This Time, To The Believed Path
Secret Deal

When Marquis Verrit Giovanne opened his eyes, he realized that he was now in a place he had never seen. The room was covered in white.

Although it looked beautiful, he felt a hot aura from the window. As he looked out, all he found was a stretch of barren land without the slightest plants.

Looking towards the garden, he only saw a few plants that seemed to have been planted recently.

Actually, where is he at the moment?

Tok Tok Tok

“Marquis, are you awake?”

A voice of someone was heard from behind the door of the room. The marquis was a little wary but he replied.

“Iya, I'm up.”

“Then I excuse.”

The door opened and behind it stood two young men wearing the uniform of a butler.

“Good morning, Marquis Giovanne. My name is Adde, I am a butler in this place and next to me is my assistant, Arcan.”

“My greetings, Marquis.”

The marquis still looked at the two warily.

“Where am I now? Did you guys kidnap me?”

The marquis grew increasingly unsettled looking at the two who were still acting calm.

“Marquis, my master is already waiting for you to have breakfast together. If there is anything you want to ask, my master will explain it to you.” Obviously Adde.

“Begukah..”

“I'll help you get ready.”

Arcan walked up to the Marquis and helped him to improve himself.

By the time they reached the dining room, Leana had been sitting at the dining table accompanied by Corrian, Celitta, and Solas who were wearing maid uniforms.

“Good morning, Marquis Giovanne. Please sit down first for breakfast.”

When Leana invited the Marquis, Solas pulled the seat to the right of Leana for her to sit down.

The marquis who was sitting in silence stared doubtfully at Leana who started to lift her cutlery.

“Let's sarapa first, after that I will be happy to answer all your questions.” Leana.

The marquis nodded and started his breakfast with Leana.

When the two had finished their breakfast, Ilya brought snacks and tea to the dining table. Leana opened her mouth.

“Alright, Marquis. Introduce, I am Leana Grandall and you are currently in my mansion located in the Alphiella region of the Solfilyan empire.”

“Grandall... do you have a relationship with Marquis Grandall who is one of the Five Pillars, Purple Chain?”

“Truely, Marquis. I am the wife of Marquis Grandall. If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.”

Leana put on a friendly smile and the Marquis nodded.

“Then why am I here? After the light went out, I couldn't remember anything.

“About this, actually after the light goes out in the palace, you were kidnapped by someone.”

“Abducted?

Leana nodded.

“At the party I put some guards and when the lights went out there was a strange movement so my guards immediately chased the suspicious person who was carrying you.”

“How can I trust your words?”

The marquis was still staring at Leana warily but he replied calmly.

“True. I have no proof to prove my words. In fact the actual I put a guard is to keep an eye on you.”

“Observing me?”

“True. I want to take care of you who are an important person for my savior.” Leana sips her tea.

“Who do you mean?”

“I can't say it, but it looks like you have become a model for him and he has a lot of respect for you. As a form of gratitude, I took care of you during your time in the Solfilyan Empire.” Leana.

“I'm sure if the news that you disappeared is already widespread, he will definitely move soon to save you.” Added.

There used to be a time when several countries could reach out to each other to face the world crisis but that has not happened again in recent years.

Marquis Giovanne once saved Grand Duke Volfelance while he was on a mission of labyrinth subjugation. From then on, Marquis Giovanne became a role model for the young Grand Duke, even forming his own shadow organization.

Is correct. Marquis Giovanne actually had two faces, just like the current Grand Duke of Volfelance. Behind him is a very secret information gathering place and Leana knows it because the Grand Duke told about it in his first life.

Leana's opponent is currently one of the Grand Duke's most important assets he steals, but he doesn't plan to take it all as Alscan and Adde do.

“You said, this region is named Alphiella..”.

“It's true.”

“It's not like Alphiella I imagined.”

Leana widened her eyes.

“Oh! Did you know about this region?”

“In my residence there are old archives about various kingdoms and countries in this world.”

Leana stared at her reflection in the tea.

Now he learned how Grand Duke Volfelance could find out a lot of information not only about the forgotten territories of the Solfilyan Empire but also various regions of other countries.

At first he only assumed that the relationship between the two was only because the Grand Duke owed the Marquis a favor, but there seemed to be something deeper behind it.

No, it was possible from the beginning that the two were taking advantage of each other. Or even a partnership with a purpose.

“Marquis, why did you say that? If it is known that you keep an archive on the territory of another country, wouldn't that be a problem?” leana.

Leana thought again.

