Among the knights, Lucian was known as the Deer Young Master.At the slightest threat, he trembled like a deer burying its head in a thicket.Yet that very Deer Young Master had just hurled such vicious words at the Second Young Master.Some knights were beginning to wonder if they had hallucinated the whole thing.
"M-my lord…"
Hans tugged at Lucian's sleeve, his face completely drained of color.He looked as though he wanted to flee before the wild beast regained its senses.Unfortunately, the beast was the one to recover first.
"H-how dare… how dare you…!"
Jordi's cheek twitched violently from rage.He looked furious enough to lose control and start swinging a sword.Even under that fierce killing intent, Lucian remained utterly composed, tilting his head as if amused.
"Please, calm yourself.""Calm myself? Did you just tell me to calm down?""Even if you don't want to, you'll have to. After all, we still need to determine whether Sir Hendrick's claim is true, don't we? If you lash out at me here, it would only mean you're admitting he spoke the truth."
Crack.
****
Jordi clenched his teeth so hard that blood nearly seeped from his gums.If he could have followed his instincts, he would have beaten Lucian until the boy begged for mercy.A month ago, he might truly have done exactly that.But the circumstances now were completely different from a month ago.
Damn it… if Father hadn't restarted his support for this half-wit…!
Support being restored meant their father's expectations for Lucian had revived as well.If those expectations had died down, Jordi wouldn't have cared—but now, one wrong move could provoke Duke Sigmund's wrath.And for Jordi, already slightly behind in the succession battle, that was a disaster he desperately wanted to avoid.
"Why don't you answer, Brother? You only need to confirm whether it's true or false. Strange that it's so difficult, when it's easier than flipping a coin.""Shut that mouth!"
Swallowing his fury, Jordi glanced behind him.Too many eyes were already fixed on them for him to dodge the question.If he backed down here without answering, it would look as though he had lost to Lucian.But if he pushed forward forcefully, he would look like a stubborn fool driven only by wounded pride.
A complete trap.
His head throbbed so badly he could barely think straight.He had only intended to tease the family idiot the way he always did—How had it turned into this?
"Since you remain silent, it seems Sir Hendrick spoke the truth. Could it be that you—""Who said such a thing!?"
Lucian tried to pull the situation toward the unfavorable conclusion, and Jordi exploded with a shout.At this point, there was only one choice left to him.
"I never said anything of the sort. It seems Sir Hendrick must have mistaken me for someone else."
"…!"
"Sir Hendrick is an excellent knight, but it has been quite some time since he learned the basics. It wouldn't be strange for him to mix things up. Isn't that right?"
Hendrick's eyes flickered with confusion at the unexpected answer.Before he could muster any kind of excuse, Jordi sent him an icy glare.Under that chilling stare, Hendrick hesitated, then lowered his head.
"…Yes. I was mistaken."
"Anyone can make a mistake. You did invoke my name, but I trust it wasn't intentional, so I'll let it pass. Be more careful in the future."
"Thank you for the Second Young Master's generosity."
Face burning red with humiliation, Hendrick squeezed his eyes shut.He had stepped forward because the Second Young Master instructed him to—yet he was the one now taking the blame.What a disgrace.It was certain he would be teased about this by the other knights for years to come.
Having dumped the entire mess onto Hendrick, Jordi looked down at Lucian with a proud expression.
"Is that answer satisfactory?"
"More than satisfactory. As expected, Brother, your wisdom is remarkable. I'm ashamed I nearly fell for such nonsense."
"Are you mocking me right now!?"
"Of course not. I simply realized how foolish Sir Hendrick truly is. Can someone like that be called a knight? To forget the most basic of basics—the very first thing a knight learns. Tch. Rather than calling him 'knight,' perhaps 'helmet rack' would be more fitting."
As Lucian's insults piled on, Hendrick's entire body trembled.His face, already red from his rising blood pressure, now looked ready to burst.
But Lucian had no intention of stopping here.
"Sir Hendrick, answer me. How does one get an entire decade wrong? Is that even possible? I can't understand it—I simply don't possess a mind like yours."
"T-Third Young Master! You go too far!"
"Too far? Then go ask the other knights. See if even one of them has ever made the same mistake you did. I guarantee there isn't a single one. Even the attendants wouldn't make such an error. So tell me—are you, a knight, less competent than a servant?"
"H-how could you… say such things to me…!"
Blood spurted from Hendrick's mouth.He had been clenching his teeth so hard to contain his rage that he must have bitten down too strongly.Lucian gave a faint snort before turning politely back toward Jordi.
"I seem to have behaved rudely because of one foolish knight. Fortunately, the truth has been cleared up, so I'll be leaving now."
"Do you take me for a fool!? You say your piece and think you can simply walk away!?"
"My apologies, but I'm still a patient. Long conversations are difficult. If you have business with me, please speak to me after I've recovered."
"You dare—!"
"Father has been watching over me closely these days. Surely we don't want any… unpleasant matters between brothers, do we? Especially not when you would be the one responsible."
