At the same time, a few blocks away from the bustling center of the downtown area, in a back alley. Ian moved with silent steps in the darkness. His gaze was on Kayla, but his ears were taking in all information. At the edge of his vision, two suspicious men were making a deal in the shadows. Cigarette smoke, knife sheaths on both sides, and careful whispers. Something suspicious was in the air.

“Tell him to quickly repay the debt to the Baron’s family. I heard they received a lot of money this time?”

“They won’t meet with us. Don’t they value their lives?”

“Either return the money or hand over the slave. I can’t stand it anymore.”

“But recently Grenville has increased security. We can’t just enter carelessly.”

Slave, credit, Grenville? Ian sensed something was wrong and drew his knife right there. Then he quietly and swiftly grabbed them from behind and threatened them.

“If you don’t answer properly, I’ll start by cutting off your ears. I don’t kill in one go.”

“W-who are you!”

“Shh, if you scream, your companion dies immediately. We don’t need two people for a confession, right?”

“Ugh…!”

As Ian slightly tilted his blade, the two men trembled and swallowed hard.

“Does Baron Grenville… trade slaves?”

When one of the men who had been watching carefully still couldn’t open his mouth, Ian cut off his ear without hesitation. Then he quickly covered his mouth.

“Mmmmph! Mmph!”

“Be quiet and just answer.”

Ian spoke with sharp eyes. Then the other man who had caught his breath opened his mouth.

“Y-yes… It seems they buy orphans as slaves and sell them to foreign countries.”

“Then did you kidnap the orphans?”

“Y-yes…! But recently, the Baron bought slaves on credit. The amount has grown quite large.”

“Ha!”

Ian was filled with rage and gritted his teeth. After stabbing and taking down one man, he struck the jaw of the remaining one, knocking him unconscious.

“I’ll have to take this one with me.”

Ian gestured. From the back alley, a shadow in black clothing who had followed him appeared. Ian pointed at the fallen man and said:

“Dispose of the body. I’ll take this one.”

“Yes.”

Behind Kayla’s bright smile, the shadow of truth was being revealed. And judgment had already begun.

Ian brought the captured man to the basement of the grand ducal residence before Kayla returned. The man’s face was covered in blood, and he had a gag in his mouth.

William, upon receiving the report from Ian, immediately ran to the office and informed Theodore.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke, I think you should go to the basement quickly.”

“The basement? Why?”

“They’ve caught someone connected to Baron Grenville.”

Theodore’s expression hardened in an instant. He securely fastened his sword to his waist before heading down to the basement.

※※※

The basement was dark and cold. In a dimly lit room, the man was kneeling, staring only at the floor. When footsteps echoed, the man looked up and trembled in terror the moment he saw Theodore’s face. Theodore’s eyes were emanating a beast-like k*lling intent. He approached and spoke in a low voice.

“Remove his gag.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As Ian removed the gag, the man pressed his head to the floor, unable to even make eye contact. He stammered so badly it was difficult to understand what he was saying.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness! Th-that… we just d-did as we were told…”

Theodore spoke in a voice devoid of any emotion. However, his hand seemed ready to draw his sword at any moment.

“Tell me exactly as it is. If there’s any lie, you will die in the most painful way.”

The man was so terrified he wet himself. He barely lifted his head and answered with a voice mixed with tears:

“B-Baron Grenville took orphaned children and s-sold them to other countries. We re-received money and brought the children…”

“And?”

“Re-recently, Baron Grenville took children without paying, so the debt has accumulated q-quite a bit…”

“Do you have evidence?”

“Y-yes…! There’s a transaction record in my pocket…!”

Theodore nodded, and Ian pulled out a paper from the man’s pants pocket. The paper clearly listed dates of transactions, number of people, amounts, and even Baron Grenville’s signature. Theodore suppressed his rising anger and said:

“Where did those children go?”

“I-I don’t know the details… I just delivered them…”

Before he could finish speaking, Theodore kicked him in the face.

“Urgh!”

