The moment the words “retarded stuttering bastard girl” came out of his father’s mouth, a sudden discomfort and anger welled up. A rebellious spirit flared up more intensely than necessary.

Leon, barely containing the aggressively rising emotions, slowly opened his mouth. Gathering the last bits of filial piety and patience to avoid provoking his mentally unstable father.

“That person is a noblewoman officially registered in the Count’s family. She is highly educated and possesses extraordinary talents. It’s not right to judge based on unfounded rumors that people spread without knowing the truth.”

“Shut up, you stupid brat.”

Leon doubted his ears at the harsh words that suddenly burst from the Grand Duke’s mouth.

Grand Duke Osilote, a man with immense pride in his noble bloodline as a member of the imperial family, had never used such vulgar language towards anyone, including his family.

Throughout Leon’s childhood until now, he would rather ignore than use profanity.

But at this moment, the Grand Duke’s eyes flashed at Leon in an unusual way. As if he might strike Leon if he rebelled.

However, Leon actually knew. That what was in the Grand Duke’s eyes was not really anger.

A terrible stench that stimulated Leon’s sense of smell, overly sensitized by the curse. A terrible iron smell.

That meant fear.

His father had been emitting an iron smell as if he had swallowed an entire furnace for some time now.

Father was afraid. Terribly afraid of something.

Leon stared expressionlessly at his father, who was cowardly hiding his profound fear behind anger.

“Shut up and do as I say, Leon.”

“Father.”

“If you keep ignoring my words and acting up, neither that woman nor you will be safe. Do you understand?”

Leon was dumbfounded. Was his father threatening him about Kasha now? Had he gone senile?

He hoped his father was just talking nonsense due to being drunk or insane.

He hoped he wouldn’t come to despise his father, even if he was selfish and incompetent.

Family was the one thing Leon wanted to protect even after becoming a victim of the curse. His father was part of that too.

As if Leon’s wishes didn’t matter at all, the Grand Duke continued speaking relentlessly.

“Didn’t I ask if you understood? You’re my son, Leon. You’re the achievement and result that Larisa and I created together. How dare you compare yourself to that filthy bastard.”

“Enough.”

Leon coldly cut him off. His temples throbbed strangely every time his father referred to Kasha as a ‘bastard’.

“That’s enough. I can’t listen to any more of this.”

“What did you say? You ungrateful bastard. No matter how great you think you are, do you think you’d be anything without the Aranias bloodline I gave you? Do you think Duke Tyrot would even glance at a mere holy knight?”

“Duke Tyrot means nothing to me.”

“Why doesn’t it matter! Don’t we need Duke Tyrot’s money to revive our family?”

“You mean this family that you ruined, Father?”

“What did you say? You insolent brat!”

Unable to contain his anger, the Grand Duke stood up abruptly and lunged at Leon, trying to slap his cheek. However, Leon easily caught his father’s hand, neutralizing the violence.

“Let go of this! Are you, a holy knight, going to commit the sin of hurting your parent now?”

“The sin of hurting my parent, you say.”

As Leon sneered coldly, the Grand Duke stopped speaking in bewilderment.

“Whether I add one more sin or not, my journey to hell is already confirmed, Father.”

“What are you…”

The Grand Duke, about to shout again, closed his mouth upon seeing Leon’s expression.

There was anger there. The bitter anger of a child who had waited patiently for so long but never received any reward. Leon glared at his father for a moment before spitting out words.

“I won’t inherit the Grand Duke title anyway.”

“What?”

“So, don’t concern yourself with who I meet. I’m already officially dating Kasha Lyuschino.”

“No, you brat, even so,”

“I don’t casually betray the person I’ve chosen.”

“W-what did you say?”

The Grand Duke’s reddened eyes suddenly wavered helplessly. His once imposing old body swayed unsteadily.

‘That’s right. If you have any conscience left.’

Leon shook off his father’s hand with a bitter smile. As he was about to leave without any lingering attachment, Leon suddenly stopped his steps.

“Let me tell you one thing.”

“…”

“If you want to keep the Aranias name that you’re so obsessed with intact, Kasha Lyuschino might be your only hope.”

“You, what nonsense are you talking about?”

“So don’t touch her, in any way. That is, if you don’t want to be driven to a cursed household and burn alive on a pile of firewood.”

Leon warned his father of a painful future in a scathing tone, but the Grand Duke was only enraged.

“Y-you…! Come back right now, you ungrateful bastard. I said come back here right now, Leon!”

Bang.

Something flew and hit the door that Leon had closed behind him.

Crash. Thud.

As if he was destroying the office, a series of tremendous noises followed.

“…”

An overwhelming fatigue came over him, as if he might sink into the ground at any moment. At the same time, a sense of despair struck him, making him want to throw off all his burdens and run away immediately.

For a moment, an intense desire to be somewhere else other than here raised its head.

More precisely, it was a burning desire to be by the side of a woman with unusually calm and clear pink eyes, to breathe in her soft, colorless and odorless scent deep into his stomach.

