Thud!

Renard crumpled to the floor, blood dripping from his nose and mouth, his body trembling, face unrecognizable under swelling and bruises.

While Alaric stood over him without a scratch on him. Even his hair wasn't mussed.

Without a word, Viviane rushed forward. And dropped to her knees beside her broken son, her voice trembling as she called his name. Hands shook as she cradled his bloodied face, glaring up at Alaric with venom.

"How dare you…" she hissed, though her tone quivered with helplessness.

She could do nothing, this was a duel, sanctioned, witnessed, and lost.

To protest further would shame her family even more.

Still, she clutched Renard to her chest, her fine sleeves smearing with his blood.

Meanwhile, Selene, who was watching the whole spectacle with unreadable expression, cracked a smirk as she took in the sight of Renard's form.

You really had pissed him this much!

Then her gaze drifted to Alaric, who just stood over the mother and son duo.

The middle-aged man who had announced the duel hurried forward, lifting his arms. "T-The duel is over! Winner is Lord Glimor!"

The silence stretched until Alaric casually brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his sleeve and looked around at the stunned faces surrounding him.

"Well," he said with that same lazy smile, though now it carried an edge that made several people step back instinctively, "that was refreshing. Anyone else feeling bored this evening?"

[+100 DP]

[+75 DP]

[+10 DP]

[+60 DP]

[+150 DP]

Marcus and his group visibly stiffened as Alaric's cold gaze swept over them, each of them instinctively lowering their eyes as if daring not to breathe. The air seemed heavier, pressing down with the weight of an unspoken warning.

Around the makeshift arena, crowd began murmuring among themselves in hushed, excited tones.

"Well, Lord Glimor certainly is something else," Cordelia murmured, still gripping Catherine's arm tightly as she processed what they'd just witnessed.

Her eyes drifted to Livia, who stood frozen with worry still etched across her delicate features despite Alaric's obvious victory. The sight made Cordelia giggle softly behind her gloved hand.

"Livy, your boyfriend won. Why are you sulking?"

"Huh?"

Livia blinked, stunned for a moment, before whipping her head toward her.

Then the implications of Cordelia's words hit her like a physical blow.

Her face transformed from pale worry to brilliant crimson in the span of a heartbeat.

"E-Ehhh!?" The sound escaped her lips in a mortified squeak.

"H-He's not my boyfriend!"

She flailed her hands frantically in front of her, as if she could physically dismiss the very notion. "We're just... we barely... it's not like that at all!"

"Hehehe, you're denying it so strongly, but why are you getting all red, hmm?" Eleanor chimed in with delighted mischief, clearly enjoying her friend's flustered reaction.

Catherine nodded. "And you were the only one who looked genuinely worried during the fight. The rest of us were just entertained."

"That's... that's because..." Livia stammered, her blush deepening as she struggled to form a coherent explanation that wouldn't make things worse.

"That's... that's because anyone with a heart would be concerned!" she finally managed, her voice pitched higher than usual. "Violence is still violence, even if it's... impressive."

"Impressive?" Cordelia pounced on the word immediately. "So you were watching him quite closely then?"

"I was watching the fight!" Livia protested, but her protest only made her friends exchange knowing glances.

"The way you were clutching that pendant," Catherine observed with a sly smile, "looked like you were praying for his safety specifically."

Eleanor giggled. "And you looked like you were about to faint when he was struck. If that's not a maiden's heart trembling, then what is?"

"Urgh!"

Livia covered her face with her hands, her ears glowing bright pink as her friends giggled around her.

Alaric watched with cold satisfaction as Renard slowly struggled to his feet, supported by a pair of concerned noblemen who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else.

Blood still dripped steadily from the young man's broken nose, and his left eye was already swelling shut.

The defeated nobleman swayed unsteadily, his earlier arrogance replaced by the hollow look of someone whose worldview had just been shattered along with his face.

Alaric turned to leave, but casted one final look over his shoulder.

His crimson eyes glowed faintly as they locked onto Renard's battered form with a gaze so cold it made several nearby nobles take an involuntary step back.

