“We have to leave now. Kardian will stop at nothing to find you all. Here, these are your new identities. Study them well, as you never know when they might be needed.”

Roma took out three identity cards and held them out. It was a natural gesture, but the fact that it was natural was strange.

Of course, there were quite a few times when Ansi had asked Roma to do things she couldn’t entrust to anyone else.

However, this time, Ansi hadn’t told Roma that she was leaving. Yet somehow Roma knew about Kardian’s actions and was helping them like this……

“Did you also know that Ansi would come to that place?”

The question was posed by Derl.

It was strange to be told to deliver guns to such a remote place. And if he met his sister there, it would be hard to call it a coincidence.

“Yes, I knew everything.”

Roma nodded. Derl raised an eyebrow. Roma laughed and said,

“I found out by chance while listening to the nobles’ conversations. Ansi is a child I cherish, so I couldn’t just stand by and watch. That’s why I helped, is there a problem with that?”

Roma narrowed his eyes. His tone was friendly, but there was a sense of gravitas at the same time. Somehow, they couldn’t question him further.

In the end, both Derl and Ansi shook their heads.

They were wary of Roma but didn’t hold any ill feelings towards him. It was all too clear that Roma was helping them now without expecting anything in return.

“Get some sleep. It will be a long journey.”

Roma took out a blanket and handed it to them. However, Ansi still had something to do. After hesitating, Ansi finally opened her mouth.

“…… I need to let Damion know that I’m leaving.”

“That man is one of Orphe’s people.”

Derl immediately stopped her. Ansi shook her head.

“Damion agreed to help us. He said he would pave the way for us to leave once we find my brother.”

“Even if that’s the case, the situation has changed now. As Lady Roma said, we need to leave as soon as possible. We don’t have time to stop by that man.”

“But……”

“I can’t tell you how dreamy it feels to be reunited with my family, Ansi. But on the other hand, I’m worried. I’m afraid this dream will shatter.”

Derl’s tone was firm. But he couldn’t hide the anxiety on his face.

Derl looked Ansi in the eye and squeezed her hand tightly. A moment of tension hung between them.

Eventually, Ansi lowered her eyes and replied.

“…… You’re right, brother. Let’s just leave now.”

Derl released her hand as if relieved.

Ansi also knew that it was right to follow Derl’s words for now. There was no telling what might happen in the time it would take to convey her news to Damion.

She convinced herself that it wouldn’t be too late to find a phone and contact him once they arrived.

“Why is…… Kardian chasing us?”

Sofia’s question echoed through the carriage. Her face was stiff.

“…….”

Until now, Ansi had hidden everything from Sofia. Sofia had already suffered enough with the deaths of her father and brother, so Ansi didn’t want to worry her further. So Ansi bore the truth alone.

However, now that they were fleeing together like this, she couldn’t keep it hidden unconditionally.

“After being repatriated from Parma to Belgader, I was imprisoned in Kardian’s dungeon the whole time.”

Derl was the first to speak. Sofia’s mouth opened slightly.

Eventually, Ansi, who had been hesitating, also spoke up.

“…… Kardian wants to make me his concubine. He threatened me to divorce Damion and come to him, using the fact that he had imprisoned Derl. Just now, he was trying to capture and imprison me too. And…….”

Ansi lowered her eyes. It was hard to look at Sofia’s stunned face.

“The person who told Father that the truce negotiations with the Parma army had broken down and that they would soon attack us was Kardian. Father heard those words and launched a preemptive strike.”

“What in the……”

Sofia’s voice trembled. Her face turned pale. It wouldn’t be strange if she collapsed right now.

“Mother.”

Ansi reached out her arm and placed her hand on Sofia’s knee. Her body was trembling. Sofia took a few deep breaths without being able to continue speaking for a while. It was only after a long time that Sofia, who had calmed her unstable breathing, asked,

“Since when…… did you know?”

Ansi’s lips quivered.

A small answer escaped from her mouth.

