In his childhood, his father and mother did not listen to him unless it was useful content.

To catch their attention, he had to strictly cater to their interests. Politics, social circles, martial arts, academic grades, stories about how he was superior to someone else’s son.

If it wasn’t that kind of talk, the Duke and Duchess of Pelton would converse only between themselves as if they had stakes in their ears.

Edric was very interested in insects, and was curious about how fast the animals he chased in the forest could run. He wanted to talk about what he played with his friends and how ridiculous those friends actually were, rather than their grades, but such stories had to be told only to himself or written in his diary.

At some point, Edric began to think that he had no interest in such things at all, and started to regard the interests taken for granted by children his age as utterly trivial.

Then the children his age themselves became laughable.

‘What childish things.’

By eight, he was already able to discuss the state of the empire with adults, and by ten, he had become so capable that he could take over part of the duchy’s affairs on behalf of his father.

His parents’ approval and people’s praise were sufficient reward for his efforts, and also served as motivation to help him grow more like a successor.

He became the role model for noble boys throughout the empire, and the goal of noblewomen raising children.

“You must grow up to be as excellent as the young Lord Pelton.”

“Child, please stop acting like a child. Why don’t you learn from young Lord Pelton? Isn’t he so wonderful and mature?”

But Edric was also a child.

There was a mischievous, playful, unpredictable child inside Edric, like an untamed wild pony. It’s just that he had locked it away early on as it was unbecoming of the qualities of a great noble heir…

But like a tree that always finds a hole to twist and grow through no matter how tightly the ceiling is sealed, the imprisoned boy inside Edric also found a distorted way to resolve his stunted growth.

He started drinking and hunting at an early age.

Thanks to that, he learned that peripheral stimulation temporarily refreshed his stuffy chest.

He also enjoyed cigars, realizing immediately the pleasant sensation of his lungs warming up and blood vessels expanding – a feeling others might only experience after several trials and errors.

As he grew a bit older, he even succeeded in cleverly manipulating the figures of the dividends that were supposed to go to his uncles, diverting the difference to himself.

How ridiculous they were, putting on airs at family gatherings.

“You understand, don’t you, Edric? No matter how clever you are, you can’t ignore experience. In worldly affairs, experience is more important than intellect.”

“Of course, uncle. Everything you say is correct.”

Fools. Would they still say that if they knew they were only receiving half of what they should?

The thoughts behind his bright and lovely smile were truly wicked.

Edric had been relieving his suppressed desires in such ways. But… the stuffiness didn’t completely dissipate.

He wanted an even stronger stimulation. Something other than the secret pleasures he alone knew and enjoyed.

Then, by chance, he saw close friends parting ways due to a misunderstanding caused by a single word.

Edric smiled with interest.

‘That would be good.’

From then on, Edric subtly instigated fights between people, and enjoyed sitting back and leisurely watching.

Like watching a bloody fight between two male dogs in heat released into a dogfighting ring.

He felt both pleasure and a sense of skepticism, justifying his actions within that.

‘That’s just how humans are.’

There is no friendship bound by sincere trust to begin with. There is only a semblance of it, and he merely cut the loosely tied bond between them.

That day too, after interestingly observing a fight he had instigated between two household servants, he was about to turn away when—

“Please don’t do that.”

“…”

A small girl was looking up at him, saying something incomprehensible.

“What are you talking about?”

“I know everything you did, young master.”

The girl’s eyes were resolute. She knew what he had done and was criticizing him. How dare she.

But Edric responded calmly without the slightest agitation.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. What did I do?”

“You stole Sera’s ring and put it in Anna’s drawer.”

“You’ve misunderstood something.”

He chuckled as if he had heard something absurd and continued.

“Do I look like someone who would do such a sordid thing?”

He put on the most angelic expression he could muster to support his words. The very smile that even men, let alone women, fell for.

“Yes. You do look like that.”

The smile slowly faded from Edric’s face.

What is this insolent girl saying?

“My father also looked kind and pretty like you, but he stole things, smoked cigars, and did everything he shouldn’t.”

“…”

Edric stared at the girl.

He had heard enough to know how this girl and his mother’s maid, who was living as a dependent in the duke’s household, had ruined their lives.

