“No. I didn’t.”

Marinda’s expression softened a little at Asralda’s answer. She walked over and sat down on the sofa.

“That’s a relief. By the way, in case you were wondering, don’t tell Kyle about it. Kyle doesn’t know anything yet.”
“Marquis Kyle doesn’t know anything?”
“Yes. Kyle is different from Aiden, you know he’s a good person. He doesn’t need to know about complicated situations like my relationship with Aiden or the ring.”
“But Marquis Kyle…”

Asralda was about to ask a question, but she stopped when she saw Marinda’s puzzled expression.

‘Does Marinda not know that Marquis Kyle remembers the past?’

It seemed like she had no idea.

However, regardless of that fact, Asralda agreed with Marinda for the first time. Of course, Asralda had no intention of telling Kyle the truth from the beginning. Even if he remembered the past, she didn’t want to share her current situation with him.

If she asked Kyle if he remembered the past, Asralda would have no choice but to reveal that she remembered it too. And if that happened, Kyle would definitely try to help her.

She didn’t want to tell him about her situation or her plans for the future.

After all, Kyle was too good a person to walk towards destruction with them, as Marinda had said.

But why?

Asralda still felt a strange vibe from Marinda.

The bright smile she had shown towards Kyle when she first entered the room was still lingering in her mind.

‘Like looking at someone you like…’

However, when she thought back to the past, there was no such indication from Marinda. Moreover, since they had only worked together a few times, it was practically impossible to gauge such a mood.

As Asralda stared at Marinda with suspicion, she opened her lips as if sneering.

“Anyway, that’s beside the point. I didn’t think you were planning on escaping. If you were going to deceive me, you should have escaped properly.”
“…….”
“I heard you were caught by Aiden while trying to escape and were imprisoned in the Duke’s mansion… How did you manage to escape?”

Asralda finally remembered why she came here. She muttered half asleep.

“You know, it’s not like I really wanted to run away.”

After saying that, Marinda fell silent for a moment and then smirked.

“I don’t understand. What was that?”
“Aiden said someone in the forest is trying to kill me.”
“Really?”
“I don’t trust Aiden, but when I think back on everything that’s happened to me, it’s not an unbelievable story.”

Yes, when she was killed by Raphil in the past, and when Iyers held a knife to her throat. It seemed like there was no doubt that someone was after her, as Aiden had said.
And what Iyers said in the forest that day,

‘Don’t worry, once I find the item, I’ll wrap things up quickly for you.’

“Iyers tried to kill me until I met Aiden in the forest. And he was looking for something. On my body. And at that time, I had only one thing with me.”

Aiden’s ring.

“That day, Aiden said he found me by following Iyers. Moreover, Iyers already knew the location where I jumped off the carriage and searched the area.”

Asralda stared at Marinda without a twitch, and continued talking.

“If there is anyone who knows where I jumped off the carriage, it’s only your maid. So if there is someone who controlled Iyers, it’s only you who did it.”
“So, Asralda, are you saying that the person who wants to kill you is me? The person who tried to steal your ring by controlling Iyers? And on top of that, we were in a cooperative relationship with Aiden?”
“Yes.”

At the same time, Marinda burst into laughter.

“Don’t you think the evidence is too weak? I already had plenty of opportunities to do something like that in Aiden’s office or on the terrace of the castle.”
“You didn’t know where I hid the gem.”

Marinda’s expression slightly stiffened at Asralda’s words.

“You couldn’t find out, so you approached me. And you were trying to get me to possess the jewel and leave the castle, right?”

Marinda closed her lips. Asralda quietly brought up the main topic.

“Marinda, I didn’t come here today to threaten or intimidate you. So tell me honestly.”
“……”
“What do you want? My life or Aiden’s ring? Or were you ever in a cooperative relationship?”

She asked, but Asralda already had a rough idea.

While it may be true that Aiden wants to ascend to the throne, the two of them are not in a cooperative relationship.

If Iyers was sent by Marinda and she is after Aiden’s ring, then it doesn’t make sense for the two of them to be in a cooperative relationship.

Marinda’s face, which had been frozen in response to Asralda’s words for a long time, suddenly relaxed. She burst into laughter and said:

“I thought you were just joking, but you’ve changed a lot, Asralda.”
“…….”
“Well, I personally prefer this side.”

Then she nodded her head while showing her arrogant expression.

“That’s right. I deliberately got you out of the castle. Honestly, it was very annoying and troublesome for me. I had to be careful not to get caught by Aiden and naturally had to persuade you.”
“Let’s get to the point. So what do you want between the two of us.”

Marinda’s pupils, staring at Asralda with her lips closed, were tinged with red. She asked with a hint of a smile.

“If I say I want both?”

To the unexpected answer, Asralda replied without showing any surprise.

“I’ll give you both.”
“Oh my, are you going to kill yourself?”
“Yes.”

Once again, an immediate answer came back to the joking question. It seemed that Asralda was sincere this time, and Marinda’s eyes widened as she realized this fact.

“How are you going to give me Aiden’s ring? Wasn’t it taken from you by Aiden in the forest?”
“My goal first. I’ll talk about the ring later.”

Marinda asked with a puzzled expression.

“What’s your goal?”

Asralda stared at Marinda piercingly. Then she spoke fluently.

“Destruction.”
“Yours.”
“Aiden’s.”

Marinda looked at Asralda with a puzzled expression for a moment. Then she burst into laughter louder than before. The room was filled with Marinda’s laughter.

Asralda continued to speak without caring.

“My goal is to destroy everything that Aiden cherishes, such as honor, money, and everything else. It’s my goal to destroy everything he has.”
“It would be quite difficult because…”

Marinda trailed off as she scanned Asralda’s shabby body up and down with a puzzled expression. Asralda nodded her head.

“Yes. You’re right. I have nothing compared to Aiden. No position, no money. If I have anything, it’s just the stamp of a prisoner.”
“So you want to join forces with me?”
“Yes.”

She asked with an expression of amusement.

“But if it’s all those things that Aiden has, wouldn’t you be included in them, Asralda?”
“It doesn’t matter. Because I plan to perish with him.”

Her voice was dry and emotionless, without a hint of feeling.

Even at those terrifying words, Marinda didn’t stop laughing. Instead, she looked at Asralda’s face with a sneer.

“You must have really provoked Aiden in the forest.”

Asralda didn’t respond. She just continued to speak calmly.

“You said it before on the terrace, that after I die, Aiden turned back time with his ring and brought me back to life.”
“That’s right.”
“Then even if I die right now, Aiden will try to bring me back to life again.”
“Is that so?”
“So when my revenge is over, let me know how I can die forever.”

Marinda couldn’t help but smile inwardly at those words.

“Make it so that I can never be brought back to life again. Make it so that I can die forever.”

She had expected a large rift to form between Asralda and Aiden, but she never imagined that Asralda would come looking for her to ask her to kill her.

Marinda smiled gracefully.

“You’re lucky, Asralda. Right now is the perfect time for you to achieve your goal.”
“…….”
“I’ll accept your proposal.”