Cabelased turned his gaze forward and muttered lowly.

“Sit up straight.”

“…..”

The 3rd prince, shoulders slumped like an abandoned puppy, sat facing forward. Then he glanced sideways at Cabelased’s profile.

“Why are you taking me?”

“To send you back to your home country.”

“If that’s the reason, couldn’t I have stayed by Jieselgrante’s side until everything here was completely resolved?”

It wasn’t incorrect, but a faint crease appeared between Cabelased’s brows.

“Jieselgrante……”

Cabelased quietly rolled her name around in his mouth.

The 3rd prince would have to stay in the imperial capital, whether he liked it or not, while those involved with Baron Cypress were captured and investigated.

It was true that it didn’t really matter whether he stayed at Duke Amaterasu’s mansion or Duke Cardia’s mansion, but it would save the trouble of having to visit Duke Amaterasu’s mansion again before sending him back to his home country.

But he didn’t bother to bring that up. What he really cared about was something else.

Just one day. What on earth had happened between them in that short time for him to call Jieselgrante by a nickname…?

When they weren’t even family.

Anyway, he just thought they were moving too fast.

The identity of the slave youth turned out to be not a slave at all, but a prince from a neighboring kingdom who had lost in the succession struggle. Even considering the difference in status between them, it was an undeniable fact that it was too informal a way of address between an unmarried man and woman.

“You seem quite close to the young lady.”

At Cabelased’s question, the 3rd prince nodded with a rather serious expression.

“Of course! Jieselgrante is my lifesaver.”

Again.

Every time the 3rd prince referred to her familiarly as ‘Jieselgrante’, it made his insides boil.

“I am your master now.”

Cabelased narrowed his brows slightly, revealing his displeasure, and retorted irritably.

The 3rd prince’s pupils shook violently, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.

“What do you mean by that! Didn’t you say you were sending me back to Soljakai?”

The 3rd prince muttered to himself as if it was just a change of masters.

Seeing his anguished appearance, Cabelased’s mood improved somewhat.

Afterwards, the two didn’t exchange a single word during the journey to Duke Cardia’s mansion.

He could feel, without even having to look, that the 3rd prince was glaring at Cabelased’s profile with a rather disgruntled expression.

But Cabelased was just as displeased.

‘Jieselgrante. What on earth did you do to the 3rd prince?’

He wanted to ask her that if she were here.

He had heard that the 3rd prince of Soljakai was an arrogant man, to the point of being called insolent.

To make such a man spontaneously call her ‘master’.

As expected, Jieselgrante seemed to be more extraordinary than he had imagined.

It was shortly after bringing the 3rd prince of Soljakai to Duke Cardia’s mansion.

“Today seems to be the right time, Your Grace.”

Reported a knight who had been staking out Baron Cypress’s slave trading post all along.

Cabelased had been waiting for the day of slave trading to take place in order to catch definitive evidence.

And it seemed that day was today. Putting down the documents he had been reviewing on his office desk, Cabelased said,

“Gather the knights.”

“Understood.”

The knight who had bowed deeply left the office, and Cabelased also rose from his seat.

The butler standing by the door immediately held out Cabelased’s jacket.

After slipping his arms into the jacket sleeves, Cabelased grabbed his sword and left the office.

Then he led the knights in a raid on Baron Cypress’s establishment.

“Ugh……”

The guards watching the approach to Baron Cypress’s establishment died without even being able to scream.

Having already thoroughly mapped out the internal structure, including not just the main entrance but also the back door and side doors, Cabelased quickly deployed his knights.

“Subdue the slave traders as quickly as possible. Be careful not to harm the captured people.”

As soon as the order to enter the building was given, the knights simultaneously infiltrated the building.

“…!”

Despite being sufficiently on guard, the slave traders were caught completely off guard by the knights who approached without a sound, and were captured without even being able to resist.

“No, why! Why are you doing this? What did we do wrong……”

Cabelased asked the ruffians who were protesting while tightly bound with ropes.

“Is there anyone here who will testify only to the truth?”

They were people who had been working for Baron Cypress for at least a few years, and in some cases over a decade.

Naturally, there was no one who would step forward to betray Baron Cypress.

“……”

Cabelased’s lips soon curved into a cool smile as he silently looked down at them, who were glancing at the knights with insolent eyes.

“I understand your intentions well.”

