The towering residence gradually collapsed, dust and smoke billowing up, covering the vast courtyard with a rolling layer of brown debris.
Viktor stood behind Jace Lesser, coldly staring at him.
The trench coat on his body fluttered continuously amid the dust and wind, the white runes on it faintly lighting up and repelling all the incoming debris.
Hearing that all-too-familiar voice, Jace's heart sank with a thud.
It was as if a massive stone had suddenly been hoisted up and lodged in his throat.
He hadn't even noticed when Viktor had appeared.
It was as though he were a gust of wind that suddenly came to a stop right behind him.
Jace's expression stiffened, as if several steel nails had been driven into his muscles, yet he still forced himself to speak calmly, "Viktor… Count Clavenna."
"I don't understand what you mean."
There wasn't the slightest ripple in Viktor's eyes.
"You didn't understand?"
A spell floated up behind Viktor, the formation spinning rapidly.
A flash of white light passed by, and Cindy, who was lying on the ground, seemed to be covered by a layer of white film as he floated into the air and drifted in front of Jace.
"This person, you should remember him, right?"
"I beat him."
Hearing Viktor's words, Jace suddenly shuddered.
Looking at the unconscious, badly injured Cindy in front of him, he had thought it was the bear-man who had beaten him into this state.
But he never expected it to be Viktor.
Yet his face remained tense. His eyes darted around, sweat seeping from his forehead.
But then… what was going on with that bear-man?
Jace found it hard to connect that gigantic bear-man with Viktor.
'How could a creature like a bear-man possibly obey a human's commands?'
But the next thing he saw completely overturned his understanding.
Viktor shouted toward the surging cloud of dust, "Halnarsen."
The moment the voice fell, a burly bear-man slowly emerged from the smoke and dust.
His body was completely unharmed, only his clothes torn in a few places.
A powerful presence constantly radiated with each breath he took, the sound of his heartbeat like the beating of massive drums, clearly reaching Jace's ears.
As his fully massive body stood under the sunlight, the thick dust gradually dispersed.
The enormous ruins behind him were exposed to everyone's view. Rubble kept falling, smashing into the shattered walls that had turned into sand and gravel.
The broken buildings looked as though they might collapse at any moment.
The pool that had just been gushing with fountains had split cleanly in two.
Water was still spraying out, but now it flowed into the ruins.
The twisted, gigantic iron gate hung crookedly on the wreckage, creaking non-stop.
As for the family knights and maids? There was no sign of them anywhere.
Caught in the aftermath of the battle, nearly all of them had vanished under that attack.
This enormous courtyard was completely buried beneath broken stones and splintered wood.
Only Halnarsen stood there calmly, his tall figure facing away from the collapsed ruins.
Seeing this, Jace's mind buzzed.
"W… why?"
He stared at the magic cannon he was gripping with difficulty, trembling uncontrollably.
That shot earlier had clearly struck the bear-man's body.
Under that sky-piercing white light, no living creature could have survived.
Even a bear-man…
But… just what was this bear-man?
Jace's eyes trembled wildly in their sockets. In despair, he loosened his grip on the magic cannon.
He slowly lowered his head and looked at his hands.
Those hands were shaking nonstop from fear and shock.
Perhaps overwhelmed by terror, his vision went black. His body lost its balance, and he fell heavily onto the shattered floor.
"Surprised?" Viktor said calmly.
Halnarsen took heavy steps, walking toward Jace Lesser one step at a time.
A strong sense of danger surged into Jace's heart. He raised his head, trembling as he stared at the terrifying bear-man.
He saw the massive bear-man place his thick arms across his chest, stand firmly before Viktor, and bow slightly.
"Family Head."
Jace's mind went completely blank.
'F-Family head?'
'This bear-man… is actually Viktor's man!?'
'How did he do it!?'
Jace's body trembled even more as he asked Viktor, "Is he… a demi-human slave?"
Hearing this, Halnarsen lowered his head and looked down at Jace from above, "Please allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Jace."
"I am the butler of the Count Clavenna family, Halnarsen."
His words were filled with a politeness and respect completely at odds with his physique.
But beneath Halnarsen's refined manner, his powerful body gave Jace an extremely ominous feeling.