“…… Not for long.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that she had known from the beginning and had approached Orphe with the intention of dying.

She couldn’t imagine how much Sofia would blame herself and suffer if she said that much.

Derl seemed to think the same way, as he simply listened silently without correcting Ansi’s words.

“We’ll never be apart again, Mother.”

Derl took Sofia’s hand.

Sofia’s eyes reddened.

Great joy came with great pain.

But the joy was a little greater than the pain. Just being reunited with the son she thought she would never see again, Sofia could endure anything.

“How much you must have suffered……”

Sofia held her children’s hands.

“Let’s not think about other things now. Let’s just live relying on each other.”

Sofia’s voice was earnest.

Ansi nodded. Feeling the warmth of her mother and brother, she vowed.

Never again would she be separated from her family, and no matter what, she would protect her family.

Just as taking revenge for her family was the most important thing in her life, from now on, living for her family was the most important thing.

As the carriage traveled for a long time to somewhere, they talked about this and that. Before they knew it, it was dark outside and people fell asleep.

Ansi pulled back the curtain and looked outside.

The starlight from the night sky was illuminating the carriage as if it would pour down.

She remembered the night sky she had seen with Damion. And the large painting he had gifted her. Ansi, remembering the name of the brightly shining star in the painting, smiled bitterly.

Arcturus. The shepherd who protects his family.

She had only half completed that mission.

Instead of being with Derl and Sofia, she had given up her future with Damion.

Could a shepherd who failed to protect his family continue to remain in that sky?

Her heart ached.

“I apologize. I lost track of Madam while dealing with the others.”

The mercenaries Damion had sent to follow Ansi reported back to him. Damion tilted his head slowly as if he didn’t quite understand.

“Madam was led away by a man.”

The mercenary added, keeping his head bowed. It was a story he didn’t want to believe. Only after blinking a few times did Damion accept the situation and clench his fists tightly. His face contorted fiercely.

It was clear that the attackers were sent by Kardian. Then there was a high possibility that one of those sent by Kardian had taken Ansi.

“Description?”

“Gray hair, blue eyes, tall and lean man.”

“Find him.”

A low voice scratched his throat as it escaped. His eyes shone fiercely.

He should have gone with her to that place after all. If Kardian discovered that Damion had gone there, he thought it would cause problems in getting Derl out, so he didn’t move and waited.

It was a needless worry. If he had known Ansi would disappear like this, it was an action he would never have taken. Because he stepped forward to worry like that and neglected her, this happened now.

He hated himself for making such a judgment. The thought of Ansi being captured by Kardian made him feel like he was going crazy with anxiety.

“I need to go to Kardian right away.”

Damion hurriedly got up from his seat. No matter what happened, he had to search every place Ansi might be hidden and find her.

But then, someone knocked on the door.

“It’s Nubel. A guest has arrived……”

Before Damion could give permission, the door swung open. The mercenary who had been standing in front to report quickly hid.

The one who opened the door and entered was none other than Kardian.

What audacity did he have to come here first? Did he want to brag that he had Ansi himself? His disgusting intentions were unfathomable.

But whatever his motive, Damion was about to go find Kardian anyway. If he came first like this, Damion had no reason to refuse from his standpoint.

However, Kardian’s reaction was unexpected.

“This won’t do, Damion.”

As soon as the door closed, Kardian approached Damion and slammed the desk. Not only that, he picked up the glass lamp on the desk and smashed it on the floor. With a sharp shattering sound, fragments scattered across the floor.

“Kardian, what are you doing?”

“You tell me.”

Kardian’s eyes flashed. His face was contorted with undisguised anger.

Damion raised an eyebrow.

The usual Kardian was calm in any situation. Even when he was tormenting Damion to the brink of death, his face was filled with nothing but interest and peace.

But when things didn’t go as planned and he was extremely angry, Kardian changed. He couldn’t control his anger and acted like a madman.

Just like now.

A ray of light-like possibility flashed through Damion’s mind.