The guard belatedly recognized the emblem on the cloaks of the knights behind.

The blue wolf emblem with a sword in its mouth. It was the symbol of House Lester, one of the three grand duchies of the Empire.

Stunned, he stood there staring dumbly at the ducal emblem, forgetting that he should run to call his master.

Sched did not wait for permission from the foolish guard.

He walked past the guard, opened the main gate, and entered the mansion.

Only then did the guard come to his senses and follow behind him.

“Um, uh… I should call the master…”

Stammering and hesitating, the guard could not stop him and only trailed behind uncertainly.

Reaching the entrance, Sched reached for the door handle to knock.

Just then, the door creaked open.

“Oh my!”

A middle-aged woman wearing an elegant feathered hat stepped back in surprise at the sight of the large man standing in front of the door.

Sched immediately recognized her as Baroness Godwin.

“W-Who are you?”

The baroness eyed the large intruder warily, then noticed the person slung over his shoulder and frowned.

Though the face was not visible, the torn and dirtied maid uniform clearly belonged to the Godwin household.

Seeming to recognize who it was just from that, a look of dismay flashed across the baroness’s eyes.

“Y-You…!”

“I happened to find something belonging to House Godwin while passing by.”

Sched set Riana down in the hall of the Godwin mansion.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Riana quickly composed herself and bowed her head.

One of the baroness’s eyes twitched slightly.

“My lady, this is Duke Sched Lester,” the guard hurriedly whispered as he rushed to the baroness’s side.

The baroness looked the man standing before her up and down.

‘So this is the so-called God of War, that Lupus…’

She had heard many rumors about Sched Lester, but this was her first time seeing him in person.

Anyone living in the Empire would know his name.

They say he has the blood of the Lupus clan, called the Black Wolves, and indeed his physical build seemed clearly different from ordinary imperial citizens.

But in the end, he’s still a Lupus, a former slave.

“Pleased to meet you, Duke Lester.”

Baroness Godwin gave a perfunctory greeting while sizing up Sched.

“More importantly, where did you find this child…?”

The baroness looked Riana over, lowering her long eyelashes.

Riana kept her head bowed, hands clasped, not even meeting her eyes.

Seeing the atmosphere between the two, Sched spoke up.

“I found her in the nearby forest, but you don’t seem very pleased.”

Sched observed the baroness’s stiff expression.

The baroness forced an elegant smile and shook her head.

“No, I was just curious. I wondered where she had gone, but to think she was with you, Duke. That girl certainly has a talent for seducing men…”

“A talent for seducing men…?”

“In any case, thank you for bringing her back. She must have caused you trouble. I’ll make sure to give her a good scolding.”

The baroness grabbed Riana’s wrist and pulled her close.

At that moment, Sched caught hold of Riana and blocked the baroness.

“The item I’m returning is not this one, but this.”

Sched held out the hunting dog’s tag he had been holding all along.

“It seems your dog was hunting humans.”

“…!”

“I thought it was a wild beast and killed it, but it was wearing a tag.”

“T-This is…!”

The baroness’s gaze wavered upon seeing the tag, at a loss for words.

“We sometimes use beasts in battle, but could this woman perhaps be a spy from an enemy country…?”

Sched asked leisurely while fiddling with his wrist.

The baroness quickly composed herself and spoke.

“It’s nothing like that. That child must have taken out the hunting dog by mistake.”

“Taken out by mistake?”

“Yes, that wench makes frequent mistakes and is quite troublesome.”

“Troublesome, you say…”

At the baroness’s words, Sched’s gaze turned to Riana.

Riana stood silently without uttering a word, simply listening to the baroness speak.

For some reason, that sight irritated him.

Just then.

“Duke Lester?”

Baron Godwin, having heard news of the guest’s arrival, came down from upstairs.

Baron Godwin was known as an intellectual respected among scholars. True to his reputation, the baron’s mustache was neatly groomed, and gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

At his appearance, the atmosphere among the baroness and servants grew chilly.

A flash of dismay crossed the baroness’s face.

“Riana, what on earth happened!”

The baron rushed over, shocked at the sight of the bloodied maid with torn clothes.

Riana limped a step back, dragging her leg.

Sched’s gaze fell on her hunched shoulders.

“Who could have done such a barbaric thing…!”

The baron looked around the central hall of the mansion in outrage.

The baroness and servants all kept their mouths shut, unable to meet his eyes.

Sched read the strange atmosphere in the baron’s household with narrowed eyes.

“Oh, Riana. Come here. We must get you cleaned up and treated right away.”

Baron Godwin strode over to Riana and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Riana squirmed uncomfortably, at a loss for what to do.

