Outside, the moon had begun to rise.
But that night… the atmosphere was anything but calm.
Not because of the weather—
But because malicious intentions had begun to move.
And the sleeping monster… was slowly opening its eyes.
A servant's footsteps echoed as she knocked on the small door of the back building.
"Young Master… you're summoned to the family lounge. Immediately."
Al exhaled, putting his phone down. In his mind, curiosity sparked.
Strange… at this hour, could there be another guest…?
---
Al arrived at the Virellano Family's living room.
All family members were already seated. Sarah and Vianna looked satisfied. David wore a neutral expression, but the victory radiated from him. Nayala pretended to bow her head shyly, looking sad, her eyes swollen, sitting not far from Lysha, who just remained silent, confused.
Sandra seemed slightly hesitant. Edward appeared cold and untouchable.
As soon as Al stepped in, Sarah's sharp voice erupted.
"Who do you think you are, daring to do such a thing to Nayala?!"
Vianna chimed in, "I can't believe I even wasted time thinking about you. Turns out you really are a wild child. Completely shameless! How disgraceful!"
David only muttered quietly, feigning anger, "You may be a biological child, but still… it's disgusting to act like that."
Al looked at them, puzzled.
What's wrong with them? Don't tell me someone is slandering me again? he analyzed.
He ignored the three of them and just stood there, his gaze calm. His eyes shifted to his father and mother.
"What is it, Father, Mother?" Al asked.
"Al, just a few weeks ago, you seemed ready to be a part of this family. But now… what is this? I truly can't bear to see your behavior," Edward spoke.
"Can't you control yourself after almost a month without causing trouble, and now you want to do it again? Is your nature truly unchangeable? What's wrong with you?" he added.
"What's the matter? I haven't done anything at all," Al said, genuinely confused.
"What's the matter? You're always like this! Pretending not to know what you're doing. What you need to explain now is why you acted inappropriately toward Nayala."
Al was confused. He thought through everything that had happened, yet he felt he hadn't done anything suspicious. The only thing related to Nayala was slamming the door in front of her—and he didn't consider that inappropriate.
What did I even do to her? Hm… Whatever it is… I guess I'm being framed again. Haven't they learned from experience? Trusting without evidence? Without investigation? Are they just repeating the same mistake over and over? How long will they keep doing this… he analyzed.
"Sorry, Father, but I haven't done anything to her. I'm not even interested in her. Are you upset because I slammed…"
"Al…" Sandra cut in softly, "if you're really not interested, then why is Nayala like that? Why is she scared? Why is she accusing you?"
Al turned to look at Sandra.
"Scared? What does that have to do with me? And what accusation are you talking about?" he asked.
"Enough pretending you don't know. I can't bear it when you act like this, it's truly embarrassing," Edward interrupted, assuming Al was just playing games.
"Huh? What?" Al responded, confused.
"I'm tired, Al. Don't try to argue anymore. Besides, everything is clear now. You can pretend you don't know, but there's nothing left to debate. It's obvious you did it," Edward said, turning to Harun.
"Harun, call Dedy." Edward raised his hand.
"Yes, sir."
"Wait," Al said firmly. "Are you falling for lies again? Accusing me of something I didn't do like before? Without proof, without investigation. Aren't you tired of this? I don't even know what you're talking about. And suddenly, you want to punish me?"
"Ha!… You're just trying to find a way to avoid punishment, right? Who said we don't have proof? Everything is clear here." Sarah replied, showing a video recording on the tablet she held.
Al was slightly startled.
They have proof this time? But what proof could they possibly have when I didn't do anything… he muttered in his mind. Even though he was confident he hadn't done anything, the feeling was uneasy.
He then looked at the CCTV footage. The image around the building was slightly blurry due to the illusion barrier Al had placed in the room. But it was enough to show what had happened.
Everything looked normal to Al, just as it had happened. Nayala came, Al slammed the door, Nayala left.
Hm… nothing strange. So why…? Al thought.
"See?! You're clearly out of control! The video shows it all—you tried to harass her! You reached for her bre... ugh, you're just a filthy little beast!" Sarah shouted.
