It was an incident five years ago in the Solaris Empire, a time of such poverty that the food, clothes, and goods of high nobility were strictly out of reach.

Ian de Bertia—or rather, Ian, who was a commoner without a surname at the time—went to the battlefields of the Solaris Empire to save his family. His younger brother also gave up the academy to work as a servant for the ducal house known as "von Eberheim" to support the family.

News reached Ian on the battlefield late.

The servant's name was Evan. He was said to be smart and kind-hearted, just like his older brother Ian, with a nature that wanted to help anyone in poverty.

However, two years and seven months before the war ended, Astel von Eberheim was in a sensitive period after breaking up with his girlfriend.

He was already a man of many dalliances, but that day he was particularly violent and irritable after being dumped.

Unfortunately, Evan crossed paths with Astel von Eberheim that day. Astel ordered Evan to do countless errands: bring tea, cook food, bring books, and so on.

But when Evan performed every task without a single refusal, Astel grew even more enraged. He thrust a real sword at Evan and ordered him to be his sparring partner.

Evan, who had never held a sword in his life, could not refuse the order. He could only take the hits until he was eventually stabbed and killed by the furious Astel.

Terrified that he had killed someone, Astel pinned the crime on Guest von Eberheim, who was living as the illegitimate child of the von Eberheim family.

He told their parents that Guest von Eberheim had killed a person, and before long, Guest von Eberheim became a murderer.

That news was immediately delivered to Ian. As soon as he heard it on the battlefield, Ian hated Guest von Eberheim with a vengeful heart for his brother.

After performing distinguished service in the war, Ian received the title of Duke from the Emperor and took the name "Ian de Bertia." When the Emperor finally asked if there was anything he wanted, Ian de Bertia spoke without a moment's hesitation.

"I wish to take Guest von Eberheim as my spouse."

At those words, Astel immediately accepted, glad to be rid of the troublesome second child, and handed Guest over.

However, for three years, life was not that of a spouse, but one of harsh punishment.

They were served rotten water and rotten food, and instead of a warm bedroom, they were made to live in a cold, lightless underground dungeon.

Four years passed in a cycle of insults, ridicule, and torment.

Then one day, three years later, a man who had retired from the von Eberheim household came to visit.

The man was the closest aide who had been in charge of Guest three years ago, and he handed a recording orb from that time to Ian's right-hand man, Hayden.

The man explained that he couldn't reveal the truth because Astel von Eberheim had threatened his family's lives.

Hayden immediately took the recording orb to Ian. The orb did not show Guest von Eberheim, but Astel von Eberheim killing a person.

Specifically, it showed the scene of him killing Ian de Bertia's younger brother, Evan, exactly as it happened.

That was the day he realized the true culprit was Astel.

This character disappeared when the original author deleted their account or character, but I created this plot because I wanted to play it again.