The Regressor of a Fallen Baronial House

Chapter 45. The Woman in the Black Veil (4)

Ciella recalled the time she made eye contact with Blanc when she drank tea during her outing.

Back then, as soon as she made eye contact with Blanc, she showed a disgraceful sight to the point her whole body was soaked in sweat.

'I can't do that this time too!'

She couldn't show a disgraceful appearance like then in front of her father and Blanc who might become her future husband.

Therefore, as soon as she made eye contact with Blanc, she quickly lowered the veil again.

'……?'

As Ciella lowered the veil, the hot feeling felt on the left shoulder along with the silver ring Blanc was wearing disappeared at the same time.

'Silver ring…… and the black wizard’s brand.'

Although the silver ring was an item brought to react like this in the first place, he didn't think the brand left by Tiday would react.

'Anyway, there is definitely something!'

Choosing the silver ring was an excellent choice. With this, he would be able to explain smoothly about Ciella’s curse to Berger.

'It seems we have to make eye contact.'

However, Blanc noticed that the silver ring and the brand engraved on his shoulder reacted only when he made eye contact with Ciella.

So he knelt on one knee.

Then he held Ciella’s right hand coming down the stairs and naturally kissed the back of her hand.

"It is an honor to meet you. Lady Ciella."

Ciella, having her hand held by Blanc, trembled finely as if electrocuted.

Even Ciella, who had learned proper conduct as a daughter of a noble family, found it impossible to perfectly control the sensation bursting from deep inside her body.

Berger, watching that scene from afar, made a pleased expression thinking she was being shy upon seeing Ciella’s reaction.

Evaluating that this choice was definitely correct seeing Ciella’s reaction, which was quite different from when she met her first and second husbands.

However, contrary to Berger’s feelings, the action Blanc just did was a planned action by his sharp improvisation.

Blanc naturally looked up at her from the kneeling position while caressing her hand with the hand wearing the silver ring.

And he looked into Ciella’s eyes hidden inside the black veil.

'Correct!'

The moment he made eye contact with Ciella, the brand on his left shoulder started to heat up again.

Furthermore, perhaps because he touched her skin directly through the hand, the silver ring was emitting a subtle vibration beyond glowing red.

Blanc momentarily turned his head and looked at Tarania. If it was her who was well-versed in black magic and Evil, she wouldn't miss the trace caught by a mere artifact silver ring.

Blanc raised the silver ring glowing red toward Tarania.

Perhaps Tarania had also sensed a suspicious aura from Ciella, as her thin eyebrows were already mercilessly crumpled.

'……!'

Seeing Blanc’s signal, Tarania quietly lifted her eyepatch and looked at Ciella with a blue glowing eye.

A short moment passed.

Tarania nodded toward Blanc.

'It is the energy of Evil!'

Blanc gained certainty from Tarania’s action.

Blanc greeted Ciella politely, then turned his body and approached Berger.

"Count."

Blanc turned his body, approached Berger, and spoke quietly.

"Haha. How is it. The impression of seeing the treasure I cherish the most."

Berger was confident.

There had been no man who didn't fall after seeing Ciella’s face.

However, Blanc was a man of a different caliber from the men Berger had seen until now.

"As the qualification of the sixth knight of Aselheit, the adversary of black wizards, I politely request to the Count."

Blanc spoke to Berger with a polite but heavy meaning.

"Except for those who are trustworthy, please send everyone out of here right now."

"……What does that mean?"

Berger was flustered.

Because unlike the answer he expected, Blanc was spitting out completely different words.

Far from praise for Ciella, why put forward Aselheit’s name suddenly?

"Count, please do not misunderstand my words."

Blanc approached close to Berger and whispered so no one could hear.

"The energy of Evil is felt from Lady Ciella. It is a very clever and wicked energy."

"……!"

Hearing Blanc’s words, Berger’s eyes were trembling mercilessly.

***

Alchemy was a discipline attempting to get one step closer to the truth of the world through the refinement of metals or substances.

In other words, since it was a discipline where combining or decomposing substances that don't happen in a natural state and observing the reaction was basic, results surpassing predictions often came out.

"It should be fine here. Since it is a laboratory specially made because many rough things happen here and there while doing alchemy."

It was a laboratory specially made to prepare for various explosions and pollution caused by alchemy experiments.

If it was here, it wouldn't easily break or collapse no matter what happened.

As per Blanc’s request, only Tarania of the Torch Knights and a few knights who had been loyal to the Neudorf family for a long time were inside here.

Blanc had even left behind Hansen and Simon, who could be called his knights.

Because the thing happening from now on could be a matter approaching as a great disgrace for the Neudorf family.

"Now speak in detail. These are trustworthy people."

Berger demanded an explanation from Blanc with an urgent tone, unlike his usual relaxed self.

It would be inevitable.

Since the curse of Evil dwells in his precious daughter, if someone other than Blanc had made such a remark in front of Berger, he wouldn't have let it slide nicely.

If Blanc’s words were true, it wouldn't end with just a simple scandal.

This was a problem where the dignity and trust of a family were at stake.

"Lord Berger, while conquering black wizard Tiday’s dungeon, I was able to realize the sense of detecting black magic and Evil."

Blanc looked at Berger with eyes full of certainty.

