≈ Chapter 7 ≈
Without thinking, Anais quickly covered herself.
She was wearing a long pink silk robe that covered her body well, but it was still not something she could appear in front of an unfamiliar man wearing.
Especially not in front of a madman who had kicked open the bedroom door of an unmarried lady!
“Miss Anais Fleur.”
The madman called her name the moment he stepped inside.
Anais froze with her mouth slightly open.
Because…
The madman was unbelievably handsome.
His flaxen hair was too dark to be called blonde, yet too light to be called straw-colored.
His light-colored hair had been carelessly brushed back.
The only reason such a rough hairstyle looked so attractive…
Was because of the man’s exceptionally handsome face.
His eyebrows were darker than his hair.
Strong brow bones rested beneath them.
A sharp nose ran down the center of his face.
And between those cold, sharp features…
Were eyes the color of autumn grass, slightly warmer than his hair.
He was also incredibly tall.
At least two heads taller than most people.
His broad shoulders and wide chest made him stand out even more.
Since Belfast was a port city, Anais was already used to seeing sailors and naval officers with strong, muscular bodies.
But this man…
Made even those sailors look ordinary.
“W-Who are you…?”
Anais stammered.
The man answered as if he were used to reactions like hers.
“I am Elliott Thessaloniki.”
It was a name she didn’t recognize.
Yet…
It somehow sounded familiar.
Instead of searching her memory any further, Anais frowned.
“And who exactly are you?”
“…Hmm.”
The man’s expression darkened slightly.
Thessaloniki…
She was sure she had heard that family name somewhere before.
But as far as Anais could remember…
There was no Thessaloniki family in Belfast’s noble society.
So he’s probably just another spoiled young master relying on his famous family name.
Anais calmly organized her thoughts.
From what she had learned…
Her reputation had already become that of a swindler because of everything that had happened over the past year.
More than a hundred noble families had invested money in her.
The worst part was…
The list of those investors wasn’t written anywhere in the diary.
That was why she had searched her entire room until dawn yesterday.
That was also why she had gone to bed so late.
“Are you… one of my investors?”
Anais asked calmly.
Instead of answering…
The man simply sighed.
It was the kind of sigh that clearly said,
Do I really have to explain this?
Anais immediately became annoyed.
“I’m sorry, but if you’re one of my investors, would you please wait in the drawing room?”
“As you can see, Anais is badly injured.”
“You’re being very rude.”
“Miss…”
Anne tried to stop her.
Anais shook off her hand.
Let go, Nanny.
That rude man—
Just then…
Someone suddenly appeared from behind the man.
“Ah! We’re terribly sorry!”
“But that’s impossible!”
Now who is this?
Anais narrowed her eyes.
Another man wearing the same uniform stepped forward.
He seemed to be Elliott’s companion.
Unlike Elliott…
He was much rounder.
No…
He was actually quite chubby.
The man with the smooth, shiny face grinned cheerfully and waved both hands.
“Greetings!”
“My name is Atlas Worsbone!”
“I’m Sir Elliott’s deputy commander!”
“Atlas.”
The handsome man spoke his name like a warning.
But Atlas paid no attention.
He simply smiled brightly.
“Our entrance was a little rude, wasn’t it?”
“We understand!”
“But it couldn’t be helped!”
“We’re planning to keep being rude from now on!”
“So please get used to it!”
“…What?”
Anais stared at him in disbelief.
Atlas clasped both hands together with a bright smile.
“You must be in a lot of pain.”
“Don’t worry!”
“You might be in even more pain later!”
“…Excuse me?”
“And don’t mind our Commander looking surprised.”
“That’s understandable!”
“He never imagined there would be someone who didn’t know the name Elliott Thessaloniki!”
…What are they talking about?
Anais looked back and forth between the two men.
Then she turned toward Anne.
She was about to ask which crazy servant had allowed these lunatics into the Fleur mansion.
Instead…
Anne looked even more shocked than she did.
“Miss…”
“Don’t you know?”
“Know what?”
“Lord Thessaloniki…”
Then who is he?!
Anais was about to shout in frustration.
But suddenly…
Something clicked.
That familiar name…
“Still, this is good news, Commander.”
Atlas continued chatting happily.
Only Atlas.
The Commander frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Well…”
“Almost everyone on the continent knows the name Elliott Thessaloniki.”
“Except Possessors.”
Possessors.
The moment she heard that word…
Anais quickly turned her head.
Atlas smiled brightly at her and waved both hands again.
“Exactly!”