Al frowned.
"Are your eyes broken? I didn't do anything at all. Look closely."
"You're the one who needs to look closely!" Aurielle jumped in, furious. "It's obvious—you were trying to touch Nayala's... chest!"
"What?! How?" Al repeated, confused. He rewound the footage—but what they claimed didn't match the video at all.
What's going on? he thought.
Are they conspiring to punish me with this ridiculous thing? Or is this some kind of prank… but… it's not even my birthday.
Al scanned everyone present, but saw nothing unusual. Yet why were they saying such strange things? Their expressions and gestures looked genuine, as if they were hiding nothing.
If nothing is wrong, yet they still accuse me… could it be that they're truly blind, unwilling to accept me? he analyzed in his mind.
"You always ask for evidence, and now you have it. But in the end, it still comes down to you being the culprit," Edward said, clearly exhausted by the situation.
Grab!
Someone suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Al by the collar. David.
David looked furious, his glare like a blade pressed against Al's skin.
"Al! I know I'm not the one engaged to Nayala. That's you. I get it. But that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want to her! I-I love her! How do you expect me to stand by and watch you act like this?!"
Gasps echoed around the room—but many also looked pleased. Nayala especially. Seeing David come to her defense so passionately only deepened her admiration and feelings for him.
But something was off to David. A faint trace of confusion flashed across his so-called heroic face.
How did this kid notice it? He's not affected? How is that possible? he thought about the strange incident.
After checking Al's magical energy—which was completely absent from his perception—he concluded:
I guess it's just a flaw… or maybe his emotions are so intense that he's unaffected, he murmured in his mind.
Al, still puzzled by the situation, turned his sharp gaze to David. It was obvious to him that David had just activated magical energy. Suddenly, an idea struck him.
Could it be… magic? he thought.
He then sharpened his magical senses—or what modern people call a sixth sense. Al's eyes glowed, emitting a faint reddish gleam.
His early dimensional eye mode was activated—a skill he usually used to understand the essence of things. In this initial mode, his pupils remained black, but he could see energy flowing around.
Unlike the full mode, which turned his pupils blood-red and allowed him to read the essence of nearly everything within certain limits.
He scanned the surroundings and clearly saw the house enveloped in thin magical energy.
Illusion magic!, Al thought.
A small, hard-to-detect illusion spell had been cast over the Virellano residence, designed to manipulate people's perceptions. This magic was strong enough to influence ordinary people like his family, but Al's magical resistance was high enough to remain unaffected.
No wonder what I see and what they see is different… I almost cursed them, he thought.
Al analyzed the energy flow.
This illusion seems to have appeared only recently. That means someone activated it, he reasoned.
He then activated his magical detection, expanding its range tens of kilometers. Nothing. Not even David, who he initially suspected, was the culprit.
Then… who? The question lingered, a mystery for him.
Just then, a towering figure appeared.
Dedy.
The legendary bodyguard—Vianna's former martial arts mentor. Built like a walking wall, with a hardened face that showed strength without arrogance. His steps were heavy but precise.
"Punish him according to discipline protocol," Edward ordered.
"Understood, sir."
"Father," Al called out—not from fear of punishment, but from a sense of injustice. "You're all seeing the video wrong. I can make it clearer."
"Are you rambling out of fear now?" Edward replied coldly. "We've replayed that video over and over. It's obvious. I'm done with this." He turned and walked away.
Al looked at Sandra—but she averted her gaze. Even the typically gentle Sandra now showed a hint of disappointment toward him. She followed Edward without a word.
Seeing the displeasing gazes from his parents—which he was beginning to try to accept—Al started to waver again, and his emotions began to stir. He felt it.
Haah… why did that chip have to break at a moment like this? Luckily, my previous cultivation allowed me to have a bit more self-control, he murmured in his mind.
And... with a light stomp, a surge of energy erupted from his body, spreading outward like a violent gust of wind. That invisible wave dispersed and shattered the illusionary magic lingering in the surroundings.
Without hesitation, Al stepped forward toward his parents, determined to reveal the truth before their very eyes. He snatched the tablet from Sarah's hands. The sudden action left Sarah flustered, but Al's movements were far too swift for her to react in time.
