Abandon the Felicite family and serve me as master. I knew well that words sounded absurd. However,
ââŠâ
Despite this absurd suggestion, Redian wasnât surprised at all. On the contrary, he only hardened his eyebrows. It seemed like he wanted me to talk more.
He will consider it like a grain of rice. Well, in the first place, I had never expected Redian to regard me as his master.  I was thinking about throwing a fastball rather than circling and pretending⊠As expected, it didnât work.
âI donât serve someone weaker than me as my master.â
âWhat?â
Then Redian opened his mouth. His tone was monotonous, and his dark blue eyes werenât something you could tell what he was thinking.
Still. He wasnât surprised by my words. How many people have coveted and desired to make use of Redian as their own weapon? That boy was a human weapon personally chosen by Duke Felicite. That alone was enough to explain Redianâs life.
Heâs only about eighteen now. I wondered how he could have such a resolute look despite his ageâŠ
Read had a life full of ups and downs, just like mine. Later, he was the one who would cut off Sianiâs head, but he was only a pitiful boy right now.
âSo I wonât serve anyone as my master.â
Didnât that mean there was no one stronger than him in the world?
âI donât know what you wanted and why you came here yourself.â
ââŠâ
Redianâs gaze scanned me. He seemed to regard this situation as a playfulness of a fearless lady. Furthermore, there was no need to mention how I appeared, adorned in dazzling attire, in his eyes.
âIf youâre looking for a toy to please you, Iâm not the one.â
A toy to please you.
At that time, blood began to flow again from the wound on Redianâs forehead.
ââŠAh.â
When I tried to wipe it off, my eyes turned to his arms bound by the shackles. I guess they put this on because they couldnât overpower his brute force. And it looked like the shackles that bound Redian couldnât be released without an exclusive key.
âNo, Redian. You will serve me as your master.â
I put my necklace on the shackles that bound him.
ââŠ!â
In an instant, the shackles shattered with a loud burst. It was the key to unlocking the basement, so it was only natural that it could control everything here.
âNow that youâve seen it, you know.â
ââŠHow?â
âThat I can get you out of here.â
A look of bewilderment crossed Redianâs face, who was freed from the shackles with a single gesture from me.
If you think about it, Iâm like a god. Whatâs the difference between me and God? Having lived for several hundred years, I think I can be considered a god at this point. I had an experience that was similar to that of an immortal being.
âDonât touch it even if it stings.â
ââŠ!â
I gently wiped the blood off his face with my sleeve. Aah, I couldnât believe there was such a sharp wound on his handsome face. I wouldnât let the person who made it slide.
âBecause there should be no scars left.â
I thought heâd hit my hand, but rather, Redian hardened.
âI brought these for you, so make sure to eat them. Iâll give you three next time.â
ââŠâ
âGot it? You must eat them all.â
Then I placed the candies I had brought on his palm. His expression alternately looked at the colorful candies in his hand and at my face was quiteâŠÂ Oh, he has a cute side.
âThen I will come back again. Please wait patiently.â
ââŠâ
âAh, and the thing is.â
ââŠâ
âIf I needed a toy to please me, I wouldnât have chosen you.â
I knew that this would make Redian feel suspicious.
So thatâs it for today.
The light spread, and the space changed.
âGood night.â
ââŠâ
âHave a sweet dream.â
I could feel it even for a moment. That Redian couldnât take his eyes off me.
* * *
What happened?
Even though the shackles that were binding his whole body were released, Redian couldnât move. He just stared at the empty space where the woman had disappeared.
Am I being possessed? Maybe it was really like that.
It wouldnât have been obvious, but he was pretty startled the moment he first saw the woman. Because it was hard to believe that the woman was a human in every aspect. Since being in the underground guild, he had seen all the sparkling illusions and strange monsters, but just nowâŠ
Siani Felicite?
Felicite.
Yes, Felicite.
It was said that she inherited the blood of the person who imprisoned him. He wondered if that person was taking advantage of his daughter. However, it didnât seem like that woman would be used obediently either.
âAbandon Felicite and make me your master.â
Redianâs eyes sharpened.
If thatâs the case, maybe that woman⊠is aiming for the fall of Felicite. Why? For what reason?
