Victoria, the mother, was drowning in deep confusion, barely able to believe what had become of her son and how he had changed in such a radical way. She felt suffocated by despair, and regret tore through her heart for everything she had done to him in the past.
She sat alone in a corner of her palace, her features pale, her tears trapped at the edges of her eyelids. Suddenly, her loyal servant, Kevin, entered and asked her quietly:
— My lady, are you alright?
She looked at him with eyes heavy with sorrow and said in a faint, trembling voice:
— How can I be alright when you see me in this wretched state?
Then she fell silent for a moment before continuing:
— I want to ask you a question... Since you are my loyal servant, Kevin, answer me honestly, even if your words are harsh. I won't get angry, I promise.
Kevin nodded and said calmly:
— Go ahead, my lady.
She asked him in a voice dripping with pain:
— What I did to my son—the beatings, the anger, the neglect... Was I wrong? Who is at fault in this story? Me or him?
Kevin sighed slightly, then spoke in a serious tone:
— My lady... Since you've asked for the truth, I will say it as it is. Forgive me for the harshness of my words, but it is a truth that must be faced.
He paused briefly, then continued:
— Yes, you were the one at fault from the very beginning. Your son, weak as he was back then, did not deserve such cruelty. You could have guided him, trained him, molded him into a man. But he was just a child, barely past ten years old, and you burdened him with a weight even adults couldn't bear.
— Everyone around him bullied him, even the weakest servants dared to mistreat him, and his older brothers sent assassins to eliminate him... because he was an obstacle to their ambitions. And if it weren't for Laila standing by his side, he might have died long ago.
— You were supposed to be his support, his protective wall, but he found none of that in you. Instead, you were the first to stab him, destroying his life... and your own life with him.
— The noblewomen now look at you with disdain because you abandoned your son and shirked your responsibility as a mother. The truth? Your son did not choose to be weak... it was forced upon him. But you? You chose to abandon him.
He fell silent for a moment, then added:
— I'm sorry for my words, but they are better than feeding you sweet lies that would kill you slowly.
Victoria couldn't bear the weight of his words. Tears streamed down her face as she covered it with her hands, her head bowed over the table.
She said in a broken voice:
— My son told me he no longer loves me... that he hates me. He said he wishes for my death... no... he said he no longer acknowledges me as his mother. He has cut ties with me.
She paused briefly, then continued pleadingly:
— Tell me, Kevin... what do I do now? How do I fix everything?
Kevin looked at her with deep sorrow, seeing a weak, broken woman who had lost everything. He thought for a moment, then said:
— His words are logical, my lady. Put yourself in his place... a child treated with such cruelty by his own mother... how would you feel?
Victoria lowered her head further, then whispered faintly, as if speaking to death itself:
— Have I lost everything? Have I lost my son forever?
She fell silent, then said through her tears:
— Even my husband, the man I loved, didn't stand by me... Why should I live, then? No son, no husband, no respect... nothing. I'll kill myself... perhaps in death, I'll find peace... and maybe ease their burden.
Suddenly, she formed a mana sword and aimed it at her chest, preparing to stab herself.
But Kevin moved with astonishing speed, and without thinking, he threw himself between the sword and his mistress. The blade pierced his hand and came out the other side.
Victoria screamed in horror:
— What are you doing? Move, this isn't your concern! Let me end my life in peace.
But as she tried to stab herself again, Kevin slapped her forcefully.
She shrieked:
— How dare you?!
Kevin, furious, raised his voice:
— Have you gone mad? Do you think your suicide will solve anything? Do you think your son would rejoice in your death? Perhaps Vlad would be relieved, and maybe some would forget you... but *him*? No. He is your only son, and he is the only one who might break if he loses you now.
— He's just begun to stand on his own again, to regain his confidence, to grow stronger... Do you want to destroy all of that? Do you want to inflict a wound that will never heal? Your suicide would shatter him... and it might be the end of his life.
Victoria fell silent, then whispered:
— What should I do, then? You've stopped me from dying... so give me a reason to live.
Kevin looked at her for a long moment, then said with conviction:
— There's only one thing you must do... protect your son.
— Be the shield he never had before.
— He may not forgive you now... but if he sees you've changed, he may begin to see you anew. Of course, the past won't be erased easily, but he might grant you a new chance in the future if he sees safety in you—if you stand by him and protect him. This is your golden opportunity, please don't waste it.
Hearing this, the mother felt an overwhelming joy, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks as she said in a trembling voice:
— "If I do this... will he really forgive me? Or at least... will he allow me to see his face? I ask for nothing more, I don't even need his forgiveness."