"I am certain. Evil dwells in Lady Ciella Neudorf."

"Mmm……"

At Blanc’s declaration full of certainty, Berger couldn't help but groan.

Blanc was an extraordinary man. Furthermore, he was a person who even possessed the achievement of killing the fear of the era.

It wasn't a problem he could ignore and move on.

"Really…… mean that Evil dwells inside my daughter……"

Although it was a hard reality to believe, he couldn't help but accept it.

The man in front of his eyes was a man possessing that much trust and weight.

"Count, although it may be hard to believe, I, a knight of the Torch Knights, also agree with Baron Blanc’s opinion."

Tarania also stepped up to add weight to Blanc’s statement.

"Ha……"

Ciella was the daughter of not just an ordinary noble but a Count family, a Meritorious Noble. If he acknowledged this fact, the dignity of the Neudorf family would inevitably fall greatly.

"Underst…… Understood."

Therefore, Blanc had recommended to Berger to send everyone out except for a few trustworthy people. This was Blanc’s consideration for the Neudorf family.

However, Berger was in a state where it was hard to even notice Blanc’s consideration, and hard to be grateful for it.

His mind had already turned blank long ago.

"Ciella…… Have Ciella come in."

Berger ordered the knight waiting at the door with a trembling voice.

Before long, the door opened, and Ciella was coming into the laboratory with a bewildered expression.

Berger, watching Ciella’s expression, felt his insides burning even more.

That Evil dwells inside his lovely daughter who is bewildered knowing nothing.

Even if it was Blanc’s words, it was something impossible to believe.

Berger wanted to grab Blanc by the collar asking to look again, asking if Evil truly dwells in that child’s flawlessly pure soul, but he held back with superhuman patience.

He only delivered one heavy warning to Blanc while suppressing all emotions boiling in his heart.

"If you saw wrong, you will have to take responsibility for it."

"Understood."

Berger looked at Blanc with bloodshot eyes, but Blanc accepted that gaze calmly.

Blanc and Tarania approached Ciella and surrounded her.

"What is happening right now? Baron Blanc. I demand a detailed explanation."

Ciella was also feeling that the atmosphere right now was unusual.

Because her father had a pale complexion as if he would collapse right now, and the knights who protected the family for a long time were looking at her with nervous eyes.

"Lady Ciella."

Blanc made eye contact with Ciella and explained the current situation.

That Evil dwells inside your body and he will find it from now on.

Ciella looked at the man who hadn't yet shed the boy’s appearance with blank eyes at the shock from the words she heard for the first time in her life.

That man’s eyes were deep and dark, and also unwavering.

At first, she intended to flare up thinking she was insulted by Blanc upon hearing that something wicked was inside her body, but looking at Blanc’s serious eyes, such thoughts disappeared completely.

Then she carefully looked back at the life she had lived.

Men reacting unusually seeing her, excessive checks from women of the same age.

And even her husbands who died suddenly.

Men could be thought of as being captivated by Ciella’s outstanding beauty and women feeling jealous about it, and husbands’ deaths could be dismissed as coincidence, but hearing Blanc’s words, there certainly were dubious parts.

"Did you understand?"

"……I understood but……"

Ciella looked up at Blanc with frightened eyes and spoke.

That she is innocent and knows nothing about the current situation.

However, Ciella was already a widow who lost two husbands. Even the second husband died in less than two weeks.

Bad rumors always circulated around Ciella, whose husbands died in an instant during short marriage lives.

And she also knew about those rumors.

"……I am not something like a witch. It is unfair. Baron Blanc."

Ciella feared that the bad rumors surrounding her would take away trust.

It was hard for Ciella to accept the situation she faced right now obediently.

No, anyone would find it hard to accept the words that Evil dwells inside their body easily.

Captivated by anxiety and fear, Ciella forgot that the man in front of her eyes was a newly adult of only fifteen years old and ended up shedding tears in front of him.

Of course, Blanc knew well.

That she was just a pitiful woman who was merely cursed.

That she was a talented woman who established dazzling achievements helping Berger after shaking off that curse.

Therefore, Blanc wiped her tears.

"I will definitely protect you. Lady Ciella."

He had to protect her.

Because she was too wasteful of a woman to disappear eaten by a mere curse.

Ciella raised her eyes welling with tears and looked at Blanc.

His eyes were still unwavering.

"……I trust you. Baron."

She decided to entrust everything entirely to this man.

***

Blanc was delegated full authority from Count Berger, the head of the Neudorf family, and the person concerned, Ciella.

The responsibility for everything done from now on lay with Blanc.

"Knights of the Neudorf family, listen."

Therefore, Blanc wanted to confirm.

"The sword I am holding is the ‘Knight’s Sword’ personally bestowed by Lord Aselheit."

How far his authority reached.

"Apart from receiving the trust of the Neudorf family, I wish to receive an oath from you all."

Blanc drew his sword from the scabbard.

From the blade sprinkled with green Peridot, a subtle green light flowed out.

"Swear on this sword."

Blanc pierced the drawn sword into the ground and made eye contact with each and every Neudorf knight.

"Please swear that you will take what happens from now on to the grave."

Blanc’s eyes shone coldly.

"Betting your honor."