Chapter 48

Jermi overdid her role as an adopted daughter 048. The Blue Lady, Jermi.

She had recently been the hottest topic in high society.

Even though she hadn't officially entered high society, her beauty set the hearts of many young ladies ablaze.

Rumors had it that she was the reincarnation of a beautiful dragon, a beauty so stunning that she would leave a mark in history, and even the delicate Revelia flower would lose its luster in front of her.

Rumors always followed Jermi.

Some people even envied her, saying the rumors were exaggerated.

'If she's so beautiful, why does she stay secluded in the Storm Fortress?'

'It's as if she's admitting that the rumors about her are exaggerated.'

Typically, the children of noble families would make their debut in high society at the age of twelve.

Usually, they would show off their presence at the

'Bluebell Ball, which takes place in May.

However, Jermi had never once appeared in any social gathering.

Inside the Winter City.

Azulegia, a famous patisserie known across the continent for its eclairs.

A young boy stood in line there.

His attire was shabby, and he wore a rusty sword at his waist.

He didn't look well-off or handsome, but his eyes were full of vigor.

'The Lady Viola loves the eclairs here.

He had slipped away from the official delegation and come to Azulegia.

'It's fine since I have free time anyway.'

He kept to the official schedule.

The rest of the time was his own.

He just needed to avoid causing a commotion in the Winter City.

'I need to learn more about Lady Viola.'

He had heard a lot about Viola.

The Iron-Blooded Bella.

A young lady who became a great fortune at a young age due to her outstanding insight.

She was known to be on particularly good terms with the famous Sir Hixon, and it was said that if she had been born ten years earlier, she might have engaged in a serious succession battle with the First Lady Medea.

He looked around.

His gaze didn't catch anyone who seemed to recognize him.

'Good, I'm wearing a mask.'

This mask was made by the Winter City's mask-making workshop and boasted a quality almost magical.

There were rumors that it was a business of the Winter City's master of disguise, Seiban Marcos, but that was unconfirmed.

Jermi tapped the shoulder of the person in front of him.

"Excuse me. Do you know anything about Lady Viola Bella?"

"Oh, an aspiring squire? I was once in your shoes."

The man, who had been talkative from the start, proudly spouted numerous pieces of information.

...That's how it went. But is that all? She earned the nickname Iron-Blooded Lady at a welcome banquet. There's also a rumor that she single-handedly slaughtered a herd of boars that were terrorizing Maple Village."

The reality was a bit different, but that's how the rumors spread among the people.

Jermi's eyes widened.

"Boars?"

"Yes, not just any boars. They were magical boars that grew by consuming mana."

"I've heard that even the Empire's knights find it difficult to kill magical boars alone."

Jermi had experienced magical boars herself.

Among them, the most powerful was a special breed called 'Shabel.'

It was a monster that required at least a 7th-grade knight to hunt.

"She did it all when she was just ten years old."

"What an incredible person!"

Jermi thought of the Shabel boar, but in reality, it was just a boar.

'Is that all? There's something everyone in the Winter City knows.'

"What is it?"

"Lady Viola slaughtered the herd of boars and drank their blood in a toast."

Of course, that never happened.

'From his reaction, it's clear.'

Interestingly, even the powerful Viola, who wielded such formidable power within the Winter City, could only buy four eclairs.

And those were for Tundra.

"Tundra, am I going to eat this?"

"Yes, I don't like sweets."

Jermi's ears perked up.

'Ah, that boy must be Tundra.'

He was 17 years old.

The same age as herself.

The only disciple of Sir Hixon.

Despite not being a noble, he was known as a hidden dragon of the Winter City due to his exceptional sword skills.

'But he's more famous for the nickname Companion Sword.'

Why he was called the Companion Sword was unknown.

All she knew was that he never left Lady Viola's side and served her with all his heart, which led to the nickname.

In reality, it was a misinterpretation of Companion Dog.

"Two eclairs. Here you go."

Jermi took the two eclairs on the tray and moved toward them.

Viola Bella.

And Tundra.

***

Viola was in a dilemma.

There was only one eclair left.

Should she take it home or eat it here? She pondered seriously.

'It's warmer and sweeter if I eat it now.'

But,

'It's the last one. Should I save it? Besides, I'm already full.'

Her contemplation didn't last long.

Clunk!

Chomp!

She had to eat it.

This eclair was too alluring to resist.

Then she noticed someone.

'Huh?'

Silvery, tousled hair.

Freckles covering her face.

An ordinary-looking face.

Shabby clothes and a rusty sword.

"Jermi always disguised herself."

A boy matching the description in the novel was here.

