Chapter 179: Chapter 179 : Honour

Serena’s expression, which had been calm and elegant all this time, finally cracked.

Tears slipped down her cheek as her voice trembled.

“I’m sorry… I did everything I could. I’m very sorry.”

Her words struck heavier than any blow.

Alicia’s eyes widened, her throat tightening. Though she had never met Lily, she knew one thing—Lily was Alex’s only family.

Losing her would shatter him. Tears welled in her own eyes, her chest aching with sympathy.

The playful, teasing air of moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by a suffocating tension.

Alex bit down on his lip so hard it nearly bled, his fists clenching tight until his knuckles turned white.

His whole body trembled as he tried not to let the panic consume him.

Inside his mind, the system’s voice rang out firmly.

[Don’t worry, host. We can still make it in time.]

Alex sucked in a deep breath, forcing the storm in his chest to quiet down, at least for now.

His voice came out sharp, commanding.

“Take me to her. Now.”

Serena, wiping the tear from her cheek, gave a determined nod.

“Alright.”

At once, Serena, Alicia, and Alex all pushed their chairs back and stood. But just as they were about to hurry out—

“Wait.” Reynard’s deep voice stopped them in their tracks.

Turning, they saw his eyes glint with resolve.

“Going by car will take too long.” His gaze shifted to Serena. “Where is she?”

Serena inhaled deeply, then answered.

“The Shadow Legion Guild. They have the best medical facilities available… and it was the safest place I could take her.”

Reynard nodded once.

“Good choice.”

He raised his hand and flicked his finger. In an instant, glowing magic circles bloomed beneath all of them, spinning with intricate runes of light. A surge of mana flooded the air, crackling like thunder.

Alicia barely had time to gasp before a blinding radiance engulfed them.

Their bodies dissolved into motes of shimmering light and in the next heartbeat, all four materialized before the massive gates of the Shadow Legion Guild.

The guild stood tall and imposing, a fortress-like structure of black stone veined with glowing blue lines of mana that pulsed like arteries.

Spiked battlements lined the edges, banners bearing the crest of a shadowed lion fluttering in the wind.

It was a mid-tier guild ranked twentieth among guilds.

The outer walls gleamed with enchantments layered over it, humming faintly with protective wards.

As the gates swung open, the contrast was staggering. The interior looked less like a fortress and more like an advanced research facility.

Bright mana-crystals illuminated sterile white corridors. Crystalline panels displayed readings of magical energy, and enchanted constructs glided smoothly along the floors, carrying equipment.

Alex barely spared the wonders a glance. His mind was consumed by one thought—Lily.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. A figure approached swiftly, her presence striking before she even spoke.

It was Selena Vega.

Her outfit was sleek and practical, designed for combat yet undeniably alluring—a dark leather bodice reinforced with silver lining, paired with long boots and gloves.

The fabric hugged her figure, emphasizing her sharp, confident aura, but it wasn’t overly revealing.

A long crimson cloak swayed behind her, adding to the commanding sight.

Her eyes locked onto Alex as relief washed over her expression.

“Good—you’re here. Follow me.”

Normally, Alex would’ve cracked a joke about her outfit, maybe even questioned what she was doing here.

But right now, his chest was too heavy, his thoughts spinning.

They moved quickly through the pristine hallways, boots clicking against polished marble floors.

The silence was suffocating, broken only by their hurried steps.

Finally, Serena spoke, her voice filled with unease.

“Selena… what happened? Her condition wasn’t supposed to be this bad. The doctors said she had more time.”

Selena’s face darkened as she glanced back.

“It’s complicated. The corruption has reached her heart and her mana core.

If even one of them was untouched, she might’ve had more time… but with both compromised, the situation has spiraled out of control.”

Alex’s teeth ground together as his hands clenched. His nails dug into his palms so hard that blood began to seep out.