Kevin answered calmly and confidently:
— "Yes, I'm certain... If you do as I've said, even if he doesn't forgive you immediately, you'll be able to speak with him calmly. He'll remain in contact with you and won't cut you off again."
The mother was deeply moved by Kevin's words, as if they were oil poured onto the fire of her resolve. She wiped her tears, rose with unwavering determination, and said with eyes gleaming with resolve:
— "From this day forward, I will be my son's support. I will stand by him and protect him from everything... even if it means confronting my husband!"
Kevin smiled and said with slight sarcasm:
— "And finally... my lady has returned to the right path."
Victoria laughed lightly, a warm smile spreading across her face as she said:
— "I will never forget your kindness, Kevin... If you ever need anything, just tell me. You are my favorite servant."
Kevin felt genuinely flattered by his mistress's words and smiled as he replied:
— "Honestly, I thought you'd be angry with me after all those harsh words I said."
Victoria answered with hopeful sincerity:
— "Normally, I would have been... But after hearing my son's words, I've come to my senses. I thought *I* would be the one to guide him back to the right path, but in truth... *he* was the one who brought *me* back."
Kevin said in surprise:
— "He really did that?! But... when I saw him, he seemed completely devoid of purpose, as if his will had been extinguished."
The mother's face lit up with a rare smile of pride as she replied:
— "When you see him, you'll understand everything. He's changed so much... I can hardly believe he's my son. His eyes were filled with confidence and courage. He stood before me unshaken despite all the pressure, and even when I grabbed his neck with all my strength... he effortlessly removed my hand. I realized then... that he hadn't just changed mentally, but physically too—his strength has multiplied."
Kevin was astonished and said in clear disbelief:
— "But... wasn't he weak just five months ago?! He had problems with his body, couldn't even release mana, and his system was full of toxins. How did he overcome all that in such a short time?!"
Victoria replied:
— "I don't know exactly, but I think Laila helped him. Don't forget... she's one of the strongest fighters in the duchy. At that moment when I pointed my sword at my son, it was clear she was ready to defend him. Had I tried to kill him, my head would have flown before I could even touch him."
Kevin, still unconvinced, asked:
— "Would she really have done it? Against the wife of the family's lord?!"
Victoria answered without hesitation:
— "Yes, she would have. Even if one of Vlad's other sons had tried to harm Arthur in front of her, she would've intervened immediately. She cares for no one but him. I've heard that Vlad asked her many times to return to his service, but she refused. Even Fern and Asta tried to recruit her, but she rejected them all."
She added with a heavy sigh:
— "I don't know what makes her stay by my son's side like this... but she treats him like a mother or an elder sister—better than I ever did. When I entered their room, they were talking comfortably, as if they were family, not master and servant."
Kevin fell silent for a moment, then said with a mix of jealousy and amazement:
— "That explains why your son is still alive... despite everyone's hatred. It seems your son's life... is shrouded in mystery."
Victoria said firmly:
— "Absolutely. And now, we must prepare ourselves... and gather our forces to support my son."
Kevin replied loyally:
— "Yes, my lady."
Just as he was about to leave, a sudden explosion rocked the direction Arthur had gone. A powerful tremor shook the entire palace, as if a terrifying warrior had unleashed a massive attack.
The mother screamed in panic:
— "That's the path my son took! Hurry, Kevin, quickly!"
She ran without hesitation, her heart pounding in fear, her eyes welling with tears again.
Inside, she repeated:
— "No... no... He must be alright. Please, don't die now... Not after I've decided to stand by you... Please, my son, hold on!"
---
### **Before the Explosion**
When Arthur left his mother alone in the garden and went to Laila:
Arthur walked swiftly, his face filled with such visible anger that his eyes seemed like knives stabbing into the heart of anyone who looked at him. He was so furious that all he could see was hatred and destruction burning within him.
As he hurried, he found Laila waiting for him. No words were exchanged between them; the calm surrounding her suggested she already knew the storm raging inside him. She didn't dare ask or speak, simply walking beside him as if escorting him to his room without interference.
Then, suddenly, Fern blocked their path.
Fern was known for his tyrannical personality. Unlike his brother, who schemed rationally, Fern relied on brute force to assert dominance. He had often bullied Arthur, especially when he was younger, mocking and insulting him relentlessly. But this time, he wasn't facing "weak little Arthur"—he was facing a man who could not be underestimated.
