The Duke’s Obsession Leads to a Death Flag

“Young Master, it’s time to wake up!”

It was an early morning, earlier than usual, and I was forced to wake up because of the butler who entered without knocking. I wasn’t fully awake yet, but unable to resist his urging, I got out of bed and went straight into the bathroom.

“Ah, fuck….”

As I rubbed my sleepy eyes and started undressing, I suddenly remembered the bruise on my shoulder. Normally, I would have been fully dressed before the butler arrived, so I wouldn’t have had to worry about it. But since I woke up earlier than usual today, I had no time to hide it.

I quickly checked my shoulder in the mirror and saw that the bruise had faded much more than I expected. At this point, I could easily brush it off as something I got from bumping into the bed while sleep-talking.

“This is seriously such a pain.”

Now that I felt relieved, I took off my clothes completely and stepped into the shower. After enjoying a refreshing shower, I stepped out, only to have the butler, who had brought a towel to dry me off, immediately notice the bruise on my shoulder and frown.

“What happened here again?”

“I don’t know. I must’ve hit it while sleeping.”

The butler, fooled by my nonchalant act, gently wiped away the water droplets lingering over the bruise. It had been a while since I let him take care of me like this, so it felt awkward at first, but I quickly grew accustomed to the comfort.

“The District Head will be leaving soon, so we need to hurry.”

“I know.”

The butler, after drying my damp hair, brought over the clothes he had prepared in advance. As he skillfully dressed me and tidied up my hair, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror.

Maybe it was because of the clothes I was wearing, or perhaps the way the butler had styled my hair, but Han Seo-yul’s appearance always exuded elegance. Of course, when I first possessed this body, I was nothing more than a lifeless, sickly figure, but now, I at least looked like a normal person.

It’s strange. Back then, when I looked at Han Seo-yul’s reflection, I would always think of Jung I-hyun. But now, all I see is Han Seo-yul. Jung I-hyun’s face was becoming faint, barely lingering in my memory.

‘Has it been three years now?’

This was my third year living as Han Seo-yul, so it made sense that Jung I-hyun was starting to fade. There was no reason for me to be here, no way for me to return—meaning I had no choice but to live my entire life as Han Seo-yul. At least this frail, sickly body had improved, which was a small relief. But there was still a lot left to do before I could secure a truly safe life.

So, I did the right thing. Repeating that to myself, I calmed the uneasy stir in my chest.

“I think you’re all set now.”

The butler, after straightening the slightly tilted checkered bow tie, stepped back and said so. Watching him admire his own handiwork with satisfaction, I reached out, took his hand, and walked out of the room.

It was still too early for the day to begin, but the mansion was already bustling with activity. Today was the day Han Jae-hoon was leaving for District 1.

‘It’s so noisy.’

Like a scene from a movie, all the servants of the mansion stood in orderly lines along the hallway leading from the stairs to the front door. As I descended with the butler, they all bowed their heads in unison.

“Where’s Father?”

“He’ll be down soon.”

Passing by the bowing servants, I stood right in front of the entrance with the butler. It wasn’t like he was leaving permanently—he was only going to be gone for two weeks. So why was this send-off so extravagant? I glanced at the servants waiting for Han Jae-hoon and wondered.

“There he is.”

As Han Jae-hoon came down the stairs, the servants on both sides bowed even deeper than before. My gaze followed their synchronized movement before settling on him a little late.

Unlike his usual relaxed attire, Han Jae-hoon was wearing a perfectly pressed uniform today, and I couldn’t help but be impressed. I already knew he was a handsome man, but with his hair slicked back and dressed in that crisp black uniform, he looked so flawless that I forgot to lower my head and simply stared at him, mesmerized.

His gaze swept over the bowing servants without much interest before landing on me, standing at the entrance. Without offering them any acknowledgment, he walked straight toward me.

“Baby.”

A bright smile spread across his face, making him look even more stunning. Snapping out of my daze, I hurriedly moved to bow, but he waved his hand, signaling that I didn’t need to.

“Come here, Baby. Let me hold you once.”

Han Jae-hoon opened his arms wide. I hesitated for a moment before stepping closer, and he pulled me into a firm embrace. If someone saw this, they’d think we were parting forever instead of just for two weeks. He was the only one getting emotional over this.

“It doesn’t feel right, leaving you behind.”

“It’s okay. I’m all grown up now.”

I patted his broad back in an attempt to console him. My awkward pats made him chuckle, and he finally let me go.

