chapter 32

" How long has it been since I lost consciousness? " Adam walked towards his office as Lenny followed his footsteps from behind him.

" It's been almost two months, young master. "

" God damn it. Does that mean I'm being stronger than I used to be, Lenny? "

" Yes. It's quite hard for us to put a leash on the young master but fortunately, the princess has been very helpful since her presence is very stronger than young master's strength. "

Stopping his steps in a dazed state, Adam turned his head to face Lenny in dumbfounded.

" What do you mean by her presence? "

" That something you can ask the lady yourself, young master. " bowed politely before him, Lenny declined to answer his question with a bow.

" ..Ha. Lenny.. " annoyed with her answer, Adam continues his step to walk towards his office with a big frown.

" Yesterday's incident may have made her very afraid of me. As you said, I will only aggravate the situation if I try to approach her for now. " in despair, Adam steps become powerless as he takes a step further.

" Ah. The waterworks construction I was planning before must be a disaster since my absence, right? where is baronet Hargrad? "

Startled by his shocking question, Lenny stopped her steps from following Adam towards his office.

" Ah. Actually about that.. "

" ..... "

" ...? " Stopped his pace when Lenny suddenly hesitated to speak. He turned his head to face the silent Lenny with a big frown.

" What is it? "

" While you were absent, baronet Hargrad has dismissed from management for misappropriating construction funds, and he currently under house arrest, young master. " while her mouth hesitated, to tell the truth, Lenny bend her head in fear.

" Baronet Hargrad does what? " shocked by the news that Lenny conveyed to him, Adam with his face starting to frown in anger quickly turned his body away from facing Lenny.

" Then, where's count Flerdis? "

" He-he has dismissed too from management along with the baronet because the count used the money from Allard's property to fool around at the Staryies* "

Embarrassed by her own words, Lenny bends her face from being seen by Adam. Staryies* was a place to fooling around with many girls in a small room, it was one of the popular harems in the capital, and Allard's money was the most contributed to the splendor of those places because of a perverted man like count Flerdis.

" What? 'Staryies'? Ha. I can't believe this! " Trying to control his own anger, Adam stroked his blonde hair back in anger and snorted in annoyance with the behavior of his own vassals that he once trusted the most.

" How about count Perkins? don't tell me he was one of them too? " step into his office with a big stomp, Adam suddenly halt his leg in speechless while Lenny who was walking behind him has almost got bumped into his tough body.

" Fortunately count Perkins still fine..um. young master? " hesitated to called Adam that suddenly freeze up, Lenny frown while standing behind him in wonder.

" Why does this room smell like a dog? and there are some many fur floating around in this room! " walk quickly towards his desk puzzled, Adam was stunned when everything wasn't in the same position as the last time he left the desk. Quickly his hand grabbed the first drawer to look at his document but then he turns speechless again, his drawer wasn't fulled of the documents he was working on but instead, it was filled with a beef jerky that replaced his paperwork.

" What happened when I'm not around.." holding his face in confusion, Adam slowly sat on his chair in exhaustion.

" I'll make sure the maid will quickly clean this room as usual back, young master. " bowed in fear by her master's menacing aura, Lenny bends her head down in guilt.

" Do it immediately and banned the princess from getting near my office from now on, Lenny. For her to bring an animal into my office..Ha. "

" Yes, young master. "

" Ah, talk about her. If possible, can you find out where the princess is? I haven't seen her since she left my room last night, Lenny. "

" Hm? was she not in her bedroom? "

" I just visited her bedroom at dawn to apologize, but she wasn't there. Ah, can you call Eilidh for me too? "

" Ah. yes, I understand. "

****

" The young master has turned into his original form! "

From dawn yet, all the servants of Allardis have gathered on their own position to celebrate the return of their young master in eagerly except those who have committed a crime, gathered in a dark room, they talk about what they should do now frightening states.

" Lord Evans returned? How is that possible?? I can't believe it! "

" None of the heirs had ever regained their bodies after turning into beasts! If it turns out Lord Evans has recovered, what will happen to us..?? What do we do if lord Evans accepts that we're actually corrupt..?! "

" Hey, count Flerdis. Shut your mouth. None of us should be punished. Th-there's no way he'd listen to the icy princess that treated him like a pet! we're the ones who have watched him since he was extremely young, right? "

" Even so! it's lord Evans that we are talking about! The dark crimson of the battlefield! we might die if we face him now! "

" ... "

" Then, should we run away? " baronet Hargrad, with his trembled hand, looking intensely at count Flerdis who was sitting on a couch in front of him.

" ... " in a state of loss of words, count Flerdis seem to be dazed while lost in his thoughts. After a while, slowly he nodded his head as the agreement with the baron's suggestions.

