Lara had been putting it off for a while because Demian's story came out unexpectedly, but she actually had something to say to Sebastian.
"Sebastian, I have something to tell you."
"Go on."
"I plan to disclose about father's corruption so that mother can get a divorce easily."
"Pardon?"
His grayish-brown hair, which was oiled and neatly fixed, was slightly disorganized.
Looking at his face, he looked like he was in a bind, so Lara told him first before Sebastian could say anything.
"Father has been providing drugs to the Temple of Glory for years."
"Pardon?"
"It's a drug that is not only banned in both the Empire and Hautean but also in most countries on the continent. Because it's made by black sorcerer."
"Milady, wait a second."
"We have to blow it up now, while the whole country is noisy with the appearance of the black sorcerer."
"Come here."
Sebastian reached out to Lara. His face hardened and looked pale.
When Lara grabbed his hand, Sebastian took her to the carriage.
"Let's go."
Sebastian started talking only after the horseman made the carriage depart.
"How did you know about that?"
"Is that important?"
"It is."
What should I make up to answer that?
I can't just tell him that I came back in time and that this is my second life. I will have to make a good excuse.
"That conceited Temple of Glory will do anything if it's a request from father. So I just kept an eye on them because they look suspicious."
"That's all?"
"The relationship between father, the Prince, and the temple is closer than ever. If they make up their mind, it's not that big of a deal for them to make a saintess."
Lara skillfully mixed facts, lies, and assumptions.
Sebastian looked at her with a blank look. He took off his hat, put it on his knee, and slowly started talking.
"Actually about that… Madam Isadora already knows about it to some extent."
"What?"
She did not think that her mother would not know anything.
But she did not expect her mother to already know about it at this time.
"Both Madam Isadora and I already know that Marquess of Bailey is committing an unforgivable crime. But the Marquess…is your father, so we are just pretending that we don't know anything in order to not bother him as much as we could."
"You don't have to do that."
"Madam Isadora is worried about you. She's afraid that if something goes wrong with Marquess of Bailey, the aftermath will reach milady."
'I'm the obstacle once again.'
Lara could not hide her sigh.
How heavy was I as the shackles to my mother?
She waited until her daughter became an adult before leaving the house, she endured it even when she wanted a divorce, and she's even turning a blind eye when her husband is committing a crime.
"Sebastian, what do you think I should do?"
"Is my opinion important?"
"Yes. You're the closest person to my mother."
After hearing Lara, Sebastian looked deeply troubled. The wrinkles around his eyes flinched.
"Milady."
"Go on."
"Madam Isadora has suffered for a very long time as a member of House of Bailey. They ostracised her, saying that she's a lowly merchant, a commoner, but they have no problem using her money."
Lara's face hardened.
She knew about that fact, but she still felt angry about it.
"But she endured everything. Even though there were a lot of people who told her that it'd be better if she brought you to live far away, she persevered calmly."
"Because of me…"
"Milady, you're the one and only future of House of Bailey."
"Pardon?"
The sound of the horse's hooves was loud. It was a quiet road, so the horseman was speeding up.
Sebastian grinned and said.
"Madam Isadora wants to make you the Marquess."
Lara did not know about that. She became speechless and calmed down her restless heart for a while.
She did not know her mother had such a plan.
The Marquess?
Her father had no other children than Lara, she was the only heir to the House of Bailey.
But that was not what Lara wanted. Marquess of Bailey's hands were already too filthy. It would not be happy nor would it be rewarding to inherit such a family.
Moreover, Lara had already decided to sever ties with her father.
"I don't want to be the Marquess of Bailey."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, I want to throw everything away."
Lara's voice was cold.
Sebastian silently nodded and put his hat back on.
"Fine. I will try to convince Madam Isadora."
He flashed a wide smile.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Ever since the assassination attempt on Princess Sonnet, The perception of the black sorcerer was worse than ever.
Therefore, Lara thought that now was a perfect time.
If only she could get her hands on solid evidence that Marquess of Bailey had a connection with the black sorcerers, then not only would Marquess of Bailey divorce with her mother, but also be banished with nothing left for him.
What should I do?
It was not good to approach her father and the temple from the start. They would risk their lives to escape, they could even kill everyone involved and destroy all the evidence.
Sebastian did not want Lara to face them in person.