âAh.â
As the thoughts tangled in his head, the headache came again. This was the reason why he couldnât remember even though he suffered from the same nightmare every time.
âUgh.â
Redian put his forehead on the cold floor and endured the pain. He thought the floor would be stained with blood as usualâŠ
What?
There was no blood on him. He didnât even feel the bloody smell that should have covered his face.
It was that moment.
âBecause there should be no scars left.â
He remembered the woman wiping his face with her sleeves.
What on earthâŠ
The afterimage of the woman who kept coming to his mind made Redian frown. To make matters worse, the injected sedative began to work.
âHa, damn it.â
A shallow breath came out. This time, he felt like a chain was pressing down on his neck. It was a pain that he couldnât get used to, even after repeating it every night.
âHaa.â
How mu blood must he vomit today to stop nausea? Eventually, as he lost his strength and collapsed, darkness with no end in sight swept over.
âUg, ugh.â
He struggled to breathe with burning thirst, but there was nothingâŠ
Candy.
Redian barely held onto his consciousness that was about to be cut off. He kept his fists clenched all the time. Inside it, there were candies that a strange woman had given him.
Even back then, I felt better right away.
He burst into laughter. Either that woman was crazy, or he had become crazy. Feeling dazed, Redian shoved the candy into his mouth.
âUghâŠâ
He closed his eyes to endure the tingling sweetness. Strangely, a deep sleep began to pour in.
* * *
âLong live Grand Duke Ash Benio!â
âOh my, heâs getting cooler as time goes by.â
Admiration erupted among the people around the man.
âSince Your Excellency takes care of us every time, how should I repay this kindness?â
âItâs my fatherâs will that there should be no one suffering in our estate of Benio.â
Tall and sturdy shoulders with radian blond hair and emerald eyes. The man was dazzling even when he just smiled softly.
âIâm just doing what I have to do in accordance with that will.â
âThank you very much, Grand Duke.â
Once again, people admired the grand dukeâs personality. How can he be so perfect?
âThanks to Your Excellency, I think we can spend this summer safely. Itâs regrettable and sad that Your Excellency must return to the capital.â
Baron Metil, who was standing next to him, grabbed the grand dukeâs hand.
âBy any chance, Grand Duke, would you like to go to my house and have dinner together?â
âOh my, youâre quite somethingâŠâ The baroness pushed her husbandâs arm.
It was too rude for a baron to ask for a private meeting with a grand duke.
âThe Grand Duke would be happy to accept my proposal.â
âThatâs right. He is the kind of person who even buys bread sold on the street.â
But who is Ash Benio? He was praised for his friendly and gentle nature.
âIs that so, Your Excellency?â
Baron Metil was full of expectations.
âOf course, I would like to have dinner with Baronââ
âYour Excellency, you have a prior appointment at the imperial palace today.â Then an aide behind Ash intervened.
âYou must attend this appointment as this is the appointment to welcome you back to the capital.â
âAh, thatâs right.â
At his aideâs report, Ash put on a perplexed expression. âWhat should I do, Baron? I had a prior agreement with the imperial family in the imperial palace.â
âAh⊠I apologize. O-of course, you should go there.â
At the mention of the imperial family, the baronâs shoulders shrank.
âI have some time before I return back to the capital, so letâs spend it together then.â
âYour words alone are an honor to me, Grand Duke.â
âYour Excellency, youâll be late for your appointment at this rate. Letâs go.â
âTake care, Grand Duke.â
Ash greeted the people who came out to see him one by one, then got on the carriage. People also saw off Ashâs carriage until it went out of the alley.
âHeâs a very friendly person.â
âThatâs what Iâm saying. Thereâs nothing to complain about him.â
âYou donât know how fortunate he is that he broke off his engagement with Princess Felicite.â
As always, compliments followed him. However,
âThrow this away. I feel uncomfortable because of that careless baronâs hand earlier.â
âHow dare he ask to eat together without knowing his subject. Thatâs ridiculous.â
âThatâs why he only has a low title in the rural place.â
Ash took off his coat and threw it.
âAnywayâŠâ
His expression changed in an instant as soon as the door of the carriage closed.
âWhy are so many people who donât know their subjects while I treat them nicely?â