She had also heard that Jermi's delegation had arrived in the Winter City.

'Could this really be Jermi?'

She looked at the sword's hilt.

"He wore a blue knot on his sword.

The blue knot was a symbol of the Storm Sword and was also tied by his younger sister."

She saw the blue knot made of blue thread.

'It's Jermi!'

Jermi Palail appeared here.

Her heart suddenly felt uneasy.

In the original story, the Storm Fortress and the Palail family were enemies of the Winter City.

Jermi was the young head of the Palail family and would engage in the famous 'Summit Battle' with Medea.

The Summit Battle lasted seven days on the peak of the Serc Mountains, and both suffered severe injuries.

'Viola would take advantage of Medea's weakened state and ambush her... inflicting a fatal wound.'

Medea, who loved her family, would be tricked by Viola's schemes and be pushed out of the successor position.

Anyway, the important thing was,

'She would become a warrior on par with Sister Medea.'

And,

'In the original story, the Bella family was an enemy of the Palails.'

Of course, the situation was very different from the original story.

But she knew that the author's character settings rarely changed.

Even if the details changed, the overall flow remained the same.

'There's no point in getting too close.'

She didn't know why he was here.

She decided to pretend not to recognize him.

It was thanks to the novel that she could see through his disguise.

She couldn't just say, "I recognized your disguise because I read the novel!"

'But why did he come here?'

Tundra's gaze fell on the silvery-haired boy.

"Who are you?"

"There aren't many seats. Can I join you at this four-person table?"

Tundra answered briefly.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You're a stranger."

A dog must guard its master.

Tundra thought so.

"In exchange, I'll give you an eclair."

"Still no... "

Viola cut him off.

"Sit down."

Viola quickly grabbed the eclair on the tray as if someone might steal it.

Jermi smiled lightly and sat in front of Viola.

"Aspiring squire?"

"Yes, I'm working hard."

Tundra openly mocked her.

"You're an aspiring squire?"

He growled in a low voice.

"To hide your aura like that."

He placed a dagger under the table.

The dagger touched Jermi's knee.

"What are you up to?"

Jermi laughed.

Indeed, the hidden dragon of the Winter City.

He seemed to have read her aura.

"I have no ulterior motives. Just... "

Viola, who had cheered up after eating the eclair, spoke.

"It's fine. You're my guest."

"Guest?"

"Yes. You can put away your dagger. Are you planning to use violence in the Winter City?"

Tundra silently put away his dagger.

Somehow,

This silvery-haired boy was unsettling.

"Did the young lady recognize me?"

"Did you expect me to pretend not to recognize you with that blue knot symbolizing the Storm Sword?"

She didn't want to get entangled with the Storm Jermi.

A person this dangerous was best kept at a safe distance.

'Perhaps it's better to reveal everything and start from there.'

So she acknowledged him.

If they had a simple conversation in a controlled environment without any variables, it would be fine.

'Keep a safe distance.'

Clunk!

Chomp!

She quickly ate the eclair.

"I'm done. Lady, show your true self. I'm leaving."

It meant she didn't want to talk to the disguised version of him.

Now that she had the eclair, she had no more business here.

Viola stood up first.

Tundra followed her.

Tundra looked back at Jermi several times as they walked out.

'Something feels off.'

She couldn't pinpoint why.

There was something unsettling about this boy.

Jermi smiled and put the last eclair in her mouth.

She unconsciously touched her cheek.

'So, so delicious!'

This was the first time she had tasted such a delicious eclair.

She understood why Viola had looked so happy.

'Lady Viola.'

She felt very different from the rumors.

Behind that calm demeanor, there was supposed to be a cruel and ruthless person.

When she only heard the rumors, Viola was a legendary Iron-Blooded Lady, but in reality, she wasn't.

'Did I imagine her too much like a witch?'

Perhaps that's why she felt more approachable.

'I want to get closer to her.'

Clunk!

Chomp!

The image kept coming back to her.

Jermi laughed.

She rubbed her nose.

She was very different from the rumors.

'Is the Iron-Blooded Lady really this cute?'

She looked at the blue knot tied to her sword scabbard.

It was tied by her youngest sister, Jessi, with her small, delicate hands.

'This is a bit... dangerous.'

If someone is cute,

'You want to be nice to them, don't you?'

Suddenly, a commotion broke out.

Someone shouted.

"How dare you! Not only did you make me, a viscount's son, wait so long, but you only sell two eclairs? Are you trying to deceive me? You commoner, relying on your meager skills, don't know your place! I'll personally cut off your head!"

But the commoner, the owner of Azulegia, gave a peculiar response.

"That wouldn't be wise, my lord."