The first threads of dawn slowly pierced the darkness of the night.
Adrian opened his eyes and raised a hand to rub them wearily.
Lucia asked in a low voice,
"Did you wake up?"
Adrian looked out through the carriage window with tired eyes and said,
"Ah… it seems we've arrived."
The carriage stopped in front of the gate of Count Tuan's estate. Adrian opened the door and stepped down, saying,
"Alright, I'll get off here… goodbye."
The carriage began to move away, but after he took only one step, he heard another set of footsteps behind him.
He turned around irritably to find Lucia standing there.
He said with clear annoyance,
"What now?"
Lucia replied with an innocence that carried a hint of provocation,
"What do you mean?"
Adrian continued impatiently,
"I'm asking you… what are you doing? Why are you still here?"
Lucia answered,
"I told you before that I wouldn't follow you, but I never said I wouldn't go to the same place you're going."
Adrian shouted in irritation,
"And is there even a difference?!"
Lucia smiled confidently.
"Of course there is a difference!"
"There is no difference, you idiot!"
"There is a difference, Your Highness!"
"…"
Their argument continued for a while until they were interrupted by the voice of a boy coming out through the palace gate:
"What is all this noise in front of our property?"
The two stopped and looked toward the source of the voice.
It was a young boy with white hair and shining yellow eyes. He stared at them with disgust and said,
"And on top of that… this filthy smell. Did you roll around in the mud?"
He then continued with cold arrogance, pointing at the guards,
"Guards, remove the trash from our gate."
The guards immediately bowed.
"Understood."
Before any of them could move, Lucia exploded in rage:
"You pitiful fools!! Do you even know who you're messing with right now?! And you, you arrogant little bastard! Do you have any idea who we are to dare speak like that?!"
Adrian placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Lucia… stop. There's no need to cause a scene."
She glared at him, anger threatening to burst from her veins. "Let go of me, Your Highness! This bastard needs to know who I am—"
Adrian thought to himself: "Come to think of it… I still don't know Lucia's rank among the nobility. I spent most of my time on the front lines and never once got close to court life."
The boy laughed mockingly. "Did you just call him a prince? It seems commoners have quite the imagination these days. But perhaps this peasant is better than a prince with no magic, don't you think?"
Adrian's expression changed, his gaze turning cold.
The boy stepped closer and said, "So then, Your Highness… can you use magic? Or are you just like that useless failure?"
Lucia tried to rush forward to kill him, but Adrian was faster. He struck the boy hard in the knee, forcing him down, then placed his foot on his shoulder.
The boy struggled to rise, furious. "How dare you!!"
Adrian kicked him in the face, sending him flying backward and crashing to the ground.
The guards immediately rushed forward, drawing their swords and pointing them at Adrian.
Lucia took a step forward, but Adrian was faster. He charged at the guards and took them down within seconds.
Lucia's eyes widened in shock as she moved closer to Adrian. "Amazing! Even though they were armed with swords, you took them down with your bare hands! How?"
Adrian replied coldly, "Don't misunderstand. I'm not strong—they're just weak guards."
The white-haired boy struggled to get up, clutching his face. "You'll never get away with this! You lowly wretch!"
Adrian glanced at him coldly, then walked through the gate, ignoring him completely.
The boy shouted, "Do you think you'll escape just by entering the mansion?! They'll seize you at once!"
Adrian continued walking without a care, while the boy suddenly felt a strange presence behind him. He turned to see Lucia standing there with a terrifying smile.
"You damned little brat," she said softly. "Shall I teach you a lesson?"
The boy trembled—and within seconds, his scream echoed through the area.
---
Adrian reached the inner gate, where the guards stopped him.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
Adrian spoke coldly:
"Summon Albert."
One of the guards said angrily:
"What did you say? How dare you call the young master by his name so casually?"
Another guard added:
"On top of that, you snuck into this place! I wonder if you're even a noble!"
Adrian repeated in a sharp tone:
"Summon Albert. Now."
One of the guards stepped forward to push him away, but the head butler suddenly appeared and ordered them tensely:
"Stop it, you fools!"
The guards turned in confusion. The head butler stepped forward and bowed before Adrian.
"Please forgive us, Your Highness. These fools have committed a grave offense, and I will certainly punish them!"
