Chapter 18
According to Viola’s order, Tundra is also given a good room and food.
Xenon continuously knocked and went into Tundra’s room. A silver platter is in Xenon’s right hand.
“Food, toy dog.”
“Call me Tundra.”
“I will.”
Xenon grinned. He found a note on the desk.
“What is this?”
He could see the letters. It was a letter from his companion.
“My father always told me to dream. Dreams come true.”
He always told Tundra to write letters and recite them. He taught him that his dreams would come true.
“What does that have to do with being a companion?”
“Do you know what a noble dog is called these days?”
“Hmm. I don’t know.”
Between the slightly open windows, the night breeze blew hard.
Sha. The cold wind blew, Tundra’s bangs fluttered in the wind. Cold air landed on the floor, and the atmosphere sank heavily. Even if he’s young, his atmosphere is different. Aura was like the primary source in this world.
“A pet.”
“A pet dog?” Tundra’s eyes became serious.
The male lead’s high aspirations were revealed.
“Yes, I’m going to be a dog. That’s my new dream.”
That’s how he had decided. He had to learn a lot about swords and get recognized as a companion. ‘I think I can be a pet dog of my benefactor, Princess Viola.’
She told him that she would be next to him even when he had lost everything. Viola held his hand, trimmed his hair, and held out her hand to him. It felt as if a small ray of light had shone into the dark, where everything had disappeared.
“Your dream is to be a pet?”
“That’s right.”
A companion. It means living together in pairs. The word ‘comfort’ had set fire to Tundra’s heart. Xenon nodded his head.
“The princess’s dog. That’s a pretty good ambition.”
“Right?”
“Congratulations on having a good dream, Tundra.”
“Thank you.”
Xenon sincerely congratulated, and Tundra was sincerely congratulated.
At the same time.
Viola pulled up the blanket.
“Something spooky is happening today.”
***
The next day, Viola and Xenon headed to the annex of the duke’s house.
Xenon explained.
“The Duke’s annex has numerous guests.”
“I know.”
Usually, there are always annexes in large houses of this size, and there are many guests there. Guests are also divided according to the grand mansion’s prestige. Those who can stay as guests of the Duke of Verratoux, most of them are unusual people. Grandmaster, master’s descendant, outstanding knight, great wizard, etc.
Among them, Hixen is an unusual character.
Hixen, who is known to have been involved in a battle with Duke Verratoux as a child, was once revered as a hero.
‘Now, he is a drunk-worn asshole.’
If Hixen were not the Duke’s comrades, he would have been kicked out of the annex. Hixen happens to find Tundra, and teaches Tundra his own sword style. He was also a character with such an epic story that was saved due to teaching Tundra.
“Princess, Sir Hixen, who you’re looking for, is a great man and once called a hero…”
“I know. I saw it in the annex appendix you gave me.”
“You’re well prepared. But why Sir Hixen?”
Hey, that’s how you do it in novels. But what about Tundra, who learned from Hixen, who has a tremendous genius and had rapid growth?
‘I can’t say that.’
Viola rolled up her lips and smirked.
“Until my dog becomes a faithful hound. He can’t be held in check.”
“Oh, that’s why Sir Hixen.”
Hixen is the scumbag of the annex. He’s just an old hero, but now he’s a drunk man that no one is keeping in check. The dog of a princess who learns sword from a drunken man. It will be nothing more than gossip.
“But his skills are real.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve seen it before.”
“Where?”
In the novel.
“In the slums.”
“I see.”
Xenon knows. A few years ago, Lord Hixen was searching through the slums to find his lost daughter. So, perhaps Viola saw it then.
‘Does that mean she had seen Lord Hixen’s sword skill at that time?’
If Viola had read Xenon’s mind, she would have answered in her mind. ‘No. I read it in a novel.’
Anyway, Xenon thought. ‘I have seen Lord Hixen’s sword skill, and I remembered his face exactly.’
A few years ago, the age of the princess would be around three or four years old. Though he thought it might be difficult for her to remember such a thing since she was so young.
Xenon began to guide her with satisfaction.
“I’m sure he’s drinking in the vacant lot near the annex by now. I’ll escort you, princess.”
***
Viola recalled the contents of the novel.
「 Hixen was raised by a violent father. Hixen’s only wish was to save his mother from her father’s violence. 」
When he turned fourteen, Hixen picked up a kitchen knife to save his mother.
「 Hixen, fourteen, became a murderer. 」
And ran away.
There are second and third fathers in the outside world, he thought. There must be people who were better than his father. Hixen escaped from his father, but the world was even worse than his father.
So, Hixen then made a commitment.
“I need to be strong.”
Hixen became stronger.
He learned swordsmanship by chasing wandering knights, and beat swordsmen by searching for each swordsmanship seal. He became strong. After becoming friends with Heron Verratoux, he traveled through the battlefield and became a war hero. One day, the young Heron asked him.
「 “Hixen, what’s your dream?” 」
Hixen replied,
「 “To be a warm husband and a wonderful father.”
“Husband? Father?”
“Yes, living with a family I love, who loves me as well. That’s my dream.”
“It’s a pathetic and useless dream, then.” 」
That day, Hixen and Heron fought for four hours. In the fight, Hixen suffered a major injury to his stomach, and Heron seriously injured his arm. After a few years. Heron had no choice but to admit.
“In the end, your dream came true.”
“Yes.”
Hixen met his beloved wife and gave birth to a daughter who would feel sick ‘with issues on every part of her body’.
“Well, let’s celebrate.”
“Am I still pathetic in your eyes?”
「 “You are simple, but I don’t think you’re that pathetic.” 」
The two fought numerous wars and understood each other more. Hixen said.
「 “I’m out of the war now.” 」
Heron agreed. A powerful comrade named Hixen was killed in the war. It’s a shame for him to leave, but Heron respected Hixen’s sincerity.
He’d seen it for years. His friend dreamed off. A haven called home. A fence for his family. He is a friend who has lived his whole life for it. He respected that dream.
However, one day.
Hixen’s daughter was kidnapped. While Hixen was searching for his daughter, his wife was found with a cold body and stabbed with a sword.
He lost both his beloved wife and daughter on the same day, and became a drunkard.
That happened in just three years.
***
Xenon was right.
“Oh. Sir Hixen is sitting in the vacant lot.”
He is under the influence of alcohol.
“Xenon, wait here.”
“Drunken Lord Hixen is dangerous, Princess. He’s called rubbish because he can’t see anything since he’s not in his right mind.”
It has been more than once that he got drunk and caused an accident. Many people in the annex were injured. It is surprising that the Duke had kept Hixen alive so far.
“I’ll be fine.”
“It’s not that I’m afraid the princess will get seriously hurt.” Xenon grinned.
“If he does harm the princess, I will cut off Lord Hixen’s legs.”
“But at some point. I looked up to Sir Hixen.”
Viola looked at Xenon. She made eye contact with him.
“Xenon?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You told me not to make it obvious if you want me to take the test, right?”
Xenon scratched the back of his head.
“I don’t want to be obvious, but you are too quick to notice.”
Oh, my.
It’s difficult.
I swallowed my words. The test is right.
“The test is to ‘do harm to the princess’.”
Verratoux’s princess should not be afraid of it. Though she doesn’t know if it’s for another reason, Fear cannot be the reason.
“Last warning.”
She acted like Verratoux.
“If you repeat the same mistake one more time, I’d really doubt your qualification as a butler.”
It was scarier than any warning to Xenon.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
With Xenon behind her, Viola went closer to Hixen. He was shouting tremendously while throwing a bottle of alcohol.
He threw a straightforward fastball out of nowhere.
“Sir, does that bring back your dead daughter?”
Hixen moved his head to the source of the sound. His eyes were bloodshot. His red-colored eyes as though he was on drugs, as well as his shaking body.
“What did you say, you crazy little girl!”
He certainly didn’t look sane. Viola went closer. Hixon picked up the bottle.
It seemed that he had drank a lot. His cheeks and eyes were bloodshot, and he acted as if he were going to hit Viola. If she is an ordinary child, she would have run away and felt scared.
Hixen said, whose tongue was all twisted.
“Get away!”
Viola approached even more closely.
“Mister.”
Viola looked up at him.
“Your daughter is dead.”
“You crazy kid!” Hixen lifted his sturdy palm.
Viola didn’t blink at all. Although, she felt like she was going to die while shaking inside. ‘Geez, you’re not really gonna hit me, are you?’
Hixen never hit a child. No matter how drunk or how insincere he is, he would never touch a child. It’s a characteristic that he has kept for his whole life. However, when she looked into the eyes of Hixen, who was once a hero, Viola felt like her head was going crazy.
‘I believe in what the novel said!’
She was terrified, but she held it in. She made eye contact and hid her fear. His arm, which went up in the air, trembled and soon calmed down.
“I said go away.”
In the end, Hixen didn’t hit Viola. She kept looking at him with an indifferent expression, a face that seemed to be staring at something out of sincerity.
“Do you want to know who killed your daughter?”
“…What?”
Just in time, there was a strange chilly wind that was not like a spring wind.
“I saw it.”
Viola’s purple hair fluttered along with the wind breeze.
Just in time, Viola was smiling with her mouth curled up. A grim look was made. The expression and the lifeless beauty of Viola gave off a subtle atmosphere. It was a perfect atmosphere for a Verratoux.
Of course, she didn’t mean to do it.
However, her natural expression and atmosphere were like that. She then made eye contact with Hixen. Viola said again.
“Do you want to know who killed your daughter?”
Viola decided to act out what was in the novel in Arin’s way.