Former Crown Prince favors the Villainess

The whole day passed. 

Sun settled down….

And the Kela Baron Family were tired. 

It’s not easy to ask pardon from both the Prorins and the Emperor. 

The head of Kela is extremely disappointed in himself right now.

Despite knowing about the mental health of his son, he chose to bring him to the Founding Celebration.

Ahhhhh!!!! What should I do from now on?!

It already is hard maintaining the Barony. 

We were able to push through because of the donations given by the Empire and the Prorins. 

Now...everything is down the drain because of my stupid son.

“Do you realize the mistake you’ve done?!”

“But Father!”

“Shut up!! Remember this...if they don’t accept our pardon, I will be forced to disown you. The people are believing in me, I can’t let them down because of your stupidity!”, I screamed at my son who still refuses to accept his mistake.

We are on our way back to the mansion.

“You never try to understand my point of view-”

“Just how much has Lily Dormer brainwashed you!! Be thankful that this incident will not be covered by the press...if they did, you would have to say goodbye to your social life!”

“...”

“I will be sending you to a different territory. Keep changing your location for the next month or so. You don’t want to be caught by Draguel.”

“...you want me to hide?!”

“I want to save your life! Enough! We will no longer talk about this!”

I said while getting down the car. 

“Fa...Father-”

“I told you, we will no longer talk about this.”, I said while trying to get the phone from the car.

“No No!! L...Look Front!!”, he screamed.

“Huh? What could possib-”

Perhaps because it was already dark, I couldn’t see it well before…

All of the knights I brought from the territory...every single one of them is frozen completely.

Cold mists was rising from their bodies.

“Shit shit shit shit!!”

“Father?”

“You two, get in the car!! Don’t ever come out!!”, I said to my Wife and Daughter.

“Everyone else, arm yourself and follow me!”

There’s no way can win.

No...it’s impossible.

Just looking at the current situation...it scares the hell out of me.

But I can’t let this faze me. 

Whoever is inside...they want my son. And I am not the type to leave my son alone.

“I don’t want anyone to make a sound. We will be going in stealth. Understood?”

With all of their nods as confirmation, we all moved in slowly. 

With close to no sound, we all arrived at the front door.

*CATCH*

Cold!!

The doorknob was frozen to the point where it makes cracking noises with just a touch.

Who could this be?!

“Everyone, warm yourself with a barrier. Have your skills ready. We will be entering the wolf’s den now, it’s either hunt or be hunted.”

I slowly opened the door, with my left...while having the sword on my right hand ready.

*FSSSHHH*

Dry cold air rushed from the inside.

“Tch...the door is stuck. We will have to get in one by one.”

I said while moving in first.

The inside of the mansion was nothing like how we left it this morning.

It was dark...with little to no airflow.

The floor had shards of ice protruding here and there. 

All the chandeliers and candles were completely frozen in ice.

All the furniture was completely iced.

*BADUMP* *BADUMP*

“Ahh-!”

Just as my son started to scream, a knight quickly covered his mouth.

You might be wondering what he was screaming at…

It’s truly a pitiful sight…

All of the maids and workers were completely frozen. From head to toe...even the things they were carrying is completely frozen.

And it seems like none of them even knew what happened to them. 

I’m pretty sure where the person who causes this mayhem is.

All the way up in the second floor...inside my office.

It’s the only place that is not covered in ice.

*BADUMP* *BADUMP*

“We are heading in there…”, I said pointing to the room.

*CRACK* *CRACK*

It’s unfortunate that the whole floor is partially frozen. Every step we take results in massive sound.

“I’ll be going up.”, my son said while flying to the second floor. 

Wind magic sure is handy.

“Don’t go in yet.”, I said through eye contact.

With his nodding as approval, we all made our way up.

Warm.

The space near my office was devoid of ice. It was warm, just the way it should have been.

The room was lit, so we should atleast be able to tell where the enemy is.

With all of us being silent, I slowly opened the door.

I knew...I was well aware of the rumors regarding the Hastings.

There is an old legend where the Hastings wielded the power of Ice. 

We all shrugged it aside looking at how none of the current generations of Hatings wielded it. But I should have known...that all legends atleast have a part which is true.

I had a hunch from the amount of ice everywhere...we all should have just left. We shouldn’t have even bothered to enter the mansion.

“Hello~”, cheerfully said the Platinum Blonde Demon. 

She was not normal...was what I thought when I saw her Azure Blue eyes.

It’s crazy who she is happily sitting at my table. While still having over 5 frozen bodies in the room.

*BADUMP* *BADUMP*

“Fiona!!”, my son screamed while shooting forward with his wind magic.

“Huh? Ahhh!!”

But he didn’t an inch. Or rather he couldn’t…

“Leave me!!”

His whole lower body from the two up to his waist was frozen.

“Despite how I look, I’m still a frail little lady, you know? I’d rather not use any violence.”

“Ha!! Says the demon who completely froze the mans-”

*BADUMP* *BADUMP* *BADUMP*

The knight who shouted behind me all of a sudden stopped talking. I didn’t hear any voice, but rather I felt...a cold breeze of air brushing against my neck.

Looking behind, I was able to witness his whole body cleanly covered in ice. There wasn’t a part of his body that was left out.

“As I said, I’m a young maiden. I don’t like insults hurled at me.”

My son was silent.

Seems like he finally understood what she is capable of.

“You know, it might be not much...but a Baron is still a part of the nobility. And I’ll be honest...you’re son was worse than any street thug I’ve ever come in contact with.”

I can’t deny that. 

I wholeheartedly agree that he was below par today.

“But that doesn’t warrant such kind of behavior, Lady Fiona. If there was a problem, you should have head to the Imperial knights.”, I said trying to maintain a steady voice.

“Knights...Heh.”, she laughed at me.

“Is...Is something wrong? Did I say anything funny?!”

“Knights are not as great as you say them to be. Oh, I know! As a fellow noble, I’ll show you an example~”

The devil said while casting an evil smile. 

The room had several large windows for me to enjoy the view. But now, they were all pitch dark…

“You there! The one next to the Baron…”, she said with her fingers pointing to the knight next to me.

“M...Me?!”, the young knight squealed.

“Yes, you...kill the Baron’s son.”

Huh?

“What in the world-!!!”

*FREEZE* 

When...when did she freeze both me and my son?!

I wasn’t able to feel anything below my mouth.

My whole body including the sword was completely frozen. 

Damn it! Damn it!!!!!

She is absolutely enjoying the current situation...if not, she would not have that haughty smile on her.

Shit...I am not able to speak too!!

“You...You devil! There’s no way I will do what you-”

*FREEZE* *CRACK*

““Ah….Ahhhhhh!!!!””

Hearing the chorus screams of the knights, I was sure of it...I was sure that the young knight was also frozen.

No no no!!!

My son on the other hand was freaking out. He couldn’t do anything, all he and I could do was for a knight to do what she says.

“Too bad...next.”

She said while looking at the next knight.

*FREEZE*

Huh?

He didn’t raise his voice...so why!?

Why did you freeze him?!

“Next…”

She said while looking at the knight to the right of me.

*FSSSCHHH*

It was quite surprising...to see a projectile of fire heading towards Fiona’s head from my left side.

I was able to see a held-out arm from the corner of my vision.

Yes, yes!!!! Great Job!! 

If she dies, I will have to deal with the Hastings...but that’s fine. That’s better than having to let any more of my knights die.

The one who launched the projectile...I swear on my life, that I will protect you and your family from all danger!

Finally….Fiona….you bitch...this is what karma is...die-

*SHATTER*

“...”

What lay before my vision was not the corpse of the noble lady...but rather a broken window, and a Hasting with her head tilted.

No way…

This is just impossible. 

Tilting your head to dodge a flying projectile and letting it smash into the window behind you...that should be impossible to do!!

Only the top dogs of the Empire with high experience should be able to do this!

“Do you have any idea the number of times I’ve been killed by a flying arrow? Your arrow was just too slow~”

She said while smiling. 

*FREEZE*

He is gone too...the knight who made the move is gone too.

Damn it!! Just kill me!!!

“Please don’t try to be funny…just do what I tell you to do.”

All of the remaining were absolutely silent, being careful to not make a single move.

“Fine...I’ll give you a chance. Just kill the boy, and I’ll let you all free.”

Tricks...she is playing tricks!! Fuck!

*GULP*

*CRACKLE* *CRACKLE*

Huh?

“We...we are sorry, Baron. But we don’t want to die…”, a middle-aged knight said while moving forward.

All of the others too started moving towards my son. Everyone held their sword with the intention of slaying my son down.

My son on the other hand was crying completely...he couldn’t even shout due to the ice.

My vision started to cloud, I was not able to see anything properly. 

“We are sorry, Young Master.”

No!!! How many of you are required to kill a defenseless kid?!

The fact that I was not able to do anything against a teenage kid...damn it!!

Damn this nobility!! Damn this Empire!!

All of them were ready to slice my son down.

As their swords head towards my son’s body, I closed my eyes...hoping that the horrible act would not occur.

*FREEZE* *FREEZE*

“Open your eyes baron….your son is not dead.”

