Chapter 125:To Win His Genuine Heart…

Scratch, scratch.  

The sound of a pen gliding across paper filled the quiet office.  

Inside were Yohan, Elena, and Rudbeckia, but no one spoke. Only their fingertips moved busily as they flipped through documents in silence.  

There was simply too much work to do.  

“….”  

Scratch, scratch.  

While briefly organizing the information brought by the guards regarding the demon lair investigation, Rudbeckia stole a glance to the side.  

Both of them were completely immersed in their work.  

Of course, since this was work time, focusing on tasks was expected, but she had assumed the Purification Bureau would be much more relaxed. Typically, minor tasks would be handled by aides, while the director would only review and approve the documents prepared by subordinates.  

However, all tasks in the Purification Bureau revolved around Yohan.  

It was understandable, given that the institution had just been established, but still—handling this enormous workload alone?  

It was nothing short of astonishing.  

‘As expected of Yohan…’  

A subtle warmth filled Rudbeckia’s gaze as she looked at him. He wasn’t flawless, but no matter the situation, he always gave his all.  

She admired that about him.  

Someone who never brushed things off lightly and saw every task through to the end.  

Yohan had always been that way.  

‘No, this isn’t the time to be thinking about this…!’  

Realizing her thoughts were wandering in an unnecessary direction, Rudbeckia gave a slight shake of her head.  

‘I need an opportunity to build a connection with Yohan…’  

But with how busy he was, there was no chance to naturally cross paths. If things continued like this, she’d just be wasting time. She had to come up with a plan.  

Should she start by tracking his movements? Watching him even after work, following his routine for a few days to get a sense of his schedule? That way, she could find a natural way to interact with him.  

‘Am I being too obsessive…?’  

But that thought didn’t last long. How would that be any different from the past, when she had simply followed him around for her own satisfaction? She couldn’t repeat that mistake. This time, she was determined to win his heart for real.  

‘Still…’  

There’s a saying: know yourself and know your opponent, and you will never be defeated. Not that she was trying to defeat Yohan, but…  

‘Alright, let’s start by figuring out what Yohan is like right now.’  

If this were before her regression, she might already know, but she had no idea what kind of life Yohan led in this timeline. So much had changed from before.  

‘Lunchtime is coming up soon maybe I should ask him to eat together.’  

Knock, knock.  

A knock sounded at the door, followed by a woman’s voice.  

—“Minister, a Highlander Special Knight is here.”  

“Let them in.”  

As the door opened, a woman stepped inside.  

She was stunning, with ash-gray eyes and bright platinum blonde hair, exuding an air of calm elegance.  

‘One of the Four Great Houses.’  

There was no way Rudbeckia wouldn’t recognize the name. The Highlander family was the most prestigious knightly house in the Lozino Empire.  

The woman, holding several documents, spoke.

“This concludes our complete assessment of the western demon lair.”  

“Hmm…”  

Yohan narrowed his eyes as he skimmed through the document he had received. His deep blue eyes traced the words carefully.  

“A single special-class and multiple first-class threats… This place is going to be a headache as well.”  

Placing the document lightly on the desk, Yohan rubbed his temples. It seemed the lair was far from ordinary in scale.  

“What about Eris? Are you hurt anywhere?”  

“M-Me? I’m fine…”  

At Yohan’s concerned question, the woman blushed slightly and turned her gaze away, as if embarrassed.  

Rudbeckia’s eyes narrowed. Her green irises glinted coldly as she observed the interaction.  

‘Would you look at that…?’  

He was just showing concern as a superior for his subordinate. And yet, she was reacting like that blushing, averting her gaze, clearly flustered.  

That wasn’t the kind of reaction someone had simply because they admired another.  

‘This is…’  

It was more than admiration. It was the kind of emotion shared between a man and a woman. A crush.  

And Rudbeckia who had harbored unrequited feelings for Yohan longer than anyone else in this room recognized it instantly.  

Eris Highlander.  

She was in love with Yohan.  

“That’s a relief.”  