Alicia, walking close to him, saw it. Her heart twisted at the sight. Without thinking, she reached out and gently held his hand, her voice trembling.

“Don’t worry… everything will be alright. Don’t lose hope, Alex.”

But that was the last straw. Alex’s emotions, which he had been fighting to suppress, finally snapped.

He whirled on her, his voice raw and desperate.

“Then what do you want me to do, huh?! She’s dying! She’s the only family I have left—and you’re telling me not to worry?!

What would you have done if it was your brother instead of my sister? Would you have not worried too?!”

Alicia’s lips trembled as tears welled in her eyes.

“I-I was just tryi—”

“Don’t.” Alex’s voice cut sharp, like a blade. His eyes burned with anguish.

“I don’t like people giving me false hope. So keep it to yourself.”

The hallway went silent. The only sound was Alex’s ragged breathing as his words echoed.

Alicia bit her lip, tears sliding down her cheeks as she turned her head away.

Serena’s brows furrowed, glancing between the two with concern.

Selena’s expression softened just slightly, though her pace never slowed.

And Alex… Alex stared forward, chest burning, guilt already creeping at the edges of his anger, but too drowned in fear for Lily to say anything more.

Tears streaked down Alicia’s cheeks as she stood frozen, her heart aching from Alex’s words.

She wanted to speak, but the lump in her throat made it impossible.

Suddenly, Reynard stepped forward, his towering figure blocking Alex’s path. His eyes burned with fury.

“How dare you say all that when she was just trying to help you? Don’t you have a shred of decency? Looks like I was right about you after all.

You’re not the right one. Deep down, you’ll always remain a shameless commoner without a shred of noble hono—”

“Stop it, Rey! He’s not thinking rationally right now!” Serena’s voice cut through like a whip, sharp and commanding.

But Reynard whipped his head toward her, unyielding.

“So what if he’s not thinking rationally? Does that give him the right to insult his benefactors? After all we’ve done for him?”

Alex froze mid-step, then turned back slowly. His lips curved into a sharp grin as a hollow laugh spilled from his throat.

It echoed down the pristine hallways, laced with venom.

“Benefactor?” Alex’s gaze locked onto Reynard’s. “Is that how you see yourself, old man?”

His voice hardened like steel.

“Make no mistake—you’re no benefactor of mine. In fact, if it wasn’t for me, your son would’ve been lying dead six feet under.

And you couldn’t have done a damn thing about it.”

His eyes narrowed, cold and unyielding.

“So don’t delude yourself. It was one favor for another. Nothing more.”

The words were like sparks against oil.

Reynard’s aura erupted. An overwhelming pressure burst forth, slamming into the walls and shattering nearby crystals.

The air grew heavy, suffocating, as if the very world was bearing down on Alex.

The corridor trembled under the sheer force of it, dust raining from the ceiling.

Alex’s knees buckled. His breath caught in his throat, chest tightening. ’It’s like carrying mountains on my back…’

“Rey, stop!” Serena’s desperate cry rang out.

“Father, enough!” Alicia’s voice cracked as she reached for Alex.

Even Selena, normally so composed, moved toward him in alarm.

“Reynard, you’ll kill him!”

But Reynard’s fury only burned hotter, his aura pressing harder.

Just as Alex’s knees were about to strike the cold floor—

A blinding light seared to life on the back of his right hand.

The tree-shaped constellation etched there flared brilliantly, glowing like a miniature sun.

The crushing weight vanished instantly, erased as though it had never existed.

Alex rose to his full height, shoulders squared, his gaze sharp as a blade.

His eyes locked onto Reynard’s without flinching.

He continued.

“And keep your bullshit noble talks to yourself.”

His voice thundered through the hallway.

“They’re the most disgusting things I’ve heard since I was ten years old, when my sister was six, and we had to live in sewers and back alleys just to survive.

Death lurked around every corner. We starved until we had to eat scraps people threw away like trash.”

