Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Glass Bones

The lobby froze.

Parents, children, nurses who had been watching stood frozen in disbelief.

Just seconds ago, they had seen her treating Mika like a random stranger—now she was apologizing like she had nearly committed a crime.

The contrast was so absurd that no one knew how to react.

Even Einz’s entourage looked utterly dumbfounded.

They had been expecting her to reject Mika, maybe even threaten to call security—but instead, she was bowing and apologizing as if her life depended on it.

Meanwhile, Mika sighed softly, then reached forward and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, lifting her up.

"Hey, hey, that’s enough." He said kindly. "There’s no need to apologize like that."

The woman blinked up at him, her eyes wide and glassy.

"You were just doing your job." Mika continued, smiling faintly. "If anything, I should’ve introduced myself properly first. You had no way of knowing who I was."

But she shook her head furiously, her face pale with guilt.

"No, sir, even still...I should have realized sooner. I should’ve known!" She clenched her hands over her chest. "When you said Lady Fauna invited you, I thought you were joking, I thought you were just trying to sound important! I...I didn’t believe you. That was unforgivable!"

She bowed again, voice trembling.

"Please accept my deepest apologies!"

Mika rubbed his temple. "You really don’t need to bow again. Come on, you’ll get dizzy like that."

But before he could calm her further, Einz’s voice tore through the moment.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

He shouted, stepping closer.

"Why are you apologizing to him?!" His eyes darted between Mika and the receptionist, his lips tight with disbelief. "This has to be some kind of act! There’s no way his name’s really on that list! You’re doing this to humiliate me, aren’t you?"

The receptionist immediately straightened, her trembling replaced by something firm and sharp.

"Please refrain from speaking like that." She said with surprising anger in her voice. "Master Mika is a special and valued guest of Lady Fauna herself. I will not stand by and allow you to insult or disrespect him in this hospital."

Her voice, once timid, now carried authority, the kind that came from serving under Fauna’s name.

She then pointed firmly toward the door.

"If you cannot conduct yourself properly, I will personally have you escorted off the premises."

Einz blinked, stunned by her sudden defiance.

"You—what did you just say to me?"

"I said..." The receptionist repeated, her tone unwavering. "Step away from Lady Fauna’s guest, or you will be removed."

The young noble’s face twisted in fury.

"You dare threaten me? Do you have any idea who I—"

"Stop Einz..."

The deep, commanding voice belonged to the patriarch of the Hawthorne family.

"Father—" Einz started, his voice full of outrage.

"Stop." the old man snapped, not looking at him. "Do not provoke him any further."

"But—"

"I said stop." His voice cut sharper this time, cold and absolute. "We have caused enough embarrassment today."

Einz’s face burned with frustration, his pride clawing for an outlet.

"But Father—this, this is ridiculous! They’re humiliating us on purpose! This can’t be real!"

The old man finally turned his head, his gray eyes cold as ice.

"This is no act, you fool."

"W-What?" Einz faltered.

"You should’ve realized it the moment his name was mentioned." The patriarch said quietly, his tone grave.

Einz frowned, his confusion deepening. "What do you mean—"

But then something clicked. His face froze. His eyes widened as he turned slowly to look at Mika, truly seeing him for the first time.

"You mean..." He said hoarsely, pointing a shaking finger. "That guy—he’s the one? The one who the Battle Angels cherish?"

His father nodded solemnly.

"He’s the one. The one the rumors speak of. The boy who stands beside them. Which means..." He said, his gaze hardening. "...we cannot afford to offend him."

Einz’s mouth opened and closed, words dying on his tongue. "But Father, the reports say he’s just—he’s just a support class! Even I could—"

"You could what?" the old man cut him off sharply. "You could beat him? Hurt him? And then what?"

Einz blinked.

"Who will deal with the aftermath, boy?" The patriarch said, his voice now carrying a dangerous edge. "If even a single scratch appears on him, do you know what will happen? The entire Hawthorne family would be annihilated by dawn. Do you understand me?"

The weight of those words hit Einz like a hammer.

His anger evaporated, replaced by a cold sweat running down his back.

He looked at Mika again, calm, relaxed, completely unbothered, and for the first time, fear crept into his eyes.

"...Y-yes, Father." He finally muttered, his voice small.

The patriarch nodded once. "Then keep your mouth shut and step back."

Einz hesitated for a moment longer before turning away, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

And the moment he backed down, the murmurs began almost immediately.

People who had been whispering cautiously moments ago now broke into hushed conversations that rippled across the entire lobby.

"Did you see that? The nobles just backed off, like they were scared of him!"

"Who even is that guy? A kid that young, and Lady Fauna herself invited him?"

"No way...he must be connected to the Battle Angels."

"What’s his relationship with her?"

"Who the hell knows? I thought they battle angels weren’t close to anyone but their own family."

The tone of awe and disbelief spread like wildfire, every person craning their necks for a better look at the mysterious boy who’d just humiliated the Hawthorne family without lifting a finger.

A few of the onlookers, realizing the value of what they’d just witnessed, quickly raised their phones.

The Battle Angels were the stuff of legends, any photo, any hint of a new member or an ally connected to them would make global headlines instantly.

But when they snapped their pictures, every single one of them frowned in confusion.

Their phones glitched for a moment, then displayed nothing but distorted images.

Mika’s silhouette appeared in each photo, but his face and body were smeared and unrecognizable, like someone had dragged a brush across the image.

