Chapter 1.2 - Kind and Cruel (2)

Chapter 1: Kind and Cruel (2)

The Heilon were a representative family of the Empire, who had defended the northern territory for a long time. The head of the Heilon family was Duke Abel Heilon and he was known for being very tough and merciless. Just like the commander who drives the front line.

Yeah, this was also the setting that I wrote.

…. And now, I was forced by my parents and my older siblings to go to the northern territory which was ruled by that ruthless Duke Abel Heilon.

“I dug my own grave….”

As soon as I arrived at the northern territory, the first place that I went to was the castle of Duke of Heilon. Like the members of Heilon, the castle gave off a tremendous sense of pressure. On the outside, it was similar to the Demon Castle in the story. It was beyond huge and had towering spires and walls that looked like a mountain range.

“Ha.. my life.” From here on, I would be alone, I could guess that this new job would not be easy. I believe that the workload that I would receive would be a heavy amount. No, maybe before that happens, I’d be kicked out because they didn’t need a kid. Yes, of course, I was just a useless kid.

In the story, Duke Abel Heilon was an important supporting role. More precisely, he was the helper of the male protagonist, Sigren. He was quite popular among readers as a great middle-aged character that helped the main character at every important moment. At the beginning of the book, he was described as in his late 30s. But, now, since it was six years before the beginning of the book, he roughly was in his early 30s.

If a problem were to ever arise, due to his close relationship with them, Abel’s fate would always be in favor of the main characters. But the truth was, his personality was just sh*t. Now, being much younger than in the original timeline of the story, he was literally in his wildest phase.

I wondered whether I, Fiona, who was going to be the villainess, could handle that horrible character.

“Come this way.”

The knight who guided me inside the castle stopped. I looked up at the door in front of me. It loomed over me, in front of it I was a mere dwarf. I was sure about where this door would lead me; it should be the entrance to the room where I was going to meet the Duke.

“Open the door.” The knight leading me gave the order to the two soldiers who appeared to be the door guards. As the two soldiers were pushing the huge door, it opened slowly with a heavy creak. I blinked slowly at the scene unfolding before.

The inside room’s interior was made out of hard stones that had been carved. The splendor of the room exuded magnificence. However, overall it felt cold. There was a young man sitting in a huge chair in the middle of the room. The young-looking man had hair as white as snow and eyes as blue as a piece of ice. The face itself was beautiful, one that would sharply impress itself in someone’s mind. Surprisingly, the face gave the feeling of an intelligent intel officer rather than a strong warrior. However, he indeed gave the terrifying pressure as someone who governed the rough northern area.

I gulped down my saliva.

That man was Abel Heilon, the character who later became the mentor of the male lead, Sigren. As soon as he met my eyes, he frowned.

“I’ve definitely heard a new mage is coming to apply.”

The words that followed were so cold that it gave me goosebumps on the nape of my neck and arms.

“What the hell is this skinny little thing?”

Well, the dark future days were waiting for me.

***

“I’m Fiona Green.” In spite of the harsh response I got, I greeted him with the utmost courtesy.

Abel without changing his expression turned his head to a man who appeared to be his close aide to him. “Jeron, what the hell is going on here?”

That ‘Jeron’ man was a young man who appeared to be in his mid-20s. He looked at me once with a puzzled expression and turned to Abel back again. “I’ve heard that Count Green sent a mage who was his immediate blood, but….” Jeron too, seemed to be at a loss for words, unable to make sense of the skinny kid in front of him.

Well, that was not completely incorrect. I am a direct blood relative, although an illegitimate child, and I do know how to use magic.

Abel gritted his teeth. “Are you saying that the answer to the last order is this little kid?”

Abel then rose from the chair, his thick cloak fluttered. His expression grew darker, the longer he studied me. His blue eyes made me feel like I was trapped in a winter blizzard.

“At least, now, I can see, he thinks we’re ridiculous. After this damn war, I will get rid of that Green family.”

Oh, I’m screwed, father. The strongest Duke in the north must be very angry.

