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Chapter 50
The Line That Was Crossed
The door slammed open with a thunderous BANG that shook the wooden frame like a clap of sudden thunder in a quiet storm.
For a brief moment, everything inside the room froze, as if time itself had held its breath.
The heavy curtains fluttered from the rush of air, and faint candlelight flickered across the walls, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to whisper warnings.
And then—
Alex saw the scene.
His mind went completely blank for one terrible heartbeat.
The sight before him was so wrong, so full of shadow and cruelty, that his thoughts simply stopped, like a river hitting an unseen dam.
On the soft bed lay a small girl—no more than eleven years old.
Her face was pale and wet with tears that sparkled like tiny crystals in the dim light. She trembled from head to toe, her small body curled in fear, arms pinned helplessly beneath the heavy weight of a man who should never have been near her.
The man was at least twenty-two years old, fat and sweating, his face twisted with selfish hunger. His breath came heavy and loud, filled with the sour smell of too much wine.
His greasy hands gripped her shoulders tight, as if the world owed him this terrible moment.
The girl's eyes were wide with terror, broken and lost, like a little fawn caught in a hunter's trap. She shook without making a sound, her tiny hands clutching at nothing, pleading silently for someone—anyone—to make the nightmare stop.
For a moment, the entire world seemed to fall silent.
The distant chirp of birds outside the window faded.
The gentle creak of the old manor floors vanished.
Even the candles stopped their flickering dance.
Alex's heartbeat echoed loudly inside his ears.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Then something deep inside him snapped, like a dragon's roar waking from a long sleep.
The holy light of the Apostle surged through his veins, warm and fierce, mixing with the ancient dragon blood that now burned hotter than any fire.
His hand moved slowly toward the sword at his waist, fingers wrapping around the hilt with calm, unshakable purpose.
"You crossed the line… bastard," he said, his voice quiet.
But it carried a coldness that could freeze a winter river and a strength that promised justice.
The man on the bed finally noticed the intruder.
He turned his head lazily, eyes bleary and annoyed, as if someone had interrupted a simple game. Then he saw Alex standing tall in the doorway, the faint golden glow already beginning to shimmer around the young prince like a halo of morning sun.
Instead of fear, the man burst out laughing.
A loud, arrogant sound that filled the room and made the candles tremble.
"So you know who I am?" the fat man sneered as he climbed off the bed slowly, wiping sweat from his thick neck with the back of his hand.
He stood there, chest puffed out like a boastful toad.
"I am the Viscount's son. Lord Edric Valeris, heir to this house and everything in it."
His eyes looked Alex up and down with mocking pity.
"And you… you're just some puny brat who wandered in where he doesn't belong."
He stepped forward arrogantly, boots thudding heavy on the wooden floor.
"What are you going to do, little hero? Cry to your nanny?"
He laughed again, louder this time, the sound ugly and cruel.
"You want to kill me? Go ahead then. Kill me if you dare—"
The sentence never finished.
Because Alex's sword had already moved.
A silver flash cut through the air like a falling star guided by the Goddess herself—swift, clean, and full of righteous light.
SHHHK.
The blade passed through flesh as easily as a warm knife through fresh bread.
For a moment, nothing happened. The man's smirk still hung on his face.
Then his eyes widened in shock.
His head slowly slid off his shoulders, tumbling through the air before landing with a soft thud on the woven rug. The body collapsed seconds later, falling like a sack of grain with no more life left to hold it up.
A thin trail of red spread across the carpet, but the holy light around Alex kept the air clean and warm, as if shielding the room from further darkness.
Alex didn't even look at it.
His eyes were already on the small girl.
He slowly walked toward the bed, steps soft and careful, like approaching a frightened bird in a garden. The girl immediately flinched, pulling her knees up and trying to cover herself with trembling arms. Her large eyes filled with fresh fear, expecting more pain.
Alex stopped a few steps away, giving her space.
Then he reached for a nearby clean bedsheet that lay folded on a chair, its fabric soft as cloud wool and embroidered with gentle blue flowers. Without saying anything that might scare her, he gently placed it over her shoulders.
"Here," he said, voice calm now, soft and warm like a lullaby sung by starlight.
"Cover yourself, little one. You're safe."
The girl grabbed the sheet with shaking hands and wrapped it tightly around her small body, pulling it close like a protective cloak from a kind fairy tale. Her breathing was still uneven, coming in short gasps, and her entire frame trembled like a leaf in the wind.
