This Time, To The Believed Path
First Meetings

“Sway from my wife.”

Leana and Dean froze. Their faces turned pale looking at Forde with his sinister expression.

Leana clenched her slowly cooling hands tightly to maintain her composure. He was not sure if he was breathing or not.

The pressure he was facing was too heavy to stab his chest.

‘Isn't this dangerous?’

Not only did he panic because Forde saw the shadow members but he also began to worry about their safety. Just one look he can tell that Forde is serious about taking out Dean and the other shadows.

What he had to do to overcome this situation. His body that was unable to move seemed to prevent him from making a decision at that very moment.

As Forde began to move towards them, Leana was jolted with realization. He instantly regained the freedom in his body and immediately turned to Dean. He beckoned her to leave immediately.

With the signal, Dean was prepared to leave but without realizing Forde was right behind Leana. His hand was already swung high and ready to slash at Dean.

Dean calmly tried to find a loophole to avoid the attack. Leana reflexively pulls Forde to stop her.

“Forde!”

Shocked by his wife's screams, Forde's attack missed and hit only the air. Dean who managed to dodge was immediately gone from there.

Forde growled in annoyance at Dean's escape and the other shadows.

“Cih, they managed to escape..”.

Forde calmed herself down and turned to Leana to check on her condition. His wife's hands were still firmly holding her clothes until they were slightly flushed. He resolved to equalize the eyes of those who now meet.

As Forde took his wife's cold, trembling hand, he furrowed his brows and clenched his palm as if regretting something.

“Sorry because I'm late, Leana. You'll be fine now.” Said Forde softly.

Leana shook her head and tightly grasped Forde's hand.

Forde raised Leana's body slowly and carried her deeper into her embrace, as if trying to hide it.

Forde becomes upset at the thought of Leana having to go through an explosion incident and having to meet a mysterious person who might be trying to harm her.

Forde continued to hold Leana's hand to appease his wife but the one who wanted to calm down the most was actually himself. He didn't even feel like taking it off.

Iscan who was standing not far from them also moved closer to the two. He carefully asked Leana for her condition.

“Mistress, are you okay?” asked Iscan with a face filled with worry.

Leana felt guilty as Iscan was in trouble for abandoning her duties. Leana simply nodded and then buried her face on Forde's shoulder.

Iscan breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank God, mistress..”

Forde gritted his teeth and turned his body. Iscan froze when faced with Forde's sharp gaze filled with anger.

“Don't think I'll just take you off, Iscan Trian. Explain what happened and I will determine the appropriate punishment for your negligence.” Forde.

His eyes lit up as if they were cutting his throat. Iscan swallowed his saliva heavily and bowed.

“Pardon my negligence, Marquis. I will receive any punishment from you for my negligence in guarding my employer.”

Without retaliating, Forde walked away from the place and Iscan followed him by keeping his distance.

Arriving at the mansion, Forde immediately called a doctor to check on Leana's condition and took her to his room.

After checking in, Forde insisted on taking care of his wife alone and not allowing anyone to approach them even the doctor himself.

Forde continued to be silent without saying a word even though Leana opened her voice first. As usual, Forde slept hugging Leana.

Leana was not hurt but her husband treated her as if she were hurt. Moreover, he now ignored a thousand words by her.

‘Forde expression when we met looks like pain.’

Leana kept thinking of ways to calm her husband all night until he fell asleep.

***

The next morning Forde did not leave Leana's side until noon where he needed to see the chief investigator to discuss the incident.

While she escapes Forde's surveillance, Leana reunites with Adde, who carries reports of an explosion incident. Just in case, he kept Hardie on guard at the door while Iscan was not far from him.

“Mistress, I almost got PTSD.” Say Adde softly.

His face was pale as if he was vomiting. Leana could only look at him guiltily after Forde's first meeting with Dean that didn't make a good impression.

When Leana wanted to open her mouth to apologize, Adde spoke up first.

“I should have gone deeper into the message given by Mr. Albert.”

“Adde, if you plan to become the 2nd Albert, stop it now.” Leana said quickly seriously.

Adde looked at his master in annoyance. Leana can even sense that Adde actually has a plan to at least deliver one hit on his employer's head legally.

“You don't understand how important the message is! Yesterday's event alone was enough to prove it!” exciting Adde.

“That's why I'm sorry! Next time I look for a more effective way to exchange information!”

Adde looked at Leana coldly upon hearing her answer.

“Mistress, you have absolutely no idea what I mean.”

Leana looked at Adde in confusion. Iscan who had been silent walked up to them and bowed slightly to Leana.

“I also apologize, madam. While I was arresting the perpetrator of the blasting, Mr. Forde came to our aid and I cannot completely cover your existence.” Iscan.

“You are not wrong, Mr. Iscan. What about the punishment given by Forde?”

“Because I have found the perpetrator of this incident, I was given leniency. My training time will be doubled and I got special training on holidays with the deputy commander of Weiss.” Answer Iscan.

Leana looked at Iscan with concern. He had indirectly troubled both of them.

“I can't escort you for a while so later Hardie will replace me.”

“Mr Hardie?”

“True. And it seems I am worried that he also needs an explanation from you.”

“Exposure from me?”

Iscan nodded.

“About your plans. He has seen your shadow members, I fear he will later accidentally release telling outsiders.” His word.

Is correct. Hardie has already seen Dean and Veil, especially with Leana saying that they are not enemies. If Hardie reveals it to Forde or an outsider either intentionally or unintentionally, then the plan could have been a bottleneck.

Is it okay to take Hardie to his side?

Although Hardie has no evil intentions but Leana can't fully believe it as she doesn't have much memory of Hardie in her first life.

Leana also realized the figure of Hardie because he was always with Iscan. The two look very close at the moment but perhaps because in his first life he only saw Iscan replacing Weiss as deputy commander, the two of them being rarely seen together.

“I'll think about it.”

“Thank you, madam.” said Iscan and returned to his place.

Leana looked back at Adde.

“How about the Grand Duke party?”

“I have half the reports but he would like to meet you directly to discuss the case of this incident.”

“So yes, I understand..”

The Grand Duke who preferred to tell him directly compared to sending a report gave a hint that this incident was much worse than he had imagined.

What else a virus that has never been found before is believed to be one of the problems.

“Adde, give me paper and pen.”

Adde immediately took the two objects and gave them to Leana. While writing a letter, he gave orders to Iscan.

“Mr Iscan, I want you to go to the residence of Count Vivaldi and deliver this letter. Use Grandall's name and say that this is an emergency. Adde, please give information about the incident and virus to Iscan to deliver later.”

“I will carry it out soon.” Said Iscan and took the letter from Leana's hand then ran away.

“I will be back soon with other reports.” Adde also resigned using a teleportation magic tool.

After the silence came in his place for a while, a knock was heard from behind the door.

“Mistress, it's me Hardie. I heard you call me.”

Leana nodded with a serious look. Seeing this, Hardie became tense.

“Please enter, Mr. Hardie.”

“Then, I excuse you.”

Hardie sat on the sofa in front of Leana. He was silent waiting for the words of his master who was acting very seriously like never before.

After a few seconds of silence, Leana opened her eyes and looked straight into Hardie's eyes. At the time Hardie did not know that he would be drawn to a side he had never seen before.

“Mr Hardie, I will give you an important task but before that I also need your vows and promises without question. Are you ready?”

As Hardie stared at Leana's current figure, she felt a familiarity in her eyes. It was like seeing the same eyes as his commander had when faced with such an important matter.