Nathalie almost lost touch of her soles on the timber and beaten stone flooring alongside the subtle tremors of her fingers when Ashtra blurted out the words she thought she would never hear.


    "You seem rooted? Did I hit the nail on the head?" After which, he began to snicker.


    ''Where did he even?'' Deep down, she rattled about what he knew. ''Perhaps, it was just a ruse that he couldn''t read my mind?''


    Even then, she found the courage to scribe midair with his claims.


    [I have no idea what you''re talking about—]


    "Too bad; I could''ve told you where and whom I heard about it." Then slithered away from her chest towards her hand. "Wouldn''t you think so?"


    He muttered with such a suggestive tone, what a sly man. However, she gave him a weird stare with her mouth crooked in disdain from his attempts.


    Ever since she transmigrated, only Jonathan knew her the best and most of it all, but then Ashtra was so curious as he couldn''t even read what was going on in his mind.


    ''Something isn''t adding up…'' Her eyes now squinted when his snarky grin went wider.


    But then her gaze snapped when a series of thuds came up all of a sudden. Both of them turned their direction at the door, now creaking to an ajar with Keith''s head popping out of the door frame.


    Caught the glimpse of Ashtra''s foolery, she gasped as her eyes met the stark emerald eyes of his.


    "My Lady, urgent news!" Keith was out of breath as he started to profuse with sweat on his face, uttering, "My Lady—"


    ''Oh no, why have I pulled him out of the equation?!'' For a moment, she forgot to breathe as her thoughts recalled the last time they were at the Grand Duchy of Forsberg. ''So how much did Ashtra know?!''


    Though, he stopped and gawked at her— his face now flushed into beet-red. Without hesitation, he moved away, closing the door, and muttered, "My deepest apologies—"


    "It''s okay!" she said as she reached for his hand to halt him in a nick of time. [You may enter...]


    He went in again, but he could only avert his gaze with his ears and tail curbed.


    Even at the moment, a train of thoughts rammed inside her head as she thought of such a possibility.


    With him, it wasn''t impossible to pry off information. Her teeth gritted as she got too complacent.


    "My Lady?" Keith now wiped himself off with a small handkerchief as he composed his stature. Not a good sight to present before her. After which, he trudged close despite the rattle coated in his voice. "Pardon for the interruption as I got called by His Grace…"


    ''Girl! Snap out of it.''


    With a couple of blinks, she readjusted himself on the bed before she stood and asked, [What happened down there? Any news?]


    "One bad news I''d say…" Keith gulped hard as he became too cautious of her stoic reaction. "They''ve come rather earlier than we''d expected."


    ''Hmm, I see…'' Then, she peered at Ashtra.


    Their contract went on, and Nathalie knew she still had the upper hand against Ashtra, so whatever his ploys and plans were up to, should never succeed— not in her watch.


    For now, she ought to see them for herself, which she beckoned at Ashtra. ''I''ll deal with you later.''


    "What an aggressive gaze," Ashtra responded with a smug smirk, then slinked back to her neckline.


    After which, she grabbed all of her belongings, put on the shrouded garb she had earlier, and moved out of the room.


    But then, Keith grabbed her arm, staggering her position, in which she then snapped at him with a bewildered glance.


    [What''s the meaning of this, Keith?]


    "His Grace said we must run away."


    Her face contorted even further; she could no longer understand, ''Huh? Why would he?''


    "My Lady… These were the words he said and even gave me his noble emblem." Keith gritted his teeth, then rummaged beneath his cloak, only to retrieve the insignia that belonged to the only Grand Duke of Forsberg.


    [Wasn''t our plan to bait them with the gold, and—]


    However, Keith shook his head as his visage went grim. "I could attest that one of them seemed like a strong individual, My Lady."


    [Don''t we have Strav and Ashtra? We shouldn''t be feared from the first meeting.]


    A tinge of reverence was on his face but shifted immediately with the hard decision he needed to ponder. Albeit he then turned around and went on to her bidding.


    Following Keith, about several steps forth and down the stairs, her eyes now met about several people shrouded in their dark baggy robes— with only an ample of light seen on the lower half of their sun-kissed face.


    One of them was distinguishable as he moved a tad forward from them.


    Currently, he was talking to Jonathan, who was also upfront and didn''t show any sign of feebleness in front of them. Meanwhile, the twins were behind them with such stares that had yet to peel off from them.


    ''What are they doing?''


    After which, she looked over, and then Marcus already placed the bag of gold she handed to him a while ago on the table.


    Two men behind him moved right away, and opened it, only to back them away with the sudden brilliance oozed from within it.


    ''Fools, that''s real gold. indeed. Who do they think I am?''


    When she came close, they all snapped in her direction, and there Jonathan''s face now paled suddenly.


    ''What is he even afraid of?''


    The man upfront muttered, and his deep, alluring voice rang her ears with such familiarity. "This is?"


    ''What the fuck? He sounds like Chad?!'' Nathali shook her head while rubbing her eyes. ''Am I tripping or something?''


    She ended up dragging down her hood to cover more of her face as she lowered her head.


    Jonathan muttered, "A traveler—"


    "Oh, is it?" For a moment, he hummed, and then glanced at them. "Take everyone in here as a hostage."


    Her heart skipped a beat like she predicted what she wanted the scene to play, but then more unknown variables popped out that were hauntingly familiar.