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It was now several hours past noon and the sun was mere moments away from disappearing into the horizon.

Isolde stared down from her balcony, at the training grounds with the lonesome three targets. Her right hand was grasping tightly on to a simple necklace across her neck...

The wind lightly blew through the grounds and passed by, caressing her face and causing her blonde hair to flutter, almost as if to reassure her.

Back inside her room, Butler Alec was seated on a chair in the corner. His head was slightly lowered, and his eyes were closed, as he maintained a deadly calm...

The two of them were basically alone in the mansion; besides a few mortal guards and the tortured people in Isabella's hidden room.

As Alec had mentioned before, Count Brishman had already retreated with his wives in tow, lest they get in the way of the prince. 

It had already been quite some time since the Prince's intended arrival, but Isolde had refused to leave and excused herself by being 'sick'...

But suddenly, a series of loud shouts rang from outside the room, breaking this peaceful and calm setting.

A strangely familiar, but loud voice, "Halt! As Lady Isolde's personal guard, Jacque, I ask you three to turn back! You can't just barge inside the room of a noble like tha--"

An angry shout laced with menace, "Silence! A mere guard dares to bar the way of Lord O'Reilly?"

Which was followed by the sounds of a heavy struggle...

Jiya!

The door opened almost immediately revealing a middle-aged overweight man, with balding yet well-combed dark black hair, dressed in shiny golden armor. The armor he was wearing was obviously high grade but was catered more towards enhancing appearance than being actually useful. Even so, he walked in confidently with a slight grin.

He could've been considered as a noble and refined person, had it not been for the two cultivators behind him who continued to kick and punch the unlucky guard, Jacque...

Isolde ran back into her room and shouted out in horror, "Stop that! Lord O'Reilly have you no class? You dare to barge into a lady's room uninvited and assault her guard? Hold your hand!"

Lord O'Reilly simply smiled in reply but did slowly raise his right hand.

Immediately, the two cultivators halted their beating and walked over, coming to a stop just a few steps behind him.

The injured Jacque slowly pushed himself off the floor, and immediately ran off in fear without a single look back...

Lord O'Reilly began to speak with a strange glow in his eyes, "Lady Isolde, you are just as beautiful as they say. I truly envy our Prince Tristram."

He proceeded to take a step forward and bowed, as much as his plump stomach allowed him to while saying, "I apologize for the intrusion. But his highness has already arrived and has been waiting in the main hall for several hours now. So how could the lady stay shut in her room feigning sickness?"

He stood straight once more and spoke with a smug grin, "How could my lady refuse an audience to the prince of this nation with such obvious falsehood? Now... tell me, who is it that has no 'class'?" while savoring every word like a delicacy and weirdly flipping his tongue about.

His words caught Isolde by surprise leaving her silent and speechless.

Lord O'Reilly smiled in a pleased manner at her reaction, "But, everyone makes mistakes, and what is being a noble besides striking deals that are favorable to all? So... I might be able to get the Prince to forgive you... if you let me have some fun with you..." with his lecherous eyes running all over her body while licking his lips.

His smile grew wider at the sight of Isolde's scowling face, "So what says the lady? Will she play along? Or will more people like that helpless servant have to pay the price?" while eyeing the apparently 'helpless' Butler Alec who had continued to remain seated with closed eyes despite the unwelcome arrival.

Isolde stared at Lord O'Reilly with fiery eyes and spat out, "I will not play along to your sick game! I require no help from scum like you! I am indeed feeling unwell, and it is not a falsehood. So inform the prince, that I must refuse his invitation for today," disgusted by this lecherous fat man.

Lord O'Reilly simply laughed condescendingly while holding on to his large stomach. And with eyes of rage, he snarled, "You stupid bitch, that was never a question! You have no choice in the matter!"

The refined and polite facade that he had maintained for the few minutes since his arrival, was completely shattered as he began to shout out like a mad man.

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He flapped one fat hand while saying, "Bring her to me. And don't let that old corpse off either..."

Immediately, the two cultivators behind him dashed forwards, with speeds much faster than that of Zhen Shi, and reached out to grab Isolde.

Whoosh!

But even before Isolde could begin to shout or put up a struggle, an old wizened figure appeared in a blast of wind, blocking them. Old man Alec!

The two cultivators only paused for a moment, out of surprise for his sudden appearance. They continued to dash forwards while laughing and shouting, "Go to hell, old man, where you belong!"

After all, just a Soul Transformation old man was trying to stop the two of them who were Soul Destruction Cultivators!

Isolde could only watch on helplessly, unable to get herself to even move, in the face of their immense speed and aura.

The two cultivators reached Alec within mere moments and instantly manifested two fiery demon faces upon their fists. With malicious grins, they punched forwards going in for the kill.

But Butler Alec was completely calm as he watched on with emotionless eyes.

Slap! Slap!

Suddenly, a dark blue bow appeared in his hands and he easily slapped away the two oncoming fists away with his bow an azure blue blur. The attacking cultivators were thrown back and their demonic punches were shattered!

The two cultivators were pushed back a few meters across the room and finally came to a stop. Their eyes were filled with surprise as they had not expected such an overwhelming attack from an old man much weaker than the two of them...

