This Time, To The Believed Path
The Grand Deal

“Please follow me.”

Leana and Dean follow Illiam down a secret path. This was the secret passage used by the shadow to meet the Grand Duke.

Of course Leana knew the way as she was one of their former members.

As she sees a wooden door with a fancy carving, Leana stops Illiam.

“Wait a minute, there is something I want to tell you.”

Illiam looked at Leana for a moment before replying.

“What is it, mistress?”

“My other name is Rein and the one behind me is Dean. Please keep that in mind and don't tell the Grand Duke. I'll tell him myself.”

William did not reply and only nodded then opened the door. From inside the room the moonlight stretched coloring the entire room.

“Sir, your guest has arrived.”

Inside the blue room, a man with very dark blue hair was sitting on the sofa. His night blue eyes looked at him and he smiled.

What piqued his mind was how the Grand Duke's face was much easier compared to what Leana remembered.

“Please enter. I've been waiting for you, Marchioness Leana Grandall.” Said the Grand Duke, welcoming Leana with a graceful and dignified gesture.

Leana sat across from the Grand Duke while Dean stood not far behind her. Illiam who finished preparing tea for the two also placed a position behind the Grand Duke.

“I heard you want to talk to me, Marchioness?”

“You're right, Grand Duke. Earlier please forgive my sassness but I will go straight to the point. Grand Duke Volfelance, I want to make cooperation with you.”

The Grand Duke was still putting on his smile yet Leana could feel her gaze become a little sharper. Not only the Grand Duke, but he also possessed it from the direction of Illiam.

Leana continued.

“Why should I make cooperation with you? What is the advantage for me?”

Of course Leana wasn't in front of him empty-handed.

“I and you have the same destination.”

“What purpose do you mean?”

“Duke Leon Gwertivare.” The temperature in the room immediately decreased. “You're watching his movements, aren't you?”

This time the Grand Duke's eyes emitted a dangerous light. He had seen it before but he did not think he would get it directly from him.

Leana held back her fear and kept a confident smile on her face.

“It looks like you are quite shrewd in gathering information.”

“I just happen to have information that you can't get right now. But this information relates to what might happen in the future.” Leana.

Grand Duke snorted comically at Leana's words.

“You say as if you can see the future.” Grand Duke said in a joking tone.

Leana slightly widened her smile. The tension started to subside a little.

“If I say yes will you believe?”

Illiam's gaze was piercingly upon Leana but he tried to ignore it and continued to look straight at the Grand Duke.

“Can you prove those words?”

“Grand Duke, you are the one who gave a name to your shadow member, right?”

The smile on Grand Duke's face increasingly disappeared and the aura emanated became a little more serious.

Ahh, Leana made him angry…

“If you give me a name, about what name will you give me?”

The cold aura stopped and became normal.

The Grand Duke who heard Leana's question looked puzzled but he began to think of the name that would be given to Leana.

Illiam who was behind him was familiar with the behavior of his contractor who was serious in thinking of a name and he could only resign.

After a moment of silence, the Grand Duke opened his voice.

“Rein.”

Illiam flinched and subconsciously opened his voice.

“Cannot be!”

The Grand Duke turned his head towards Illiam who immediately closed his mouth and reorganized his attitude.

Illiam is not the one who would behave like that. What the hell is going on?

The Grand Duke looked at Leana suspiciously.

“What is this?”

“Then, what about my colleague behind?”

The Grand Duke frowned even more.

Dean taps on his mask and raises his face as Adde.

The Grand Duke looked at Dean who was behind Leana closely. Dean just fell silent not flinching.

“I think the name that suits him is... ‘Dean’.”

Clataks

The Grand Duke turned his head back towards Illiam who closed his eyes tightly as if holding something back. From the beginning he gave his two guests names, something was not right with his reflection.

“One more, if you may know why the reason you gave me the name ‘Rein’?”

The smile on Grand Duke's face faded. It seemed like his patience was slowly beginning to erode.

“Either why when I saw you, Marchioness, I imagined a heavy rain atmosphere which is a good sign. Is that enough to answer your question?” The Grand Duke.

Leana glanced at Dean and nodded. The Grand Duke who was watching his guests and the strange demeanor of his shadow was increasingly shrouded in suspicion and bewilderment.

“Now, can you explain what is really going on right now?” asked the Grand Duke in a serious tone.

“Grand Duke, what do you think when I find out a fact that only you and your shadow members know?”

“The chances are that you kept a spy in my shadow or someone has leaked it out.”

Leana nodded.

“The exact answer is that fact is known from within.”

Grand Duke and Illiam flinched.

“Do you mean there are traitors in my shadow?”

Leana smiled confidently and stared intently at the Grand Duke as if trying to suppress him back.

“True. And the traitor in question is myself.”

Silence again enveloped the room. The Grand Duke tried to digest Leana's words but in the end he found no definitive answer.

“What do you mean?”

“Grand Duke, I was part of your shadow first.” Leana.

“Previous? I've never had a member like you, Marchioness.”

“Then, I want you to listen to my story this.”

Leana also explained about the events in her first life. He did not tell the whole thing to the Grand Duke as a guarantee to himself.

Grand Duke breathed.

“Marchioness, you want me to trust your story?” the Grand Duke said seriously.

“True. This is what I can give you. Information needed to deal with what will happen in the future.”

The two stared at each other intently as if trying to find the reality of his eyelids.

Leana reiterated.

