Chapter 477: The Price of Defiance

The Price of Defiance

Kite, meanwhile, remained frozen.

He barely even dared to breathe.

Victor had just casually promised to help Evelyne deal with a powerful Duke.

A Duke.

Someone whose name alone had been enough to make Kite lower his voice and watch every word he spoke.

Yet Victor had said it so easily.

There had been no hesitation.

No careful consideration.

No questions about the Duke’s influence or the forces standing behind him.

Victor hadn’t even seemed concerned about what would happen if the Duke learned of this.

He had simply made the promise.

As though the Duke wasn’t someone worth fearing.

Kite’s fingers slowly tightened at his sides.

A cold sensation crawled up his spine.

For so long, he had believed that Duke was untouchable.

Dangerous enough that even those with power had to think twice before provoking him.

Kite had spent countless nights worrying about what might happen if he accidentally attracted the man’s attention.

One wrong move.

One careless word.

That could have been enough to ruin everything.

But now...

Kite glanced at Victor.

For the first time, a completely different possibility entered his mind.

Maybe the Duke had made a terrible mistake.

Choosing the Elmhart Territory might have been the worst decision he could have made.

Because Victor was here.

And if Victor truly decided to involve himself, everything could change.

The thought made Kite’s stomach twist. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

He couldn’t even imagine what would happen if Victor actually stood against the Duke.

Would the Duke still be so confident?

Would his influence still be enough?

Or would the balance of power collapse the moment Victor decided to push back?

Kite didn’t know.

And somehow, not knowing frightened him even more.

Part of him wanted to speak.

He wanted to warn Victor.

He wanted to explain just how dangerous the Duke was.

But another part of him screamed at him to stay silent.

What if Victor already knew?

What if the warning only sounded like doubt?

What if he said the wrong thing and somehow dragged himself into the conflict?

Kite’s throat went dry.

He lowered his eyes.

No.

He wasn’t going to say anything.

Not now.

He had already seen enough today to understand one simple truth.

Victor wasn’t someone he could afford to underestimate.

And he certainly wasn’t someone Kite wanted to anger.

One wrong word could turn an already terrible situation into something far worse.

So Kite remained silent.

He simply stood there, trying to calm the uneasiness twisting inside his chest.

But no matter how hard he tried, one thought refused to leave his mind.

The Duke might have thought he was hunting the Elmhart Territory.

He might not have realized that, without knowing it, he had just stepped into Victor’s path.

...

After talking to Evelyne, Victor was finally able to give Simon his undivided attention.

The young Valier heir looked completely broken.

The brief relief he had felt when Evelyne arrived had vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.

His throat moved repeatedly, but no words came out.

He simply continued crying.

His body shook with every breath.

The emotional strain had become too much for him.

One moment he had believed his father would save him.

Then his father had been forced to surrender him.

Then Victor had turned away from him to speak with Evelyne.

And now Victor was looking at him again.

Simon knew what was coming.

He wanted to beg.

He wanted to run.

He wanted someone to save him.

But fear had completely overwhelmed him.

Diana had already taken care of the surrounding crowd.

With the power of her mana, she had blocked the view of everyone who had nothing to do with the incident.

The curious spectators who had gathered earlier could no longer see what was happening within the area.

Only the members of the Elmhart and Valier families remained as witnesses.

The atmosphere became unbearably quiet.

Even the wind seemed to fade.

Victor slowly approached Simon.

Every step sounded clear against the stone street.

Simon recoiled instinctively.

"No..."

His voice was barely audible.

He tried to move backward, but his body refused to cooperate properly.

Victor stopped before him.

Simon looked up with tear-filled eyes.

"Please..."

Victor did not answer.

Simon continued begging, his voice breaking apart as panic consumed him.

But Victor had already made his decision.

The punishment began.

Simon screamed as Victor carried out the sentence he had promised.

The Valier soldiers turned their faces away.

Several of them clenched their eyes shut, unwilling to witness what was happening to their young master.

The Elmhart soldiers did the same.

They had come expecting a confrontation.

They had never imagined they would be forced to stand helplessly by while the heir of the Valier family suffered the consequences of his own actions.

Kite’s jaw tightened.

He did not look away.

As painful as it was, he forced himself to witness what his actions had led to.

He had chosen to protect Simon.

He had chosen to interfere.

And now he could do nothing.

Cedric also watched.

His hands slowly curled into fists.

His only son was suffering before him, yet Cedric remained powerless.

The sight filled him with anger.

But the anger was not directed at Victor.

It was directed at himself.

He had been the Earl.

The patriarch of the Valier family.

He had commanded powerful warriors and mages.

He had ruled over countless people.

Yet when his son needed him most, he could do nothing.

That realization cut deeper than any wound.

Diana remained nearby, silent and expressionless.

She had no sympathy for Simon.

To her, this was simply the consequence of provoking Victor.

Evelyne also watched from a short distance away.

Her expression was complicated.

She understood why Victor had chosen this punishment.

She also understood why he had been so furious.

Still, seeing the consequences with her own eyes was different from merely hearing about them.

She did not intervene.

She had already given Victor her answer.

Kite had made his choice.

Simon had made his choice.

Now Victor was carrying out the punishment he had promised.

The final stage approached.

Even in his weakened condition, Simon struggled desperately, using what little strength remained in him to resist Victor.

The soldiers of both families lowered their heads.

None of them wanted to watch what was about to happen.

Only three people continued looking.

Cedric.

Diana.

And Evelyne.

Victor first restored Simon’s body enough to prevent him from dying from his injuries.

He had no intention of allowing the punishment to end simply because Simon’s body could no longer endure it.

Then Victor carried out the final part of the sentence swiftly.

Unlike the earlier portions, he did not linger.

He had no desire to prolong that particular action.

Once it was finished, Victor stepped back.

The street remained silent.

No one dared speak.

The people who had once looked upon Simon as the arrogant young master of the Valier family now saw only the consequences of his arrogance.

Victor’s expression remained cold as he stood over him.

The punishment was complete.