Duke Herold stood only a few meters from where they were hiding. The scent of wine and the expensive cigar he had been smoking seeped through the gaps in the weapon rack, making Olivia want to sneeze, but she held it in until her face turned bright red.

"Javien... I am telling you once more, if you do not come out now, I will double the lashes,"

Duke Herold shouted as he looked down at a long cane. That cane was no ordinary rod. Only the two of them knew what happened when it touched Javien’s skin.

He swung the cane while circling every corner in front of the room where they hid. Olivia swallowed hard.

"Or perhaps you would rather sacrifice your rabbit? Hmm?"

A smile curled at the corners of his lips. That voice echoed in Javien’s head. His eyes flew open and he gritted his teeth tightly.

"I could order them to call that maid... or perhaps she is already here?"

Duke Herold tilted his head while narrowing his eyes. Olivia flinched, nearly knocking over an object behind her, but Avelvion managed to catch it. Avelvion signaled for her to stay quiet. The sound of footsteps outside could still be heard.

"Javien... Javien... you disgraced me last night. Isn’t ten additional lashes with this precious cane quite reasonable?" Duke Herold said. His voice grew more distant. Olivia could feel Javien’s grip on her hand tighten.

Could that cane have mana? Olivia whispered.

Sweat and blood soaking Javien’s body began to reappear. Olivia’s eyes widened.

She nudged Avelvion with her elbow while her eyes never left Javien. Avelvion let out a breath so soft it was barely felt, took another drop of the liquid, and placed it on Javien’s wound.

It was strange that it was not healing. Olivia panicked and her hands began to tremble.

"Mmmph..."

Olivia held Javien’s mouth firmly. She did not want him to make a sound. Having the liquid dripped onto his skin for the second time was clearly agonizing for Javien.

"Javien... come out now, or I will make sure your rabbit never sees the morning light tomorrow!!" Duke Herold shouted with pure rage.

Javien’s breath hitched. Each drop felt as if it were piercing every vein in his body, as if it were being gouged out with a knife.

Olivia could only hold back her tears. Both of them held Javien’s hands, which were almost striking the objects around them. But after he heard Duke Herold’s final words, his eyes, which had been fighting the medicine, slowly softened.

He gently pried Olivia’s hands away.

Klang!!

Boxes were knocked over slowly.

No, no... do not tell me he wants to surrender now in this condition.

Javien stood up slowly with all the strength he had left. Olivia shook her head and pulled Javien’s hand, whispering..

"Are you crazy? Javien, you are bleeding!!"

Javien turned his face toward Olivia. He smiled. It was a simple smile that looked strong, and it was the first time she saw that smile throughout her time with him.

Do not do anything stupid, Javien, she said in her heart. Javien patted Olivia’s head gently.

"Stay here... do not come out until it is over," he whispered softly into Olivia’s ear.

Avelvion looked annoyed behind Olivia. Still sitting in the same position, he scoffed quietly.

"This guy is acting like a hero at the wrong time," he whispered before walking out of the small room.

Avelvion pulled Olivia’s hand as she stood there frozen.

"Hey!! Olivia!!" Avelvion said as he walked out.

Within a few moments, Javien moved through the narrow space and finally reached an exit from the basement.

The moment the door opened, torchlight and a line of guards were already waiting. There was no way out.

Duke Herold stood tall in the center, holding the long cane that looked cursed. Javien took a deep breath, his face pale but his eyes sharp. He stood tall in front of Duke Herold with his white uniform soaked and covered in patches of red blood that were still wet.

Seeing Javien surrender himself like that, Duke Herold went silent for a moment before letting out a loud, evil laugh. He clapped his hands mockingly and the sound echoed in the silence of the night.

"Well, well, well... this is how a dog obeys its master," Duke Herold sneered with a sinister smile.

Without waiting any longer, Duke Herold raised his cane and began the lashes.

ZASS! PRAKK!

Lash after lash landed on Javien’s back. Even though the sound of the whipping was terrifying, Javien did not groan at all.

He did not want to let out a single sound. Every time the cane touched his skin, Javien’s body jerked forward, but he forced himself to stand straight again. The veins in his neck bulged as he held back screams that were trapped in his throat.

The white of Javien’s uniform began to be consumed by deep red that spread rapidly. Each new lash caused blood to splatter, leaving a gruesome pattern on the cloth that was already torn to shreds.

Olivia bit her own lip until it bled, trying to hold back sobs that were about to break. She wanted to run out and stop Duke Herold, but Javien’s final request kept her feet rooted there. She could only watch the man’s back being destroyed to save her.

Damn it! Duke Herold really had no humanity in him!!

Olivia whispered while biting her thumb nail.

Duke Herold stopped for a moment, huffing with excitement. He used the tip of the blood-stained cane to lift Javien’s chin.