But the worst of the fear began to ease as she looked at his gentle face.
Alex knelt down slowly on one knee so he would not tower over her, his movements slow and kind, like a knight bowing before a princess in an old legend.
"Don't worry," he said gently, his eyes full of quiet promise.
"I'm not going to hurt you. No one will ever hurt you again while I'm here."
Golden light slowly appeared around his hand, bright and beautiful, like the first rays of sunrise breaking over peaceful hills. It filled the room with a warm glow, chasing away every shadow and filling the air with the sweet scent of fresh spring flowers and gentle hope.
"Divine Magic," he whispered, the words carrying the power of the Apostle.
The holy energy flowed toward the girl like a loving embrace from the Goddess herself. Cuts on her arms slowly closed, fading away as if they had never been. Dark bruises melted like snow under summer sun. The trembling in her body eased, replaced by a soft, peaceful warmth that wrapped around her heart.
The girl stared at him in pure shock.
Her large eyes, now clear and bright, filled with disbelief and something like wonder.
"…Y-you…"
Her voice trembled, small and fragile but full of life.
"Y-you saved me…"
DING!
The girl Luna is shocked
+2000 SC
Alex blinked, a tiny smile tugging at his lips despite everything.
What?
His eyes widened slightly in quiet surprise.
Two thousand coins?
I have never earned this much from a single person before…
The system's gentle chime felt like a small reward from the light itself, a quiet thank-you for doing what was right.
But before he could think further—
Footsteps thundered down the hallway outside, heavy and urgent, like an angry storm rolling closer.
Someone burst into the room with a shout that cracked like breaking glass.
"EDRIC!"
A middle-aged noble rushed inside, his fine silk robes swirling around him. It was the Viscount, face flushed and eyes wild. His gaze immediately fell on the headless body lying still on the floor, the blood already soaking into the rich carpet.
For a second, the man froze, his mouth open in silent horror.
Then his face twisted into something monstrous and dark, like a shadow creature waking from a long sleep.
"MY SON!" he roared, voice raw with rage.
Without hesitation he drew his sword, the steel ringing loud and angry.
He charged forward like a wild bull, eyes burning with blind fury.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
But before his blade could reach even an inch closer to Alex—
A strong figure stepped in front of the prince like a loyal shield.
CLANG.
Max blocked the sword easily, his own blade steady and sure. Sparks flew in a brief, bright shower, but Max did not budge.
His expression turned cold and commanding, like a knight from the old tales who had sworn to protect the innocent.
"Viscount," Max said, his voice carrying dangerous authority that filled the room.
"Do you want to commit treason against the crown?"
The Viscount froze mid-swing, sword trembling in his grip.
Max's eyes narrowed, steady and fierce.
"Do you even know who you are attacking?"
He stepped forward slightly, armor gleaming in the golden light that still lingered.
"This is His Highness Alex von Voldigord. The Second Prince of the Ether Empire."
The Viscount's face changed instantly.
Shock washed over him first, then cold fear, and finally a deep, burning hatred that twisted his features. His lips trembled as he lowered his sword just a little.
But before he could speak—
The butler rushed into the room behind him, breathless and wide-eyed.
"My lord!"
The old servant bowed quickly, explaining everything he had seen in the courtyard: the crying girl, the terrible attack, the prince arriving like a hero from the stars, and the justice that had followed.
The Viscount listened in silence.
His hands shook at his sides.
His eyes slowly turned red with rage he could barely hold back. But he knew something very important in his heart: he could not touch the prince.
Not without destroying his entire family, his title, and everything he had built.
The empire's laws were clear, and the crown's reach was long.
Finally he spoke through clenched teeth, his voice cold as winter frost.
"Your Highness…"
He forced the words out like poison.
"I will report this matter directly to the Emperor himself. You may leave now."
His eyes burned with hatred, but he stepped back.
"My family does not welcome you here anymore."
Then his gaze turned sharply toward the girl still wrapped in the bedsheet and toward the doorway where young Leon stood trembling, eyes wide with fear and hope.
"But that wretched girl…" the Viscount snarled, grip tightening on his sword until his knuckles turned white.
"And that useless boy Leon…"
Before anyone could react—
The Viscount raised his blade high, steel flashing in the golden light.
And swung it toward the girl.