Fern's appearance at this moment was the worst possible timing. Arthur was at the peak of his fury, consumed by it to the point where all he saw was the desire to destroy everything in his path.
Fern smirked mockingly as they approached and said in a sneering tone:
— "Well, well, if it isn't the trash. Looks like you're in good health! Glad you didn't die—it'd be such a shame to lose my favorite punching bag."
But Laila, who knew exactly how Fern treated Arthur, stepped in front and demanded sternly:
— "Stop this. Leave him alone and walk away."
Arthur couldn't respond—he knew any reckless move could cost him his life. But his hatred burned even fiercer.
As they tried to pass, Fern grabbed Laila's shoulder roughly and said with a leering smirk:
— "Why don't you ditch this loser? He's a hopeless case, but me... I can please you in ways he never could. How can a beauty like you walk with this runt? Come to me, and I'll show you what a real man is like."
Fern was infamous for his lust and mistreatment of women, often engaging in forbidden affairs with maids and noble girls alike. But Laila couldn't tolerate his words—she shoved him away with such force that he crashed into the wall.
Just as she turned to say to Arthur, "Let's go," she was shocked to see him lunging at Fern.
The moment was brutal—Fern slammed into the wall with terrifying force. Before he could open his eyes, Arthur was right in front of him, glaring down as he roared:
— "You dare insult my servant in front of me?!"
Arthur, burning with rage, could no longer control himself. He gathered all his mana in an instant and shouted:
— **"Annihilation Strike!"**
The attack was like a devastating wave, poised to crush Fern's skull entirely. But at the last second, Laila intervened—swiftly redirecting the blow away from Fern's face.
The strike instead hit the wall behind him.
**BOOM!**
The explosion was thunderous, reducing the wall to nothing but dust and rubble.
Laila stared at the destruction in shock, whispering to herself:
— "If I hadn't interfered... he would've really killed him."
Fern, trembling uncontrollably, looked at the devastation and burst into tears, whimpering:
— "You monster... you monster!"
Arthur stepped closer, his voice dripping with vengeance:
— "This time, Laila saved you. But next time... I'll make you beg for death. If you ever approach her again, I *will* kill you."
At that moment, Arthur felt a sharp pain in his arm, but he ignored it—his anger overshadowed everything.
Laila, noticing his injury, rushed over:
— "My lord, are you alright?"
But Arthur replied coldly, already walking away:
— "I'm fine. Let's go. I don't want to stay here with this trash."
By then, servants and guards had witnessed the terrifying power of Arthur's strike. Fear seeped into their hearts—none would dare underestimate him again.
---
### **Aftermath**
By the time Arthur reached his room, news of the incident had spread like wildfire.
Kevin, Victoria, and Asta arrived at the scene to find a massive crater in the wall, scattered debris, and blood staining the ground. Dust clouded the air, obscuring vision.
Victoria screamed in panic:
— "My son is in danger! Kevin, hurry!" She ordered a guard: "Go, check if it's him!"
Asta replied calmly:
— "Don't worry, I'll see what happened."
But when Asta entered, he was stunned to find Fern in a state of shock, muttering in terror:
— "Arthur... monster... He's a monster."
Kristina, Fern's mother, rushed in and embraced her son, demanding:
— "What happened to you? Tell me!"
But Fern, still traumatized, could only repeat:
— "Arthur... monster."
The crowd was stunned, but Kristina scoffed:
— "How could that trash do this?"
Victoria, overhearing, snapped:
— "Say that again, and I'll cut your head off."
Kristina smirked:
— "Try it."
Just as Victoria was about to attack, Kevin restrained her.
Victoria growled:
— "Let me go, Kevin! How dare she insult my son? I won't tolerate anyone disrespecting him!"
The pressure in the room was suffocating—even the guards struggled to breathe under Victoria's aura.
But Kevin placed a hand on her shoulder and said gently:
— "Easy, my lady. Arthur wasn't hurt. Let's go—there are other matters to attend to."
Kristina, now feeling threatened, realized Victoria had regained her former resolve—she was stronger than ever.
Asta, watching the scene, suddenly burst into hysterical laughter, leaving everyone bewildered. He thought to himself:
— *"It seems the balance has shifted. Arthur, don't disappoint me now."*
Then he walked away, leaving the others in stunned silence.
As the cleanup began, Victoria followed her son Fern to his room, while the dynamics within the palace shifted dramatically.
Laila, observing everything, thought:
— *"The scales have tipped."*
With Arthur's return—smarter, stronger—and Victoria's regained determination, everyone sensed that something monumental was coming.
The winds of change had begun to blow.