“Should we kill Theo Evans?”

As he returned to the mansion under the late afternoon sun, handing the reins to a servant, Edwin paused midway up the stairs.

Such an easy question. Such an easy answer.

Do it. Kill that bothersome tailor and burn down the entire clothing shop.

That simple answer was stuck in his throat.

Whenever he saw Vivian, unrestrained impulses kept surfacing.

The first was wanting to make Vivian cry after encountering her again after 14 years. The second was wanting to correct her impudent behavior as she withered away. The third was wanting to deliver an unexpected death to her right away.

And if he followed his fourth impulse, Eveline’s glamorous dress would become Theo Evans’ final work.

“If you give the order, I’ll take care of it flawlessly by today.”

“Is it because you don’t trust my work that you’re asking this?”

From fleeing Preston to settling in New Way and arriving at this moment, there had been no impulsive decisions.

Impulses ruin things. Such an attitude had a profound impact on life.

If there was an exception, it was only Vivian Eveline. In front of Eveline, impulses could not be refined. Rational judgment and patience didn’t shine much either.

And even amidst countless impulses, Vivian Eveline remained in her place. That was the cause of acting out on impulses that shouldn’t exist in his life. So it was fine to indulge in the fourth impulse. It was clear that everything would remain in its place.

The barricade on the wide, neatly paved road was Theo Evans. Something that could be knocked down and shattered, yet he just lingered in front, delaying decisions and continuing pointless worries.

What a worthless waste of time.

Theo Evans is foolish and dull. He was a naive man who didn’t know how to restrain his boiling blood. Those who haven’t tasted the consequences of recklessness were usually half-mad.

“Leave Evans be.”

Edwin finally decided on an answer after a long time. Why bother meticulously killing Theo Evans who would self-destruct? His boiling youth would lead him to death.

“And tell Charlotte to treat the guests with utmost care. If she doesn’t know whose guests they are, threaten to kick her out of the mansion if she’s no longer needed. No, don’t just threaten, really kick her out.”

Edwin’s arrow turned towards Charlotte. It was clearly a mismatched anger.

Telling him to leave Theo Evans, who dared to point a gun at Duke Baitness, alone while ordering to kick out Charlotte for being upset over trivial matters. Royce, who moved according to orders, quickly erased the doubts in his head and turned around.

Edwin’s footsteps in his dress shoes headed towards the study after climbing the stairs. In that quiet echo, he recalled the forest filled with gunshots. The rough and pure eyes of Theo Evans. And the suspicion the young man had harbored.

Filthy lust. Lust, he says.

They say humans project the desires they want to hide most through others. Evans, who was completely unaware of Baitness’s purpose to crush Eveline, simply defined the other based on what he knew.

What the insolent Theo Evans had for Vivian Eveline was clearly filthy lust. A common and trite desire that a foolish and dull man would have more than enough of.

Edwin’s cold blue eyes gazed at Vivian’s portrait. In the portrait, Vivian was smiling brightly, kindly, and innocently. While he had completely erased all traces of the Eveline family from this mansion, the one thing he left was the portrait of Lawrence Eveline’s only daughter, whom he loved most in the world.

Perhaps the smile in the portrait was the brightest and most beautiful smile he knew. Maybe such a smile would never appear in Vivian Eveline’s life from now on, so leaving one behind could be considered an act of mercy.

Charlotte stomped her feet, panting to claim an empty horse. Edwin, who nearly died at Theo Evans’ hands, headed to the mansion alone. Although she knew he would be safe since the quick-footed Royce followed behind, the anxious Charlotte felt she could only be relieved if she could lay eyes on Edwin as soon as possible.

How dare he point a gun at the Duke.

Theo Evans would be the only commoner in New Way’s history to have pointed a gun at a duke. So even if he were hanged, Theo Evans could blame no one. That would be the law of New Way and the judgment of its citizens.

“If you don’t mind.”

