The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate-Chapter 141

They were in Professor Ulysses' study, but at the moment, it had been turned into an interrogation chamber.

"It's been four years since we last met," Caron said.

"Haha. Has it been that long already?" Luke, the Vice Commander of the Imperial Guards, asked with a sigh as he observed the man sitting before him. "I never expected to see you again like this."

"Well, life has a funny way of surprising you. Unexpected reunions, sudden acts of violence, and some moral reform that follows. Don't you agree?" Caron smirked.

Luke sighed as he looked at Caron and said, "First, I must confirm the facts. Do you admit to the allegation that you unilaterally assaulted Engel Leroy, the third son of Marquis Leroy, the Minister of Finance?"

This was no ordinary incident. It was an unprecedented act for a noble to assault another noble's child in broad daylight. The Imperial Guards had been summoned, as was customary when noble disputes arose.

Normally, Luke would have arrested the suspect and dragged him to headquarters for investigation. However, protocol was tricky when the suspect was Caron Leston.

"It wasn't an assault," Caron said smoothly. "It was more like a senior teaching a valuable lesson. Let's call it that."

"To my knowledge, you never studied at the academy," Luke pointed out dryly. "So calling yourself his senior does not seem appropriate."

"I'm a senior in life and noble society," Caron replied, grinning. "I believe it's my duty to instill proper values in the younger generation. Honestly, Sir Luke, don't you agree?"

"Agree with what, exactly?" Luke asked.

"Those who have bad thoughts need a good beating to come to their senses. Don't you agree?" Caron replied provocatively with a subtly mocking tone.

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That tone stirred unwelcome memories in Luke. The duel four years ago at the Imperial Guards' headquarters had been legendary. As much as he didn't want to admit it, that duel had undeniably changed his life. From that day on, his path had taken a dramatic turn.

"Your personality hasn't changed a bit," Luke finally said.

"Thank you for the compliment," Caron answered with a smile.

As they exchanged pleasantries, a man in a crimson suit expressed his displeasure.

"The Marquis is furious. He demands severe punishment for this incident," the man said. He was Count Kona, Marquis Leroy's right hand, who had come running instead of Marquis Leroy.

Turning to Caron, he added disdainfully, "I don't know who this young man is, but this incident must not be taken lightly. It concerns the collapse of discipline and the decline of standards at the academy. It must be dealt with sternly to demonstrate that the laws of the empire remain unbroken."

Luke asked calmly, "Count Kona, do you know who this young man is?"

"Do I need to know the family name of a troublemaker who assaults a child in broad daylight? It's obviously—" Count Kona began, but was cut off.

"Oi, Mustache," Caron interrupted, smirking. "Do you get a bonus for brownnosing the Marquis? You've been yapping nonstop. Doesn't your mouth hurt?"

"Y-You insolent wretch! Who taught you such disrespect? Your family must lack any sense of etiquette!" Count Kona yelled in anger.

"I told my uncle he was an old fart just this morning," Caron said cheerfully. "You're sharp. Politics must've honed your instincts. That's impressive."

"Enough! I'll ruin you and your entire disgraceful house—" Count Kona continued.

Sensing that the air was thick with tension, Luke sighed and raised a hand to halt the escalating argument. With a quiet, deliberate tone, he addressed the Count. "If I were you, I wouldn't insult the house of a great hero."

Count Kona frowned upon hearing Luke's words, then asked, "What are you talking about?"

"You just insulted the Ducal Family of Leston," Luke said.

"W-What? When did I—" Count Kona was confused, but the realization hit like a blow.

He turned to Caron, who was now leaning back lazily, a smug grin on his face. That air of ease, that calm confidence—it had been irritating from the start. And now, Count Kona finally understood why.

"W-Wait... This brute—no, this young man—is...?" Count Kona stuttered.

"Yes," Luke confirmed with a nod. "He is Lord Caron Leston."

Count Kona was stunned into silence, letting out a sharp hiccup. His eyes widened as realization dawned, and he struggled to maintain his composure.

Caron chuckled softly and remarked, "Tried to crush me with authority, didn't you? Feeling a bit flustered now that it didn't work?"

"Caron Leston," Kona said, "I must insist that my earlier comments were from a misunderstanding—"

"Go tell Marquis Leroy this for me," Caron interrupted, his tone turning sharper. "If he has something to say, he can come himself instead of sending lackeys. And tell him his son got exactly what he deserved. Understood?"