Both Dedy, Vianna, and even David felt the strange disturbance ripple through the air. Though none of them could fully comprehend what had occurred, the violent vibration in the atmosphere unsettled them greatly.
Dedy and Vianna, being far more sensitive to such things, scanned their surroundings but could not sense anything unusual.
If only they had sharpened their magical detection earlier… they should have known it was me. Fortunately, they were in a relaxed mode.
David, however, had a faint feeling that something was terribly wrong. By chance, his eyes fell upon the tablet in Al's grasp, where the video continued to play. His pupils widened in shock as he realized the illusion magic was no longer functioning.
What is happening? he thought in a panic.
When David saw Al moving toward their father, his heart seized. He immediately rushed forward to intercept, unwilling to let their parents witness the truth.
"Al, what do you think you're doing?! Stop it already! Don't trouble Father and Mother any further!" David shouted, grabbing Al's wrist.
Al turned his gaze upon him, his eyes sharp and piercing.
"I don't know what trick you're playing at… but this is all your scheme, isn't it? Yours, and that woman's," Al spat through clenched teeth, his voice heavy with restrained fury.
He forcefully pulled his arm free from David's grasp, and in one swift motion, his other hand lashed out—aiming to slap David across the face.
But—
WOSSHHH—
In an instant, both Dedy and Vianna appeared before him, blocking the strike.
David stumbled backward from the sudden clash, losing his balance and collapsing onto the floor. Nayala immediately rushed to his side, her face filled with worry as she tried to help him up.
"What do you think you're trying to do, young man?" Vianna growled, glaring at Al with fury burning in her eyes.
Al could have easily brushed the two of them aside. His strength was more than enough. But neither of them had anything to do with this vile slander, and so he lowered his hand, choosing not to fight them.
Ignoring both Vianna and Dedy, he turned around, intending to replay the video right before his father and mother. That was his sole purpose now.
But the very moment he turned—
SLAAPPP!
A resounding slap landed squarely on his cheek, catching him completely unguarded. The strike was so forceful that his body staggered, thrown slightly to the floor. The tablet slipped from his grasp, crashing harshly against the ground.
YOU INSOLENT BRAT! YOU DARE TO COMMIT VIOLENCE IN THIS HOUSE AGAIN! EVEN TOWARD YOUR OWN SIBLING! Edward roared, furious at Al's recent behavior.
Edward now stood before him, his figure radiating rage, his expression dark and terrifying.
From a distance, Sandra averted her gaze, unable to watch the harshness of the scene. Though her heart ached to see violence inflicted upon Al, a part of her also felt grim satisfaction. Al had nearly struck David—her precious son—and now he had received a taste of punishment.
She wanted to rush to David and check on him, to ensure her child was unharmed, but the bitter conflict between the two left her hesitant. If she showed favoritism now, it would only deepen the division, so she held back. She resolved to tend to David later, once this storm had passed.
Al stared at his father in disbelief. Once again, Edward's slap had broken straight through his magical barrier—something Al could not understand, a phenomenon that defied his very knowledge.
"Father… you…" Al muttered in shock, his hand trembling as he touched the stinging mark on his reddened cheek.
The pain of the blow mingled with the sting of disappointment, and his emotions began to unravel further. His body trembled uncontrollably.
Edward raised his hand again, as if intending to strike once more, but he paused when he noticed Al's shaking form. He mistook it for pain, for weakness, and something strange stirred in his heart—an unexpected flicker of pity.
With a heavy sigh, Edward lowered his hand and turned away.
"Do not blame me. I despise violence as much as anyone. But if you choose to embrace it, then this punishment is only what you deserve," Edward said coldly as he walked away. "Dedy, punish him."
"Yes, Sir," Dedy answered with a nod.
David seized the opportunity and hurried forward to retrieve the fallen tablet.
With a quick squeeze, channeling a surge of magical energy, he crushed it, breaking the device instantly. Then he masked his expression, pretending as if the tablet had been destroyed when Al had dropped it.
Al, meanwhile, was losing the last shreds of his composure.
