STVWDTD Chapter 37

If You Want to Touch Someone, Touch Me

"From now on, you shouldn't reveal your affiliation so easily."

She would've been trained to stay silent even under torture. Even if surveillance was the objective, she'd given it up far too quickly.

"I—I'm sorry."

The woman straightened to attention, properly disciplined now. Diana sheathed her dagger, head tilting slightly.

"Are you staying?"

"Pardon?"

The woman watched Diana like a green recruit trying to read her superior's mood.

"Go. Tell your mistress I'll come visit her myself."

"Yes."

"And you."

The woman flinched. Diana's pink eyes gleamed cold. That gaze resembled her master—sharp-edged, with the power to bind people in place.

"Deal with the other three on your way back."

Three? The woman had only detected two tails. Diana jerked her chin in command.

"Go."

The woman bowed stiffly and disappeared.

Shortly after, she disposed of two pursuers before meeting her end at the hands of the third assassin she'd failed to detect.

"..."

Diana didn't return. She stood in place, arms crossed.

Organizing her thoughts. The information had been circulating through Rodrick for quite some time now, yet people were only just swarming.

Contrived, she'd call it. How convenient that the moment she left the castle, someone latched onto her trail.

The one who'd just vanished was useless. She needed to wait for someone worth interrogating. Capture first, ask questions later.

"Miss."

Diana had just finished her thoughts and turned to leave when a beloved voice descended before her.

Warmth flooded the face that had been cold as an emotionless doll.

The man pulled back his hood, revealing his face. Diana's expression brightened.

"Helly?! How long has it been?"

"Are you hurt?"

The man circled Diana, checking her condition.

"Master ordered me to verify your physical state."

Someone she hadn't seen even before dying. That messy mop of hair covering half his face, that flat, unpolished voice—she was simply glad to see him.

He was one of Devir Beatus's inner circle. They'd trained together since childhood, which made his presence even more welcome.

"Black was supposed to come originally. But I said I'd go instead."

Black was the code name for Devir Beatus's right hand. Big brother sent his right hand for me?

That was unexpected. Even when she'd been dying before the regression, he'd never sent anyone. She'd thought he didn't care.

"Disappointed?"

Disappointed that he came instead of the master's right hand, he meant. She could almost see drooping ears above that shaggy head.

"Not at all. I'm glad you came."

Genuine sincerity. A flicker of pleasure passed beneath his messy hair.

Anyone who knew him would be shocked by the change. Helly—perpetually unmotivated, perpetually blunt—usually found even expressing emotion too bothersome.

"You were the third one hiding? Just how many people did you deal with?"

Helly tilted his head, counting on his fingers, then gave up on the finger-counting.

"Don't know. Lots."

The overlapping routes meant he'd spent extra time cleaning them all up. Plus there were traitors among Vanessa's direct subordinates, which made it worse.

He hated troublesome things.

But seeing Diana's face made even that thought disappear.

She reached out to wipe the red streak buried in his shaggy bangs.

"Still, seeing you makes me so—"

Happy. She'd been about to say it when—

"Eating me one night and then another man the next morning."

A low voice cut in cold. A solid hand caught her wrist.

"Don't you think that's too much, Diana?"

He'd put on a calm facade, but he was suppressing roiling emotions.

"Rodrick?"

Rodrick lifted her hand—refusing to relinquish it—and pressed his lips to the back of her knuckles. His murderous gaze remained fixed on Helly.

"Helly. Stop."

Screech. Helly, who'd been moving the glass-embedded wire in his palm, froze at Diana's command.

His eyes—hidden beneath his bangs—flashed with killing intent.

A few seconds would've done it. Enough time to gauge each other's strength. The two men stood on either side of Diana, one heartbeat from clashing.

"Well then. Let's save the talking for later and eat first, shall we?"

Diana, however, was not the type to allow that.

"Miss, is your stomach all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

Carol set down a spicy stew in front of her, worried about the woman who'd drunk alcohol by the crate.

The same menu was placed before the two men seated across and beside her.

"Mm~ This is delicious, Carol."

Carol smiled pleasantly at Diana's praise and also provided tea brewed from medicinal herbs.

At the questioning look, Carol winked.

"Drink this after vigorous physical activity and it'll ease your fatigue. Good for women."

Diana's face flushed red, catching the implication in those suggestive words. The lack of soundproofing meant last night's activities had apparently been audible.

"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."

She was about to lift the teacup, accepting Carol's goodwill, when— tap tap. Helly, who'd been drumming the table irritably, quietly dropped a bomb.

"Miss. Should I tell Master you slept with the Northern envoy?"

"Pfft."

The one who sprayed liquid wasn't her. A knight who hadn't left yet and was still eating sprayed his water.

Clack. Diana set down her teacup carefully and produced the world's most benevolent smile.

"Helly."

"..."

Helly subtly retreated at her expression.

"Think that'll work?"

Helly, who'd only been needling her for no reason, immediately raised the white flag. He shook his head obediently, his bangs swaying gently over his hidden eyes.

