The duke was acting strangely.
I’d first realized it when he’d released Elmer Kisch from the Second Dungeon. No—thinking back further, something had been different about him ever since his fall down the stairs. When one of my men had come to report that he’d fallen, I’d thought it was finally the end for me. I hadn’t yet known that it had been a deliberate act, not an accident; but regardless, I’d been certain that as captain of his guards, I would be held responsible for failing to protect him. I’d resolved to try and land a blow on him in my final moments—maybe I could at least rob him of one of his arms before I died. But when the duke had woken, not only had he let me go unpunished, but even the guard who’d been on duty had faced no reprisal whatsoever. I’d been perplexed at the time, but I’d accepted it as just a passing whim. However, his odd behavior hadn’t stopped there.
The most plainly visible change was that he’d stopped smiling. To be more precise, it wasn’t that he no longer smiled at all—if anything, his usual demeanor had become less severe than before. But he’d completely stopped smiling when he carried out evil deeds. In the past, whenever the duke had tormented his victims, he’d always done so with loud, ecstatic laughter. The suffering of others had been his greatest joy—it had filled him with pleasure from the bottom of his heart. That was what had earned him his title as the Venom of the Nation.
But now, he worked his villainy without the slightest hint of enjoyment. I recalled my former subordinate, Carlos Bureau, and his suicidal attack on the duke. For the old Duke Heinreid, an assassin such as Carlos would have been a toy perfectly suited for torture and abuse. I could easily have imagined him whipping the man to death right on the spot, roaring with laughter all the while. But that day, the duke’s face had been devoid of all emotion. The words that had flowed from his lips had been unmistakably vile, but something about it had felt like a sort of performance... In the end, he’d never laid a finger on Carlos himself, and he’d taken in the news of the man’s death expressionlessly—not that his dispassionate reaction hadn’t been disturbing in and of itself.
There were other, more ill-defined changes as well. Something had shifted in the air around him. The old duke had constantly projected a sense that he was untouchable, unapproachable. He’d exuded the cold fastidiousness of a man who stood above others. But that aura had started to fade. He left himself open now; he showed vulnerability. At times, he’d seem distracted and lost in thought—not putting on a show but wrapped up in genuine contemplation. When I called out to him while his mind was elsewhere, he’d look up at me in surprise. Still, when I’d let my guard down and made blunders, he’d immediately dug into me—and come to think of it, he had been smiling then, albeit wryly and bitterly—so I’d dismissed his personality change as a mere trick of my own mind.
But on the day he’d taken a walk through the garden, I’d become certain that something was amiss. He’d never been the type to simply go out for walks, and I’d been terrified that he might be planning to search around for some flaw and have the gardeners put to death. But he really had just wandered aimlessly through the garden. He’d looked horribly weary, and he’d clearly had something on his mind. Even when he’d pricked his finger on a rose’s thorn, he hadn’t flown into a mad fury—in fact, he’d looked as though his heart had been wounded as well. As bizarre as it was to say, the duke had worn the sad, forlorn expression of a child abandoned by his mother. He’d wondered at the fact that his own blood was red, and I’d instinctively replied that of course it was—he was a human being. I still remembered the smile of bitter irony that he’d given me in response. Just what had it meant? Unable to let it go, I’d stealthily observed him on his now-habitual walks through the garden, but I had yet to arrive at an answer.
Nevertheless, he was clearly acting strangely. Even his arbitrary executions had come to a complete halt. Had something changed inside the duke? Had his fall down the stairs caused some sealed reservoir of humanity deep within him to come spilling forth? Though I had no solid proof, that notion had begun to take root inside me.
But now...
I barked out a mocking, self-deprecating laugh. The sword in my hands was smeared with blood.
What the hell was I even expecting?
Even if the duke had awoken to some semblance of a conscience—even if he had drifted closer to humanity—the countless sins of his past would never disappear. And even now, he’d never left his evil ways behind. He’d woven his words with countless veiled threats as he’d ordered me to cut down His Highness Prince Sighart, knowing full well the pain it would cause me.
I sharply flicked away the blood and sheathed my sword. I’d held back as much as I could, but had it been enough? If the tales were to be believed, the Lion Princess of Mokhia was not only an expert fighter but a master of countless other athletic pursuits—surely she wouldn’t have drowned in the Pieira’s currents, would she?
All of this was the work of my own hands, ordered or not.
Remember the shame and disgrace you feel now. Remember every evil act that came before. Never forget it—any of it.
I had no right to worry for Prince Sighart or his companion. But if, by some chance, the worst had befallen them... Then this time, no matter what, I would atone with my life and bring the duke down with me.
“Looks like there aren’t any dead,” I said. “Tend to the wounded, and carry them to the barracks once you’re done. Stay away from the estate.”
“But, Captain—”
“I’ll handle His Grace. Just rest and recover for now.” I sighed. “Good work, all of you.”
I wasn’t going to blame the soldiers for not letting His Highness go. They’d simply carried out their duties for the sake of their lives and their families’ safety. They, too, were people of this kingdom—and I’d struck down His Highness to protect them as well. If I wished to claim that I was acting for the greater good, then all I could do now was abide the rage and humiliation and continue serving my role.
I gave the remaining soldiers a few brief instructions, then set off on my horse after the duke.
When I arrived back at the estate, I was greeted by an unusual sight. I narrowed my eyes at the extravagant carriage parked in a corner near the gate.
This must be why he was in such a rush to return... I’d been right to hurry after him. Perhaps I could get my hands on some valuable information.
I rushed over the threshold into the manor—and nearly let out a curse at the bespectacled man waiting there to meet me.
“You’re late, Craig Bauer. His Grace has already returned. Are you, perhaps, in need of a new horse?”
Karl Anker was this estate’s prized butler. In front of the duke, he carried out his orders dispassionately, without the slightest question or hesitation. But for some reason, he would constantly find fault with me. Maybe he’d already surmised that I planned to turn against the duke sooner or later. In any case, based on his demeanor and his actions, I’d judged him to be on the side of evil—even if he didn’t seem to be one of Heinreid’s devotees.
“His Grace said that he wished to return alone.”
“And you simply let him? What, pray tell, did you intend to do if some mischance had befallen His Grace on his way home? His Majesty’s wrath would be far too great to quell with your life alone.”
He looked down his nose at me with a mocking hmph. Annoyed by his antagonizing attitude, I glared back at him.
“Are you in any position to talk?” I asked pointedly.
Ordinarily, the butler’s responsibility was to wait on standby in the room next door to the duke so that he could be summoned at a moment’s notice. But Karl had been waiting for me out here, and the duke was nowhere in sight. What was going on?
“You and I occupy distinct positions. My role is to prioritize my master’s orders above all else. Your role is to guard your master’s person, no matter the circumstances—is it not?”
Even if he were to kill you himself for your disobedience, Karl’s gray eyes coldly declared.
This was a waste of my time. I’d gain nothing by talking with him further. I just shook my head and strode on past him.
“Where are you going?”
“To His Grace’s side, of course.”
“His Grace is currently entertaining company. His orders are to leave him alone until we are called for.”
Just as I thought. In that case, I definitely need to go.
I turned to meet Karl’s icy glare and gave a scornful chuckle—one of the many habits I’d acquired during my service at this estate.
“You contradict yourself, Karl Anker. My job is to guard His Grace, no matter the circumstances.”
For once, the unflappably competent butler raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“Fine, then—I’ve given you my warning. Do as you will, and on your own head be it.”