Chapter 32

Three days later, in the northernmost plains of the Territory.

It was a space close to the icy and snowy field called the land of monsters.

Strange peace continued on the plains before the war began, as all the creatures went into hibernation in the cold winter.

After several days of debate, it was tentatively decided to build a base camp for the war near the hills behind the plains.

The Duke set up a temporary barracks in the hills and enjoyed the quietness of a moment.

He didn’t have a headache and no noise could be heard that would hurt his ears.

The Duke imagined Astel, who saw him off and blushed.

Even the gaze that was clearly directed towards Cassian, everything.

‘It bothers me… ‘ (Duke)

With a subtle frown on his face, he got up from the camp bed in the barracks and went outside.

“So, it’s the first time the Duke has done that.”

“For a moment, maybe for a moment. But it’s really the first time I’ve seen it. That kind of expression…”

The knight who first spotted the Duke hit his colleague.

“He-hey!”

The knights seemed to be talking about him and Astel. Duke Anais glanced at them as he turned his head.

“You must have been surprised.”

The Duke of Anais affirmed to his subordinates in an indifferent tone.

“You’ll see more in the future.”

He blinked briefly and turned around. The knights breathed after he left.

Duke Anais continued his leisurely walk.

Then, from somewhere, an argument was heard.

The air around him was calm, but his senses were sharp.

“Hey, get that bastard.”

The Duke was not very interested in disciplining the army.

But if it’s a lynch of a group towards one, then it’s a different story, and if it’s a Cassian Gray, then it’s twice a different story.

The Duke of Anais stopped walking and watched their quarrel.

“It’s good to hit once, human!”

“Kill me properly.” (Cassian)

The gap between the beasts and humans was deep.

If they have to work together to fight the war, they must also deal with that emotional goal as well.

While the Duke was thinking, there was blood running down the corners of Cassian Gray’s lips, which seemed to have been hit by two strong beasts.

Cassian muttered as he wiped the blood running down his lips with his fist.

“Shut up, you crazy bastard.”

Cassian glared at them with excitement.

It wasn’t the appearance of Cassian, who had always maintained a graceful attitude.

It seems like a faucet was half opened.

“…What? Did we say anything wrong?”

“It’s been a while, you bastard. Don’t you have a brain to not know that?”

Cassian and two shapeshifter knights, fighting alone.

Considering that the two beast knights belong to the elite of the Duke Castle, it was a situation in which Cassian was further pushed to defense.

However, Cassian didn’t let go of the hand holding the two knights by the collar. His fists trembled and shook.

The knights seemed to be embarrassed when they couldn’t get out of his grip even after struggling.

The other knights who were watching them shouted loudly.

“That bastard… he’s completely blind!”

“Heh!, where’s the Human Knights Commander?”

“Anyway, Sir Cassian Gray was sensitive when it comes to women.”

Another ‘woman’ problem?

The Duke’s expression hardened.

He had no intention of meddling in such a nuisance situation.

In particular, he didn’t want to get involved in the matter of Cassian Gray’s issue about women.

It’s a fight between regular knights. It’s enough to have an assistant mediate them and then take disciplinary action according to the military law.

“What did the knights say her name was?”

As the women’s problems never ceased, his evaluation of Cassian Gray grew even more harsh.

A ‘trash’ trying to extort money from his innocent little Astel deserves to die.

Thinking so, Duke Anais tried to turn around.

However, at that moment, the knight, who had not noticed the Duke’s presence due to the big fight, was talking loudly.

“That human bitch, wasn’t she a human like you? Didn’t they say her name’s Astel? That pretty little girl.”

The Duke of Anais, who was about to turn around, stopped. Soon he turned and walked among the knights.

The Duke was still in a gentle manner, separating Cassian and the two knights.

Everyone seemed puzzled by the situation that had happened in a blink of an eye.

“Why?” (Duke)

“…Si-sir. That’s-.”

“Tell me.”

The two knights, who were fighting with Cassian, gulped down.

Then, one of the other knights nearby came out and summarized the situation.

They said that they first spoke obscene dirty rumors about Astel.

They’ve heard of some vulgar sexual descriptions saying that a human girl was better than a beast.

At those words, the eyes of Cassian and Duke Anais met halfway.

The Duke spoke first.

“Sir Cassian Gray.”

Cassian quietly clenched his teeth and muttered.

“I would gladly accept my sins sweetly. But please punish these bastards as well. Apparently, blasphemy against their kind was dirty to hear.” (Duke)

The Duke grinned with a distant face, seemingly not angry at all.

“Sir Cassian Gray, you have not sinned.”

However, the two knights who had been relieved that the Duke would be on their side as they were beasts, became bewildered by his words.

“Your Excellency… this, human…”

“You don’t seem to be able to grasp the situation.” The Duke spoke softly and declared to the two beastnights.

The Duke smiled. The knights hesitated when they saw the smile on his face, who was always indifferent.

That was the crooked smile that came out when dealing with monsters.

“If you insult someone under my protection, you also dare insult me.”

“I-it’s not…!”

“If you dare say any more, I would cut off the useless tongue from your mouth.”

There was no way that his men, who had watched him for a long time, would not have known how angry the Duke was.

As usual, Duke Anais proceeded with everything he did and said.

After that, the beast knights were imprisoned and dragged among their fellow knights, and were subjected to excessive discipline.

The knights that spoke rudely about Astel have already been removed from the list of Duke’s knights.

Within a few minutes at the very least, the quick and fruitful retribution ended on the same plain.

Before returning to the Duke’s Castle, their names were removed from the list of knights in the Duke’s Castle and they were expelled from the Northern Territory.

It was a de facto death sentence as it was impossible to return to the Duke’s castle.

After all the punishment was over, only Cassian and the Duke remained at the spot where the beast knights were scattered.

“Thank you for your prompt and proper treatment, Your Excellency.” (Cassian)

The Duke, who tried to ignore him, slowly opened his lips.

“Was it because of Astel that you fought?”

“…No, well. Not really. It’s because they defiled humans.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

The Duke of Anais nodded gently.

“Then, I’ll say it politely.”

“…?”

The moment he said politely, there was a spark in the Duke’s eyes.

At the same time, Cassian’s eyes narrowed.

‘You bastard, are you finally trying to reveal your true colors?’ (Cassian)

“Don’t pay attention to my guardian.”

“…”

“Do what you are good at.”

Cassian frowned. He had a look on his face saying, ‘What am I good at?’

“… What do you mean by what I’m good at?”

“Like extorting money from other people, or doing polyamory or something.”

“Oh…”

‘I don’t know what he means about ripping off money from someone, and it was a pretty good memory to remember a rough swoop in a brief face-to-face encounter.’

Cassian’s face crumpled slightly.

“Astel said she didn’t like that.”

There was clear vigilance on the face of the Duke Anais.

Cassian also frowned.

‘Perhaps…?’

He recalled some rumors about the Duke of Anais that he had heard from the beast knights who talked while building the base camp.