Kayden spoke with unwavering determination, his words so resolute that no one dared to question him.
This was the chance Kayden had given to the Alfredson family-a rare opportunity they owed entirely to Zack Alfredson’s previous acts of goodwill. Otherwise, the family would already have been annihilated. Kayden had no interest in wasting words; he would have acted without hesitation if not for Zack’s merits.
The guests, seated below the stage, were skeptical, but Zack himself couldn’t afford to doubt. He had witnessed Kayden kill Cyrus Nightbane with his own hands-Cyrus, who hadn’t even had the chance to fight back before his life was snuffed out.
Zack couldn’t gauge Kayden’s full strength, but he knew one thing: if Kayden truly wanted to obliterate the Alfredson family, it would take more than just words. If Kayden acted, no one in the Alfredson family could stop him.
Though Zack had lost his once supreme position, his power remained unmatched.
Sophie stared at Kayden, overwhelmed by both shock and gratitude.
It was the same familiar feeling, the same sense of security.
This man always shielded her, standing tall and unyielding in front of her, ready to block all disasters. No matter if it was a raging army or a horde of wild beasts, he would always protect her.
You might not believe in yourself, but you must believe in Kayden.
“Kayden, thank you,” Sophie murmured faintly behind him.
As her voice fell, her face grew pale, and she collapsed.
Kayden caught her precisely and turned to Zack Alfredson. “That’s enough. Thank you, Mr. Alfredson.”
With those words, he carried Sophie and left the Alfredson estate.
He walked out of their grand gates, holding their bride in his arms. Behind him trailed another beauty. The scene was so striking that no one could find words to describe it-only envy.
The Alfredson family, at this moment, could only be described as defeated and humiliated.
The guests looked at Zack Alfredson with doubt in their eyes. This was not the same man they once knew. Zack had become weak, pitifully so.
Many shook their heads, expressing nothing but disappointment in the Alfredson family.
After Kayden left, Zack addressed the remaining guests. “Ladies and gentlemen, I deeply apologize for today. I’ve let you all witness our shame.”
“I know you’re questioning my actions,” he continued. “But I ask you to trust my judgment. If Mr. Scott had acted, not only my family but everyone present here would have been caught in a massacre.”
His words were met with scoffs and disbelief.
The Alfredson family had indeed fallen. Gone were the days of their former glory.
In the past, the Alfredson family would never have let this insult slide. Zack Alfredson was a man known for his benevolence, but he was also a figure who once ruled the Western Frontier. Killing had been second nature to him. Yet today, the world saw nothing but a defeated Alfredson family.
With doubt heavy in their hearts, the guests left one by one.
After everyone had gone, Derek, Zack’s son, couldn’t hold back anymore. “Father, what were you doing just now!? He just humiliated us in our own home, and you let him go! Now we’re a laughingstock!”
Zack let out a cold snort, fixing Derek with a sharp gaze. “Do you think his words were just empty boasts? If he truly acted, the Alfredson family wouldn’t even exist anymore.”
“Father,” Derek argued, his expression incredulous, “he’s just a fallen commander. How can you believe such childish threats?”
Zack’s eyes narrowed as he spoke each word with weight. “He killed Cyrus Nightbane at the Rocco estate. With one move. Alone.”
Derek’s face paled instantly.
“One move. By himself. He killed Cyrus Nightbane,” Zack repeated.
Cyrus Nightbane was at least a Grand-level warrior, yet he was killed in a single strike. What kind of power could accomplish that? It had to be at least Master-level strength, if not higher.
Seeing the stunned expressions around him, Zack sighed. “Don’t underestimate him. Do you think he conquered battlefields by relying on regional power?”
He chuckled bitterly. “If he wasn’t strong enough, do you think he could command an army of a million? Do you think he could hang a single broken blade on the city gates and hold off countless enemies for three years? He didn’t retreat because he was weak; they retreated because they feared him.”
“This world,” Zack concluded, “has no one qualified to look down on him. And no one dares to disrespect him.”
—
After leaving the Alfredson estate, Kayden carried Sophie to a hotel.
Inside, Wood Faulkner turned to leave the room. Kayden stopped him. “What’s wrong?”
“Mr. Scott,” Wood replied, looking uneasy, “I’ll step out for a while so you two can talk. Call me if you need anything afterward.”
Kayden shook his head. “There’s nothing to talk about. Stay here.”
Wood obeyed and remained in the room.
An hour later, Sophie woke up. Her recent malnutrition had caused her to faint.
“Kayden!” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she saw him. It was a sight she never dared to dream of.
Kayden gave her a gentle smile. “It’s okay now. Everything is over. But what happened? Why are you so weak? You haven’t eaten in days, have you?”
Sophie’s eyes welled up with tears, her face full of grievance. She wasn’t one to cry easily, but the recent hardships had drained her. Seeing Kayden again broke the dam inside her.
“It’s okay,” Kayden reassured her. “I’m here. Nothing will happen to you.”
Sophie nodded, her voice trembling. “You should eat something first.”
Instead, Kayden went to the kitchen and cooked her a bowl of noodles.
Sophie ate quickly, finishing the bowl in no time. Perhaps it was her improved mood, or perhaps she was simply starving after three days without food.
Afterward, she looked at Kayden with gratitude. “These noodles are so delicious. Where did you buy them?”
Wood Faulkner, standing nearby, interjected with a smile. “Mr. Scott made them himself! You’re lucky to get a taste of his cooking.”
Sophie looked up at Kayden in shock. “You can cook?”
Kayden smiled but said nothing.
Wood Faulkner, however, chimed in. “Of course! Mr. Scott’s noodles are amazing, right?”
At that moment, Wood seemed almost childlike, her demeanor catching Sophie off guard. Still, Sophie nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! They’re incredible.”
Then, hesitating slightly, Sophie asked, “Are you two… together now?”
Her voice was cautious, her eyes fixed on Kayden.
She didn’t know that Wood Faulkner was Kayden’s subordinate. All she knew was that Wood was a widow, known as the cold beauty of Inassea.
She had always suspected there was something between the two. Now, it seemed her suspicions were correct.