When night fell, Aila used the sticks she had collected during the day to open the safe.
She did put her finger in the crack in the wall, but it hurt her hand, so she thought it would be easier if she could use a tool.
Laura scolded her for picking up sticks, asking what she would do with them, but she didn't seem to find it strange since she often picked up sticks to practice her swordsmanship.
She changed into the comfortable clothes she had kept hidden in the safe and left the room by opening the door on the opposite wall.
Coming out wasn't difficult, but the problem started from then on.
'I don't know where the letter is.'
It was Cloud who caught the bird in the morning. Since the bird can't talk, there must have been a piece of paper with the message written on it attached to its leg.
But there was still no way to know whether Cloud had the letter or something else, or whether he had passed it on to Byron.
Common sense would suggest that he likely reported the content to Byron and passed it on, but he could also have simply conveyed the content verbally.
If the contents were confidential, they could have just checked the contents and burned it.
It was possible, since during her time infiltrating the Duke's household, she had handled the letters Byron had sent through Laura in that manner.
'But I can't give up without even checking.'
To fight an enemy, you need to know that enemy well, but right now, there was too much information she didn't know.
Moreover, this time, unlike her past lives, it was a sudden change. If she didn't know the reason, she would have to continue living in anxiety.
'Let's start by looking at Byron's room.'
If there were still documents left, the most likely place was Byron's room. So, she thought she should check Byron's room first, so she climbed the tree next to Byron's room just like yesterday.
However, Byron had the lights off in his room, even though it was still a little early for him.
'Are you sleeping already?'
Aila looked into the dark room, hiding behind the tree. She should have been curious that he couldn't be asleep already, but if he really was, then this was the perfect opportunity for her.
Byron's room was completely silent. It was dark and she couldn't see inside very well, but she tried to look inside, even with her eyes squinted.
Then, a vague human figure appeared near the bed. It seemed to be Byron sitting there.
‘...It’s a surprise.’
She thought he was asleep, but what was he doing with the lights off? Byron's golden eyes were gleaming.
'If I had just gone in, I would have been in big trouble.'
If she had gone in thinking he was just sleeping because the lights were off, she would have come face to face with Byron. She thought it was a good idea to take a closer look and brushed away her surprised heart.
By the way, she really wonders what he's doing in that dark room. It was so creepy to see him just sitting there in the dark room.
What should I do now? Aila bit her lip nervously. She wanted to check the contents of the letter right away, but she couldn't do that while Byron was just staring into space like that.
It was not like she could spend time here until Byron fell asleep, since she wasn't sure if the letter was with him.
'Then, should we take a look at Cloud's room first?'
Aila gave up on infiltrating Byron's room and turned her sights on Cloud, but soon realized that she had no idea where Cloud was.
'It certainly can't be that far from Byron.'
Cloud was Byron's missing right hand and his loyal watchdog, so he wouldn't be staying that far away.
She was thinking about just searching through the nearby rooms. It was such a simple and primitive method, but she couldn't think of any other good idea.
If she just looks inside the room from outside the window, it won't take long. Wouldn't it be much better than just lying around here like this?
But unfortunately, she couldn't find Cloud. She quickly hid herself and looked around the rooms on the second floor, but there wasn't even a shadow of him.
'Why not? Are they using rooms on different floors?'
No. That couldn't be. Byron kept looking for Cloud all the time. But there was no way Cloud would live on a different floor from Byron.
It was clear that he had left the room for a while for some other reason.
Perhaps he had gone to see his sister-in-law and nephew. He couldn't be sure, but he couldn't help but check.
As soon as her thoughts reached that point, Aila took a step forward without hesitation. Her destination was the room where Laura was staying with her mother.
Was I wrong again? Aila sighed.
She hurried to find the room Laura and Capella were using, but unfortunately, Cloud wasn't there either.
Where on earth is Cloud, and what is he doing at this late hour that she can't find him?
Aila was about to go back to the attic, thinking that tonight would be a waste of time.
Cloud, who had been searching for so long, came to find Laura and Capella. He looked anxious.
“Sister-in-law, what about Laura?”
As she hid in the darkness and watched them, Capella, who seemed to have woken up from sleep, greeted her younger brother, who had suddenly come in the middle of the night with a dazed look.
"Sleep."
Capella said with a slightly annoyed voice. It was late at night since Aila had wasted time looking for Cloud's room, so it would normally be time for her to go to bed.
“This is difficult. The lord is looking for her urgently...”
Cloud said with a troubled expression. Capella's eyes widened at his unexpected message.
“Laura?”
Aila felt the same way as Capella. Why on earth would Byron be looking for Laura in the middle of the night? But Cloud shook his head.
“No, I mean that kid.”
'Shit.'
At Cloud's subsequent words, Aila felt a chill run down her spine.
Once she locked the door and locked her in, she was free to roam around until the next morning, so why on earth was Byron suddenly looking for her?
“Just wait a minute. I can wake that girl up and take her away.”
‘...I’m screwed.’
This was no ordinary failure, even if it was a failure. There was no time to hesitate.
