Chapter 265: 265

After playing around with Efie for a while Nx watched the dragon roll over like a cat, pawing at Barret’s cloak, and nearly setting Chris’s hair on fire with a playful puff of icy breath that burnt like flame over top only to freeze his hair that made him cry...The group finally moved toward another chamber deeper within the estate.

Now that Adele was gone, the entire manor lay under Kael’s command. The servants, once stiff and uncertain, had begun bowing with real respect. Ever since the dragon appeared, Kael’s authority was no longer questioned.

Inside the chamber, a low-burning fireplace cast golden light across the stone walls. The air was warmer here, calmer.

"My Lord," Chris began hesitantly.

Kael raised a brow. "Don’t you call me ’Big Brother’ before..So what’s with this My lord now?"

Chris flinched. "I... I thought I should maintain propriety."

Kael smiled, the kind that was subtle and warm. He looked at Chris fondly. The boy—no, the man now—had grown. Taller, surer of himself. It felt strange, realizing that Chris had once clung to his cloak and begged to go on missions. Kael suddenly felt old.

"You’ve changed," he said quietly.

Chris looked embarrassed. "Not as much as you, My Lord."

Kael chuckled softly.

Just then, Vic’s voice cut in. "What happened to Handel?" he asked, arms crossed, voice sharp with curiosity. "I’ve wanted to know the truth since I got here."

Kael’s expression turned unreadable. His gaze met Vic’s, and something cold flickered there.

"How much do you know about him?" Kael asked.

Vic shrugged. "Pretty much everything. We enrolled together at the time and had the same instructors. We had the same training halls. We were close."

"I see," Kael muttered looking down with a strange thought.

Then, in the blink of an eye, his blade was out.

Steel shrieked as Kael’s sword sliced the air, aiming for Vic’s throat. The strike was precise and deadly—if Vic hadn’t reacted just in time, deflecting it with a panicked twist of his own blade, his head would’ve rolled on the floor. Still, the clash sent Vic staggering back, a crimson line blooming across his neck.

"My Lord?!" Barret shot up, shocked, while Chris cried out and scrambled behind a chair.

Gare didn’t wait for orders—his sword was already drawn, pointed directly at Vic’s heart.

"What the hell is going on?!" Vic shouted, still off-balance.

Gare’s voice was cold. "We are the Lord’s Sword. We don’t question him. We just follow his orders and execute them."

Vic’s jaw fell open. "You all gone mad?!"

Kael’s killing intent surged like a storm wave crashing into the room. The air turned heavy—so heavy Chris dropped to his knees gasping for breath. Even the fireplace seemed to flicker and shrink under the oppressive force.

Vic’s eyes widened in horror. This wasn’t an illusion. Kael doesn’t seem to be pretending.

He was ready to kill him.

Kael took a step forward. "Give me one reason not to end you right now."

Vic froze. "What? Why would I—what have I done?!"

Kael’s voice was deadly calm. "Didn’t you say you were a good friend of Handel?"

"Yeah," Vic stammered. "So what?"

Kael’s next words hit like thunder.

"When I was knocked out, Handel tried to kill me."

The room went silent.

Barret’s face was drained of color. Chris was visibly shaking.

Even Gare’s grip tightened on his sword.

Everyone had heard about the final battle—Kael had led from the front, trusting Handel to guard his flank. If Handel had truly tried to kill him at that moment... it meant betrayal on a level that rattled their very foundations.

Vic stood stunned. "What the hell?! Just because I was friends with him doesn’t mean I knew about that! Why would he even—?"

"You tell me," Kael said, eyes narrow. "Why would someone trust so deeply, strike at that moment?"

Vic’s mind raced. He recalled how, days before the operation, Handel had received a message—a sealed letter. That night, he’d slipped out under the pretense of an errand. Vic hadn’t asked then. He should have.

And now?

"Succession," Vic muttered. "It’s about the war of succession, isn’t it?"

Kael didn’t answer.

Vic stepped forward, hands open. "Look... I didn’t know. I swear. If I did, I would’ve stopped him."

Kael stared at him for a long moment.

Then, without warning, he sheathed his sword.