“You have priority to dismantle Duke Leon and I also want to take revenge on him. As a person who had side by side with him, I have an outline of all his plans.”

“If revenge is what you want, can't you do it yourself?”

“True. If this is just revenge, I can do it myself. But at one point, there must have been a time when we met each other for the same purpose. So wouldn't it be better if I established cooperation from the beginning?” Obviously Leana.

“More I have more than one plan and I feel unable to do it alone.” Further.

“So you want to borrow the power of Volfelance?” Leana nodded.

“True, Grand Duke. I want to borrow your strength. I want to split the task so that this plan can be achieved with maximum.”

The Grand Duke placed a hand on his chin and thought of something.

“You are very confident about it.”

“Of course. Because I also use the same way to save yourself from your shadow.”

“…”

“But at that time I owe my life to those of you who have given me a new life as a shadow. I know Marquis Giovanne is an important person for you, which is why I helped him as a form of returning my favor to you.”

The Grand Duke still did not reply and was silent waiting for the continuation of his explanation.

“Grand Duke, I'm not bouncing. If at this time I am still beside him, then what will hinder you in dismantling Duke Leon is myself. I was a strategist in perfecting his entire plan.” Leana.

“He already got his wish once and I don't plan on giving it a second time.”

At any rate, Leana must gain additional power from Grand Duke Volfelance.

War with monsters in the future is not easy. Since he had died, he did not know what happened to the world after his death but he did not want to repeat it again.

He wants to live in peace. That goal will never change.

“Like how you give me strength, I will also give you the right thing. Isn't that win-win?”

“…”

The Grand Duke still did not open his voice. Leana is unable to release any further information now that she has still not secured any cooperation from him.

The Grand Duke closed his eyes and fell silent. Not long after he opened his eyes.

“Did Marquis Grandall know about this?”

“Did you tell me about the existence of your shadow organization to the family, Grand Duke?”

The Grand Duke instantly shut his mouth and chuckled. The woman before him was as hard as the Five Pillars defensive wall.

“True. I won't do it.” He still laughed softly.

The Grand Duke gestured to William and he brought a paper and pen to him. Not long after writing, he gave the paper to Leana.

“This is a requirement from me. Please input your desired requirements at will.”

Leana digested the requirements that the Grand Duke had given her and then wrote down hers. He returned the paper to the Grand Duke for another check.

“Good. In this way a cooperation has been formed between Volfelance and Grandall.”

“Ah, my shadow organization works at Alphiella so Grandall has absolutely no relationship except me.” Obviously Leana.

The Grand Duke was now looking at him with interest.

“Interesting once. It's really smart to use abandoned territory as a shadow headquarters. I miscalculated you.”

The Grand Duke spiked the requirement sheet with his signature, as did Leana.

“Thank you, Grand Duke.”

“Ah, since we are already fellow shadow organizations, I hope you can just call me my name. Too formal makes me choked in this.”

“Alright, Mr. Eclipse. Please call me with Leana too.”

Eclipse nodded and leaned his body on the sofa.

“So can I know your plans for now?”

“Of course. Since the cooperation has been established I will leave the affairs regarding Duke Leon to you. Soon, I will send you full information about the current and future plans of the Grand Duke.”

“I understand. What will you do then?”

“I still overcome the problems surrounding Alphiella and am gathering strength little by little.” Obviously Leana.

Eclipse took a slow look at his words and he suddenly recalled something. A grin was immediately painted on his face.

“But hearing from your story doesn't it mean you stole a future asset belonging to Grand Duke, Miss Leana?”

Leana immediately put on her innocent mask and smiled innocently at him.

“Oh gosh. I don't know what you mean!” leana.

“Haha, cunning basics..”

Leana took the tea at the table and wiped it. Illiam's tea was one of his favorites when it came to shadows.

“...and Lady Leana.”

Leana looked at Eclipse who put a familiar face on her memory. He looked at Leana as if he had met a distant family that he had not found for a long time.

He didn't know why Eclipse put on the face, but he tried to ignore it and calm down.

“What's up, Mr Eclipse?”

“If you don't mind, I also want to hear stories about your time with us.”

Leana widened her eyes. He did not expect Eclipse to be interested in it.

“No problem. Then if allowed, I also want to ask for time to get acquainted with each other with your shadow members.”

Leana looked at Illiam who was staring back at her.

Illiam was a teacher to Leana and he respected her a lot even though their relationship was different at the moment.

“From your story, it looks like you are my student even though I never remember teaching you.” Said Illiam flatly.

Eclipse turned towards Illiam with a frown.

“Illiam's. If indeed Madame Leana is your student, you should be able to tell the difference in technique that the Volfelance shadow has with the other shadows, right? Until you can prove it, there's no need to be too cold.” Eclipse.

Illiam looked at his contractor for a while and then nodded.

“I understand.” William looked back at Leana. “Please specify the time, mistress.”

Leana smiled and replied. “Thank you, Mr. Illiam. I'll match the time with you later.”

After finishing her tea, Leana got up from her place and put on the hood of her robe.

“As per the requirements, I will send you the file regarding Duke Leon as soon as possible. Then I'm sorry. Thank you for your time, Mr. Eclipse.”

“No problem. In return I will also give you information about Grandall later.” Eclipse said casually.

Leana stopped and turned to Eclipse. Information about Grandall?

Eclipse just smiled and waved to him. Leana left without an answer.

“I am waiting for the information you will provide later, miss Leana.”