Camilla had suspected from the beginning that Amy might have died by suicide.

But the expression on Amy’s face as she stared into Professor JB’s room was anything but ordinary.

“Hey, don’t tell me you…”

[There’s no need to ask those women.]

Amy’s voice finally broke the silence.

[I already know everything Professor JB did.]

So she was a victim too?

Camilla let out a long sigh. Just how many people has that man killed?

But what Amy said next left her utterly stunned.

[Professor JB,] Amy said with a bitter smile on her lips.

[He’s my brother.]

“What?”

[My real brother.]

Camilla’s mouth fell open in shock, words failing her.

 

 Chapter 48 : 

 Chapter 48: Shadows and Secrets

Luve’s face turned cold, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. However, he quickly masked it with a smile, as if nothing had happened.

“I’m not sure I understand. Perhaps I misheard….”

“I know you’re the head of the organization, Luve.”

Black Shadow.

An organization that had existed since the founding of the Sorpel family.

It was a gathering of people who worked in the shadows, carrying out all sorts of tasks, primarily collecting information.

Spread across the continent, Black Shadow fed all kinds of intelligence back to the organization and discreetly carried out covert missions under the Sorpel family’s orders.

Camilla had always been curious about the exact nature of those “covert missions,” but she had refrained from digging too deeply.

“Miss…”

Luve’s expression became complicated, torn between what he wanted to say and where to even begin.

“Come see me later,” Camilla said.

Without waiting for a response, she dragged her exhausted body toward her room, ignoring the persistent gaze she felt from Luve behind her.

‘So tired. Just tired.’

***

“Why did you call me?”

“Just thought we could have some tea together.”

“What?”

“I said, let’s have some tea.”

“What did you eat for lunch?”

Duke Jabilon clicked his tongue. Clearly, the man had eaten something bad.

“Have you gone senile at your age?”

When he’d received the urgent summons, he thought it must be something important. Rushing to respond, he prepared for a serious discussion. Instead, it was… tea?

“Tea?”

He’d been summoned for something as trivial as having tea?

“I got a message from the school today,” said Duke Sorpel.

“The school?”

Jabilon immediately clicked his tongue again. Recently, things had been relatively calm, but clearly, Camilla had gotten herself into trouble again.

“What did she do this time?”

“What?”

“Did she grab another young lady by the hair?”

“You think my daughter causes trouble all the time?”

“Then what?”

Duke Sorpel cleared his throat, regaining his composure.

“Well, my daughter…”

“What about her?”

“She ranked first.”

“…What?”

“She placed first in the midterm exams.”

“….”

Jabilon was silent for a long moment, wondering if he had misheard.

“First place?”

“Yes, first!”

“Just to clarify… you didn’t summon me just to brag about that, did you?”

“She got first.”

“And?”

“I’m saying she got first!”

…He’s lost it.

Jabilon was at a loss for words. Was this really why he’d been summoned so urgently? Seriously?

He’d been told to rush over, expecting some calamity, only to find this nonsense waiting for him.

“You crazy fool!”

“How am I crazy?”

“Let me ask one last time. You really summoned me just to brag about that?”

“She got first!”

“My son’s always been first! Stop calling people over for nonsense like this! What’s so special about your child doing well on a test?”

Jabilon stood and shouted, his exasperation so great that he felt a sharp twinge in the back of his neck.

“Is it wrong to be proud?”

A quiet voice broke through, and Jabilon turned his head, his expression puzzled.

Duke Sephra, who had been silently sipping tea all this time, muttered gloomily to himself.

“Fifth place is still a high rank….”

“What?”

What is this guy even talking about?

Ignoring him, Jabilon pointed accusingly at Sorpel and resumed shouting.

“Stop being so childish! We’re too old for this nonsense!”

He couldn’t believe this. The same man who had been so composed even when Ludville became a Swordmaster was now acting like this?

‘Has he really gone senile?’

Jabilon clicked his tongue repeatedly.

“Is it wrong to be happy?”

Once again, Duke Sephra muttered in a small voice, his mood sinking even further.

“Fifth place… fifth is good too….”

What’s wrong with everyone today?

Jabilon massaged his temples, trying to ward off the headache that was building. He didn’t know why all his friends were acting this way.