The slave traders, who had been tilting their heads in confusion, not understanding the meaning of his smile, soon had vivid fear etched on their faces.

It was still clearly a face handsome enough to bewitch even men, but unlike a moment ago, he now exuded an ominous and chilling aura that made their hair stand on end.

And bad premonitions are never wrong.

After slowly sweeping his gaze over the slave traders, Cabelased swung his sword at the leader of this establishment who was right in front of him.

Whoosh.

With the sound of something being cleanly cut, hot blood sprayed.

“Aaaaah!”

“P-please spare us!”

The remaining subordinates of Baron Cypress screamed and retreated on their knees.

Looking at the terrified slave traders, Cabelased added with an expression as if he were doing them a great favor.

“Is there anyone here who will testify only to the truth?”

“I will do it! I’ll do anything if you just spare my life!”

“I’ll testify too!”

The slave traders repeatedly kowtowed, banging their foreheads on the wooden floor.

“I see you at least know the value of your own life.”

“Your Grace! We’ve found the captured people!”

Nodding at the timely news, Cabelased divided his forces.

Into a small number of knights to guard this place, and knights to subdue Baron Cypress.

Leaving behind the pleading gazes of the captured people, Cabelased swiftly mounted his horse.

“We’re heading to Baron Cypress’s mansion.”

And he pulled hard on the reins.

The dining room of Baron Cypress’s mansion, brightly lit by the fireplace and candles, was filled with a warm and cozy atmosphere.

The long, wide table that could easily seat at least ten people was laden with meats, fish, fresh vegetables, and bread.

While Baron and Baroness Cypress enjoyed an intimate dinner, occasionally engaging in conversation, the servants bustled about, attending to their masters’ needs.

It was then that a faint noise intruded upon the peaceful and abundant dinner setting, as always.

“…?”

Baron Cypress, who was bringing a glass of wine to his lips, raised one eyebrow and said,

“My dear, didn’t you just hear something?”

Baroness Cypress, who had paused for a moment to listen for any external sounds, soon shook her head.

“No, what sound?”

Just as Baron Cypress was lifting his wine glass again, thinking it must have been his imagination,

The sound of footsteps pounding in the corridor could be heard.

“I’ve always told them not to run about so frivolously.”

Baroness Cypress glared at her husband, who was clicking his tongue and complaining, and retorted,

“That’s why I said we should bring in servants who originally worked in noble houses.”

Most of the employees working in Baron Cypress’s businesses or mansion were of lowly origins.

Born in the slums, they had grown up rough enough not to feel much aversion to stealing from others or harming them.

Baron Cypress, having spent a similar childhood, had previously thought this was natural.

But after amassing wealth, obtaining a proper noble title, and even marrying a lady raised in a noble family, his thoughts gradually began to change.

He had been considering giving up the dirty work he had been doing and instead trying his hand at some glossy businesses that looked good to others.

“I’ll consider your opinion this time, my dear.”

“Really?”

Just as he was about to lay out his future plans to his wife, who was asking again,

The dining room door burst open without warning. Soon, the butler, breathing heavily, shouted,

“My Lord! We have an emergency.”

After checking his wife’s reaction, Baron Cypress wiped his mouth elegantly with a napkin before turning his attention to the butler.

“What on earth is the matter?”

His voice was clearly tinged with anger. It was a thousand blessings that he didn’t burst out with profanities in front of his wife.

“You must escape! It seems the knights of Duke Cardia have surrounded the mansion!”

“…What did you say?”

Baron Cypress’s brows furrowed deeply.

He had never even met Duke Cardia.

By what reason, and by what authority, was Duke Cardia using force against him?

He couldn’t quite understand, but from the butler’s desperate expression, he could sense that something had gone terribly wrong.

“Get up for now. It seems best we leave this place.”

Hurriedly rising from his seat, Baron Cypress gestured to his wife.

At her husband’s urging, Baroness Cypress put down the bread she was holding and stood up.

“Darling, what’s going on?”

Instead of replying, Baron Cypress led his wife towards the side door used by the servants.

“Why, for what reason has Duke Cardia led his knights to storm my mansion?”

“We haven’t been able to ascertain the exact reason yet, but I suspect there might be a problem with the slave trading business.”

Baron Cypress’s eyes widened.

Today was a day for slave trading.

By now, reports should have come in about who had bought how many slaves, and how much and in what manner the payments were made.