I was left alone in the hallway and watched the three of them drift away. I don’t know what kind of conversation adults have.

“It’s a secret from me, right?”

But I know very well that it’s something I shouldn’t hear, in fact, I had a rough idea of what it was.

I folded my arms in dissatisfaction.

“Why can’t I hear it?”

It’s my story, I can’t believe they are leaving the involved person out. I want to know what’s going on.

Recently, Cade has been keeping more secrets from me. He didn’t seem to want me to know the truth.

I was reluctantly about to go back, but I felt the presence of someone quickly following me from behind. I checked my opponent in the long shadow hanging on the floor of the hallway. 

The owner of the shadow was Messi.

“Messi?”

“Hello, miss.”

Messi greeted back with a smile. He was following me with his hands behind his back. When he saw me sulking, he asked me with a curious face.

“What made you so upset?”

“I’m not upset.”

“Well, it’s all written on your face?”

“But I won’t tell you.”

I kept my mouth shut.

Messi who was walking along my stride started asking questions one by one.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m sure it won’t happen, but have you ever been scolded by the Head?”

“No.”

“Then you don’t like the gift you got?”

Messi pointed to the box containing the dagger.

I shook my head, saying it wasn’t that either. It’s not like we’re playing 20 questions. 

Messi smiled awkwardly as he saw that my cheeks were gradually swelling as the questions continued.

“I don’t know what it is, but can I help you?”

…Help me?

At his very tempting offer, I looked at him. He was happy that he had finally found a way to relieve my mood.

“What is it? Feel free to tell me.”

“…If I ask for help, will you listen?”

“Of course.”

“Really?”

“That’s right.”

“Lies.”

I couldn’t believe Messi’s words right away. Seeing him like this was even more suspicious.

Why are you helping me all of a sudden? 

He sighed as he took a step away and at my suspecting look.

“I’m sad that you don’t seem to believe me. It’s my first priority to follow your words.” 

“…What I say comes first?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that for Daddy?”

The reason why Messi and the escorts were by my side was all because of Cade’s orders.

But how can my words come first?

It’s very unreliable when I stop to think of Bassad’s recent several refusals of my words, preventing me from going to the basement.

“For an escort, the order of protection has priority. Although independent judgment is possible depending on the situation.

“Then promise me.”

I held out my little finger.

Messi, who looked down at my fingers in embarrassment, asked as he came over with his little finger.

“Miss, why are you going this far?

“You know, Messi.”

His eyes were focused on my mouth.

“I.”

“Yes.”

“Want to go to the basement and see what’s there.”

Pik. 

Messi, who had lost strength in his legs, hurriedly took control of his body.

I guess he didn’t expect the word basement to come out of my mouth. I pulled Messi’s little finger as hard as I could.

“…Ba-basement?”

“Yes. Bassad blocked me last time, so I couldn’t go.”

This time, I’ll definitely have to check who’s in the basement.

Messi clenched his mouth several times as if to say something, and then he touched his forehead.

“Sigh. Please, think about it again. Not there.

“My words come first.”

“It is, but…”

“You already made a promise, right?”

This was Messi’s fault, who was confident that he could do anything I asked of him.

At my triumphant attitude, he slipped and sat down. Messi, who was sitting with his knees bent and his head bowed, looked up at me.

“What should I do?”

“Come to my room at dawn. I’ll let you know then.”

“…At dawn. If I get caught by the other guys, my life will be in danger.”

Messi patted the back of his neck.

I crossed my arms crookedly and narrowed my eyes.

“That’s why you should think before making promises too quickly.”

“……”

“Watch out from now on.”

Tap Tap.

I tapped a couple of times as if to encourage Messi’s heavy shoulders. He looked at me in a daze and muttered in a small vocie.

“I think Miss is starting to look more and more like the Head.”

 * * *

Meanwhile at that time in the office.

After hearing the details of what had happened, Ian and Helena hardened their expressions.

“…Is that true?”

After a while, Helena opened her mouth in disbelief. It was unbelievable news even when she heard the explanation in person.

Ian, who was reading the summary of the report, closed his eyes in seething anger. 

“When did you know this?”

“It’s been a few days.”

“Is it underground?”

“It’s still breathing.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

He couldn’t tolerate those who dared to commit unspeakable acts against the South. Even trying to kidnap the heir of the family was not enough, they also had to lose the hostess as well.

It was a very serious matter that could not be overlooked. There was no problem with declaring a legitimate war.

“…Then Irene must have been born from an egg delivered from the East.”

“That’s right.”

“How did this happen…”

Helena buried her face in her hands.

She was flooded with indescribable emotions. 

Irene was only a scapegoat who got involved in this incident, but whenever she thinks of the child, she can’t help but think of Estella.

“It’s confusing. Now that you know the truth, are you going to stay still?” 

“Of course not.”

He will use this opportunity to get proof that the Artban family was behind the Loisar family.

“It turns out that the Artban took all the successors of the Clans in their area.”

“Crazy.”

“Loisar will be no exception.”

It would be the first targeted Clan, as there’s no other family that excels in information gathering like them. Assuming that their successor was held hostage, the Loisar family would somehow want to get the heir back.

“So are they going to take another risk and come to the South?”

“For now, that’s the most likely.”

“That’s the most likely? You’re saying there’s another possibility?” 

In response to Ian’s question, Cade nodded as if he was asking something obvious.

“Everyone wriggles if the situation doesn’t go the way they want it to go.” 

“For example?”

“As you already know, Irene has two pheromone properties.”

“…What? I haven’t heard that before?”

Ian and Helena were astonished. 

What do you mean by two pheromones? 

He talked so naturally that they almost passed on it, but Cade frowned as if he didn’t understand where the problem was.

“Is there a problem?” 

“…No. Just keep talking first.”

Ian waved his hand for him to continue. What more surprising things would pop up here?

Cade spread his second finger.

It would be nice to simply know that Irene has two pheromone properties, but actually, the problem was bigger…

“We know that Black Mamba’s poison doesn’t work on Irene.”

“What else do you mean?”

“Literally. It’s embarrassing because my daughter is so special.”

It was a fact that he learned from Kasana’s last report.

Irene had no lack with her two pheromone properties, so Messi’s poison would not work.

In a way, it was a matter of course.

Instead of Estella, it was Cade who constantly injected pheromones into her egg. It would have been a necessary ability to survive his deadly poison. 

Cade laughed as if it was fun.

But everything he mentioned was full of serious things. 

Since ancient times, the Black Mamba has been at the top of the food chain by defending their territory with poison as a weapon. But to say that their pheromones don’t work? Those words meant nothing but the ability to neutralize the power of the whole Clan.

In other words, it meant that the family had a great weakness.

Cade looked at the frozen Ian and Helena and opened his mouth leisurely.

“Werebeasts raised in the hands of other Clans tend to have special abilities.”

Normally, there was a high probability that young beasts would not survive because they could not absorb the pheromone properly before opening their eyes, but that did not mean that there were no cases of young beasts growing up in the hands of different Clans.

However, there was one peculiarity in this case.

“In order to fully receive pheromones that are not of the same type and grow up, wouldn’t it be necessary to have an original stronger pheromone than that to survive?”

“…Does that mean that Irene’s pheromone is strong enough to neutralize the Black Mamba’s poison?

“I haven’t checked yet, but I’m pretty sure.”

“Hah.

It was unbelievable. Ian said in a daze. 

“You are the Head of a family.”

“I know.

“But are you so easygoing?” 

It was a problem that could endanger the entire family. However, even with Ian’s advice, Cade only remained calm.