Chapter 4
Slave Duke
"Have you arrived, Master?"
The Leicester family's villa, located on the border of the Dukedom.
The Duke's servants lined up to welcome their master's return.
"Master, that is……."
The servants who greeted Shed fixed their gaze on a woman being unloaded from the baggage cart.
A woman with bandages on her legs, walking with a limp. Her disheveled hair and dirty clothes made it seem as if they had picked up a beggar from the streets.
"Take her and make her useful."
Shed said to the Head of section Werner, handing the reins to the coachman.
The middle-aged Head of section nodded politely and replied that he would do so.
At that moment, a cheerful voice cut through the servants.
"Duke Shed Lester! Our hero!"
A young man with a woman slung over one shoulder walked out with a light step.
With bright, wheat-colored hair and a friendly impression, he was dressed in clothes that were noticeably flashy yet sophisticated.
Shed stared at him without a word, and he burst into laughter.
"Haha, are you wondering why I'm here? How could I not come? Our Duke has achieved great feats, so I had to come and congratulate him."
He was Eclaus Vittel, the wealthiest man in the Empire and a junior Count of the Vittel County, who spoke with easygoing charm.
"I heard Your Majesty has newly enfeoffed land."
Eclaus smiled, wrapping his arm around the woman's waist.
Shed knew why Eclaus had come all the way to the border of the Dukedom.
'It must be because of the new territory that will be incorporated into the Dukedom.'
Because he's a man who has an amazing nose for money.
But to think he'd already be here……
Truly, he was quick and uncanny.
"But who is that woman?"
Eclaus, who had been smiling and greeting Shed, noticed Liana behind him and asked.
"A maid."
Shed gave a short answer and strode forward.
Then Eclaus followed with a sly smile.
"A maid is still a woman. And a pretty one at that."
Eclaus, following behind Shed, glanced back and scanned Liana's figure.
Although she was dirty, her features still exuded beauty.
Even if others didn't notice, Eclaus Vittel's eyes were always accurate.
If she were properly groomed, she would surely become a considerable beauty.
"For the Shed Lester to return with a woman, the world must be……."
"Eclaus."
"Oh dear. I suppose I was being too loud again."
Eclaus laughed and exaggeratedly pursed his lips.
Then the woman beside him giggled.
Liana stood blankly, watching the nobles chatter amongst themselves and walk away.
Shed never once looked back at her. He headed to the mansion with those who were laughing joyfully.
Even though he had brought her all the way here, it was as if he no longer needed to pay any attention to her.
The Duke Leicester's villa was excessively large, and as a result, Shed Lester disappeared from sight.
Liana stood there, abandoned like a toy that had lost its appeal.
At that moment, the Head of section Werner approached her.
"What's your name?"
"……Liana, it is."
"Liana. Good. It seems we need to sort out that appearance somehow. To become someone suitable for the Duke's family."
Werner scanned Liana up and down as if assessing the quality of an item brought into the mansion, then turned around and walked away, telling her to follow.
Eclaus savored the bittersweet aroma of black tea, gazing at Shed Lester sitting across from him.
The hero who had returned after achieving great feats was leaning back on the sofa, staring blankly at the innocent candlelight.
As if this great victory and the Emperor's survival had nothing to do with him.
Eclaus thought that he resembled a beast.
Relaxing leisurely, but a ferocious beast capable of biting someone's neck at any moment. As if he would pounce on someone as soon as the candle went out…….
'Is it because of the Lupus blood……?'
Eclaus thought, looking at the purple eyes that were the symbol of the Lupus Clan.
People considered those purple eyes ominous. Because the eyes of the fallen angel in mythology were described as being grape-colored.
Certainly, that dark and rare color gave a sense of otherness that was different from ordinary people.
'It's just eyes, though.'
Eclaus didn't pay much attention to immaterial myths.
The reason why the Lupus Clan were scary was not their mysterious eye color, but their superior physical abilities.
Stronger strength, greater height, and faster movements than ordinary people.
Eclaus had seen many Lupus Clan members so far, but Shed Lester was exceptional among them.
His towering height that stood out anywhere, his densely woven muscles, and his firmly extended frame.
An overwhelming human being just by his presence.
The knights said that his charisma in everyday life was laughable.
Shed Lester, whom they met on the battlefield, was reminiscent of a monster in mythology. They had heard countless testimonies that even allies could not dare to approach him.
