As they returned to the carriage, the commotion of the coliseum faded behind them. Lusian walked with his hands in his pockets, his gaze distant, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts.
"Why all the fuss?" he murmured suddenly. "If the baron wanted her so badly, he could have simply kidnapped her and… done what he pleased."
Emily froze, scandalized."What… what are you saying?"
Lusian turned to her, expressionless."Nothing. I was just wondering why they made such a spectacle over something that could have been done in secret."
Emily lowered her eyes, blushing and visibly uncomfortable. She wasn't sure whether Lusian was serious or merely reflecting bitterly on the world around him.
One of the duchy's maids, walking behind them, leaned slightly and whispered in his ear:"My lord… that would not be possible. If a man lies with a woman who has sworn her fidelity, the god SANGUS punishes him. They say… his virility decays and fails under the divine curse. Both man and woman die shortly afterward."
Lusian fell silent for a few seconds. A cruel punishment, he thought. Though, coming from a god, it seemed an effective method of control.
The carriage was waiting in front of the coliseum when he spoke again."Still," he said thoughtfully, "that baron won't remain idle. He might try to have the young man killed."
Charles Grell, head of the escort, walked beside him and replied firmly:"I doubt it, young master. We're in the capital, under the king's law. No noble would dare violate royal rules within the city. Outside their lands, their power is limited."
Lusian nodded slowly, watching the main avenue through the carriage window. The sound of hooves blended with the distant murmur of the crowd.
"So," he whispered, "all that remains is to see who makes the first mistake."
Emily glanced at him, not fully grasping the meaning of his words. But in Lusian's eyes, a deeper idea was taking root—a seed of a plan that, in the future, would make the empire's nobles tremble.
Upon returning to the mansion, Lusian and Emily were greeted by Sofía in the main hall. Her expression, initially serene, turned inquisitive as she noted the look on their faces.
"How was your walk?" she asked, hands folded elegantly.
Emily exchanged a glance with Lusian before responding. She recounted what had happened at the coliseum, choosing her words carefully so as not to alarm her too much. But when she mentioned Baron Joel's behavior, Sofía's eyes hardened.
Honor and reputation were more than words to her; they were the pillars sustaining the duchy's balance. That a minor noble would dare insult her family was intolerable.
"Charles," she said firmly, "confirm what happened."
The head of the escort bowed respectfully and recounted the events without omitting a detail. Sofía remained silent, processing the information. Lusian, meanwhile, observed every gesture, intrigued by the unfolding events. If the Denisse family falls, he thought, many pieces on the board will move on their own.
Before Sofía could give an order, a servant announced the arrival of Count Tomas Denisse.
The man, mature in bearing and with a worn expression, entered the hall with measured steps. He bowed deeply before Sofía."My lady," he said gravely, "I have come to offer my sincerest apologies. As soon as I learned of Baron Joel's unacceptable behavior, I could not remain idle."
Sofía regarded him with icy calm."I appreciate your diligence, Count Denisse. Situations like this are usually resolved in a… harsher manner. I trust you understand the gravity of the matter."
A bead of sweat ran down the count's forehead, and he nodded quickly."Of course, Duchess. I made sure no loose ends remained."
He signaled to a servant, who stepped forward carrying a basket draped with a cloth. Charles took it carefully, and when the fabric was removed, the air in the hall seemed to freeze. Inside lay a human head, still fresh, its face frozen in an expression of final terror.
Lusian and Emily instinctively stepped back. There was no doubt: it was Baron Joel.
Emily turned her gaze away, stomach tightening. She did not scream. She did not cry. But her hands trembled enough to betray that something inside her had broken.
The count spoke, his voice strained with tension:"The baron was executed in the plaza, before witnesses. All saw his end. There will be no doubt that the Denisse acknowledge their wrongdoing and accept the consequences."
A heavy silence settled over the room. The count's decision, though cruel, prevented direct conflict with the Douglases. Sofía nodded slowly, satisfied.
"So be it. Honor has been restored. Yet," she added, turning her gaze to Emily, "I still expect compensation to be offered to my future daughter-in-law."
The count did not hesitate."Of course, Duchess. It will be done immediately."
After bowing deeply, the count departed, leaving an uneasy silence in his wake that took time to dissipate.
Emily, pale, could barely speak. Lusian accompanied her to the garden, where the fresh air contrasted with the weight of what had just occurred.
"How do you feel?" he asked softly.
"I don't know…" she replied, trembling. "It all happened so fast. I've never seen anything like it."
Lusian nodded, looking at her with a mix of understanding and sadness."It's not your fault. You did the right thing helping that couple. Sometimes, in this world, even good deeds carry violent consequences."
Emily looked at him, moved."I'll try to act more naturally, Lusian. I don't want to cause you trouble."
"You don't cause me trouble," he replied with a faint smile. "You only remind me that there are still people worth caring about."
When she withdrew, Lusian went to his room. There, Sofía's black wolf awaited, lifting its head the moment he entered. Lusian sank beside it, and for a moment, the day's weight dissolved into silence.
He stroked the animal's fur, his thoughts wandering over the events of the day. The image of the baron's head still lingered in his mind.
Why is life worth so little here? Why do the powerful decide who lives and who dies so easily?
He felt powerless… and furious. Because no matter how much he hated the cruelty of this world, he knew that if he wanted to survive in it, sooner or later he would have to become something similar.