‘You crazy bastard…’

It was when Leon gritted his teeth and ran his hand through his hair.

“How unlike you, brother. To provoke Father like that.”

A sharp, cold voice was heard.

As he turned his head, Anthony was standing there looking at him, dressed in a neat shirt. Seeing his brother’s deep green eyes, so similar to their mother’s, Leon realized that he had overheard the entire conversation with their father.

“Anthony.”

“You look tired, brother. I guess you’re still not sleeping well these days.”

“I’m fine.”

“Fine? You’re not fine at all.”

Anthony said, as if scolding him.

“Brother. Do you really intend to court Lady Kasha Lyuschino?”

Looking at the insistent green eyes, Leon knew he couldn’t evade the answer.

“…Yes.”

“Why?”

“Well.”

“You don’t suit her. That woman.”

Anthony said quickly, almost spitting out the words. Leon looked at Anthony with a slightly tired expression.

Whatever Anthony meant by his words, he wasn’t in the mood to argue with his brother right now.

He barely managed to control his emotions. Thinking that Anthony, though sensitive, was kind-hearted, and was probably speaking out of concern for his brother.

“Have you heard the rumors about Kasha Lyuschino?”

Leon asked, thinking that Anthony might have judged her based on the gossip and rumors circulating in social circles. However, Anthony shook his head firmly.

“It’s not that. I’m just stating facts.”

“Facts?”

“She’s clearly not a good person. She’s approaching you using Eve as an excuse.”

“That’s…”

Leon closed his mouth, unable to deny the possibility that Kasha might have approached Eve with ulterior motives.

However, at the same time, he recalled Anthony’s gaze towards Kasha on the day of Eve’s tea party.

It clearly contained an unusual interest. Even though he knew she was helping with Eve’s tea party that day.

‘But why is he suddenly speaking as if he suspects her?’

“Brother.”

Anthony stepped closer to Leon.

But at that moment, Leon instinctively stepped back from the fishy blood scent emanating from Anthony.

Blood scent is the smell of desire. Not cheap lust, but the smell of some deep longing. Anthony had started to emit such a smell at some point. What kind of longing was his brother, who always smiled beautifully, hiding inside?

With green eyes that seemed even darker in the corridor’s gloom, Anthony whispered again.

“Brother. You’ll definitely regret it, you shouldn’t trust that woman.”

On the day of the hunting competition.

Kasha entered the Chrysos Forest, the competition venue, riding side by side with Daril.

Daril kept nervously glancing at Kasha, who was clumsily handling her horse.

“Please change your mind, Kasha.”

“…”

Kasha pretended not to hear, displeased by the argument that had been repeating for days now, but Daril persistently continued. He was truly a man who didn’t know how to give up.

“I’m just worried about you.”

“There’s no need to worry.”

“Kasha.”

Just as Daril raised his voice as if frustrated, fortunately, a savior appeared.

“Kasha! Over here.”

Margaret, standing under one of the lavish tents pitched here and there, waved towards them. She looked more vivacious than usual in a pale yellow short-sleeved dress.

“Margaret.”

As soon as Kasha dismounted and handed the reins to Daril, she approached Margaret. Margaret’s eyes widened in admiration as Kasha came closer.

“Wow. It suits you even better than I thought. Kasha, you really make dressing you up worthwhile.”

Today, Kasha was wearing a snow-white shirt with delicately embroidered rose and vine patterns, riding pants, and her hair tied up high.

It was a design she had chosen with Margaret at the tailor’s for today.

“Thanks to you.”

Though it seemed like a brief and curt greeting, Margaret seemed to read Kasha’s sincerity in it and smiled brightly.

“Anytime, just say the word.”

“Yeah.”

The two looked at each other and smiled gently.

“Ah. Is that it?”

Margaret nodded towards the long leather case Kasha was carrying on her shoulder.

“Yes.”

“Wow, then really-”

“Yes, really.”

Just as Kasha replied, Daril, who had finally entrusted the horse and approached, shyly greeted them.

“Miss Margaret.”

“Viscount.”

Kasha watched with interest as the two blushed, pretending to avoid each other’s gaze while quickly scanning each other.

“It’s, it’s quite hot today, isn’t it, Miss Margaret?”

“A little. But it’s much cooler here in the forest.”

Daril stumbling over his words uncharacteristically, and Margaret looking much shyer than usual.

The relationship between the two seemed to be progressing favorably, fortunately.

Kasha slipped out of the tent slightly to give them some time alone. She intended to look around and assess the situation.

At that moment, an unpleasant face suddenly appeared from behind the opposite tent.

‘Simon Blanche.’

As soon as he saw Kasha, he put on an artificial smile and strode towards her.

‘That disgusting burn victim.’

Just as Kasha glared at him indignantly.

‘…?’

Having seen something, Simon suddenly changed direction unnaturally, pretending not to have seen Kasha and turning his back as he moved away.

‘What’s going on?’

As Kasha turned her head in puzzlement, she was startled to face an unexpected person.