"Do you comprehend, Damian?"
The Patriarch's gaze remained cold and unwavering, heavy enough to suffocate the entire room.
"Your disgrace no longer belongs to you alone. You dragged the Valtor name through the mud for the world to laugh at."
He didn't raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
Every word carried absolute authority.
Every pause felt like a blade resting against my throat.
This man ruled the household like a tyrant king.
And according to the original story…
Things only got worse from here.
The Patriarch would slowly strip Damian of everything.
His authority.
His status.
His dignity.
Until eventually Damian became little more than a broken shadow wandering the outskirts of the empire after being cast out of House Valtor entirely.
Honestly?
I wanted absolutely nothing to do with that future.
That was why I needed to end this mess as quickly as possible.
The problem was—
I had no power here.
No allies.
No leverage.
And definitely no strength to oppose the monster standing in front of me.
Which meant every word out of my mouth had to be measured carefully.
One mistake and I'd probably get beaten unconscious again.
"I think," I began cautiously, "I already received enough punishment for the misdeeds I committed in the—"
—THWAP!
Pain exploded across my face.
My vision blurred violently.
Before I even realized what happened, my head snapped sideways from the impact and my body stumbled off balance.
I crashed onto one knee.
A sharp ringing filled my ears.
For a few seconds, the world tilted unnaturally.
My cheek burned like it had been branded with hot iron.
What the hell—
Slowly, my hearing returned.
A deep growl echoed through the room.
Fenrir stood protectively in front of me, fangs bared toward the Patriarch.
But before he could move further, the larger shepherd beside the Patriarch stepped forward with a low snarl of its own, blocking him instantly.
The tension between the beasts crackled like lightning.
Meanwhile, the maid stood frozen near the wall, eyes wide with horror.
She looked terrified enough to stop breathing.
I slowly turned my head back toward the Patriarch.
His expression hadn't changed at all.
"First," he said coldly, "you bully a mere commoner."
His voice sharpened further.
"Then you allow yourself to be humiliated by that same commoner before the entire academy."
Each sentence hit harder than the slap itself.
"And after years of scandals, violence, and disgraceful behavior, you dare claim you have suffered enough punishment?"
His eyes narrowed with contempt.
"How can you behave in such a cowardly manner while carrying noble blood? You have dishonored yourself, dishonored me, and dishonored generations of the Valtor lineage."
Before I could react, his hand suddenly tangled into my hair.
Pain shot across my scalp as he yanked me upward effortlessly.
I gritted my teeth hard enough to hurt.
This bastard was absurdly strong.
"You are a disgrace," he continued mercilessly. "An embarrassment."
He forced me to stand face-to-face with him.
"This is not the first time you have caused problems, and I doubt it will be the last."
His grip tightened.
"Your constant desperation for attention has become pathetic."
Something twisted uncomfortably inside my chest.
Not my emotions.
Damian's.
Fragments of old memories stirred faintly beneath the surface.
A lonely child.
A father who never looked at him with warmth.
A desperate need for acknowledgment that slowly rotted into resentment.
…I shoved those thoughts away immediately.
Not my problem.
The Patriarch released my hair roughly before shoving my head backward.
I stumbled several steps but barely managed to keep my footing.
"I tolerated your behavior because I believed you possessed at least some value," he said flatly.
His next words landed like a death sentence.
"But it appears I was mistaken."
Silence filled the room.
Even the maid looked pale.
Then the Patriarch spoke again.
"Tell me," he said coldly, "why should I continue acknowledging a pathetic worm like you as my son?"
My breathing slowed.
"Give me one reason not to cast you aside."
The room fell deathly silent.
Even Fenrir stopped growling.
I stared directly into the Patriarch's eyes.
And slowly—
A smile formed on my lips.
Small.
Faint.
But completely fearless.
The Patriarch's brows furrowed slightly.
Probably because this wasn't the reaction he expected.
Honestly?
Even I was surprised by myself.
Maybe it was because getting slapped awakened something in me.
Or maybe I was simply tired of bowing my head.
Either way—
If this man wanted a reason…
Then I'd give him one.
"You're right," I said calmly.
The maid's eyes widened instantly.
Even the Patriarch seemed momentarily caught off guard.
"I am disgraceful."
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand.
"I was arrogant. Violent. Pathetic."
Every word felt strange leaving my mouth.
Because technically…
None of it was my fault.
And yet, I still had to carry Damian's sins.
What a shitty deal.
"But," I continued quietly, "if you truly believed I was worthless…"
I raised my gaze fully toward him.
"…then you would've abandoned me years ago."
The room turned still.
The Patriarch's expression darkened slightly.
Bingo.
I hit something sensitive.
"Yoy know what I think? The reason you still didn't disowned me? Because if you did then you be the one who would have brought shame to the family. Isn't that right Oh, dear father of mine? In the end you are also coward!"
The instant those words left my mouth—
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
The maid's face turned deathly pale.
Even Fenrir stiffened beside me.
For one long, horrifying second…
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then—
Crack.
The wooden floor beneath the Patriarch's boot split apart.
A suffocating pressure burst from his body like a storm unleashed.
Killing intent.
Raw.
Violent.
Overwhelming.
My instincts screamed at me to kneel.
Every nerve in my body shrieked in terror.
The maid collapsed instantly, a choked gasp escaping her lips as she fell trembling onto the floor.
Even Fenrir whimpered.
Meanwhile, the Patriarch stared down at me with eyes colder than death itself.
"…What," he asked softly, "did you just say?"
Shit.
Okay.
Maybe I pushed a little too far.
But at this point, there was no taking it back.