" Let's go. "

Rise their head from the very morning in shocked with the news of the master returned, every maid in the palace has been busy on cleaning and organizing the palace again under Eilidh firm command but the palace atmosphere that should have been peaceful from the morning, become a disaster because of one thing.

" Princess is missing! "

" I can't find the princess everywhere in the palace! "

" Keep on looking for her! "

Even it should be a peaceful morning with great weather, everyone has made such a big uproar inside the palace regarding the princess went missing from her own room after she had her breakfast this morning.

" ..... "

" Lord Evans.., what are you doing..? " blankly look at Adam that stood in front of his office window in deep thoughts, Lenny place the set of tea on his desk in wonder by her master strange action.

" They can't find her just yet? " in mumble while knocking his fingertips in anxiety, he blankly stared at his own servants from the window, they have been busy wandering around at the garden looking for a missing person from the morning though.

" Ah.. so it's about the princess... They said that they would search for her at every place she could go to within the Allardis Palace. I hope that they will find her soon. " gracefully pouring the tea into a cup, Lenny was trying hard to hide her smile from being seen by Adam. ' So then the young master would get to focuses on his works again. Heh. "

" If you're so worried about her condition, my Lord should be the one to just go and find her yourself. " slowly she places the cup of tea on the desk while glanced at Adam with a smile.

Flinched by Lenny's words that he was being worried about living things, Adam quickly stopped tapping his fingertips in stunned and blankly look at Lenny with his usual coldly gaze. " Ehem. I'm not. I'm just feeling guilty about last night. That's all. " with a little coughed to cover his flushed face, Adam quickly takes a seat on his chair in hesitation, and slowly he begins to concentrate on his paperwork again.

" ..If you said so then alright. Anyway, here. " while handing the document to Adam with a slight smile. Adam slowly began to take the document in a confused state with Lenny's expression towards himself.

" .....? "

Looking at the thickness of the document, Adam frowned in astonishment. His hand was busy flipping through the document while his eyes glanced on the paper and Lenny in interchangeably. How is this possible? the waterworks construction and the duchy are operating smoothly than I had expected.

" Only this? where's the document about the Barty and the rest? did you hire a stand-in while I was away? " in confused with his own works that decreased so much of its amount, Adam frown at Lenny for an explanation.

" No. " with a firm gaze, Lenny bowed politely.

" ..No? "

" The princess was the one who handled all of it, my Lord. "

" What? the princess..? god, I can't believe this! "

It was all organized perfectly by only a person?? I can't believe this! there was so much work but she got to do it only within a month?!

" Lenny, forget about the princess. Get me the court records about my corrupted vassals now." while holding his head which began to feel heavy, Adam began to flip through the recorded document that had just been handed over to him and read through it about the incident of his own vassals.

" I can't begin to count the number of jewels and antiques they've embezzled. These are not valuable enough to be considered heirlooms but how could they embezzle these items so blatantly when I'm away? " Trying to control his own anger, Adam stroked his blonde hair back in anger and snorted in annoyance.

" ...Lord Evans, this may be impertinent of me but people didn't show their true colors towards their subordinates. Meanwhile, with their own peers, they would prattle on about all sorts of things. "

" Ha. How stupid of me to be fool around by their fraudulent. " looking through the records in annoyed again, suddenly his gaze focused on one line of sentence on the paper. With wrinkles on his smooth forehead, Adam held the paper until it crumpled.

" This report is very thorough. They even dared to oppose my fiancé, is it true? "

" ... "

" That.. regrettable yes.. " in hesitation, Lenny nodded her head in regret.

" Ha. So on top of embezzled my asset, he tried to oppose my fiance, who had exposed his crime and because of that, he even loses his left arm because of me? "

" It's exactly as you've said, my Lord. "

" Ha. " measles all the documents from his hand to his desk roughly, he sighed in a state of resentment with his own vassal's temperament.

" Where did all those useless rats go? they should have come to kneel before me right now if they valued their own lives. I should at least see what excuses they cook up with their cheap mouth, right? "

Flinched in fear, Lenny who was always have been composure in every single situation, turned pale with Adam intense glared at her.

" I'll-I'll call them now. "

****

" It's been a while since I saw your faces. " tapping his fingers on his legs that were crossed arrogantly, Adam's eyes glared over at them with his fake smile.

" My lord..! have a mercy..! "

" My lord! please.. ! have mercy on us..! " their head quickly kneel before Adam's leg in fear by Adam's menacing aura towards them.

" ...hm? " slowly Adam gets up from his seat with his cold face and gradually his feet get near them with a big step.

