Inside Draven Villa
1924 Words
All eyes were on Kael.
Whispers spread through the crowd of workers, their eyes were filled with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
Who dared to speak that name here?
Not just whisper it—but speak it boldly, without hesitation.
Even the most reckless servants knew better than to mention Elias Drevan.
Yet this stranger—dressed plainly, unapologetic and fearless—had just spoken it aloud.
Seraphina’s face darkened, her lips pressing into a tight line.
She couldn’t even look at Kael directly anymore.
For the first time, her composure cracked completely.
She turned away slightly, as if trying to escape the weight of his eyes, but her voice was sharp when she spoke:
“There is no such person in this household.”
She said out, it showed in her voice that her tone was filled with forced conviction.
Kael’s expression didn’t change.
Seraphina avoided his eyes. She turned her head slightly and snapped:
“Johnson! Get them out—NOW!”
Her voice was so loud cutting through the silence.
Johnson immediately responded.
“Yes, Young Mistress!”
His old but sharp eyes flashed with cruelty. He waved his hand.
“Men! Surround them!”
At his command, a group of Drevan thugs rushed in, forming a tight circle around Kael and Dain.
Their footsteps thundered across the stone courtyard, their hands gripping wooden clubs, daggers, and even a few firearms.
Johnson took a step forward, glaring at Kael. His eyes was filled with malice.
“I warned you before,” he sneered.
“But you didn’t listen. Now, you’ll pay the price.”
He smirk, his wrinkled hands tightening into fists.
“The first thing I’ll do…” he continued, his voice dripping with venom.
“Is cut out that insolent tongue of yours.”
The thugs tensed and were ready to strike.
Johnson’s mind raced—
If this troublemaker kept pressing the issue, the matriarch of the house would hear about it.
And if that happened…
The consequences would be severe.
Better to deal with this now—before the problem spreads further.
Kael stood unmoved.
His eyes swept across the armed men, but there was no sign of fear in his expression.
He didn’t even take a defensive stance.
Instead, he exhaled. “Brazen,” he said.
Dain stepped forward. He positioned himself slightly ahead of Kael.
He was massive—tall and broad-shouldered, his sheer presence enough to make most men hesitate.
His eyes gleamed with danger, he was ready to strike.
The Drevan thugs—who had been so eager just moments ago—now stood frozen, their grips on their weapons tight but were hesitant.
A single drop of sweat trickled down one man's head.
The air was thick with tension, an unspoken understanding among them—
This man… was not normal.
“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!”
Johnson’s furious roar broke the silence.
His face was filled with rage, his patience was snapping as he saw his men hesitating.
“ATTACK! KILL THEM BOTH!”
But before he could finish speaking—
CRACK!
A loud slap echoed across the courtyard.
In an instant, Johnson’s body was launched backward like a ragdoll, soaring several feet through the air before crashing onto the ground.
A few of the workers gasped audibly.
Some stumbled back in fear.
The entire estate fell into silence.
Dain let out a small "tch", shaking his hand slightly as if disappointed.
“Noisy.”
His deep voice sent a chill through everyone’s spine.
Johnson lay on the ground, his cheek swollen red, blood dripping from the corner of his lips.
He twitched but didn’t dare to get up.
The Drevan thugs, who had been so aggressive, suddenly started to move backward on their own.
Some of them subtly lowered their weapons. They were unwilling to face the same fate as their butler.
Even without using much strength, Dain had sent a grown man flying.
How was that even humanly possible?
Kael didn’t even look at Johnson.
He continued walking toward the entrance of the villa.
The Drevan thugs parted instinctively.
Then—
“Elias Drevan is already dead.”
Seraphina’s voice rang out suddenly, sharp and unwavering.
"You can't see him"
Kael stopped in his tracks.
Kael's hand moved like lightning.
SMACK!
A sharp slap could be hear across the courtyard.
Seraphina’s head jerked to the side, her cheeks turned red.
A thin line of blood trickled down from the corner of her lips.
She gasped, her eyes were wide in shock.
Kael looked at her with icy indifference.
“That was for Elias.”
He pulled out a pristine white handkerchief. He wiped his palm with casual disdain, then handed it over to Dain.
Dain took it. He threw it at Seraphina's face.
The fabric fluttered through the air before landing on her cheek.
She covered her lips. She was humiliated, but she said nothing.
Without another word, she turned and quickly hurried inside.
Then—
“Damn it! How the hell did they get inside the Drevan household and cause trouble?!”
A loud, furious voice rang out.
It was Johnson.
The butler, who had been momentarily dazed from the slap earlier, had finally regained his senses.
His eyes burned with rage as he pushed himself up from the ground.
“Today, you’re both dead!” he spat venomously.
But before he could say another word—
WHOOSH!
Dain suddenly vanished—
As if the wind had simply swallowed him whole.
Johnson’s eyes darted around in confusion, his breath hitching in fear—
Then—
Dain was suddenly right in front of him.
Johnson’s blood ran cold.
“Wha—”
Before he could react, Dain’s hand shot out and clamped around his throat.
Johnson choked, his feet dangling off the ground as Dain lifted him effortlessly with one arm.
