Chapter 83

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

His name was Serphon.

He was the second son of Louis Barten.

‘A person of concern who nearly ruined the Seal Viscount’s family.’

A notorious womanizer who seduced the Seal Viscountess, leading to the downfall of the Seal Viscount’s family, and later gave birth to the great mage Bengas.

‘His face is really handsome.”

Tall and well-built, with fair skin.

Just by his appearance, he gave off the feeling of someone who lived in a different world.

‘The art style is different.

Moreover, his uniform, which didn’t fit in with the setting, made him stand out even more.

Zeon asked,

“Princess? Did you spot someone you know?”

“No.”

Viola turned her gaze away from Serphon.

Viola didn’t particularly like the character Serphon.

She didn’t just dislike him; she almost despised him.

‘A notorious womanizer.

Serphon was famous for seducing many women with his good looks, excellent eloquence, and ingrained manners.

“Every lady in the world has the right and the privilege to be loved.”

“Of course, it’s only natural that you like me since I like you.”

“The stars in the sky must have been stolen by your father and placed in your eyes.”’

As the saying goes, a long tail is easily stepped on.

A few years after the tragic events in the original story, low-quality rumors about Serphon began to spread among the noble families.

During this time, he even seduced the Duchess of Brandy, the lady of the famous martial arts house, and spent the night with her.

That was his final night.

After spending his last night, he ultimately met his death at the hands of the Duke of Brandy.

The Duke of Brandy crushed Serphon’s skull with a single punch, and just before dying, Serphon laughed triumphantly.

“You made your wife lonely.”

“You made your wife lonely and miserable, which is why she had an affair.”

“That is the decisive difference between you and me.”

“You learned savage and violent techniques, while I learned how to treat women with affection.”

After saying that, he left his famous last words:

“I dedicate my death to all the women in this land.”

“You have the right to be free and happy.”

Viola leaned against the wall, shaking her head.

At least by Han Ah-rin’s standards, it was absurd.

When others do it, it’s infidelity, but when I do it, it’s romance.

But why….

Is he coming this way?

‘It can’t be us, right?’

However, she could feel it.

Serphon’s gaze was directed at her.

“Enchanted by the lady’s eyes, I couldn’t help but come this far.”

Serphon’s gaze was directed at Ersa.

**

After Serphon returned to his place, Zeon said,

“Princess. What do you plan to do about Lord Serphon’s proposal?”

“Hmm.”

Serphon made a bold proposal to Viola’s group.

There were three entrances to the Parah Viscount’s territory.

They were called the Gold Road, the Silver Road, and the Bronze Road.

The Gold Road was a door that only the noble families of Parah and their direct descendants, as well as those who received direct invitations from them, could use to enter and exit quickly.

No matter how high-ranking a noble was, they could not enter without an invitation from one of the noble families of Parah.

This was a strict imperial decree when the Parah Viscount’s territory was proclaimed, and even the current emperor could not pass through the Gold Road without permission.

Hera tilted her head.

“Viola, I thought you would naturally accept the proposal.”

“Why?”

“You are definitely a rational and iron-blooded princess, right?”

Serphon’s proposal was certainly bold.

He offered to treat Viola’s group as guests of the Louis Barten family.

“You can skip all the entry procedures and secure at least three more days, plus enjoy all kinds of conveniences within the Parah Viscount’s territory.

You’ll be treated as a VIP in Louis Barten’s shops.”

If they went with Lord Serphon, they could enjoy all these benefits.

Originally, Viola’s group planned to enter the Parah Viscount’s territory through the Silver Road.

The Silver Road was the most common and typical entry route.

Most nobles used this path.

Viola said,

“I don’t like Lord Serphon’s gaze.”

“Ha.”

Hera laughed again.

She didn’t expect such words to come from Viola.

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

“It’s obvious he’s trying to make a move on Ersa.”

“Is that not allowed?”

“No.”

“Why?”

In exchange for treating Viola’s group as honored guests of his family, Serphon requested to go on a date with Ersa.

‘That’s not acceptable.’

Viola knew all about Ersa’s situation and Serphon’s nature.

Surprised by Viola’s answer, Ersa asked,

“May I ask why it’s not acceptable?”

“My sister. I don’t want Hera to be unhappy.”

