âBecause there shouldnât be more sad people like my uncle.â
Hicksonâs nostrils fluttered open. To exaggerate a little, it seemed that a white runny thing was spewing out.
âDid you hear that?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âShe said, my uncle.â
âIs that a serious matter?â
âRight.â
Hickson burst out into laughter.
He looked happy to die.
Meanwhile, Jackal didnât understand Hicksonâs mind. Whatâs so serious about âmy uncleâ?
âAnyway. Iâll explain.â
Hickson stepped in and explained. He had also lost his daughter, too.
âThe situation is very, very similar, you and me.â
Both were fathers who loved their children⊠And, they both were warriors boasting strong power.
âThe kidnapping was done at the right time, calculated very cleverly. I couldnât find any traces of it, and I was only used here and there, and I ended up being a coward, broken down and depressed.â
ââŠThe rumors are familiar to me.â
âYou know what I did then?â
âIâve heard that you attacked all kinds of families viciously.â
âAnd?â
âYou invaded the winter castle and made a riot, but was overpowered by Duke Heron and exiled to the annex.â
âWhat kind of exile? I let him win.â
Hickson looked into Violaâs eyes. It seemed that he didnât want to announce the fact that âher Uncleâ had suffered a bad defeat. He then quickly changed the subject.
âAnd, you? You attacked the winter castle, right?â
âThatâs right.â
âLetâs say that it was because weâre threatened.â
So did Hickson. He lost his reason and acted.
Viola was right.
âAnd, why didnât you know that even a child like me could figure it out? Is this all a coincidence?â
Hickson continued his remarks.
âLooking back, I was possessed by something.â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âI donât know for sure, though Iâm sure itâs some kind of magic.â
Viola spoke out. âItâs the result of three years of tracking. Iâm working to avenge Uncle Hickson together and to prove myself as a white Veratoux. Thatâs why I want to help Sir Jackal.â
These words instilled a sense of trust in Jackal.
It was more suspicious to just help for no reason.
âA move to prove your ability as a white Veratoux. Itâs an extremely Veratoux-like idea.â
âIâm Veratoux.â
âWhat do you mean by some kind of magic?â
âA cowardly and crude magic that penetrates the hearts of parents who love their children. Even the most powerful warrior is helpless when attacked with mental hypnosis or suggestive magic.â
So did Hickson, and so did Jackal.
They acted like something was out of order. If Hickson had been in a normal state, he wouldnât have become depressed. Had Jackal been in normal condition, he wouldnât have even published a column towards Winter Castle.
Both of them were in a way that wasnât their own.
âI think they must have paralyzed your sanity by turning your love into fear. You must have been afraid that you would lose your son forever. So, Sir Jackal felt threatened and decided to turn Winter Castle into an enemy. Because your son is important.â
âI didnât say that I was threatened or that I lost my son.â
Jackal wasnât too easy either.
Hearing so, she laughed lightly.
âWhen I turn twelve, I can enter the social world. I will be the sharpest sword in the social world.â
This, too, was a very Veratoux-like word.
Not the most beautiful flower, but the sharpest sword.
âTo do that, I obtained and studied information about my competitors in advance, as well as Jermi, the successor of the Storm Blade.â
ââŠ.â
âSo, I did everything I had available to follow Jermiâs movements.â
âThis is a very secure fortress. Within the Storm Fortress, was that possible?â
âA place where kidnapping is possible, wouldnât it be impossible to observe?â
Jackal was momentarily speechless.
Violaâs words felt as if there was no gap in it. It felt like he wasnât talking to a ten-year-old kid, but to an experienced serpent.
In fact, Jackal respected Jermiâs freedom as much as possible. Because of that, he didnât give much protection since it was Jackalâs theory that his own body should be protected by himself.
âBesides, I have a very special relationship with the Terra merchant. Do you often visit the Terra merchant?â
âYes.â
In the end, Jackal had no choice but to listen to Viola.
Everything was clear.
âAfter listening to Miss Viola, I feel like my head is clear.â
âDid you feel it, too?â
Agreeing, Hickson giggled and laughed. âIt feels like the fog is lifted from my head. I did. How about you?â
âSo am I, Sir Hickson.â
Viola let out a sigh of relief in secret.
She only needed to break one shell.
They were warriors who had already reached the stage, and if she broke their shells, they would do well on their own.
âWhat should I do. Now, I think I know. There must have been something broken.â
âBesides, think about it whether Prince Jermi is someone who could be kidnapped so easily. Think about the character of your son.â
ââŠThank you.â
âThen, the storm sword must do the work of the storm sword, right?â
âRight.â
Jackal called the butler and told him to bring Princess Medea.
As Medea has arrived, she tilted her head.
âViola? Sir Hickson?â
She didnât know what was said, but the result was surprising.
ââŠSo, Iâm going to write a handwritten apology to Duke Heron, the lord of Winter Castle. However, I hope that the official apology can be delayed a bit. Please allow a little time.â
Medea was internally perplexed, though she didnât show it outwardly.
âWhat happenedâŠ?â
It looked like Viola had done something, but she wasnât sure. Anyway, she didnât show it on the outside.
âI donât know what youâre talking about, but if you give me the letter, Iâll pass it on to my father.â
âThank you.â
And so, Medea accepted the letter.
âI have to report to my father.â
It was an apology.