When she reached out habitually to ruffle Helly's hair— thunk. Something blocked her midway.

"If you want to touch someone, touch me."

The jealousy-blinded man's voice dropped dangerously low.

A strange current flowed between them.

Oh my! Oh my! Carol grabbed another handful of peanuts, enjoying the entertaining spectacle.

Only Berzh wore a pained expression, agonizing over when he should insert himself to perform his guard duty.

On top of that, his lord's unfamiliar behavior was chilling enough to be eerie.

He didn't know who the man sitting across from them was, but he could only hope he'd leave quickly.

"Miss, why are you just sitting there? Do you like that man?"

At Helly's question, Rodrick's grip tightened on Diana's hand. Diana's narrowed eyes assessed Rodrick's state.

This man. Is he jealous?

Pleased by that realization, her lips curved upward slightly. She wanted to tease him, but his expression was too serious. Can't have him sulking. Should I soothe him a bit?

"I like him. I'm still because I like him."

Helly's mouth fell open as if that made no sense. Diana glanced at Rodrick's expression.

His expression didn't ease readily. But the admission that she liked him seemed to soften his rigid features slightly.

Diana clasped Rodrick's hand back and patted it.

"More importantly, why so late? I spread the word about being here ages ago."

"Because it was blocked."

"What?"

"Didn't you know? Schwartz blocked all outsiders. Especially Schwartz Castle—between assassins and spies, basically impossible to enter."

Diana's gaze shifted to Rodrick. Did you know? she asked, but Rodrick seemed unaware. Then was it Duke Schwartz's doing?

Well, castle security wasn't Rodrick's jurisdiction. Setting everything else aside, she asked what she was most curious about.

"Big brother? Where is he now?"

Helly glanced at Rodrick before speaking.

"Go to the capital and you'll find out."

"So you're not telling me now."

Helly remained silent. The master's orders were absolute. That was the iron rule.

"All right, fine."

Still, she was glad Helly came. If strangers had come, she'd have had to torture them for information.

Diana smiled brightly and pushed the still-steaming stew closer to Helly.

"Hungry?"

Right on cue, Helly's stomach growled loudly.

"Let's eat and talk? Carol. Everything on the menu, please."

Helly swallowed and looked at Diana.

It's okay. Go ahead, eat. When Diana answered with a smile, like a loyal dog waiting for its master's permission, Helly dove into the stew without hesitation.

Good. Diana smiled contentedly watching Helly devour each dish as it arrived.

Once his hunger was satisfied, Helly would easily share any information. That the man—notorious even among assassins for his ruthlessness—was weak to food was a fact known only to Diana and Devir's inner circle.

Helly, serious about his food, diligently chewed the chicken stuffed in his cheeks until they bulged. He was only motivated when eating.

Rodrick had been in a foul mood from the moment she disappeared.

Dark, viscous emotions raged—enough to make him want to capture and cage her immediately.

When had killing intent transformed into possessiveness? His dormant madness seemed to be stoking these furious feelings.

"Rodrick? Are you listening?"

She was smiling so prettily, and the fact that another man was also seeing this smile displeased him.

He raised his hand and swept his thumb across her cheek. The warmth in his palm calmed his rampaging energy.

"What did you say?"

"I said I want to keep Helly by my side for a while."

Rodrick's face—which had been gazing down at her languidly—froze over, cracking like ice.

"Why."

"Because I need him?"

Come to think of it, when she'd first met him too, she'd approached him first saying she needed him.

At this rate, would the number of men around her keep increasing? He was having that serious worry when the study door opened.

"Miss, please enter. His Grace is waiting."

Diana nodded and entered the study.

"Your Grace. You called for me?"

At Diana's question, Duke Schwartz, who'd been working on documents, set down his quill.

"I don't recall calling you."

The duke's indifferent yet sharp question was directed at Rodrick. His son stood there like Diana's escort knight rather than the family's knight commander.

"Consider me not here."

"..."

"My lady. Letters arrived for you."

At Rodrick's words, the duke—who'd genuinely treated him as nonexistent—held out the letters to Diana.

"Letters?"

"Yes. One from the imperial palace. One from House Beatus."

Diana took the letters and read them on the spot. An informal action, but no one criticized her behavior.

Reading didn't take long. Diana's eyes curved gently as she finished both letters.

The vein throbbing at her temple would've made Nathan flee in horror if he'd seen it.

"Father."

Even the duke flinched at the voice laced with subtle killing intent.

"Could you lend me a carriage? I need to return to Beatus, so a very sturdy one."

"...Is that all?"

It was sudden, but neither the duke nor Rodrick could tell her not to go.

"Oh, and please give me the postponed courtship letter too. I need to bring your son along."

The letter from House Beatus crumpled mercilessly in her hand.

Inside was written a story about a political marriage arranged without her knowledge.

They'd sent people to the North and everyone was dealt with.

How long would she stay in the North?

If she didn't return, they'd have no choice but to marry her cherished maid in her place—a threat that wasn't quite a threat.