About three days had passed since I woke up.
Because of the heart of a hatchling that was transplanted into me, the Dragon Lord appeared, decapitated the king and the first prince, and after the kingdom investigated and executed everyone involved—enduring considerable losses in the process—they barely managed to quell the dragon’s wrath, and Fiora ended up becoming queen.
It was rather surprising news, but it didn’t stir much emotion in me.
What mattered to me now was only Flora.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
I muttered quietly, staring at the ceiling.
With the creak of an old door opening, the butler entered, bowing his head, wearing his characteristic oily smile.
“Oh, Your Grace, the Duke! To see you in such preserved health, my deepest congratulations! I was so worried, truly. Oh, heavens, I never imagined, even in my dreams, that Your Grace would have to endure such peril…!”
The butler wiped at imaginary tears with exaggerated gestures.
It was a disgusting display of flattery.
Yet, because of that very repulsiveness, he was a surprisingly easy man to handle.
Turning my head slightly, I looked down at the butler and gave him a faint smile.
“Quiet, old man. There’s no need for such pretense between us, so stop it.”
My tone was unnecessarily cold and sharp.
It wasn’t something I would have said in the past.
Before meeting Flora, the world had been hollow and ashen; nothing held any meaning.
The butler froze for a moment, his face stiffening.
But the butler soon forced a greasy smile onto his face and awkwardly continued speaking.
“Oh, Your Grace, that was quite the joke, wasn’t it? Haha. Yes, you’ve always had a knack for humor. So, may I ask why you’ve called for me…?”
I shot him a cold glare and responded curtly.
“Money.”
Just one word. It struck the butler at his weakest point.
“If it’s money, you’d sell your very soul, wouldn’t you? That’s probably why you took care of that repulsive father of mine, isn’t it?”
The corners of my mouth slowly twisted into a chilling smile.
The blood drained from the butler’s face, leaving him pale.
But soon enough, as if understanding the situation, he lowered his head and forced that same greasy smile back onto his lips.
His greed-soaked demeanor was the epitome of a man who moved purely for money.
“Prepare a pure 100% mithril dagger. No decorations. It just needs to be sturdy and suitable for practical use.”
Although I had decided to use the Dragon Heart, releasing its energy through my gauntlet caused too much recoil.
I needed another method, and pure mithril should be able to withstand even the dragon’s power.
The butler’s face turned pale again.
“Your Grace, m-mithril?! And pure 100% at that?! Even for the ducal household, that would… that would cost a fortune! It could bankrupt us!”
The butler began wailing exaggeratedly, as if on the verge of tears.
But I couldn’t care less about what happened to the ducal household.
I also knew it wasn’t impossible, so I smirked cynically and scoffed.
“Sell off the useless art pieces lying around the mansion, fire the servants—do whatever you want. They’re all trash anyway.”
I held up two fingers.
It was an old, unspoken signal between us.
Allowing him to use 20% of this month’s ducal income as he pleased made his eyes visibly tremble.
Snapping my fingers lightly, I added,
“And one more thing. Gather people who will obey my orders like dogs—whether they’re private soldiers, mercenaries, or even criminal scum. Bring them to me immediately.”
When I inherited the duchy, it was in name only; I had no control over its lands or forces.
But now, things were different.
With Fiora as queen, there was no one left who could accuse me of preparing a rebellion just because I was gathering private forces.
I looked at the butler, who bowed deeply, his eyes gleaming with greed.
“As you command, Your Grace. I will make the preparations.”
The butler smiled as he left, and the room fell silent once more.
I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Flora came to mind—her red hair, violet eyes, voice, and scent.
Slowly, my eyes closed.
Time passed, and the moonlight that seeped in through the window gently bathed the bedroom.
Even in the darkness, the faint glow of moonlight softly illuminated the room, wrapping it in a serene stillness.
The night sky outside the window stretched endlessly, deep and cold.
A soft knock broke the silence.
“Come in,”
I whispered, staring into the void.
It was the guest I had been expecting.
The door creaked open, and a long shadow stretched into the room.
It was Lillian.
“Your leg doesn’t seem to hurt anymore?”
I spoke in a gentle tone.
Lillian gave an awkward smile and hesitated at the doorway.
“I… I want to apologize for my rudeness that night.”
I looked her over briefly before answering in a cold, detached voice.