“Th-Thank you for worrying about me…”  

When Yohan smiled at her, Eris shrank back even more, unsure of what to do with herself. Her delicate fingers fidgeted nervously, a silent expression of the emotions she couldn’t put into words.  

“It’s almost lunchtime. Have you eaten yet?”  

“Not yet…”  

“Then let’s go together.”  

“Y-Yes…!”  

As Yohan stood up, he turned to his aides.  

“You two, come along as well.”  

“Yes, Minister.”  

“Understood…!”  

Elena put down her work and stood, while Rudbeckia who had been watching Eris hurriedly tidied up her desk.  

And so, Yohan and the three women left the office, heading toward the dining hall.  

The hallway was still quiet, with few people around. A strange silence lingered in the air as they walked.  

Rudbeckia narrowed her eyes. Her gaze landed on Eris.  

‘Should I separate them?’  

A crush wasn’t a crime, but… she still couldn’t shake the thought that Yohan was *hers.*  

It wasn’t rational, but emotions rarely were. Even if Yohan was currently living a polygamous life, that didn’t mean she wanted to stand by and watch him be with another woman.  

Her stare was sharp enough that, as a knight with keen instincts, Eris immediately noticed.  

Glancing back over her shoulder, she locked eyes with Rudbeckia.  

Neither of them looked away.  

Instead, their gazes grew even colder, as if they were trying to pierce through one another.  

A silent clash erupted in the air between them.  

It felt like sparks were flying.  

‘Hah…’  

Rudbeckia let out a quiet scoff in her mind.  

That look in Eris’s eyes it was the gaze of someone who had no intention of giving up.  

And Rudbeckia knew it well.  

Because she had worn that same look herself.  

Eris Highlander would not back down.  

Not unless Yohan rejected her himself.

An undeniable premonition wrapped around Rudbeckia—she *had* to separate them.  

Her judgment had reached the same conclusion.  

But how?  

That was always the problem figuring out how to do it. No clear solution came to mind.  

Narrowing her eyes, Rudbeckia shifted her gaze away.  

It wasn’t because she felt intimidated by Eris.  

No, she simply had too much to think about, and this situation required careful consideration.  

As Rudbeckia’s cold stare withdrew, Eris, too, turned forward again, as if nothing had happened.  

But a shadow lingered in her gaze.  

Even someone as oblivious as Eris when it came to social maneuvering could tell—  

‘Another annoying pest has latched on.’  

The more beautiful the flower, the sweeter the fruit, the more insects and animals it attracted.  

Yohan was no exception.  

That new aide she was obviously in love with him.  

‘I need to separate them.’  

‘I have to get rid of her somehow.’  

For once, the thoughts of the two women were perfectly aligned.

*    *    *

The work at the purification facility was finished. However, Rudbeckia did not return to the Friche Imperial Estate. Instead, she trailed Yohan from a distance, watching him closely.  

As soon as Yohan got off work, he went to meet Francia at the civil office. As always, they greeted each other with kisses on the cheek and held hands affectionately like a devoted couple.  

Rudbeckia ground her teeth at the sight, but she reminded herself that Francia was an ally. She had to make a clear distinction.  

Anyway.  

The two did not return to the estate immediately after work.  

Yohan and Francia got off their carriage and headed to a renowned restaurant in the imperial capital. It was famous for its fish dishes, personally prepared by a former royal chef.  

‘I’ll follow them.’  

Wearing a mask, Rudbeckia quietly trailed behind them. It was clearly just an ordinary date, but since it was the first day, she decided to see it through to the end.  

“Welcome.”  

As she followed them into the restaurant, a waiter greeted her politely.  

“Do you have a reservation?”  

“This is our first time here.”  

“In that case, we will need to…”  

“We’ll be going up to the second floor.”  

“…Pardon me, may I see your crest?”  

The waiter asked to see their crest because the second floor was reserved for noble guests and other distinguished patrons.  

