Then Carl, who had been staring at me intently, let out an absurd laugh.

“What, you’re not going to say you lost your memory this time, are you?”

That’s not it, but…….

I bit my lower lip and couldn’t easily open my mouth.

Black hair strands flowing down over his tall forehead, and beneath that, were elegant and straight features.

A uniform embroidered with splendid golden thread and a red cloak draped over one shoulder, with a red falcon emblem embroidered on it.

Seeing Carl dressed up like other nobles made me feel like I was truly meeting a stranger.

‘Looking at him like this, I can feel how handsome he is even more……’

The beauty that shone even when wrapped in sackcloth was now dazzling when fully adorned.

Heat subtly rushed to my face, so I fanned myself with my hand and averted my gaze. It’s not even midsummer, so why is it so hot?

“What’s wrong, are you sick somewhere?”

Carl, who had been observing me closely, approached with big strides and tilted his head.

I was startled by the extremely wicked act of him bending down to peer at me with his polished face and stepped back.

“No?! I’m. I’m perfectly fine! I am.”

“What’s with that strange formal speech.”

“……Since you’re a duke now, I thought I should speak formally to you……”

“Did I speak formally to you when I was a bondservant. Just speak comfortably.”

Right, Carl also spoke informally to me.

Although the man before my eyes looked like ‘Duke Kyllen Celsior’ rather than Carl, creating an enormous sense of distance, I tried hard to nod.

We sat facing each other on the sofa and sipped tea for a while. Then Carl broke the silence first.

“You probably have a lot you want to ask me. Don’t read the atmosphere and just ask.”

“……Did you deceive me from the beginning?”

“Yeah.”

As expected, losing his memory was a lie.

While I felt betrayed, my feelings were ambiguous since I too had hidden many things.

Carl, who had been quietly watching me like that, slowly began to tell his story.

***

Ten years ago, the Celsior ducal family consisted of three family members.

Duke Henry Celsior, Duchess Catherine Celsior, and their only child, Young Lord Kyllen Celsior.

It was truly a harmonious and happy household.

Henry and Catherine were affectionate but strict parents, and Kyllen was a dignified yet kind son.

It seemed like peaceful and happy days would continue forever, but they didn’t.

One day, Catherine asked.

“Kyllen, shall we go on a trip? How about going to see the ocean?”

“That sounds great, Mom! Are we all going together with Dad?”

“Of course, naturally. Let’s all three have fun together.”

Young Kyllen nodded innocently. Though it was strange that his mother’s complexion was particularly tired and pale.

The nine-year-old boy couldn’t delve deeper. The fact that his parents had serious conversations in their room every night, and that both of them had become much busier.

He was at an age where he knew but didn’t understand.

However, on the day he cheerfully held his parents’ hands and departed for the resort.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Carl, no!”

“Honey!”

When the carriage slipped on the wet road and overturned, Kyllen’s life was completely turned upside down.

He lost consciousness in his parents’ embrace as they protected him, and when he opened his eyes, Howard Dempsey was watching over him.

“My goodness, Kyllen! You finally opened your eyes!”

“……Uncle?”

It was his uncle, who wasn’t on very good terms with his father and whom he saw maybe once or twice a year.

“Yes, it’s me. Your one and only uncle. My poor nephew.”

“……Where are Mom and Dad?”

Though his whole body ached and hurt, Kyllen looked for his parents first.

Then the attending physician standing behind Howard said while reading the situation.

“Count, that should be after the young lord recovers his health……”

“Shh!”

Howard sent him a warning look, then held Kyllen’s hand with a pitiful expression.

“Kyllen, don’t be surprised and listen. Your parents passed away in the carriage accident.”

It was too shocking news for a child in poor physical condition to hear.

“That, that can’t be true. It’s a lie, right? It’s a lie……! Mom! Dad!”

Kyllen desperately denied it and wailed before fainting.

