"As expected of my son! Well done!"
His booming praise sent a shockwave through the crowd.
Even the most skeptical among them couldn’t deny it now.
The Third Young Master—the so-called Deer Prince—wasn’t a failure after all.
No greater proof was needed.
Sigmund placed a heavy hand on William’s shoulder and clapped him twice, speaking just loud enough for him to hear.
"Satisfied now?"
William met his father’s gaze and smirked.
"Very."
The Grand Duke shifted his gaze from William to Philip.
Under the weight of that cold stare, Philip visibly trembled.
"Y-Your Highness, please, listen to me. This is all a misunderstanding—"
"There’s no need for excuses. Shut your mouth," the Grand Duke cut him off without hesitation. "No matter what you say, there will be no respect left for you."
"It’s a mistake! Won’t you even hear my explanation?! Are you truly planning to turn the Logran Marquisate into your enemy?!"
"An enemy?"
The Grand Duke scoffed, as if Philip’s words were utterly ridiculous.
"You still don’t understand the situation. I severed ties with Bernhardt a long time ago. All that was left was securing a reason to strike. And now, you’ve so kindly provided me with the justification. All that remains is driving him into a corner."
Philip paled, his mouth opening and closing without sound.
"Pray that Bernhardt doesn’t cast you aside," the Grand Duke continued, his tone indifferent. "If he does, you’ll have far more to worry about than your standing in his household—you’ll have to worry about keeping your head."
"Your Highness! Your Highness…!"
At a mere nod from the Grand Duke, the knights behind him stepped forward, seizing Philip by both shoulders.
"No! Wait! Let me go—!"
Philip thrashed and shouted, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The knights dragged him away without a shred of hesitation.
One by one, the other captured nobles were pulled along in the same direction. Unlike before, they didn’t resist. After all, they had already been thoroughly humiliated—there was no fight left in them.
The Grand Duke turned back to William, giving his shoulder a light pat.
"Well done. Let’s head back."
Mounting his horse, he prepared to return to the lord’s manor. But just as they were about to leave, a thought crossed his mind, and he glanced at William again.
"Now that I think about it… why did you separate one of the maids from the rest? Don’t tell me…"
William sighed inwardly, already guessing what his father was thinking.
"I’ll explain when we return."
The Grand Duke gave a knowing nod.
"Ahem. Fine, fine. I suppose you’re a man, after all."
William suppressed a grimace. It seemed like he would have to clear up an unfortunate misunderstanding once they got back.
William walked alongside the Grand Duke as they headed straight to the study.
They needed to discuss the ’reward’ that his father had mentioned earlier.
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"The Black Lions already gave me a report," the Grand Duke began. "You handled things cleanly."
"You flatter me. I only succeeded thanks to the support you provided."
"No need for modesty. Now, what do you want as a reward? If it’s reasonable, I’ll grant it."
William paused for a moment, considering his options.
There was nothing he personally needed right now, but there was someone who deserved recognition.
"I’d like Hugo to be knighted."
"No."
The response came instantly. The Grand Duke didn’t even hesitate.
Unlike before, his tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
William had expected as much. But as Hugo’s master, he couldn’t back down so easily. He had promised to do his best for him.
"Hugo played a crucial role," William argued.
"He also conspired with the Marquis to sell the drugs in the first place. If you hadn’t caught him, he would’ve gone through with it to the end."
"That’s speculation. And besides, he was the one who lured Philip into the trap. He even provided the location."
"Even so, that alone isn’t enough. If he wanted to be a knight, he should have proven his worth in a way that was indisputable. He should have earned public merit—something that no one could deny."
William fell silent.
The Grand Duke was right.
Hugo’s contributions were invaluable, but they had been achieved using his underworld connections and skills. There was no honorable way to present them.
"If he wants gold, I can give him a chest full of it. If he wants a fresh start, I can arrange a new identity for him," the Grand Duke continued. "But a knighthood? That’s out of the question. Not because of his status, but because his deeds don’t justify it."
William exhaled softly and nodded.
At least he had tried.
"You’re right, Father. I overstepped."
"Good. Then ask for something else. And this time, make sure it’s reasonable."
William didn’t hesitate.
"The maid I captured—I want her to receive training from Swordmaster Aizen."
The Grand Duke blinked, clearly taken aback.
"...What?"
His expression was utterly dumbfounded.
As soon as he left his father’s study, William made his way to Felicia.
For now, she was being held in the underground prison. Initially, she had been kept in Hugo’s establishment, but after Philip’s faction was taken into custody, she had been moved here.
Despite being a prison, it wasn’t the kind meant for common criminals—it was a noble’s holding cell, well-furnished and maintained.
Even so, the moment William stepped inside, Felicia pressed a sharp piece of metal to her throat.
"Take one step closer, and I’ll end my life right here."
William frowned.
He turned to Hans, the knight standing beside him, who had been overseeing her confinement.
"What is she talking about?"
Hans gave a helpless shrug.
"She’s convinced that you mean to… violate her, my lord."
William’s brow twitched.
"What?"
"She won’t believe otherwise. She said she’ll never let it happen, no matter what."
"That’s ridiculous. Who told her that?"
"Nobody. That’s just what she assumes."
William sighed and looked back at Felicia.
"I don’t know what delusion you’re under, but I have no intention of laying a finger on you."
Felicia remained frozen, the metal still pressed to her throat.