si-woo should recover soon…”

Sebastian muttered with a bittersweet expression.

Scarlet knew that his wish for Yoon Si-woo to get better wasn’t just a simple concern for his health.

Although he pretended not to care, she could see his eyes shift back and forth between the leftover food and her.

Scarlet smiled faintly in response to his deep worry, deciding to speak.

“Sebastian, could you bring that back to heat? I’ve gotten hungry since skipping a meal.”

“…! You want me to heat it? That food is for you; I can’t do that. I’ll ask the chef to prepare something completely new instead. Please wait a moment.”

Was such a simple request for a meal really that uplifting?

Seeing Sebastian wear a bright expression as though the burdens of worry had been lifted made Scarlet internally chuckle.

Just like a dagger hidden within her clothes, she needed to keep her true intentions hidden from him, knowing he cared for her.

“I’m sorry, Sebastian.”

Scarlet whispered an apology so he wouldn’t hear her, as he busily headed towards the dining hall to fetch her a meal.

This meal would become the last one she had before escaping the mansion.

The concealed dagger shimmered coldly.

—

Waiting for Sebastian to bring the meal, Scarlet recalled the scenery outside the window she had taken note of on her way back to her room.

The reason she had peered out so carefully was to check on the placements of the guards monitoring the entire mansion.

As a result, she confirmed that around ten guards were stationed in both the front and back yards.

With such a number dedicated to surveilling the mansion, escaping undetected would be nearly impossible.

It was only natural that they would stop anyone attempting to break out.

Avoiding combat would be unavoidable.

Though they would try to subdue her without inflicting lasting harm, she knew that she couldn’t allow herself to get seriously injured either.

…Can I really go up against that many?

As Scarlet pondered the possibilities in her mind, she clenched her fist and shook her head.

No, this wasn’t the time to be weak.

What was it that she had trained so hard for?

Wasn’t it to remain strong when she truly needed to?

So could she do it? No, it was that she can do it.

What she needed to think about right now was this.

She wasn’t going to have confidence for no reason.

Among the tales passed down to heroes, there is one that states those who overcome adversity grow stronger.

It isn’t just an uplifting saying; there have been instances where heroes evolve and grow stronger after experiencing extreme conditions.

And perhaps because she had thought passionately about not wanting to experience the pain of being attacked by lesser demonic beasts after Scarlet had taken her place due to her lack of strength, Scarlet felt she had crossed one of the walls that had been blocking her.

So even if faced with many opponents, if she was prepared, she believed she could find a way to escape.

However, the difficulty lay in the fact that she might not be in her best state due to the circumstances.

“Ugh…”

Looking down at the bracelet on her ankle, Scarlet let out a small sigh.

Based on her experience earlier, the greatest obstacle to escaping the mansion was this magic tool.

Wearing a shackle that would catch hold of her the moment she stepped out of the mansion made it impossible to engage in combat or escape.

So she had to do something about this bracelet, and the only method she could think of at this point was one.

To remove it, along with her ankle.

“…”

Feeling her hands tremble slightly, Scarlet gently closed her eyes.

Deciding to sever her own flesh wasn’t an easy choice.

But Scarlet remembered.

She recalled how Scarlet Evande had willingly sacrificed an arm to protect others.

She remembered how Scarlet had been ready to give her life to save her.

So if the price to go rescue her was just an ankle…

“…It’s only an ankle.”

With that thought in mind, Scarlet slowly opened her eyes, now determined, and reached for her drawer.

Bandages she had stored for training and emergency supplies.

Even if the medicine isn’t something good to use regularly, its effectiveness was outstanding, so it would be enough to stop the bleeding.

Even if one ankle was missing, she could manage to move using flight incantations.

As for battle and what would happen afterward? She would figure it out somehow.

If need be, there would be prosthetics later, so if she was going to do it, there was no reason to hesitate.

—

“Miss, I’ve brought your meal.”

“…Yes, come in.”

With her resolve quietly firming up, Scarlet responded as she closed the drawer upon hearing Sebastian’s voice along with a gentle knock.

First things first, she needed to eat.

Before doing anything further, it was essential to refuel and regain strength.

Thinking of how crucial this meal was, she felt even hungrier, and as soon as Sebastian set the food before her, she began to eat.

Seeing her enjoy the meal seemed to brighten Sebastian’s mood, prompting him to speak.

“I don’t know if you had a change of heart or something, but your expression looks much better than before. I’m glad to see you appetite return. Watching you eat puts me at ease as well.”

“…It’s just that I was hungry.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed yet slightly pricked by his comments, Scarlet blushed as she replied.

What could she do?

Who knew when she might have another proper meal after this?

So she thought she couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity, cleaning her plate, when Sebastian brought out a cup and asked.

“I prepared tea and snacks for dessert; would you like some?”

“…I’ll have some.”

Since it would take Sebastian some time to clean up, she figured having a cup of tea would be fine, prompting her to nod.

When Sebastian offered her the snacks he had prepared, Scarlet perked up and curiously asked him.

“…What’s the occasion for preparing macarons? You usually avoid giving me sweet treats, saying they’re not good for my health.”

“Well, sometimes it’s okay, isn’t it? Besides, it’s your favorite treat. The tea is chamomile.”

“I’ll enjoy it…”

Though her mind was filled with concerns about the tasks ahead, as she took a sip of tea and bit into a macaron, she could not suppress the smile that broke across her face.

As she savored the delicious snacks, losing track of everything at the moment, Sebastian suddenly recalled something.

“You know, there was a time when you really enjoyed macarons. When Scarlet was here at the mansion, she made them for you every day. I never imagined she would turn out to be a witch. It seems everyone calls her the evil witch whenever you bring her up.”

At the sudden mention of Scarlet Evande, Scarlet’s expression stiffened, unable to hide her discomfort.

Was he also going to blame Scarlet?

Would he scold her for brazenly staying in the mansion, being treated as the enemy of Astra?

Scarlet bit her lip, not wanting to hear any words that would come out of Sebastian’s mouth.

“Well, regardless of what others think, I don’t see her that way. Scarlet is kind and gentle, beyond anyone else.”

Sebastian, taken aback for a moment by her response, soon gazed at her, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

“…Do you really think so?”

“Yes, indeed. You may not know how much she bothers me, but she’s someone who would go out of her way to ask me about my favorite things to repay the debts she owes me. She knows how to repay kindness. There’s no way someone like that could be bad.”

Those words were exactly right.

How much had it pained Scarlet to see people label someone as evil for simply being a witch, without knowing who she truly was?

At that moment, she felt a strong urge to nod vigorously in agreement, but then Sebastian continued speaking.

“Moreover, I remember when Scarlet was around, you smiled brighter than ever. She must have been a precious friend to you, wasn’t she?”

At those words, Scarlet felt a lump rise in her throat, and she murmured a soft “huh,” as she bowed her head.

Then slowly, yet firmly, she nodded her head in agreement towards Sebastian.

“Yes, that’s right. Scarlet is the kindest and gentlest person there is.”

Watching her, Sebastian reached into the trailer and pulled something out to offer her.

Intrigued by the sudden gift, Scarlet tilted her head.

“…What is this?”

“It’s something I thought you might need.”

“Where… for what?”

At the unexpected gesture, Scarlet raised her brow in confusion as Sebastian explained.

“Aren’t you going to rescue her?”

Scarlet’s body stiffened as if it had been abruptly frozen at those words.