The Baddest Villainess Is Back
Chapter 18
Since the Emperor had requested her attendance, she had to go.
Roselyn overcame her lethargy and wrote replies to both letters.
Knock, knock.
She was just about to stand up when she heard a knock. At Roselyn’s permission to enter, the door opened.
“Good afternoon, My Lady.”
It was Dean, the butler.
A highly capable butler in many respects, he was also quite skilled in martial arts and was one of the individuals the Duke trusted most.
“The Master was quite upset that you did not join him for breakfast.”
“Is that so?”
Roselyn replied curtly and nodded.
“So, what is it?”
“The Master is looking for you. He would like you to join him for tea, if you have the time.”
“Alright, I’ll go.”
Nodding readily, Roselyn followed the butler out of the room immediately.
She could roughly guess why she was being called, so there was no reason to hesitate.
Roselyn followed the butler to the private drawing room used by Duke Bellion.
It was a place the Duke used to receive precious guests, or occasionally to have comfortable conversations or private chats.
Naturally, it was strictly soundproofed and secured.
The entire room was even constructed with Soul Stones, making it impossible to use the Abyss inside.
“Please, go in.”
At the words of Dean, the butler who smiled kindly, Roselyn obediently stepped inside.
The first thing she saw upon entering was Duke Bellion sitting on a wide sofa, tilting a wine glass.
For some reason, he was dressed in even more flamboyant clothes than usual, and the smile playing on his lips suggested he was in a rather good mood.
“You’ve come, child.”
“Good afternoon.”
“You didn’t show your face for two whole weeks, yet here you are today. What brings you?”
“I thought you might have something to say to me.”
Roselyn smiled faintly and approached Duke Bellion.
Duke Bellion watched Roselyn, who remained standing, and then tilted his head.
“Sit down first.”
“Yes.”
Duke Bellion frowned as Roselyn sat down only after being given permission.
‘It’s not like she’s a guest or something….’
He didn’t know why she was acting so stiff.
“About the Nollang Mine you told me to buy.”
“Yes, did you win the auction?”
“Indeed, thanks to you.”
He nodded.
“That’s a relief.”
“Mm. And though it hasn’t been announced yet, they say the mineral found there is highly unlikely to be amber.”
It was as she expected.
Roselyn watched Duke Bellion, who sat with his legs crossed, grinning quite like a villain.
Devon Bellion.
Nowadays, the only people who truly knew him were the Emperor or aged high-ranking nobles, but Devon Bellion was originally an illegitimate child of the Bellion Ducal House. Until his early twenties, he had been a godfather of the underworld who controlled the back alleys.
This meant that until his early twenties, Devon had grown up without even knowing he was an aristocrat.
However, when the only heir of the Bellion Ducal House met with an accident and the family’s survival was threatened, the previous Duke Bellion was forced to bring in Devon, the illegitimate son.
This was because there were no direct heirs left besides the deceased one, and collateral branches were eyeing the dukedom at every moment.
The previous Duke Bellion, who could not allow the direct bloodline to be tarnished, belatedly registered Devon—who, despite being illegitimate, was the only one carrying his blood—into the family records. Devon, who possessed a sharp mind and exceptional leadership qualities, took over the Bellion Ducal House as quickly as he had conquered the underworld.
However, because the Duke could not shed the habits he had formed while rolling around in the underworld during his youth, she had heard that the Bellion Ducal House of this generation was quite un-aristocratic and rough.
‘Of course, I only heard this later from Gerran.’
Roselyn thought as she looked at him.
Cruel Butcher.
That was the only title attached to this man who wore ridiculous, flashy clothes and sunglasses.
Duke Bellion, who had been holding a cigar in his mouth and smiling like a toothless tiger, took off his sunglasses and grinned.
“Granddaughter, have you perhaps awakened to the Abyss?”
Duke Bellion’s sanpaku eyes, filled with amusement, stared straight at Roselyn.
Devon Bellion valued family quite highly.
The Bellion family had been that way for generations.
For the sake of the ‘direct line,’ they wouldn’t hesitate to give up their lives.
That was why the previous Duke Bellion had abandoned and ignored Devon, his illegitimate son, to ensure that his only heir remained safe from danger.
At the same time, as soon as that only heir passed away, he brought back the abandoned Devon to protect the ‘direct’ bloodline.
Rather than handing over the Bellion name, to which he had dedicated his life, to one of the collateral branches, he chose the half-blood direct descendant who had spent his life roaming the back alleys.
In his younger days, Devon Bellion was lonely.
He wouldn’t deny that there were times he envied those who had formed ordinary families.
