It was the spring of the year Zen turned eighteen. The spring in Astrian was so warm that it felt almost hot.

Although born in a cold country, Zen, who hated the cold more than anyone, rather liked that heat.

At that time, Zen lived in the warmest place in Astrian.

No matter where you looked around, there were no private houses, just endless green leaves spread out.

Ordinary people would be captivated by this beautiful scenery, and soon get bored with the unchanging landscape over time.

But Zen was neither captivated nor bored. Scenery was just scenery.

The mansion where Zen lived was such a grand estate that one might wonder how it was built in such a barren field, and it was packed with books from all over the world on both the lower and upper floors.

Honestly, it was closer to a library than a house where people lived.

“This mansion was designed from the start to store books. Books are heavier than you might think.”

Madam Saint said, stroking a pillar that was unusually thick compared to other mansions.

“…This is what I wanted to give as a gift.”

Madam Saint smiled softly. And as if following someone’s movement, she slowly turned her gaze.

Her clear eyes rippled dazzlingly like the morning sea. Yet where Madam Saint’s gaze fell was merely empty space.

Zen wasn’t interested in who Madam Saint wanted to gift this mansion to.

He wasn’t curious, and thought he never would be.

Madam Saint looked at the indifferent Zen with a bitter expression and said,

“Zen. Teaching you is too easy. You’re so smart that I just need to give you good books. It’s the same with business. I just gave you some money, and somehow you’ve grown like this… You really are special.”

Madam Saint examined Zen, who stood at the boundary between boy and man.

The blonde hair that had been stained with shoe polish when they first met was now simply radiant.

His once thin and small body had now become sturdy enough to make everyone envious, and most of his scars had healed, giving him a noble air.

Yet Madam Saint thought that the current Zen wasn’t much different from the Zen back then.

Because his eyes were similar. Eyes that craved something special, carefully chosen, despite having nothing.

It was questionable how he could have such eyes when he had only lived for a little over ten years.

“Come to think of it, you’ve never asked how I intend to use you for revenge. Are you not curious?”

Madam Saint’s delicate voice disappeared without a trace in the gently blowing wind.

Feeling no need to answer the barely audible voice, Zen continued reading his book.

Madam Saint laughed softly, as if there was nothing she could do.

“You don’t care how I use you.”

As she said, Zen didn’t care how he was being used.

After Deborah disappeared, Zen’s only goal was revenge against Duke Buin.

If Duke Buin had just not given birth to him, Zen wouldn’t have needed to suffer like this.

‘No, that’s not it.’

If Duke Buin hadn’t irresponsibly abandoned Zen and his mother, Zen wouldn’t have met Deborah in such a shabby state.

If he had looked just a little better, Zen might have had the courage to confess his feelings to Deborah.

‘If that had happened, you would have…’

Zen smiled self-deprecatingly. It was all just a vain delusion.

“Zen. The more I look at you, the more you resemble ‘Buin’, but…”

As Zen’s face contorted, Madam Saint laughed softly.

“Hehe. But you don’t resemble Duke Buin or your mother.”

Zen turned to look at Madam Saint. Her eyes were filled with deep sorrow.

“I don’t hate you. I did hate you when I first found you. After all, you carry Buin’s blood. But now I know. You’re not at fault at all.”

“…”

“However…”

Her voice trembled at the end. After composing herself with a deep breath, she spoke as if letting out a sigh.

“To throw Duke Buin, that bastard, into the pits of hell, I can cruelly use you, an innocent person, as much as I want.”

She had become a monster. She didn’t want to become like this. Duke Buin had made her this way without her even knowing.

It was so difficult for one good person to be created, yet so simple for an evil person to be made.

“Duke Buin has many precious things.”

To him, wealth and honor, all the valuable things surrounding Buin were precious.

“If I exert some effort, it’s easy enough to take away his wealth. But it’s difficult to tarnish his honor. And I can’t disgrace the honor of the Porea Marquis family for my revenge either.”

Madam Saint continued in a clear voice.

“But you’re different. Your very existence tramples on that man’s honor.”

Acting so noble and pure, yet having an illegitimate child. The social world will be turned upside down.

“But I’m not satisfied with just hurting that fellow’s pride. It wouldn’t be worth it.”