“Now? It doesn’t matter. It’s all in the past.”
Whatever she had said or done to me before didn’t matter.
She hadn’t said anything to Flora, so it wasn’t important.
Tapping my cane against the floor, I continued.
“Your family has fallen, and you’ve nowhere to go, I assume?”
I went straight to the point.
“I’ll give you a chance.”
Lillian flinched, her shoulders trembling.
In the stillness, the sound of her swallowing was sharp and clear.
“A chance…?”
I slowly rose from the bed, leaning on my cane, and took a step toward her.
Lillian instinctively stepped back but soon steadied herself and stood her ground.
“I need a subordinate who’s willing to do the dirty work for me. Someone like you is more than capable of that, aren’t you?”
In a cold voice, I leaned in and whispered softly into her ear,
“If you help me, something will surely fall your way.”
The memory of Lillian’s true nature from that night flashed through my mind.
A selfish opportunist who always prioritized her own survival.
Yet, at the same time, she was quick to calculate and made rational decisions even in dire situations.
She wasn’t a bad pawn to keep by my side.
Lillian remained silent for a long time, struggling to find her words.
Finally, after much hesitation, she extended her hand toward me.
“All right…”
Her cold hand gripped mine.
“Well then, for now, would you mind helping me get somewhere? I can’t walk far at the moment.”
I slowly made my way to the wheelchair and sat down.
Without a word, Lillian began to push it.
The wheels creaked as they rolled along the corridor.
The castle’s hallways, untouched by moonlight, were dark and damp.
The cold, clammy air brushing against my skin sent shivers down my spine.
The harsh grinding of the wheelchair’s wheels was the only sound breaking the oppressive silence of the darkness.
After a while, a familiar door came into view.
I instructed Lillian to stop.
“Wait here for a moment.”
I slowly rose from the wheelchair, leaning heavily on my cane, and approached the door.
The cold, rough texture of the wooden door was vivid under my fingertips.
As I pushed it, the heavy door creaked open, and the sound reverberated through the quiet room beyond.
The Sage’s room was, as always, chaotic yet strangely orderly.
Books stacked so high they seemed to reach the ceiling lined all four walls of the room, while the mingling scents of aged parchment and ink created a distinctive atmosphere.
Near the window, where faint moonlight seeped in, peculiar vials and enigmatic magical artifacts were scattered haphazardly.
Amidst the clutter, faint flickers of light danced, as if purposefully placed to create an otherworldly ambiance.
The soft click of the door closing broke the silence in the room.
Still, the Sage didn’t stir.
He remained sunk deeply into his worn armchair, not even glancing in my direction despite knowing I had entered.
That was just the kind of man he was.
Behind his thick-rimmed glasses, the Sage’s sharp eyes fixed on me.
His gaze lingered on my face for a moment before slowly trailing downward.
Finally, it settled on the white leather collar around my neck.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“Hm… Still wearing that collar, I see,”
the Sage murmured, his voice breaking the room’s silence.
It was low and rough, like the creak of ancient wood.
“That white leather strap around your neck.”
He paused briefly, adjusting his glasses, his gaze fixed once more on the collar.
“It’s a wretched bundle of desires, isn’t it? A masterpiece soaked in blatant possessiveness.”
His voice was devoid of emotion, yet it carried a peculiar sharpness, a veiled critique that pierced through the air.
It was as if he already knew the story behind the collar.
The Sage extended a finger, gesturing as though piercing the air, mimicking the act of breaking the collar.
“If you want, I could break it into pieces, erase every trace of it. What do you think?”
He pretended to wait for my reaction, then shrugged and continued.
“But… you wouldn’t want that, would you? Am I wrong?”
I didn’t deny his words.
Instead of answering, I smiled.
The Sage chuckled when he saw my expression.
“See? I’m right. You look like you’re absolutely delighted, so who am I to say anything?”
His gaze was sharp, as if it could see right through me, yet it carried a faint hint of shallow pity.
“It’s obvious where you’re going to end up—spiraling down to ruin. But hey, if you’re convinced that this is love, I won’t stop you.”
The Sage clicked his tongue and tilted his head.
“So, why have you come to me this time? It’s not about money, I’m sure. Let me guess—you’re planning to stir up some kind of chaos again, aren’t you?”
I met his sharp gaze and gave him a cold smile before speaking.
“I need your help.”