His brow furrowed briefly upon discovering Riana, but quickly returned to a blank expression.

His wet black hair was disheveled, as if he had just finished bathing.

Perhaps due to his unusually tall stature?

It felt as if a massive shadow was engulfing the entire room.

“One should be given the chance for revenge before dying.”

Some say revenge is an emotion like fire.

But in Sched Lester’s eyes, no such fiery emotion was visible.

Instead, an emotion so cold it seemed to burn at the touch was frozen in place.

Before that emotion, one felt frozen solid, ready to shatter into pieces at the slightest impact.

His cool gaze briefly flicked to her legs before indifferently moving to the table.

Without a word, he sat on the sofa and poured some brandy.

Riana couldn’t even breathe freely.

Only the sound of crimson liquid filling a crystal glass filled the room.

Though they were in the same space, they felt both disconnected and connected.

Perhaps because the scene before her eyes overlapped with one from years ago.

Riana recalled the source of the sense of déjà vu and simultaneous alienation.

Back then, Riana, no, Louise had been sitting on the sofa. Sched stood silently watching her, just as Riana was doing now.

Their initial positions were the opposite of what they were now.

So this situation felt both familiar and strange.

While she was lost in thought, the transparent glass touched Sched Lester’s lips.

The crimson liquid flowed into his mouth.

After taking a sip, his gaze returned to her once more.

Riana, who had been watching him, hurriedly averted her eyes.

Sched silently stared at her while holding his glass.

Riana felt like she had become a statue.

A crude statue, not particularly artistic.

Standing motionless in the middle of the room, enduring his appraising gaze.

His eyes seemed to thoroughly examine the statue, assessing its value.

As if seeing through how terrible a failure she was.

Riana tightly wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to hide her crudeness.

Then a dry voice, sounding almost bored if heard casually, resonated through the air.

“I didn’t expect such a noble lady to be waiting prepared for me in that kind of outfit.”

A sneer flashed across his lips.

At that moment, Riana’s face grew hot.

“Take her and make her useful.”

That was the only order Sched had given to the servants.

This wasn’t what his order had meant.

He had simply meant to treat her injured leg so she could be used as a maid.

But the subordinates had interpreted his words differently.

Hot shame flushed her face.

“…I’ll be going now.”

Realizing the mistake, Riana bowed her head.

She had planned to gather her courage and speak to him when he arrived.

To say she didn’t want this. To ask him to let her go.

That he wouldn’t want this either.

So if this wasn’t the position he originally wanted, it was better this way. There was no need to be ashamed.

Riana tried to limp out of the room as if escaping.

But.

“I didn’t give you permission to leave.”

The cool voice from behind stopped her in her tracks.

It was an order.

As she slowly turned her head, he was staring at her with indifferent eyes.

“Didn’t you enjoy being the baron’s pet?”

At his words, Riana couldn’t hide her crumbling expression.

From his face devoid of even a drop of emotion, Riana could tell what she meant to him.

“So in the servants’ eyes, you were just that kind of woman.”

Sched sneered quietly while languidly swirling his brandy glass.

She couldn’t refute it.

The reality she had reminded herself of daily for years felt particularly painful today.

“…There’s nowhere lower for me to fall anyway.”

Hiding her dry tears, Riana answered in a deliberately calm voice.

She had already been through too much to be hurt by such words.

Then there was a thud as he set down his glass on the table.

Following that, his slow yet distinct footsteps could be heard.

The footsteps stopped, and arrogantly cold eyes looked down at her.

Like those of a collector who had finished appraising a statue’s value.

“Then, undress.”

His emotionless voice rang out.

There wasn’t even a hint of excitement in his voice as he ordered her to undress.

No. Rather, a cold anger could be felt.

Riana realized.

She was a cheap statue that could be broken without care.

He was merely testing her, toying with her.

A cheap amusement to kill time.

“You said there was nowhere lower to fall. Why, can’t you do it?”

Sched coldly looked down at Riana, who stood with her arms wrapped around herself, not undressing.

Riana couldn’t give any answer.

She felt that if she parted her lips, the tears in her trembling voice would be revealed.

