“Do you know what you have done now?”

The Grand Duke did not get angry or shout.

His voice was very calm.

However, his gaze towards Lloyd was infinitely cold.

Lloyd knew that there was no affection for a child in that gaze.

So he gritted his teeth and said.

“Father, how long do you intend to treat me like a child?”

“Before you say such things, don’t you think you should show it through your actions first?”

“Father, haven’t you always done that to me? Have you ever entrusted me with anything properly?”

As if he was going to have a battle of wills with his father, Lloyd looked at the Grand Duke with a gaze full of hostility.

The Grand Duke was exasperated by that gaze, but on the other hand, he understood.

‘This is why no matter how good a person I put by his side, they run away first.’

After visiting the Duke Odoi’s residence, the Grand Duke investigated matters related to Clea.

As the only Grand Duke of the empire, he too had a considerable amount of work to handle. But the Grand Duke lost sleep every night over the big mistake he had missed.

It was a child who had festered more because he hadn’t paid proper attention. He had to know how long that child had endured painful days.

In the days of suffering from guilt, he learned most of what Clea had gone through from the people of the mansion.

And he realized that they no longer had the right to hold onto Clea.

“If it were you, could you entrust an important matter of the family to someone like yourself?”

“Father!”

“Since it’s come to this, let me ask you. Why did you set your eyes on another woman when you already have a fiancée?”

“That’s because you and mother decided it on your own!”

Lloyd shouted that it was absurd.

But the person who found this most absurd was none other than the Grand Duke.

He let out a hollow laugh and said.

“Then you should have objected at that time!”

Given Lloyd’s personality, if he disliked it, he would have clearly said so.

However, at that time, Lloyd showed a lukewarm reaction to the engagement.

It was as if he didn’t care either way.

Of course, they were concerned about treating his fiancée with such an attitude.

Still, since he didn’t explicitly express dislike, the Grand Duke and his wife hoped that the two would get along as they spent time together.

However, the result was very devastating.

The Grand Duke simply couldn’t understand.

“That was before I met Aria. So I didn’t care whether she existed or not.”

“Then why didn’t you ask for the engagement to be broken off? It seems that child’s heart has already left you long ago.”

If Lloyd truly wanted Aria, the Grand Duke would have readily agreed to break off the engagement, albeit regretfully.

Yet Lloyd still didn’t mention breaking off the engagement at all.

The son who had been talking enthusiastically until just now fell silent.

It was clear he was at a loss for what to say. The Grand Duke was speechless.

He didn’t know his child could be this ill-mannered, even if he was his son.

His last remaining expectation towards Lloyd was completely trampled.

‘To think I have to entrust the family I’ve built up my whole life to such a guy.’

It was truly pathetic.

He never thought that letting him live freely, hoping he wouldn’t live always suppressed like himself, would come back as such a big mistake.

On the other hand, the Grand Duke felt a sense of responsibility for this problem.

‘I suppose I too will have to bear the wrongs he has committed from now on.’

In any case, he was that child’s parent. There was a clear responsibility for not raising him properly.

Perhaps that’s why.

The Grand Duke decided to shoulder the wrongs Lloyd had committed.

The Grand Duke rubbed his face and looked at Lloyd in front of him.

Even the little anger that remained disappeared at the sight of him still unable to say anything and just watching the Grand Duke’s reaction.

“Let me tell you one last thing, you will never win that child’s heart.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“How could you, who have never won anyone’s heart, win that child’s heart?”

“Father!”

“From now on, live as you please. I too will no longer interfere in your affairs.”

Twenty-two.

Admund, Clea, Aria.

A subtle age that was neither too many nor too few.

If one becomes an adult, one should have a sense of responsibility. But Lloyd had no sense of responsibility at all.

‘No one knows what will happen if I give this huge family to such a guy.’

The Grand Duke thought, looking at his immature appearance that was like a young child, unsuitable for his age.

That he should revoke the right of succession to the family, as well as the right of inheritance after his death, and entrust it to someone else.

He would have to look for someone suitable to pass it on to, but what was certain was that Lloyd was completely excluded.

“When did you ever give me advice on my affairs! Just watch! Aria will marry me! I’m saying I’ll marry her and not inherit this lousy family!”