His fists shook, not with fear, but with fury.

“Where were the nobles then? Where were your so-called honor and responsibility? I saw no one helping the poor.

All I saw were nobles visiting whorehouses and spitting on us, laughing at how filthy we looked.”

His words struck like daggers.

“They were the real filth,” Alex spat, his voice raw. “And it was their responsibility to stop it from happening. But they didn’t care.

Do you know how I kept my sanity in that hell? It was my sister. If not for her, I’d be dead already.”

“So don’t talk to me about noble honor. It means shit to me.

Save that boring speech for your soldiers when you need to manipulate them into dying for you. Maybe then it’ll serve a purpose.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Reynard’s face had turned blood-red, veins bulging across his temple.

His fists trembled as if he might strike Alex down at any moment.

He was barely holding himself back, his pride and rage warring with Serena’s earlier command.

Meanwhile, Serena, Alicia, and even Selena stood frozen. None of them had words.

The sheer fire in Alex’s defiance, and the impossible fact that he was completely unaffected by Reynard’s pressure, left them shaken.

Reynard’s breath came out heavy, every inhale like a growl. He wanted to crush this insolent boy—yet he couldn’t.

Alex’s mouth opened, ready to hurl another truth that would cut even deeper—

But then, the familiar voice whispered inside his mind.

[Host, that’s enough. We have more important things to do, and you know that, right.]

Alex clicked his tongue, frustration heavy in the sound. ’Tch… damn it. I can’t waste my time.’

He drew in a long breath, turned sharply to Selena, and said,

“Miss… please lead the way.”

Selena, who had been silently watching the storm between him and Reynard, finally exhaled and gave a small nod. “Follow me.”

Her voice was calm, but her steps were brisk. Without a second glance, she turned and began walking down the corridor.

Serena’s lips parted as if to speak, but no words came.

Alicia clenched her fists tightly at her sides, wanting to follow, yet something in her heart held her back.

Reynard remained where he stood, his face locked in silent rage.

This time… neither Serena nor Alicia followed.

The metallic hiss of sliding doors echoed as Selena pushed open a separate chamber.

Inside, the air was sterile, humming faintly with the sound of mana-powered machines. Rows of glowing monitors lined the walls, holographic panels floating with streams of shifting numbers.

At the center were two high-tech medical beds, each etched with runic patterns that pulsed in a steady rhythm of light.

And on one of them was…

Lily.

The sight struck Alex like a blade to the chest. His breath caught.

His legs moved before his mind could catch up, breaking into a run. He stumbled once in his haste, but he didn’t care.

“Lily!”

Her small frame looked fragile, almost weightless against the cold metallic surface of the bed.

Mana tubes and crystalline conduits were connected to her body, trying to prevent the corruption from spreading further and to provide a fresh energy source, their glow faint and unstable.

Alex reached her bedside, his hand trembling as it brushed through her hair.

His chest heaved, every breath sharp as if knives were lodged in his lungs.

Selena lingered at the door, her eyes softening as she watched.

“I’ll… wait outside.” Her voice was quiet, almost respectful, before she stepped out, letting the door seal behind her.

The room grew silent, only the faint beeps of the machines filling the emptiness.

Then—

A faint voice, hoarse and broken, reached his ears. It was Lily’s.

“A… A… le…”

She couldn’t even say his name, but he knew. He knew she was calling for him.

The tears Alex had been fighting, the ones he had been forcing back ever since he woke up, broke through in a violent surge.

His knees buckled slightly as he lowered himself beside her, clutching her hand.

“Lily… I’m here. I’m right here…”

His vision blurred, his entire body trembling as sobs escaped him. For the first time since this new life began—Alex finally broke down.

’Why… why does it always have to be us? Why is it always us left abandoned to die and suffer? Dammit… Dammit!’

The strong façade shattered, leaving only a brother desperately clinging to the only family he had left.

——–

A/N:

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