Now Aila had to get back to the attic as quickly as possible, without anyone noticing, before Capella arrived at the rooftop, changed her clothes, and lay down on the bed and pretend to be asleep.
'Can I do it?'
Her mind was turning white from nervousness, but she couldn't waste even a few seconds.
Aila's entire body's sense of touch sharpened, and she moved quickly. Fortunately, she didn't meet anyone on her way to the entrance of the secret passage, and she began to climb the ladder with brisk strides.
She felt like she had to muffle her footsteps, but if she climbed up quietly while keeping the noise down, she wouldn't be able to get to the attic before Capella.
Her hands were slippery from the sweat, but she couldn't stop. By the time she finally reached the attic, Aila felt out of breath.
But Aila didn't have time to catch her breath, because the sound of footsteps in the distance was getting closer.
It was fortunate that she didn't keep her pajamas in the safe. Otherwise, she would have had to open the safe and change clothes in the midst of her busy schedule.
Aila quickly took off her training uniform and stuffed her arms into her flowing one-piece pajamas.
And then, there was the sound of feet stepping on the ladder just below the attic door.
She didn't even have time to put the training clothes she had changed into back into the safe. She quickly packed up her clothes under the bed and pretended to sleep while lying down on the bed.
As Aila was catching her breath and waiting for Capella to open the trapdoor and come in, she heard Capella's voice from under the trapdoor.
“My, my lord. What brings you here? If you had just waited comfortably in your room, I would have taken her away right away...”
“Yes. I’ll go in myself.”
The voice that answered Capella's bewildered question was none other than Byron's.
Aila couldn't help but be flustered as well.
It was the first time Byron had come to her in the middle of the night, and it was also the first time he had come to her room himself.
He would always keep her in the most remote part of the hideout and call her when he needed her. In the past, she loved her father so much that she would always run to him.
She was worried about how she should react naturally.
Should she keep pretending to sleep? No, even if she's a child, wouldn't she wake up if someone came into the room she was sleeping in?
If she were really asleep, what would she think when she saw Byron suddenly coming into her room?
Should she be surprised by the visit from her beloved father, or should she be very happy?
Maybe... if it was her from the past. Aila might have thought it was a dream.
Yeah. She thought it was a dream. A very happy dream.
In the brief moment that Byron climbed the ladder, a thousand thoughts crossed her mind.
But by the time Byron opened the trapdoor and entered the room, she had not yet decided how to act.
Because of that, she missed the chance to pretend to be awake and just kept her eyes tightly shut. Byron strode over to her bedside and reached out his hand to her hair.
Although her eyes were closed, Aila's keen senses made it clear that she could see Byron's hand approaching.
“Ophelia.”
She did put her finger in the crack in the wall, but it hurt her hand, so she thought it would be easier if she could use a tool.
Laura scolded her for picking up sticks, asking what she would do with them, but she didn't seem to find it strange since she often picked up sticks to practice her swordsmanship.
She changed into the comfortable clothes she had kept hidden in the safe and left the room by opening the door on the opposite wall.
Coming out wasn't difficult, but the problem started from then on.
'I don't know where the letter is.'
It was Cloud who caught the bird in the morning. Since the bird can't talk, there must have been a piece of paper with the message written on it attached to its leg.
But there was still no way to know whether Cloud had the letter or something else, or whether he had passed it on to Byron.
Common sense would suggest that he likely reported the content to Byron and passed it on, but he could also have simply conveyed the content verbally.
If the contents were confidential, they could have just checked the contents and burned it.
It was possible, since during her time infiltrating the Duke's household, she had handled the letters Byron had sent through Laura in that manner.
'But I can't give up without even checking.'
To fight an enemy, you need to know that enemy well, but right now, there was too much information she didn't know.
Moreover, this time, unlike her past lives, it was a sudden change. If she didn't know the reason, she would have to continue living in anxiety.
'Let's start by looking at Byron's room.'
If there were still documents left, the most likely place was Byron's room. So, she thought she should check Byron's room first, so she climbed the tree next to Byron's room just like yesterday.
However, Byron had the lights off in his room, even though it was still a little early for him.
'Are you sleeping already?'
Aila looked into the dark room, hiding behind the tree. She should have been curious that he couldn't be asleep already, but if he really was, then this was the perfect opportunity for her.
Byron's room was completely silent. It was dark and she couldn't see inside very well, but she tried to look inside, even with her eyes squinted.
Then, a vague human figure appeared near the bed. It seemed to be Byron sitting there.
‘...It’s a surprise.’
She thought he was asleep, but what was he doing with the lights off? Byron's golden eyes were gleaming.
'If I had just gone in, I would have been in big trouble.'
If she had gone in thinking he was just sleeping because the lights were off, she would have come face to face with Byron. She thought it was a good idea to take a closer look and brushed away her surprised heart.
By the way, she really wonders what he's doing in that dark room. It was so creepy to see him just sitting there in the dark room.
What should I do now? Aila bit her lip nervously. She wanted to check the contents of the letter right away, but she couldn't do that while Byron was just staring into space like that.
It was not like she could spend time here until Byron fell asleep, since she wasn't sure if the letter was with him.
'Then, should we take a look at Cloud's room first?'
