*****A few hours ago, within the opulent halls of the Blackwood estate…In the same grand dining room where tension had once filled the air during Xavier’s previous visit, the family sat together once more.This time, however, there were no guests, no servants, and no distractions—just five individuals sharing a meal beneath the silent scrutiny of golden chandeliers.The clinking of cutlery against fine porcelain echoed through the expansive chamber like whispers in a tomb.Seated around the long, dark oak table was the old patriarch of the Blackwood family, his three sons—Roland, Darius, and Aldric, and the ever-prideful granddaughter—Cassandra Blackwood. The mood was suffocatingly quiet at this moment. Not even Cassandra, who was usually the first to break the silence with idle gossip or a dry remark to her grandfather, had uttered a word.Then, finally…“Have you heard from him recently?”The voice sliced through the silence like a blade. It belonged to the old patriarch

***** “Could there still be something about that boy we never knew apart from his insane knowledge and medical ability?” Aldric asked, trying to fit the fragments together. “Was Xavier… hiding something from the beginning?”Each question only deepened the pit in their stomachs. The impossible was becoming undeniable.Darius offered no comfort. Instead, he looked up and said simply, “They didn’t make this decision on impulse. Whatever they learned about Xavier… or his wife must have been enough to outweigh the risk of offending the rest of us.”The weight of those words settled like lead across the table.The old patriarch gritted his teeth. “Enough of this uncertainty. First thing tomorrow morning, I’m going to the Harrison estate myself. I want answers.”“Yes,” Aldric said quickly. “We need to get ahead of this.”“I’ll accompany you,” Roland added.Just as they prepared to move on from the topic, a suffocating force descended upon the estate.It came without warning.A cru

*****‘Xavier… you were strong,’ Mordek thought, his lips trembling. ‘But this… this is something else entirely. This man is a natural disaster given form.’Still staring at the shattered remains of once-living men, Mordek found himself oddly relieved.‘Hehehe… brothers… you’ll get your revenge soon,’ he thought, a cruel smile curling at the edge of his lips.Back to Cassandra.Still standing, her legs trembling like brittle twigs in a storm, she was utterly saturated with despair and remorse at this moment.Her father had warned her countless times… pleaded with her, even though she was no detective. That her fantasies about conspiracies and hidden truths were nothing more than misguided delusions. He’d told her to abandon her delusions and pursue something grounded. Something real.But she had always assumed he simply didn’t believe in her. She believed he wanted her to abandon her passion, to crush her so-called destiny. She had thought exposing schemes and uncovering hidden

*****At the same time, inside a dimly lit, hushed, and shadowy room, cloaked in gloom…At this moment, an oppressive silence blanketed the room, broken only by the soft, wavering crackle of candlelight that threw long, twitching shadows against the stone walls.The flickering flame danced with restless energy, painting the air with unease.Mistress Ayra, the once calm, alluring bartender who had served Xavier with such grace and warmth some days ago, stood at the heart of the shadows. But tonight, the composed façade that had defined her presence was completely unraveled.Now, gone was the serene mask of poise and calculated detachment. In its place surged an intense, visible nervousness.She paced restlessly across the creaking wooden floor, her footsteps light but erratic. Every few seconds, her hands clenched into trembling fists before relaxing again. Her pulse thundered in her ears, each beat thudding like a war drum against her ribcage.Her usually sharp eyes flicked tow

*****“I didn’t realize I was this important. An A-rank assassin hired to take me out? What an honor.”Xavier’s words, though clearly sarcastic, rang with a strange dignity.Bloodfang Viper, for a moment, seemed caught off guard but chose not to correct Xavier. After all, the job had originally been beneath his status—he had only taken it on out of convenience.As for the others, Xavier’s words struck a different chord.To them, they sounded… pitiful.Even Cassandra and Malcolm, who had originally viewed Xavier with suspicion and disdain, found themselves pitying him. Their perspectives had shifted, unknowingly and irreversibly.Little Lola’s eyes turned red with tears.“Un… Uncle, did that bad man really want to kill you?” she asked, her voice trembling.Xavier’s heart softened. He forced a gentle smile and reached out, ruffling her hair.“He wanted to,” he said lightly. “But he can’t.”His confident tone might’ve reassured the little girl, but to the others, it sounded li