Seo-jun and Rowan exchanged glances, both struggling with all their might to suppress their laughter as they watched the once-revered archbishop scream in utter despair over the collapse of such a promising deal.
That was when Seo-jun stepped fully into his role.
"Hah…" He let out a long sigh, then spoke in a tone of carefully crafted disappointment.
"It seems this agreement was never taken seriously. You couldn't even protect a single person properly. I feel as though I've been made a fool of."
Those words became the trigger.
The holy knights responsible for guarding the prisoner were immediately ordered to line up inside the dungeon. There was no trial. No defense. The execution was swift and brutal. Blood spilled across the cold stone floor while the remaining knights were forced to watch—an unmistakable lesson in failure and negligence.
"For that reason," Seo-jun continued coldly,
"I am canceling this agreement. I am deeply disappointed by such a blatant breach of trust."
With that, Seo-jun and Rowan moved to board their carriage. But just before the wheels could turn, the archbishop—unable to accept the cancellation—suddenly demanded the gold coins they had brought, claiming that the coins had passed through the prayer hall and therefore now constituted an offering to God.
Seo-jun stopped.
"What nonsense is this?" he said sharply.
"Didn't I already give an offering yesterday? Is this truly for God… or for you?"
The monastery courtyard froze solid.
Then, without warning, the archbishop let out a low chuckle. The priests followed suit, laughing in imitation of their leader. Sensing the danger spiraling out of control, Rowan quickly grabbed his brother's arm and whispered for them to leave—before accusations began to fly. Accusations that could destroy not only them, but the entire Sebastian Hanwick bloodline.
Seo-jun understood that well.
But he also knew that retreating now would only cement their tarnished reputation in the public eye—especially when their opponent was an archbishop revered throughout the kingdom.
Just as they were truly cornered, a clear, commanding voice rang out.
"Adrian Hanwick."
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
Seo-jun froze.
The man approaching was no ordinary figure—it was Prince Julian Aurelion, the youngest prince of the Aurelion Kingdom. The king's most beloved son, born of his favored concubine.
"Hey, Brother Adrian!" Prince Julian called out brightly.
"I didn't expect to run into you here. No wonder I couldn't find you at our usual spot. Oh—what's going on? Why is everyone gathered? Is there a celebration?"
That innocent tone cut like a double-edged blade.
Prince Julian was the only person who could stand on equal footing with the archbishop. He was the child of a chosen Saintess—the woman the archbishop had loved most—who had died fifteen years ago, only months after giving birth to him.
The moment he saw his beloved grandson, the archbishop immediately ordered the holy knights to disperse, completely ignoring Seo-jun standing right beside him.
"Welcome, Your Highness Prince Julian Aurelion," he said gently.
"What brings you here? Have you come to pray with your grandfather?"
The shift in tone sent a chill down Rowan's spine.
"No, Grandpa," Julian replied with a sweet smile.
"I just missed Mother. And I wanted to greet my friend as well."
He paused briefly.
"If I may… could you leave first? I'd like to speak with Adrian alone."
The archbishop could not refuse.
Yet after taking only a few steps away, he turned back and issued a warning—his voice low, but unmistakably clear.
"Do not associate with him too often. He belongs to the misguided. I do not wish for you to be contaminated by his immoral ways. You understand, don't you?"
Archbishop Matthias Corwin spoke those words without the slightest concern that Seo-jun and Rowan heard every syllable.
Once the man disappeared from view, both Seo-jun and Rowan released the breath they had been holding.
Prince Julian looked at them in confusion, even scratching his head as if he genuinely couldn't grasp what had just unfolded.
Seo-jun and Rowan lowered their heads and expressed their sincere gratitude—for being pulled back from the brink of a disaster that could have erased the entire Sebastian Hanwick lineage.
But Prince Julian's gaze sharpened as it fixed on Adrian Hanwick.
"What did you drink to turn out like this, Brother?" he asked suspiciously.
"Did you take something I don't knowa bout? You're… completely different now."
wSeo-jun slowly shook his head.
"Nope. I've already quit that unhealthy stuff," he said casually, yet with quiet confidence.
"You know it yourself—living clean without those things is way more challenging. Gets my adrenaline going. That's why I decided to actually live healthy."
Rowan, who had secretly shared the same suspicion before, burst out laughing. He casually patted Prince Julian's shoulder like they were old buddies, completely ignoring the gap in their status.
"I said the exact same thing the first time I met Adrian again after a long while," Rowan said between laughs.
"He changed all of a sudden, right? Like the soul inside him got swapped with someone else."
The words made Seo-jun freeze for just a split second. But the moment Rowan looked at him, he smiled again—smooth, natural, as if nothing had happened.
Behind that smile, Seo-jun's mind was racing.
Only now did he realize something crucial: Adrian Hanwick wasn't just close to the Crown Prince and Princess Victoria—he also had a personal connection with Prince Julian. A prince deeply despised by the Queen. That fact was clearly written in the history book Seo-jun had once read.
And yet—
Reality felt… different.
On the way back, Seo-jun fell unusually silent. He didn't even notice that his horse had slowed far below its normal pace.
Rowan, already far ahead, had to turn back.
"Brother! Hurry up. Don't let anyone follow us!"
Seo-jun snapped out of his thoughts.
"Oh—right. Yeah!"
He urged his horse forward.
When they arrived at the villa, Seo-jun stopped in his tracks. Jake and Valerie looked completely different now. Valerie's hair had turned a soft pastel pink, while Jake's had become a bright, almost shimmering blond.
"Wow… that's impressive," Seo-jun muttered in genuine awe.
"This is Sora's work, isn't it?"
Sora had just stepped into the villa, eyes glued to her notebook, when Seo-jun immediately stopped her—without hesitation, showering her with praise.
"That's amazing. I swear, there isn't a single day that goes by without me complimenting your work, Sora."
Despite the nonstop praise, Sora kept her usual flat expression. Chewie, however, clearly didn't like the way Seo-jun's attention lingered on her. His irritation resurfaced immediately.
Without another word, he turned and left.
Seo-jun knew exactly where Chewie was headed—to report Valerie and Jake's existence to Princess Victoria Aurelion. He merely gave a small nod, already thinking several steps ahead, figuring out how to keep Valerie firmly on his side.
As dinner time approached, Seo-jun and his two brothers returned to the Sebastian Hanwick residence. Jake and Valerie were left behind at the villa, their needs fully prepared for, along with a trusted guard assigned to protect them.
The moment Seo-jun arrived home, his mother was already waiting. Without wasting time, she instructed Seo-jun, Rowan, and Lucien to prepare for dinner—there would be an important guest that night.
Seo-jun's mind instantly filled with possibilities.
Who was coming?
And why?
The stress dulled his senses. He didn't even react when a female servant deliberately loosened her clothes to seduce him while helping him bathe. Not even a flicker of interest.
Even after he finished dressing, unease clung tightly to his thoughts.
All the historical knowledge he once relied on was starting to feel unreliable. What he had read no longer lined up with reality. As if every decision he made nudged fate just slightly off course—again and again.
And that…
Was far more dangerous than he had ever expected.