The desire to destroy began festering inside him. A dark impulse to kill and annihilate everything flickered at the edges of his mind.
Al clutched his head as a throbbing pain surged inside. Pain. His chest tightened, suffocating.
Kill them. Destroy them. Eradicate them.
Why are you holding back?
"No… stay away from me," he whispered in pain, struggling to suppress the surge of emotion.
But he couldn't. The emotion began to gnaw at him from within.
And then—
TINGGG
His vision suddenly went dark, as if his eyes had been sealed shut.
Moments later, a dim light flickered, and the scenery around him shifted.
He found himself standing in a terrifying atmosphere. Flames roared wildly. Buildings lay in ruins, shattered into dust. The earth cracked open. Trees and plants collapsed in heaps.
But the most horrifying of all—were the corpses. Dozens. Hundreds. Scattered everywhere.
Al took slow steps forward, his eyes scanning the bizarre nightmare in front of him.
Several faces looked familiar. No—every single one of them was familiar.
The further he walked into that scene, the more he recognized them. The lifeless bodies of the Virellano family's servants, the guards, the workers… even Dedy.
And then came the faces he knew best. The ones that made his chest tremble in a way he could not explain.
Aurielle, Vianna, Lysha, Sarah… and his parents, Edward and Sandra. Their corpses twisted in unnatural wounds, their appearances grotesque and painful to look at.
His chest hurt unbearably, his breath heavy and uneven. Yet strangely, another part of him felt… satisfied.
Al stepped closer, kneeling down. Not before his mother and father, but before Sarah's body. He paused for a long moment.
Finally, Al exhaled slowly.
"You were the one I disliked the most," he said flatly. "But you're also the one I respect the most. Unlike the others, you were honest. That is worth more than those who kept me tangled in shades of gray."
He rose, giving a slight bow to the corpses. The pain in his chest was sharp, almost unbearable, as if screaming that this was not how things should be. Yet at the same time, that pain twisted into a grim satisfaction.
Clutching at his suffocating yet strangely relieved chest, Al muttered,
"Because how could I judge you, when I myself am gray—unable to even understand what I truly want?"
Turning away, he walked toward the figure he sought most.
David.
His gaze sharpened.
David's body was in a grotesque state. Bruises and blood covered every inch, his flesh torn and ripped apart. His stomach was laid open, his arms and legs shattered and dangling, his body bearing wounds beyond description. It looked as if he had been tortured long before death claimed him.
Al stared, satisfaction twisting across his expression. His preferences here contrasted with the lazy self-image he often carried.
On top of David sat another figure.
He crouched there, legs spread carelessly. His black clothes were ripped, splattered with blood. There was no doubt—he was the one responsible.
He turned his head slowly, locking eyes with Al.
And the face revealed itself.
It was Al. Or perhaps… the true Al? But this version was darker, dimmer, cloaked entirely in a sinister, shadowy aura.
The two of them stared at each other.
The dark Al tilted his head, then stood up.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" he asked.
Al remained silent.
"Well? If you follow me, this is what you'll get. Satisfying, isn't it? Hahaha…" the shadow sneered.
Al shoved both hands into his pockets, glancing around casually.
"I've been searching for a way to enter this imagery space for a long time. And now I'm finally here. I suppose I should thank them for that." His tone was calm, almost relaxed. "This place isn't so bad. Tell me, can you teach me how to enter this space at will? It would be useful for my people."
"You! Don't play games with me!" the shadow snapped, angered by Al's indifference.
Al smiled faintly, stepped closer, and reached out, touching the shadow's shoulder.
"Does this have something to do with the grandmaster level I recently entered? But what's the difference between this level and one tied to stable or unstable energy? Hmm… interesting. I think you owe me an explanation." Al brushed imaginary dust from the shadow's shoulder, his voice light.
"Y-You…" the shadow stuttered, disbelief flashing across his face. "Don't you realize how much power I can grant you if you just follow me?!" he shouted in frustration.
Al sighed.
"Huftt… You can't give me any power. You're part of me. So stop trying to trick me… Id." Al spoke flatly, then turned his head. "Isn't that right, Superego?"