He hoped everything was a dream, that his parents would open the door and come in to comfort him right away.

When he regained consciousness for the second time, Kyllen was still alone. He never met his parents again.

“Oh, Kyllen. It’s okay. From now on, we’ll become your family.”

At first, Howard carefully looked after the orphaned Kyllen and acted like an affectionate uncle.

Young Kyllen naively trusted him and opened his heart.

“Leave everything to me, and you just rest comfortably.”

He handed everything over to Howard as he said. The nine-year-old boy wasn’t cunning or shrewd like an adult.

However, gradually Kyllen began to feel something was strange.

“Why do I have to live in the annex? What about my room?”

“Shh, Kyllen. You’re in a very sick state right now. You need to receive intensive treatment without anyone’s interference.”

“I’m not sick, Uncle. I’m fine.”

“Enough!”

Howard, who had finally obtained documents from Kyllen temporarily delegating the title and family to him, changed completely from that day.

He pressed and cornered Kyllen with a frighteningly stern face.

“Stop talking back. From now on, I am the master of this mansion and the ducal family. Not Howard Dempsey, but Howard Celsior!”

He deliberately confined and raised Kyllen. If the child grew up properly, he would have to hand over the title.

He spread false rumors outside that his nephew had developed madness from shock while taking control of the Celsior ducal family.

Kyllen, who had lived freely under loving parents, couldn’t bear the stuffiness and attempted to escape several times.

But he failed every time because of the knights Howard had stationed in front of the annex.

“Young lord, I’m sorry, but you cannot go outside.”

“Why?”

“It’s the duke’s order. He told us to safely serve the young lord in the annex.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I want to go outside! The ducal family was originally my parents’ and my family!”

At Kyllen’s protest, the knight openly mocked him.

“That’s all in the past now. There’s no longer a place for the young lord in Celsior.”

He was a knight Howard had brought from House Dempsey. He had driven out the existing ducal family knights and filled their positions with his own people.

Kyllen, perfectly isolated in the annex, began to be abused by maids who had secretly received orders from Howard.

They would find fault with trivial matters and not give him meals, or beat him with switches under the pretext of education.

There wasn’t a single person who stopped this or protected him.

They either watched or participated. It was one of the two.

When he had collapsed countless times from hunger and pain, August Dawson came to visit.

“Young lord, are you alright?”

“……Gus.”

“Yes, it’s me.”

He was originally a knight belonging to the Celsior ducal family. He was from minor nobility with no special title.

When the former duke and duchess were alive, he was one of those in charge of Kyllen’s escort, so they knew each other well.

“Howard Dempsey, that cunning bastard deceived the young lord! He’s determined to steal Celsior!”

August, who had been carefully nursing Kyllen, exploded with anger.

Holding the boy who had become unrecognizably thin and haggard in half a year, he said.

“Young lord, I will help you. Let’s reclaim Celsior together!”

“Thank you, Gus…… Really.”

Kyllen was moved by his loyalty. It might have been even more so because he was meeting someone who took his side for the first time since his parents passed away.

Kyllen, who decided to reclaim the family with August, endured and persevered no matter how harsh the training he gave him.

“Please be patient just a little longer. When the young lord comes of age, we will recapture the ducal family.”

“I understand. I only trust you, Gus.”

“Yes, I will strive never to betray the young lord’s trust.”

He spent nine years confined in the annex, trusting only August.

Saying he had fits of madness and beat servants, or killed them.

While being cursed outside for things he never did, inside he gritted his teeth and sharpened the blade of revenge.

Finally, the year he came of age.

“The time has come, Gus.”

“Yes, young lord. I’ll prepare to recapture the family.”

But on the day of the decisive battle, a fire suddenly broke out in the annex.

Kyllen, who had been waiting for his followers to gather, hurriedly escaped the mansion with August and fled.

When he realized this was the worst choice, it was too late.

Stab.

The betrayer’s blade painfully pierced through his skin.