As she put her foot on the stirrup with the help of servants, a voice came down. When she looked up, there was an unfamiliar man with a mild impression and neat attire sitting on a horse. Though his looks were far from Edwin, who was considered one of the most handsome men in New Way, his kind impression was likable.

He cleared his throat. Charlotte frowned slightly and stood straight in her place.

“Would you like to ride my horse? If you ride, someone else will have to walk.”

Charlotte immediately sensed the identity of the man addressing her. After blatantly looking the man up and down, she stared at the nervous-looking baron. Her round eyes with a fierce gaze made Gideon dismount.

Edwin’s assessment of Charlotte was sharp. Though not typically beautiful, she was cute. Aside from being quite short and seemingly needing to be looked down upon endlessly, she was lovely and adorable like a doll.

If only that gaze had been as docile and obedient as a doll’s, it was clear there would be no whirlwind of intense emotions towards Charlotte.

“Are you Baron Gideon Zimmerman?”

Her tone was also cute, but the fact that she reacted sharply with such a cute voice painfully tickled Gideon’s heart.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Gideon Zimmerman.”

Gideon greeted her with even more formality than when dealing with Edwin. His bright smile and eyes that couldn’t leave Charlotte proved he had fallen in love at first sight, that he had fallen in love without needing much time.

“It seems the Baron lacks situational awareness.”

Charlotte, showing her thorns to such a Gideon, omitted even the minimum courtesy she should show.

“The Duke nearly died at the hands of a mere tailor just now. The Duke is my only guardian and my only family. Such a person nearly died by a tailor’s gun. Yet you’re smiling so nonchalantly?”

When Charlotte sharply mocked him, the smile on Gideon’s lips instantly disappeared. Charlotte turned her body abruptly.

“Well, when men play with money among themselves, there are times they want to kill each other. I’m sure neither the Duke nor Mr. Evans meant it seriously. So don’t worry too much…”

Gideon tried to add words to soothe the sensitive Charlotte, but all he received was a fierce gaze. Gideon, thinking it would be more helpful for their relationship to keep his mouth shut, pressed his lips together and smiled. Charlotte soon averted her gaze and mounted the horse. Gideon watched Charlotte’s back disappearing into the distance with regretful eyes, not even looking back.

“If you marry her, you’ll be completely under her thumb, won’t you?”

James clicked his tongue as he watched Gideon unable to take his eyes off Charlotte. As Gideon still couldn’t come to his senses even though Charlotte had already disappeared, James grabbed Gideon’s shoulder.

“Snap out of it, Gideon. She’s already gone far away. So far that you can’t even see her anymore.”

“Ah.”

Gideon slapped both his cheeks with his hands.

“By the way, the atmosphere was really strange. What’s the relationship between the Duke and Evans? Evans was acting weird from practice. Do you know anything?”

“Why are you so interested in other people’s business?”

“I’m not interested, I’m just curious. Aren’t you curious?”

“No. Not at all. It’s probably just a love affair at most.”

“That’s why. Then shouldn’t you be more curious? It’s not just anyone, but the Duke of Baitness and Eveline’s only daughter. And a tailor? What could be more interesting than this love affair?”

He lowered his voice and glanced at the servants remaining in the forest. He muttered nervously, afraid that someone might hear. James’ eyes followed Gideon as he ignored him and mounted his horse.

“What? You’re going back already? Let’s hunt more before we go. The Duke said to play a bit more too.”

“It’s almost dinner time.”

“…So?”

“Miss Windler will be there too, I can’t meet her looking like this.”

Huh. James exhaled roughly as if dumbfounded. Gideon, who left like that, exhausted James. James, who decided to return following the advice of the mansion servants, grumbled all the way to the mansion.

Then, as if remembering something, he looked back. Vivian Eveline and Theo Evans were still deep in the forest.

Would it be a breathtaking battle between two men over one woman? But from Eveline’s standpoint, is there anything to consider? When the opponent is the Duke of Baitness.

