“Unless you have prior permission, do not enter.”

Who? Arthur?

Permitted person? Am I not a permitted person?

The absurdity led to a question.

“If I’m not a permitted person? Who is the permitted person?”

The knight answered.

“One or two maids after waking up in the morning. And the doctor at 11 a.m. And your closest knights. There was no prior permission for anyone else.”

The Duke stared at the knight in disbelief.

Am I not included? Am I, the head of this house?

The knight continued.

“But you are the Duke, so I will tell the commander that you came and ask him.”

The knight beckoned to a lowerranking knight with a quick glance to the side.

But before his head turned back to the front,

Slap―!

The Duke slapped the knight.

“Are you crazy? Whose house do you think this is!”

The Duke roared.

“……”

The knight who was slapped licked his torn lip corner and looked down at the Duke.

And he chuckled and sighed.

In an instant, all the knights around pulled out their swords.

“……!”

The Duke was more than surprised at the sight of the knights drawing their swords.

But on the other hand, he felt strange and weird about himself not being escorted in front of the armed group.

There had never been a time when he needed to be escorted by armed men in his mansion.

What’s going on in my mansion now?

“You guys right now…! Did Arthur tell you to do this to you!”

The Duke yelled in rage.

The knight opened his mouth calmly.

“Duke Julius.”

The gaze of the soldiers, who pointed their chilly weapons, focused on the Duke.

Feeling a sudden sense of threat, he yelled out.

“This is my house! I’m the lord of this land! You are my conscripts…!”

“Duke.”

The knight who was slapped politely and calmly cut him off with a smile.

Seeing his expression, the Duke froze.

“Your Grace the Duke, you have never been a soldier, so it seems you don’t know, so let me explain. We are soldiers, and the superior who is responsible for us, commanding us, and keeping us alive, is ‘Arthur Julius’, the commander. Not you.”

The restrained smile and the cold gaze of the knight.

“Duke, you do not have any authority to command us. Whether this place is your mansion or not is not for us soldiers to know. Our commander is Sir Arthur, this is the escort range commanded by Sir Arthur, and it is important that you are violating it.”

The knight’s words continued.

“The reason I’m not immediately punishing you for exercising hostile force against a soldier now is not because you’re the lord of this land or the owner of this house, but because I respect Sir Arthur. Step back immediately. If not, I will dispose of you on my authority for the honor of Sir Arthur.”

He had just stood still, pointing his sword without shaking.

As the knight’s words continued, the momentum of the soldiers surrounding him began to overwhelm the Duke.

The Duke faltered, managing to step in place and not backward.

His face was furious as he shifted the weight of both feet, his new shoes wobbled.

“Immediate disposal? This is not a battlefield and the war is already over, what…!”

The knight laughed as if he was mocking him.

“You don’t know. We are released from conscription under the command of His Majesty the Emperor after a formal renovation ceremony in the capital, and until then we are soldiers under Commander Arthur Julius. We are not people who are influenced by your commands as a civilian.”

“!”

Then, from behind, the sound of hurried footsteps brushing against a dress echoed.

“Antonio!”

The Duchess, who had hurriedly run with the head butler, came up with a pale face and grabbed him.

“What are you doing to the knights!”

“Let go. These guys right now…!”

The Duchess saw the handprint left on the knight’s cheek and his busted lip from standing before the Duke, and struck his arm in alarm.

“You’re crazy!”

The Duchess hastily pulled at the Duke’s arm.

As the Duke told her to let go, let go! he began to be weakly pulled along by the Duchess’ arm.

After pulling him to the staircase, the Duchess shoved him towards the butler and, not knowing what to do, she turned back around and walked back to the knight, who seemed to have been hit by the Duke.

“I’m sorry, sir! The Duke made a big mistake. Perhaps he’s been under a lot of stress lately. I’m sure the Duke didn’t mean it. I don’t know what’s going on but……”

This crazy man……!

In the midst of trying to peacefully resolve the situation with Arthur, something like this happens!

The Duchess, who didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, apologized sincerely, even bowing her head.

“I will come back later to apologize. If you could tell me your name, I will certainly come back……”

A soft voice echoed.

“Lionel.”

“!”

Everyone present, including the Duke and the butler who were more than twothirds down the stairs, the knights, and the Duchess, all focused their attention upwards.

There was a clear cold displeasure on Arthur’s face as he appeared amongst the knights.

A tense silence.

“……”

Arthur looked around the situation with cold eyes and moved.

Step, step.

And Arthur, who stopped in front of the knight, looked at his injured face once, and then at the Duke and the Duchess once in turn.

Arthur’s gaze slowly returned to the knight.

“What happened here?”

The Duke’s face hardened as he remembered his purpose for visiting as soon as he saw Arthur.

Substandard supplies……!

How was he going to discuss the issue of substandard supplies?

The Duke was suddenly flustered and looked at the knight he had hit.

The knight, who had been slapped, turned his face away as if he didn’t want to show Arthur this situation, and hid his face with a somewhat stiff expression.

But Arthur lifted his chin and checked his face.

“Who did this?”

“……”

The knight did not answer, as if he didn’t want to put Arthur in a difficult situation.

However, Arthur’s gaze moved to find the culprit.

First, to the Duchess who was apologizing in confusion in front of him.

Then, to the Duke who was being pulled down the stairs by the butler.

Arthur’s moving gaze stopped.