헤론 thought as he moved his feet.

‘Why am I heading to Viola’s Room?’

He had been looking at the preserved floral crown with rapid freezing magic just a moment ago.

Then he suddenly thought of Viola and came here.

There wasn’t really any particular reason.

When he arrived in front of Viola’s Door, a voice echoed.

“Please become Sister Medea.”

Feeling a presence outside the room, he sensed Viola and Medea embracing each other.

He controlled his mana to the extreme, suppressing all signs and sounds.

He opened the door without making the slightest noise.

And sure enough.

Viola and Medea were hugging.

Viola was quite short, standing on her tiptoes.

“What are they doing? I think an explanation is in order.”

Heron’s rationality pondered.

What an ungraceful sight this is.

Why are the Bellatu siblings acting so soft?

Medea stepped one step away from Viola.

Then she lightly bowed and placed her right hand on her left chest.

“I greet you, Father.”

She paid her respects to Heron, the Lord of Winter Castle.

Viola contemplated whether to follow suit or not.

In truth, our father wasn’t fond of such formalities. Everyone usually pays respect to the Lord of Winter, but Heron didn’t really appreciate those gestures.

‘Should I do it anyway?’ After all, there were some manners in this world.

But I think I missed the timing. If I were going to salute, I should have done it earlier.

Now, the salute with my hand on my chest would feel more awkward.

‘Oh, whatever.

I decided to just go casually.

I slightly lifted both edges of my dress and bowed.

“Welcome.”

Medea’s body twitched a bit as she was saluting.

“Welcome” indeed.

What an utterly ordinary greeting. So ordinary it felt problematic.

This isn’t an ordinary family; it’s the Bellatu family.

Medea inwardly worried.

‘Viola, don’t loosen up.’

Before being a father, he is the Duke of Thousand Kills, Heron.

To Medea, the Lord of Winter, Heron, felt closer than her father.

“But what explanation are you seeking?”

“Didn’t you support White Bellatu?”

White Bellatu must be smart.

Those who can read and strategize the thoughts of others are the White Bellatu.

So Heron’s words meant:

‘If you’re White Bellatu, interpret the situation yourself.’

“I hugged Viola.”

“I hugged Sister Medea.”

Heron’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Both of you must know that I’m not asking for a situation report.”

Medea pondered for a moment.

The earlier conversation wasn’t very befitting for a Bellatu.

Especially for Viola.

‘The war between bloodlines. The scheming and intrigue to become the heir, I don’t want any of it. I’ve always wanted a family.’

The image of the family I dreamed of was not like this.

Whether Father heard that or not, Medea could not tell.

‘I must protect Viola.’

In a deeply rational tone, Medea replied.

“It’s a basic virtue for Bellatu, isn’t it? To embrace the other and analyze their body shape and sense the flow and quality of mana.’

“You hugged Viola?”

Heron well knew Medea’s ability.

She was a first-class knight in her early twenties.

A swordsman who reached a level comparable to Heron’s young days.

There wouldn’t be any need for someone like Medea to hug Viola to analyze her body shape.

Viola interjected.

“I asked to be hugged.”

“Why?”

Medea’s insides felt like they were burning.

In her judgment, Heron was not in a good mood.

The Bellatu siblings were acting uncharacteristically Bellatu-like.

Yet, she couldn’t overtly defend Viola.

That would be even more uncharacteristic of Bellatu.

‘What exactly are you trying to say?’

“Please become Sister Medea.”

Viola had said so.

At that moment, Medea made a resolution.

She decided to be this child’s sister.

Not just ‘Sister Bellatu,’ but ‘Sister Medea Bellatu.’

She had to protect this child.

From the disappointed father.

‘I don’t know.’

However, she didn’t know how to protect her.

If it came to fighting with swords, she could manage, but this was a different case.

Viola continued speaking.

“Can Father hug me too?”

Without waiting for Heron’s answer, Viola moved forward.

Heron’s eyes captured Viola’s actions.

Suddenly, he recalled Viola’s earlier image.

With her petite height, she was clinging to Medea like a cicada.

Viola stood in front of Heron.

Still smaller than her peers who were ten years old.

“What’s the reason?”

“Please hug me.”

Medea bit her lips.

It looked too dangerous.

Asking so bluntly for a hug.

That kind of illogic and irrationality was exactly what Father despised.

If someone asked “Why?”

An explanation would need to follow.

Asking “What’s the reason?” brought forth the most absurd answer.

Surely, Father would be quite upset.

That child was now ten, and if she acted uncharacteristically Bellatu, she would be dealt with.

But then something surprising happened.

Heron slipped his arm under Viola’s armpit.

Viola felt her body lift off the ground.

‘Oh, I’m flying?’

For a moment, it felt as though she was soaring through the sky.

Her body shot up!

‘Like I’m a feather.’

Viola was enveloped in Heron’s embrace.

She pressed her ear against his chest.

Thump! Thump!

His heart was beating.

Heron, known for having ice-cold blood, had a heart just like everyone else.

It beat normally and had an ordinarily warm temperature.

With her face buried in Heron’s chest, Viola said,

“I wanted to find out what commonality exists between the Lord of Winter and the White Cold Wind. After all, I’m the one who inherited Father’s blood directly, Sister Medea.”

“What commonality are you referring to?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

Heron’s eyes narrowed.

If she couldn’t figure anything out, then all these actions would become meaningless.

It would mean wasting time on a frivolous endeavor.

“I need to touch to grasp anything.”