Despite the blatant insult, Count Kona didn't dare raise another objection. The young man before him wasn't just anyone—he was a member of the Ducal Family of Leston, a name that was rising in prominence thanks to recent heroic deeds. Count Kona recalled a rumor from four years ago that had circulated among the noble families.

"The youngest from Azureocean Castle only targets nobles when he fights."

That memory sent a shiver down his spine.

Even so, retreating wasn't an option. Running away now would guarantee disgrace, and the wrath of Marquis Leroy would be far worse. Gathering his courage, Count Kona declared, "Even if you are Caron Leston, the rumors won't stop. This scandal will tarnish your reputation."

For nobles, saving face was usually of utmost importance. Thus, Count Kona thought that Caron had no choice but to propose a compromise somehow.

However, his expectations were thoroughly betrayed.

Caron's grin grew as he answered, "Perfect. That's exactly what I want."

"What do you mean?" Count Kona asked, confused.

"Spread the word as soon as you leave. Say Caron Leston slapped a noble child across the face. Tell everyone that I'm the worst, an untamable troublemaker," Caron answered.

He raised his teacup, downed the rest of the tea in one swift gulp, then flashed a bright, amused smile. He finished, "Now, if you understand, get lost. I don't want to start my morning in a foul mood."

Count Kona clenched his fists, but found himself unable to respond. All he could do was glare.

"You'll regret this," he finally spat out after a long, tense silence, before turning on his heel and storming out as though fleeing a battlefield.

Caron watched him go with a look of pure amusement. "Every noble father in the capital should be thanking me. I'm giving their spoiled brats the education they never got. Shouldn't there be an award for Educator of the Year?"

"You committed a crime, and you wear it like a badge," Luke said.

"Crime? Come on, Sir Luke. You know better than that," Caron replied.

Luke already knew the full story. The commoner boy had told him everything—he'd suffered two years of relentless torment. The noble brats hadn't stopped at bullying; they had threatened the boy's parents, boasting that wiping out a commoner family would be effortless.

Caron felt a bit sorry for knocking the boy unconscious. Not because he was sorry for the act—if anything, he wished he'd hit harder after hearing the full extent of the abuse. To him, justice had merely been served.

"Was it a sense of justice, then?" Luke asked, eyeing Caron curiously.

He knew that this young man in front of him was no ordinary noble. Caron Leston, the young hero who had freed Reben, was already at the pinnacle of 7-Star—a level of power unheard of at his age. It wouldn't be surprising if he carried some righteous idealism.

But Caron's answer shattered that illusion.

"I hit him because I wanted to. What does justice have to do with it?" Caron answered with a shrug.

"I was merely suggesting you could claim self-defense," Luke replied.

"Let me be perfectly clear, Sir Luke," Caron said, leaning forward with a wicked grin. "I hit him because I felt like it. This nonsense about the academy being a place of equality? It's a complete lie. You want to know what real equality is?"

Luke's eyes narrowed and asked, "...What is it?"

Caron raised his fist, his smile widening as he answered, "It's my fist. No matter your status, if you did something bad, you'll meet my fist. That's true equality."

Luke sighed then said, "I see nothing has changed in four years."

"So," Caron asked slyly, "What's the verdict from our esteemed vice commander?"

Luke exhaled deeply before answering, "For now, it's too early to make a definitive judgment. I'm suspending the case until further investigation."

Gathering the documents he had placed on the desk, he slipped them into his bag and rose to his feet before saying, "We'll contact you once the inquiry is scheduled." His gaze lingered on Caron as he added, "Before leaving the capital, be sure to visit our headquarters."

"Oh, a visit?" Caron chuckled. "If this is about a restriction, that's going to be a bit of a problem."

"I have something to show you. Also..." Luke paused for emphasis. "A series of mysterious murders has been occurring within the capital. I advise caution."

Caron thought this was valuable information. He gave a small nod of acknowledgment.

Luke continued, his voice steady, "And Dame Amy is looking forward to seeing you again."

"Of course," Caron muttered with a smirk. "That's why being popular—"

"She mentioned she's determined to beat you senseless the next time she meets you. Well then, I'll be off." With that, Luke strode out of the research office, leaving Caron staring at the door as he scratched his head.

"Maybe I've built up too much bad karma," Caron muttered to himself.

The familiar voice of Guillotine echoed in his mind, sharp and sarcastic.

"Now you figure it out? I bet they're all cursing you behind your back."

Caron grinned broadly, nodding as if in agreement, then said, "Well, at least that means I'll live a long life this time."

"...Wait, what? That's how it goes?"

