“S-Stop it!” Lireania urgently stepped between the two men.
Kasion glared at her fiercely. “Lady Soler, it would be best for you to step aside for a moment.”
“Do you think I’d let you hurt my fiancé? I’ll tell Lady Ariel all about your atrocities, Duke!” Lireania’s sharp voice rang out.
“Do you think it matters when I’m already about to sever ties with Serhen?”
“What woman would marry someone who killed her brother?”
“If that’s the case, I’ll just take her by force.”
Kasion’s words, whether serious or not, left Lireania confused. Though Kasion was inexperienced in love, he wasn’t usually this irrational.
“Killing a noble is a crime, even for you, Duke…”
“You really don’t understand the Pertelian family, do you?”
“Do you think you’ll be forgiven because of your pact with the imperial family?”
“No, I’m saying if there’s no evidence, there’s no problem.”
Kasion’s sharp sword approached them again. His golden eyes seemed to be filled with madness. It had gotten worse since he drew his sword as if he were in the middle of the battlefield right now.
“You’ll be making an enemy of Lady Ariel.”
“Stop using Ariel as an excuse, Lady Soler.”
Suddenly, Kasion lunged toward them. Lireania closed her eyes tightly. Did things really have to go this far? Couldn’t he show some restraint? This was absurd… There was no way anyone would fall for such an act.
Just then, a commotion erupted in the alley.
“There! Over there! The duke is trying to murder someone! Guards!”
Immediately, Kasion spun toward the alley. The one who brought the guards was behind them, but Kasion’s sword deftly avoided the guards and reached the chin of the informant.
“Breaking your arm wasn’t enough, was it, Viscount?”
Kasion’s icy voice reached Viscount Kainum.
“N-No, you b*stard…”
“‘You b*stard’? That’s quite an informal way to address a duke for a mere provincial noble.” Kasion’s lips curled into a wicked grin.
The city guards, who had followed the viscount, stood frozen, unsure of what to do.
“Your Grace, what is happening here? What is this?”
“What do you think? I’m arresting the man who dared to insult me by accusing the empire’s protector of murder.”
“Ah…” The guards lowered their unsheathed swords without a word.
Viscount Kainum, in a panic, cried out. “Serhen! What are you doing? I called the guards to save you…” He desperately called out to Serhen, who slowly approached Kasion and raised his arm.
Kasion turned his head and sneered at the sight. “Serhen, are you going to hit me?”
“Of course not.” Serhen placed his hand on Kasion’s shoulder and gave it a few pats.
“Serhen, why are you doing this? The duke clearly threatened you with a sword just now…” The viscount, trembling with anger and fear, protested.
“Is this true, Marquis Mellin?”
“If it were, would I be comfortably resting my hand on the duke’s shoulder right now?” Serhen spoke calmly to the guard, though inwardly cursing the viscount for his stupidity. He had known the viscount was following them, but he hadn’t expected him to fall for such a simple ruse.
“Ah, so it was just a misunderstanding?”
“No, it wasn’t a misunderstanding.” Kasion stepped forward, his sword still aimed at the viscount’s neck, and spoke fiercely to the guards. “He’s guilty of slandering a duke. Isn’t that right, captain of the guard?”
“Y-Yes, Your Grace!”
“What are you talking about! Serhen, I came here to reconcile with you…”
“What do you hope to gain by driving a wedge between Kasion and me?”
Serhen’s demeanor was as fierce as Kasion’s. It was clear he was barely restraining himself from strangling Viscount Kainum.
“Ah, is it because you have a grudge against Kasion and decided to slander him?”
“Captain of guard, what’s the punishment for someone who falsely accuses a noble?”
The man’s accusation was quite specific. When they rushed over, just as he said, the duke was pointing a sword at the marquis and his fiancée. Yet the two nobles were clearly denying it. If he went against their word… The captain hesitated and looked toward Lireania.
“They were simply discussing the duke’s heroic deeds.”
But the future marchioness answered calmly.
Let’s say the three of them stopped fighting and changed their minds at the last minute. Then, the outcome was obvious.
“The punishment ranges from at least a month in prison to 100 lashes, depending on the severity.”
