Family Conflict

Chapter 7: Family Conflict

The main hall of Linton Manor was bright and clean. In the quiet of the night, the moonlight would silently spread a layer of silver sand over the expensive carpets.

However, such opportunities were rare, as the lady of the house preferred to hang expensive magic night-shining pearls all over the walls until dawn.

Today was no different.

Hailan had once again invited her friends to her luxurious manor for a gathering.

Some gathered in twos and threes around the long table, enjoying the delicacies, while others danced to the pleasant waltz on the dance floor, exuding an air of extravagance through their close physical contact.

Under normal circumstances, such gatherings would continue until the sky in the east turned the color of fish belly, but today, an accident had clearly occurred.

The light from the magic night-shining pearls was still gentle, and the elegant music still flowed into the ears of every guest, but their attention was entirely elsewhere, on sounds they couldn't comprehend.

"Guests, today's gathering ends here."

They stared at Hom in shock, unable to believe that those words had come from his mouth.

Everyone knew what kind of person Hom was.

Cowardly, incompetent, with a hat taller than the attic of Linton Manor. He had only gained a noble title through his father's death.

Besides that, he had nothing.

But at this moment, Hom's eyes were solemn, and his entire being exuded an unshakeable resolve.

"Hom! What are you talking about?"

Hailan shrieked, her rage filling every wrinkle on her face, which was covered in makeup.

She flung away the hand of the man dancing with her and, in her high heels, strode towards Hom with a clack-clack-clack.

"You're kicking out my friends?!"

"Hailan, I didn't mean it like that." Hom's imposing presence instantly diminished. He subconsciously took a step back, but then, as if remembering something, he straightened his back forcefully, a gentle light appearing in his eyes. "Hailan, I told you, I'm expecting a guest tonight, a very important guest. They can guide our future, and they can bring a bright future for Iris!"

"Oh? Should I apologize then?" Hailan stood before Hom. Although she was significantly shorter than him, it felt as if she were looking down at him.

"No, no need..."

"Is the person coming the Emperor?"

"No."

"Is it the head of the Knights Order?"

"No, Hailan. How could someone like that possibly come to our home..."

"I know that, of course!"

Hailan rudely interrupted Hom's meek explanation. "Let me tell you, even if the Emperor came, he couldn't kick out my friends in my house!"

Some people in the crowd chuckled, scattered sounds that made Hom feel as if the gazes fixed on him were burning him more intensely.

He shouted, "This is my home too! I have the right to welcome my guests!"

"Oh?" Hailan's expression suddenly turned calm, and then she curved her lips. "Your home? Tell me, in this house, is there a single item that you bought? Or perhaps, this house, the land beneath our feet, is it your asset?"

Hom was about to speak but suddenly couldn't think of a retort.

The furnishings, the servants, even the land under their feet were all Hailan's dowry.

Theoretically, they all belonged to her.

Indeed, he was the only outsider.

Hom looked at the various people around him, and the fire within him suddenly extinguished.

"You can move out tomorrow," Hailan's voice was no longer hysterical, but her tone was incredibly firm. "Whether you build a house in the mountains or return to your farmland, in short, this is not your home, not a place you can stay."

"Don't be like that, Hailan." The man who had been dancing with Hailan suddenly appeared behind her, patted her shoulder, and said softly, "Mr. Linton might be a bit impulsive with his words, but I believe it's because the guest is very important and concerns Iris. At times like these, a wife should support her husband and daughter."

He turned around, clapped his hands, and drew everyone's attention to himself. "Everyone, today's banquet ends here. I apologize profusely. Next time, I will host a more perfect banquet, I promise, in the name of the Covai Family!"

"Navel," Hailan interrupted him.

This was her maiden surname.

"Alright, alright, Covai, and Navel." The gentleman surnamed Covai smiled and continued to call out, "Now, everyone can go home, take a hot bath, forget the troubles of the day, and have a good dream on your velvet beds!"

