At Haimon

It’s no wonder the guards are making such noises.

It’s true that I killed the coachman they were escorting, and it’s still common for some unscrupulous nobles in the countryside to treat commoners like slaves and torment them.

‘Just like Scarl did.’

If they think of me as that kind of noble, it’s no surprise they wouldn’t expect me to have a decent personality.

People are greatly influenced by first impressions…

‘This face is just perfect for playing a thug.’

All I did was stand with one leg slightly forward, unbutton two buttons of my dress shirt, roll up my sleeves, and mess up my bangs. But a surprisingly back-alley-savvy hoodlum appeared before them.

And one who had made a coachman disappear somewhere.

Even though I brought the ring with the Bernatore crest, proof that I was a guest, how would they know if I hadn’t stolen it from the real Scarl?

Even if they can’t uncover Samigina’s methods, if they know what he’s been up to, they have enough reason to be suspicious.

“Hoo…”

Although I pushed the coachman’s body into the moat to buy as much time as possible before that bastard revives… since he’s such a formidable opponent, unnecessary emotions are a luxury for me.

‘At least Samigina isn’t among the people in the castle right now.’

I don’t know about Haimon’s people, but the fight against that bastard started when I arrived at the station. So, I need to make contact with as many people as possible now.

I can’t use the prepared parchment yet.

The more that bastard feels the noose tightening around his neck, the more secretly he’ll hide.

The person waiting at the entrance of the inner castle was a woman beautiful even in Scarl’s eyes.

Remembering how the previous Scarl would have spoken to such a female attendant, he licked his lips.

“Hey, you. You’re prettier than I thought. I’ll—”

The gesture of slapping away Scarl’s hand as he reached out to put it on her shoulder was fierce.

Along with that, the woman glaring at Scarl with contemptuous eyes and a face full of rudeness and displeasure, gritted her teeth and spoke to Scarl.

“Baron Scarl Bernatore. I’ve been waiting for you. I am Io Haimon, assigned to guide you.”

‘Io?’

Scarl was taken aback by the unexpected person who came to greet him.

‘Why does it have to be Io Haimon, the merchant?’

Io, who seemed to have quite the temper befitting Roberto’s bloodline, looked up at Scarl with a grinding sound.

Io’s hair, with its mysterious blue color, was long and reached her waist.

Her eyelashes were thick, making her eyes look even bigger without any additional makeup.

She had a high nose bridge, an oval face, and snow-white skin, making her the typical image of a strong older sister.

Her figure was the kind that would look good in Dongtan fashion.

If one were to describe her hair as shimmering blue like waves, her large breasts were more than worthy of being called “explosive.” Their shape, perhaps due to her underwear, made them bounce elastically. Similarly, her waistline, with its sharp slope resembling the mountains where the Haimon estate was located, further emphasized her large, round hips and buttocks. Io’s waist wasn’t particularly thin, but the harmony of her large breasts and hips made her a woman close to perfection.

Although she was wearing a wide dress that seemed comfortable for everyday wear, Scarl could see why Minister of Military Affairs Roberto had been so confident, telling him to take a look for himself, due to her physical features that made her presence known.

A walking, talking biological weapon.

The kind of woman a man would want to hold in his arms at least once.

Perhaps sensing that Scarl’s gaze was similar to that of most men, Io’s face was full of a sneering expression that seemed to say, “You’re just like the rest.”

“This way.”

The first encounter was clearly Scarl’s defeat.

His actions, not knowing the other person’s identity, were rude, and staring at Io’s body was also rude.

If it were the usual Scarl, he would have apologized to Io and silently followed her words, but today he needed to be a little more frivolous and lighthearted.

“Wait.”

“…What is it?”

Scarl smoothly brushed off Io’s face, which had become sharp again, with a brazen expression.

“I want to look around the castle more. Isn’t this where you and I will be living someday anyway?”

Io could be seen clenching her fist.

Her teeth were clenched tightly, and her heaving chest, rising and falling with the rhythm of her trembling shoulders, captivated the eyes of men.

“Follow… me. Grrr!”

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Scarl felt that Io’s every step was filled with hatred for him.

But she probably didn’t know how her angry back looked to the other person.

It was the kind of body that made men angry.

‘So that’s how they can shake separately like that. Would it be rude to say that the sound of her low slippers is exactly like that sound? By the way, I can’t concentrate on the structure of the castle because of her butt.’