As if it were a warning.
Just one punch.
That's right, one punch from this bear-man in front of him… would be enough to kill him.
Jace's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open.
"B-Butler?"
'The Count Clavenna family actually let a demi-human serve as their butler?'
'And a bear-man, at that!?'
'How is that possible?'
The brutality of bear-men was something ordinary people simply couldn't imagine.
In every human's impression of bear-men, they were completely incapable of communicating with humans.
They were like true beasts, possessing power even greater than real giant bears.
And even more ferocious and savage.
Yet the bear-man before him had utterly shattered his understanding.
But soon, Viktor's voice sounded above his head, "Just a reminder, I didn't come here to chat."
Jace shuddered again.
Only then did he realize that he was already trapped between the two of them.
Even if he wanted to call for help, there was absolutely no way any message could get out.
Run?
There was no way he could run in front of a bear-man like this.
He needed to save himself. He had to save himself.
Jace Lesser's mind raced at high speed. He looked up at Viktor and hurriedly said, "Count Clavenna… there may be some misunderstanding between us."
"A misunderstanding?"
Viktor looked at Jace, then leaned backward toward the ground.
At the moment he tilted back, something like spreading ink appeared on the ground, rapidly forming a black chair that supported his body.
He rested one elbow on the armrest, propping up his face, and looked at Jace with interest.
"Go on."
Thinking rapidly, Jace suddenly came up with a way to save himself, "As you can see… Cindy was sent out by our main family to carry out missions involving capturing demi-humans and elves."
"We did indeed break the law. For that, I'm willing to go to prison."
Jace's meaning was obvious.
Cindy had nothing to do with him personally; he was dispatched by the Lesser main family.
He knew nothing.
But as the heir of the Lesser family, he couldn't completely shirk responsibility.
So Jace chose prison.
Most importantly, the one who intended to kill on the Count Clavenna family's territory was Cindy.
And Cindy had already been crippled by Viktor.
As for the Lesser family's crime, it was merely capturing demi-humans and luring elves.
This matter had nothing to do with the Count Clavenna family at all.
Jace's reasoning was flawless.
And as long as he could go to prison, he would be safe.
Jace wasn't afraid of prison at all.
With the family's connections, he would be released very soon.
What's more, even in prison, the guards wouldn't dare do anything to him.
After all, he was the Lesser family's eldest young master, Jace.
Those guards would only try to curry favor with him.
Having said this much, Jace was very confident.
Because if things continued this way, Viktor himself would be committing a crime.
Thinking of this perfect argument, Jace's trembling body gradually calmed down.
A bit of clarity returned to his eyes.
"Oh? Is that so?" Viktor's voice suddenly rang out.
With a hint of mockery, the corners of his mouth curved upward.
A contract suddenly appeared in midair and slapped onto the floor in front of Jace.
Jace lowered his head and looked at the contents of the contract, completely dumbfounded.
All he could hear was Viktor's indifferent voice continuing to speak.
"The elf you captured is my family's employee."
"Now, I should have a reason, right?"
As soon as the words fell, Jace froze in place.
His body became incomparably stiff.
As if a pitch-black giant hand had firmly bound his entire body.
In Jace's vision, behind Viktor, terrifying, violent flames suddenly ignited.
The fire spread rapidly, completely engulfing the only luxurious residence that had remained intact.
Thick smoke rolled as blazing flames raged.
The fire devoured the last remaining walls, turning them entirely into fuel.
Standing within the raging inferno, Viktor's expression remained calm, still calm as ever.
"Since you say Cindy was sent by your main family…"
"Then let your main family come personally."
In an instant, a gust of black wind abruptly erupted, sweeping up rubble and stones, kicking dust into the air.
It was as if night itself had turned into a raging storm, endlessly surging under the blazing sun.
The wind made it impossible for Jace to open his eyes.
His vision became extremely blurred.
Coughing violently, Jace shut his eyes tight and raised his arms to shield his face.
Then, the black wind gradually subsided.
Jace and Viktor, who had just been standing amid the raging flames, vanished at the same time.
Only Halnarsen, the massive bear-man, remained standing within the blazing fire.
He picked up the giant cannon that had sunk into the floor and walked into the burning residence.
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