Desire was his driving force, the most honest and primal emotion that had allowed him to reach this place.
That was also why Devon had gone out of his way to pacify the underworld and place many people under his feet.
Because building a family had been his long-held dream.
To do that, he needed a safe fence and a garden, and he believed he had to build strength for that purpose.
‘The problem is that not a single one of them grew up normal.’
In any case, Devon Bellion cherished his children in his own way.
He had never truly loved the wife he married through an arrangement made by the previous Duke, but he loved the children born from her womb.
It was a marriage they both entered into knowing the terms.
Still, Devon respected her as the woman who became his family and would raise his children with him, and he did his best for her, so their relationship wasn’t bad.
Therefore, it could be said that Devon Bellion was quite generous toward his family.
He was the type of big-hearted man who would laugh off most things, whether they killed someone or played around with drugs.
Of course, having grown up rough, he was foul-mouthed and heavy-handed.
There were times he believed that raising children could be solved with fists and shouting.
Because of that, his eldest son would occasionally shift the blame, saying that ‘the kids turning out like this is all his fault.’
Anyway, among them, ‘Cherti Bellion,’ born as the youngest, was a particularly painful spot for him.
Since he awakened at the very moment of his birth, he poisoned his mother as soon as he was born and eventually killed her.
As time passed, Devon thought Cherti had finally found a woman to give his heart to, but one day he appeared holding a blood-covered infant and didn’t leave the basement for months.
Except for the family and Dean the butler, everyone feared Cherti.
Perhaps because he had committed such a deed from birth and grew up being pointed at and bullied by the second son, he isolated himself.
It was a waste of such a handsome face.
And his mental state was so fragile that he became an adult and a parent with thorns bristling in every direction.
Just when it seemed he had met a woman who could trim those thorns, another accident occurred.
Because of that, he had spent over a decade pushing the child away and failing to approach her, fearing he might kill her or that she might resent him.
As a result, Roselyn also became a quiet child.
Whenever he tried to even speak to his only granddaughter, she would keep her mouth tightly shut and ignore him, so he had tried not to pay her much attention for several years now.
‘But she’s changed.’
It was only a short while ago that several people died while trying to stop the youngest son, who had gone on a rampage after hearing the news that his daughter had tried to die.
Starting from that day, Roselyn changed.
She became indifferent and blunt, as if she had realized something.
It was as if she had drained away every drop of affection, leaving her dry.
And she was determined to leave their embrace.
To repeat, Devon Bellion was generous about everything as long as it concerned his family.
He would inflict miserable retribution on those who laid a hand on his family and didn’t care whether those outside his family lived or died, but he cherished the family within the garden he had built.
To the point where he personally handpicked every servant and confidant who tended the garden.
However, if there was one thing he could not tolerate….
It was not knowing about something regarding his own bloodline.
Also, it was anyone trying to leave his garden without permission.
He knew he possessed an obsessive and controlling personality.
Therefore, the recent incident with Ian Bellion and Makruksa, and Roselyn Bellion’s declaration of leaving the house, were shocking in many ways.
“Child?”
Because no answer came even after waiting while lost in thought, Devon Bellion called the girl again.
“Yes, Duke Grandfather.”
“Could you just call me Grandfather?”
“Wouldn’t that be unpleasant for you?”
Roselyn asked at Devon Bellion’s request.
“What would be?”
“Strictly speaking, I’m not a Bellion. Since I’m illegitimate.”
“……Mm.”
Devon Bellion faltered and frowned.
In truth, Devon Bellion had a hasty temperament.
So, he found it a bit difficult to understand his youngest son.
He had learned a while ago that his granddaughter was under a misunderstanding, but he had waited until now because Cherti said he would tell her himself.
‘To think he still hasn’t said it.’
It was Devon Bellion who felt like his insides were bursting at that frustration which went beyond mere caution.
‘It’s not like he’s a shy girl in her prime.’
He clicked his tongue inwardly and opened his mouth.
“So what if you’re illegitimate?”
“……Pardon?”
“The only thing that matters is that Bellion blood flows through you.”
He snorted.
Illegitimate?
Such a thing didn’t matter at all.
He himself was illegitimate.
So, the only thing important to Devon Bellion was whether or not someone shared his bloodline.
As long as the blood was mixed, even if it was only half, that was enough.
“And you are not illegitimate. I kept quiet because the youngest brat said he’d tell you with his own mouth, but given his personality, it would take several more years for him to speak honestly….”
Devon, who had been clicking his tongue and flicking the ash from the end of his cigar, suddenly looked at Roselyn’s face and fell silent.