"Why are you silent? Where is your voice? Beg... like a dog asking for mercy," he whispered with a voice that was calm yet insane.

Javien remained stiff and silent. He said nothing. Because the pain was spreading through his entire body, he had no energy to open his mouth.

Instead, he gripped his knees very tightly with both hands, a sign that he did not want to look weak in front of Duke Herold.

Olivia, hiding behind the door, could only watch with tears pouring down, seeing Javien’s white shirt turn redder as it was worked over by the cruel Duke’s cane.

Duke Herold stopped whipping when his breath began to feel heavy. He looked at Javien’s ruined back with a look of satisfaction. Without any guilt, he took out a silk handkerchief from his pocket and calmly wiped his hands which were slightly splattered with blood.

He stepped closer to Javien, who was still stiffly gripping his knees, then leaned down slightly to whisper directly into the man’s ear.

"Tomorrow I want you to be by my child’s side... even if it is your corpse, I want you to remain by her side,"

Duke Herold said with a very sinister tone before standing up straight again. He signaled his guards to leave, leaving Javien who finally sat weak on the cold floor.

From far above, Avvion was watching the drama from a high place. He just watched without even a bit of pity or a wish to help. He only gave a short sigh. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Is that all?... Boring,"

he whispered quietly, as if what happened below was just empty entertainment for him.

Without wasting time, he turned around and walked away from there.

Once the shadows of Duke Herold and his guards vanished from sight and the sound of Duke Herold’s footsteps could no longer be heard, Olivia and Avelvion slowly came out from their hiding place in the basement.

Olivia immediately ran out from her hiding spot. Her legs felt weak, but she forced herself to run toward Javien who was still sitting stiffly on that cold basement floor.

"Javien!"

Olivia’s voice broke. She knelt beside Javien, but her hands were hesitant to touch the man’s shoulder because she saw the back of Javien’s white uniform was destroyed, clinging to the bloody flesh. The metallic smell of blood grew stronger and hit her nose.

Javien did not move. His breaths were short, as if every time he pulled in air, the wounds on his back were being sliced again with a knife.

"Javien... can you hear me? Why did you do this," Olivia was already crying. Her tears fell to the floor and mixed with Javien’s blood that was still dripping.

Javien slowly turned his head. His face was very pale like a corpse, but when he saw Olivia, he still managed to pull a thin smile, a smile that made Olivia’s heart ache even more.

"I... I told you... do not come out until it is finished," Javien whispered with a very faint voice that was almost inaudible.

Olivia just shook her head.

"Stupid! You are really stupid, Javien! Why did you let him do this to you for me?"

Olivia’s trembling hand finally touched Javien’s cold cheek. She wanted to lift Javien, but she knew her strength was not enough.

She looked back at Avelvion, who had just come out of the basement with a face that was still cool, as if what happened earlier was just a normal thing to him.

"Avelvion! Help me! We have to take him to a safe place now!" Olivia cried out in desperation.

Avelvion, who usually talked a lot, just nodded seeing Javien’s back was already in a terrible state. He still moved forward and carried Javien who was already almost losing consciousness.

The three of them moved quickly, slipping in through the back kitchen door that was usually used by servants.

The atmosphere was silent and only the sound of Javien’s increasingly heavy breathing was heard. They could not waste time. With fast steps, they ran along the back corridor toward Olivia’s room.

That was the only safest place among them all. Avelvion’s room was out of the question because he was a prince, so if they entered there they were asking for trouble.

The guest room was also not possible as it would be easy to get caught. Javien’s room was located very far at the end of the residential wing, so there was no time to drag him there with blood still dripping like that.

As soon as they reached the front of Olivia’s room, Avelvion kicked the door lightly so it would open.

"Get in quickly!" Avelvion whispered with a voice that was still low.

The room door opened, and it turned out Celine was already inside with a very anxious face. Her hands trembled while holding various types of medicines for treating wounds.

As soon as she saw Javien’s body being carried in with a white uniform soaked in red blood, Celine almost screamed but managed to cover her own mouth.

"Quickly, lay him down!" Celine whispered with a very worried tone.

Avelvion immediately laid Javien face down on Olivia’s bed. It was the only safest place for them now, considering Avelvion’s room belonged to a prince and Javien’s room was located too far at the end of the wing.

Celine went closer to the bed while handing over a clean cloth and the medicines she had brought earlier. She looked at the back of Javien’s body with teary eyes.

"I have prepared everything, but... these wounds look very bad, Olivia," Celine said with a trembling voice.

Olivia did not waste time. She took the medicine from Celine’s hand while her eyes did not move from seeing Javien who was still stiffly holding back the extreme pain.

The atmosphere in the room was very tense as the smell of medicine began to mix with the metallic scent of blood clinging to Javien’s clothes.