At the mention of Duke Sigmund, Jordi bit down on his lip.Lucian gave a courteous bow toward the now-silent Jordi and walked out of the training grounds.Jordi glared daggers into Lucian's retreating back before turning away with a sharp, irritable motion.
Left behind in the emptying space was only one thing—a knight who had become the fool of the day.
***
Hans stumbled after Lucian, his face pale as a sheet.His wide eyes darted left and right, checking constantly to see if anyone might be following them.
"M-my lord… w-will this really be all right?""What will?""You insulted Sir Hendrick… and the Second Young Master was furious. Won't they try to take revenge later?""Revenge, hmm."
At Hans's worried words, Lucian let out a short, amused laugh.
"A mere knight, taking revenge on me, the Third Young Master? He's welcome to try. Stripping him of his knighthood would be the least of it—so I'm curious to see exactly how he thinks he'd manage revenge."
Loyalty was the foundation and identity of a knight.So a knight wanting to take petty revenge just because he was insulted by his lord's son?That wasn't something that would end with "he has a narrow mind."Acting like that for personal reasons was the same as violating the very essence of what it meant to be a knight.
Even before Duke Sigmund stepped in, other knights might cut him down themselves for disgracing the title.
If Hendrick tried something underhanded, that might be another story—but he wasn't a knight-captain, just a common knight.What means could he possibly have?At best, he would swallow his resentment in silence.
"As for Jord—no, our dear Brother… there's no helping it. You can't let yourself be beaten down forever just because you're afraid of retaliation.""Wh-what!? Then are you really going to take revenge on the Second Young Master?""Probably."
Jordi had tried to dump everything on Hendrick and wriggle out, but today's events still dealt a large blow to him.Even though Lucian insulted him so thoroughly, Jordi neither stopped it nor defended his own knight properly.People would surely whisper that he was a lord who couldn't even protect his subordinates.And Jordi knew it himself—he would be too furious to sleep tonight.
He can't act openly because of the Duke's watchful eye, but he'll try to get back at me somehow.
He was the kind of person who casually harmed others yet held onto even the smallest slight against himself.It was certain he'd start scheming soon.
But Lucian wasn't worried.
What can a brat's petty tricks possibly accomplish?
****
In the end, the danger of scheming depended entirely on the schemer's competence.What threat could the plots of a newly twenty-year-old brat possibly pose?Whatever he attempted, Lucian could simply crush it head-on.
"…Strange. Why hasn't anything happened?"
Lucian tilted his head after finishing several cycles of training in his room.A full week had passed since that day, yet nothing had occurred.Even when he deliberately took walks at the same place and time—as if inviting retaliation—there was no change.Jordi remained silent, as though he were avoiding Lucian entirely.
There's no way he would quietly curl up and give in.
This wasn't just any sibling—Lucian, the one considered a half-wit, had landed a blow on him.The longer Jordi failed to retaliate, the worse his reputation would look.Yet there had been no reaction whatsoever.
"Young master, are you finished?""Yes. My brother didn't come while I was resting?""No, sir. Still no sign of him.""How odd. Was he ever such a patient man?""Don't worry too much. Maybe the Second Young Master really did give up? Perhaps he's wary of His Grace the Duke's eyes on him."
Unlike Lucian, who felt a growing sense of unease, Hans looked relieved—as though the weight he'd been carrying for days had finally lifted.
"Rather than worrying about that, wouldn't it feel better to think about how you'll use your allowance? Today's the day, isn't it?""Ah, is it already that time?"
It had been a month since the Duke's financial support resumed.The money he'd received before had long been emptied when he bought the moonlight herb.The moonlight herb he'd stocked up on—and all the other materials—had run out at around the same time.He needed today's allowance to restock everything.
"Well, it's about time. Since we're talking about it, I'll go fetch it right away!"
Hans hurriedly dashed toward the building where the treasury was located.The day Lucian received his allowance was also Hans's payday, so he seemed quite excited.Seeing that, Lucian let out a small laugh and waited for Hans to return.
But no matter how much time passed, Hans didn't come back.
Just as Lucian was about to go out himself to see what was going on—
"Y-young master…"
Hans finally returned, eyes brimming with tears as he looked at Lucian.Lucian frowned, confused by the sight.
"What happened? Did someone hit you?""No… it's not that… p-please look at this."
Lucian snatched the document Hans was holding out.It looked almost identical to the one he had received a month earlier.The only difference was the expenditure list—and the amount remaining for Lucian.
As he slowly read through the listed expenses, Lucian's face instantly twisted in anger.
"What in the—this is insane…!"
The amount Lucian was supposed to receive had been cut to a quarter of what it was last month.
Meanwhile, the wages for the servants—excluding Hans—had increased several times over.Someone had clearly tampered with the records.Outraged by the absurd entries, Lucian crumpled the document in his fist and rose to his feet.
"Who is the treasurer that drafted this report?"