Jelton, at the age of sixteen, met an early end.
The news outlets covered this incident with great emphasis.
“The Hanging of a Noble Family at the South Gate of Winterhold.”
“What did Jelton do wrong?”
It was an exceptionally unusual and striking move.
In some circles, there were voices of criticism questioning whether proper trial and understanding of the situation were prioritized.
In fact, not even Viola expected the Duke to act so radically.
The Duke simply summed up the situation in one statement.
“These rat bastards have been audaciously causing trouble lately, daring to do so in Winterhold.”
And he personally cut their throats.
As if making an example of them, he hung their bodies at the South Gate of Winterhold.
Some nobles voiced their opposition, but Duke Heron paid no attention to their resistance.
Some nobles opposed it.
Some nobles remained silent.
There were hardly any nobles praising Duke Heron’s actions.
However, among the common people, the conversation was different.
“Are you okay?”
“Well, of course! I am a citizen of Winterhold.”
“What happened? Is the news in the publications true?”
“Lady viola sent her Retainer’s Blade.”
“She personally delivered it?”
“Yes, she did. She’s a regular visitor to our house.”
“She sent the Retainer’s Blade just because you’re a regular customer?”
“Exactly! She sent it to protect the citizens of Winterhold as one of the owners of Winterhold. And I am a citizen of Winterhold!”
The hearts of the common people in Winterhold swelled with pride.
Their own master, Lady Viola, had cut the throats of the nobles for their sake.
This became a message that touched the hearts of the common people.
“Winterhold will never abandon its people. And at the heart of this event was the ‘Retainer’s Blade.'”
The Retainer’s Blade, Tundra.
“I swiftly moved like a flash and cut off Jelton’s limbs, just like petrification.”
“Ah, no, well, that… “
That wasn’t the case.
While Tundra did apprehend Jelton, she didn’t personally kill him.
“Those who torment the citizens of Winterhold deserve such treatment, even if they resist.”
“Right, right, forget about that.”
Rumors started to circulate with some distortion.
The content of the rumors was that Viola, who witnessed the torment of the citizens of Winterhold, sent her subordinate, Tundra, to dispose of him immediately.
“As expected, the rumors were not wrong.”
“What rumors?”
“The staunch Lady. The rumors about Lady Viola, who is as noble as anyone and the adoptive lady of Viola, are spreading.”
From places completely unknown to Viola, the voices praising her began to grow louder.
***
Heron’s office.
It was a quiet hour past 11 pm.
The crimson light of magical candles touched the cheek of the duke.
Viola looked at the duke’s cheek stained with orange and nervously trembled her legs hidden under her skirt.
‘Why did you summon me?’
After calling her, they have been in silence for 30 minutes.
While he was signing documents for the past 30 minutes, he didn’t even glance in Viola’s direction.
“Why?”
He is the one who even beheaded the son of a nobleman for causing trouble in Winterhold.
There were rumors that he beheaded someone in his office.
In this place, there was a lingering scent of blood, for some reason.
“Why did you summon me and say nothing?”
When about 30 minutes had passed.
The duke finally opened his mouth.
“Why did I summon you?”
How would I know that?
Since Father summoned me, I just came.
Why are you asking me that? Sobbing.
However, she had to come up with a reasonable answer.
She realized it once again.
Heron was clearly the absolute authority in this world, and there was no way to oppose the absolute authority.
Since she had fallen into this world, she had to adapt and survive.
She answered the question with another question.
“Why did you kill the eldest son of the Se-Al artist?”
“Because it seemed like you wanted it.”
Me?
Me?
Viola ‘s mind went blank after a long time.
‘Why did I think that way?’
She felt like she had firmly misunderstood something.
The truth was that Jelton had a bad character, but he didn’t deserve to die.
“Are you planning to start moving in earnest?”
Duke Heron’s eyes narrowed.
Viola felt inexplicably afraid.
She couldn’t understand what those eyes were saying.
It felt like his gaze was piercing into her chest.
“Planning to start moving in earnest? Me?”
She quickly understood why he said that.
“Interpreting it as actively participating in the succession competition, right?”
That keyword became a hint.
Viola felt like she knew why Duke Heron had made such a big fuss about it.
“That’s right.”
No, it’s not right.
I didn’t want things to escalate like this.
I thought I could break a few things here and there and let it go.
But he killed the son of an artist without a trial.
The Duke rested his chin on his hand.
From his appearance, it seemed like he was expecting Viola’s next words.
Please don’t expect anything!
Despite her inner thoughts, Viola had to continue speaking as Viola Bellato.
“Winterhold has always protected humanity from the ‘Blizzard’s Edge.’ Over time, people have become accustomed to it, and the sharp edge of Winterhold’s blade has been taken for granted.
So, someone like Jelton, a scoundrel, dared to commit murder within Winterhold.”
“And so?”
“I wanted to warn them. Those who disregard the authority of Bellato within Winterhold.”
It was a warning to the world.
…was interpreted.
Actually, I’ve never thought this far, but anyway, that’s the result.
“Nobles who remain silent after this incident will continue to remain silent.”
“…”
“Nobles who resist will continue to resist.”
