"After Navia's disappearance, the atmosphere in the Agnes Ducal Mansion was peculiar.
Vivian's illness was getting better, which should have been a cause for joy, but friction had arisen with the Eseled Ducal Family.
And that wasn't the end of it.
"Master, your breakfast is……."
Clang!
Wood, enraged, threw a cup containing medicine at the servant and shouted.
"Get out right now!"
After that day, Wood became increasingly violent due to his anger.
It wasn't just because his plans had failed.
It was because of the long scar on his right cheek.
It was a wound he got during the explosion caused by Lark.
Wood had been unconscious at the time of the massive explosion and couldn't remember it clearly.
The last scene he remembered was a tall, dark man holding Navia in his arms.
And when he woke up, he was at home.
"Argh! Inferior! I'll kill you!"
Wood would break everything in sight whenever he saw the long scar on his right cheek, almost like having a fit.
Occasionally, he would confine the servants to near-death in water pillars using magic.
Nikan, his father, tried to calm him down, but Wood only became more violent and uncontrollable.
He eventually halted all social gatherings until Wood calmed down and kept him confined at home.
Vivian also instructed the servants to ensure that she never encountered Wood.
Then Lyndon, undeterred by Wood's rage, entered his room and said.
"Master, Lady Sara Lucia has arrived."
At the mention of Sara Lucia, Wood abruptly stopped his actions.
Lyndon, relieved inwardly but not showing it, continued.
"She is waiting in the parlor on the first floor, so please get ready and come down."
Sara Lucia. She was the Empress's niece, the only daughter of the Lucia family, and the object of Wood's unrequited love.
Lady Lucia had never once accepted Wood's numerous invitations.
But today, she suddenly visited the mansion?
Wood forcibly swallowed his rage and hurriedly dressed neatly.
His cheek was unsightly, covered with white gauze, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
As he opened the door to the parlor, a subtle fragrance of flowers wafted through.
Sara Lucia had flowing golden hair like honey and amethyst eyes shining brightly.
As expected of a girl who was praised to reign over the social circles following Empress Diana, she already exhibited a remarkable appearance.
Sitting like an adult, sipping tea, Sara noticed Wood and stood up gracefully to greet him.
"It's been a while, Young Master Agnes."
Her aristocratic grace and dignity always thrilled Wood, but today it felt less exciting.
No, he noticed flaws he hadn't before.
'That lowly commoner always behaved with propriety as if she were always at the imperial palace.'
In comparison, Sara's manners seemed immature and not fully her own.
'What am I thinking? Comparing that insect with Lady Lucia!'
Wood immediately retracted his thought and greeted Sara with feigned politeness.
"It's been a long time, Lady Lucia."
They sat across from each other at the table.
Wood disliked black tea.
What taste could one possibly find in this bitter red liquid? But he pretended to enjoy tea like an adult because of Sara.
Sara already knew that Wood had little interest in black tea and was pretending to share her tastes.
"A man with power must handle things well, even if he's young, Sara. You're smart; you should understand the words of the elders."
Sara had come today at a special request from Nikan, asking her to see Wood.
'This is my influence.'"
To get her moving, the head of the family had to ask her personally.
'This is the true power Her Majesty talks about.'
Sara painted a soft smile on her lovely face.
"I was curious because you didn't come to our last gathering. I was worried about you as a friend."
Wood's expression briefly brightened at the mention of her curiosity, but quickly wilted at the word 'friend'.
"Just... there was a lot of work."
Wood tried to sound nonchalant.
Sara, with a picturesque smile, suddenly noticed the long white gauze stuck to Wood's cheek.
Sensing her gaze, Wood covered his face with his arm and abruptly turned his head.
"It's okay," Sara said.
"Did you get this scar while trying to stop your stepsister? How did it happen..."
She pretended to be concerned as she put down her teacup and reached out to Wood.
Her intention was to show sympathy and closeness by pretending to care about the scar.
'I was curious about what that stepsister was like, a shame I couldn't see her.'
While she was thinking this, Wood suddenly stopped her hand.
Wood could not contain his anger at the thought of Navia, who was responsible for his current state.
Even so, he couldn't show his anger in front of Sara and said in a suppressed voice.
"…Miss Lucia, I'm not feeling well today. Let's meet another time."
"Ah..."
It was a dismissal barely after she had arrived at the Duke of Agnes's residence, and Sara's cheeks stiffened, her smile faltering.
"I must have stayed too long."
As an inexperienced girl, Lady Luchia couldn't quickly change her attitude in the face of such humiliation.
With a cold voice, she shot a sharp remark and stood up from her seat.
"Well then."
Thinking that Wood would stop her and apologize, she walked past him and left the reception room.
"...Ha!"
Lady Lucia clenched her teeth and her smile twisted with anger.
Wood continued to walk forward, rolling his feet hard enough to make a thumping sound.
If he didn't break something, this uncontrollable rage wouldn't subside.
That's when he saw the family carriages lined up outside the window.
Wood asked a nearby servant, "What's that?"
The servant answered cautiously, fearing that Wood might do something reckless.
"It's a carriage carrying the reward money to Eseled."
'Eseled!'
Wood clenched his fists tightly.
If the contracted men hadn't been fooling around, Navia's life would have been in danger.
And now, his plan had failed.
Navia was perfectly fine, and he received a scar that Hans the doctor says might remain on his cheek.
He wanted to punish Charlotte, the maid who had revealed his plan.
But that maid had paid the penalty stipulated in the lifelong contract and left the family. She had escaped like a rat.
"Find her! Find her right now and bring her to me!"
Wood's frustration eventually led Lyndon to step forward and inquire about Charlotte.
"It seems she left the capital as soon as she became a free citizen."
Slam!
Wood sent the servant away with a growl.
"Fine. Go."
'If only I had nanny, I could have tracked her down further!'
Philippa was skilled in dirty back-alley affairs.
She had a strong network in that direction.
But Philippa had already had her throat cut and was no longer of this world.
All of this was because of Navia, that wretched commoner.
'How dare she interfere in noble matters...!'
It was infuriating.
Wood couldn't live like this.
"I need to go to Eseled."
Wood's gaze was fixed on the carriage carrying the reward money.
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