The same happened to every video recording: a blur where Mika stood, colors warping, pixels smudged.

"Wait, what? My camera’s bugging out..."

"Same here!"

"Hey, mine too! What the hell, why’s it all blurred?"

It wasn’t just one device. Every phone, every lens, every camera failed to capture him properly. It was as if reality itself refused to show his face.

Of course, Mika knew exactly why.

He’d been using a cloaking spell the entire time, one of the oldest tricks he’d developed for himself. Cameras couldn’t record him, not a single frame.

And that wasn’t all. The spell wasn’t just for lenses; it affected perception itself.

Anyone who saw him now would remember him for a while...but his face? His features?

Within a few hours, they would fade in memory, blurring into uncertainty.

People would remember that they had met him, but they wouldn’t be able to describe him. Not clearly. Not truthfully.

It was a safeguard, a way to move freely through the world without being recognized.

It was why, even though Mika was so close to the Battle Angels, almost no one could recall what he looked like. Only his name carried weight.

And now, it was working perfectly. The murmurs of disbelief continued, phones lowering one by one as confusion spread through the crowd.

Meanwhile, the receptionist, still flustered but professional again, straightened up, brushing her uniform and speaking quickly.

"Please follow me, Master Mika." She said, her tone full of respect. "Lady Fauna is waiting for you in the garden terrace. She asked that you be brought up as soon as you arrived."

"Got it." Mika nodded casually.

The receptionist motioned for him to follow, and together they began walking toward the lift. The crowd instinctively parted for him, their whispers following like echoes.

But before they could step into the elevator, a sudden commotion broke out behind them.

"You little shit! Can’t you watch where you’re going?!"

Everyone turned.

Right in front of Einz, who had been sulking near the exit, a small boy had fallen to the ground.

The child, no more than seven or eight, looked terrified, clutching a small plush rabbit in his arms.

It was clear he had accidentally run into Einz while playing.

But even though it was an accident, the noble’s face contorted with rage, veins bulging at his temple.

"You filthy little pest." He snarled. "You dare bump into me?!"

The boy stammered. "I-I’m sorry, mister...I didn’t see—"

But Einz wasn’t listening. He lifted his foot high, his intention unmistakable, he was going to kick the child to appease his anger towards Mika.

And instantly gasps erupted across the lobby.

His parents screamed, nurses froze, and even the guards hesitated, unsure whether to intervene.

"Stop!" The receptionist cried, horrified but it was already too late.

A horrified silence fell across the lobby as his leg swung down toward the child’s face.

But before anyone could even scream—

CRACK! SMASH!

The sound echoed through the hall like a gunshot.

And instead of the child flying away, it was Einz who screamed.

His leg twisted unnaturally mid-swing, bones shattering from the knee down, as he collapsed instantly, falling onto the floor with a cry of agony.

"AAAAAAAH! My leg! My leg! HAHHHHHH"

The entire lobby went silent again, then erupted in chaos.

"What—what just happened?!"

"Did he just, break his own leg?!"

"No, his leg shattered!"

Even from across the hall, the sound of splintering bone had been clear. The nobles’ guards rushed forward, crowding around Einz. The patriarch’s face went pale.

"My son!" He shouted, wheeling forward. "Einz!"

One of the guards examined the young noble’s leg, then looked up, his expression grim.

"His leg bones are completely fragmented, sir. Every single one of them. It’s like...they turned to powder on impact."

The patriarch’s eyes widened.

Meanwhile, the parents of the child hurried forward, scooping up the boy and clutching him protectively. The little one was shaking but unharmed, wide-eyed and confused.

A few of the bystanders started whispering again, their disbelief morphing into awkward humor.

"Did he seriously just break his leg trying to kick a kid?"

"Maybe he’s just weak...or brittle!"

"Someone get that guy some milk."

"Guess money can’t buy bones, huh?"

"Imagine all that arrogance, can’t even handle a seven-year-old."

Even the receptionist exhaled shakily, relief washing over her face. "Thank heavens...the child’s alright," before turning to Mika.

"Did...Did you see what just happened?" She asked, her voice still shaky. "One moment, he was about to kick that poor kid, and the next, his leg just shattered. It was too fast, I couldn’t even see it clearly."

Mika, ever calm, shrugged slightly.

"Not really." He said, voice casual as if discussing the weather. "Maybe he didn’t drink enough milk as a kid. Calcium deficiency is a serious thing you know."

The receptionist froze for a second before a surprised laugh escaped her lips. She covered her mouth quickly, but it was too late, the small giggle had already bubbled out.

"You’re terrible." She said, still trying not to laugh. "But honestly...maybe that’s exactly what happened."

He only smiled.

"Well, whatever it was." She went on, glancing toward the crying noble on the floor. "I’m just glad the boy’s safe. And maybe it’s wrong of me to say this, but..." She leaned closer, whispering. "...I’m kind of happy that happened."

"Anyway, we should leave this mess to the guards. Lady Fauna is waiting."

She turned briskly toward the elevator and pressed the call button. The doors slid open with a soft chime.

"Please, Master Mika." She said politely, stepping inside and standing upright with perfect composure. "Allow me to escort you to the rooftop."

Mika followed her in silently.

The doors began to close with a quiet hum, reflecting their faces faintly in the polished metal.

The receptionist kept her posture straight, completely unaware it was only when the calm, polite young man standing beside her whispered—

[Glassbone Syndrome ]

—did the the noble’s bones turn so brittle that they collapsed on impact and shatter into tiny pieces.