Another figure appeared behind him. This one also took on Al's appearance, but brighter, glowing faintly, radiating with clarity. As his presence spread, the burning, ruined scenery dissolved into a pure, empty white void.
Only the three of them remained.
This was Al Superego. While the first was Al Id.
Superego smiled warmly and nodded.
"At last, you've entered this space. And yes, this is where the battle between your stability and instability takes place."
"Tchh… You always show up at the worst time," Id hissed.
Superego didn't respond, only smiling—his gentle smile somehow unsettling to both Al and Id.
"I've given you enough chances, yet you still fail to take control," Superego said softly, addressing Id.
Al chuckled quietly, amused by their bickering. He raised a brow and asked,
"How long can I stay here?"
"Not long. This is your first imagery manifestation, and your body outside is unstable," Superego explained.
"Oii! If you listen to me, I can make it easier for you to return here anytime," Id tempted.
"Shut it. Let the adults speak. Children should stay quiet," Al said sharply.
"Hiks…" Id pouted, turning his face away with frustration.
"Relax. I still have business with you afterward," Al said casually, glancing at Id.
"I'm not something that can relax. That's more fitting for him." Id jerked his chin at Superego.
"True," Al muttered, shifting his attention back.
"So, tell me. How can I access this place? Is there a specific method? Does it connect to my stable energy stage? What about the unstable energy I carry?" Al pressed.
Superego met his gaze calmly before replying,
"Unfortunately, I don't know that far. Remember, I am part of you. Most of what I know is simply what you already know. The rest is my understanding of your own phenomena."
Al nodded slowly at the explanation.
Superego continued,
"What I can say is that this place is an imagery space, which means you access it through your imagination. Only your imagination can shape us and this room. As for the method… you'll figure it out on your own. And regarding your stable energy, yes, it seems related. This space can only manifest through stable imagination."
Al understood some of it, though much remained unclear. Before he could ask again—
CRAASHH. CRAASHH.
The room trembled violently, flickering in and out like a broken monitor.
"Looks like my time here is short," Al muttered, glancing around. He turned to Id with a faint smile.
"What?!" Id barked. "Aren't you choosing Superego and his goody-two-shoes path? Don't bother with me!"
"Who said that?" Al asked calmly.
"Hmmm?" Both Id and Superego tilted their heads.
"You are both me. Only with both of you together can I be human... a normal Human. Besides, I'm not a good person. So before this place collapses, take me back to that destroyed scenery." Al commanded.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Id frowned.
"Just do it. We don't have much time. You'll like what I'm going to do," Al answered, a thin smirk tugging at his lips.
Id hesitated, but eventually nodded.
Before Id shifting them back, Superego spoke,
"Your unstable energy is too vast. You must learn to control it properly. If danger comes to you, recall the happiest memory, the most precious person, or anything that warms you. That will help you manage your emotions."
Al nodded, his gaze softening. For some reason, the faint image of Mother Angelia surfaced in his mind. It was enough to make him smile, easing his discomfort.
"Alright. Let's go," Al said, turning away.
Superego smiled gently as Id snapped his fingers.
KLIK
They returned to the terrifying scenery.
"So, what are you going to do?" Id asked.
Al didn't answer. He stepped toward David's mutilated body, lifted it up, and glanced at Id.
"Can you make him look more… normal?" he asked.
Id paused for a moment, then grinned. "I can. Don't tell me, you're planning to—"
Al's own grin spread. They understood each other perfectly.
As David's body was manipulated back into a more normal form—
BUG! BUG! BRAKK!
Without warning, Al unleashed a barrage of punches directly into David's face. Fists, elbows, kicks—blow after blow. He even used spells to torture the body further. Cruel. Vicious. Overflowing with rage.
"Die! Die!!" Al shouted as he pounded the body relentlessly.
Id laughed maniacally, pleased beyond measure. And Al laughed alongside him.
Their laughter echoed as the space faded—
TINGG
"Hahahaha…" Al burst into loud laughter, his voice spilling over unconsciously from the imagery realm.
His laughter echoed so wildly that people turned toward him, thinking he had gone mad. Even Edward and Sandra, who were already walking some distance away, froze.