But the ignorant Lord O'Reilly simply snorted and shouted out in anger, "Why the fuck are you baboons stopping? Do your butts itch? But I don't give a fuck! Scratch your butts when you're not on duty! Tell me, why the hell can't you even take care of one old man?"

His words caused the two cultivators to grimace, but even so they obeyed and prepared to attack with their full ability this time around.

Isolde who finally got herself to move and spoke out in despair, "Grandpa Alec it's fine. Please, please just stand aside. I'll go with them..."

Her words caused Lord O'Reilly to laugh happily and shout, "Wise decision bitch, but... It's too late for regrets now... You two, kill that old man!"

However, old man Alec ignored them both and spoke out calmly with his eyes on the two cultivators, "You two kids, don't throw away your lives. Just turn around and leave. I'll forget this matter..."

But his words only got them to pause for a moment, as they immediately shouted out in rage, "Fuck you old man! Do you think that we're afraid of you?"

Instantly, their bodies were enshrouded with powerful fiery qi which caused the temperature within the room to rise up a notch.

They brought out two short knives, cloaked with {Awakened Knife Intent}, and simultaneously prepared their divine blessing, manifesting blood-red demonic aether that caused the fiery qi to rise like a volcano on the verge of explosion.

They dashed forward with a shout, "Flames of Hell!"

The terrifying shadow of an eery demonic face appeared behind them as they struck forwards with two flaming knives..., an attack that had already reached the [Law Primary Tier] in power!

But Alec simply heaved a disappointed sigh. He smoothly bent his legs to the side and shifted into an attacking position.

And just when the two knives reached him, an azure blue blur appeared in front, as he rotated his bow in a circular motion at an almost impossible speed.

Clang!

The two knife strikes collided with the rotating bow causing a small wave of qi to explode within the room.

The entire room was thrown asunder as one of the cultivators was instantly thrown away and the eery demonic shadow was shattered apart.

Alec instantly swung the bow leaving a deep blue arc in the air as it smashed onto the remaining cultivator's chest.

Pu!

That Soul Destruction stage cultivator was thrown away and struck the wall with a resounding thud, as his chest caved in, dying on the spot.

Seeing the situation turning very bad for him, Lord O'Reilly started to run away while barely preventing himself from tripping over his own pot belly.

Still, he managed to shout and at the remaining cultivator, "Oi! You better hold him off and protect this lord or your entire household will have to pay for it!"

After all, this Lord O'Reilly, despite all his pompous shouting, was merely of the Soul Formation stage with no special skills to speak of.

The remaining cultivator grimaced at those words and glancing at his fallen brother by the wall, he silently acknowledged the order.

Thus he slowly pushed himself off of the floor and pointed at old man Alec with fearful eyes, "Our cultivation is leagues above yours, we used {Awakened} weapon intent and you used nothing, we used our divine blessings from Lord Charon and you didn't... You--you--- who the hell are you?"

Alec, whose face was slightly paler than it had been before, ignored his words...

With the bow held horizontally on his hand, as if it was a crossbow where his own hand was the crutch, he instantly brought out a pitch-black arrow and loaded it onto the bow,

Turning to the fearful cultivator he calmly spoke out, "I already gave you a chance..." and let go of the arrow.

The arrow dashed forwards as a black blur. The cultivator didn't even get the chance to react as the arrow passed cleanly through one eye. And his dead body collapsed on the spot with a resounding lifeless thunk.

Alec calmly put away his azure bow and turned to Isolde. He asked with a worried face, "Young Lady, are you all right?"

Isolde nodded her head with amazed eyes and asked, "Nevermind that, but how'd you..." gesturing at the damaged room and the lifeless corpses, asked, "...do that? I know that you have a respected reputation... but how could you ignore their higher cultivation like that? Even my father, a Count, is only at the Soul Destruction stage!"

Alec smiled with twinkling eyes and simply replied, "You see, I'm simply one hell of a butler!" 

Isolde could only playfully pout and frown in annoyance at his dismissive reply.

But she suddenly paused and asked in worry, "Grandpa Alec? That O'Reilly will probably complain to the prince. What will we do if the prince sends for the royal guard, or even worse... comes by himself?"

Alec smiled and patted Isolde's head, "Young lady, don't worry. This old butler will take care of everything."

Isolde was still worried but nodded in compliance nonetheless.

But almost immediately, Lord O'Reilly returned back and arrived at the doorway with a face full of confidence. Even so, he didn't dare to step into the room, noting the two corpses.

Nevertheless, Lord O'Reilly laughed out loud and shouted with spittle spurting from his mouth, "Isolde, you bitch... and you old corpse, you've done it now! The prince is coming himself!" and continued to laugh while holding on to his fat belly.

This cause Isolde to turn to Butler Alec with a worried face, but he simply smiled back at her.

The slight sound of approaching footsteps, just barely audible under the sound of Lord O'Reilly's laughter, grew closer and closer.

Crack!

Suddenly, a strong hand, that seemed to have gone through the arduous training of a warrior gripped on to the doorsill... leaving a crack in the wood out of pure strength.