“What’s the meaning of dividing them?”
“As a White Bellato, I need to clearly distinguish between enemies and allies.”
The Duke chuckled.
“So, the silent ones are our potential comrades, and the ones who resist are potential enemies?”
“No.”
Viola shook her head.
“It’s the opposite.”
“Why?”
“I believe my father’s actions were right, but I don’t think they were lawful.”
Viola ‘s heart thumped.
After all, your actions were illegal!
That’s what she wanted to say.
“I won’t go against my conscience.”
She knew from reading the original work.
Heron is not a tyrant who acts according to his whims.
Many people think so, but it’s not true.
“Nevertheless…”
Her hands and feet trembled.
She had to exert extreme patience not to show it.
“The silent ones are cowards, and the ones who resist are deranged lunatics who have lost their minds.”
“Neither side is a comrade.”
“Winterhold is solely Winterhold. Comrades are not necessary.”
It was truly an outrageous statement, but it was also a phrase that Heron liked.
After giving Heron the words he wanted to hear, she brought up the main topic.
“However, I prefer lunatics over cowards.”
A faint smile appeared on Heron’s lips.
Since Lady Madaya, there hadn’t been a child who had such a satisfying conversation with him.
It was even more enjoyable than talking to Madaya.
“Among the resisting noble families, those who have no personal connection with the young artist and have a clean track record. I plan to embrace those individuals.”
“What if someday you become the ruler of Bellato?”
Viola felt her heart thumping as if it were about to drop.
No, not me.
My sister, Madaya.
As Father knows, she’s the true successor. I’m just here to support her.
“Yes.”
…
Damn it.
This isn’t right.
“It’s a noble mindset.”
“And also.”
Viola wanted to cry, but she spoke calmly.
“The love between the young artist and the children had its peculiarities.”
“How do you know?”
“I also have to enter society at the age of twelve.”
It meant that she had studied in advance about households with children of her age.
“I didn’t study, I read it in a novel.”
Anyway, according to the novel, the young artist would never stay still.
Although the progress was different from the novel, there was a fate for the young artist and the Bellato Duke to collide at some point.
“The young artist will undoubtedly take some action.”
That was also the case in the novel.
Jeton, the artist’s son, meets his demise at the hands of Vechen.
“My son’s enemy, the Bellato Duke, will never be forgiven.”
And the young artist marches towards Winterhold.
The size of their forces was barely around 500, and they are all massacred at the south gate of Winterhold.
In the novel, Duke Heron praised the young artist.
“Your actions were right.”
It is a cowardly act to remain still when your child has died.
Even if it means acting recklessly, it is the right action as a parent.
That was Heron’s thought in the novel.
“However, why did you rush at me when you clearly knew you would die?”
“Because I am your father.”
“Even though you knew you would die?”
“Every human does foolish things at times. If that foolishness has meaning.”
And Heron punishes the young artist with teaching instead of execution.
Ironically, Heron does not spare financial or military support for the young artist who lost her son.
Such content was also present in the novel.
“The wife of the young artist had a child in her womb.
The young artist’s wife named the child ‘Vengas.’
Vengas meant revenge.”
In the future, Vengas becomes a powerful magician and becomes an enemy of the Bellato Duke… that was the content of the novel.
Such a diverse world it is.
A world where killing the father gives birth to a formidable enemy named Jeremi Pallail, and killing the brother and son creates another enemy named Vengas Seall.
“Bellato’s Shadow” was such a world.
Heron asked.
“What actions should we take?”
“We will request mediation from the empire.”
“And?”
“The empire will not respond to the mediation. They have no interest in matters that do not benefit them actively.”
“But still, doesn’t the young artist have the justification?”
“Jeton is the one who first violated the laws of Winterhold.”
There was a moment of silence.
But then, words came out of Heron’s mouth that Viola hadn’t expected.
“And you tried to steal your happiness.”
“You?”
Viola thought she had misheard for a moment.
“Egg Tart, isn’t that what you like?”
“Well… yes.”
Viola cleared her throat and spoke.
“The young artist, who was also ignored by the empire, will make their final choice.”
“What do you mean by ‘final choice’?”
“Can there be parents who remain still after losing their child?”
“Usually, they would remain still. If the other party is Winterhold.”
“According to my understanding, the young artist will never remain still. He will undoubtedly march towards Winterhold.”
Heron nodded his head.
“Then we must honorably kill him.”
No.
Then a formidable enemy named Archmage Vengas will emerge.
At least let’s prevent that, Father.
Do you think he will definitely march forward?
Are you prepared for death?”
“Every human sometimes acts foolishly. If that foolishness has meaning.”
It was what the young artist Seall said in the original work.
“Every human does foolish things at times. If that foolishness has meaning.”
Viola said.
“I want to act foolishly too.”
For my brilliant old age.
For a thin and long clean life.
To prevent the birth of the Archmage Vengas!
“Please send me as an envoy. I want to visit the young artist Seall.”
That alone may not be enough.
In the manner of Bellato, she added a word.
“I will prove my abilities as the White Bellato. Just like at Storm Fortress.”
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Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
Next chapter will be released tomorrow. To read chapters in advance support us on Patreon!!