Knock, knock.

The sound of a knock preceded someone stepping into the room. Camilla rose from her seat to greet the arrival.

It was Luve—not as a butler but as the head of Black Shadow.

Unlike his usual manner, he didn’t bother with polite formalities. Black Shadow bowed only to one person—the head of the Sorpel family. To anyone else, there was no need for deference.

“What is the reason for summoning me?”

Straight to the point. Camilla appreciated that and handed him the prepared documents.

“Look into these people.”

Luve accepted the papers and scanned their contents.

“Who are they?”

“The dead.”

“…Pardon?”

“Find out how they died and what happened afterward. I want all the details.”

The documents contained information about the women Professor JB had killed, based on what Camilla had learned from the ghostly student, Amy.

‘Your brother, really?’

[Yes.]

‘So your brother really killed all those women?’

[…He did.]

What Amy revealed next had left Camilla utterly speechless. The professor’s motive for murder was absurd beyond belief.

[My brother and I lived in an orphanage. Then I got adopted before him.]

The place Amy had been adopted into was far from ideal. She was constantly hungry and forced to work endlessly. She hadn’t been taken in as family but as a servant.

[Eight years later, my brother, having made something of himself, came to take me away.]

But Amy’s adoptive parents refused to let her go unless he paid them back for the cost of raising her.

Professor JB had done everything in his power to bring Amy back, but—

[I ended up dead.]

Her adoptive parents claimed it was an unfortunate accident, but that was far from the truth. They had driven Amy to her death.

[That’s when my brother’s crimes began.]

It was as though a switch had flipped in him. His actions became reckless, almost uncontrollable.

‘What a lunatic.’

If he had exacted revenge solely on those who had killed Amy, she might not have cheered him on, but she would have understood.

‘But why target innocent women?!’

Amy seemed to know more, but she hadn’t shared anything beyond the victims’ personal details.

“I have one question.”

“What is it?”

Luve’s voice brought Camilla out of her thoughts.

“How did you know?”

He stared directly into her eyes, his gaze sharp and probing, as though daring her to lie.

“That I’m the head of Black Shadow… or anything about our organization?”

Black Shadow existed entirely in the shadows. Its existence was not something people could easily learn about.

Even within the Sorpel family, only one person, the Duke himself, knew the full truth. Not even Ludville, the next in line, was aware.

Yet here was Camilla, not only speaking its name but also identifying Luve as its leader.

“Luve.”

“Yes.”

Camilla lowered her voice. This was the question she had expected, and she was prepared.

“I just saw it.”

“Saw it?”

“Yes. When I look at you, things keep revealing themselves to me.”

“….”

“I saw people calling you their leader. I also saw how much Father values you.”

She played her trump card with her usual excuse. 

What could anyone do if she said she saw it?

“Is that your answer?”

“Yes.”

“So you learned the name Black Shadow the same way?”

“Exactly.”

“Miss, do you expect me to believe—”

“Luve, did you forget?”

Before he could finish, Camilla drove the point home, her expression turning brazen and imperious.

“I’m the one who found the Divine Beast’s egg.”

“…That’s true.”

At those words, Luve reluctantly nodded. There had always been something uncanny about her abilities.

Finding the Divine Beast’s egg had been nothing short of miraculous, a feat no one could explain except as her unique gift.

Camilla cheered inwardly.

‘Of course, it’s all a lie.’

No matter how many times she had experienced this world, Camilla didn’t know everything.

The information about Luve and Black Shadow had come from the ghostly butler, Derin .

‘It was suspicious from the start.’

When she had fought Jude at the Spirit Lake, Derin  had recited detailed information about him. He had even revealed what Jude had done to other noblewomen.

‘Jude was shocked, and so was I.’

She’d been amazed at how much Derin  knew.

But to think—

‘Derin  was the previous head of Black Shadow.’

It turned out the Sorpel family’s butlers weren’t ordinary at all. Derin  had trained Luve as his successor while he was still alive.

‘I suspected he wasn’t just some old man….’

When she first met Derin, she thought his physique was unusually fit for his age. Lean and agile, he had no excess weight.

The same was true of Luve.

‘I thought all the butlers here were just like that.’