Don't you dare think I'm done with you.

He didn't say it aloud. He didn't need to. The venom in his glare carved the message deeper than words. Slowly, he walked away.

This is just the beginning...

The moment the thought formed in his mind—

[Ding!]

The familiar cyan screen popped in front of his eyes.

[New Quest Available: House of Cards]

[Objective: Annihilate House Valtair. Strip them of power, break their pride, and make their name forgotten in Veltraxia.]

[Reward: ???]

[Time Limit: 1 Year]

Alaric blinked, reading the system notification.

What the hell... he cursed inwardly, but quickly dismissed the system window and began walking away from the stunned crowd, hands sliding back into his pockets as if nothing happened.

Meanwhile, back at the crowd, Viviane's teeth ground together as she watched Alaric's retreating figure. Her sharp gaze then snapped to Selene, who remained perfectly poised, as if the brutal dismantling of her son was merely an amusing diversion rather than a catastrophic loss of face.

Just as the attendants rushed Renard away for medical treatment.

Click! Click!

Viviane's heels clicked sharply against the marble floor. Her expression barely masked her fury as she stopped before Selene.

The nearby nobles shifted, eager for another round of drama.

"Selene," Viviane hissed through clenched teeth, her voice trembling with rage.

Selene tilted her head slightly, meeting her rival's eyes with calm indifference.

"Do you know what your little—"

But before Viviane could finish her venomous accusation, the sound of ceremonial trumpets cut through the hall's buzzing conversations. A distinguished steward stepped onto the raised dais at the hall's far end, his voice carrying with practiced authority.

"My lords and ladies," he announced, his words immediately commanding the attention of every noble present, "His Grace Duke Rithvale requests your presence in the grand ballroom. The evening's festivities are about to commence with the presentation of Lady Rithvale!"

The nearby nobles gradually drifted toward the ballroom, their excited murmurs about the duel fading as they shifted focus to the evening's main event.

Viviane remained frozen for a moment longer, her amber eyes boring into Selene with barely contained fury.

Then she spoke, in low and cool voice.

"This isn't over, Selene."

Her lips curved into something that might have been a smile if not for the malice behind it. "We'll settle this... later."

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel, as she disappeared into the flowing crowd.

Selene watched her retreat with perfect composure, waiting until Viviane had completely vanished before allowing a slow, satisfied smirk to curve her lips.

Then she noved, rather than following the crowd directly, she turned and moved in a different direction entirely.

Her steps were unhurried as she approached a table tucked into the corner, where a lone figure sat with his head lowered, seemingly lost in thought.

"Well," she said softly, "that was certainly unexpected."

"Hmm?"

Alaric lifted his head to meet her gaze. The flush that had colored his cheeks throughout the evening had faded, his crimson eyes were now sharp and clear, implementing his complete sober state.

Selene's eyebrow arched slightly as she studied him.

"I didn't know you were the type to play knight in shining armor."

She settled gracefully into the chair beside him, resting her elbow on the table and propping her chin on her palm, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Alaric exhaled deeply, rolling his shoulders to work out the tension before offering a casual shrug.

"I was drunk. Didn't know what I was doing."

"Oh? Dismissing it now, are we?" A soft laugh escaped her lips, and for once, her carefully maintained mask slipped.

As her expression softened into something genuinely warm, a rare sight that Alaric had never seen before.

"Though I suppose it doesn't matter."

She rose from her seat with fluid grace, smoothing her gown before extending her hand toward him.

"Come, dear nephew. The main event is about to begin."

Alaric stared at her outstretched hand for a long moment and then took it,

Rising with a quiet groan as he shook off the last lingering effects of the wine.

Then without hesitation, Selene linked her arm through his, her touch surprisingly gentle as she guided him toward the grand ballroom.

The massive doors stood open, revealing the sea of nobility that had already gathered for the evening's event.

————

{A/N: I deeply apologize for the inconveniences I had caused you guys.}

I'll try making up for it soon.

Though I couldn't do Mass release yet.

I'll try dropping the price of privilege tier of next month.