If that was what she wanted, Madam Saint would have rather raised Zen to be a profligate. Not raising him to be a man that everyone would covet like this.

“Do you know what’s most precious to that fellow?”

Zen didn’t answer. Madam Saint spoke with her eyes wide open.

“It’s not money or honor. It’s his daughter.”

While not even treating other people’s children or his own illegitimate child as human, he raised and loved his daughter like an angel. That was the monster known as Duke Buin.

“I hear he’s bringing in a son-in-law despite opposition from relatives to give his daughter the solid fence of the Buin Duke family.”

The laws of Gracian were strange, daughters couldn’t become heirs to the family, and in case the heir position was vacant, even relatives could have a say in selecting the heir.

But the one with the loudest voice was still Duke Buin, and he forcefully suppressed his relatives for the sake of his daughter.

“The Gracian social world is famous for being conservative, but the Buin Duke’s bloodline is the most narrow-minded among them.

They’ll probably oppose until Duke Buin’s daughter gets married and has a child.”

It’s in this unstable situation that Zen appears. At first, he’ll just look like a beautiful bourgeois.

The nobles will ignore Zen while secretly opening their mouths to eat the crumbs falling from him.

But what if it turns out this talented bourgeois is Duke Buin’s illegitimate child?

“What would be the problem with you being an illegitimate child? At least it would seem better than the Buin Duke family falling into the hands of Marquis Delta.”

That’s how the hearts of the relatives will turn towards Zen, and the kingdom’s law will also support Zen, who is male.

‘It’s unfortunate for that woman.’

Zen thought of Margaret, whom he had never seen. Madam Saint would probably think the same.

She too had suffered as a woman from a noble family.

Yet Madam Saint couldn’t stop.

“Zen. Become Duke Buin. And destroy the Buin Duke family with your own hands.”

Duke Buin had to watch all of this while alive.

Unable to protect his daughter’s position, unable to protect the duke family he was so proud of, he had to suffer for a long time under everyone’s criticism and die miserably.

“Entering high society won’t be easy. Don’t I need a title?”

When Zen frowned and asked, Madam Saint answered with a grin.

“Don’t worry. I’ll prepare everything.”

And it was only years later that Zen heard about Dia.

‘She really can use anything for revenge, it seems.’

Zen was no different from Madam Saint. Using Dia for revenge didn’t bother him at all. After all, wasn’t life without Deborah a hell where it felt like flesh was falling off?

“If you want to live, confess honestly.”

Even with a gun pointed at his head, he was reminiscing about the past. Zen really felt like something was wrong with him.

Quietly letting out a laugh, Zen slowly raised his head. The servant holding the gun tensed. Duke Buin couldn’t hide his surprised expression.

Zen looked straight at Duke Buin and said,

“Your Grace. No matter how much you threaten me, the truth won’t change. I’ve climbed to this position with my own strength. I don’t know why you’re afraid of me, but…”

The duke’s fist trembled.

‘You say I’m afraid of you?’

Duke Buin wanted to kick Zen’s arrogant face. But he couldn’t even speak properly.

In fact, it was impossible for Duke Buin to kill Zen here.

Zen surely hadn’t come here alone without anyone knowing.

‘I can’t cause any disturbance until Margaret gets married.’

Did Zen also know about Duke Buin’s circumstances? Is that why he was being so arrogant?

Duke Buin was displeased.

“Your Grace. I’m quite satisfied with my current position.”

Zen said firmly in a heavy voice.

“You need not doubt that point.”

At that moment, moonlight seeped through the slightly parted curtains, illuminating Zen’s eyes. His clean golden eyes sparkled brilliantly.

“Then I shall take my leave. I will consider it a lifelong honor that Duke Buin sought out lowly me today.”

Even with the gun still pointed at him, Zen turned away without hesitation.

The servant waited for Duke Buin’s order, but the duke just muttered with a pale face.

“He says he’s satisfied with his position? So don’t doubt him?”

How could that be possible!

‘His identity must never be revealed.’

The fact that Zen Baker was Duke Buin’s illegitimate child must never be revealed until Margaret got married and had an heir.

Because if another option like Zen appeared, Margaret’s position would become precarious.

‘I can’t let someone like him covet my surname, my daughter’s position…!’

Duke Buin had to hurry and find it. A way to completely cut Zen out of Gracian high society.