The surrounding crowd laughed in response, following his words and leaving Linton Manor under the guidance of the servants.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you." Hailan clasped Covai's hands, gazing at his rather distinguished features, and said gently, "If it weren't for you, I would have been laughed to death by them."

She then abruptly turned her head and loudly berated Hom, "Aren't you going to apologize to Mr. Covai quickly! Do you know how much trouble you've caused me!"

Hom mumbled, his eyes filled with anger staring directly at his wife and the outsider who were intimately close.

If he could, he would have punched the man's face until it was ruined, but he knew he couldn't, or rather, he didn't believe he could.

"Calm down, Hailan," Covai maintained his gentle smile. "Don't let these trivial matters ruin your complexion."

"Ah!" Hailan frantically touched her face, the wrinkled texture beneath her fingertips so obvious.

She was no longer young, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were becoming increasingly clear, only concealed by makeup that required hours to perfect.

"How can I show such an ugly side of myself in front of you?" Hailan's voice actually held a hint of sobbing.

This was a fragility Hom had never witnessed before.

"It's alright, you should go back to your room and touch up your makeup," Covai said with a knowing smile. "We have plenty of time."

"Mhm," Hailan hummed, lowering her head. If her foundation hadn't been so thick, one might have seen a terrifying blush spread across her face.

Then, she turned and walked towards her room on the second floor via the escalator, not once looking at Hom during the entire time.

It was as if he simply didn't exist.

"Alright, Mr. Linton, stop looking at me like that." Covai found a seat, casually picked up a cup of black tea, and gestured for Hom to sit opposite him. "Sit down and rest for a bit."

Hom shot him a cold glance, making no move.

Covai didn't seem to mind, merely chuckling softly. "This is the first time I've seen you like this, Mr. Linton. Not hiding away in your study, but choosing to resist. It seems this guest concerning Iris is indeed very important."

As he spoke Iris's name, Covai's voice deepened slightly.

"Of course!" Hom was indeed provoked, his voice carrying a hint of excitement. "With their guidance, Iris will absolutely achieve great things in the Flower Knights, and her future life will be smooth sailing!"

Covai was surprised by Hom's fervor, yet found it somewhat amusing.

He stood up and slowly bowed to Hom. "Then I will thank you on Iris's behalf first."

"Iris doesn't need to thank me, and also..." Hom, for the first time in his life, was furious. "What right do you have to thank me on behalf of my daughter!!"

"Your daughter?" Covai burst into laughter. "Sorry, but not for long."

"Hailan was already planning to divorce you and end this terrible relationship. All the assets, including Iris's custody, would be taken over by her. After all, she is the future star of the Knights Order, how could she be tainted by her family background? Your actions just now will likely accelerate Hailan's decision. Let me calculate, how many more days can you be Iris's father..."

Covai suddenly feigned realization and snapped his fingers. "One day!"

"You bastard!!"

Hom's anger was finally ignited, his reason burning like fuel.

He grabbed the expensive candelabra beside him and charged at Covai like a knight charging into battle, attempting to send this beast who destroyed his family to the hell he deserved.

But unfortunately, Covai's family, though only holding the title of Viscount, had been passed down for several generations, making them true nobles.

And the elite education of nobles typically included training in swordsmanship and other physical conditioning.

Although Covai's combat skills were not outstanding, he was young and strong. Teaching a lesson to a middle-aged man who hadn't exercised in over a decade was more than enough.

He effortlessly dodged Hom's reckless charge, then elegantly pinned his wrist, extended his foot, and knocked him to the ground like a cat playing with a mouse.

The entire process was done with a light touch, the black tea he was holding barely rippling.

"How unsightly, Mr. Linton." Covai crouched down, looking at Hom's face contorted in pain, and said softly, "Accept reality. I will take good care of Iris and help her climb the ladder towards the stars step by step in the Knights Order. Isn't this what you wanted to do but couldn't?"

Hom opened his eyes in pain. "Why are you doing this?"

"Of course, for myself!" Covai said matter-of-factly. "If Iris weren't the future star of the Knights Order, why would I approach that woman who has long since faded with age?"

