* * *
Karl’s eyes flickered dangerously, and the Count squeezed his eyes shut.
Perhaps the moment he chose to save his disgraceful son, he’d already sealed his fate.
He should’ve cut him off sooner, but lingering affection had driven him to this foolish choice.
“Will… will you help ensure the Cavern house doesn’t fall?”
“That’s your job, not mine.”
As the Count signed, the contract glowed, and a wave of mana pierced his heart.
“You’re aware not just anyone can pull off a switch, right?”
“I do. That’s why I came to you.”
“Death row inmates undergo magical screening. All artifacts are removed, and any spells are canceled.”
They used magic that revealed true appearances, exposing things like hair dye and altered eye color.
“Of course I know.”
Then there was only one real option: bribing the inspectors.
But those officials were directly under the Emperor—they didn’t bend for money easily.
“I can’t bribe the inspectors either.”
Though Karl did have strings that reached them, there was no need to mention that.
“Let’s go with the simplest method. Change the appearance.”
“But artifacts won’t work!”
“If appearance doesn’t matter, we just remove the face.”
Gasp.
The Count exhaled in horror.
‘Remove the face?!’
“Can… can someone survive that?”
“With advanced magic, anything’s possible.”
“I mean live normally! Can he live normally?!”
Yes. Assassins had done it before—abducting commoners and stealing their faces when their own identities were exposed.
“It’s expensive, but if we can find a replacement, it’s possible.”
It was a procedure invented by one of Karl’s subordinates, who was obsessed with human-body magic experiments.
“I’ll pay whatever it takes! I’ll even find the person! But… where will you do this surgery? There’s only two days until the execution.”
With no immediate way to retrieve his son, the Count clenched his fists.
“Along with everything you promised earlier, I want 30 million gold.”
“Th-thirty million?!”
It was a staggering amount, even if he could pull the funds together.
He felt like he was being possessed, doing something unthinkable for one troublemaking son—but the Count slowly nodded.
“When do you need the person ready?”
“Tomorrow. I’ll give you time to see your family one last time tomorrow evening. Do it then. The Countess or anyone else must not be there. Only the Count should come.”
At Karl’s words, the Count stood up on trembling legs.
“Where should I send the money?”
“Leave it in your study tonight. I’ll take care of the rest.”
The Count couldn’t even ask how the young Marquis would enter his mansion, which was plastered with protective spells.
Because in the eyes of the young Marquis, nothing seemed impossible.
The Count stumbled out.
“He’s going to die anyway… might as well have a little fun.”
He never intended to save Timothy.
The man had ruined everything.
And his informant knew everything about Timothy—his habits, speech, even mannerisms.
“I hope Sylvian likes flashy mansions.”
If he wanted, they could spend time on the massive ship the Count offered.
He originally planned to let someone else handle this.
But it looked like he’d have to get his hands dirty himself.
And he hated getting dirty.
Karl’s brows furrowed.
Why did he have to sully himself over a Duke?
Honestly, he’d rather kill him.
“Sylvian, I hope you end up miserable.”
Just like him.
If the sea meant that much to him, Karl was even willing to drown him in it.
Just like Karl had lost someone precious—Zeroth should lose someone precious too.
Only then would it be fair.
Alone in the room, the Marquis laughed for a long time.
Then, after regaining his composure, he quietly slipped out of the capital.
The Marquis’s carriage, which should’ve been heading back to his estate, stopped instead in front of ‘Helio’s General Store’.
“Hyung?”
“Sy–Sylvian? Are you really going out?”
In the Duke’s drawing room, Yuri and Martius exchanged awkward glances, then quickly looked away.
Ever since they’d trained together in the Second Knights Order, things between them had soured even more.
Yuri had tried hard to be kind to Martius, who resembled Sylvian.
But Martius hated Yuri, claiming his eyes were annoying.
“I wanted to look around the general store together. That okay?”
“Sylvian, today’s the day of the execution. There won’t be many people out.”
Which was exactly why he wanted to go.
When the news of his collapse due to his brother’s situation spread, Sylvian had received many letters of consolation.
Among them, one caught his eye.
It looked completely untouched—like it had been wedged between others and gone unnoticed… or maybe a servant had slipped it in secretly.
“If you’re looking for certain information, visit ‘Lauren’s Jewelry Shop’ inside Helio’s General Store. She knows everything. I’m only telling you because I doubt the Duchess received the full truth about your brother. It’s too sad.”
A letter dressed in kindness, luring him with the suggestion that what he thought he knew… wasn’t the truth.
‘No way I can ignore something like that.’
He couldn’t remember the name or face of the noble lady who sent it.
He’d tossed it among the rest, but when he came back, that one letter was missing.
Someone was telling him there was another world.
Not that he planned to fall for it easily.
But information?
He needed that.
He’d heard Martius had been struck by Timothy—but something told him the most crucial thing was being kept from him.
Even Martius and Yuri wouldn’t tell him the truth.
He could sense even those close to him were hiding things.
He realized social connections alone wouldn’t get him what he needed.
When he insisted on taking Yuri and Martius with him, Zeroth reluctantly agreed, clearly displeased.
“Somewhere you want to go?”
“Just want to buy some clothes and accessories.”
“Better than mine, huh? Fine. Great, actually.”
Martius had been about to object, but the glare from Yuri behind him made him begrudgingly agree.
“Yuri, I’d like to buy you something too if you see anything you like. Is that okay?”
“F–For me?!”
Yuri looked like he might cry as he reached for Sylvian’s hand—but Martius smacked it away first.
“Let’s go. The carriage’s been waiting forever.”
Martius pulled his brother along, glancing back just long enough to sneer at Yuri.
Snap.
Yuri had been dealing with stress like never before—all because of Martius.
He hadn’t known he was even capable of being this angry and aggressive.
He’d tried to be kind, because Martius resembled Sylvian.
But Martius picked fights over everything and looked at him like trash.
If Yuri were truly a thug, he’d already— No.
How could he even think that?
Sigh.
“Yuri?”
“Coming!”
At Sylvian’s call, Yuri brightened and ran over.
He hadn’t been forgotten.
Of course, Martius shoulder-checked him for being “too eager.”
“…Sylvian?”
“Martius is my brother, but he really is good-looking.”
Damn it.
Yuri half-heartedly nodded as he looked at Martius, now dressed in new clothes.
“Y–yeah. Super handsome.”
* * *