A collective gasp went through the room.

"What?" Vic blinked. "You’re not going to kill me?"

Kael gave him a small, dangerous smile. "I trust you."

Vic’s jaw nearly hit the floor. "What the hell is this?! You try to kill me and now you’re saying you trust me?! Is this some twisted comedy act?!"

Kael smirked and turned away. "Trust must be tested. I have my answer."

"This was

Chris slumped in relief, Barret sat down with a groan, and Gare finally lowered his blade—though his eyes never left Vic.

Vic rubbed his neck where the blade had grazed him and grumbled. "Your way of ’testing trust’ is going to give me a heart attack someday."

Kael looked over his shoulder. "Then don’t betray me or else you will definitely get more than a heart attack,believe me."

Vic’s lips twitched when he heard this.

’I believe you..How can’t I know your violent tendencies?’

Vic met his gaze and this time, didn’t look away. "I won’t.You can trust me."

Kael then walked and stood near the window, his eyes half-lidded as he looked out over the courtyard where the dragon now slept, coiled like a beast of legend returned to slumber. The others had already moved on, still shaken by the earlier clash—but Kael remained still, the weight of old memories pressing against his chest like iron.

No, he didn’t trust Vic completely.Not even close.

What mattered wasn’t trust.

It was absolute strength.

In his past life, trust had betrayed him again and again. Whether they had stabbed him in the back, hesitated in the final moment, or simply stood aside when he needed them most—the result had always been the same.

He was bound to die.

Wasn’t he strong then why?

Yes, he had become ridiculously strong. A monster that stood toe to toe with gods. He had fought celestial beings, ripped stars from the sky, and crushed holy champions beneath his blade.

But even then...

He was not strong enough to fight the entire world of gods.After all,he was alone at the end.

So this time, no illusions. No friendships that outweighed judgment. No misplaced loyalty.

Only power. Only control.

He couldn’t force Vic into anything. That wouldn’t work. Loyalty born of pressure was weak, brittle, and would snap the moment fear faded.

The sword strike earlier?

That wasn’t punishment.

It was a warning.

A clear line drawn in blood and steel—"If you have such thoughts, burn them. Before I burn you."

Still... a corner of Kael’s mind whispered something darker.

A small part of him... wanted Vic to betray him.

That way, he wouldn’t just kill him.

He’d use him.

Exploit his betrayal as a dagger aimed at someone else’s heart.

Adele.

He grit his teeth slightly, remembering that moment. Handel’s betrayal had caught him off guard—there had been no recording crystal, no proof to bring the treachery to light so he couldn’t use this as political leverage. Just a blade, a wound, and a scar.

If only he’d had that evidence...

Grant might’ve already been stripped of her command. Or Grant might be publicly executed.

Now though?

He had learned.

According to the documents uncovered by the old man—the one who had once served as Adele’s mentor—she had colluded with Nightstar. That alone had put Kael somewhat at ease. It confirmed his suspicions, gave his strategy form.

Even if Adele chose to rebel by siding with Prince Rein, as long as Kael stayed back, played the long game...

All he needed was one moment.

One opening.

One fall.

Then he’d watch from the sidelines—and woosh.

Adele would be gone.

Finished.

Of course, that was assuming she made her move.

But if Vic betrayed him?

If Kael could capture it—record it, prove it—then Adele’s prestige would suffer a blow she couldn’t recover from. She was already balancing on a blade’s edge. All Kael had to do was tip the scales.

He finally turned from the window, the faintest smile playing on his lips.

"Come at me, if you dare," he murmured under his breath. "But remember... I only need one mistake."

And when that mistake came—he would bury them all.

As Kael finished dealing with Victor, he turned toward the others, his expression hardening once more.

"Where did the group I sent to track down those Serpent Gang bastards go?"

Barret, Gare, and Chris stiffened.

"Do you have any way to contact them?" Kael asked, his tone serious, eyes narrowing with intensity.

Gare stepped forward and replied, "Yes, my lord. We’ve managed to get in touch with them."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"They’ve successfully infiltrated the Serpent Gang."

Kael blinked a few times, digesting the words.

His eyes twitched.’What the hell?’