“I’ll ask. Was my father’s choice wrong?”
“It was not wrong.”
After saying that, the Viscount remained silent for a while and struggled to open his mouth.
“In fact, I knew it too.”
And he covered his face and sobbed.
In that moment, when it rained, the tiny Viscount man felt like he had become even smaller.
He seemed shriveled and miserable.
The nobleman with the unwavering belief in defying death, as mentioned in the novel, was not present here.
“You knew?”
I didn’t expect that.
He already knew about his son’s departure.
It had never been mentioned in the novel.
“Zelton dies by Vinchen’s hand, and the Viscount dies by Heron’s hand.”
That was the content of the novel.
“You knew, yet you pretended not to know at all?”
Violet looked at the quietly sobbing Viscount..
The more I looked at him, the more I felt like I knew.
“More than the noble Viscount, you wanted to be the Viscount who was a father.”
Father didn’t want to reveal the fact that his son had gone astray.
It seemed that he didn’t want the fact that his son had bargained with black magic to be exposed to the world.
“He, who was once a father, couldn’t even punish his son, disregarding his own beliefs.”
I decided not to judge right from wrong.
Zelton is already dead.
In other words, Viscount Sea paid the price of losing his son.
“Regardless of the reason, Zelton had a father.”
The sobbing Viscount Seal looked at the viola.
Violet’s words were unexpected.
“He had a father.
It was also what theViscount. Want d to hear.
“I always wanted to be the one who stood by that child as a tree.”
“……”
“I wanted to become a strong protector.”
So I poured excessive affection and love.
“A father loving his son is a noble thing.”
Violet sincerely believed that.
Some people said,
It’s natural for parents to love their children.
But Hanarin, who was abandoned by parents, didn’t think so.
It wasn’t obvious.
Everyone considered it obvious because they had it, but Hanarin didn’t have that obvious thing.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
“Although the methods may have been flawed, it cannot be denied that Viscount’s heart was noble.”
Violet bit her lip lightly.
Even if it was a misguided affection, Viscount’s love was real.
“I’m not a judge.”
I didn’t want to judge right from wrong.
I decided not to judge the heart of a father who was already sobbing and had lost a son whom he loved.
“He lost his most beloved son, and that must have been a fitting punishment.”
I didn’t think there was a need to confront the person who had already paid for their sins.
“Thank you for speaking kindly.”
After a while, Viscount took out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes.
His eyes were bloodshot and swollen.
“Jerton Gongja (Master) must have always been steady.
So he could have had the audacity to defy Winter City.”
It wasn’t just the side effects of black magic.
Jerton trusted his own father.
Although it manifested in a bad way, the trust in his father itself was certain.
“Viscount was a trusted father.”
I wish I had a father like that too.
My father would say he’s going to sleep for a hundred nights and come back, but he never returned.
“I won’t judge you, Viscount..”
“I may not agree with the method, but I can empathize with the sentiment. Even if Viscount may not have been an excellent father, he was a warm father, that much is true.”
Viola approached Viscount closely.
Extending her hand towards Viscount, who appeared infinitely small and exposed his own flaws.
As if entranced by something, Viscountclasped his hand over Viola’s hand.
Her hand was incredibly small, yet it didn’t feel small at all.
Viola’s presence felt immensely significant.
“Special Envoy of Bellatu, Viola Bellatu, delivers this message. Bellatu will not hold Viscount, the negligent creator of Zelton’s black magic, accountable. Because the creator has already endured the greatest and most agonizing punishment.”
Viscount knelt down on one knee.
He was addressing the noblewoman who was speaking as a special envoy.
Her words were also a message from Bellatu to Viscount.
He showed respect.
“I, Viola Bellatu, understand the sublime heart of a father and the choices made as a father. Therefore, I also make a request to Viscount.”
Viola bent her knee.
She leveled her gaze with Viscount.
“Do you not understand my father’s perspective?”
Viscount body twitched.
Viola continued speaking.
“My father also has his own perspective. He is a great lord who governs Winter’s Hold and is the first shield that protects humanity from the blowing snow. He is Bellatu’s leader, but before that, he is a person named Heron and a father to several siblings.”
“….”
“That is why my father wished to protect Zelton and his father’s honor.”
“Did the Duke express that?”
“My father does not speak directly. The moment those words leave his mouth, the honor of the creator will be trampled upon. Everything I say is my own thought.”
I looked at the novel and the author’s setting.
Although I didn’t hear it directly from my father, it’s probably an accurate statement.
After all, the author is the creator of this world.
