Matthew regretted every decision that had led him to this exact moment.

His feet moved quickly through the twisting streets of Virellion Square while cold sweat gathered slowly beneath the back of his collar. The deeper they walked into the district, the more dangerous the atmosphere became.

And unfortunately for him...he was currently guiding the most terrifying man in the empire directly into its heart.

The black market district of Virellion existed beneath the visible city like rot beneath beautiful skin. The upper marketplace overflowed with noisy merchants, food stalls, and wandering travelers.

But below that?

Below that lived another world entirely.

A world where stolen relics changed hands beneath candlelight.

Where assassins accepted contracts over cups of wine and nobles purchased forbidden magic while pretending morality still existed.

Matthew knew these streets far too well.

Which was exactly why he wanted to leave them alive.

The narrow roads gradually darkened as they descended deeper through hidden pathways between buildings. Hanging lanterns cast dim orange light across damp stone while cloaked figures lingered near corners watching newcomers carefully.

Rosaline stayed close beside Lily while observing everything with unconcealed curiosity.

Unlike earlier, she no longer looked frightened.

Instead...

she looked fascinated.

That alone worried Matthew slightly.

Lily, meanwhile, kept glancing around suspiciously like she expected someone to stab them from the shadows at any second.

Honestly?

A fair concern.

Xandros walked several steps behind them beside Kiel, his expression unreadable beneath the shifting lights. His dark coat moved softly with each step while his silver-grey eyes scanned the district calmly.

Like a predator observing weaker creatures.

Matthew swallowed nervously.

The Duke hadn’t spoken much since entering the underground streets.

And somehow...

that silence felt heavier than threats.

Unfortunately, Matthew’s nervousness only worsened the farther they walked.

Because he recognized this area.

Very well.

His pace slowed almost unconsciously.

Not enough to be obvious.

Just enough.

Matthew’s gaze shifted nervously toward one of the darker alleys branching farther ahead before quickly looking away again.

Please don’t let them be there today....he prayed internally.

Behind him, Xandros noticed immediately.

Nothing escaped those grey eyes.

The Duke’s gaze lingered briefly on Matthew’s stiff shoulders before shifting toward where his attention kept wandering.

Interesting.

Matthew tried walking faster again afterward, though tension remained visible in every movement he made.

Rosaline eventually noticed too.

"Is something wrong?" she asked quietly.

Matthew nearly jumped.

"No."

That answer came far too quickly.

Lily narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"That sounded like a lie."

"It wasn’t."

"It definitely was."

Matthew ignored her immediately.

Instead, he looked back again...

only to realize something else.

The Duke’s attention was no longer on him.

It rested entirely on Rosaline.

Matthew blinked once.

Then slowly looked between them.

Ah.

The Duchess walked carefully through the uneven streets while talking quietly with Lily, pale hair catching the dim lantern glow every few seconds.

And the Duke?

The Duke watched her like she was the only peaceful thing in this miserable place.

Matthew suddenly felt like an accidental witness to something dangerous.

He quickly looked away.

Not his business.

Absolutely not his business.

The group moved deeper into the underground district afterward until the streets widened into a larger open section overflowing with hidden stalls and shadowed shops.

This was the center of the black market.

Noise echoed from every direction now.

People bargained loudly over cursed weapons and strange potions. Hooded merchants displayed illegal relics across dark wooden tables while armed guards lingered nearby pretending not to notice criminal activity happening directly beside them.

Rosaline stared openly.

Her green eyes widened slightly as she took everything in.

"Gods..."

Lily looked equally overwhelmed.

"There are so many people."

"And probably at least twelve murderers," Matthew muttered.

"Only twelve?" Lily asked.

Matthew looked offended.

"That was optimism."

Behind them, Kiel suddenly slowed.

His icy gaze shifted sharply toward the two women before landing directly on Lily.

Lily frowned immediately.

"What?"

Kiel said nothing.

He merely looked toward the path ahead.

Then back toward them.

Rosaline understood first.

"Oh."

She gently tugged Lily forward afterward.

"I think he wants us in front."

Lily crossed her arms.

"He could use words like a normal person."

Kiel remained silent.

Lily glared harder.

And unexpectedly...

a low laugh escaped Xandros.

The sound startled everyone slightly.

Even Rosaline blinked in surprise before looking toward him.

The Duke rarely laughed openly.

Yet now amusement lingered faintly across his face as he watched Lily glaring murderous threats at Kiel’s existence.

Lily looked deeply betrayed.

"Why are you encouraging him?"

"You make interesting expressions," Xandros replied calmly.

Rosaline immediately turned away before her smile became too obvious.

Lily looked like she might faint from offense.

Before she could continue complaining however....

movement exploded from the left side of the street.

Several large men emerged suddenly from between two dark buildings.

Fast enough to startle everyone nearby.

Lily lost her footing instantly after stepping backward too quickly against uneven stone.

A sharp gasp escaped her.

Then...

strong arms caught her before she could hit the ground.

