Chapter 26

Blade’s lip twitched. His expression darkened, and a murderous aura surged around him. “Ignorant fools are always the bravest! How dare you refuse a gesture from the Draco Hall’s second-in-command!”

Severin smiled coldly. “I don’t care if the first-in-command is here! I’m not leaving until I get my forty thousand back!”

Diane, on the verge of tears, exclaimed, “Severin, have you lost your mind? Apologize!” Losing a hand was preferable to losing a life, yet he remained defiant.

Megan sneered. “See, Diane? He’s still thinking about money! Being poor has driven him mad enough to provoke Blade! You’d be better off coming back with us and considering Edward. One and a half million is a generous offer!”

Diane glared at Megan. “Don’t mention that name again!” Edward’s name always ignited her anger. The Shanahans had pressured her to marry him for five years, relentlessly pursuing her because the Horsfields were a rising upper-class family, poised to become first-tier. They sought the wealth and power associated with Edward. Diane, however, found the idea repulsive; she refused to let love become a mere transaction. This led her to a fateful night of drinking.

Intoxicated, she struck up a conversation with Severin, who shared her bad mood. Impulsively, she decided to spend the night with him. She hadn’t expected to become pregnant from that one-night stand, and was even more shocked when her partner was arrested the next day for offending the Loughs.

Months later, she learned Severin was imprisoned. By then, far along in her pregnancy, she’d decided to have the child. She later discovered his parents were being harassed over their debts and secretly began helping them financially.

Blade, already furious, clenched his fist and punched Severin. Lowering his center of gravity, he prepared for a powerful blow. Easton cheered, “Awesome! Kill him with one punch!”

However, Severin countered with a punch that, though seemingly weak, generated a powerful gust of wind that met Blade’s. [The sentence containing "S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Find_Nøvel.ɴet website" is removed as it's an advertisement.]

Blade gasped, seeing the ring on Severin’s finger. It was identical to the one in a painting their leader had shown them—the Dracodeus Ring. The sight terrified him.

A dull thud echoed. Severin stood firm, while Blade staggered back, blood rising in his throat, though he suppressed the urge to vomit.