Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

As the door burst open, the scene inside the room came into full view.

Jenny knelt on the floor, her arms pinned down by two towering men. Her body sagged limply between them, barely conscious.

Blood speckled the floor—despite the short duration of the punishment, it was already pooling beneath her.

William, whip still in hand, turned at the sudden intrusion.

He cocked his head and gave Jordi a bored look.

"Brother. What brings you here? I'm rather busy at the moment. Perhaps we can talk later?"

"Oliver! Gert! Take Jenny!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Ignoring William's words, Jordi barked an order at his knights.

The two men stepped forward, swords at their sides, fully prepared to cut down anyone who got in their way.

But—"Hugo."

At William's calm command

Schink.

Hugo drew his dagger and pressed it firmly against Jenny's throat.

The knights halted immediately.

One more step, and the blade would cut deep.

The tension in the air thickened, the standoff teetering on the edge of disaster.

William's voice rang out, deliberately loud enough for all to hear.

"Anyone who moves will get her throat slit. I take full responsibility. No hesitation."

"Understood," Hugo replied smoothly. "If anyone is so wrong, I'll make sure she never leaves this room alive."

The dagger pressed against Jenny's skin, just enough to let her feel the sharp edge.

Awareness flickered back into her half-conscious eyes.

Realizing what was happening, she trembled violently, tears streaming down her face.

"J-Jordi…! P-Please!"

Jordi's expression darkened.

"Remove that dagger," he ordered. His voice was low, deadly cold. "Keep it there any longer, and I will not only have you executed—I will slaughter your entire family and hang their heads on the city walls."

A chilling threat.

But Hugo? He didn't even blink.

"Apologies, my lord. I cannot comply."

"…What?"

"My master is not you," Hugo stated plainly. "It is the third young master. I have no obligation to obey anyone else."

"You lowly wretch! You think this is a joke?!" Jordi's temper flared. "Or do you truly believe this halfwit can protect you from me?!"

"It is neither, my lord," Hugo replied, completely unfazed. "I am a servant. My only duty is to follow my master's will. If he orders me to kill, I kill. That is all."

His unwavering eyes met Jordi's, full of conviction.

For the first time, Jordi hesitated.

There was no arrogance in Hugo's voice.

No bluster, no bluff.

Just an unshakable certainty that he would do exactly what he had promised.

Unable to force his way through, Jordi turned his glare back to William.

"And what, exactly, has she done to deserve this?"

"Where do I begin?" William mused, flicking a speck of dust from his sleeve. "She openly insulted me. She disobeyed direct orders. And—most importantly—she stole from the estate's treasury."

"…She what?"

"Fraud. Embezzlement. Call it whatever you like." William smiled thinly. "If I wanted, I could have her executed right here and now. A public hanging, perhaps?"

Jordi's fingers twitched.

His initial rage was beginning to turn into something else.

"Are you telling me," he said slowly, "that multiple witnesses saw her commit these acts?"

William didn't answer.

He didn't need to.

The servants—all of them—immediately straightened their backs.

"Yes, my lord! We saw it with our own eyes!"

"She said things I wouldn't dare repeat!"

"If necessary, we will testify to the truth of her crimes!"

"…!"

Jordi's gaze swept over them, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

Had they lost their minds?

Even under his glare, they refused to waver.

They know.

They knew that if they tried to change their story now, William would kill them.

No amount of threats from him could override the fear gripping them now.

Jordi exhaled sharply, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

"…Fine. You win. Release her."

William let out a soft chuckle.

"What was that, brother? Win? I don't quite understand what you mean."

Jordi clenched his teeth.

William continued, his tone light.

"I am merely disciplining a servant who embezzled from the estate. That is my only concern. You, on the other hand, seem to think your relationship with Jenny makes her immune to punishment."

"…!"

"As a noble, surely you understand the consequences of theft. You wouldn't want to set a bad example, would you?"

Jordi barely swallowed back a curse.

William wasn't just pushing back—he was driving a dagger into the heart of the situation.

It was impossible to argue against.

A noble could not openly defend a servant who had been caught stealing.

Even if it was all a setup, even if the witnesses were coerced, it didn't matter.

William had flipped the board.

And Jordi had no choice but to play along.

Losing to William was already a humiliation.

But now, he was expected to pay for it?

Jordi wanted nothing more than to flip the entire negotiation table.

But he couldn't.

Not just because of Jenny.

Jordi had already abandoned Hendrick—his former knight and ally.

If he discarded Jenny too, it would confirm what many already suspected—that he was not a leader worth following.

The damage to his reputation would be far worse than before.

And in the worst case, the talented individuals still under his wing might start looking for another master to serve.

So, he grit his teeth and asked the dreaded question.

"What do you want?"

William's smile widened, as if thoroughly enjoying Jordi's suffering.

"Since ancient times, thieves have always faced a standard punishment," he mused. "They return several times the amount they stole."

Jordi exhaled sharply.

"Fine. How much?" he snapped. "Drop the riddles and give me a number."

Hearing that it was just money, Jordi felt a hint of relief.

Money was easy to negotiate.

If the price was too high, he'd refuse outright.

If it was manageable, he'd pay and be done with it.

William was a shut-in until recently—an inexperienced fool when it came to handling negotiations.

Surely, he wouldn't even know how to leverage this situation properly.

Thinking this, Jordi let his guard down ever so slightly.

But William tilted his head, his smirk growing.

"How much did you investigate before coming here, Brother?"

Jordi's stomach twisted.

William was hiding something.

In the end, Jordi was forced to cough up an amount equal to eight times his monthly stipend.