She had assumed physical fitness was a requirement for being a butler.
***

---

SIDE STORY. A Good Person

“My sweet, kind Petro.”

Mother had always been frail. She was constantly sick and struggled even to walk long distances.

Naturally, it became my daily routine to stay by her side and help her however I could.

“Mommy’s so happy to have you, Petro.”

I never wanted to see her sad.
I believed that being kind and upright was what made her happy.

“How fortunate you are, madam.”
“Indeed, to have such a fine son.”

Whenever I helped others, Mother would smile.
And when people praised me, she seemed especially delighted. The sickly pallor that never left her face would briefly give way to a warm flush. In those moments, she looked almost healthy.

“When my son smiles, I feel happy too.”

So I always smiled brightly. Because when I smiled, she did too.

“My Petro is such a good boy.”

So I always helped others. I never showed dislike or hesitation.
Because that’s what made her happy.

“You must always help those in need.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“And always be kind to others.”
“Yes.”
“You must become a good person.”
“Yes…”

Yes, Mother.

---

Even after she passed, my life didn’t change.
Kindness had become a habit. Smiling was the only expression I knew.

“Lord Petro!”
“Petro!”

My constant kindness and smile always attracted people.
I didn’t think it was a bad thing.
Whether sincere or not, kindness never harmed anyone.

Of course—

“Kyaaa!”
“Someone stop Lady Camilla!”
“What’s going on?!”
“Heavens!”

That day, I didn’t know why I acted the way I did.

When I saw two young noblewomen pulling each other’s hair at the party—
And realized one of them was the woman who had persistently followed me—

I turned away.

Normally, I would’ve stepped in to defuse the situation without hesitation.
Sigh.

But that day, I felt tired.
Without a moment’s pause, I left.

Soon after, guilt gnawed at me. Overwhelmed by remorse, I returned to the hall immediately.

But by then, everything was over.
The two ladies who had caused the scene—Camilla and Lady Juella, my partner—were gone.

After that, Lady Camilla disappeared from view.
Even though I had never wanted it, I used to see her daily. But the next time I saw her was… at a cemetery.

It was my mother’s memorial. I was visiting with friends, and she happened to be there.

I thought she had come after me—again. She always had.

But—

Swish—

She passed me by without even looking.
Brow furrowed, completely ignoring me.

Since then, she was… different.
She no longer followed me.
Barely showed herself at all.

That frantic, anxious girl was gone.
Seeing her dozing off casually in the training grounds had been downright shocking.

And the strange thing—
I kept looking at her.

Her presence next to Arision became more frequent, and somehow it irritated me even more.

Thud! Whack!

Arision. He was hitting someone again.
I didn’t hear the reason. Then again, when had he ever needed a reason?

“……”

I should stop him.
But I didn’t want to.

I just silently watched as he threw his fists without a care for anyone’s gaze.

Watching him—
For some reason, I felt… heavy.

How could he live so freely, on his own terms?
Did he really not care about what others thought?

Smack!

“Ugh… p-please, stop…!”

Wham!

Even as the student begged for mercy, I couldn’t move.
My eyes stayed fixed on Arision.

Something felt off inside me.

Splash!

Then suddenly, someone dumped cold water on Arision.
It was Lady Camilla, holding a pitcher from the side of the classroom.

“I’ll leave the cleanup to you.”

She handed off the empty pitcher and walked off with Arision, completely unfazed by the crowd.

I just stood there, staring blankly.

“…Ha. Hahaha!”

I suddenly burst out laughing.
Everyone turned, startled at the inappropriateness of it—but I didn’t care.

“…Haha…”

Come to think of it—
Was this the first time I’d ever ignored how others looked at me?

After that, she spent a lot of time with Arision.
People watched them with curiosity, but neither Camilla nor Arision seemed to care in the slightest.

Why was it?
Why did I suddenly want to insert myself between them?

“Lady Camilla.”

She was wandering around the school, clearly looking for someone.

“Are you looking for Arision?”

When I offered to help, she let out a short sigh.

That had become the most familiar expression she showed me lately.

“Lord Petro.”

“You can just call me Petro.”

Arision called her by name so easily, after all.

She sighed again.

“You don’t have to anymore.”