“With these documents in your possession, you must be at least a middle manager. You’re saying you don’t know?”

“Really, really!”

Theodore’s kicks continued into the man’s abdomen. The man spat blood, rolled into a corner, and wailed. After several kicks to his stomach, with blood vessels burst in both eyes, the man seemed to give up and barely opened his mouth:

“Among the nobles… some with strange tastes receive them… the rest go beyond the border…”

The moment he heard those words, Theodore’s hands trembled. The rumors about children disappearing, the jokes people made about witches taking them… they were true. Baron Grenville’s downfall wasn’t due to gambling but slave trading. Theodore wanted to cut down the man before him right then and there. But he couldn’t kill him now. Not yet, since they hadn’t caught Grenville.

“Ian, tie him up well and lock him away. Extract all the information.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

※※※

Just as Theodore was leaving the basement to return to his office, he ran into Kayla, who had returned from her outing. A momentary bewilderment crossed his expression. Unable to read his expression, Kayla approached him with quick steps and a bright face.

“Ah, Theo!”

Theodore didn’t know how to tell her. He was afraid that she, who had just begun to find happiness, would crumble. She was running toward him with a bright smile, but stopped when she noticed the blood on his pants and shoes.

“Theo! Are you hurt? There’s blood…!”

“Don’t worry, it’s not my blood. More importantly, Kayla, shall we talk?”

Despite feeling uneasy at Theodore’s stern expression, Kayla nodded.

“… Alright.”

They headed to the study, and Theodore instructed William not to let anyone in before locking the door. He sat heavily in a chair and covered his face with his hands. Kayla instinctively felt that something irreversible had happened. It was Kayla who spoke first.

“Theo, what’s wrong? I’m ready to hear it.”

But Theodore still found it difficult to speak. In the Empire, slave trading, especially involving children, was a serious crime. It would certainly be punishable by death.

“Theo, it’s okay. Tell me.”

Theodore had bitten his lip so hard that blood formed. He swallowed once and opened his mouth in a low voice:

“Your father has… been involved in slave trading…”

Theodore’s voice echoed in Kayla’s ears.

“… What?”

“Today Ian caught one of the organization’s men. He says they kidnapped orphans… and sold them.”

Kayla felt as if her breath had stopped from the shock. If she hadn’t covered her mouth with her hand, she would have screamed. With trembling hands, she asked:

“Selling children…? My father… did such a thing…? You’re joking, right?”

It was a fact she didn’t want to believe, but Theodore’s face showed this was no joke.

“… I wish it were a joke too. It seems Baron Grenville went bankrupt when things went wrong and he couldn’t pay his debts.”

“Then what about those children…?”

“They were either sold to nobles… or sent to other countries…”

Kayla could no longer hold back and covered her face, sobbing. Finally, she collapsed.

‘Children, separated from their families! To what kind of places!’

Theodore quickly rose from his seat and approached Kayla.

“Kayla! Look at me.”

“I… I inherited that person’s blood…!”

The guilt of not knowing her parent’s crime and the disgust at sharing his blood simultaneously crushed her. As Kayla unfastened her brooch and clutched the pin, about to harm herself, Theodore quickly grabbed her arm and embraced her.

“Stop it, Kayla! This isn’t your fault!”

“No! It’s all filthy and horrible. That I… that I inherited his blood…”

No sooner had those words ended than Theodore held her even more tightly.

“Kayla, please… you’re not that kind of person. You have no sins to be responsible for.”

“Hic, sob… sob…”

She collapsed completely in Theodore’s arms. Heart-wrenching sobs echoed throughout the study. Theodore silently held her. After crying for a long time, she spoke in a trembling voice:

“Theo…”

Her voice calling him had become lower and more resolute.

“Yes?”

“Father… no, that person… please punish him. Without a single ounce of mercy.”

Theodore felt his heart sink and simultaneously harden with determination. Looking at her resolute eyes, he answered in a low voice:

“… Yes. I’ll make sure he pays for his crimes.”