Cesare knew from a young age that he was different.

  For instance, his relationship with the Pope, his connection to the Harzaro family, his elegant and noble demeanor, his handsome appearance, and his exceptional combat and leadership skills. Yet, none of this could change the fact that he was a bastard.

  Bastard—what a ridiculous title.

  When he was a child, carrying the heavy religious scriptures as he walked through the halls of the seminary, there were always ill-intentioned noble brats who called him by that name. That bastard of the Lorenzo family—or as he walked down West Street, the commoners would curse him with loathing in their eyes and voices, calling him the product of the noble families' debauchery.

  He had long, black hair that reached his shoulders, with the ends slightly curled. He inherited the current Pope's gaunt face and the Harzaro family's slightly dark skin. His tall and slender figure was strong and muscular, a result of years of wielding a sword in battle.

  The scholars in the temple praised the boy with eyes as bright as the Pope's as a rare genius. He was well-versed in the centuries-old history between the Elima and the dragons, and he had his own independent insights into the holy scriptures. At a young age, he could already comment on the political situations of the many countries on the Casfania continent.

  When the scholars believed that Cesare would surely dedicate his life to the Goddess and might even succeed the Pope, that young man began to wield his longsword, making a name for himself on the front lines of the struggle against the dragons in northern Elima.

  The Pope seemed not to mind whether Cesare would inherit his mantle. As the Pope, he could not marry and had to devote his life to the Goddess. Thus, he publicly granted the title of Duke Lorenzo to his son.

  He was so outstanding that Pope Bergory IV took great pride in having such a son. As for what Cesare wanted to do and what he was capable of, it seemed that the father did not need to worry. He firmly believed that his son had the same vision and courage as himself. Just as Cesare, at the age of twenty, had taken on the role of the Grand Master of the Temple Knights, five years had passed and everything had been stable, hadn't it?

  Yes, Cesare was already twenty-five years old. As the Grand Master of the Knight Order, he was excellent. However, with the passage of time, other issues inevitably surfaced. For instance, as the Duke Lorenzo, another important duty was when would he produce an heir for the Lorenzo family. This meant that, for the sake of the noble bloodline, he had to marry a noble lady of equal status.

  Marriage alliances were a common practice in this country, and people had already begun to move in this regard. Except for the young generation of the Fumel family, who were all boys, the Harzaro family, the Lonika family, and the Inihart family had all begun to make their moves. The Harzaro family even started to complain to the Pope that recently Cesare had been frequenting the Sparrow House and had affairs with daughters of some minor nobles.

  "Harzaro family?" The Pope looked up from the holy scriptures upon hearing the report from his confidant. "Does that foolish woman still want to be even closer by marriage?"

  However, the young priest Norbert did not respond. Although he knew that the Pope seemed dissatisfied with his son's mother.

  "He has a few women, whether for pleasure or as concubines—it's not a big deal," the Pope closed the holy scriptures and threw them onto the table. "It seems that some people never know their place. Norbert, should we give the Harzaro family a warning?"

  The young priest replied in the affirmative. He then knelt down, kissed the Pope's feet, and turned to leave.

  Cesare, who was far away at the other end of the royal city, laughed upon hearing the news. He stood in his ducal mansion, gazing at the papal hall not far away, his eyes twinkling.

  He grasped the girl's waist, thrusting into her over and over again. The swelling below did not subside as a result, but instead became even more intense.

  She was like a flower that began to bloom gradually under the irrigation of lust. Perhaps because of her martial arts training, her body was agile and strong, with particularly taut skin. Cesare liked her voice, which was not sweet and delicate, but had a charm that made one want to conquer her and make her submit to him.

  He narrowed his eyes, watching the girl's body flush with excitement. He ran his hand over her back and heard her start to moan softly.

  When his informant told him that the girl was hiding in the Sparrow House, he began to frequent the place. The events of that year had gradually faded from people's memories due to deliberate concealment. Or perhaps those ignorant people were just forgetful. With endless gossip and rumors circulating in the royal city, who could still remember the girl who was not blessed by anyone?

  Until today, he recognized the girl at first sight. Her Eastern appearance was too striking to be ignored. He never expected that she was still a virgin!

  What kind of place was the Sparrow House? It was a place where men in Elima liked to seek pleasure. The women there were beautiful, and none of them were innocent.

  Yet she was like a blank sheet of paper, knowing nothing and having experienced nothing.

  This delighted him, filling him with a sense of conquest.

  Cesare finally pulled himself away from the girl, but as soon as he released her, her upper body collapsed onto the soft robe. Only her raised buttocks and wide-open entrance remained—already in a pitiful state, with a mixture of fluids and blood dripping onto Cesare's robe.

  But he was still not satisfied!

  The desire between his legs was still raging, filling his body. As he left her just now, the tight walls of her body almost made him climax, but Cesare would never give any woman the chance to conceive. Even though he had affairs with other women, he always maintained the habit of not ejaculating inside them.

  When Qu Fuer realized that the man had finally released her, she had no idea what she had become in front of him. Her consciousness gradually returned to her mind. Those shameful screams and pleas for mercy had shattered her remaining pride.

  She clutched the soft robe beneath her, trying to support herself and escape from him, only to see the man stand up again, reach for something, and grab her back.

  She was lifted by her hair, and thus she saw his face clearly once more.

  The relatives of the five great noble families were all famous for their handsome looks, but he was not the most handsome among them—he did not have the Harzaro family's silver-white hair; his eyes were cold and deep, not the charming almond-shaped eyes of the Fumel family; he was too slender, unlike the robust figures of the Lonika family men; and how could the Inihart family, known for their elegant singing voices and thick, full lips, compare to his thin, tightly pursed, arrogant lips?

  He was Lorenzo.

  Lorenzo, the head of the five great noble families, who loved power and was cold and noble.

  Yet, he had been called an anomaly of the Lorenzo family since birth because of his Harzaro bloodline and because of his cheerful, sunny, wise, and elegant demeanor in front of everyone.

  People said that there was no trace of Lorenzo in him, but Qu Fuer thought, he was still that Lorenzo.

  The coldness etched into his very blood could not be changed!

  "You look ridiculous now."

  The man finally spoke again, his voice full of mockery.

  Qu Fuer glared at him fiercely, and then she saw him kneel in front of her. "What's your name?"

  She kept silent, refusing to answer his question.

  "Disobedient, are you?" He tilted his head. "You were cuter just now."

  Qu Fuer's face flushed red again. If she could, she would never want to remember any of those moments just now.

  "Tell me your name."

  Qu Fuer still kept her mouth shut, refusing to talk to him.

  "Do you know another duty of the Knight Order?"

  The man's voice was exceptionally gentle. He smiled slightly and leaned forward to kiss Qu Fuer's forehead.

  "For those who are disobedient, we have to give them some punishment."