Max's eyes narrowed as he instantly recognized three figures at the front of the group.
Nathan. Arthur Gale. Tom.
And judging by the disdain etched on their faces, they weren't here for friendly conversation.
They had a purpose, a very bad one from the looks of it.
Nathan's sneer widened as he stepped forward, his voice carrying just enough volu to draw attention.
"Oh? I don't see the genius Max here?"
His words were casual, but the mockery beneath them was impossible to miss.
The mont Max's na was spoken, it was as if a chill had crept into the air.
Alice's shoulders tensed.
Anton's posture stiffened, his jaw clenching as a storm of unspoken emotions passed through his eyes.
Even Princess Aveline, who had been maintaining an air of politeness, let a faint frown crease her brow as she regarded the approaching group.
The weight of the na "Max" still held power.
It wasn't just a random topic—it was a wound, an unspoken taboo among the Phoenix Order Guild.
And Nathan had deliberately brought it up to fan the flas.
Tom, standing to Nathan's side, let out a low chuckle, his gaze flicking toward Anton.
"Brother, you should know…" he said with exaggerated casualness.
"Max betrayed them."
His tone was lighthearted, almost amused, as if he were speaking about a re rumor rather than a deep, personal betrayal.
But the effect was imdiate.
Anton's expression darkened, his fingers curling tightly into fists at his side.
A rigid silence stretched between them.
Then—
"You should mind your business," Anton said coldly, his voice carrying an undercurrent of warning.
But Tom rely smirked, unfazed.
"Mind our own business?" He scoffed.
"That's exactly what we're doing. We ca here for Max, but the coward ran away like a rat."
The venom in his words was unmistakable.
But before Anton could respond, before the tension could escalate further—
Alice spoke.
Her voice rang out, clear and unwavering, cutting through the thickening hostility.
"He isn't a coward!"
Max's eyes widened slightly.
Her tone held no hesitation, no doubt—just pure conviction.
"If he were here, I'm very sure you wouldn't dare cause a commotion like this!"
For a brief mont, everything stilled.
Nathan's smirk froze for just an instant.
Tom's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.
Even Anton, despite his anger, turned toward Alice with a sharp glare.
But the words had already left her lips, and they could not be taken back.
Max's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by Alice's words.
He had braced himself for the worst—prepared for the possibility that she had moved on, severed all ties, just as Aurelia and the Phoenix Order Guild wanted.
Yet, here she was—defending him.
Not with hesitation.
Not with reluctance.
But with conviction.
A warmth spread through his chest, subtle yet undeniable.
For the past four months, he had told himself that people could change, that bonds could break, that loyalty was fragile.
But at this mont—
He realized he had thought too much.
A bond built over true feelings, over genuine trust and shared mories, wasn't sothing that could be so easily shattered.
Not by the pressure of a guild.
Not by the expectations of family.
Not even by the weight of betrayal.
Even if the whole world stood against him, even if her own brother, her people, and her guild condemned him—
Sowhere, deep inside—
Alice still believed in him.
And that belief was enough.
But then—
Nathan laughed.
"Heh… a traitor is being praised by the daughter of the very guild he betrayed?"
His laughter was mocking, filled with a cruel sense of amusent.
"Now that is interesting."
And just like that, Anton snapped.
"Alice, don't speak of him from now on!"
His voice bood, laced with frustration and anger that had clearly been building for months.
"Don't praise the one who betrayed our guild!"
Alice lowered her head, her long hair falling slightly over her face, but it did little to hide the tears welling up in her eyes.
For four long months, she had endured relentless scolding from Anton—her brother, her protector, the one person she had once thought would always support her choices.
"Forget Max."
"Erase him from your life."
"Don't look for him, don't speak of him, don't even think about him."
"He's a traitor. He's dead to us."
She had been forced to suppress every instinct, every emotion, every ounce of curiosity she had.
She had tried.
Tried to ignore the ache in her chest, tried to convince herself that maybe, just maybe, her brother was right.
But the truth was—
She couldn't.
She wouldn't.
Because no matter what anyone said, no matter how much they tried to erase him from her mind—Max had never been a traitor to her.
She had known his kindness, his strength, his struggles.
She knew Max. He would never betray the guild. Never.
That wasn't soone who would betray them without reason.
Yet here she was, being punished for believing in him.
And at this mont—her heart reached its limit.
She was just a child.
No matter how strong she tried to be, no matter how much she held back—
She could only endure so much.
Max watched it all unfold from the shadows, and rage clouded his mind instantly.
A raw, blistering anger unlike anything he had felt in a long ti.
He had always known Anton was stubborn, loyal to the guild to a fault, but to see him break Alice down like this—to watch her eyes shimr with unshed tears, to see her shoulders tremble ever so slightly—
It made sothing inside him snap.
He wanted to step forward.
Wanted to grab Anton by the collar and throw him to the ground.
Wanted to slap the self-righteous arrogance off his face, to demand what right he had to treat Alice this way.
But—
He controlled himself.
Barely.
His fingers curled into tight fists, his nails digging into his palms hard enough to draw blood, the pain a reminder to stay still.
Not yet.
Not here.
The ti would co—but this wasn't it.
For now, he could only watch.
But—
It wouldn't be long before he would take action.
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