If he had been an enemy, they would have sensed defeat the moment they saw him.
'That's why he's risen to this position, though…….'
A Duke from the Lupus Clan.
Who would have imagined that such a record would be possible in history?
The Lupus Clan. Because of their distinct otherness from ordinary people, they had long supported the bottom of society.
A clan vulgarly called 'beasts.'
They had long been treated as less than human and treated as slaves, and they were excluded from social norms or discriminated against.
Lupus Clan members cannot wear leather shoes and cannot walk in the center of the street.
Lupus Clan members must be separated from other people and use Lupus Clan-only restrooms.
Lupus Clan members cannot drink fruit wine.
Centuries of discrimination were deeply rooted.
However, after the rights movement that took place in the Imperial Territory 10 years ago, their treatment was gradually improving.
But, in other words, it had only been 10 years.
In the meantime, the treatment of the Lupus Clan had improved remarkably, but at the same time, it remained remarkably the same.
In such a situation, Shed Lester was a symbolic figure.
'Duke Josef Lester must have gone completely mad. To adopt a Lupus Clan member…….'
Eclaus thought so, but he was secretly delighted.
He was a merchant, and this change was a new opportunity. The winds of a new era were blowing.
Whether that wind would be a tailwind or a headwind, or even a bloody storm, he had a sail ready to ride any wind.
"It must be nice to have returned home after achieving great feats."
Eclaus said, sipping his tea.
Shed rested his chin on his hand and rolled his eyes to look at Eclaus.
"Thanks to Duke Leicester, the family's name is growing day by day. With the new territory you received this time, isn't the Leicester Dukedom now the largest in the Empire?"
Eclaus probed Shed, hiding his question inside his heart.
Then Shed Lester's fingertips twitched unpleasantly.
"Stop beating around the bush and get to the point."
Cutting off the decorative introduction so directly was very Shed Lester-like.
Shed's simple and clear method suited Eclaus's practical taste well.
"I heard you received the Ideana Territory."
Eclaus jumped straight to the point without any pretense.
In this war, Shed saved the Emperor, who was in danger of losing his life, and led the battle to victory.
As a reward, the Emperor granted him the right to govern the Ideana land, which had been abandoned in the west of the Empire.
The western territory once owned by the Ideana March.
However, after the Count family collapsed and was annexed to the Imperial Territory, the land had been left abandoned like ruins.
There were many reasons why that vast land was abandoned, but the most important reason was the charge for which the Ideana County was annihilated.
Forbidden heretical magic, Black Magic.
Unlike Divine Power magic, which uses the power of God to heal, purify, and bless, Black Magic borrows destructive power at the cost of life force.
Murder, poisoning, brainwashing, curses…….
The Ideana County researched that magic, and they were all annihilated for that crime.
The Ideana Territory was contaminated with Black Magic, and people no longer wanted to go to that cursed land.
And now, after several years, Shed Lester had obtained the right to rule that land.
'Everyone's laughing, saying it's not a reward but a burden…….'
Eclaus recalled the reactions of the nobles around him when the news was delivered.
The nobles laughed, saying it was the perfect land for a Lupus Clan member.
Certainly, it was a terrible land to give to a meritorious subject who had saved the Emperor's life.
Moreover, the condition that the Emperor added was even more absurd.
10 years of dominion. It's Leicester's land for only 10 years.
'To give such a creative middle finger to someone who saved his life, Your Majesty is amazing.'
If Shed governs the cursed land well and restores it, the Emperor will snatch the land back.
Conversely, if he neglects it, he will say that he abandoned the land given by the Emperor. Moreover, all the problems arising from the Ideana Territory can be attributed to Shed Lester's responsibility.
'It must be quite humiliating to owe his life to a Lupus Clan member…….'
The current Imperial Family, Chepbolden, is quite conservative towards the Lupus Clan, and there were many complaints when Shed, a Lupus Clan member, inherited the Leicester Dukedom.
'But he doesn't seem to care about that…….'
Eclaus reconfirmed the man sitting in front of him.
Whatever the Emperor's intentions, Shed Lester seemed to have different thoughts about the cursed land.
'It's understandable.'
Eclaus recalled Shed's place of origin.
He was from Ideana.
To be exact, he was a slave who worked under the Ideana March, which had disappeared due to treason.
'A slave's triumphant return…….'
The former slave must have had quite different feelings about the cursed land.
