Chapter 6: 6

The Voreoti residence was big.

Once you entered the massive steel gate arch, you would see a garden that led you all the way to the main mansion.

 

Only after passing the grand fountain at the centre of the perfectly symmetrical landscape would you finally be able to see the mansion. 

The mansion's deep black roof looked stark against the pure white snow. It had a sublime, archaic appeal to it. 

The front doors had handles in the shape of a black lion—the Voreoti family insignia. Upon entering, you would be greeted by the sight of a large hall and a staircase that would lead you to the second floor. 

Guests would normally be taken to the drawing room.

However, the guests that time were received by the owner of the mansion, Duke Voreoti, himself.

The guests, all tied up and in shambles, were forced to kneel in the large hall. 

"What happened to the orphanage?"

Paul asked, staring into each of the guests' eyes.

There were a total of six guests. Forming a triangle, at the front was the orphanage director with the staff and the teachers behind him. 

The guests, whose eyes met the Duke's eyes, trembled in fear.

"It burned down in a fire."

Loupe, who was exhausted from his 'cleaning' duty, handed Paul the report. Paul listened to his report while skimming over the papers.

"While we were on our way here, we heard that a fire killed everyone at the orphanage. It's quite unfortunate. On top of all the children, the wise teacher, Konie, also died."

If she was alive, she would've been brought here.

Loupe continued calmly.

"The orphanages in our territory just expanded last spring as well."

"I see. If we had gone a bit earlier, they would've lived."

Paul played along to Loupe's lies and examined the report in his hands.

His black eyes began to flare with red. The white paper in his hand started burning and soon fell onto the ground as ash. 

The guests' faces turned even paler.

However, that sort of thing was a normal sight within the mansion. 

It was an ability passed down to members of the Voreoti family. 

Loupe pressed his fingers against his temple in an attempt to relieve his stress. Then he stared at the pile of ash on the floor. 

There were several reasons as to why the Voreoti became the ruler of the North, and how not even the royal family could mistreat them.

It may be due to the violent nature of the Northern nobles, or the family's long history that went as far back beyond the existence of the empire, or their long list of achievements throughout the generations. 

Even so, Loupe knew the real reason.

'It's that ability.'

It was completely different from 'aura' of a master swordsman's, or 'mana' that served as the building block of magic. 

It was a strange and mysterious power that only those with the Voreoti's blood possessed.

When using that power, their black eyes would flare with the color that represented their power. 

Aura with the same color would then manifest in the shape similar to that of a beast's canine. 

People called it the 'beast's fang'.

Of course, this 'beast's fang' did not always appear whenever the power was used. 

Paul had only used a very small portion of his power, so only his eyes were affected—it flared with a shade of red. 

Though, it was more than enough to instill one with fear.

The guests trembled in terror upon seeing the beast's eyes tinged in red.

"Old man!"

Loupe's eyes widened at the bright voice, completely out of place given the current atmosphere.

The knights and servants nearby thought of the same thing.

Leonia, who had arrived in Meles' arms, ran over to Paul as soon as her feet touched the ground.

In her hands was a small box decorated with sparkling jewels.

"You're going to hurt yourself."

Paul warned Leonia as he picked her up, but Leonia only snorted.

"What do you mean? I was the best at running away in the orphanage, you know?"

"I suppose you'll only learn a lesson after you fall and break your nose, or something."

"Why are your examples always so extreme, old man?"

"But why would you need to run away in the orphanage?" 

"Because those people tried to hit me."

Then she continued to tell him that she was still caught and beaten up severely in the end. 

Upon hearing that, Paul's expression—previously calm and relaxed—grew rigid. 

Cold air suddenly filled the warm mansion.  

It did not only affect the orphanage staff still on their knees, but also Loupe and all the other servants of the mansion—they all trembled in fear. 

Even so, Loupe knew. In truth, the Duke was doing his best holding his anger so he wouldn't scare his daughter as well.

Despite his effort, his violent aura was palpable. 

"Oh, it's the secretary man."

Leonia—seemingly unaffected unlike everyone else—greeted Loupe brightly and waved at him. 

"…Greetings once again, Lady Leonia."

It took Loupe a few seconds to answer her. It was because the name, 'secretary man', was unfamiliar to his ears. However, and most importantly, the stifling tense atmosphere prevented him from acting comfortably. 

"Please, call me Loupe. I'm relieved to see that you look healthier."

"I've been eating and sleeping really well."

"That is truly a relief."

Loupe was genuinely surprised at seeing Leonia's healthy face. 

She had clear skin with no trace of dirt, a pretty red ribbon adorning her black hair, a dress made of fur from a beast in the Northern mountains, a thick pair of stockings, and a pair of fur boots with red bells attached to it.