“Yes, my Baby has grown up.”

He gently ruffled my hair before pulling something out of his pocket. It was small, black, and heavy-looking—a pistol, designed to fit a child’s hand.

Why was he suddenly giving me this? I had no idea what he was thinking. Noticing the confusion in my eyes, Han Jae-hoon placed the gun in my hand and spoke.

“You know how to shoot, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“I hope you’ll never have to use it, but it’s always best to be prepared. Don’t you agree?”

His soft smile remained, but his gaze turned slightly chilling. Holding the weighty pistol, I neither gripped it properly nor set it down, only managing an awkward smile.

“Always remember this, Baby.”

His pale, slender fingers tapped his forehead, then his chest in succession. My eyes followed the elegant movements of his hand as his calm voice continued.

“The center of the forehead and the left side of the chest. Imagine there’s a target there.”

Wouldn’t shooting at those spots kill a person? Telling a thirteen-year-old to think of people as targets and pull the trigger like it was nothing—was that really something a father should say? But I simply nodded. Han Jae-hoon’s face lit up with satisfaction.

“Be careful while I’m away.”

“Yes, Father.”

Han Jae-hoon pressed a light kiss to my forehead before straightening up. The butler, who had stepped back to avoid interfering with our conversation, now stepped forward.

“Luel, I’ll be counting on you while I’m gone.”

“Don’t worry, sir. Please have a safe trip.”

As the butler bowed deeply, Han Jae-hoon gave his shoulder a light pat. When the butler straightened up and met his gaze, Han Jae-hoon gave him a small nod. It was as if they exchanged unspoken words through their eyes, but even from this close, I couldn’t decipher what they meant.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

And with that, Han Jae-hoon departed for District 1, sent off by everyone in the mansion.

***

As the dark night faded into morning, sunlight began to stream in through the tiny window. Vin, rousing from a light sleep, opened his bleary eyes and immediately looked at the firmly shut door.

Out of habit, his hand reached down to feel for the heavy shackle around his ankle. Finding nothing there felt strangely unfamiliar, and when he lowered his gaze, only a deep, bruised imprint remained.

“Right. It’s gone.”

Maybe he wasn’t fully awake yet, but even though it had been days since the shackle was removed, he still kept forgetting. Letting go of his ankle, Vin turned his eyes back to the door, which showed not even the smallest gap.

“…Seo-yul hyung.”

Normally, at the first sign of daylight, he would be filled with excitement, eagerly waiting for Seo-yul to arrive. But not today. Just for today, he didn’t want Seo-yul to come.

Staring at the unyielding door, Vin then turned away completely and lay down.

—I’ll get you out of here.

Back then, he thought those were just nice words. But Seo-yul had really taken him out of this storage room. Holding onto the hand that freed his shackled ankle, Vin had stepped outside into a world more dazzling and beautiful than he had ever known.

Even in District 1, where the night never came, Vin had never been able to freely bask in the light. He was a bug, something that had to stay hidden from people’s eyes, always forced to seek out the shadows where the light couldn’t reach.

But that day, when he held Seo-yul’s hand and stepped out of the storage room, it was the first time Vin had ever stood proudly under the light. The first time he had been able to fully embrace the warmth without worrying about anyone’s gaze.

It was terrifying but exhilarating. Frightening but thrilling. Just like the moment when Seo-yul had given him a name, it made him feel like he was truly a person, no different from anyone else. And he loved that feeling.

—Then, you should leave this place too.

Yes. Right up until he heard those words.

What had he done wrong?

Was it because he looked too happy when he stepped outside? Should he have said that as long as Seo-yul came to find him, he could endure staying quietly in the damp, dark storage room?

If only it had never been unlocked.

Vin lowered his gaze to his unshackled ankle. If the chains had never been removed, Seo-yul wouldn’t have told him to go somewhere else. He wouldn’t have even thought about sending him away.

Clank—.

At the sound of the door rattling, Vin lifted his head. Has Seo-yul arrived already? He had just decided not to wait for him, but at the thought that he might be here, his heart started to flutter.

He almost ran forward before catching himself. Why was he so happy to see someone who wanted to send him away? No—when Seo-yul came in, he had to say it properly. He didn’t want to go anywhere else.

Clank—.

The door rattled again.

Then, with a heavy thud, something crashed against it, and the firmly shut door slowly creaked open.

A massive shadow, backlit by the light outside, stepped into the storage room, striding toward Vin.