The voice urged me to open my eyes.

Huh? He is not dead yet?

Yes...I did not hear any stabbing noises, rather I heard the familiar freezing sound.

Slowly opening my eyes, I found my son fully intact with all of his body parts. 

On the other hand, all the knights that were about to kill were frozen in ice.

“I did say this was a sample.”, she said in a monotone.

“...”

I don’t know whether I should thank her or curse her.

“I don’t want any B movie drama here, alright? I will be unfreezing both of you...don’t ever shout.”

With a wave of her hand, I was again able to feel my lower body. The ice completely broke into minuscule pieces.

COLD?!

It was way too cold...I can feel my teeth clattering with themselves inside.

“Aaaa….Achooo!”

“Atleast use your handkerchief.”, Fiona snarled at my son.

Which he listened to perfectly.

“Hmmm...the Kela Barony...quite small aren’t you?”

“...”

“Hed baron, did you know? About your father?”

“...huh?”

“Your father was such a gambler, that he actually took major loans from the Hastings and the Switon.”

No no...I know that he was a gambler, but loans?

No way, that’s true...right?

“You probably won’t believe me...but here are the documents.”, she said while throwing several pieces of paper up in the air.

“I’ll give you ten or so minutes...go through them.”, she said while taking her phone out.

Me and my son started scanning through all of the documents.

“Fa...Father?! What in the fucking world is this?!”

“I...I don’t know.”

“Fion-... Lady Fiona, are these all duped?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t have the time nor interest to create such a plan for insects. These are all fresh out of the Hasting’s vault.”

“Th...Then, why didn’t the Hastings ever bring this up?”, I asked.

“One because...Switon is no more.”

Oh…

“I don’t about Arthur, but he might demand the money back. And believe me, with the way how my father describes him...I’m far better.”

The First Prince is worse than the Demon?

“And two...because you were doing a pretty good job on maintaining this Barony.”, she said while looking gazing around the office.

“It takes a lot of effort to bring a territory from near destruction to stability. My father didn’t want to keep you down the rubble again.”

Do you realize, you idiot son?!

These are the kind of people you were fighting with.

“Lady...Lady Fiona, do you want the money back?”, my son asked while looking down.

“Money? Do you mean this spare change? Of course, not~”

Spare change?

Did she just say spare change?

“I want something much...much more useful than that.”

“Much more useful than money?”

“What is your name, Baron’s son?”

“Kale...Kale Kela.”

“Just how lazy were you Baron? Naming your kid by just interchanging the letter...tch...what a hopeless father.”

“...”

A joke, was it?

“Anyways, Kale...do you love Lily Dormer?”

“Huh...I...I do.”

“Good...then, what I wasn’t you to do is simple...just stay near her and inform me all of her actions and words.”

“Huh?! I possibly can’t-”

*CRACKLE*

“I will do it to the best of my abilities.”, he said while bowing down to the girl who had an ice dagger.

“Is that all?”, I asked.

“Of course...that is all. There’s nothing else you could do for me.”, she said while shrugging her head.

“...then the knights and the peop-”

“They’ll live…”, she said.

“Phew...thank-”

“Though they won’t be able to remember anything.”

“Huh?”

“My magic completely freezes your brain. Down to the very nerve. When this happens, your brain resets when warming up. Resulting in a loss of memory.”, she said while looking straight at me.

“....”

Such a dangerous ability.

“Remember...I don’t want any word of this outside. If it does reach outside...before the Imperial Knights could reach me...I will reach your beloved daughter and wife”

*BADUMP* *BADUMP*

She...she might actually do it.

Kale too recognized this…

“But I really don’t want to do this...Kale, if you act as a spy for me...I swear, I will never touch your sister.”, she said with a serious look on her face.

“What do you want me to do?”, he said while looking straight at her.

“Nothing...just stay put while collecting data. Report to me every weekend. I want complete details about the number of boys she has collected.”

“Co...Collected?!”

“Please...you are all garbage that is akin to a side dish for her.”

“...”

“Oh and...you might want to plead for forgiveness to Ethel. You really don’t want Draguel to come for you.”

“....”

“Don’t worry...she won’t kill you. At most, you might lose your arms.”, she said while smiling.

“....tch, fine.”

“Lady Fiona.”

“Yes, Baron.”

“Why didn’t you head to the Imperial Knights?”

I know for a fact that they will be completely supporting the Lady of Hastings, then why…

“I’m not like Arthur. I don’t want a seat in the front lines...I’d rather have complete control over the shadows than the warm light the sun offers.”

“And just who is in the front lines, Lady Fiona?”