If indeed the Marquis's power in holding information was as powerful as the Grand Duke's, then why would he have an archive but not know the current condition of the region. Was the Marquis trying to play him?

Is that an old archive? Or did the Marquis not look deeper?

“I just realized something here. Is something wrong?”

“I don't know what you realized while you were here. Can you explain it to me?”

“When I woke up, I looked out and found that I was in the middle of a barren area. The outside condition reminds me of the archive.”

Leana sipped her tea and Ilya who was beside her refilled her cup. Leana stared at the Marquis tea which from the beginning was not touched by her, becoming cold.

At the moment he feels a strange. He felt that the Marquis he encountered when he first entered the dining room and the Marquis who was talking to him at this moment had a different aura.

Marquis was like him at the moment. Put on a mask and hide something behind it.

Leana put the cup down.

“True. Alphiella conditions have turned this way in the last five years due to drought disasters. Currently there is only me and the waiters who live here.”

“Have you been taking care of this region alone?”

The marquis seemed to be fishing for information from him.

Whether it should be open or closed. He must decide immediately.

“No. Ownership of Alphiella was given to Grandall when my husband became a Marquis and I took over to take care of the Alphiella region not long ago.”

Repeating her words, Leana realized something.

Forde was a meticulous man, he could not possibly miss Alphiella who became one of his domains.

Alphiella's ownership was given to Forde when he earned the title of Marquis at the age of 17. The Forde that the Emperor had just granted the territory should be tracing every document of ownership of his territory, but somehow Alphiella was forgotten.

Not only that, the Emperor's decision also began to look suspicious.

Does surrendering to a territory have to go as far as removing it from the map but not removing it from the dominion?

Moreover, it should not be five years long enough for everyone in this empire to forget about it.

Something seems to cover up the truth of the Alphiella region. Now Leana was convinced that the Emperor knew the hidden reality and although Forde did not know the reality, the Emperor told her to turn a blind eye to Alphiella and abandon her.

But if that's the case, Forde's positive reaction to accepting his request to return Alphiella is bizarre.

If Forde was indeed asked to turn a blind eye by the Emperor, why did he accept his request?

Is Alphiella really a good thing or a bad thing? He has not found the answer.

“You say as if this region is not taken care of before you start taking over its stewardship.” Marquis.

Leana regained her senses from her thoughts and looked back at the Marquis. He felt a little depressed with the Marquis' gaze as if asking for an explanation.

He must stop the Marquis from digging deeper into Alphiella if he does not want to be stabbed in the back.

Leana smiled at the Marquis who started looking confused at her.

“Marquis, my words regarding how I try to keep me are a pure thing. I try to avenge my savior.”

Just like how Grand Duke Volfelance and Marquis Giovanne were interconnected.

Leana immediately changed the subject.

“But I do not avoid that I want something from you. To be honest I just want to make a good relationship with you. That's it.” Leana sipped her tea again and finished it.

“More, I just hope you can have a good relationship with my rescuer later.” Added.

“I don't even know the rescuer you're referring to.” Marquis.

“Take it easy. You will definitely meet and at that time, you will find out who he is whom I am talking about.” Leana.

Leana rose up with Marquis Giovanne.

“Marquis, I plan to send you back to the palace as soon as possible. But if you want to enjoy the Alphiella mansion longer, I will send you tomorrow morning. I myself am not sure the scenery in Alphiella can satisfy you.”

“No problem, Marchioness Grandall. I'll be back at the palace this afternoon. If word of my disappearance gets wider, the diplomatic relations between the Solfilyan Empire and the Rozen Kingdom will have a rift.”

“Good. Liam will take you to reach close to the palace.”

Liam nodded and immediately walked over to prepare the necessary equipment.

“Thank you, Marchioness Grandall. I promise I won't open my mouth about you.”

Leana could feel her smile throbbing. Really a very sensitive person.

“I also thank you for your kindness. I hope you are safe until destination.”

When Marquis Giovanne had already completely disappeared, Leana wiped her smile and began to return seriously.

“Solas.”

“Iya, mistress?”

“Search everyone who has lived in Alphiella and ask how far they remember about Alphiella. Adde will soon provide you with old Alphiella population data.”

“I understand, mistress.”

Leana looked out the window.

No ceasing the expanse of barren land greeted his eyes as if he was in a different world than when he was in Grandall or Solfilyan palace.

‘What is Alphiella actually hiding?’

Was he wrong in choosing Alphiella?

Now the potential failure of his plan began to crawl his mind.