Hera and Ersa’s bodies both flinched.

It was an unexpected answer.

“My unhappiness?”

“Your unhappiness?”

The two women’s gazes turned to Viola.

Hera didn’t seem entirely pleased.

“I appreciate your concern, but how can you judge my unhappiness?”

Hera’s eyes became serious.

“Answer carefully, Viola.”

It could be seen as insulting to Hera.

Why would Serphon’s proposal make Hera unhappy?

Though she maintained a good relationship with Viola, Hera was also a Velator.

Without sufficient grounds and justification, Viola’s words could be seen as ignoring and insulting the Velator.

It could be interpreted as saying that a Velator cannot control their own unhappiness and is weak.

“I trust my sister, but I don’t trust Ersa that much yet.”

“I will work to earn your trust.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s your ex-husband’s fault.”

Viola knew very well why the character Ersa was raising her daughter alone.

While there were characters like Hixon who tried to be good fathers, there were also characters like Ersa’s husband who were incompetent and the worst.

Ersa’s husband abandoned her when she was pregnant and ran away.

For no reason that any reader could understand.

‘Her husband began to feel fear towards Ersa.

It was when she rescued him from bandits.’

Ersa, already an excellent warrior before meeting her husband, picked up her sword to save him from danger.

She rescued him from the bandits, and in the process, she sustained quite deep injuries.

As a reader, Han Ah-rin could read the character’s inner thoughts clearly.

‘Ersa, covered in blood, approached her husband.

“D-don’t come near me.”’

He felt more fear than gratitude or thankfulness for her saving his life.

In the end, he hurt Ersa with absurd words.

“You are not chaste. You act like a man with a woman’s body.”

That night,

Her husband fled while Ersa was asleep.

“I think, on that dark night when your husband ran away, you weren’t asleep.”

Ersa was an excellent warrior.

It was unlikely that such a warrior wouldn’t notice her husband running away.

Viola spoke as if she had seen everything.

“You were probably crying silently under the thick blanket.”

“You blamed yourself, not him. You thought it was your fault, that you made a mistake, that you showed him a terrifying face.”

Ersa was at a loss for words at the accurate observation.

Her eyes welled up.

“If it were me, I would have cut out his tongue. But you didn’t. You let him go, crying silently. Why? Because you loved that worthless man.”

She clarified one thing.

“It’s not your fault.”

Those words pierced her heart deeply.

Ersa’s eyes turned red.

“If it’s your fault, it’s for not killing him on the spot.”

Viola’s heart ached.

Ersa had done nothing wrong, so why did she carry an unhealing bruise in her heart?

The bad guy was him.

“Don’t cry. Your love was noble. You were a mother and you were great.”

She truly loved her family.

“Someday, if I meet him, I’ll cut out his tongue.”

From Han Ah-rin’s perspective, Ersa was a beautiful but foolish character.

“I can feel your pain.”

The miserable feeling of being abandoned by one’s family.

Viola knew it all too well.

The depth and magnitude of that pain.

The suffering that could not be healed by anything.

“Yet, you forgave the person who inflicted that pain and loved his child so much. Foolishly.”

Hera frowned.

“So, what’s your conclusion?”

“Ersa is foolish.”

Viola looked into Ersa’s eyes.

Ersa’s eyes trembled endlessly.

She looked like a lion that had been caught in its weakness, which it didn’t want to be exposed.

“You are too warm.”

“You are the only one who would say that to a demon sword.”

“And to me, it seemed that Serphon would dare to pretend to cover up that wound, targeting Ersa’s foolish and warm side.”

It didn’t matter whether it was genuine or not.

Serphon would whisper sweet words of love to Ersa, and Ersa, starved for affection and love, would be momentarily intoxicated by those sweet words.

After giving her a brief taste of honey, Serphon would leave to find another flower.

This was a fact, seen from the perspective of an all-knowing reader.

“I don’t want my sister’s people to be hurt again.”

This was what Viola said as a person, and then she spoke as Viola Velator.

“More precisely, I don’t want it to affect my role as a butler.”

“What do you suggest we do?”

After a moment of thought, Viola spoke.

“Sister, can you lend me Ersa for a moment? There’s something I need to talk to her about.”