“Laila, someone is following us.”

“Yes, I know.”

Only two days had passed since they left Circlezia, yet pursuers were already on their trail.

Their followers were highly skilled at concealing their presence, but they had failed to deceive two people with such keen instincts.

“Who do you think sent them?”

Pretending to drink water, Laila surveyed their surroundings. She could not see the pursuers, but she knew they were hiding nearby, watching their every move.

“I have someone in mind…. But do not worry. I will protect you.”

Nathan smiled so brightly that his dimples appeared, which eased Laila’s tension.

He cheerfully admitted that he was no match for her, but promised to do everything in his power to protect her.

‘Even though he is remarkably skilled….’

Laila gazed at him in fascination, recalling how the knights had always tried to maintain their dignity in her presence. She was too innocent to realize that it was her unwavering stare that had made Nathan’s ears turn red.

“There seem to be quite a few of them…. It may be too much for you to fight them alone.”

Laila surveyed their surroundings once more, and Nathan’s expression grew troubled.

“You dislike hurting or killing people, don’t you? So please, do not force yourself to do it anymore. No—you will never have to do it again.”

Had he noticed? Then again, he had seen her suffer on the battlefield.

Come to think of it, when Laila panicked after taking a life for the first time, Nathan immediately offered to escort her to safety. That had happened only a few weeks ago, yet it already felt like a distant memory.

‘Do I simply have to wait for time to pass?’

Even the hellish war was gradually becoming part of the past, and it no longer tormented her as intensely as before. Perhaps time would eventually heal the wounds Carlo had left upon her heart as well.

“I didn’t realize you still remembered how much I suffered during the war.”

“I witnessed your pain from beside you. I could never forget it.”

Nathan forced out the words as he swallowed his seething fury toward Carlo.

Laila had sacrificed everything for the man she loved, yet Carlo had left her with wounds that might never heal.

‘And after all that, he intends to marry another woman. That worthless bastard.’

In Nathan’s eyes, Carlo would always be the cause of his jealousy and anger.

He had taken Laila’s unwavering love for granted for years. He deserved to suffer bitter regret and shed countless tears for what he had done.

Even if only a small part of Laila’s heart turned towards him, Nathan would never let her go. He would cherish her more than anyone else in the world.

“Shall we continue?”

“Yes.”

At Laila’s words, Nathan pushed aside his anguish and urged his horse forward.

***

A heavily intoxicated man staggered towards an unknown destination. His expensive shirt was wrinkled, and there were crimson lipstick marks on his neck.

“Ah, Louis. You’re here.”

“Are you drunk already, Crook?”

Crook Zegner smiled maliciously, hurled his empty bottle against the wall, and staggered over to sling an arm around Louis’s shoulders.

“I’m not drunk. This is nothing. I couldn’t possibly get drunk when my friend is coming to see me.”

Crook Zegner gave Louis a meaningful look and began walking.

“Why did you ask to see me?”

“There is somewhere I want to show you.”

“Is that so?”

Interest gleamed in Louis’s eyes. Smiling in satisfaction, Crook Zegner began leading the way.

“Normally, I am forbidden from showing this place to anyone, but I will make a special exception for you. I am certain you will enjoy it.”

“How intriguing. Is this the slave market you have boasted about so often?”

“Hahaha. You are as perceptive as ever. Yes, I will grant you a special tour of the female slave market. If any of the merchandise catches your eye, just say the word.”

His vulgar, malicious wink was deeply repulsive. The fact that he referred to women as merchandise made it clear just how horrific the slave market must be.

Louis cursed him inwardly and forced a pleasant smile. He could not afford to let his disgust jeopardize such an important operation.

“Well, my standards are rather high. Let us see whether your business is truly as impressive as you claim.”

“Hahaha. This is precisely why I like you. You are nothing like those sycophants who only tell me what I want to hear. Honestly, I never expected to find a friend like you on the battlefield.”

Before long, they arrived at a dilapidated building. Crook Zegner surveyed their surroundings cautiously before taking out a key and unlocking the door.

In stark contrast to the exterior, which was shabby, the interior was illuminated by a sinister glow and filled with the low murmur of countless voices.

“The slave auction is being held today.”

“Ah. That explains the crowd.”

Louis nodded in understanding and went inside. The interior was far larger than he had imagined.

Masked patrons sat with excitement gleaming in their eyes, while female slaves awaiting auction trembled inside barely-covered cages.

‘How appalling.’

Far too many women and girls had been placed on display for the depraved gaze of men.

Louis entered a private room, barely managing to suppress his nausea. The room contained a plush sofa and a large glass window that overlooked the auction hall.

“Let us enjoy the spectacle from here. If any slave catches your interest, I will give you some privacy, so feel free to enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you. It seems choosing the right friend has granted me a truly rare experience.”

Crook Zenger was pleased with Louis’s response, laughing heartily before stepping away to announce the start of the auction.

As soon as Zegner had left, Louis slipped a drug into his glass and began surveying the auction hall carefully.

‘The shadow knights sent by His Highness Crown Prince Theodor will arrive soon.’

Louis was one of Theodor’s Shadow Knights. He had befriended Crook Zegner during the war and had kept a close eye on him ever since.

Pretending to be Crook Zegner’s friend had forced Louis to endure countless revolting and infuriating moments. Then, several days ago, Theodor finally ordered the capture of Crook Zegner.

His association with this piece of filth would end today.

“It is time for you to pay for every crime you have committed.”

The Shadow Knights would raid the slave auction and dismantle the entire operation once Crook Zegner had drunk the drugged wine and collapsed.

Duke Crussian would undoubtedly react once he heard about the incident. After all, he would be told that the auction house had been raided by knights sent by Empress Scarlet.

“Whew.”

Louis concealed his tension behind a long breath and waited for Crook Zegner to return. Before long, Crook staggered back into the room, his face flushed, and drained his glass in a single gulp.

“Ahh!”

“You’re going to collapse if you continue drinking like that.”

“I told you, this much isn’t enough to make me drunk.”

“Is that so?”

Louis regarded him with a mocking smile. Despite insisting that he was sober, Crook Zegner staggered strangely. His brow slowly furrowed as he struggled to keep his eyes focused.

“Ah, what’s wrong with me…? I suddenly feel dizzy.”

“Isn’t it obvious? Your descent into hell is about to begin.”

“What… did you say?”

“I hope you pay dearly for living like filth and causing others so much suffering.”

“What are you…?”

Thud.

Overcome by the drug, Crook Zegner collapsed. Louis bound his hands and feet before leaving the room, then nodded to the knight waiting in the corner for his signal.

It was the beginning of their revenge.

***

Duke Crussian paced restlessly around his office, repeatedly glancing towards the door as though he were anxiously awaiting someone’s arrival.

His hair was disheveled and deep creases marred his forehead.

‘D*mn it. How did everything come to this?!’

As the duke struggled to control his ragged breathing, the door opened and Carlo entered.

“Ah, my lord!! Something terrible has happened. Crook Zegner has disappeared.”

The man who held the key to countless secrets had vanished. Crook Zegner was supposed to remain quietly out of sight and carry out the work entrusted to him, yet he had disappeared without a trace.

“What? What do you mean?!”

Carlo rushed toward the duke, his expression filled with shock.

“A slave auction was held yesterday, and Crook Zegner disappeared. All the evidence that could bring down Empress Scarlet vanished with him!”

“Someone may have abducted him.”

“Yes. The knights who raided the auction house were sent by Empress Scarlet.”

The duke anxiously lamented that Scarlet had struck before he could make his move. The moment she exposed his secret operations to the public, House Crussian would be finished.

“Haah…. What am I supposed to do now? Hmm? You are the only person I can trust. You must save Roselina and me. Is that not so?”

Regret consumed the duke. He should have acted before Empress Scarlet did. Now, the only card remaining in his hand was Carlo’s mother, leaving him no choice but to cling to Carlo and beg for help.

“What must I do?”

At Carlo’s apparent willingness to do anything, the duke’s eyes flashed as he seized Carlo by both shoulders.

“Your mother is still alive, is she not? She can testify.”

“Testify… to what?”

‘That you and Empress Scarlet are monsters who regard human lives as worthless?’

Carlo barely concealed the surge of fury rising within him as he stared at the duke.

“She need only testify that everything was Empress Scarlet’s doing. What evidence could be more conclusive than your mother—believed dead all these years—appearing alive to give her testimony?”

“Are you asking me to take my mother back to the Adelina Empire?”

Cornered and desperate, the duke looked as though he would agree to anything Carlo proposed.