Who Do You Like More, Mom or Dad?

an I thought.”

“Is Young Miss alright?”

The masked knight adjusted the string.

“I’m used to it, so now I sometimes forget that I wore it.”

Diana’s mask was just like theirs.
It was a very common shape that was sold on the street and not the one she had usually used.

The only one who didn’t wear a mask, Renold urged.

“The time which Mister Spencer has earned isn’t much.
Since I’ll be holding the carriage here, please quickly go to El-Corte.
Don’t pick too long.”

Two knights and Diana, like this, the three of them hurried their steps.

And there were people who are quietly tailing their behind.

Normally, they would have noticed it, but the knights whose attention is on the mask didn’t notice.

Diana coming to El-Corte accompanied only by the knights was Grandfather’s idea.

[For Clement, any expensive gift is only a normal thing.]

[As expected, I thought so.]

[That’s why the answer is a surprise gift.]

The plan was like this.

She and Grandfather pretend to ride a horse in the yard.
And then Diana walks out of the yard together with Renold and the knights.
And after catching a street carriage, she would buy a gift from El-Corte and come back.

[But wouldn’t it stand out if I go around wearing a mask?]

[Nowadays, they say it’s popular to shop wearing masks in El-Corte.]

[Everything is in trend.]

[You made it popul… no, let’s move on and anyway, Clement will notice right away if she finds out you’ve gone to El-Corte.]

Therefore, the goal was to keep it as secret as possible and surprise Grandmother while giving her the gift.
Diana wanted to surprise Grandmother because, for her, anything expensive was just one of her ordinary gifts.

It was considered like a pretty good plan, except that the time to choose a gift was tight because she had to go back to the yard within the time Grandfather has earned.

So, it was until the leading knight paused while turning around.

“Lord, please go first.”

“What’s going on?”

“Someone is following us.”

It was a tense voice.

“Following?”

Diana’s voice muffled.

“I felt it since we came out of El-Corte but I’m not sure.”

“Damn it.”

Feeling the belated sign, the knight uttered a curse.

“I’ll take care of this.
Lord, take care of the Young Miss.
Please run on the count of three.”

“Young Miss, will you be able to run until that alley?”

“Yes.”

“Then, I will count.
One, two, —three!”

They ran reflexively.

Until the carriage in the back alley two blocks away was quick.

Boredly waiting, Renold jumped up when he saw them coming.
Renold asked urgently.

“Just what in the world is going on?”

“We were followed.”

“What? You came out so carefully like that, though? Did you see what kind of person they are?”

“When I looked back for a moment, I feel like it was a reporter.”

It was amazing to be able to recognize it even in such a short time.
Renold who was a bit relieved put his hair back irritably.

“Damned things.
Just how did they know and follow you?”

“We will be able to find out when we catch the reporter.
First of all, we couldn’t get the Young Missl involved in the disturbance, so we got out.”

“We’ll be caught by the Count that we went out secretly.
I’m sorry, Young Miss.”

“It’s okay.
It can’t be helped.”

“First, let’s go back to Mister Spencer.”

It was certainly strange.
She went out doing it secretly even from Grandmother but how did they follow them? It was doubtful to say that they were recognized at El-Corte.
Among so many people who are wearing masks? Recognizing her?

It was then.

“Please save me!”

It was the inner alley.
A tearful scream followed.
Renold and the knight faced each other and quickly climbed into the carriage.
Renold slammed the carriage door.
The shabby carriage shook so loudly that she was worried that wouldn’t the door break.

“Please depart.”

Diana was startled.
Is he saying they’re just going to depart from here? But Renold said sternly to the coachman.

“What are you doing not leaving quickly?”

“Wait a minute Renold! I heard a scream from over there!”

As soon as she finished speaking, there was a terrifying cry asking for help again.

Renold spoke to the coachman without a blink.

“Please depart quickly.”

“No!”

The coachman, who read the situation, shrugged his shoulders and departed.

“You, what are you doing!”

Diana’s body rose and fell.
Lord Ricardo blocked her who was going to sticking her head out of the window.

“We keep the Young Miss’ safety as the priority.”

“It’s something not uncommon in the back alley.”

Renold then said.

“Young Miss.
If anything happens to the Young Miss, the Count and the Husband will be very sad.”

Diana stopped moving.

“Especially the Count’s Husband, Mister Spencer will surely be sad.”

“….”

“Do you not mind even if he blames himself that this kind of matter happened when you were together with him?”