I'm scared of that boy

Habil's face twisted with disbelief and horror. He stumbled toward Larry, grabbing his son's shoulders with shaking hands.

"Do you know what you're saying?!" he hissed. "Your brother is dead—and you're siding with his murderers?! Come on! Tell them it's all a lie! Tell them!"

Larry didn't flinch. He didn't resist. He just stood there—motionless, his expression empty. His eyes were hollow, like he wasn't even there.

A shell of a man.

Habil's grip tightened, but Larry's arms remained limp at his sides.

"Larry!" Habil shouted, shaking him. "Speak!"

Larry's lips barely moved as he murmured:

"I already have."

Habil's hands dropped from Larry's shoulders as his mouth parted soundlessly. His breath quickened. Panic crept into his eyes.

The court official's gaze darkened.

"There you have it."

Habil stumbled back a step, his face pale and drenched in sweat.

And from the grand seat at the head of the hall, Zed's cold golden eyes gleamed with quiet satisfaction.

And then, in a low, trembling whisper, Larry leaned close to his father's ear.

"Dad… I want to go home. I'm scared, Dad. I'm scared of that boy. Please… just end it. I don't want to suffer anymore."

Habil froze.

His hands, once gripping Larry tightly, went slack.

He saw it now.

Larry wasn't just scared.

He was broken.

Something had happened that night—something beyond what the words self-defense could explain.

And the cause of it was standing in this very room.

The moment Habil's gaze shifted toward Zed, a chill crept down his spine.

Zed had remained silent throughout the entire ordeal, but as he sat on the head chair, legs crossed, his presence felt suffocating. His sharp, emotionless gaze locked onto them—calm, calculating, and utterly detached. He wasn't angry. He wasn't gloating.

He simply didn't care.

This wasn't the weak, sickly boy from before.

And Aurora…

Habil's gaze drifted toward her and twisted into something darker.

The once timid, fragile girl who used to cling to her father's reputation was gone.

In her place sat a woman cold as ice, yet regal in her demeanor. Her back straight, her gaze steady, her very presence commanding respect.

When…?

When did the Ravenhert family become so… terrifying?

Habil's mind raced, but he had no time to process it before Zed finally moved.

The boy uncrossed his legs, standing up from his seat.

"So, we're done here then?" His voice was calm, indifferent—too indifferent for someone who had just been accused of murder.

He turned on his heel and walked toward the grand doors, his steps slow, deliberate. The heavy silence in the hall made the sound of his boots against the polished marble floor unnervingly sharp.

"My sister will take care of the rest."

Jaeger followed immediately behind him, his movements precise and guarded. Four armored guards fell into step without a word, their polished helmets gleaming under the chandelier's light.

As Zed's figure disappeared beyond the doorway, the hall remained deathly still.

Then, Aurora's voice cut through the quiet.

"Now then, Habil…"

Her tone was soft, almost delicate—but it carried a weight that made the air feel heavier. The subtle lilt of her voice was laced with quiet menace.

Habil flinched.

"…Let's get to the real reason we called the court members here today."

A shiver ran down his spine.

He could feel it now. Something was wrong.

He had come expecting vengeance—to demand retribution for his son's death. He had imagined Zed crumbling under the weight of the accusations, the Ravenhert name dragged through the mud.

But now…

Now he was the one on trial.

Aurora's gaze sharpened, her cold blue eyes pinning him in place.

"Your firstborn son not only damaged our property, insulted the honor of the Ravenhert family, and attempted to take advantage of our hospitality…" She paused, letting the weight of her words settle into the bones of every person in the hall.

"…But for such a crime, there must be consequences."

Her tone was unyielding—icy and absolute.

Aurora turned her head slightly toward the court officer.

The officer, an older man with sharp eyes and a perfectly pressed uniform, stepped forward. He retrieved a rolled parchment from his satchel and unrolled it with a practiced flick of his wrist.

"For the destruction of Ravenhert family property, the murder of their guards, and the attempted assault and murder of Lady Aurora's personal maid…" His tone was crisp and emotionless.

"…the Greyrat family is hereby fined an amount of one hundred thousand gold coins to be paid in full to House Ravenhert."

A ripple of muted gasps spread through the hall.

The court officer lowered the parchment, rolling it up again before stepping toward Habil and holding it out to him.

All eyes fell on Habil.

His face was ghostly pale.

His hands trembled as he reached out and took the parchment. His fingers brushed the stiff paper, but the weight of the fine was nothing compared to the weight of the truth behind it.

One hundred thousand gold coins.

It was a crippling amount—a sum that would destabilize his family's financial standing for decades. He would need to sell property, call in debts, maybe even dismantle some of the family's old businesses just to cover it.

And yet…

He said nothing.

He couldn't.

Because his mind was still replaying the last words his son had whispered to him.

"…I'm scared of that boy."

That trembling voice. The look in Larry's hollow eyes. The way his body shuddered when he spoke.

His son hadn't just fought off an attack.

He had survived something far worse.

And Zed…

Zed had remained completely unaffected. Unbothered. Untouched by the weight of it all.

What happened that night?

Habil's jaw clenched. His fingernails dug into his palm as rage twisted beneath his ribs, but there was nothing he could do. Nothing he could say.

Because he knew.

He knew that crossing House Ravenhert now was no longer an option.

Zed wasn't just a dangerous opponent—he was something else entirely.

Swallowing the bitter taste of defeat, Habil bowed his head slightly. His pride screamed in protest, but he forced the words out through gritted teeth.

"…I understand."

Aurora's gaze lingered on him for a long moment before her lips curved into a faint smile. It wasn't warm—it was the cold satisfaction of a predator that had cornered its prey.

"Then we are finished here."

Habil's fists curled at his sides as Aurora rose from her seat, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. The sound of her footsteps trailed behind her as she followed the path her brother had taken.

 the guards, and the court officer bowed as she passed, their movements crisp and unified.

Habil remained frozen in place as the heavy doors closed with a resounding thud.

Only then did the hall exhale.

Muted whispers filled the space as nobles exchanged glances of shock and disbelief.

But Habil stood in silence, the parchment trembling in his hand.

Everyone here knew it.

They knew that what Larry had said wasn't the full truth. The whispers behind closed doors, the subtle shifts in court politics—everyone could sense that something was off.

And yet… no one said a word.

Was it because they lacked the evidence to challenge the verdict? Or because Larry had admitted his guilt, leaving them with no ground to stand on even if they tried?

No.

It was none of those things.

The real reason was sitting at the heart of the room just moments ago.

That boy.

Zed had orchestrated this. Every step, every word, every outcome—it had all been calculated. He hadn't just humiliated the Greyrat family. He had turned this trial into a spectacle—a demonstration of power. A warning.

To the nobles, to the commoners—he had made one thing perfectly clear:

Cross a noble house, and you will suffer. Even if you're right. Even if you survive.

The boy had manipulated the court like puppets on strings, and they had all danced to his tune without realizing it.

A true mastermind.

And the most terrifying part?

He had done it without raising his voice. Without making a single threat. Without even trying.

Habil's hands curled into fists. His nails dug into the parchment as bitter defeat pooled in his mouth.

His son was dead.His family was ruined.And the Ravenherts had just secured their dominance over the court.

Zed Ravenhert had not only won the battle—he had crushed the Greyrats beneath his heel.

And the scariest part?

He hadn't even tried.