"The title of Viscount is not hereditary, and my family has already declined. I can't guarantee that this noble crown will fall upon my head, so I have to find some way. And Iris is highly valued in the Knights Order. If I can get close to her, even a common pig from the fields can eat royal feed."

"I wonder if you, as a father, understand Iris's achievements in the Knights Order. It seems you don't." Covai smiled again upon seeing Hom's wide eyes. "What a good father you are, Mr. Linton. Let me tell you."

"There are a total of one hundred and seventy-two people in the Knights Order reserve, and Iris's mastery of knightly skills and her academic performance are both first place, always first place! Not only that, according to the Knights Order's scoring standards, she achieved perfect scores in all subjects! Since the Knights Order established the reserve assessment system, she is the only one who has achieved such results."

"So do you know what kind of genius daughter you have, Mr. Linton?" Covai said, and then suddenly slapped Hom across the face. "But she still hasn't been selected for the Knights Order. Do you know why? It's because of you all!!"

"What..." Hom's face was filled with disbelief.

He had always believed his daughter was outstanding, but he had never heard that she could achieve such results.

Covai continued, "For your reputation, she has been guarding herself closely. As soon as she heard any bad news about you, she would charge forward with her knight's sword without a moment's hesitation, leading to frequent disciplinary actions and preventing her from becoming a full member to this day."

"—But you all don't seem to care about her efforts."

"So, give Iris to me. I will make her the most dazzling iris in the Knights Order—bearing the surname of the Covai family."

"Never!"

Hom, who had been silently gathering his strength, suddenly erupted. He took advantage of Covai's distraction and pushed him to the ground, then picked up the fallen candelabra and smashed it down hard towards his head.

Covai seemed not to expect the old man to resist, and the consequence of his carelessness was a bleeding head.

He no longer cared about elegance, his heart filled with malice. Dizzy, he grappled with Hom.

They tore at each other, using fists and feet, smashing anything they could find at each other.

—Including sharp objects.

"Pfft—"

The scarlet, hot blood made Covai's eyes blurry, but even with his muddled mind, he could sense what he had done.

Half of a silver dinner knife was embedded in Hom's left rib. The fresh blood from his heart no longer flowed through the arteries to the rest of his body, but through the knife, slowly soaking Covai's luxurious sleeve.

"I killed someone..."

Covai avoided Hom's wide, angry eyes and, trembling, raised his blood-stained hands.

"I have to throw him out before Hailan gets back. The servants are taking the guests. I still have time, I still have time, as long as no one finds out..."

It was too late.

"Clang—"

The ornate wooden door, heavy with carvings, was pushed open. The girl's face, illuminated by the pale moonlight, showed her expression shift from confusion to terror, then finally to blazing rage.

"Father!!"

"I'll kill you!!"

Iris didn't know what had happened, but she didn't need to know the full details.

The result was clear before her eyes.

A steak knife was lodged in her father's ribs, and the man beside him was covered in blood.

Who the killer was, was obvious.

Iris grabbed a chair, her steps flowing as if flowers bloomed with each movement.

Knight Sword Skill: Variable Slash

Although the weapon in the girl's hand wasn't a knight's sword, through countless duels within the Knights Order, she had long since learned to wield anything she could hold as a weapon. Her long-honed sword skills came to her as naturally as breathing.

Covai was just an ordinary person. Facing a slash that could cut him into eighteen pieces, he had no room to react, not even enough time to observe Iris's movements.

Crack—

Covai's left arm, which he tried to raise to block, instantly fractured. The soul-piercing pain made him cry out, but before he could even open his mouth, a black boot directly impacted his face.

His nose was broken, his lips split like a spiderweb, his eyes bloodshot and seemingly about to burst. His entire face was barely recognizable, with no complete features visible.

Iris didn't look at Covai's gruesome state. She hastily threw the chair aside and, with trembling hands, carefully touched her father's rough face.

Cold, lifeless.

Only a pair of eyes, filled with anger, seemed to still hold some spirit, refusing to close for a long time.