A variable had arisen. It looked like she had to get another mission again.
âIâm sorry. It seems I was possessed by something. Iâm ashamed.â
To that, Viola answered. âItâs proof that Sir Jackal loves his son. I donât think itâs shameful.â
ââŠIs that so?â
âItâs awesome.â
At this moment, Han Arin was sincere.
She had been abandoned by her parents. Even though she adored her parents, she also missed them.
âIâm a little enviousâŠâ
The black magic that dazzled Jackal is a magic that only works for âparents who really love their children.â The storm sword Jackal truly loved his son Jermi.
Hickson tapped Viola on the shoulder.
âHmmm. Letâs go.â
He was kind of angry as he roughly read the emotions in Violaâs eyes.
âShe is such a warm-hearted child! To make her compete in Veratouxâs fierce successor race.â
After all, the Heron guy didnât deserve to be her father.
With that thought, he vowed once again that he would make himself a much nicer adult than him.
Jackal knelt down on one of his knees and met his eyes with Viola.
âThank you for saying that, Miss Viola.â
âIt was necessary.â
âI look forward to your twelve years of age. May you become the sharpest sword.â
Â
The Duke of Heron accepted Jackalâs offer.
Actually, this was much better than killing Jackal.
âYouâve accomplished your mission in a different way.â
âCan I not kill Sir Jackal?â
âYes.â
Medea sighed a sigh of relief inside. Meanwhile, Heron noticed it and opened his mouth to ask.
âWhy?â
âBecause I thought he was a good warrior. Itâs sad to lose a good enemy.â
Hearing so, he nodded his head. It was indeed a Veratoux style of thinking.
âAnd⊠He seemed like a good father.â
âRight.â
Heron didnât respond.
After he let Medea out, he read Jackalâs letter again.
[ I will surely rescue my son. Until then, please allow time. It wonât take long. ]
At this point, Heron laughed at Jackal.
Only because of his sonâŠ
He shot at Winter Castle because of his weakness. Was Jackal such an irrational and stupid person?
âAnd⊠He seemed to be a good father.â
[ Miss Viola seems to be very interested in Jermi⊠Two years later, before entering the social world, I would like to introduce her to Jermi. What do you think, Duke? The two could have a good relationship. ]
Crumple.
Heron crumpled the letter without realizing it.
Then, the door to the office opened. Carlton was the only person who could freely enter Heronâs office without Heronâs permission.
âDukeâŠ?â
A crumpled piece of paper entered Carltonâs eyes.
âWhat?â
He heard that they completed their mission well. That must have been an apology and letter from Jackal, so why did Heron crumple that?
âDid somethingâŠwent wrong?â
But, it didnât seem like things went terribly wrong.
The Duke did not issue an order to kill Jackal, and a month later, Jackal issued an official statement of apology.
[ Everything I brought up was purely my delusion and was a mistake.
I was ignorant with the envy of the foresight of Winter Castle. Forgive me.
Duke Heron and the Veratoux family.
I bow my head and deeply apologize to all the people of Winter Castle. ]
It was a sincere apology that lowered himself to the utmost.
This caused Jackal to get laughed out a lot, but that was short-lived.
Powerful monsters were created in âValley of Savages,â and the storm sword Jackal and Jermi, who returned safely to the storm fortress, succeeded in subjugating the monsters.
The fame of the Storm Sword Jackal and his son Jermi rose even more.
And just like that, two years passed.
Â
Viola was now twelve years old.
One spring day when she was twelve, a bird hung a note from its leg and tapped the window. As she walked over to the window, it was a yellow bird with smooth yellow feathers.
âBird?â
She found a note hanging from the leg.
Opening the noteâŠ
[ See you soon. ]
That was all that was written there.
âWho is it?â
Were they trying to assassinate her? Viola didnât think anyone in Winter Castle would do such a crazy thing.
She showed Xenon the note.
âThe seal of the Storm Fortress is stamped.â
âStorm Fortress?â
Then she saw a seal in the shape of a whirlwind.
âSomeone at the Storm Fortress sent me a note?â
âItâs probably so.â
âWhy?â
âThat.â Xenon said, smiling softly.
It felt like a gentle wind was blowing.
âBecause the Princess is now twelve years old.â
Twelve was the age to enter the social world.
The twelve-year-old was officially recognized as a noble girl. It was also the age at which marriage offers could come and go.
âAnd, the Princess, who turned twelve, is much more beautiful than before.â
âReally?â
She certainly had grown a lot.
However, to Arin Han, she was still a child. She realized again that the standards of the earth and the standards of this place are different.
âSo, I dare to worry that the Prince of the Storm Fortress is cajoling you.â
What is cajoling�
Viola thought she had heard it before.
âCaroling⊠maybe?â
Looking at Xenonâs bright smile, she must have heard it wrong.
A few days later.
Rumors have spread that the official delegation of the Storm Fortress was arriving. It became a big issue even among the people.
âDid you hear that rumor?â
âPrince Jermi is coming here!â
âReally?â
Jermi.
The name made the hearts of many girls flutter.
âSmall storm Prince Jermi, are they talking about him?â
âWho calls him that? Thatâs what the savages who like to fight are called.â
Small Storm JermiâŠ
He had another nickname.
âThe beautiful Prince has come to the winter castle!â