Duke Wudewen was utterly baffled. He’d planned to scold Derek harshly, to give him some tough "love," making him understand how to survive as a Wudewen in this world.

But Derek suddenly flashed a devilish smirk, throwing the Duke off completely.

Derek’s arrogant expression, scornful smile, and overbearing demeanor deeply stirred Duke Wudewen’s heart.

Everything the Duke had wanted to see, Derek had portrayed it perfectly!

Could the situation between Derek and that little maid be different from what he’d imagined?!

Duke Wudewen frowned slightly, confused by Derek’s sudden arrogance.

…

Derek just wanted a peaceful life—to be a handsome guy living in tranquility. That would satisfy him.

But fate was cruel. Witch Claudius had cursed him. Whenever he spoke, arrogance slipped out uncontrollably. His act ran non-stop, like it was on endless loop.

Fine. I’ll just go along with you now.

Derek let go. Since he was born a villain, he might as well keep up the act.

He’d planned to first agree with Duke Wudewen’s scolding, then twist things later. A sharp contrast would shock the Duke, scrambling his thoughts. Then Derek could start showing off…

"Father, do you think we need to fear the Holy See’s lapdogs?"

"Absolutely not."

Duke Wudewen paused, regaining his composure. His dignity remained, but the ferocity vanished. The magical flame in his palm died out.

"Exactly! Those Defender Knights of the Holy Church are trash! I, Derek Wudewen, couldn’t care less!"

Derek roared arrogantly. Inwardly, he thought: It’s just big talk anyway. Of course he didn’t care.

"The scum of the Holy See should grovel at my feet for me to trample!"

Derek stomped fiercely, radiating menace.

"That’s right."

Duke Wudewen agreed. Seeing Derek’s ferocity, he felt lost. He’d prepared many lessons, but Derek’s sudden arrogance left him unsure what to do. This confusion was unpleasant.

"Derek, since you understand this, why not discipline that little maid strictly? She looks quite plump now, having gained weight."

"I originally wanted to capture her—to toy with her, torture her, humiliate her. Her despair would amuse me. But when I learned her aunt is the Holy See’s new Defender Knight, an interesting idea struck me."

"Oh? What idea?"

Duke Wudewen couldn’t help but ask.

"Father, which is more satisfying: killing a Defender Knight’s relative, or humiliating the Holy See itself before the world?"

Derek flashed a sly smile, confident.

"Naturally, the latter."

"I choose the latter too. So, it’s not time to dispose of this maid yet. I’ll let her connect with Bisca Shalier. I’ll get her into the Holy See and support her rise to power!"

"What?!"

Even the composed Duke Wudewen was stunned.

"Father, don’t be surprised. This is my plan: while she works here, I’ll steal her heart. Make her utterly infatuated with me. Then I’ll send her to the Holy See. I’ll push her to become the next Holy Maiden!"

Duke Wudewen narrowed his eyes slightly. He grasped Derek’s idea. His stern face softened. "She’s just a maid. Is this feasible? Becoming the Holy Maiden isn’t simple."

"Father, you know I’ve awakened my magic. I sensed an annoying light aura on her. The Holy See will recruit people like her eagerly. At worst, she’ll become a top cleric. Then I’ll have her announce our ‘romance’ herself. Once the news spreads, I’ll dump her outright! That slaps the Holy See’s face hard. If she becomes Holy Maiden? Even better! Imagine it—me dumping the Holy See’s Holy Maiden in public. What a glorious sight!"

Duke Wudewen’s lips curled, then broke into a wide grin. "Hahahahaha!"

Derek, oozing arrogance, wasn’t outdone. "Hahahahaha!"

Their laughter filled the room. The villainous father and son grinned at each other, appearing utterly delighted.

In reality… the laughter was superficial. Villains don’t share joys and sorrows. Derek wasn’t happy at all.

Ugh, I’m so nervous!

His earlier words weren’t true. He’d said them to cater to Duke Wudewen’s twisted nature—to save Teresia.

Besides, he didn’t have time to "conquer" Teresia or steal her heart! Just surviving exhausted him.

Look at his old man: seeing a maid happy upset him. He’d dragged Derek in, lit a magical flame in anger, almost roasted him—terrifying!

If Teresia becomes Holy Maiden and things go wrong, what if Duke Wudewen holds him accountable?

He’ll deal with it later. By then, he’ll have a place to hide.

If all else fails, blame the Holy See for being unscrupulous—ambushing and brainwashing Teresia.

"Derek, your idea is wild. It might work, but execution won’t be easy."

Derek’s heart skipped. What?! Had he failed to convince him?!

"However, it’s brilliant. If it succeeds, it’ll be incredibly fun! Worth trying."

Duke Wudewen patted Derek’s back affectionately. Derek finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Listen, Derek, to carry out this plan, take out insurance first."

The experienced Duke started lecturing.

"Insurance?"

"Yes. Make her yours. If things go wrong later, you lose nothing."

Make Teresia his?! Whoa! Duke Wudewen wasn’t even his real father—could he stop caring so much?!

Forcing himself on Teresia would cause endless problems! Besides, before he acted, Witch Claudius would probably take him away!

Derek didn’t consider the suggestion. Panic surged inside him.

But his expression stayed calm. His faint smile radiated confidence. "Father, don’t worry. I’ll find a chance to take care of her."

"Hahahahaha!"

Once again, the evil laughter of the two filled the room.