Marquez, standing guard, welcomed Rembrandt as he emerged from Nataliaâs room at the Viscount Olsenâs mansion.
âRembrandt-sama doesnât need to trouble himself to come here.â
While bowing to Rembrandt, his tone was somewhat reproachful.
ââŠI just wanted to make sure.â
âMay I ask what you are confirming?â
ââŠâ
Behind Rembrandt, who had silently climbed into the carriage, Marquez, who was serving as a guard and escort, raised his eyebrows.
âIt was already such a big deal that we borrowed the shadow guard from the Marquis, but itâs been four months, but I still donât really understand what heâs planning to do. Well now, Iâm stumped.â
And Marquez stared into Rembrandtâs eyes.
âWhat are you working to achieve, Rembrandt-sama?â
ââŠwell, I wonder what it is.â
Rembrandt was the one who had asked Marquez to work for him, even if it was only temporarily. Yet, in front of Rembrandt, Marquez let out a huge sigh.
âWhat part of this mission involves the Strydom family? I was ordered to guard Beatrice at the school, but now I donât even know what that means. I mean, the young lady hardly associates with the son of the Chamber of Commerce, does she?â
ââŠfor now.â
âI work for the head of the Marquise of Strydom, in other words, Noyce-sama. I have the responsibility to report this matter to Noyce-sama as well. HoweverâŠâ
âSo far, it looks to you like Iâm moving the shadow guards for personal reasons, is that what youâre saying?â
âYes, Iâm afraid so.â
Marquez quickly adjusted his posture and looked at Rembrandt.
âA twisted love triangle between a Viscountâs daughter, Natalia Olsen, a Baronâs son, Alejandro Reyes, and Leopold Reinalpha, a Marquisâ son. From an outside perspective, there is no element of the Marquis of Stydrom that should be involved there.â
âIt is true that Miss Natalia and Alejandro are schoolmates of Lady Beatrice, but they only greet each other occasionally. Although she has known Leopold since he was a child, he was as close to her as Edgar-sama, even to you. So, why did you take action? You even used us, the shadow guards.â
Marquezâs normally cheerful demeanor was replaced by a frown, and he then turned to his temporary master with a very serious expression on his face.
He was probably considering whether he should continue to follow orders as a shadow guard, or whether he should report to his true master, the head of the Marquis of Strydom family.
ââŠtonight made you uneasy? Are you wondering if Iâm in love with the daughter of the Viscount?â
âI just want the certainty that itâs for the Marquise of Strydom. Otherwise, there would be no point in going on these missions as a shadow guard.â
âThen let me just say⊠all of this is for Beatrice.â
Apparently, the name was unexpected for Marquez. His eyes widened.
âBeatrice, sama.â
âThatâs it.â
In order not to have Beatriceâs life taken away from her like the last time. This time, they will do everything in time.
âI should add, the only reason I havenât brought up the report to my father until now is to gather evidence to see if Beatriceâs claims are correct.â
His own misbehavior must have made Marquez excessively anxious. Certainly, one might conclude that he had a fantasy, breaking into a single womanâs room in the middle of the night. But stillâŠ
I wanted to meet her just once.
I wanted to see her to make sure.
His sister Beatrice, the same person who stabbed and killed his sister, and also the friend who reached out to her.
Still, sheâs a kind person, the woman Beatrice insisted on.
I wanted to find out what kind of woman she really was.
Perhaps Alejandro already put his people in Viscount Olsenâs residence, and also in the residence of Marquise of Reinapha.
So, since he already decided, he could only move at midnight, and thatâs the reason why he came at this time of night. Well, one might wonder why he was so concerned about Natalia, there is one reason.
âSorry about that, Marquez.â
I may have underestimated the loyalty of the shadow guard to our Marquize.
With that in mind, he candidly apologized.
ââŠno, itâs not my place to intrude.â
âNo, I think my father must be getting tired of it by now. When I return to the mansion, I will report to him. Depending on his judgment, I may explain the situation to you as well.â
âI understand.â
âWell, I think itâs even more confusing if you ask me.â
Then Rembrandt chuckled.
At that time, though, Marquez did not quite understand the meaning of what Rembrandt had said.
âŠ
âWait a minute⊠rebirth?â
âYou can think of it as âhaving a precognitive dreamâ, but either way, it doesnât change the fact that it sounds fishy.â
Rembrandt, who had made an appointment with Noyce as soon as he returned, went into his fatherâs office to talk with him for a while. Later, Marquez was called back in and went inside as well.
Here, Marquez realized the meaning of Rembrandtâs words earlier.
Noyce also had a subtle expression on his face.
Certainly, they would not have been inclined to listen to Beatriceâs claims until they had some evidence of the suspicious activities of the Reyesâ Chamber of Commerce. Thatâs how ridiculous it sounds.
Even so, for Marquez, and perhaps for Noyce as well, the explanation of ârebirthâ was still difficult to accept as a reality. However, the fact that Alejandroâs behavior was reported as confirmed, was enough to suppress their desire to refute it.
Noyce also seemed to doubt Beatriceâs sanity at first. Certainly, as Rembrandt claims, he would not have given permission to lend his shadow guard if he had been told about it first.
At this point, Noyce temporarily put the matter of lending the shadow guard on hold and turned his gaze on Rembrandt as the head of the family.
âThen, letâs leave aside the story of Beatriceâs life threatening event in her so-called âprevious lifeâ for a moment. This time, is it in Marquise of Strydomâs interest to side with Leopold, or perhaps, more importantly, the Reinalpha family?â
ââŠdoes that mean apart from Beatriceâs wish?â
âYes. Our family is not so good-natured as to move five shadow guards to do charity work for the Reinalpha family.â
âOf course. I have discussed this with Leopold.â
âWell. Say it.â
âWhen everything is settled, our Marquis family intends to absorb the largest trading company in the country, the Reyes Trading Company. The Reinalpha family will not interfere in this matter. This is the condition for lending Leopold a hand.â
Noyce raised an eyebrow.
âSo⊠not only the son, but also the current head of the family is black.â
âI canât say for sure yet, but the son did all those things. I donât think we can say we donât know anything about it. At the very least, we could put them under our control.â
âI see.â
Leaning against the back of the sofa, Noyce pondered for a while.
ââŠbut then again, isnât it a bit much to sneak into a young ladyâs room?â
I guess that was still a concern.
Indeed, he could have just asked the shadow guard to give her the letter and gift from Leopold. There was no need for Rembrandt to go out of his way to do so in any way.
Rembrandt, however, apologized for his behavior.
âI am sorry. I was a little concerned about the fact that Trice had opened up so much to her and that Alejandro was so obsessed with her.â
âLeopoldâs love interest, you canât get anywhere near that. What he was interested in was someone Alejandro was obsessed with.â
âYes.â
Then, after a pause, Rembrandt continued.
âHis sister, whom Alejandro had been obsessed with in the past, seemed to have been killed by him.â