The fact that a young lady from a fairly prestigious count’s family had eloped with a low-ranking nobleman who was only good-looking, and the fact that the man, without any ability to make a living, had tormented his wife through wasteful habits, kleptomania, and adultery before dying away from home.

“You need to stop here. Otherwise, you’ll end up like my father.”

To dare compare me to such trash and worry about my future.

It was so absurd that he let out a laugh, but strangely, he didn’t feel offended.

It was also strange that he didn’t feel ashamed even though his two-faced nature had been exposed for the first time.

It was as if he had been waiting for someone to see through him and say something.

Edric quietly looked down at the girl before him.

‘She’s three years younger than me, wasn’t she?’

She looked not just three, but five years younger, being barely a handful.

But her brown eyes, looking straight at him, seemed far more mature than his own.

What kind of life must she have lived for a child to have such adult-like eyes?

Curiosity arose.

“You, come to my room at midnight.”

Edric commanded.

The girl looked scared for a moment but kept her promise.

“Eat.”

Edric pushed his portion of late-night snack towards the girl who had come to see him.

It was a nutritious late-night snack specially prepared by the chef for him who studied late into the night.

The girl waved her hands with a perplexed expression at the luxurious late-night snack that had never been allowed to her even once.

“Ah, no. You should eat this, young master.”

Now she looks her age again.

Edric smiled wryly at the huge disparity from when she had boldly advised him earlier.

“It’s fine, eat. It’s payment for listening to my story.”

A question arose in the girl’s brown eyes.

“Story? What story?”

“Just this and that, trivial stories.”

He didn’t really intend to tell such stories.

He just wanted to feed something to this withered girl, and… he suddenly thought that he might be able to pour out the swirling confusion inside him to this girl, which is why he made such a suggestion.

The girl seemed lost in thought for a moment, her gaze wandering here and there, before picking up a petit four and chewing it.

‘Her expressions aren’t very varied.’

Edric grasped the girl’s personality from the brief moment it was revealed.

It was an indifferent face that could only be seen in those who had gone through all sorts of hardships and were left with nothing but skepticism.

This girl was the only person he knew who could make such an unimpressed face while eating a pretty and sweet cake.

Surprisingly, this point drew Edric’s interest even more.

Because she seemed like a lake that would accept whatever was thrown at it, but never bounce it back.

“Tell me your story.”

The girl said dryly after eating the petit four as if it were a duty.

‘I just said it casually, but now it feels like I really have to say something.’

Edric pondered for a moment with a troubled expression about what to talk about. The time of contemplation wasn’t long. A question quickly came to mind.

“What’s your name?”

The girl lowered her gaze and said timidly.

“Melly… Melly Enwood.”

As time passed, formal speech became casual, and even the title of ‘young master’ disappeared.

And along with it, the curiosity Edric had for her also vanished.

The fact that she was the only person who knew both his bright and dark sides, combined with the fact that she was female, aroused great curiosity for a while at first.

Even Melly’s small and plain appearance looked exceedingly pretty under the halo of that curiosity.

But soon the rose-colored glasses came off, and he saw her as she truly was.

Thanks to Melly, who understood his flawed personality and sincerely listened to even his most trivial stories, the immature child inside Edric quickly caught up with his physical and intellectual growth.

He no longer needed to satisfy his inner deficiencies through distorted behavior, so there was no need to confide his cunning secrets to Melly.

He grew up well into a calm, gentle, and reliable young man.

Just because Melly contributed to that didn’t mean he intended to accept her as the future duchess. No, he had never even thought about it.

Melly was not a woman to him.

Except for those few months when he was twelve years old.

But…

‘It seems Lord Blair has taken a liking to you, Melly.’

The moment he heard those words, Edric was utterly perplexed.

Mother, why are you so desperate to marry off a child not even twenty years old yet?

Blair? That nouveau riche?

To think she would try to send Melly off to such a man as if completing a chore.

He couldn’t leave it like that.

He would decide Melly’s match himself, and until then, he would keep her with him.

“Your Grace, where shall we go?”

The opera house… The words were about to leave his mouth but were swallowed back.

‘Haste only brings trouble.’

“Let’s go home.”

The real task was there.

A smile appeared on Edric’s lips.

It was the first mischievous smile since he was twelve years old.