But, honestly, I didn’t care that much about what would happen to the Green family in the future. Rather, the main problem was I had to face Abel who was on the verge of exploding in anger.

Ugh, stop staring at me.

The sound of Abel’s shoes hitting the floor echoed as he walked towards me. The slow pace gave me a great sense of anxiety and pressure. In front of me, Abel stopped. His height towered over me, his tall person appearing even more so, in front of I, who was skinny and much smaller than my peers due to the lack of proper meals. I was a mouse in front of him. In order to meet his eyes, I was forced to raise my head to look back at him. Our gazes collided.

“Hey, kid.” His expression was frost.

Wait, I’m sure I said my name before, and I think it’s a nice name.

“Let’s hear your explanation. Why did Count Green send a little kid like you here? Does he not have talented people over there?”

Well, I didn’t owe any loyalty to anyone. So, I would just give him an honest answer. “The first brother, Cain Del, should be in the family, and the second sister, Jane, is about to get married. Then, the third brother, Jen, is about to get engaged.”

But, somehow I felt like a child who was snitching. I swallowed my saliva lightly and then said, “And so, I, the youngest of the family came to you.”

“Huh.” Abel clicked his tongue as if he had no words for the facts that I said. “I see, they’re looking down on this war.”

He looked at me with his haughty gaze. “Anyway, I’ve got the idea why, kid. You must have made up your mind to come all the way here. But, go back home.”

Then he continued with a heavy expression, “A child like you is not needed here.”

As I guessed correctly earlier, I got kicked out, and it was only five minutes after I got here. That was pretty fast.

Abel, who gave his command, turned around without regret. For him, there was no time to invest in a useless thing. In his eyes, that was exactly what I was. I was a useless thing to him.

I felt no sense of warmth from that cold appearance. But, I didn’t care about Abel. I had nowhere to go. Count Green, who had sent me to the battlefield? I was treated so badly when I was there. My room was the old attic that contained no warmth, and the meal I ate was the leftovers from their meals. Even if I were to go back to that mansion right away, I was sure he’d kick me out because why would he waste the chance he waited so long to get?

Plus, in reality, in the original story, Fiona who had not yet been made aware of her talent was kicked out of the Green family and forced to go to the streets. Fortunately, later she found a place to stay. However, the scars left by the world at this time were an important factor in Fiona becoming the villainess.

Now, since I knew Fiona had a great talent sleeping in her body and skilled mages were treated well, I think I could have a better option; prove my talent early and build extensive knowledge in advance. I think this option was far better than being driven to the streets.

After all, the war still would end with the appearance of the male lead. Until then, the best option to avoid my future despair was to bear this and save money. Then afterward, I could go down to the countryside, and live in peace.

So the first thing I had to do was get permission to stay here as a mage. Then, all I had to do was stay out of Abel’s sight until the male lead appeared.

After I calculated all the things in my head, I looked at Abel’s back without any regret and calmly said.

“Wait a minute, Duke. I have something to tell you.”

Abel stopped walking, and turned around, glanced down at me. “What?”

“I couldn’t follow that order”

Abel frowned while looking at me. If I were an ordinary thirteen-year-old child, I might have cried.

“What?”

I looked up straight at Abel. “I’m not going back. But I’m not going to be stubbornly asking you to allow me to stay here. Just give me one chance at it to prove myself.”

Abel’s pupils dilated. He was briefly shaken. “What are you talking about?”

“An opportunity to prove my worth?”

Abel’s face changed as he took an interest in the idea I had just brought up. Well, of course, it was amazing that a girl who looked like an ordinary thirteen-year-old, could say something like that.

He spoke with a rough voice as if to scare me. “A little girl like you? Are you trying to do chores? But, I already have many excellent servants in this place. If it was not that, I wonder how you are going to prove the worth?”

It was not a difficult question. Besides, I had some knowledge of how to deal with Abel. Never carry yourself arrogantly, but do not go to the other spectrum and appear sloppy. I clenched my fists and said in a steady voice.

“Just this once, let me go on the battlefield as a mage. I’ll show you that I can be of sufficient help in this war.”