"What's wrong with him?" Sarah asked, confused.
"I think… he's lost his mind," Aurielle muttered bitterly.
Al felt a little awkward when he realized that he had already returned to the real world.
He finally inhaled deeply, scanning his surroundings. He had just regulated his emotions, even if only within his imagination.
Yet the effects were real. His heart felt calm. His emotions stabilized. And once again, a disaster inside this house had been narrowly avoided.
He looked around, deciding to surrender to the night. His parents could not be disturbed now, and that tablet was probably broken anyway.
In the end, his emotional calm allowed him to accept it.
I don't want to blame them. It was natural for them to be angry—they were under the influence of the illusion. But why is that woman joining in? he resignedly murmured in his mind.
Huff… whatever. Besides, this punishment meant nothing to me. Fighting back would only worsen my image and my mission. I'll fix this when they can think more calmly.
He then looked at David, slightly puzzled.
The illusion wasn't from David—maybe the kid hired someone. But who possessed such immense power that I couldn't immediately sense their energy? he analyzed.
In the end, the assumption wasn't clear yet, but David would still remain a target. And now, it was time to endure this small punishment.
---
In the small back hall, Al stood in the center. No protection. Just a T-shirt and casual pants. Dedy stood in front, assuming a stance.
Al deactivated his passive magic barrier. It wasn't that he didn't want to reveal his power, but rather that he didn't want to hurt anyone.
Dedy's strength wasn't that great. My magic barrier could injure him. Dedy was only doing his duty as a bodyguard, and that was something he was supposed to do, Al thought.
He decided this because, for him, it was like a baby punching a big rock—the one who gets hurt is the baby if the barrier remains active. It made Al uncomfortable to let Dedy take a needless hit while carrying out his duty for the family.
Soon, the execution began.
Dedy looked slightly uneasy. As with previous punishments, he couldn't fully bring himself to act harshly on Al.
"I hope you don't blame me, young master, and sorry for not asking you to take off your shirt. I can't bear to see your wounds," he said, referring to the past incident when Al had shown his body full of scars.
Al only smiled lightly and nodded, remaining silent.
With that, Dedy carried out the punishment. His slightly weakened fist punched toward Al's stomach. Fast, but precise, and clearly well-trained.
Al just stared straight at him, lips moving—but unfortunately, Dedy didn't catch what he said.
What Al had said was:
"Why are you holding back your strength, you fool," he muttered sadly.
And...
Buuugghh!
The punch landed.
But—
Dedy's eyes went wide.
The sensation wasn't what he expected.
Argghhh... he groaned internally.
His face tensed. His arm trembled.
A sharp pain tore through his fist.
Small cuts opened. Muscles strained.
What... is this? Dedy thought.
He stared at Al, unable to understand.
But he said nothing. His pride wouldn't allow it.
Al was sent flying—or at least, he made it look like he was.
He coughed up blood—illusion-crafted, of course—and rolled across the ground.
Everyone seemed satisfied.
"Let that be a lesson to you," Vianna said coldly.
Sarah gave a smug smile.
"Don't act like the world belongs to you, Al. It doesn't."
Seconds later, Al was already lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, rubbing his stomach.
All my magic feels wasted just for this show. For the mission and to keep all threats away, hiding my power is really troublesome. Hiks… he sighed in his mind.
He then glanced at the people around him.
Clearly, in his eyes, Dedy was in pain, hiding it at the same time.
Dedy's punch had been quite noticeable. Not bad at all. But at grandmaster stage, my bones and skin are too strong for something like this, even without the magical barrier. Hmph. Amyway, he wasn't as bad as the others. I guess I can make use of him, he thought.
Soon, the medical team arrived, immediately checking on Al. Strangely, the scars appeared due to Al's illusion magic, but when they touched him and observed his reactions, something felt off.
"This boy's body… strange," one of the nurses remarked.
Al observed them, then sat up, pressing his stomach.
"Forget it. You don't need to. I'm fine," he said, blood dripping from the corner of his lips.
That made the nurse pause slightly.
