man of honor part 2

Slowly, he walked toward Lady Aurora's chamber door. He reached for the handle.

Locked.

He turned to me, his expression blank.

"If you may."

His voice was calm. Almost indifferent.

I hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward.

Bang!

The door burst open under my strength—

And what I saw inside made my blood boil.

Greyrat.

On top of Lady Aurora.

Her gown was torn, her black hair disheveled, her face pale and turned away in disgust.

But her eyes…

They weren't filled with fear.

They were burning with defiance.

Greyrat stumbled off the bed the moment he saw us. His drunken, lust-filled gaze sharpened with confusion and fear.

Thud.

Something rolled toward his feet.

A severed head.

Greyrat's face paled. His legs trembled.

"Y-You…" he stammered.

Zed stepped forward, his sword trailing blood across the floor. His gaze remained calm.

Then—

Shing!

A flash of steel.

Greyrat's scream tore through the air.

He collapsed to the floor, clutching the stump where his arm had been. Blood poured onto the cold stone floor, the sharp scent mixing with the stale air of the room.

"Y-You brat… You'll pay for this…!" Greyrat gasped, his breaths labored and wet with pain. "I am… a very good friend of Prince Frey! If he gets word of this—if he hears that you dared to cut off my arm—he will make you pay! You… You have no idea what you've done!"

Zed paused.

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes.

Not fear.

Not hesitation.

But something deeper.

And then—

The air around us shifted.

A heavy pressure filled the room, pressing against my chest like an invisible force. My breath hitched.

The candles flickered violently, their flames bending toward Zed as if drawn to him. The very air seemed to vibrate.

And then—

A soft humming sound filled my ears.

A pulse of energy radiated from him.

No…

It couldn't be.

My eyes widened.

"Rhu Core Manifestation…" I whispered.

Impossible.

It was a sacred threshold. A stage that only awakened after years of training, typically around fifteen.

The only known prodigy who had ever awakened it before the age of fifteen was First Prince Orion —at six years old.

And now…

A nine-year-old boy stood before me, awakening his Rhu Core.

The sheer weight of his Rhu crackled in the air, distorting the space around him. His cold expression never wavered, but I saw it—

For the first time—

Something dark stirred within him.

Greyrat's trembling body curled into itself. His mouth opened in a soundless scream.

Zed turned away from him, walking toward Aurora.

He lifted her unconscious body effortlessly. His small frame shouldn't have been able to support that weight—but he held her with ease.

He turned to me, his expression calm.

"Take her out," he said. His voice was low, steady.

I was still frozen. Still trying to process what I had just witnessed.

But my body moved on instinct. I took Lady Aurora from his arms and turned toward the door.

"Send in Greyrat's companion."

His voice was still calm. Still unchanging.

I hesitated for a brief moment.

Zed's gaze sharpened.

"Sir Jaeger."

I swallowed.

"Yes, your grace."

As I left the room, I couldn't help but feel it—

The gaze of something dark stirring behind his cold eyes.

I carried Lady Aurora, who was already unconscious, to a guest room.

The room was dimly lit, the moonlight filtering through the sheer curtains, casting soft patterns on the walls. I laid her down carefully on the plush bed, brushing a stray lock of her black hair away from her face. Even in her sleep, her delicate features were tense—her brow slightly furrowed, her lips pale.

I turned toward the maid standing at the doorway, her eyes wide with worry.

"Change her clothes and watch over her," I ordered, my tone leaving no room for argument.

The maid bowed quickly. "Y-Yes, Sir Jaeger."

With one last glance at Aurora, I stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me. My hand lingered on the handle for a moment before I forced myself to let go.

I had more to do.

I walked down the dark hallway, my boots echoing against the marble floor. My destination was clear.

Greyrat's companion.

I stopped at his room and pushed open the door with enough force to make the hinges groan in protest. The door slammed into the wall with a loud bang.

A startled grunt followed.

Greyrat's companion bolted upright, his eyes bleary from sleep. His hand immediately reached toward the bedside table for a dagger—but I was faster. My boot slammed down on the table, pinning the dagger beneath it.

"Get up," I said coldly.

"What the hell—" He rubbed his eyes, scowling. "Sir Jaeger? What's the meaning of this?"

I stepped closer, lowering my head so that my gaze met his directly. My hand dropped to the hilt of my sword.

"You will go to Lady Aurora's chambers. Now."

His scowl deepened. "Why should I—"

My hand shot out and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him off the bed. His feet barely touched the ground as I lifted him to eye level.

"You are in no position to question me," I growled, my voice sharp as steel. "Do as you are told."

The weight of my aura pressed down on him. He coughed, his face turning pale under the strain.

"F-Fine!" he gasped. "I'll go!"

I released him, letting him stumble to the floor. He straightened himself, brushing off his tunic with shaky hands.

He shot me a wary look before stepping toward the door. His footsteps were hurried, his eyes dark with confusion and fear.

As he disappeared down the hallway, I stood there for a moment, exhaling slowly.

your grace …

What exactly are you planning?

The next day…

I walked through the quiet hallway toward Lady Aurora's room. The polished marble beneath my boots reflected the morning sunlight streaming through the tall windows. Outside, the soft chirping of birds mixed with the rustling of leaves in the breeze—a rare moment of peace after last night's events.