Adrian replied indifferently:
"I don't care. Is Albert here?"
The head butler answered nervously:
"Of course! Please, come with me—"
But before he could move, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock when he saw Lucia holding the white-haired boy by the collar, his face covered in bruises.
"Y–Young master! What in the name of hell happened to you?!"
The head butler rushed toward the boy, then looked at Lucia with tension and concern.
"What did you do to the young master, miss?"
Lucia smiled confidently.
"I merely taught him a lesson in manners, nothing more!"
She handed the boy over to the head butler.
"Won't you guide the prince inside? That would be rather rude."
The head butler trembled and handed the boy to the guards to tend to him, then escorted Adrian and Lucia inside.
"Please rest here. I will go inform the young master of your arrival."
The head butler bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Adrian sat down on the sofa, resting his head against his hand, while Lucia remained standing, observing the surroundings.
After a moment, the door opened and Albert entered with a smile.
"Adrian! You finally came."
Adrian stood up and smiled back.
"Yes…"
Albert reached out and gave Adrian a playful punch on the shoulder.
"So, how did it go?"
Adrian replied calmly,
"I'm sure you've already heard what happened…"
Lucia cut in irritably,
"Wait—what is going on here?"
Albert looked at her with curiosity.
"You are, I believe… the daughter of Duke Bristan, correct?"
He greeted her with a gentle smile, then asked,
"I wonder, what brings you to this place?"
Lucia answered sharply,
"I came with His Highness the Prince because I am his guard."
Adrian stared at her in shock.
"Huh? Since when are you—"
Albert exclaimed in surprise,
"Huh?! Is that true, Adrian?"
Adrian replied irritably,
"That's not—"
Lucia interrupted him,
"Then I wonder why Lord Albert is calling the prince by his name?"
Albert smiled and said,
"Ah… that's because Adrian and I are friends."
Lucia muttered inwardly,
"How dare he be friends with the prince when I can't? That's not fair… I want to be his friend too!"
Then she snapped with restrained anger,
"Friends?! Do you really think the son of a count can be friends with the prince?! Even I, the daughter of a duke, would never dare!"
Albert thought to himself,
"This reaction… she seems upset because she couldn't be Adrian's friend."
Albert smiled slyly, pulled Adrian to his side, and draped an arm over the prince's shoulder.
"My lady, I regret to inform you that I'm the only one who can."
Lucia's face flushed with anger and jealousy.
"You—! His Highness the Prince should be with me only!"
Albert replied calmly, provoking her further,
"Hmmm? Is that so? I truly wonder whether Adrian wants to stay with you."
Adrian pushed Albert away lightly.
"That's enough, both of you!"
He looked at Lucia and said,
"Lucia, don't interfere in my affairs…"
Then he turned to Albert.
"And you, don't take advantage of our friendship, you bastard."
Albert chuckled softly.
"Alright, alright…"
Lucia spoke hesitantly:
"If I can't call you by your name like he does, then I'll call you 'Ray'! Just like those children did!"
Adrian fell silent for a moment, then said:
"Do as you like."
Adrian looked at Albert and asked calmly:
"Albert, do you think we smell like garbage?"
Albert replied:
"I don't think so. Why do you ask?"
He stepped closer and sniffed Adrian's clothes.
"I suppose there's a faint smell of soil… maybe a bit of dust as well."
Albert smiled and placed a hand on Adrian's shoulder.
"But that doesn't matter, my friend… have you already forgotten the smell of blood?"
Lucia whispered to herself:
"The smell of blood?"
Adrian answered with a dull expression:
"The smell of blood… I really don't want to remember it, even though I'm used to it."
Albert laughed awkwardly:
"Haha, I was just joking, man… wait, I'll tell the servants to prepare a bath for you."
Lucia said:
"And what about me? I think I smell worse than him! He forced me to do terrible things."
Albert replied with a smile:
"As for you, you can return to your home."
Lucia shouted angrily:
"What are you saying? Are you throwing me out now?!"
Adrian cut her off in a serious tone:
"Leave… I won't say it again."
Lucia clenched her fist in anger and lowered her head slightly.
"Fine… I'll leave."
She walked steadily toward the door and exited, leaving Adrian and Albert behind in silence.