ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴᴇss ɪs ᴛʜᴇ sɪsᴛᴇʀ ᴏғ ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇ

25

THIRD POV

". . . The Duke was acting suspicious?" Viola asked while looking at Caden who is reading a book infront of her.

He lift his head as he sighed deeply. "Yeah. My father seems suspicious in the last few days."

"Duke Aaron is my father's friend, right?"

"Yes. My father is your father's friend but I doubt it. The Emperor will be making his moves on the special banquet. I believe that." he exclaimed with a serious expression.

". . . What are we going to do. . . If Duke Aaron betray my father. . . how can my father react to that?" Viola exclaimed sadly as she already felt down on the last few days.

Caden notice that how sad she is considering her gloomy mood and anxious expression.

". . . If my father were to betray your father, I'll kill him." he exclaimed truthfully, making Viola's eyes widened in surprise.

". . . W-what. . . !?"

"If he's betraying Duke Univers, it seems that he's siding the Emperor. And we know that the Emperor is the real villain here considering he's planning dirty plans while your father's stayed silent about it."

"b-but he's your father-"

Caden sighed. "Family doesn't matter much to me considering we live inside a brutal society. I also don't have that kind of father son relationship with him." he shrugged it casually.

Viola look at him with wide eyes, looking at his expression like he doesn't even care.

She's really sad but at the same time, anger arose. ". . . Why are you saying things like that? He's your family."

Caden's eyes widened as he put his hands up. "Whoa whoa! Are you siding my father now?"

". . . I-I'm not saying that I'm siding your father, it's just. . . no matter how worse he is, he's still your father, your family. Are you just going to throw that facts away?"

". . . Viola, you don't understand do you? Family relationships in this society is not real. Only a few of them are true. But what did they achieve in the end?" he asked her as he closed his book. "Death."

Viola look at him with wide eyes in disbelief as if he just mocked her bond between her family.

"I'm not saying it's forbidden to love. But I'm just saying that. . . likes of us can love someone but in return, we must leave the aristocracy. If not, then we must think about ourselves. This is a battlefield and war can breaks out any time." he exclaimed and gaze downwards. "That's why I don't want to confess."

Viola shakes her head. "I can't believe you."

-

When Viola wants to walks out from the Albrecht estate, the Duke himself greeted her.

Aaron Albrecht.

"Oh! Lady Univers! It's nice to meet you." he greeted her cheerfully as Viola smiled warmly at him and bowed politely.

"Greetings, Duke Albrecht." she greeted him politely.

"So, how's my son!?" he asked with an excited tone much to her confusion.

". . . He is. . . a good person?"

The Duke bust into laughter as he put his hand on Viola's shoulder. "Maybe you two should consider getting engaged."

Viola's eyes went wide by his shocking statement.

"I'd like to have a daughter in law like you. . ." he exclaimed happily. ". . . might as well to let you live." he stated in a low voice that is inaudible enough for Viola to hear.