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“How… How could you say such a terrible thing!?”

“Terrible? Me?”

Shawn asked with a cold smile.

“Yes. In your eyes, I will look like a monster. In your eyes that know nothing, that is.”

He mumbled as if he were talking to himself. It was a very brief moment, but a deep emptiness permeated his eyes. However, Herietta, who was greatly shocked by his words, did not notice it. She trembled as she stared at him.

“Get out.”

Herietta ordered, pointing to the door.

“I said, get out of here right now!”

“There are a few things I found out while researching.”

Instead of obeying Herietta’s orders, Shawn leaned deeper into the backrest. He tapped his finger on the armrest of the chair.

“Two months ago, there was a missing report that a slave had disappeared from Philioche, although it was later withdrawn by the complainant.”

“!”

Herietta’s eyes widened as Shawn’s words struck like lightning in a clear sky.

‘How did that man even know that?’

Shawn grinned as he looked at Herietta whose face was as white as a sheet of paper.

“Your father didn’t know that Redford was headed for Lavant?”

“…”

“Did he run away?”

His eyes, as he asked the questions one after another, shone like a peregrine falcon that found its prey. Herietta, on the other hand, felt more and more cornered.

Her heart plummeted. Her head was so messed up that it was hard to think straight.

“No, he didn’t run away! He just came here with me!”

Herietta quickly laid out excuses for Edwin.

“I told him to go with me! He kept saying he didn’t want it, but I forced him to go with me! It’s not his fault!”

“Hmm, well. No matter how much you excuse yourself, who will people believe…”

Shawn made an exaggeratedly thoughtful expression on purpose. He raised his upper body and leaned forward. Then he placed his interlaced hands on his half-crossed legs.

“Hey, do you know what happens to a runaway slave?”

His eyes narrowed as he asked the question.

“The most recent escaped slave was put in a wild beast’s cage with both his ankles severed and was fed to it alive, you know?”

“No, no!”

Herietta screamed at his terrifying words.

‘He’s not kidding.’

Herietta knew intuitively that Shawn was not lying. No matter how ruthless he may be, he is still an heir to the Duchy. If he made up his mind, it would have been very easy to harm Edwin.

“Please, please.”

She had to somehow turn Shawn’s heart.

“If you want anything, I’ll give it to you…”

Herietta, who was desperate, was about to kneel at his feet and beg.

Bump. The tightly closed door swung open and someone entered the room. She had previously said not to let anyone in the room until they got her permission.

Their heads turned to one side almost at the same time. Mixed emotions flashed across their faces as they identified the uninvited intruder.

“I heard that a tiger will come if I tell his story.”

The corners of Shawn’s lips twisted.

“You’ve been very slow lately, Redford.”

“…”

“No. The name Redford doesn’t exist in this world anymore, so should I call you by number?”

He asked sarcastically. Edwin’s expression as he stared back at him was as hard as a stone.

“…Sir Shawn.”

Edwin whispered Shawn’s name. The atmosphere was so harsh that it could not be considered a moment of reunion with an old acquaintance.

“Sir Shawn.”

Shawn repeated Edwin’s words quietly. A nervous smile spread across his face. Grasping the armrest tightly, he stood up. Whispering, he walked towards Edwin.

Shawn stopped in front of Edwin. He was also quite tall, so his eyes roughly matched Edwin’s eye level.

“11542.”

Shawn looked into Edwin’s eyes defiantly and called his number. Then, Edwin’s expression, which had hardened, became a little disturbed. He looked like he didn’t expect to be called that. Seeing this, Shawn grinned.

Bugh. Shawn threw his fist without any warning. Edwin’s face was turned to one side with a dull sound. Unable to withstand the recoil of the strong blow, Shawn’s body also staggered and leaned as if he was about to fall to the floor.

“What are you doing!”

Herietta, who hesitated, screamed. She got up from her seat and ran to them and stood in front of Edwin as she separated him and Shawn.

“What is wrong with you? Are you crazy? Why did you suddenly hit him?”

The veins on Herietta’s neck appeared as she strained and pushed Shawn back. She had no time to think and somehow thought that she had to protect Edwin.

Shawn patted his fist and grinned.

“How dare slaves that don’t even know their place call a nobleman ‘Sir’! How can I stay still?”

“But this is a very different situation!”

“What is the difference? He’s a nameless slave, and I’m the heir to the Duchy of Rowani. From my point of view, there doesn’t seem to be anything more important than that fact right now, right?”

How big is the difference between us two? Are you so stupid that don’t you understand? Shawn’s eyes seemed to be asking. Herietta was frustrated. She shook her head from side to side.

“Edwin is no ordinary slave! He was also in the same position as you not long ago! You know that too!”

“Yes, it’s just a thing of the past. It is of no use now.”

Shawn nodded coldly.

“You should be grateful that I didn’t order to have his tongue cut off. Of course, I can change my mind at any time.”

Hearing the clear threat, Herietta trembled. How can a person be so evil? In her mind, she wanted to slap him on the cheek just as he hit Edwin. But she knew well that there would be no benefit in doing so, so she had no choice but to hold back.

“You are… such a terrible person.”

“That’s lame. Why don’t you tell me something I don’t know?”

At Herietta’s words, Shawn scoffed at her. Shawn saw Edwin standing over her shoulder.

Edwin suddenly straightened his posture and stood upright. The cheek Shawn had hit became red and swollen, and his lip was also ripped open, dripping fresh blood from one end. He wiped the blood with the back of his hand.

An unknown euphoria spread across Shawn’s face as he looked at him intently with wide-open eyes.

“Life is so ridiculous. Who would have imagined that you, who people admired for being so great, would end up like this?”

Even though they came from the same duke family, the status of Redford in Brimdel was far higher than that of Rowani. As Rowani’s successor, his status as the successor did not go unnoticed, but he was different when he was with Edwin.

People have always compared the two people who grew up in similar environments. And naturally, Shawn always stayed in second place. He pretended not to care too much, and he rebelled against it, living a more crooked life for nothing. But in fact, he hated it so badly that he couldn’t stand it.

‘I heard that Edwin of the Redford family was recently promoted to Demner’s deputy commander. It must be only a matter of time before he succeeds to the position of commander of the Royal Knights of this country. Of course, he can’t just be satisfied with his position as a knight commander with such outstanding abilities.’

Duke Rowani, his father, seemed to have some words left to say but thought better of it and stayed quiet.

‘Sir Edwin proposed to me a while ago.’

And Vivianne, who lowered her eyes down and spoke as if she were sighing.

‘I don’t know him very well yet, but he feels right. For the first time in my life, I had the feeling that it would be okay to be with him. So I accepted the proposal.’

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