“Then how do you explain this? The refugees locked in the warehouse.”

Aguil gasped for air. Although he tried to make an excuse afterward, his genuine reaction had already been unmistakably exposed.

“Wh, what are you talking about! I don’t know! If there is evidence, show it!”

“…So he says, my Lord.”

Bart stepped aside. Aguil’s eyes met with a man sitting on the sofa behind him.

From the condescending gaze, Aguil sensed the aristocratic demeanor typical of nobility.

Aguil thought of a few highranking nobles who were attending today.

In reality, there was no need to think. Among those he had personally invited, only one was a highranking noble family: a duke.

Without saying a word, the man with piercing dark eyes made Aguil feel as though he was being suffocated.

“Knowing that an auction was to be held, do you still deny it?”

The bluehaired man threw a luxurious paper invitation onto his lap. It was an invitation that only those attending today’s slave auction could have.

“Wh, what is this, this invitation…”

“Isn’t it slave trading, the now prohibited slave trading?”

“Sl, slave trading? That’s ridiculous…”

Aguil’s feet shook as they remained bound. He couldn’t even complete his sentence. It was clear from the man’s expression that he didn’t believe him.

Aguil took a deep breath. Just because he was exposed didn’t mean there was no way out.

“I, I was only doing as I was told. There, there is someone who gives me orders every month. Th, that’s right! Did you hear someone calling for me? I am merely the lieutenant. I’m not the owner of this auction! I had no choice but to follow the orders!”

Cayleus silently tapped his armrest with his index finger. Aguil gulped down dry saliva.

The slave trade was an independent act. What orders from the captain? The man who was a captain in name only wouldn’t even notice what was happening here.

But what did that matter now? The captain had never shown his face here anyway.

‘It’s okay, I’ve prepared false evidence for situations like this!’

Aguil thought of the perjured documents he had prepared earlier. Only then did his panting breath gradually stabilize.

“So you say you were just following orders.”
“Yes, yes, you’re right! How distressed I’ve been. But what can someone as lowly as me do? I had no choice but to follow orders! So, please, show some mercy…”

“Well, I never ordered you to do anything.”

“….What?”

Aguile foolishly asked back. It was not a question asked because he hadn’t heard correctly.

Mulling over the words he had heard multiple times, Aguile’s eyes gradually widened in disbelief.

“Th, this can’t, this can’t be…”

Struck with disbelief, Aguile’s mouth fell open. Saliva dripped from his mouth. It felt like the harbinger of death was approaching.

“What are you saying? You’re saying you didn’t order me to…”

“Your ears seem to work just fine. Perhaps it’s your brain that doesn’t?”

Aguile repeatedly opened and closed his mouth, looking perplexed.

“Don’t, don’t lie, choke!”

He couldn’t finish his sentence. Bart, who had been standing next to him, grasped his throat tightly.

“You say it’s a lie? Why would the ViceCaptain lie to you?”

Just as Aguile felt like he would really suffocate, Bart let go of his neck.

Aguile quickly assessed the situation. There was no point in lying now. It was better to quickly confess and seek forgiveness.

Moreover, luckily, it was the first time he had committed such an act. Perhaps that’s why the Duke had spared him thus far.

The slave auction hadn’t even started yet, and there had been no violence against them, as they were valuable goods. Aguile quickly confessed all of this.

“I’m, I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! I was blinded by greed and committed a terrible sin! But, please, give me one more chance. I haven’t harmed them in any way! In fact, I even gave them food and clothes! It may even have been a good thing for them!”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Yes, yes? If you’re not here for the slaves, then…”

“What does it have to do with me?”

Cailius chuckled briefly.

“Then…?”

“The problem is that you acted arbitrarily with what’s mine.”

Cailius signaled to Phyllen with a slight hand gesture. Phyllen approached Aguile discreetly.

“Now, Mr. Aguile? Let’s have a talk. You’ll tell me everything you’ve done, step by step. As you’ve probably heard, my lord despises liars.”

Although Aguile quickly nodded, Phyllen separately prepared to interrogate him.

Just then, someone burst in without even knocking. It was Gorden.

Cailius frowned at the sight of the maskless, rushing man.

However, Gorden was too rushed to even be aware of this.

“The, the young master, the young master has…”

“The young master has what?”

Phyllen, who was putting on black gloves, asked back. Gorden, panting, blurted out the news before even catching his breath.

“The young master has disappeared!”