The Sin of a Filthy Hand

The banquet hall inside the Imperial Castle.

A crowd of people had gathered around the fountain placed at the center.

Lavish accessories.

Antique-style dresses.

Tuxedos made from premium fabrics.

The majority of the attendees were nobles, dressed in attire befitting their status.

The imperial butlers and maids had reached the point where they could estimate someone's rank based solely on their clothing. Among them, one maid was having an especially hard time.

"Who is that?"

It was because of a butler from some noble family who had suddenly latched onto her.

The maid answered his question first.

"That is Viscount Gospel."

"Ah, I thought he looked familiar. Then, who's that guy with the potbelly?"

"There are more than a few people here with potbellies…."

Then she suddenly snapped out of it.

"Hey, who are you calling 'that guy'!"

The maid clamped her hand over the butler's mouth.

"What if someone hears you!"

How dare a mere butler refer to a noble as 'that guy.'

If even one of them overheard, he could have faced severe consequences.

"Mmph, mmph."

The butler nodded as if he understood. The maid, still suspicious, asked again.

"Do you promise?"

"Mmph."

Ha!

Only then did she release her hand. The butler grinned brightly and grumbled.

"What if I had suffocated to death?"

"That would still be better than losing your head for insulting a noble."

The maid glanced around. Fortunately, it seemed no one had heard them.

She sighed and asked.

"Is this your first banquet?"

"In this life?"

"What?"

"…Never mind."

With a suspicious smile, he dodged the question and continued to glance around.

The maid asked again.

"Which family do you serve?"

"The House of Salvatore."

Hiccup.

The maid quickly covered her mouth.

The House of Salvatore.

One of the five pillars of the Hyperion Empire, a family of immense power and influence.

Renowned as the foremost magic noble family, unmatched by any other, and famous for being favored by the imperial family for generations.

Their wealth, built upon the production of potions and scrolls, and their fame, earned by defending the Eastern Front against the Demonic Tribe, were unparalleled.

Even as a count's family.

More precisely, even as a border count's family, they were not overshadowed by marquess or ducal families.

Despite being such an illustrious family, the Salvatore name carried a certain stigma.

-The House of Salvatore is a scoundrel family.

It wasn't an unfounded rumor.

A former family head who cursed at the Emperor, the current head who destroyed a mountain because bandits annoyed him, and a young lady notorious for her mischief.

All of these incidents were real, with clear evidence to back them up.

Thus, such rumors spread, and recently, a new one had emerged.

-Even the butlers of the House of Salvatore are scoundrels.

Apparently, the eldest son of the Valentine Count Family was beaten up by a Salvatore butler.

Though whispered among the underlings, no one believed it.

After all, no matter how wild the rumor, the idea of a butler assaulting the next family head of a noble house was absurd.

The maid herself had laughed until her sides hurt when she heard the rumor, dismissing it as nonsense.

But still.

"Oh, right!"

It's better to be cautious than sorry!

She awkwardly turned around.

"I have urgent business! I'll be going now!"

Fortunately, she wasn't stopped. Just as she was about to return to her master—

'…Not even a thank you?'

She felt a sudden pang of disappointment.

She had told him so much!

She had even saved him from nearly being executed for insulting a noble!

Who knows if they'd ever meet again, but shouldn't he at least say goodbye?

"Excuse me!"

She turned back and placed her hand on the butler's shoulder. He was taller than she expected, making it a bit uncomfortable.

"I said I'm leaving—"

It was the moment she stood on tiptoe to confirm the butler's face.

Hiccup.

The hiccups she had managed to stop started up again.

"Uh, excuse me…?"

The maid knew nothing about swords or magic. But there was one thing she could tell.

He was furious.

Just moments ago, he had seemed like a playful younger brother, but now he exuded the deadly aura of a beast.

It was impossible to think of him as the same person.

As she stood frozen, staring at him, the butler finally moved. He silently raised his hand and pointed to a specific spot.

"Who is that?"

At the end of his finger stood a middle-aged man with purple hair.

Hollow, sunken eyes.

Dry, cracked lips.

Pale, lifeless skin.

Though his appearance had changed drastically, the maid recognized him immediately.

"C-Count Valentine."

Though not one of the empire's five pillars, his family was a key member of the Noble Faction.

Count Valentine was smiling.

He was reaching out his gnarled, tree-like hand toward a young lady standing alone.

Crack.

The butler ground his teeth.

A crimson glow began to seep from the shadowed face.

The butler silently observed them.

He moved just as Count Valentine's hand was about to touch the young lady's head.

"…That bastard."

The butler, who had been standing right in front of her, vanished.

Before the maid could even register his disappearance—

"Aaaaaargh!!"

A horrifying scream erupted from the direction the butler had been watching.

"…What?"

The maid could not comprehend the situation.

It was the same for everyone else.

"Don't squirm."

The butler was the one to break the silence.

In an instant, he moved to tear off Count Valentine's arm and crushed it underfoot.

Radiating killing intent, he issued a warning.

"The sin of daring to extend your filthy hand toward the Young Lady. Repay it with death."

The butler's foot was lifted.

Then, it came crashing down at an incredible speed.

It was aimed at Count Valentine's head.

***

He felt it distinctly.

The demonic energy emanating from Valentine's hand.

Without time to think deeply, his body moved on instinct. He leapt and tore off the man's arm.

Anger flared within him.

Had it been his previous life, he would have observed the situation and purified the demonic energy clinging to the Young Lady.

But this body was the problem.

It wasn't just his physique that was immature. His mind was also that of a boy.

Before he could think rationally, his emotions had taken over, and he moved without realizing it.

'Now is not the time for regrets.'

He quickly regained his composure and looked down at the man, exuding killing intent.

"The sin of daring to extend your filthy hand toward the Young Lady. Repay it with death."

He needed to kill him quickly.

Those exposed to demonic energy always acted irrationally.

Especially when cornered like this, there was no telling what they might do.

It was at the moment he was about to bring his foot down on the man's head.

"[Stop.]"

Thunk.

The moment he registered the chilling voice, his body froze completely.