His face turned red, his arms flailed helplessly against Dain’s iron grip.
Dain’s golden-brown eyes bore into him with utter contempt.
“Who is dead?”
Johnson trembled, his fingers slowly gripping his own cheek—the same cheek that had been slapped earlier.
His lips quivered as he tried to speak through his fear.
“Did… d-did I say anything wrong?” he stammered.
“If that brat goes in and dares to mention Elias in front of the old lady, cutting his tongue will be the least of his worries!”
He took a shaky breath, forcing some courage into his voice.
“I warned you! You’d better—”
CRACK!
Before Johnson could finish, Dain's grip tightened around his throat.
His windpipe strained under the pressure, his lungs screaming for air.
“The Drevan family?”
His fingers dug deeper, making Johnson's vision blur.
“You think your family is untouchable?”
His tone dropped even more lower, his voice was cold as death.
“If you dare to offend Sir, even if there are a hundred of you… you’ll all die.”
Johnson's heart pounded violently.
His body convulsed, struggling desperately for oxygen.
Then—
Dain’s eyes darkened, his lips curling in disdain.
“What was it you said? You were going to cut whose tongue?”
Johnson’s pupils shrank.
The sheer terror that gripped him was unlike anything he'd ever felt before.
He tried to plead, to shake his head, but it was too late.
Dain leaned in, “Fine. I’ll grant your wish.”
To Johnson, the words felt like a death knell.
Then—
PAIN.
A searing, unbearable pain tore through his mouth.
His vision flashed white, his throat tensed in agony—
Then, just as suddenly, Dain released him.
THUD!
Johnson’s body collapsed on the floor.
His fingers scrambled to his mouth, his lips trembling in horror.
Then he felt it—
The shredded remnants of what was once his tongue.
Johnson let out a gargled, choked scream.
Blood poured from his mouth, drenching his chin, hands and the ground beneath him.
The entire courtyard fell into silence.
Dain looked at the trembling servants and guards,
"Consider yourselves lucky."
His tone sent a chill down their spines.
"If Sir Kael didn't want to investigate, the entire Drevan family would have been wiped out tonight."
Everyone present was scared.
The butler, Johnson, lay writhing on the ground, blood pooling beneath him as he clutched his ruined mouth.
The rest of the Drevan servants and guards did not dare to move.
They all understood.
This was a warning.
One they would be foolish to ignore.
Then, without another look at the cowering figures around them, Kael and Dain walked towards the villa’s entrance.
.
.
.
Outside the villa, the atmosphere was lively and grand.
The wedding was still ten days away, but the celebrations had already begun.
The Drevan Estate, the heart of Veyrosia’s wealth and power, was ablaze with lights and festivities.
As the number one young master of Veyrosia, Dorian Drevan’s wedding was destined to be the grandest event of the year.
The courtyard was filled with music and laughter.
Servants hurried back and forth, decorating every inch of the estate.
The nobles and elites of the Drevan family gathered around large banquet tables, drinking and laughing; There were completely immersed in their joy.
Kael and Dain stepped inside.
At the center of the hall. There was a long banquet table covered with fine dishes and expensive wine.
Seated around it were the direct bloodline members of the Drevan family.
They were chatting and smiling, raising their glasses.
But Kael's eyes looked over the room, there was no spirit tablet for Elias.
Not even a single candle.
The Drevan family had completely erased him from existence.
"Brother-in-law!"
A cheerful voice broke through the chatter.
A man raised his wine glass.
He was tall, well-dressed, and bore an uncanny resemblance to Seraphina.
His name—
Luther Voss.
Seraphina’s elder brother.
He lifted his cup towards a man in a red ceremonial suit—
"Come on, Dorian! Let's drink! We’re family now!"
Dorian smiled. He lifted his own glass.
But then—
Luther's eyes flickered to the side, landing on Kael.
His brows furrowed in confusion.
"Hmm? Who is this?"
At that moment, the rest of the banquet turned their heads towards Kael.
Their laughter faded.
Their eyes were filled with surprise.
Luther set his glass down, his tone turning cold.
"Who the hell are you? And how did you get in here?"
Kael stepped forward, his expression was calm.
"I walked in of course."
He said with a steady voice
He looked over the room until it landed on the man in red ceremonial robes.
Kael's lips parted.
"You must be Dorian Drevan."
Dorian leaned back in his seat and smirked.
"And you must not know where you are."
His tone was laced with arrogance.
"Not just anyone is allowed to step foot here."
His smile faded, his eyes were turning sharp.
"Get out."
Luther laughed, shaking his head.
"Brother-in-law, don’t waste your time."
He sneered, looking at Kael’s clothes.
"Look at him. The way he’s dressed, he’s probably just some wandering beggar."
Luther then turned his head slightly and called out—
"Johnson!"
The butler was nowhere to be seen.
Luther frowned, then he called again, "Johnson, get in here and throw this fool out," there was no response.
"No need to waste your breath."
Luther turned, glaring. "What did you say?"
Dain tilted his head slightly.
"A mute can't answer you."
The room fell silent.
A chill ran through Luther’s spine. Everyone looked at one another.
" What?"....
- Writer