He said that he would take care of sending someone to the temple, so Lara should see if any rumors were circulating about the black sorcerer among the nobles.
"Please always be careful."
"Yes, I will keep that in mind."
Sebastian was worried that Lara would get in trouble again.
Even when he turned the carriage around to take her to the manor, he kept on warning her not to go anywhere by herself. Lara told him not to worry because she already had a promise with her friends today.
Then, with a strange look, he asked Lara, 'Are you talking about Young Lady Dvonn and Young Lady Swavy?'
Lara told Sebastian that Eunice and Ximena were not as bad as their rumors. He made her feel touched when he said, 'I trust your choice.'
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
"Lara!"
Eunice and Ximena rushed frantically to Lara's house as soon as they got her contact.
"Are you not hurt? I heard you got burned. I can't believe there was a black sorcerer there. But why were you even there? Did you wish to run away forever after living an up and down life? Are you out of your mind? You're totally out of your mind!"
"Eunice, calm down."
"I know you want to stand against your father. But how can you side with the Princess? What are you going to do when Prince Sidhar becomes the King later? I was much better than you when I set fire to my father's bedroom. You're seriously…"
"Ximena, it's not like that."
It was hectic when both of them nagged at the same time.
Lara tried her best to make excuses, but Eunice and Ximena only lowered their voices after pouring out all the nagging they had prepared.
"Because of you… Whew, we seriously feel like our life spans have been reduced."
"I'm sorry."
Lara, who had been listening to their nagging for so long, went out in the carriage only when Eunice—who was tired from hunger—started looking for food.
Then, she asked what she was curious about in the carriage.
"You know, Eunice."
"What, what?"
"I heard there's a black sorcerer in the capital who distributes drugs… Have you heard of it?"
"You want to meet a black sorcerer?"
Eunice shrieked and shouted.
Eunice, who was painting her lips in the moving carriage with gestures close to an acrobatic, ruined her makeup because of Lara's outrageous remarks.
"You crazy bish! Get it together. I know we're the most reckless damsels in Hautean but meeting a demon is not right. That's wrong! I still don't want to die. I extremely cherish my body. That's why I only drink alcohol that's good for my body!"
"She's right, Eunice always drinks ripe wine only."
Ximena laughed and chimed in, but Eunice told her not to ask about that.
"You don't even go to the temple and you want to meet the black sorcerer? You'll be tortured if you get caught! Do you wish to die early?"
"No."
Lara laughed and handed over her handkerchief. Then, she said to them.
"I'm asking you not because I want to meet a black sorcerer, but just as a precautionary measure in case I meet one. I wonder if you have heard anything about them."
"I don't know, you demon!"
"Okay, I will just figure it out myself."
Lara was just trying her luck because Ximena and Eunice were infamous for having big ears, but as expected, their responses were intense.
In Hautean, a black sorcerer refers to an immoral person who borrows and uses forbidden power from the demon.
Furthermore, the demon and its followers were considered as great evil that must be defeated in the Temple of Glory.
Demian, who stopped the black sorcerer to protect Princess Sonnet, could become a hero. If only he had not said that he had done so on impulse while trying to protect Lara, he would have been the escort knight for the royal family, instead of for Lara.
Lara wished she could meet the black sorcerer that was taken to the royal palace's prison, but that was impossible.
I need to get the evidence. Where should I go to meet them? Should I put a commission in the mercenary guild without Sebastian knowing?
When Lara was thinking about such things, Ximena, who was wiping the red line on Eunice's cheek, vaguely smiled and said to her.
"Lara, I have heard something before…"
"Don't tell her!"
"No, it's no big deal. I'm not even sure about its authenticity."
"Hey!"
Eunice shrieked and shouted again, but Ximena rubbed her friend's face and firmly finished her sentence.
"I heard that there's a black sorcerer under the bridge selling a great aphrodisiac."
"What?"
"I heard it's disgustingly expensive but people are desperate to get the drug. They said regardless of gender, with just one sip, you can spend the night and keep going beyond the climax… What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"How did you know about that?"
"Of course because… Hey, I didn't take it. Really, I only heard about it! These bishes! I can perform fine without using such a drug, okay? I'm totally fine, huh?"
No one said anything.
"Hey!"
Lara and Eunice shrugged at the same time.