As I reached the door, I saw the maid stepping out. She closed the door behind her gently, her hands clasped nervously in front of her.

I stopped her with a glance. "How is Lady Aurora?"

The maid gave a slight bow. "She's awake, Sir Jaeger. Young Master Zed is inside with her."

I raised an eyebrow. " young master?"

"Yes"

I hesitated. My first instinct was to enter—but I stopped myself.

Zed was with her.

I stepped back, resting my hand against the cool surface of the door. I wasn't one to eavesdrop, but…

Through the thin wooden barrier, I could faintly make out their voices.

when i heard zed consoling his sister ,My hand tightened against the door frame.

That boy…

The Zed I once knew would have panicked in a situation like this. He would have been shaken, uncertain, maybe even scared. But now…

Now he was the one offering comfort.

I felt something warm settle in my chest.

Pride.

Not the kind of pride you feel for a subordinate or a student. No—this was deeper.

It was the kind of pride a father feels when watching his son grow into someone strong.

I know I'm just their knight. That I have no blood ties to them. To the outside world, I am nothing more than a servant who swore his sword to House Ravenhart .

But to me…

They are my family.

And seeing Zed like this—seeing him grow stronger, more composed, more dependable—filled me with a quiet sense of fulfillment.

I smiled to myself.

Yes. He's becoming someone I can proudly serve.

I left the hallway with a quiet satisfaction lingering in my chest. But I wasn't one to dwell on feelings for too long. Duty called.

I made my way toward the training ground, the rhythmic clash of swords growing louder with each step. The cool morning air mixed with the scent of sweat and steel. Knights sparred with each other under the sharp eye of their instructors, while younger trainees strained to hold proper stances.

The moment I stepped onto the podium, the energy in the ground shifted. Conversations hushed. All eyes subtly turned toward me.

later—

Zed entered.

He walked with quiet purpose, his dark hair slightly tousled by the breeze. His blue eyes were calm, focused—but I could tell from the slight tension in his jaw that he was still uncomfortable with all the attention.

"Zed." I gestured toward him.

He stepped onto the podium without hesitation, standing beside me with a steady posture. His eyes remained fixed ahead, his face calm.

I hesitated for a moment before asking, "What are we going to do about the Greyrat incident?"

Zed didn't even look at me. He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve and replied, "He's dead."

"He's… dead?" I repeated.

Zed's expression remained disturbingly calm. His blue eyes were steady, unblinking.

"Yes," he said simply. "He's dead."

I was shocked—but not entirely surprised. If I were in his position, I would have done the same. Greyrat deserved it. No question about that.

But… there were consequences for killing a noble.

Especially one with ties to the royal family.

Greyrat hadn't been bluffing when he mentioned Prince Frey. His family held influence within the royal court—and if they found out their son had been killed…

"My lord," I said carefully, my voice low. "If the royal family gets to know of this—"

I didn't get to finish.

"I've taken care of it."

Zed's voice cut through mine, cold and sharp.

My eyes narrowed. "Taken care of it…?"

His lips curled into a small smile.

"Yes. But I need you to do me a favor, Sir Jaeger."

"What favor?" I asked, my tone cautious.

"Call the royal guards and the court officials. Then… leave the rest to me."

He said it so casually, as if this were a simple matter—a game, even.

And then—

He smiled.

Not the soft, innocent smile of a child.

No.

This was something else entirely.

A slow, knowing curve of his lips, shadowed by the flicker of something dark beneath his gaze.

"I'll teach them a lesson they'll never forget," he said.

I felt a chill crawl down my spine. That expression—the sharpness in his eyes—it wasn't the look of a child. It was the gaze of a predator sizing up his prey.

in order to change the mood i changed the conversation 

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Congratulations."

Zed's gaze shifted toward me. He blinked once, his expression unmoved—but the slight lift of his chin told me he understood the weight of my words.

 "Manifesting a Rhu Core at your age… That's no small feat."

Zed bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Sir Jaeger." His tone was even, lacking the pride or excitement that one would expect from someone who had just accomplished the impossible.

He was calm. Too calm.

"You're handling this better than most would," I said, studying his face.

Zed's gaze sharpened. "It's nothing special."

Nothing special.

A nine-year-old had just manifested a Rhu Core—a feat unheard of outside the First Prince—and he called it nothing special.

He turned, already preparing to leave and return to his daily training. His body shifted into a familiar stance—discipline etched into every movement.

But I stopped him.

"Zed." My tone sharpened.

He froze mid-step, his back straight.

"Your daily routine is changing from now on."

Zed turned his head slightly toward me, his blue eyes narrowing. "Changing how?"

"You've awakened your Rhu Core. That means you need to adjust your training accordingly. Simple workout and swordplay won't cut it anymore."

He faced me fully now, the breeze tugging at his dark hair. His gaze was steady, his expression blank—but I could sense the subtle shift beneath the surface.

"I understand," he said without hesitation.

It took me a while to realize it.

Zed wasn't just growing stronger.

He was also growing… darker.

And the scariest part?

I don't think even he realized it yet.