He recalled the time when he declined, feeling somewhat reluctant, when Gideon, who said he had been invited to the Duke of Baitness’s mansion, suggested accompanying him. He was now even grateful that Gideon had asked once more a few days later when he had agreed. If not, he would have missed this interesting story.

Vivian, who left the darkening forest with Theo, had to send Theo back when he suggested leaving the mansion together. Theo hesitated for a long time to leave first. She suggested once more, but Vivian ultimately didn’t accept him.

The reason she had to turn back first, unable to part, was because she felt it would put Theo in even greater danger.

After turning back like that, she heard Theo’s hesitant steps moving away. The reason she stubbornly held back her tears was because she didn’t want Theo to see her crying shoulders if he looked back with lingering feelings.

When they left the forest, a servant of Duke Baitness approached and handed Theo a purse of gold coins. He emphasized again and again that it was payment for the dress and a reward for making the hunt enjoyable, and to be grateful for the generosity in covering up the mistake.

And Vivian snatched that purse of gold coins from Theo. There was no reason for Duke Baitness to handle the payment for the dress, and Theo didn’t go there to make the Duke’s hunt enjoyable.

Vivian headed towards the mansion, clutching the purse of gold coins tightly in her hand.

The grand mansion of Rodinia was our family’s last hope. We were filled with dreams as we settled our assets in Preston and imagined a new life in New Way.

In New Way, we would no longer be able to live as nobles, but we would be a little freer than now, so Father promised to learn landscaping, Mother promised to learn marksmanship, and we promised to love our future life more.

But now. Vivian, standing in front of the Duke’s mansion in Rodinia, crumbled without form under the intimidating size. That enormous building swallowed her weak self in one bite, mercilessly crushing her and mocking her with a chilling laugh.

The unpleasant sensation of not being able to escape from a strange and disgusting dream was the sensation given by the mansion we had called our family’s dream and hope.

Vivian reluctantly stepped into the mouth opening towards her. A dream and hope that she couldn’t run away from or leave. Towards the mansion that had taken away all her dreams and hopes. Towards that man who would be waiting for her inside.

“Miss!”

Sophie, who had been waiting anxiously at the mansion entrance, ran hurriedly when she spotted Vivian.

“Miss. Are you alright? In the forest…”

“Where is the Duke?”

Unlike the worried Sophie, Vivian was calm and cold. Vivian’s unfamiliar appearance without a hint of a smile made Sophie shrink.

“The, the Duke is now in the study with Miss Windler… Miss!”

Before Sophie could finish speaking, Vivian’s steps moved.

Vivian’s heart was filled with the fear of possibly losing her loved ones. Her missing father, her mother with whom contact had been cut off. It was also Edwin who had set fire to Vivian’s heart, which had always fought against deep anxiety and lived turning a blind eye to the truth.

Blinded by revenge, he’s trying to butcher her heart with the worst possible deed. It was the best revenge that Sayer of that time, who had lost his beloved family overnight, could do.

Vivian, riddled with fear, had nothing left to resist. Heading to the study, Vivian flung open the double doors without knocking. And she found the cruelest man in a familiar place.

Edwin Baitness. No. Sayer Raven, sitting impertinently on the desk her beloved father used to use, stretching out his long legs.

The humiliation and fear given by those piercingly blue eyes drove Vivian to the edge of a cliff. She felt a chill down her spine at his nonchalant gaze, having pointed a gun at someone who must be precious to someone. The emotion welling up was about to explode.

Vivian threw the purse of gold coins onto the floor with all her might, exhaling a shallow breath. The scattered gold coins glittered on the floor.

One of them rolled and tumbled, hitting Edwin’s shoe and overturning. Edwin slowly raised his eyes after looking down at the gold coin at his feet. As their gazes met, Vivian’s steps, still unabated in anger, strode towards Edwin. It was then.

“You’ve really gone completely mad.”

The one who blocked Vivian’s steps approaching Edwin was none other than Charlotte.