Lloyd was outraged by the Grand Duke’s attitude.

The Grand Duke didn’t, but Lloyd clearly thought that this time too, his father was looking at him pitifully while comparing him to Admund.

He didn’t think at all about how the Grand Duke might feel.

He was still a person who never reflected on his actions at all.

He only revealed his inferiority complex towards Admund.

‘What do I lack compared to that guy. The only thing he’s better at than me is being royalty!’

Meanwhile, the butler watching this scene from afar felt a sense of crisis.

He had hoped for the Grand Duke and Lloyd to grow distant in order to manipulate them as he pleased, but he didn’t want them to fight this severely.

Even to the butler, it seemed worrisome that at this rate, Lloyd might be kicked out without inheriting anything.

‘He shouldn’t fall out of the Grand Duke’s favor any further.’

Thinking that from now on, he needed to somehow get in the Grand Duke’s good graces, the butler felt the need to first organize the things he had done so far.

The butler, who hadn’t expected the situation to turn this disastrous, quickly sent someone to Curtis Street.

He ordered them to obtain the ledgers from the stores Lloyd frequently visited, regardless of the cost.

“Someone might be after them, so hurry.”

“What if they’ve already been removed?”

There was a possibility that someone with a grudge against Lloyd had already taken them to gain leverage.

To the errand boy’s assumption, the butler firmly said,

“Then take them by force, even if you have to kill.”

Finding the ledgers was the priority, regardless of who had them. At the butler’s resolute order, they nodded and left immediately.

Watching them leave, the butler bit his nails.

Desperately hoping for luck, he thought it would be over if the words ‘Curtis Street’ reached the Grand Duke’s ears.

* * *

“Ha, so with such mediocre skills, you tried to take this from me.”

“Indeed. To think they approached us with just this level of ability.”

“P-please spare my life.”

It wasn’t just one person who had approached Admund.

There were about five of them, including those who had blended in with the street crowd, waiting for an opportunity.

On the other hand, Admund was with only Oberon.

Five against two.

Moreover, the opponents were people trained in the Grand Duke’s household.

Despite being at a complete numerical disadvantage, Admund and Oberon showed no particular reaction.

Rather, the closer they got, the more ridiculous it seemed.

There’s a saying that even if you’re killed on Curtis Street, it’s legal.

“If you lose a fight here, it doesn’t matter if you die, so tell me. Why should I spare your lives?”

Just as one should follow the laws of the country they’re in, Admund was willing to follow the rules of this place.

Especially for these foolish opponents who had rushed at him without knowing their place, with such meager skills.

He placed his sword, stained red like his eyes, against the opponent’s neck.

Although he only aimed at one person, he could see the other four trembling as well.

Oberon, watching this, showed a small smile.

“W-we are people from the Grand Duke’s household!”

At the words ‘Grand Duke’s household’, the smile disappeared from Oberon’s lips.

“Grand Duke’s household?”

“Yes! Someone inside the Grand Duke’s household ordered us to bring something from here…!”

“Hey, don’t say anymore than that!”

Admund thrust his sword into the ground.

The person in front thought he was about to be stabbed and fell backwards.

People’s gazes briefly passed over the scene.

But as this was a daily occurrence on Curtis Street, they soon ignored it and went about their business.

Sword fights were natural here.

As a place that could be called the shadow of the empire, there was nothing that could be called law.

It was a place where only the strong could survive.

“And this is what that person wanted?”

“Y-yes, that’s right!”

Even those who had been reluctant to speak earlier now started to spill everything without lies.

Despite ‘loyalty’ being the symbol of the Grand Duke’s household, Admund laughed at the irony of seeing no trace of loyalty in these people before him.

Imagining what expression the Grand Duke would make if he saw this scene of subordinates so easily talking under mere threat to their lives, Admund said,

“Your lives will be determined by your actions from now on.”

Noticing the anger in his low voice, they completely shut their mouths.

Having just witnessed his skills, they couldn’t possibly resist.

Meanwhile, Admund, thinking all preparations were complete, looked towards where the temple was.

‘I need to hurry, the Day of Atonement is right around the corner.’

There was still work to be done.

Knowing that it would soon be time for Clea to begin her atonement, Admund moved quickly.

He had to take care of things to get to where she was as soon as possible.