Lily froze.

For one brief second, she stared upward directly into cold silver-grey eyes.

Kiel.

The white-haired man held her firmly against him with one arm around her waist while his expression remained unreadable as always.

Lily’s entire face immediately turned red.

Not because she wanted it to.

Absolutely not.

She straightened so fast she nearly stumbled again.

"I-I was fine."

Kiel slowly released her.

"You were falling."

Lily opened her mouth.

Then closed it again because unfortunately...

that was true.

"...Thank you," she muttered stiffly.

Kiel only stepped back silently afterward.

Lily immediately looked away, face still burning from embarrassment.

Rosaline noticed everything.

Every single thing.

And she was absolutely going to remember it forever.

Unfortunately for Lily, the situation around them quickly became worse.

The men who had appeared were not random strangers.

No.

They were staring directly at Matthew.

Specifically...

like they wanted to kill him.

Matthew looked moments away from crying.

The tallest among them stepped forward first.

A scar crossed the side of his face while heavy gold rings decorated his fingers. His expression twisted immediately into something ugly the second he saw Matthew.

"There you are."

Matthew laughed nervously.

"Ah."

The man’s eyes darkened dangerously.

"You’ve been hiding."

Several people nearby immediately began moving away from the scene.

Smart people.

Matthew lifted both hands quickly in surrender.

"Now hold on..."

"You made us search half the district for you."

"I was going to come back!"

"When?"

Matthew hesitated.

"...Eventually?"

The scarred man’s expression became murderous.

Matthew immediately pointed toward Xandros behind him.

"Wait! I’m currently with someone important!"

"We don’t care."

Matthew lowered his voice urgently.

"No seriously, you should care."

One of the men scoffed loudly.

"Even if you’re walking with the Duke himself, you’re not escaping us today."

The entire street suddenly went silent.

Matthew froze.

Lily froze.

Rosaline blinked slowly.

The group of men noticed the silence several seconds too late.

Very slowly...

they turned their heads.

And saw him.

Xandros stood quietly behind Matthew with one hand resting lazily inside his coat pocket while silver-grey eyes watched them without expression.

The scarred man’s face drained immediately.

Matthew looked ready to die.

"I tried to warn you," he whispered weakly.

Panic spread instantly through the men.

One of them nearly stumbled backward.

The leader recovered first, though sweat already gathered visibly near his temple.

"Y-Your Grace..."

Matthew dropped to his knees immediately.

"I have nothing to do with criminal activity!"

Lily stared at him in disbelief.

"You folded fast."

"Survival is important!"

Xandros looked entirely unimpressed by all of them.

"What happened?" he asked calmly.

The scarred man swallowed once before answering carefully.

"This man owes us money."

Matthew pointed upward instantly.

"I borrowed it for my daughter!"

The man ignored him.

"Ten gold coins. Then he disappeared."

Matthew scrambled desperately to explain.

"She was sick! I needed medicine and I was going to pay it back eventually!"

The leader sneered.

"You’ve been saying eventually for weeks."

"I needed time!"

"You needed sense."

Matthew looked genuinely desperate now.

Rosaline noticed immediately.

And unfortunately...

she also believed him.

The man suddenly grabbed Matthew roughly by the collar before slapping him hard across the face.

The sound cracked sharply through the street.

Matthew stumbled sideways.

Rosaline flinched.

Lily looked furious immediately.

The man lifted his hand again...

then gold coins slammed directly against his chest.

Everyone froze.

The coins scattered slightly before falling into his hands.

The scarred man blinked downward in shock.

Ten gold coins.

Exactly ten.

Slowly...

he looked up.

Xandros lowered his hand calmly after throwing them.

"Your debt is settled."

Matthew stared openly.

The scarred man looked thrilled.

Then greed appeared.

"The interest remains."

Matthew looked horrified.

"What interest?!"

"Five more gold coins."

Lily gasped softly.

"You’re robbing him."

The man shrugged.

"Business."

Matthew turned pale.

But before anyone else could speak...

another five gold coins landed directly against the man’s chest.

Xandros had already thrown them.

Again.

Without expression.

The scarred man stared at the money greedily before slowly grinning.

Matthew looked like a man witnessing both salvation and financial destruction simultaneously.

"Thank you, Your Grace," he whispered shakily.

The man pocketed the coins quickly afterward before finally stepping away.

But then...

he stopped.

Something had caught his attention.

Or rather...

someone.

Rosaline stood slightly behind Lily beneath the dim lantern light, pale silver-white hair glowing almost unnaturally against the darkness surrounding the underground district.

Beautiful.

Soft.

Out of place.

The scarred man’s eyes lingered too long.

Rosaline stiffened immediately.

Then slowly...

he walked toward her.

Lily frowned.

Rosaline instinctively stepped backward slightly as the large man stopped directly in front of her.

His rough hand suddenly lifted.

And touched her hair.

Carefully.

Almost reverently.

"Pretty little thing..." he murmured softly.

Rosaline froze.