Aila gave up on infiltrating Byron's room and turned her sights on Cloud, but soon realized that she had no idea where Cloud was.
'It certainly can't be that far from Byron.'
Cloud was Byron's missing right hand and his loyal watchdog, so he wouldn't be staying that far away.
She was thinking about just searching through the nearby rooms. It was such a simple and primitive method, but she couldn't think of any other good idea.
If she just looks inside the room from outside the window, it won't take long. Wouldn't it be much better than just lying around here like this?
But unfortunately, she couldn't find Cloud. She quickly hid herself and looked around the rooms on the second floor, but there wasn't even a shadow of him.
'Why not? Are they using rooms on different floors?'
No. That couldn't be. Byron kept looking for Cloud all the time. But there was no way Cloud would live on a different floor from Byron.
It was clear that he had left the room for a while for some other reason.
Perhaps he had gone to see his sister-in-law and nephew. He couldn't be sure, but he couldn't help but check.
As soon as her thoughts reached that point, Aila took a step forward without hesitation. Her destination was the room where Laura was staying with her mother.
Was I wrong again? Aila sighed.
She hurried to find the room Laura and Capella were using, but unfortunately, Cloud wasn't there either.
Where on earth is Cloud, and what is he doing at this late hour that she can't find him?
Aila was about to go back to the attic, thinking that tonight would be a waste of time.
Cloud, who had been searching for so long, came to find Laura and Capella. He looked anxious.
“Sister-in-law, what about Laura?”
As she hid in the darkness and watched them, Capella, who seemed to have woken up from sleep, greeted her younger brother, who had suddenly come in the middle of the night with a dazed look.
"Sleep."
Capella said with a slightly annoyed voice. It was late at night since Aila had wasted time looking for Cloud's room, so it would normally be time for her to go to bed.
“This is difficult. The lord is looking for her urgently...”
Cloud said with a troubled expression. Capella's eyes widened at his unexpected message.
“Laura?”
Aila felt the same way as Capella. Why on earth would Byron be looking for Laura in the middle of the night? But Cloud shook his head.
“No, I mean that kid.”
'Shit.'
At Cloud's subsequent words, Aila felt a chill run down her spine.
Once she locked the door and locked her in, she was free to roam around until the next morning, so why on earth was Byron suddenly looking for her?
“Just wait a minute. I can wake that girl up and take her away.”
‘...I’m screwed.’
This was no ordinary failure, even if it was a failure. There was no time to hesitate.
Now Aila had to get back to the attic as quickly as possible, without anyone noticing, before Capella arrived at the rooftop, changed her clothes, and lay down on the bed and pretend to be asleep.
'Can I do it?'
Her mind was turning white from nervousness, but she couldn't waste even a few seconds.
Aila's entire body's sense of touch sharpened, and she moved quickly. Fortunately, she didn't meet anyone on her way to the entrance of the secret passage, and she began to climb the ladder with brisk strides.
She felt like she had to muffle her footsteps, but if she climbed up quietly while keeping the noise down, she wouldn't be able to get to the attic before Capella.
Her hands were slippery from the sweat, but she couldn't stop. By the time she finally reached the attic, Aila felt out of breath.
But Aila didn't have time to catch her breath, because the sound of footsteps in the distance was getting closer.
It was fortunate that she didn't keep her pajamas in the safe. Otherwise, she would have had to open the safe and change clothes in the midst of her busy schedule.
Aila quickly took off her training uniform and stuffed her arms into her flowing one-piece pajamas.
And then, there was the sound of feet stepping on the ladder just below the attic door.
She didn't even have time to put the training clothes she had changed into back into the safe. She quickly packed up her clothes under the bed and pretended to sleep while lying down on the bed.
As Aila was catching her breath and waiting for Capella to open the trapdoor and come in, she heard Capella's voice from under the trapdoor.
“My, my lord. What brings you here? If you had just waited comfortably in your room, I would have taken her away right away...”
“Yes. I’ll go in myself.”
The voice that answered Capella's bewildered question was none other than Byron's.
Aila couldn't help but be flustered as well.
It was the first time Byron had come to her in the middle of the night, and it was also the first time he had come to her room himself.
He would always keep her in the most remote part of the hideout and call her when he needed her. In the past, she loved her father so much that she would always run to him.
She was worried about how she should react naturally.
Should she keep pretending to sleep? No, even if she's a child, wouldn't she wake up if someone came into the room she was sleeping in?
If she were really asleep, what would she think when she saw Byron suddenly coming into her room?
Should she be surprised by the visit from her beloved father, or should she be very happy?
Maybe... if it was her from the past. Aila might have thought it was a dream.
Yeah. She thought it was a dream. A very happy dream.
In the brief moment that Byron climbed the ladder, a thousand thoughts crossed her mind.
But by the time Byron opened the trapdoor and entered the room, she had not yet decided how to act.
Because of that, she missed the chance to pretend to be awake and just kept her eyes tightly shut. Byron strode over to her bedside and reached out his hand to her hair.
Although her eyes were closed, Aila's keen senses made it clear that she could see Byron's hand approaching.
“Ophelia.”
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