Chapter 31

As soon as he finished speaking, Eloise gently pulled Louise back.

Alec’s eyes, fixed once again on Garrison, darkened.

“This is the only time I’ll let it slide. You’d better go on your way if you don’t want to get hurt any more.”

Garrison groaned as he tried to get up, but somehow fell back down.

Damian glanced at Alec and Garrison and spoke scornfully.

“What are you going to do if he doesn’t let it slide?”

“Hey, Garrison. Stop whining and get up. Are you going to just lie there after getting hit by such a weakling?”

Following Damian, Marcel’s eyes also sharpened.

“Wait. Did this guy just speak properly?”

“What?”

Marcel frowned as if he couldn’t understand Garrison’s words.

“Speak properly?”

“This guy always has a habit of stuttering, like an idiot.”

“Didn’t he just do that now?”

“No, something was different.”

“There’s no way.”

“You must have misheard.”

“…”

They scrutinized Alec with suspicious looks.

His speech was so natural that they seemed unsure.

Listening to the trio’s somewhat senseless conversation, Alec let out a light sigh, rubbing his forehead. His gaze grew more intimidating than before.

“Do I have to say it again for you to move?”

“…!”

“What is this…?”

Alec’s repeated words left them even more confused.

Garrison emphasized his point again.

“See? I told you I was right.”

“No way. It must have been a coincidence that he didn’t stutter this time.”

“I think I didn’t hear it properly.”

“Hey, say it again.”

“…”

I can’t believe they’re doing this in front of someone. It’s understandable they’re surprised by his change in speech, but Alec wasn’t their entertainment.

No matter how it seemed, Alec was a duke and they were only marquises or counts. It was clear how little they thought of Alec, disregarding his rank.

As far as he knew, there were less than ten ducal families in this empire.

Alec’s lips twisted briefly in a mocking smile.

He then approached Garrison.

“Raising your hand to a woman? That’s a bad habit. I guess I’ll have to correct it for you.”

Press.

Alec stepped firmly on Garrison’s hand.

It seemed there was a cracking sound, but it was drowned out by Garrison’s scream.

“Aagh! Ah!”

“What the hell, you bastard. Do you want to die?”

A startled Damian rushed forward as if to grab Alec by the collar.

However, before Damian could lay a finger on Alec, he let out a cry of pain.

“Argh!”

Alec, while still stepping on Garrison, had reached out and grabbed Damian by the collar.

“…!”

Damian’s feet flailed as he was lifted into the air, clearly shocked.

The atmosphere around them instantly froze.

“You, you slow bastard!”

Damian’s face quickly turned red as blood rushed to it.

“If you want, I’ll kindly let you down.”

But Alec released him with a throw, and Damian’s body hit the ground with a thud.

Grunting in pain, Damian hastily glared at Alec, trying to regain his composure.

“Are you crazy? Do you think you’ll get away with this?”

At that moment, Marcel, who had been watching, leisurely laughed.

“Yes, Alec. You should’ve come out like this from the start. It’s more fun this way, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Did you really think we’d be scared by this kind of act? Ridiculous.”

Marcel approached Alec with a disdainful look, poking him in the forehead with his finger.

“If you’re an idiot, act like one. After all, someone like you can disappear from this world without a trace.”

Marcel then lifted his hand as if to press down on Alec’s shoulder.

If that could be considered an attack, it was.

At that moment, Alec decided to try activating the specialized skill he had recently acquired.

[Specialized Skill: Don’t Touch My Husband]

“It means there’s no point in struggling.”

“…”

He was curious about what this specialized skill, which he was using for the first time, would do.

Marcel pressed down on his shoulder with all his might again.

A normal resistance skill would negate this kind of attack.

Sure enough, unlike when Marcel poked his forehead earlier, he didn’t feel anything pressing on his skin this time.

Instead, a warm and unfamiliar energy began to envelop his entire body.

It felt as if the whole world had become a cushion to protect him, causing his eyes to waver slightly.

It was like being shielded by the Goddess of the Earth, soft and comforting.

This cozy warmth was something he had never felt when using a regular resistance skill.

However, after 30 seconds, a chill pricked at his skin.

“So just take a few hits and get lost.”

Marcel cracked his knuckles menacingly.

He slowly raised his gaze. His cold eyes were quietly sharpening.

***

“…!”

What should I do?

I couldn’t take my eyes off Alec’s gaze.

A strong and serene intimidation was radiating from him, something I had never seen in him before.

Eloise, similarly shocked, blinked her round eyes twice.

It was at that moment that Marcel, gritting his teeth, swung his fist.

“Kyaa!”

Eloise let out a short scream, covering her mouth with her hands.

“Alec!”

My heart sank as I saw the angle of Marcel’s fist aimed directly at Alec’s face.

But Alec deftly twisted his body, deflecting Damian’s punch.

Marcel, having swung into empty air, nearly stumbled but quickly regained his balance and swung with his other hand.

I clasped my hands tightly, unable to take my eyes off Alec.

Their coachman, who had been hesitating to intervene, was paralyzed by the intimidating aura emanating from Alec.

‘What is happening?’

I had never seen Alec fight or hit anyone before.

I didn’t even know he was strong enough to lift a grown man with one hand.

“D*mn it, this bastard.”

Marcel, who had missed his punches three times, cursed under his breath.

But Alec, facing Marcel, looked rather relaxed.

Marcel seemed desperate to land a punch, while Alec seemed to be reluctantly playing along.

I watched the scene, puzzled.

Since when did Alec have such abilities?

I hadn’t noticed because he rarely moved, but he was strong and agile…

Even his reflexes, dodging the incoming punches with ease.

While he had changed in some ways since his recent brush with death, this fierce side was entirely new.

I wondered if he had been hiding his strength all this time, but quickly dismissed the thought as nonsense.

There was no reason for him to suddenly start using his strength after enduring everything until now.

‘So what is going on?’

My mind felt like it was spinning.

Several passersby glanced our way due to the commotion.

However, Marcel seemed to perceive Alec’s movements differently.

“Don’t dodge, you bastard. Are you so afraid of getting hit? Are you scared it’ll hurt?”

Did Marcel really think Alec was dodging out of fear?

Alec let out a short, contemptuous laugh.

“Do you think you can hit me with that skill?”

“What? You bastard, you think you can…”

Thud!

Marcel swung his fist with gritted teeth, and I squeezed my eyes shut in shock.

I thought Alec might have been hit, but he had twisted Marcel’s arm and kicked him in the stomach.

Marcel’s body flew through the air, though it didn’t seem like Alec had kicked him that hard.

“Agh!”

Garrison and Marcel’s eyes widened in surprise.

Alec approached Marcel, grabbed him by the collar, and punched him again. Marcel barely got up and charged at Alec, only to miss and get hit once more.

Alec lifted Marcel by the collar again with one hand.

“If you can hit me, go ahead. I’ll take it. Oh, are you not in a position to do that right now?”

Thud!

Marcel took several more hits after that.

“You bastard, I’ll get you for this!”

Marcel kept trying to punch and kick Alec but couldn’t land a single blow.

Compared to Marcel, Alec looked like a towering god of war.

Marcel was no match for him, flailing like a wooden puppet under Alec’s control.

Damian’s voice was faintly heard.

“…Is that really Alec?”

“What the hell happened?”

Even Garrison mumbled in confusion.TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories