That evening, the carriage rolled to a stop in front of the estate.
The coachman opened the door, offering his hand. Edsel stepped down and immediately froze.
Hans was waiting.
Mia stood a short distance behind him, bowing as Edsel's shoes touched the stone path. The other maids followed suit, lowering their heads the moment they noticed the butler's presence.
"Greetings, young master," Hans said smoothly.
"…Greetings."
Edsel studied him carefully. Had his father summoned him? Was this another unspoken test?
"Did your outing go well?" Hans asked.
"Yes i only went out to clear my head. I have four days left to form my second circle."
Hans hummed softly. "To clear your head, you say." His gaze sharpened. "Then why do I smell blood on you?"
Edsel's clothes were clean, or rather, he had changed his attire before coming back to the manor. He could not tell what Hans was thinking at all, but for some reason, it seemed like this was a test. If he wavered or showed any weakness, Hans would not believe whatever he had to say.
"I happened to meet some petty bad guys, and I handled them myself," Edsel said calmly.
Although he said that, it was not a complete lie. He had indeed seen some wannabe thugs and had dealt with them in his own way.
"By yourself…" Hans murmured, stroking his mustache.
His dark blue eyes locked onto Edsel's. The air shifted.
"You have changed greatly, young master. I trust you will not return to your former self."
Former self.
Edsel almost scoffed. Did butlers normally speak this boldly? No. This man was different. From the moment they met, Edsel had sensed it, an immense, restrained force beneath that calm exterior.
Then it came.
Pressure descended without warning. It weighed on his shoulders, pressed against his chest, threatened to force him to his knees. His bones groaned faintly under the invisible strain.
So this is his power.
Edsel forced himself to remain upright. His smile held, though it felt carved into his face. Before he could react further, Mia stepped in front of him. She spread her arms slightly, placing herself between him and Hans without hesitation.
Hans raised a brow.
Edsel could tell that this was a side effect of the skill he had used on her. Since he had radiated protective energy and felt threatened by Hans, she must have willingly wanted to protect him without even thinking about it.
"I won't," Edsel said firmly. "I won't go back."
The pressure vanished.
Hans' lips curved into a faint smile. "Good You are finally acting like a proper Domitius."
He turned toward the maids. "Prepare bathwater and dinner in the young master's room and ensure he rests well."
Edsel exhaled slowly, though his eyes remained fixed on the butler's back. "I'll remember that," he muttered under his breath.
This estate was filled with monsters.
How had he failed to notice before? Hans had concealed his strength flawlessly. Not a single trace had slipped through. That level of control meant experience, decades of it.
As Hans disappeared down the corridor, Edsel walked inside. The maids trailed behind him nervously. Their eyes avoided his, as though they expected an outburst at any second.
"Go back," Edsel said calmly. "I only need Mia."
They hesitated, glancing at one another, then at Mia. She stood motionless, her expression blank, eyes fixed solely on him.
"Mia."
He gripped her shoulder and pulled her closer, lowering his voice near her ear.
"Yes, master."
"Remember what we discussed. For the next four days, no one enters my room. I'll be undergoing personal training."
"As you wish," she replied without hesitation. "I will not disappoint you."
**********
Shortly after, in the corridor, the maids were walking down the hall while whispering to themselves about what they had seen and heard.
"Hey, did you think that the young master and Mia are actually..." one maid started to say.
"Ssh, be quiet. I do not think it is possible, but in some cases, I have heard that it does happen," another maid responded while looking around nervously.
"But I felt it when I saw them together. The young master must have fallen in love with Mia," a third maid added with certainty.
"WHAT!"
They all turned around and saw Fiora standing behind them with Elena by her side. They gasped in terror upon realizing that they had been caught gossiping about the fiancé of the young lord and discussing his love life right in front of her.
"My lady!" they all exclaimed while bowing deeply.
"Tell me what you said. Is it true?" Fiora demanded while clenching her fists tightly.
They all kneeled down on the floor while trembling uncontrollably. They stared up at Fiora, who was clearly angry beyond words.
"We do not know for certain, my lady," one of them stammered.
"My lady, stop right there," Elena interrupted while stepping forward. "I told you before that all men are the same. He must have been waiting for this moment to break off this engagement. Just imagine if you had married that kind of man."
Elena smirked while covering her mouth in excitement. She had not done anything directly, and yet Edsel had single-handedly destroyed the castle that he was starting to build with Fiora. Now Fiora would hate him for sure.
"My lady, why do you not—" Elena started to suggest.
Before she could finish her sentence, Fiora yanked her arm away and walked off angrily down the corridor. She left the maids behind without looking back.
Elena waited until Fiora was out of sight, then she turned to the maids and bowed down to their level while smiling sweetly.
"Tell me everything that you saw," she said softly.
"But we cannot," one maid protested.
"Ssh, do not worry. I will not tell a single soul," Elena assured them while adjusting her glasses.