Revenge Of The Reborn Northern Duke

2.

“Young Master, come now, don’t stand there like such a fool. Everyone here has seen for themselves just how embarrassing you are.”

A hoarse voice came from Hans, the Cordova family’s head butler. His demeanour was so haughty; his arrogant and patronising tone made it seem as though he were the young master himself.

Behind him, dozens of high-society guests were once again whispering amongst themselves, laughing at the family heir who was notorious for his pitiful ‘stupidity’.

“Tsk. Just look at yourself, Young Master. Your fiancée has just humiliated you in front of hundreds of guests, and you’re just standing there like a statue. If I were you, I’d have left ages ago and wouldn’t be showing my face here again!”

Theodore turned slowly, gazing coldly at the figure beside him.

In his previous life, it was this servant who, every night, brought drinks to Theodore’s room—drinks that Lily had secretly laced with a slow-acting poison for a whole year.

Hans had betrayed him for an unknown sum of money he’d received from Lily and Gerald.

Theodore’s expression darkened and his brow furrowed deeply.

Seeing this change, the entire crowd grew even more excited, assuming Theodore would simply swallow this insult as usual, just as he had done for the past three years.

“Hans is absolutely right! Even his own servant dares to speak like that in public!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, this man really has no authority whatsoever—it’s pitiful!”

Ignoring the nobles’ jeers, Theodore took a single step forward, glaring sharply at Hans, who was still standing there with his haughty demeanour.

Hans, oblivious to Theodore’s change in demeanour, merely snorted derisively and replied with a condescending glare.

“I’ve already told you, accept the reality, Young Master! Miss Lily has unilaterally called off this marriage. She has chosen Mr Gerald! You are only embarrassing yourself and the entire family. No wonder the Lord and Lady deigned not to attend today!”

“How dare you, a mere servant, speak so insolently to your own master in public,” hissed Theodore, his voice cold and piercing.

Far from being intimidated, Hans merely snorted cynically. Accustomed to treating Theodore however he pleased for years, he regarded the threat as nothing more than the outburst of a loser whose bride had left him.

“I’m speaking like this for your own good, Young Master!” Hans retorted in a patronising tone, not even hesitating to look Theodore up and down.

“The Cordova family has suffered enough humiliation today. If I hadn’t reminded you, how long would you have carried on behaving so foolishly? You should be grateful that there’s still someone who cares, rather than—”

SMACK!

A hard slap landed squarely on Hans’s cheek before he could finish his sentence. The sound of the slap echoed throughout the hall, which had fallen deathly silent, causing all the guests—who had previously been busy whispering—to hold their breath in unison.

“Y-Young Master… how dare you hit me?!” Hans screamed, his eyes wide with disbelief. He hadn’t expected that the man who usually could only stand hunched over, speaking in a stammer, would now stand tall!

His shock quickly turned into fury. "Young Lord, do you have any idea what the consequences are for hitting me? I'm going to report this to Princess Lily!"

Theodore nearly laughed at the sheer absurdity. How had he been so blind in his past life that he never noticed how utterly ridiculous his servants were?

"Then do you know the consequences of spouting such brazen insolence at me in public?" Theodore said with a cold sneer.

It took Hans a moment to process what he had just heard. "What?"

Theodore scoffed once more. "Kyle," he said, his voice dropping low and cold.

From the centre of the crowd, a burly man clad in the uniform of a captain of the Cordova family’s bodyguards stepped forward.

His aura was so commanding and intimidating that the nobles around him instinctively stepped aside, clearing a path without daring to utter a sound.

By this point, only Kael and a handful of loyal guards remained at what was supposed to be a grand celebration for the Cordova family. Theodore’s parents and his three older sisters had chosen not to attend at all, too ashamed to bear the disgrace caused by the weakness of their youngest son, who had long been willing to beg for love.

Kyle cast Theodore a puzzled glance.

"Take this servant's head at once," Theodore said simply.

Kael stood frozen for a few seconds. What?! Order him to execute Hans, a man with such close ties to Lily? Could this truly be the young lord he had served all along?

“Did you not hear my command?” Theodore repeated, his tone now sharper and full of emotion.

The sheer authority and resolve in Theodore’s voice snapped Kyle back to his senses. A fierce grin broke across his face, as though he had just received a long-awaited gift.

In truth, he had been waiting an eternity for his young lord to become this ruthless and decisive!

“As you command, Young Master!” Kael exclaimed enthusiastically, immediately drawing his sword and striding swiftly towards Hans.

It was only then that Hans realised just how serious the situation he was facing really was.

“Y-Young Master, have mercy! I beg your forgiveness! I was only joking just now, I swear! I didn’t mean to—”

Hans, now trembling violently with tears and cold sweat streaming down his face, prostrated himself and begged for mercy in desperation. But...

Sing!

With a single swing of the sword, Hans’s head rolled onto the marble floor of the altar, followed by his body, which collapsed as blood gushed forth, soaking the once-magnificent red carpet.

A momentary silence enveloped the entire hall. Then, as the reality of what had happened finally sank in, screams erupted.

Some of the female guests even fainted on the spot, whilst others hurriedly covered their mouths, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

“Wasn’t he the one who was just standing there silently like a fool? How could he have changed like this in the blink of an eye?”

“Good heavens, I hope he didn’t hear what I said earlier. My head might end up rolling across this floor too!”

Those fearful whispers spread rapidly from one guest to another, completely silencing the remnants of the jeering that had previously filled the room. A sense of dread slowly gripped the entire cathedral. Some were even trying to flee the scene amid the chaos!

"Silence!"

Theodore’s voice wasn't loud, yet it carried an uncanny magic that instantly hushed the entire room.

They stared at Theodore, bewildered and not daring to move a muscle, yet not a single person dared to avert their gaze.

“Since my fiancée has just publicly declared her refusal, and conspired with another man in front of you all,” said Theodore, his voice echoing throughout the hall, which was now eerily silent, “this wedding is called off.”

"I apologize for the bloodshed that has just occurred, but this does not concern any of you. It is strictly a matter between Lily and myself. As the heir to the North, you have my word that your safety is guaranteed.

Now that the wedding has been called off, anyone who wishes to leave is free to take your leave!"

They didn’t need to be told twice; the guests immediately scattered towards the exits. Theodore’s sudden transformation was a chilling reminder of the dreaded Northern Legion—so much so that despite his guarantee of their safety, not a single soul wished to linger.

In mere moments, the guests had all dispersed. A heavy silence fell over the great hall.

Theodore's eyes turning back to Kael, who was still standing there with a blood-stained sword in his hand.

“Have your men lock all the gates to this mansion and do not let a single person leave without my permission!” ordered Theodore.

“Yes, Young Master!”

“And you, come with me to the east wing,” Theodore continued, addressing Kael as he stepped forward, leaving the altar, now drenched in blood.

“It is time I settled matters with my fiancée and her secret lover.”