“So, the judgment rests entirely with Viscount.”
Viola stood up.
She slowly withdrew her hand.
“I accept the envoy’s request. If so, a friendly relationship will be established between Bellatu and Viscount. If you do not accept, Bellatu and Zelton will become enemies. Zelton will be able to declare war on Bellatu.”
Please note that this is a translation, and there may be some nuances that can be better captured in the original language.
Instead, one promise was made.
“Even if war is declared, we will protect the honor of the creator.”
If it were Heron Bellatu, he would do so.
Even if Viscount were to die, Heron would take the high ground and protect his honor by accepting the challenge of war from Zelton.
Xenon chuckled quietly.
There was absolutely no way out.
In reality, Viscount had no choice at all.
From the moment Viscount confessed, “I already knew,” the initiative was in Viola’s hands.
It appeared to be a request, but Viola’s words were an announcement.
“On the surface, it seems like Viscount had a choice, but in reality, the choice rests with Bellatu.”
Viscount knelt down and prostrated himself.
He remained in that position for a long time, sobbing uncontrollably.
Those were tears of self-blame.
Tears of a magnetic field that twisted a son due to a father’s misguided love.
“Thank you for opening my blinded eyes, Lady Viola Bellatu.”
His heart ached.
No matter how well it was packaged, the grief of losing a son was indescribable.
And the thought that this was his own fault tormented Viscount even more.
“And…”
He addressed Viola, not Lady Bellatu.
“Thank you sincerely.”
For saying that he was a warm father.
The words got stuck in his throat.
* * *
Two days had passed.
Xenon wrote the formal report.
“I plan to send a preliminary report through magic communication. I will submit the official report when I return, Lady.”
“You don’t have to tell me one by one.
Just do your job.”
“But still, don’t you want to make a good impression, Lady?”
Xenon smiled.
“That’s why. Did you hear what’s in my heart, Xenon?”
“How can I dare to judge that?”
“Try to judge.”
Xenon’s smile deepened.
“There won’t be any more beautiful results.”
While preserving the authority and honor of Bellatu, Jajak was made to acknowledge his mistake and apologize from his side.
Xenon smiled brightly and spoke.
“I sincerely admire Lady’s mask.”
“Mask?”
“Yes. It seems that Lady possesses magic that moves people’s hearts. It’s a corrupted but sublime negation.”
Xenon naturally thought of it as a mask.
No matter how sublime something may be, if it is corrupted, it is no longer sublime.
“If I were to judge Lady as I have seen her until now, she would have surely thought that way. If it’s Lady Bellatu, that is. She is the renowned iron-blooded Bellatu. A person who acts based on rationality and judgment.”
He included such content in the report.
“The report. Shall I show it to you?”
“Is that report for me?”
Viola didn’t fully trust Xenon.
Even in the original work, Xenon was the one who tested Viola to the end.
While making such a kind expression and smiling.
“If I ask to see it, I will probably be disappointed.”
Xenon replied.
“The report is for the Duke.”
“Then do your job.”
“I wanted to show it to you…”
Xenon was sincere.
It wasn’t a test for Viola.
To be precise, Xenon didn’t fully understand his own emotions.
“Do I. Do I want to be praised right now?”
It felt like saying, “I wrote this report well, so please praise me.”
That’s how he felt.
Although Xenon didn’t fully realize it, on that night.
Using the magic communication device, Xenon transmitted the report.
“It is judged that you possess the ability to touch the emotions of others based on cold rationality and persuade them. The opposite of your counterpart’s human nature. In other words, you can thoroughly act as ‘a human nature with high empathy, warmth, and the ability to offer words of comfort.’
Therefore, Viola Bellatu has fully proven her exceptional abilities as the White Bellatu.
There was one additional explanation.
“When considering the audacity and skills shown in cutting Vsicount’s ear, it is judged that Viola’s abilities as the Black Bellatu are also exceptional. Of course, it was a calculated and planned action within the thorough calculations of the White Bellatu.
Both the abilities as the Black Bellatu and the abilities as the White Bellatu can be considered outstanding.
This clearly reflects the personal opinion of the butler Xenon.”
After transmitting the report, Viola looked out the window.
‘Huh?’
However, she felt a strange sensation.
‘What is it?’
Down below.
She sensed someone’s presence.
It wasn’t the presence of Viscount, the apprentice writer, at least.
This presence was clearly from someone who had received training.
‘Who is it?’
That presence was heading towards Viola’s bedroom.
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Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
Next chapter will be released on July, 27. To read chapters in advance support us on Patreon!!
