Diana quickly blocked Benjamin’s path.

“What brings you here?”

“Young lady. It’s been a while.”

“Raoul is currently not feeling well and resting.”

“Ah, I am aware. His Majesty has urgently summoned me to check his condition. If it’s serious, we may need to call a doctor.”

“My father?”

‘… He’s willing to call a doctor? Is it that important?’

Diana bit her lip and broke out in a cold sweat.

‘If they find out, it’s over. They’ll lock Raoul in the underground prison under the pretext of safety. If we can just hold out a little longer…. Why now of all times.’

“He has improved a lot, so there’s no need for a doctor. If you have a message to convey, please tell me instead.”

“As a servant, I cannot recklessly disclose His Majesty’s message. I cannot simply leave, so please make way.”

An unknown tension filled the air.

‘What should I do? Should I just be honest? Or should I pretend to collapse foaming at the mouth…?’

It was at that moment when Diana closed her eyes tightly, pondering seriously.

“You were looking for me?”

A low and serious voice with a slightly cracked end startled Diana.

“Ah, there you are. I heard you were not in good condition….”

“I’m on my way to report my intention to return to duty.”

Diana’s eyes widened as large as saucers.

‘Why are you coming out from there?’

Raoul had changed into the clothes Diana had prepared in advance and was having a conversation with Benjamin in a neat appearance.

“What a coincidence. Let’s head to the office right now. The lord is looking for you.”

“Is it alright for me to go?”

For a moment, Raoul’s gaze met Diana’s over Benjamin’s shoulder.

“… Yes. You may go….”

As soon as permission was granted, Raoul bowed his head. He never did anything to undermine Diana’s authority in front of subordinates.

“… I have been rude. I tried to take the child without seeking your opinion.”

“… It’s alright. As long as you don’t imprison, punish, or send the child somewhere unknown without my permission. Since my father is looking for you, please go quickly….”

“Then I will take my leave.”

Raoul’s back, following Benjamin to the office, looked awkward. Diana’s eyes followed Raoul, who had grown significantly.

‘You’ve really grown up now.’

Raoul’s back was wide enough to completely hide Benjamin in front. He was no longer a young boy. He was a mature lycan who had successfully awakened.

Maids passing by Raoul gasped in surprise and blushed.

The lycan’s characteristically cold aura and the elegantly stretched facial features were now perfectly in place without any excess.

‘It’s really time for you to leave.’

Diana smiled bitterly and took a step.

‘But what did they summon Raoul for? The expedition isn’t until winter.’

Although relieved that Raoul’s awakening was over, the sudden summons bothered her.

‘Could it be that they found out I hid him and are planning to punish him?’

Diana was anxious about how the ominous day would end.

As Raoul entered the duke’s room, he immediately felt the sharp mana touching his body.

‘Killing intent.’

The man’s aura floating around was as sharp as if it had thorns.

‘He has no basic manners.’

Raoul thought to himself as he looked down at the red-haired man sitting in the office chair with a cold gaze.

The ruthless superhuman who had surpassed human limits had nothing in common with the harmless Diana, both externally and internally.

‘He’s an unpleasant bastard.’

Invisible sparks flew between the two. The duke was equally irritated by the attitude of the presumptuous slave of another race.

Looking straight into a nobleman’s eyes was considered a crime of disrespect.

‘He has no basic manners.’

The two instinctively had the same thought.

The duke spoke while keeping his gaze fixed on the document he was processing.

“From now on, you are not a slave but a knight.”

Raoul’s one eyebrow rose crookedly at the sudden announcement.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Raoul sharply retorted in a suspicious voice.

“A prophecy has been delivered to the imperial palace. It predicted that monsters from the Bihern Gorge will swarm into the capital, causing a great disaster within a few years. The emperor intends to kill as many gorge monsters as possible before that. They have also requested reinforcements from our side. I plan to present you as a knight, not a slave soldier.”

Raoul had a gut feeling.

‘If it were an ordinary expedition, there would be no reason to make an exception for a non-human as a knight. There must be a reason.’

Raoul narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Do the other knights know they are leaving for the gorge?”

Carlyle put down the quill he was holding and met Raoul’s gaze.

“There are no other knights accompanying you. You are the only knight.”

“This is the third-largest estate in the empire. Isn’t it too much of a mockery to have only one knight?”

“The emperor thinks you are the secret card our family has been hiding. It’s a good thing. I exchanged the lives of the knights using you as collateral. It’s a deal with no loss on our side.”

