Chapter 50

The adopted daughter role was played a bit too well - Chapter 50: The Youngest Son of the Zeal Barony.

Sixteen-year-old Jelton had come to the end of his short life.

The news bulletin gave significant coverage to this incident.

<The noble family's head hung at the South Gate of Winter Castle.>

<What did Jelton do wrong?>

It was an extremely unusual and bold move.

Some criticized whether a proper trial or situation assessment had been prioritized.

In fact, even Viola didn't expect the Duke to act so boldly.

The Duke simply summarized the situation in one sentence.

"Those rat pups are acting fearlessly these days, daring to do so in Winter Castle."

And he personally beheaded him.

As if to make an example, he hung the head at the South Gate of Winter Castle for display.

Some nobles protested, but Duke Heron paid no attention to their objections.

Some nobles protested.

Others remained silent.

Very few nobles praised Duke Heron for his actions.

However, the story was different among the commoners.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course! I'm a citizen of Winter Castle, aren't I?"

"How did it happen? Is the news bulletin true?"

"Lady Viola sent her companion sword."

"Personally?"

"Yes. She's a regular at our house."

"Sent a companion sword just because she's a regular?"

"Indeed! As one of the masters of Winter Castle, she protected a citizen of Winter Castle! I'm a citizen of Winter Castle!"

The commoners of Winter Castle felt a surge of emotion.

Their master, the Bellatus family, had beheaded a noble to protect them.

This act became a message that resonated deeply with the commoners.

'Winter Castle will never abandon its people.'

And at the heart of this incident was the 'companion sword.'

Companion sword Tundra.

"It moved as fast as lightning, severing Jelton's limbs in an instant."

"Ah, no, that, that's......"

It wasn't quite like that.

Jelton was arrested, but Tundra didn't kill him directly.

"Those who torment the citizens of Winter Castle deserve it."

"Yeah, that's right."

The rumor spread slightly distorted.

The story went that Viola, upon witnessing the torment of a Winter Castle citizen, sent her subordinate Tundra to execute immediate punishment.

"Sure enough, the rumors were right."

"What rumors?"

"The Iron-Blooded Lady. The most Bellatus-like Bellatus, the rumors about the adopted daughter of the Bellatus family."

From somewhere Viola didn't know, the voices praising Viola began to rise.

***

Heron's office.

It was already past 11 PM, a quiet hour.

The crimson light of the magic candle touched the Duke's cheek.

Viola, looking at the Duke's cheek bathed in orange light, trembled with her legs hidden under her skirt.

'Why did he call me?'

He's been silent for 30 minutes after calling me.

For 30 minutes, he's been signing documents without even glancing at me.

'Why?'

He's the kind of person who beheaded a baron's son for causing trouble in Winter Castle.

There were even rumors that he beheaded him right in the office.

Somehow, it felt as if the room was permeated with a thick smell of blood.

'Why did he call me and then stay silent!'

After about 30 minutes.

The Duke finally spoke.

"Why did I call you?"

How would I know?

Since Father called me, I just came.

Why are you asking me, sob.

But she had to come up with a proper answer.

This time, she realized again.

Heron was undoubtedly the absolute ruler of this world, and one cannot defy the absolute ruler.

Since I've fallen into such a world, I have to adapt and survive, right?

She answered a question with another question.

"Why did you kill the eldest son of the Zeal Barony?"

"Because it seemed like you wanted it."

What?

Me?

Viola's head felt numb for the first time in a long while.

'Why did he think that?'

It seemed she had a serious misunderstanding somewhere.

While Jelton was indeed a bad person, he hadn't committed a crime worthy of death.

"Are you planning to start moving more seriously now?"

Duke Heron's eyes narrowed.

Viola felt a vague sense of fear.

She didn't know what those eyes were saying.

It felt like they were piercing her heart.

'Start moving more seriously? Me?'

She quickly understood why he was saying that.

'He interpreted it as me entering the serious succession competition.'

That keyword gave her a hint.

Viola thought she understood why Duke Heron had made such a big deal out of this.

"Yes."

No, that's not right.

I didn't want things to get this big.

I thought he would just break a few bones and send him away.

To kill a baron's son without a trial.

The Duke rested his chin in his hand.

From his posture, it seemed he was expecting Viola's next words.

Please don't expect it!

Despite her inner thoughts, Viola had to continue speaking as Viola Bellatus.

"Winter Castle has always protected humanity from 'the place where snow blows.' Over time, people became accustomed to it, and they began to take the sharp edge of Winter Castle's sword for granted.

So, Jelton, a ruffian, dared to boast that he would commit murder within Winter Castle."

"So?"

"I wanted to warn them. The fate of those who disregard the authority of the Bellatus in Winter Castle."

