Nicole sat back on her heels and looked at Dagger, never once looking away.

“As I lay dying in front of the general store, stabbed by one of Marquis Saratheve’s men, I had a vision. I thought my brother had come for me, and my wound was definitely fatal.”

Nicole remembered the moment. There was a reason she had seen Jay’s vision. She had seen him use his healing powers many times before.

Someone touched her stomach, and her stomach was enveloped in a bright, white light, and slowly the wound began to heal itself.

And the wound healed to some extent. When Nicole was just about to die, the light stopped.

‘I can’t help but think of Jay, now that a boy I don’t recognize is using his healing powers on me.’

As she rested, Nicole continued to try to think clearly about what had happened that day. But she couldn’t remember what she’d said to Raul.

She was relatively lucid at the time of Jay’s vision. Now that she thought about it, it wasn’t Jay she saw, it was Dagger.

Raul had shown up after Dagger had finished his quick kill and fled.

“Oh, for God’s sake, Noona, don’t you remember?”

Dagger ruffled her hair and looked around. Sure enough, no one was there.

“I really didn’t remember at first, I wondered if I was hallucinating what I saw, but I realized something was wrong because of…… Estok.”

Nicole replied calmly.

When Nicole came to the Grand Duke with a stab wound. Estok had been hovering around Nicole’s room, acting strangely. He asked to see the wound and tried to check on her several times.

‘He can tease me for fun and say crazy things, but how dare he come into Raul’s room without permission? He knows Raul’s character.’

Even if Estok had been unruly, he had obeyed Raul.

And now he’s entering the Grand Duke’s chambers without permission?

Raul might have let it slide that day since Estok had been so erratic, but it wasn’t normal.

‘It’s unthinkable for the Sith I know.’

Nicole pondered.

‘What if Dagger is hiding his healing powers, and Estok heard about the situation and came to visit me?’

In fact, Nicole didn’t say anything about the healing powers, and Estok disappeared after Dagger arrived at Raul’s summons.

Estok was relieved that Nicole didn’t seem to remember Dagger healing her.

‘No wonder he didn’t think I noticed anything since a normal person has never experienced healing powers.’

But Nicole knew more about healing powers than anyone.

“How the hell are you so smart, and why are you so perceptive?”

Dagger sighed.

“Then I was right, Dagger.”

Nicole was a little surprised that she was right.

“Yes. I saved you.”

Dagger briefly explained the day’s events. Dagger was a more sensitive superior than Nicole had realized.

“I’m pretty sure the security knights were patrolling unusually often that day because I made them.”

Still, Dagger wasn’t reassured, so he surreptitiously checked to see if Nicole had made it into the general store, even though he was too busy.

What Dagger found was Nicole, attacked and dying.

‘What do I do with her, save her or kill her?’

Dagger was torn. Worst of all, Dagger didn’t know what Raul was thinking.

‘The Grand Duke seemed to care about Karen. Is that because he likes her, or because he’s really suspicious?’

On principle, it was right to let Nicole die after failing her mission and being discovered. And her body would have to be disposed of. But if…….

‘What if the Grand Duke likes her and wants to use her for something important?’

Then shouldn’t he risk his life to cure her?

‘No, actually, that’s an excuse.’

Dagger was strangely fond of her; she was a capable agent. He wanted to keep her alive and keep working with her.

“Ha, I shouldn’t have eaten your cookie so much.”

In the end, Dagger settled on a middle ground. He gave her the bare minimum of treatment to keep her from dying and then left her alone.

“You were going to leave me like that?”

Nicole asked, grateful to Dagger for saving her life.

“No, I wasn’t. We were supposed to meet at midnight. In fact, the Grand Duke and I were supposed to meet at the general store at midnight. I figured you wouldn’t be dead by then.”

He was right, and Dagger met Estok waiting near the general store and quickly filled him in on the situation.

“Estok is usually always near the Grand Duke, so…….”

“You explained the situation and asked him to make sure you didn’t get caught using your healing powers?”

“That’s right.”

Estok and Dagger seemed to be very close. She can’t believe Estok knew about Dagger’s healing powers.

Nicole thought to herself.

“Alas, I’m not cut out for good things. I risked my life to save yours, and now I’m getting caught.”

Dagger sighed. At that, Nicole smiled faintly.

“Dagger, I never forget a favor, and neither do I hold a grudge. I didn’t know I was that way, but I’m sure now.”

“…….”

“First, thank you for saving my life, for whatever reason.”

“I played a small part, but you were the one who made the final decision to save your life.”

“I know, so it’s only fair that I repay the favor.”

Nicole felt like her heart would burst, wanting to ask what Dagger had to do with House YvesChapel.

‘If he can heal, then Dagger is related to House YvesChapel.’

Could that be possible? Hadn’t House YvesChapel itself been destroyed and all of its members enslaved and scattered?

How could someone of YvesChapel’s blood be an agent of the Grand Duke of Valentine?

But there was something more important right now.

“I’ll take Dagger’s secrets to my grave. And I need a favor from you…….”

Dagger’s eyes widened at Nicole’s words.

“You want to attend the ceremony?”

“Yes. I need you to help me disguise myself, preferably as a maid.”

Dagger frowned.

“The Imperial Palace is heavily guarded, so you’ll never get in, but the Summer Palace is rather lax, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get in, but…….”

The corner of Nicole’s mouth drew an arc.

“It would have to be on the day of the ceremony, and I’d have to help Marquis Saratheve organize it.”

***

The Summer Palace ceremony began with the opening of the gardens.

The Summer Palace was one of the products of the ancient times. The building was old but well-maintained, and inside the gates, including the gardens, it was warmer than anywhere else in the neighborhood.

Furthermore, the entire building was constructed of white marble, which was smooth and elegant.

This mysterious architecture was also said to be a product of antiquity.

That’s why the flowers were still in full bloom. People wandered around admiring the mysterious scene.

In principle, anyone could join the event. In practice, however, the dress code was checked, and admission was quickly closed once a certain number of people had been admitted.

Outside the Summer Palace, there were also various stalls selling food and alcohol to people. For those who couldn’t get in, this was the place to go.

The entire Summer Palace was buzzing with a festive atmosphere that seemed out of place in the middle of winter.

A well-dressed orchestra played music throughout.

Throughout the Summer Palace, Grand Duke Valentine’s name came up in conversation.

“I heard that the Grand Duke is so handsome, will he come to the ceremony?”

The idea of a beautiful ruler being an unmarried nobleman always attracted people’s attention.

***

Deng- Deng—.

Just then, a clear bell rang throughout the Summer Palace. It was the beginning of the ceremony.

“What is the condition of the dogs, and the lion?”

Gaston, the Marquis of Saratheve, was on the verge of insanity; he hadn’t even left the backyard where the animal cages were set up.

“Don’t worry, sir. The lions are so well trained that they won’t attack anyone, and they’ve been sedated so they won’t have the strength.”

After several reassurances from the servants, Gaston left.

“Why don’t you go for a walk and clear your head, it’s not good for you to be so tense.”

Gaston brought with him a butler who was not normally allowed in the palace to take care of small matters.

After the butler managed to calm him down, Gaston reluctantly left to go for a walk.

“You, you…….”

They were walking down a deserted corridor. Gaston spotted a familiar woman behind him.

He turned and ran toward her.

“You bitch, Grand Duke Valentine is insane, letting a mole in here, in the palace?”

Gaston grabbed her and shoved her against the wall. She was the spy he was looking for.

It was Nicole.