"…Did you make Grandpa angry?"

Ciel glanced at her calmly. "No."

Scarlet frowned. "Then why are they stopping your car here?"

Ciel looked at her silently. The look made Scarlet feel like she had forgotten something again. She scratched her head slowly.

"…Oh."

"I made him angry."

She sighed dramatically. "So what do we do now?"

Ciel opened the door of his driving seat. "Let's step out first."

They both got out of the car. Scarlet walked toward the guards.

"Why are you stopping us?"

One of the guards bowed slightly. "Young Miss, Master ordered that you run from here to the backyard training ground." Scarlet blinked.The guard continued calmly.

"You are already forty-seven minutes and thirty seconds late."

Scarlet's eye twitched 'Don't say the seconds.'

"You must complete two rounds of the mansion grounds today." The guard added another sentence.

"And the punishment is doubled because you failed to arrive within thirty minutes."

Scarlet froze.

Then—

"WHATTTTTTTTT?!"

Her shout echoed across the entrance. "Do you even know how big this mansion is?!"

"Two rounds?!"

"I won't complete that even if I use a bicycle!"

The guards remained expressionless. Suddenly one guard's phone rang. He looked at the screen and then handed the phone to Scarlet. Scarlet frowned.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"It's Master."

Her reaction was immediate. She snatched the phone with lightning speed.

"Hello?!"

Lorenzo's teasing voice came through the speaker.

"Good luck, my little girl."

Click.

The call ended. Scarlet stood there silently. She didn't even get a chance to speak. Then she shouted at the phone.

"You evil old demon!"

The guards exchanged glances silently. This is too lenient. If they were even one second late— they would have to run the entire day without stopping. Meanwhile, Ciel had been quietly watching Scarlet's emotional rollercoaster. He suddenly laughed.

"This punishment is too lenient from that old man."

Scarlet glared at him. Then she suddenly remembered something.Something important.

Ciel Volkiere.

The only disciple Lorenzo Vesper had ever accepted. In the underground world, mafia leaders usually take only one disciple in their entire lifetime. And that disciple was Ciel.

Scarlet… was only allowed to train because she threw a tantrum and insisted. She wasn't officially acknowledged as a disciple.

Which meant— Her punishment was actually very light. Scarlet sighed heavily. Then looked toward the massive mansion grounds.

"…I'm going to die."

Scarlet was still staring at the enormous mansion grounds with despair when Ciel spoke again.

"By the way," he said casually, "why did he give you punishment just for being late?"

He looked at her with mild curiosity.

"Aren't you his adorable little girl?"

Scarlet avoided his gaze. She mumbled quietly, "I… asked him to be my master."

For a brief second— Ciel's expression darkened. Something sharp flashed in his eyes.

Scarlet didn't notice the exact reason, but the sudden change in his aura made her nervous.

So that's why she was here last night… Ciel thought.

Scarlet misunderstood his silence. She immediately thought he was upset.After all—

Ciel was Lorenzo Vesper's only disciple. Maybe he thought she was trying to take his place. She quickly waved her hands.

"I'm not stealing your master!"

Ciel looked at her blankly for a moment. Then he spoke in a completely nonchalant tone.

"I would sell that old man even if I had to pay money for it."

Scarlet slowly gave him a side eye. "…You're really ungrateful."

Then she sighed, stretched her legs, and started running toward the training grounds.

Behind her—

Ciel watched quietly. The faint smile on his face slowly returned. But the look in his eyes was much deeper than before.