She reached out but Heron’s chest was too wide.

“Your embrace is too broad, Father.”

“Ultimately, you mean you didn’t figure out anything.”

“I realized your embrace is quite wide and, surprisingly, warm.”

“What relevance does that hold?”

“Does it have to have relevance?”

Heron set Viola down on the ground.

Viola’s feet touched the ground.

“All time must hold value to be worthy. Bellatu must use all time valuably.”

“Just.”

Viola took a breath.

With the heart of a fan who loved their favorite character, she wove the world of the story.

“I wanted a hug.”

“Why?”

Medea was confused.

She didn’t understand what Viola was talking about, and surprisingly, it was odd that Father seemed gentle.

‘Father is different than usual.’

If I had acted the same way?

He would have likely been greatly disappointed.

Yet, it was difficult to see any trace of disappointment from Heron.

Something felt off.

“Finding out that reason might have some meaning.”

“Does that mean you still don’t know?”

“Yes.”

Viola was confident.

“I believe the most needed thing for a White Bellatu is insight into the essence of the world. That ties into intuition. I wanted to grasp the essence of this inexplicable feeling in my heart. I thought if Father hugged me, I could uncover the nature of that feeling.”

Viola pouted her lips slightly.

Like a child lost in some profound agony.

“But I still don’t understand. There’s no logical reason.”

In fact, this question was directed at Heron Bellatu’s heart.

Because Heron must be feeling the same way now.

“Why did I want to hug Father? And why did Father hug me?”

Without a logical reason.

Why did I hug this child, and why am I not questioning it?

This question stirred up a great wave in Heron Bellatu’s heart.

And Viola blew an even greater wind into that wave.

“Just. Can’t you hug me more?”

Let’s try to discern some logical reason and essence together.”

Viola reached out her arms.

Ultimately, it seemed as if Heron was bewitched by something and hugged Viola once more.

Viola whispered.

“Thank you for hugging me.”

*

Heron returned to his room.

Everything lately was filled with irrationality.

‘Why did I head toward Viola’s Room and hug her without a word?’

Viola’s voice pierced Heron’s heart.

‘But I still don’t know. There’s no logical reason.

‘Just. Can’t you hug me more?

Let’s try to discern some logical reason and essence together.”

Knock.

A knocking sound echoed.

It was Medea.

Medea’s red bead-like eyes appeared.

“What’s going on?”

“Are you going to punish that child?”

“You mean Viola?”

“Yes.”

Medea bit her lips slightly.

This action wasn’t very Bellatu-like.

It isn’t right for a Bellatu to cover for another Bellatu.

But today, she wanted to act in accordance with her feelings.

Viola had taken off her mask and come to her first.

She approached honestly and extended her hand.

That little child had shown courage first.

‘This time, it’s my turn to be brave.’

‘It’s okay if I misjudged my sister and made a mistake.’

Even if I’m making a mistake, that’s fine.

I have lived acting perfectly.

Yet I know well that I am not perfect.

However, an unexpected answer arrived.

“Well, if I were to punish her, I would’ve done it right there. Why do you think I would punish Viola?”

“…I thought Father was different than usual.”

Different than usual.

He treated her much more gently than usual.

That meant.

He had completely abandoned any interest and expectations for Viola.

Medea Bellatu interpreted it as such.

Heron fell into thought for a moment.

‘Different than usual.’

He certainly recognized it.

He was acting quite differently than when he dealt with Viola.

“If it’s alright, I’d like to undertake this mission together with Viola.”

“Your mission is to kill Jackal, the leader of Storm Fortress.”

“I know. I’m aware that it’s an extremely dangerous mission for her level right now.”

Medea thought.

‘If we succeed in this task, Viola will once again prove her capabilities.’

Although what she had shown so far wasn’t bad, killing the leader of the Storm Fortress was an entirely different matter.

What she had displayed until now was excellent for her age, but this mission would be a remarkable endeavor no matter her age.

If she could pull it off, Viola’s standing and status would skyrocket overnight.

‘If I help her, Viola will once again showcase her power as a Bellatu.’

Medea resolutely vowed to support Viola.

‘I wish you could be my sister.’

She decided to be her sister.

The next day, Medea sought out Viola’s Room.

Viola happened to be drinking Strawberry Ade.

Medea received the Strawberry Ade from Viola.

It had been a while since she had such a sweet drink.

The refreshing coolness penetrated her whole body.

“Is it good?”

“It is.”

To Medea’s eyes, Viola looked just like a ten-year-old kid.

“Viola. The mission orders will be issued soon.”

“Mission orders?”

“Right. You’ll be going on a mission with me.”

Viola tensed up for a moment.

The missions Medea received were of extremely daunting difficulty.

‘W-why me?’

Medea spoke earnestly.

“I’ll be your sister. I’ll help you prove yourself as a Bellatu.”

No, sister. Something feels off here.

“We’re headed to Storm Fortress.”

She had an inkling of what the mission was.

The mission to kill Jackal, the leader of Storm Fortress.

Even the incredible Medea had nearly died on that mission.

“Are you telling me to kill the Storm Blade, Sir Jackal?”

She hoped it wasn’t that.

That mission would be too dangerous. No matter how one thought about it, this wasn’t right.

“You’re beginning to sound just like a White Bellatu. You’re sharp.”

“……”

Such an excessively beautiful smile came forth.

So fresh it made her want to die.

It had been four years since her reincarnation.

For the first time in a long while, her breath caught in her throat.