" ..... " Stopped his legs right in front of baronet hargrad, Adam's hand that known as the blood-stained hand touched the head of Baronet hargrad who was kneeling before of him. Drowning in his cold sweats, baronet hargrad trembled in fear when Adam began to touch his head smoothly.

" Have mercy on you..? " With his face suddenly turning fierce, Adam's mouth began to carve an evil smile as he watched the baronet in front of him coldly.

Suddenly with his tough hand, Adam yanked baronet Hargrad's hair roughly so that he will forcefully raise his head to face him and with his intense ominous eyes, Adam glared into the baronet's eyes in a fit of boiling anger.

" ....! your-your grace! "

" You dared to asked for my mercy after what you've done...? are you stupid? "Adam's loud and cold voice pierced into the Baron's ear, shivering his whole body out of fear with Adam's fierce face towards him, baronet Hargrad's eyes and mouth shook in fear.

" Ple-please.. have mercy, my Lord! "

When the baron's voice begins to tremble with fear as he spoke to Adam, gradually covered the whole room with a menacing air. Count Flerdis who was kneeling next to him, continued to tremble and in a state of surrender, He could only see his accomplice trying to save himself in silence.

" Why should I have mercy on you when you've gnawed away Allardis's coffers like some rats? "

" Th-that's..! " quickly bending his head to the ground, baronet hargrad shout with a clear voice.

" I won't deny that we've done things that may seem suspicious, but please don't be suspicious with our loyalty, my Lord! "

" Th-that's right, my Lord! " do the same with the baron, count Flerdis quickly supports the baron's sentiment even though both of them are still shivering in frightened.

" You-you know how hard we've worked for Allardis until now, my Lord! you should believe in us! "

" .... " silenced by the words of those who dared to try to resist despite winning proved the mistake they had made, Adam just looked blankly at them with a sense of disgust.

" I trusted you. " Slowly his hand began to touch the baron's shoulder with his pretended smile.

" They say that the rabbits act like rulers when the tiger leaves the mountain. I'll admit my negligence. This is wholly my fault, please forgive me. "

" My-my lord..! please don't say that! " began to teary in touched by Adam's words towards them, the vassals raise their head in eager.

" ...We should be the ones begging for forgiveness.."

" Then beg. " Starting to carve his evil smile again, Adam slowly crouch next to Baron as his hand brushed Baron's hair slightly. His mouth was slowly brought closer to Baron's ear which was silent with his sudden change of behavior and with his low yet cold voice, Adam whispered into the baron's ear.

" Your arms are quite delicious. Should I take the other one too as my lunch today? "

" Eek! " upright all the hair all over his body due to shivering, baronet Hargrad quickly touched his left arm which he no longer had any more in a state of trauma, he bends his head in goosebumps.

Looking at the change in the baronet Hargrad's face in front of him, Adam got up from his crotch and slowly removed the sword from the sheath tied around his waist.

" My fiancé is very kind to let you go just by taking your arm away from you even after you dared to opposed her words. Ha. she might be delightful if I present your head to her.. "

" ..what..? "

" ....!! "

" Aargghhhh!!!! "

With one swing from the sharp blade of Adam's sword, Baronet hargrad head parted from his body. At that moment, blood from baron's body splashed throughout the room and covered all the people in there with a strong smell of fresh blood.

Speechless by his own view, count Flerdis quickly bend his head while shivering in great fear. Kneeling his body in front of a man who easily took the lives of people without so much thought. The count gradually buried his face on the floor in a state of surrender.

" Don't ever forget your sins, Flerdis. "

Once again, his sword was lifted and swung towards count Flerdis's neck mercilessly. And thus, his head separated from his body in a horrible state.

" ..... "

Turn to face the window while wiping his blood-stained body with a towel, Adam just silent when Lenny slowly approached him from his back.

" Lord Evans, we've found the princess. "

" ....! "

Surprised by the news, Adam's face turned happy all of the sudden and without a word, he quickly opened his blood-stained coat while his steps were unconsciously arranged towards the door, before that his hand managed to took the sack containing Hargrad's head to take it with him just to find his fiancé.

" Wait. What do you want to do with that sack, my Lord? " puzzled by the sudden behavior change of him, Lenny looks at her master in wonder when Adam suddenly walks out from the room with the sack in his bloody hand.

" Obviously because I want to see my fiancé, Lenny. " with a charming smile on his face, Adam arranged his steps quickly to get out of the room which full of bloody events just now.

"....but why did you take that sack together...?? " failed to stop him from continuing to step away, Lenny stood stiffly in a daze with his master's suddenly changing temperament and with a big sigh, she left the room with annoyed.

" I hope you're fine, princess.. "