"But, young master, your wounds…"
Al just waved his hand, then grabbed some medical supplies from one of the nurses—bandages and medicine.
"I only need this. No need for questions, and you may leave," he said casually.
The nurses exchanged glances, unsure whether to carry out their duties or obey the order. But they remembered—Al was the kid who once hit a servant. That alone made them wary, so they ultimately nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Al's gaze shifted to his siblings. His eyes were sharp on David, who wore a sinister smirk. And also Nayala, who seemed entirely unbothered by guilt.
Tchh… what a hypocritical pair, he cursed silently in his mind.
And just like that, everyone left.
---
Moments later…
Al walked out of the hall, his breath steady.
In the corridor behind, Dedy was sitting down, icing his hand.
They met eyes.
Al didn't speak.
He just stared.
And in an instant—
A terrifying aura surged.
Like an illusion, Dedy saw Al's figure grow… into a towering shadow.
Eyes glowing red.
And a voiceless whisper echoed in his mind.
"You're not my enemy.
Don't speak of what happened tonight.
Because if I can make you tremble… without touching you…
I can also erase you… without a sound."
Dedy froze.
His breath caught.
But when he blinked, everything was back to normal.
Al stared at him… calm.
Then, he reached out and touched his hand.
In that instant, the muscle tears and internal bruises vanished.
Dedy touched his healed hand in shock.
He knew this was high-level healing magic.
"You… who are you really?"
Al simply patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. As long as you don't talk, you'll be fine.
I'm not a threat to this family. So relax."
And with that, he walked away without another word.
Dedy remained still.
His eyes blank.
His body still trembling.
Not from fear—
But from awe.
Awe for the boy who was supposed to be weak…
But who could easily crush this entire estate if he wanted to.
"Virellano family…
You're all… truly blind."
---
Meanwhile, in the main living room…
David lounged on the luxurious sofa. Nayala sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"See? Just one hit and he was down like a rat," David said with a smug grin.
Nayala gave a faint smile, her eyes glancing at the door the servants had just closed.
"I thought he'd be a little… more daring. But turns out, he's still just a weak orphan boy."
They chuckled softly.
"Hehehehe."
David then rose to his feet, calmly pulling out his phone before dialing a certain number.
"Hello, Father," he greeted, his tone low and respectful, addressing the figure on the other end with that particular title. Whether the man he was speaking to was truly his biological father, or merely someone who bore the title Father in another sense—such as a church leader, a spiritual master, or something even more ominous—remained unclear.
"Thanks to your assistance, everything went smoothly. However, something felt off. Did you… stop the illusion yourself? That moment truly startled me; the entire plan almost collapsed because of it."
From the other end of the call, a deep and raspy voice answered, carrying with it a weight that seemed to press into David's chest.
"It was not me. I wished to discuss the very same matter with you. Something interfered and completely neutralized my magic. Do you have any idea what could have caused it? Are you truly certain that boy possesses no magical energy whatsoever?"
"I am certain," David replied firmly. "He's just an ordinary child. I don't know what happened either."
"That is… peculiar. If he truly has no magical energy, then perhaps someone is protecting him in secret. Or maybe my illusion was undone because of an unexpected variable neither of us accounted for."
"I don't know. I can't make sense of it either," David admitted, though a sly grin tugged at the corner of his lips. "But still, thank you, Father. Because of you, everything went as planned. And I believe that boy won't last much longer. He'll be forced to leave this house soon enough."
"Good. But remain vigilant. Do not underestimate him. Never lower your guard, and keep pressing him little by little, even if slowly. Remember, Virellano belongs to you."
And with those words, their conversation came to an end.
---
Far away, in a dimly lit chamber adorned with an eerie yet elegant colonial atmosphere, the air hung heavy with silence. The only source of illumination came from a crimson candle, standing tall and unwavering atop a polished wooden table, its faint glow dancing across the room.
From within the shadows, a man concealed in darkness slowly opened his eyes. In the gloom, his sharp, amber-brown gaze glimmered with dangerous light.
"…Interesting," he spoke in a firm, measured tone, his voice carrying a weight that promised deeper schemes yet to unfold.
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