Watching Yohan and Francia ascend the stairs with growing impatience, Rudbeckia reached into her pocket and pulled out a coin engraved with the crest of Friche.  

It was an item that served as proof of her family’s status.  

“Confirmed. Orders will be taken separately on the second floor, so please enjoy your time.”  

“Thank you.”  

With her identity verified, Rudbeckia was finally allowed to ascend. Moving quickly yet cautiously to avoid detection, she climbed the stairs.  

Since it was still early in the evening, the second floor was not very crowded, but Yohan and Francia were nowhere in sight.  

It seemed they had avoided prying eyes and entered a private VIP room.  

‘This makes tailing them pointless…’  

To find out which room they had entered, she would have to open each door one by one, which was completely inappropriate. It would be rude, and she would have no excuse if she got thrown out.  

‘Should I just leave?’  

Just as she was hesitating, anxiously shifting her weight from foot to foot, another woman ascended the stairs.  

She had silver-white hair and sky-blue eyes. And even with just a simple walk, she exuded an air of nobility.

‘That person…!’  

Even though Rudbeckia wasn’t familiar with the central nobility, there was no way she wouldn’t recognize her.  

Before the regression, she had been the empress, and before that, the crown princess-to-be—a high-ranking noble. And the woman responsible for organizing a massive execution.  

Rudella Bismarck.  

While Rudbeckia flinched in shock at the sudden encounter, Rudella Bismarck stepped into the VIP room at the far right.  

Inside, Yohan and Francia were also present.  

‘What…?’  

A question mark popped up in her mind.  

Why were those two meeting with Rudella Bismarck?  

‘Alright, I should check this out first.’  

With careful steps, Rudbeckia entered the VIP room at the far right. She adjusted her mask, worried she might be recognized, but the three were so focused on their conversation that they didn’t even notice her.  

She felt a slight pang of disappointment that Yohan didn’t recognize her, but at the same time, she was relieved beyond measure.  

The VIP room was divided into three separate tables, each sectioned off with partitions. There were even soundproofing magic devices in place, ensuring that no one could eavesdrop.  

Rudbeckia sat in the best position to observe. She couldn’t see Francia, but Yohan and Rudella Bismarck were within her sight.  

“Are you feeling alright?”  

“Hehe, Yohan, you worry too much. I’m not made of glass.”  

“Still…”  

“Even my physician said it. Sometimes, it’s good to get some fresh air like this.”  

The two of them seemed extremely close. No, perhaps overly close? Rudella’s voice was relaxed, soft, and dripping with sweetness.  

‘What is this…?’  

What kind of relationship did these three have? Why on earth was Rudella Bismarck at a date spot?  

Rudbeckia was still puzzled. She had heard from Francia that Yohan was in a polygamous relationship, but she had never been told who his second lover was.  

She had simply assumed it was someone she didn’t know.  

But now, seeing this scene, a thought began to creep into her mind.  

Could Rudella Bismarck be Yohan’s second lover?  

‘No way.’  

She dismissed the possibility. The idea of *that* Rudella Bismarck acting like this didn’t seem remotely plausible.  

Shaking her head to steady herself, Rudbeckia picked up her teacup and refocused her gaze.  

And the moment she looked at their table again, her eyes widened behind her mask.  

Yohan’s fingers moved naturally.  

The food at the tip of his fork was lifted to Rudella’s lips.  

Yohan was feeding her one of the hors d’oeuvres. The action was filled with affection, a natural gesture as if it had been done countless times before.  

“How is it?”  

“Since you fed me, it tastes delicious.”  

“Haha, give me a real impression.”  

“Hmm, I don’t know about that. I only know Yohan, after all.”  

As Rudella smiled sweetly, Francia’s voice rang out.  

“Hmm, Lady Rudella seems to be quite ignorant of many things.”  

“Of course. After all, I even learned love from Yohan.”  

“Hah…!”  

Hearing that, Rudbeckia’s mind went completely blank.  

Her heart plummeted with a heavy thud.  

‘W-what…?’  

Her thoughts turned white, completely frozen.