Anais slowly looked back at the Commander.
Commander.
Thessaloniki.
Flaxen hair.
Autumn grass-colored eyes.
…No way.
Her lips slowly parted.
“You’re…”
“The famous Commander of the Blue Dragon Knights?”
“Wrong!”
Atlas happily pointed at her.
“Too late!”
“Pretending to recognize him now won’t help, Miss Possessor!”
Anais covered her mouth.
Why hadn’t she recognized that name sooner?
Why hadn’t she realized it the moment she saw both men wearing the same uniform?
Elliott Thessaloniki.
The son of the prestigious Thessaloniki family.
The Commander of the Blue Dragon Knights who protected the continent.
And…
The executioner of Possessors.
“Please come with us peacefully!”
It’s not me!
I’m not the Possessor!
They’re gone!
They already disappeared!
*
Anais panicked.
Am I going to die…?
Right now?
But she forced herself to calm down.
Panicking wouldn’t solve anything.
She had to understand the situation first.
At least one thing was certain.
The two men standing in her room were not crazy.
And worrying about the fact that she was still wearing her nightgown wasn’t important anymore.
The important thing…
Was convincing them that she wasn’t the Possessor.
Anais desperately thought of a way.
At least…
They didn’t seem ready to cut off her head immediately.
After all…
They had said they were taking her somewhere.
Most likely…
To the Black Dragon.
“I understand what you’re saying.”
“But… the Possessor…”
“They’re already gone.”
Anais tried her best to explain.
But inside…
She felt completely wronged.
I’m really going to die like this?
That’s ridiculous!
She had only woken up yesterday.
Everything around her had already fallen apart.
She had barely begun trying to fix the disaster…
And now the Blue Dragon Knights had appeared.
Not while the Possessor was here…
But only after Anais had returned.
“You should’ve come sooner!”
“Anais is the real victim!”
Of course…
The two men didn’t believe her.
“Haha!”
Atlas laughed proudly.
“We’ve already seen a Possessor act exactly like this!”
“She was the Twenty-Seventh Possessor!”
“But I’m telling the truth!”
Anais tried desperately to explain.
She didn’t even have time to explain anything to Anne, who stood nearby in complete confusion.
Holding her diary tightly…
She pointed to everything she had discovered the previous night.
“Anais is the victim!”
“My last memory is falling asleep while looking forward to my nineteenth birthday!”
“Oh dear.”
“You’re quite a convincing actress.”
“It would be much better if you simply came with us.”
“I’m telling the truth!”
Atlas folded his arms.
His expression became much more intimidating.
Anais looked at Elliott instead.
So far…
Only the deputy commander had been speaking.
“Commander.”
“Anais isn’t lying.”
“I swear on the honor of the Fleur family.”
The moment her eyes met his…
His expression changed slightly.
He had been watching her all along without speaking.
Finally…
He opened his mouth.
“…About that honor.”
“Do you realize it doesn’t mean much anymore?”
“Haha!”
Atlas interrupted again.
“Very well said!”
He winked and snapped his fingers.
“By the way, Miss.”
“Our investigation revealed that someone from the Thessaloniki family also invested in your business.”
“…What?”
Anais stared blankly.
The Thessaloniki family had invested money too?
In her—
No…
In that swindler.
Just then Elliott stopped Atlas.
“Atlas.”
“That’s enough.”
“Yes, Commander.”
The deputy commander, who had interrupted everything Anais said until now…
Immediately fell silent.
Anais stared blankly at Elliott.
He looked strangely troubled.
Then…
He said something she never expected.
“…First of all…”
“Are your injuries all right?”
“…I’m sorr—”
“What?”
Anais stopped herself.
She had almost apologized out of habit.
Instead…
She stared at him in confusion.
He’s… worried about me?
She was certain she hadn’t misheard.
Only moments ago…
Atlas had clearly said that the Thessaloniki family had lost money because of the Possessor.
Everything Anais had learned from the diary proved that the Possessor had done nothing but ruin her life.
So naturally…
The Thessaloniki family must have suffered losses as well.
And yet…
He was asking about her injuries.
What’s his plan…?
Atlas hadn’t listened to a single word she said.
And Elliott was his superior.
So surely…
This kindness was only another trick to lure her away.
It had to be.
It…
“Ah.”
Atlas suddenly pointed at her in surprise.
Even Elliott blinked his autumn-colored eyes.
Because—
“Ah…”
Tears suddenly rolled down Anais’s cheeks.
For the first time since waking up… someone had asked if she was all right.