With the way she looked, she could easily pass as a regular noble lady raised in a loving family. 

Looking at her, Loupe almost felt ashamed for worrying that the adoption had been too impulsive. 

"…Nia?"

One of the guests said, sounding very exhausted. 

"Nia! Nia, it's us, your teachers!"

"You're safe! We were worried sick!"

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"Why didn't you contact us? Have you been eating well?"

"Goodness, I couldn't recognize you because you've become so pretty."

All the orphanage staff started speaking to Leonia familiarly, as if they were close.

They were all so desperate that their facial muscles—previously frozen from the cold air outside—started twitching from their effort to put on a smile.

They all stared at Leonia with urgent hope in their eyes, as if they had found their saviour.

"Nia!"

The orphanage director called in tears.

"It's me, the director!"

The director cried. He looked as if he truly believed he'd been wronged. 

The child, on the other hand, only stared at the director in silence.

Feeling impatient, the director altered the memories in his head to his advantage.

"I remember the day you first came to the orphanage. It was a very hot summer day. Do you know how cute you were? You were cute and weak, just like a mouse. I even named you myself……."

"Old man."

Leonia interrupted before he could finish. She tugged at Paul's clothes, asking him to let her down.

After giving the guests another look, Paul let her down. 

A few of the teachers, including the director, tried to run towards Leonia. However, they were stopped by the knights nearby. 

"They're your guests."

Bending down, Paul wiped Leonia's mouth with his sleeve. The crumbs from the snacks she ate earlier fell onto his sleeve.

"As your father, I have a responsibility to see to them."

"Yeah."

"So, before I take over in seeing the guests, you should see them first."

"Why?"

Leonia tilted her head in confusion.

The two had already discussed how they would take care of the guests—there was no need for Leonia to be called in.

"I want to know if you've had a change of heart."

If by any chance the child felt sympathy for them at all, though he had not planned on actually doing so, Paul would let them go. 

Of course, he would handle things separately without Leonia knowing later on.

Leonia's round, black eyes blinked slowly.

"Hmm……."

After pretending to think for a moment, Leonia opened the box she had been carrying. A sweet melody started playing throughout the hall.

Paul raised one eyebrow at the melody that sounded wholly out of place, given the current situation. 

"What is this?"

"A gift for our guests."

Leonia turned around and smiled.

"A requiem."

* * *

The baby beast did not have a change of heart. 

"Why would I forgive them?"

She spat out at the adults who dared to call her 'Nia' and tried to hide their violent past with awkward smiles and fake compassion.

"Those crazy bastards, they're seriously spewing a load of crap."

The carriage was long gone already.

Leonia took this chance to begin tattle-taling.

"This teacher always pinched my arm, and this person took pride in hitting the children with a leather belt, and this person used the orphanage funds to have an affair with a married woman……."

It had been a whole week since Leonia last saw the orphanage staff, so she had become a bit too excited and smacked each of the guests' foreheads with her boot that she had taken off. 

"Yoohoo! Fun torture time!"

The baby beast, who was quite jolly, ran about rather cruelly.

"You should've been more kind."

Leonia smiled. Then she told them how you could never really anticipate what life might throw you next. 

And whenever the music box stopped playing, Leonia would run back to the music box to close and open it again so that the melody would play once more.

It was so cruel to the point that one adult cried out, begging for mercy.

Leonia finally stood in front of the most important guest.

"Director……."

The director did not look at Leonia like she was his saviour anymore.

Only fear and despair filled his eyes, so much so that the luxurious decors of the Voreoti mansion were no longer of importance to him. 

"We have many memories together."

The shining chandelier then was akin to a hanging rope, and the music box truly sounded like a requiem.

The stairs in front of him looked like a stairway to his demise.

"Why'd you contact the pimp? Were you planning to sell me and the other kids afterwards too?"

Leonia kneeled down and asked.

"Why'd you torture us so much?"

"……."

"Adults like you and the teachers should've protected us."

There were no hints of anger or hatred in Leonia's sparkling black eyes as she continuously smacked the director's forehead with her boot.

She seemed indifferent, as if looking at a pest.

"Why'd you live like that?"

Leonia asked.

"Hm? Why?"

The director could not answer.

He knew that no amount of excuses or begging could save him out of this predicament. 

By that point, all the guests had lost all motivation to struggle. It was due to the menacing aura emanating from the pair of black eyes behind Leonia, who so far had pretended to watch in silence. 

"And for your information, my first day at the orphanage was in the winter, not summer."

After reminding him of that fact, Leonia's fur boot dropped heavily on the director's forehead. 

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