“Will the soldiers follow a knight who was a former slave?”

“The soldiers are just for show. It’s a land where even knights struggle to survive. They’ll die soon anyway.”

“You speak so easily of driving your own people to their deaths.”

“Disobedience is tantamount to treason. I’m just fulfilling my duty as a servant.”

“Does Diana know?”

“There’s no need for her to know. She’ll be sad for a while, but she’ll quickly forget about a mere slave once she meets a new man. There are good marriage prospects everywhere, which is the reality. That child is kind, so she’ll endure a loveless marriage well. There’s no need for her to suffer by being with a man with a complicated past.”

“You piece of trash…”

When Diana’s name was mentioned, Raoul’s eyes glinted with a chilling light. He looked ready to lunge at the duke at any moment.

“How dare you call the lord a p-piece of…! Watch your mouth! Your head could fly off right now.”

Benjamin glared, but Raoul couldn’t back down. The duke showed his hand to Benjamin and leaned back against the backrest.

“It’s fine, Benjamin. If he has something to say, let him say it. Sending away someone who feels wronged will disturb my sleep.”

“…”

“Anything else to say?”

“Why would I waste my time when nothing will change even if I say it?”

Ignoring the enraged Benjamin, Carlyle continued.

“The duration of the mission is indefinite. The task is to exterminate the monsters. You cannot return until the number of monsters decreases to the emperor’s satisfaction. No one knows if it will take years or decades.”

“It sounds like you’re saying returning is impossible.”

“Yes, even if you’re lucky and survive for a few years, it’s impossible to completely exterminate the gorge monsters. When you arrive, the monsters you’ve dealt with so far will feel like child’s play. Although you seem to have grown a bit, it’s not a place where an ordinary lycan can return alive. It’s best to think of it as your grave.”

“You could have just ordered me to go. Why bother explaining?”

“I have no intention of lifting the curse, so your situation remains unchanged. I’m reminding you that you are still a hound that exists for our family. If you attempt a clumsy rebellion out of my sight, be prepared to have your lifeline cut.”

Raoul spoke in a sharp voice.

“It seems I’ll fall out of the emperor’s favor if I don’t fight hard.”

“You’ll be lucky if that’s all. If you die, the emperor will request additional reinforcements. I’m too busy discussing state affairs. I spend most of my time at the capital residence. If the remaining knights also leave for the gorge, will the estate be safe?”

“…”

Raoul clenched his teeth tightly.

“You seem to understand. As a knight in name, tell Benjamin, and he’ll provide the necessary supplies.”

Benjamin had no choice but to nod under Carlyle’s gaze.

“Understood… I will assist. Ahem, tell me anything. I’ll try to procure it to the best of my ability.”

Raoul gritted his teeth while facing the serpentine gaze.

Using Diana’s safety as a threat, how dare he. He wanted to snap the bastard’s neck right away. The cursed mouth opened once more.

“And one more thing. It’s better to let go of your affection. You know what I mean.”

“Don’t speak nonsense and stick to your desk games.”

“Without my permission, there is no future you can dream of with my daughter. At least keep that in mind.”

“… Diana wouldn’t even be sad if a bastard like you died. Come to think of it, there’s no reason to hold back.”

Raoul looked down at the duke with icy blue pupils and spoke. The sincere sentiment was felt in his chilling expression devoid of any hint of a smile.

“M-My lord…! This is treason.”

“Interesting. You have the skills to take my head. Are you serious?”

“I am serious.”

“The enemy who killed your parents is your lover. You must love her very much.”

The red eyes roamed up and down the swollen body with a cruel smile.

“With that much spirit, you might have a chance of returning alive. Although it’s just a bluff for now.”

Raoul stared at the duke’s neck with a gaze as cold as a well-sharpened blade. In an instant, a dagger was stuck next to the moving quill.

“As long as my bride is here, I have no intention of running away. It’s best not to do anything foolish until I return. If you send Diana to another man, I’ll start by taking your life.”

“… W-What is this…? My lord!”

Benjamin jumped up and down, alternately looking at the faces of the two men. Neither Raoul nor Carlyle averted their gazes, exuding a chilling aura.

Carlyle drew his sword and threw it to the floor, scoffing as if it were ridiculous.

“If you’re done talking, get out. Don’t put on airs with an anxious look.”

“Check when I return. Whether it’s putting on airs or not.”

He leisurely flipped through the papers, and Raoul stepped into the corridor, clenching his teeth tightly. A cold blue flame was flickering in his heart.