It was interpreted as a warning to the world.

In fact, she hadn't thought that far, but the result was the same.

"Because of this incident, the nobles who will remain silent will do so."

"......"

"The nobles who will protest will do so."

"What's the point of dividing them?"

"As the White Bellatus, I need to clearly distinguish between enemies and allies."

The Duke chuckled.

"Are you saying that the silent ones are potential allies and the protesting ones are potential enemies?"

"No."

Viola shook her head.

"The opposite."

"Why?"

"I think Father's actions were right, but I don't think they were legal."

Viola's heart pounded.

Anyway, your actions were illegal!

That's what it sounded like.

'I won't offend him.'

She knew from reading the original.

Heron is not a tyrant who acts on a whim.

Many people think so, but that's not true.

'Even so......'

Her hands and feet trembled.

She had to exert extreme patience to hide it.

"The silent ones are cowards, and the protesting ones are madmen who have lost their fear."

"Neither of them are allies."

"Winter Castle is just Winter Castle. Allies are not needed."

It was a truly outrageous statement, but it was also something Heron liked to hear.

After giving him what he wanted to hear, she moved on to the main topic.

"But I prefer madmen over cowards."

A faint smile appeared on Heron's lips.

Since the First Daughter Medea, no child had had such a satisfying conversation with him.

It was even more enjoyable than talking to Medea.

"The love of the Zeal Baron and his wife for their children was extraordinary."

"How did you know that?"

"I also had to enter society at twelve, you know."

It meant she had studied the families of children her age in advance.

'Not that I studied, but I know from the novel.'

According to the novel, the Baron would not remain idle.

Although the story progressed a bit differently from the novel, the Zeal Barony and the Bellatus Dukedom were destined to clash someday.

"The Zeal Baron will definitely take some action."

That's how it is in the novel too.

The Baron's son Jelton is killed by Bichen.

"‘I will never forgive the Bellatus family for my son's death.’"

And the Zeal Baron marches toward Winter Castle.

The army was only about 500 strong, and they were all slaughtered at the South Gate of Winter Castle.

In the novel, Duke Heron praised the Baron.

"‘Your actions were right.’"

It's cowardly to do nothing when your son dies.

Rushing in and lashing out is the right action as a parent.

That was Heron's thinking in the novel.

"‘But why did you rush to me knowing you would die?’"

"‘Because I am a father.’"

"‘Even knowing you would die?’"

"‘Everyone does foolish things sometimes. If that foolishness has meaning, then......’"

And Heron sentenced the Baron to hanging instead of execution.

Ironically, Heron provided financial and military support to the Zeal Barony after losing the Baron.

The novel also contained this content.

"The Zeal Baroness was pregnant."

"The Zeal Baroness named the child 'Bengas.'"

"Bengas means revenge."

In the novel, this Bengas became a powerful mage and an enemy of the Bellatus family......

What a convoluted worldview.

A worldview where killing the father creates a powerful enemy named Jermy Parail, and killing the brother and son creates another enemy named Bengas Zeal.

<The Shadow of Bellatus> had such a worldview.

Heron asked.

"What action will you take?"

"I will ask the Empire to mediate."

"And?"

"The Empire will not respond to the mediation."

"Why?"

"Because there's no practical benefit. The Empire won't actively get involved in something with no practical benefit."

"But isn't the justification on the side of the Zeal Barony?"

"Jelton was the one who broke the law of Winter Castle first."

A moment of silence followed.

Then, unexpectedly, Heron said,

"And he tried to take your engagement."

"What?"

Viola thought she had misheard.

"Egertart, isn't that something you like?"

"Well, yes......"

Viola cleared her throat and continued.

"The Zeal Baron, ignored by the Empire, will make his final choice."

"What final choice?"

"Would a parent who lost a child just sit idly by?"

"Most would, if the opponent is Winter Castle."

"According to my understanding, the Zeal Baron will not sit idly by. He will definitely march toward Winter Castle."

Heron nodded once.

"If so, I must give him an honorable death."

No.

Then a powerful mage named Bengas will be born.

At least let's prevent that, Father.

Do you really think he will march?

Knowing he will die?"

"Sometimes humans do foolish things. If it has meaning."

It was a quote from the original Baron Zeal.

"‘Everyone does foolish things sometimes. If that foolishness has meaning, then......’"

Viola said.

"I also want to do something foolish."

For my brilliant future.

For a long and clean life.

To prevent the birth of a powerful mage named Bengas!

"Please send me as a special envoy. I want to visit the Zeal Barony."

This might not be enough.

She added a statement worthy of a Bellatus.

"I will prove my abilities as the White Bellatus. Just like at Storm Fortress."