"I wanted to live a long life. I guess it's working out after all," Caron said, beaming contentedly.

"Seriously, that's how you're spinning this?"

Caron smiled with satisfaction.

***

As soon as Luke left the office, a middle-aged man entered the research room. His scholarly demeanor and thin-rimmed glasses gave him a calm, composed air. It was Ulysses, the very man responsible for inviting Caron to the academy.

Caron spread his arms wide in an exuberant gesture. He exclaimed, "Professor Ulysses! It's been such a long time—what, almost seven years? You haven't changed a bit!"

Grinning, he pulled Ulysses into a hearty embrace, patting him on the back with exaggerated enthusiasm.

Ulysses chuckled awkwardly and gave Caron's back a polite pat in return. "You, on the other hand, have grown tremendously, Young Master."

"How's the research on Cain Latorre's theories going these days?" Caron asked.

"Thanks to the steady support from the Leston household, we've been able to continue without any major setbacks. I'm always grateful for your generosity," Ulysses answered.

Caron smirked and added, "Ah, the funding you've been receiving for the past two years? That's from my pocket."

"...Pardon?" Ulysses asked.

"Just thought you should know. Haha!" Caron said, entirely unfazed by his own brazenness after having declared himself as the professor's sponsor.

Ulysses blinked, struggling to process what he had just heard. Caron had been a handful even as a boy, but seeing him now, he realized the scale of things had only grown exponentially.

The incident at the academy gates earlier proved as much—Caron had struck a marquis's grandson in front of a crowd of students. The academy was already a hotbed of rumors and tension because of it.

"Young Master," Ulysses began tentatively.

"Hmm?"

"The matter with Mr. Engel... Why exactly did you hit— um, discipline him?"

"Oh, that?" Caron leaned in close, his lips nearly brushing Ulysses' ear as he whispered secretively, "I'll only tell you the truth."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "You know my dream, right?"

"Yes, I do..." Ulysses replied.

"There can only be one notorious troublemaker. The spotlight is mine alone. I don't tolerate competition. But that Engel kid? He had potential. Enough to make me feel threatened," Caron explained.

"...I see," Ulysses said. He thought that Caron was as unhinged as ever, and the letter from Fayle had been painfully accurate.

"We weren't able to find a method for controlling Caron."

Ulysses felt that truth down to his very bones. Still, he couldn't blame anyone but himself—and the headmaster—for summoning this whirlwind of chaos.

"When someone who helped me in my childhood asks for a favor, how can I refuse? Plus, I thought I'd see you, and look around the academy while I'm here," Caron explained, beaming.

"W-Welcome," Ulysses muttered weakly.

In reality, the headmaster's hopes for reappointment were now a distant dream. One of the empire's top officials had had his grandson slapped in public—a scandal Caron had sparked within his first ten minutes on campus. Even his current position was suddenly in jeopardy.

As Fayle stated in the letter, the responsibility lay entirely with the academy that extended the invitation.

Focus, pull yourself together! Ulysses told himself, picturing his wife and children waiting at home. He lightly slapped his own cheek to snap back to reality. He had to avoid being fired. At all costs.

"Young Master," Ulysses began with newfound determination, "If you feel unprepared, you are more than welcome to cancel tomorrow's lecture."

Ulysses needed to get this walking disaster out of the academy as soon as possible. That was why he said to Caron in a subtle tone, "I only mean that addressing a large group of students can be tiresome. If it's inconvenient, I'll gladly take responsibility for it on your behalf."

It was a desperate struggle to avoid losing his job.

However, Caron shook his head firmly as he looked at Ulysses and said, "I couldn't possibly burden you like that. It would damage your reputation and integrity."

"...No, you don't necessarily have to think of it that way..." Ulysses said.

"I already have the perfect lecture topic in mind," Caron interrupted. "No need to worry. The lecture is tomorrow, right?"

"...That is the plan, yes," Ulysses answered.

"While walking in earlier, I noticed a troubling lack of character in some of the students. Future leaders of the empire must have good character, don't you think? So I've decided on a title for my lecture."

Caron clenched his fist dramatically and declared, "Let's Live Kindly."

"'Let's... live kindly?'" Ulysses repeated.

"It's the message I want to impart to the students. I bet it'll go down as one of the most memorable lectures in academy history," Caron said.

Ulysses couldn't help but agree that it would go down in the academy's history. It would undoubtedly leave a mark...

As the academy's last lecture ever, Ulysses thought.

The walking disaster they had invited stood before him, smiling brightly.