Then Sched’s body, which had been staring at Riana, slowly leaned towards her.

The scent of brandy stung her nose as his breath drew closer.

Dark purple eyes beneath long, thick lashes gazed at her.

A droplet of water fell from his damp hair onto her pale chest with a plop.

The cold droplet trickled down her cleavage.

Riana’s lips trembled as she held her breath.

Her heart was beating so fast it made her dizzy.

She had thought she would be numb.

She had thought she wouldn’t be shaken by old, faded memories anymore.

But her foolish heart began to beat to a rhythm it remembered from long ago.

The man with the refined yet indifferent expression skillfully tightened the air around them.

Riana squeezed her eyes shut before his approaching face that seemed about to touch hers.

At that moment.

“Then I’ll make you fall. To the very bottom.”

His cool breath brushed against her ear.

Along with it, a great force enveloped her.

Her lightly tossed body landed with a thud on the nearby bed.

“Ugh!”

The hair the maids had combed neatly became disheveled on the white sheets, and her loose neckline tumbled over her pale chest.

The silk dress she had been wearing barely clung to her arms and legs.

Pain shot through her partially healed leg.

Sched looked down at her pale white skin as he undid his robe.

As he removed the robe, his muscular body was revealed. Scars were scattered all over his skin. It looked as if someone had maliciously scratched a beautiful marble statue with a chisel.

Riana squeezed her eyes shut, unable to look at those old traces. She knew the origin of those scars.

It was all her fault.

She had made him like that.

The memory of the past ached like a tightening around her heart.

“Louise.”

A familiar voice brushed her ear, awakening that past even more vividly.

His large body pressed down on her, pinning her in place.

The trapped bird could flutter and flap its wings, but there was no escape.

This was a space built on Sched Lester’s land, owned solely by him, and Riana was merely a maid.

Riana bit her lip, trying to hold back her trembling breath.

“…I told you not to bite your lip.”

Sched stared at Riana with lowered eyelids.

At his irritated gaze, Riana released her lip.

“Sorry…”

Her pale lips quivered.

She couldn’t make any excuses, nor could she promise any future.

All she could offer him was a pitiful apology that would be of no help to him.

“I’m sorry, Sched…”

For a moment, a ripple passed through his purple eyes.

Finally, the tears she had been holding back flowed down to her ear.

His hand gripping her tightened. As if he might break her wrist.

For the first time, a spark of emotion flashed in his eyes that had been nothing but cold.

“…Damn it.”

Sched muttered a curse under his breath and tossed Riana’s body aside.

As if all interest had faded, he got up.

His large hand grabbed the robe that was about to fall off the bed and put it on.

After irritably running his fingers through his wet black hair, he looked down at Riana once more before walking out of the bedroom.

Bang! Sched slammed the door shut and strode down the hallway.

“M-Master…!”

The head butler Werner and the servants waiting outside pressed themselves against the wall and bowed their heads in surprise.

They had no way of knowing what had happened inside.

What was clear was that Sched Lester, the master of the duke’s household, was angry.

More clearly than they had ever seen before.

“That woman. Who told you to bring her to my room?”

Sched looked down at the head butler Werner as he asked.

The servants’ hearts pounded at his low, even voice.

“You… you said to make her useful…”

“Damn it, when did I say I would bring a woman into my bedroom?”

“W-well…”

Isn’t this the first time you’ve brought a woman yourself?

The aggrieved Werner barely managed to stop the words that were about to burst out.

He had never brought anyone, not even prostitutes, let alone harmless grandmothers or children.

Even his fiancée had been neglected, causing rumors to circulate about Sched Lester.

So there could only be one reason why he personally brought this woman.

Especially if she was young and pretty.

They had heard what the knights reported.

Didn’t Sched carry her himself? Didn’t he personally treat her leg?

So everyone was certain.

This woman was that kind of woman.

But he’s saying she’s not?

That can’t be right.

“Get rid of her immediately.”

No, could it be true? Really…?

Cold sweat ran down Werner’s back.

Sched Lester’s eyes were fierce.

The head butler swallowed hard and bowed his head.

“Yes, Master.”

Upon hearing Werner’s answer, Sched strode away with heavy steps.