“Master, I’m fine.”

“How can you be fine when you’re injured like this? It breaks my heart. Hmm? Come here.”

“Master, please…”

Riana squeezed her eyes shut at the baron’s touch roaming over her body.

She saw Sched’s shadow standing beside her.

The pitch-black shadow pulled her into a deep abyss.

What kind of eyes is he looking at me with?

Is he laughing at the fact that she, once a noble young lady, has fallen to such a state? Or does he find it satisfying? Or perhaps he doesn’t even consider her worth associating with?

Riana clutched at her dirty skirts.

The baron’s hand running down her back felt like insects crawling on her skin.

Just then.

“That’s enough, Baron Godwin.”

The baron’s hand that had been trailing down to her buttocks was knocked away.

Startled by the sudden restraint on his hand, the baron furrowed his brow and looked up at Sched.

“What is the meaning of this rudeness, Duke Lester?”

The baron tried to pull his wrist free, but it wouldn’t budge from Sched’s iron grip.

Sched looked at the people of the baron’s household with cold eyes.

The baron fondling a maid’s body in front of his wife.

The baroness unable to hide her dismay and displeasure at seeing the maid return alive.

And the maid who had been chased by hunting dogs.

‘They say the baron cherishes her, and it seems she’s truly been preciously handled, Louise Ideana.’

Seeing as you’ve even become the protagonist of a disgustingly beautiful romance in this refined and elegant world.

Sched sneered inwardly as he tightened his grip.

A cracking sound came from the baron’s wrist.

“Ack! Argh!”

An undignified scream echoed through the baron’s mansion.

Sched irritably released the baron’s wrist.

The baron clutched his freed wrist and hunched over, groaning for a while.

“Ugh, Duke Lester…!”

Baron Godwin glared at Sched from behind his glasses, cradling his reddened wrist.

No matter the difference in rank, he couldn’t just stand by and take this treatment.

He was a respected intellectual and nobleman from an ancient noble family. Considering House Godwin’s long history with the Empire and their reputation, they were not a family to be treated so carelessly.

‘To barge into the baron’s mansion so rudely and commit such outrageous acts. That slave-born upstart…’

Baron Godwin could not forgive the rudeness of the novice noble Sched Lester.

“You must apologize immediately. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise?”

Sched, who had been briefly lost in unpleasant thoughts, flicked his gaze to the baron.

“Otherwise what?”

“Well…!”

At Sched’s brazen retort, Baron Godwin’s lips flapped open and shut, unable to continue speaking.

He truly looked quite intellectual.

Ignoring the stupefied baron, Sched turned his eyes to the baroness.

“I’d like to take care of this ‘troublemaker’ you mentioned, madam.”

“T-Take care of?”

“I’ll pay a proper price. How much would be suitable?”

At Sched’s words, Riana looked at him in bewilderment.

The item being proposed for trade was none other than Riana herself.

Yet Riana had no way to properly assert herself among them.

Both Riana and Sched Lester knew that powerless people could be easily bought and sold like objects.

Riana pressed down on her aching heart.

“How much, you say! Riana is clearly my property!”

Baron Godwin would not stand idly by. He reached out again to take hold of Riana, his maid.

Sched stepped between the baron and Riana.

“Do I look like I’m trying to negotiate with you as an equal, Baron Godwin?”

“…!”

The baron’s spine chilled at those quietly uttered words.

“I’m giving you a chance. I’m respecting your damn baronial title.”

“Respect? That’s my line! Just because you have a title, you wild Lupus beast…”

Sched’s brow furrowed for a moment.

The baron’s face turned pale as he realized he had unconsciously crossed a line he shouldn’t have.

“…It seems there’s nothing more to discuss.”

He had considered showing at least a modicum of goodwill since he’d killed the hunting dog too, but he changed his mind.

Sched lifted Riana into his arms, as if there was nothing more to say.

“D-Duke! What kind of outrage is this!”

“Outrage. Now that’s a good word…”

One corner of Sched’s lips twisted upwards.

He drew his sword while holding Riana with one arm.

In an instant, everyone held their breath and fell silent.

In the chilling stillness, Sched glanced around at the people of the baron’s household.

“If you have any complaints about my outrage, bring your troops to the duchy. I’ll gladly welcome you.”

At the same time, his sword flashed and sliced through the baron’s crotch.

“Eek!”

“M-Master…!”

With a thud, the baron’s legs gave out and he collapsed.

The refined trousers were torn at the groin, revealing the unsightly insides.

Having nearly lost his precious parts, the baron could only gape wordlessly.

“This should be sufficient justification, no?”

The man sheathed his sword and left the baron’s mansion, still carrying the woman in his arms.