Thinking that he might really die if he said that, Scarl quickly caught up to Io’s side, where he couldn’t see her back.

“Why… are you sticking so close?”

‘To think I can hear such hateful words from someone like this, some people would call it a reward, right? Still, I’m going to tank her favorability from now on so she can’t say anything later.’

His record against that bastard is 1 win, 0 losses.

The match against Samigina has already begun.

The reward at stake in this duel is Io’s life.

If he fails, Io Haimon, with her national-power-level body, will die.

That bastard’s method was simple.

He would send a warning in advance, then kill the target before that, wear their skin, and pretend to be them until he faked his own death.

In other words, the young lady in front of him is scheduled to die before the announced date.

The problem is that the bastard has nine lives, befitting the name of the demon of negation.

‘I can’t chase after all nine of his lives.’

So, I’m going to spray a perfume made by combining flower petals and assume that the bastard who shows an allergic reaction is Samigina.

He probably doesn’t even know that he has such a weakness.

The problem is that there might be people who are naturally allergic to these flowers.

So, with a pounding heart, I spray the prepared perfume on my wrists and behind my ears.

Fss- Fsss—

Io looks at Scarl in disbelief at the sudden gas sound.

“What are you doing… perfume?”

Scarl raises his eyebrows with a sly look.

“I have someone I want to impress. Hahaha. I bought it for a very high price in the capital. Doesn’t it smell good?”

Io responds with a constipated expression and takes a step further away.

“Ugh. Don’t come near me.”

“Understood.”

Fortunately, the most important person showed no particular reaction.

“How is it? They said it’s a rough perfume that suits me well, made by blending wildflowers.”

“All I smell is a nauseating grassy smell.”

Feeling relieved at her blatant dislike, he climbs the outer castle walls.

“You said you wanted to see the castle, right? Let’s go up there and take a look quickly.”

She clearly wanted to get away from him as soon as possible, but Scarl didn’t care.

“Where is Minister of Military Affairs Roberto?”

Io’s expression, which had been openly disliking him, gradually changed when Scarl mentioned her grandfather’s name.

‘She’s not nearly as far gone as I thought.’

He’s about to become a serial killer who will kill eight more people with Roberto’s name on his back.

Roberto trusts his words implicitly, so he will return after the announced date.

‘It would be a headache if Samigina turned into Roberto.’

That bastard’s methods don’t discriminate between strong and weak.

“Grandfather is away on a short trip. Because of this incident…”

The fact that her grandfather, who cherished her so much, had sent only a strange man and hadn’t returned was quite a shock to Io, who seemed to have quite the temper, and she closed her mouth.

“I see.”

“By the way, are you really going to be my fiancé?”

“Yes. I will smooth over everything that has happened to you. That is the price.”

‘It’s not what I wanted, but Roberto said he would give you to me.’

He’s using her because he needs her right now, but he promised Roberto that he would let things fizzle out after this is over.

Io, who was biting her lip, had also heard of it.

Scarl Bernatore, teacher of heroes, descendant of hero.

The savior of the capital, who saved over 100,000 people in the capital from the clutches of the demon.

At first, she couldn’t believe it. This incident was clearly caused by a demon that had appeared in the world. She had been told that the man who was best at catching demons in the world was rushing to save her.

She had expected someone handsome, dependable, and warm-hearted, like a prince on a white horse.

But she didn’t know he would be such a rude and vile-looking person. And Io, who was internally criticizing Scarl, wondering what her grandfather liked about him and why he had offered her engagement as compensation, quickly began to walk along the outer wall to get rid of his demands.

Scarl followed her, briefly grasping the structure of the castle from the walls.

There were several places that seemed to be the inner castle in the center and training grounds, and archers could be seen between the towers located in the four directions, which seemed to be watchtowers.

“There’s nothing special here.”

“I guess not, compared to the capital.”

“Don’t you get bored just staying here?”

“…A little? But what can I do? In a week—”

Io’s hand trembled slightly with the fear of death.

Her palm was full of traces of holding a sword.

Scarl, who had been subtly approaching Io as she looked at her palm and showed an unknown regret, despair, and fear, playfully tickled her palm with his finger.

“Eek?!”

A surprised expression and widened pupils, as if a real bug had crawled on her.

And Io’s palm, which had risen in an instant as if to slap Scarl’s cheek, barely stopped.

Scarl, who hadn’t flinched, met Io’s eyes clearly.

“Let’s not talk about that anymore. Because you won’t die.”