Don’t have to what?

“You don’t have to offer me insincere kindness anymore.”

Insolent?

Her red eyes met mine head-on.

“You’re a good person, and I’ll acknowledge that. But you don’t need to do it for me anymore.”

I couldn’t say anything.
No, I couldn’t.

It felt like she had exposed something inside me that even I didn’t fully understand.

As she turned and left, countless thoughts swirled through my head.

A good person.
Insincere kindness.

Can someone who offers kindness they don’t mean… really be called a good person?

“Lord Petro!”

Just then, a few young noblewomen approached me, as always.

“What are you doing here?”
“If you’re free, would you like to join us for some tea—”

Their words stopped as soon as they saw my face.
Their expressions changed instantly.

Their eyes widened; their faces stiffened.

And I wondered—what kind of expression was I making right now?

But there was one thing I knew for sure.

‘I’m not smiling right now.’

And maybe—just maybe—this expression was my true face.

“Tea, huh? Sounds good.”

“Ah—yes! Of course!”

But as always, I offered them a gentle smile.
Only then did their faces brighten, convinced they had imagined what they saw.

As I followed behind them, I smiled again.

Brighter than ever.

***

Chapter. Black Shadow

“You’ve returned, my lady.”
“Yeah.”

As soon as she stepped into the mansion, Camilla was greeted by the butler, Luve.

“Hm…”

He stared at her in silence for a moment.

“Shall I prepare a warm cup of tea?”
“No, it’s fine.”

Perhaps her complexion looked worse than usual—Luve’s offer of tea was met with a light shake of her head.

“Where’s Father?”
“Both dukes are here. They’re in the drawing room.”

“Again?”
How long had it even been since their last visit?

‘Don’t tell me they’re back because of the divine beasts again?’

Clicking her tongue quietly, Camilla frowned at the news of the arrival of Duke Jabilon and Duke Sephra.

“Today, our Duke invited them.”
“Invited? Why?”

Was something special happening today?

‘I didn’t hear anything about that.’

It was incredibly rare for all three dukes to gather in one place. Lately, they’d met more frequently because of divine beast-related issues, but for those watching their movements, this unusual frequency would definitely raise eyebrows.

“We received a message today.”
“A message? From where?”

Luve’s smile deepened at Camilla’s question.

“From the academy.”
“Our academy?”
“Yes.”

What now?

‘I don’t think I caused any trouble recently…’

A flicker of anxiety crept in.
She’d been pretty well-behaved lately—at least, she thought so. Could there have been something she did unintentionally?

And what did the academy contacting them have to do with inviting two dukes?

“It didn’t seem to be bad news.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”

Well, that was a relief.

Camilla didn’t press further.
Just from what she’d learned today at school, her head was already a whirlwind—she had no energy left to deal with anything else.

“That insane bastard.”
“…Pardon?”
“Nothing.”

She quickly shook her head at the words that had slipped out and let out a long sigh.

“You seem very tired.”
“Right? Don’t I look exhausted?”

It felt like something happened every other day. Too much.
She was more drained than she had ever been during her acting career—which was saying something.

“A good bowl of samgyetang would really hit the spot right now.”
“Sam… what soup?”
“Never mind.”

Yeah, what was she expecting here?

“Where’s Dormann?”

Now that she thought about it, her attendant was nowhere to be seen.
He always claimed he’d stay by her side, yet he disappeared constantly.

‘Talks a good game.’

She still didn’t understand what “help” he was actually supposed to provide.

“Last I saw, he was busy redecorating your room. The seasons are changing, after all.”

Fine. Let him be diligent about that, at least.

Just hearing about Dormann made her feel even more drained.

“Then I’ll excuse myself now.”
Luve gave a slight bow and began to step away.

“Luve.”

Camilla quietly called him back.
His eyes immediately turned toward her, as if waiting for instructions.

“……”

Camilla glanced around.
Only after confirming there was no one else nearby did she turn her gaze back to him.

“I have a favor to ask.”
“Please, go ahead.”

“This isn’t a favor for the butler.”

“…Pardon?”

A flicker of confusion crossed his face, and Camilla lowered her voice even further.

“Black Shadow.”
“…!”

“It’s a request for the leader of that place.”