“What? What nonsense are you… Keugh!”
Viscount Kainum’s lips burst open. He couldn’t even protest. Kasion’s fist had done the damage. The blow Serhen took earlier wasn’t really painful since he had been easy on him.
“Is that all? He dared to accuse the empire’s only duke of murder.” Kasion growled again. His sword seemed to hum as though it were crying out on its own.
“D-Do you have a particular punishment in mind, Your Grace?” The captain’s voice trembled as he asked.
Kasion glanced at Serhen and smiled. Serhen returned the smile, albeit lightly.
“He’s still your vassal and relative. Do you mind if I handle his punishment?”
“Do as you like. You should repay the humiliation you’ve suffered.”
“Alright.”
Kasion raised his hand, and suddenly, the duke’s knights, who had been hiding in the alley, appeared. These men were imposing, with an aura of danger that rivaled Kasion’s. They were much larger than the guards.
“You called, Your Grace.”
“What about Ariel?”
“The young lady has returned safely home.”
Serhen’s eyebrows twitched in mild displeasure but quickly settled.
“Good. Then take this man away.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
As soon as Kasion finished speaking, the intimidating figures grabbed Viscount Kainum’s body. Viscount Kainum, with his face in a mess, started to be dragged away.
The guard captain called out urgently. “W-Wait, Your Grace!”
Would there be consequences for this?
“What is it?”
“May I ask how you intend to deal with him? Will the imperial family…”
“I won’t kill him, so don’t worry. As you said, I’ll keep him imprisoned for at least a month.”
Though he hasn’t decided exactly how to confine him. But Viscount Kainum wouldn’t see the light of day until everything was settled, whether he lived or died.
“Why? Do you have a problem with my decision?”
“N-No, I’ll take my leave now.”
The guards quickly disappeared, and Viscount Kainum was dragged off by the duke’s knights. Only the three of them remained.
“Huff, did it really have to come to this?” Lireania muttered in slight frustration.
“Thanks for handling it so quickly.”
“If Lady Ariel finds out…”
“She doesn’t need to know about any of this,” Kasion said, still smiling with excitement. “Right, Serhen?”
“Of course. But you… you really hit hard earlier.”
“Who? The viscount?”
Serhen frowned in displeasure at Kasion’s feigned ignorance.
“Making up with Ariel is your responsibility.”
“That’s not fair. But Ariel wouldn’t abandon me, right? I’m her only brother.”
“I’ll rewrite the proposal and send it again. Whether she accepts or rejects it, let Ariel decide, not you.”
Kasion’s response made Serhen shrug with a confident smile.
“Fine.”
Lireania shook her head, watching the two men. They didn’t seem to realize this was not the time to be so relaxed. They should have run after Ariel and calmed her down earlier.
Sure enough, Ariel didn’t leave the neighboring house until the day before the wedding. She refused all of Serhen’s visits and Kasion’s letters. It seemed the men finally realized their mistake, as they ended up fasting in solidarity when they heard Ariel wasn’t eating either.
* * *
“So, what happened to the viscount?”
At the palace, Aenix was listening to a report from his informant, a servant provided by Marquis Bayonne for him.
“He was dragged away and imprisoned by the duke.”
“And the marquis just watched?”
“Yes.”
“Was there any talk about his title or anything like that?”
“Not yet.”
“Hmm.”
That was unfortunate, but did it really matter?
Aenix swirled the wine glass in his hand, amused. It was the finest wine sent from the Marquis Mellin. “Alright, go ahead with what I ordered.”
“Did His Majesty… grant permission?”
Aenix’s eyes narrowed. “I am the crown prince. I don’t need approval for this.”
“I-I apologize.”
The informant disappeared. Through the door he vanished to, Dertis was entering. Seeing this, Aenix smiled brightly.
If things went according to his plan, a lot of interesting things would happen. He could get rid of that arrogant duke, seize the marquis’s wealth, and even send his annoying half-brother to hell.
“Dertis, I have good news. Everything’s going just as you predicted.”
Aenix smiled warmly, like a kind older brother, oblivious to the fact that Dertis’s once-submissive gaze had changed.
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