Β©WebNovelPub
The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen-Chapter 368: Meteo Always Stands Alone (2)
The Western Sea's Three Powers
In the Western Sea, three factions held sway:
House Wolfgang, the current power brokers of the West.The Pirates, who preyed on trade ships.The House of Belian, the former rulers of the β ππ¨π―ππ₯π’π π‘π β West.
The Westβs current prosperity was largely thanks to the House of Belian.
Their achievements included producing one of the Empireβs rare Sword Masters, opening trade routes despite Imperial opposition, and governing with a genuine care for the people. These were the legacies of the previous Duke, whose leadership shaped the thriving West.
But those glories faded when the Duke fell to the beast of the West.
The opportunistic Wolfgang family, who once flattered the Belian Dukes, began eroding their influence the moment the Duke perished. Slowly, the balance of power shifted to Wolfgang, leaving the Belian family in decline.
"Hmm..."
When I suggested involving the House of Belian, Darbavβs reaction was less than enthusiastic.
βI donβt think itβs a good idea.β
While introducing another faction could be advantageous, adding a weakened, untested force might only prove to be a hindrance. Darbavβs point wasnβt wrong, but I had my reasons for insisting.
One of them was the treasure introduced in the side story: [The Fertility of the Dragon King].
This was one of the reasons I decided to embark on this Western expedition. It wasnβt just about subjugating the beastβI wanted a counterbalance to Wolfgang.
The Fertility of the Dragon King, a single-use item capable of defying death once, was a treasure even the Emperor coveted.
Walking lightly along the Western road, I stopped in front of a massive estateβone comparable to Desmundβs own mansion.
But I couldnβt help but sigh.
β...Wow.β
The state of disrepair was appalling.
The mansion was so poorly maintained it barely resembled a Dukeβs estate. Windows were covered in cobwebs, and there wasnβt a single guard at the entrance.
It looked more like the home of a fallen noble than that of a Ducal family. I sighed again, shaking my head.
The current Dukeβs circumstances were likely grim.
Heβd been a boy when he lost his father, suddenly thrust into the position of patriarch. Despite his efforts to uphold the family name, the trials had proven insurmountable, leaving him broken.
β...This wonβt be easy.β
The late Duke of Belian had a son.
He was just 13 when his father died and became the Duke at the same age. The hands that reached out to him likely harbored ill intentions. Betrayals would have taught him to close his heart.
I would have done the same.
Winning over the House of Belian was going to take significant effort. Restoring their honor seemed straightforward, but it wouldnβt go as smoothly as I hoped.
I knocked on the mansionβs main door and waited. frΡewebΞ·ovel.cΡ³m
Knock, knock, knock.
βIs anyone home?β
I held a bag of bread I thought the Duke might like, determined to adhere to noble decorum.
Ten minutes passed.
β....β
Twenty minutes.
β....β
By the thirty-minute mark, my patience wore thin, and I decided to enter the mansion.
I could sense people inside.
βExcuse me.β
I walked through the overgrown garden, heading toward the source of the faint presence. I hadnβt come all this way with a gift just to leave without delivering it.
βIs it here?β
Spotting a relatively clean window, I peeked inside.
Andβ
β...What is this?β
I discovered the Dukeβs suspicious hobby.
At the same timeβ
βUh...?β
βHuh...?β
βHello?β
βUh...β
I also stumbled upon the Dukeβs secret.
βKYAAAAAAA!!!β
Later, the Duke, now dressed in formal attire, approached with tea in hand.
His face was a mixture of anger and hostility.
I understood his reactionβshowing up uninvited, entering without permission, and spying on a nobleβs private space was tantamount to trespassing. Frankly, he had every right to report me to the guards.
Even as the guilty party, I had questions.
What was he making?
And... why was he a woman?
Why do these stories always have cross-dressing women? First, Mikhail turned out to be a woman despite being a male lead in the original story. And now, the Duke of Belian, originally depicted as male, was female.
Just as my irritation with this topsy-turvy novel was about to peak, the Duke frowned and spoke.
βWho are you?β
βAh...β
βAre you a spy sent by Wolfgang?β
βI apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Ricardo, steward of the House of Desmund.β
β...A steward?β
The Duke let out a frustrated sigh.
βNow even stewards are visiting Dukes' estates?β
β...Ha-ha.β
βThis mockery of Belian has gone too far. Trespassing, and even peeking into a nobleβs private quarters...β
βI apologize. I have no excuses.β
βNo, the greater fault lies with me for ignoring the knock.β
βThank you for your mercy, Your Grace.β
βWhat you saw...β
βI saw nothing.β
The Duke seemed satisfied with my response and let out a small chuckle before throwing me another question.
βDid Desmund send you to gather information? To learn about the beast?β
The Dukeβs softened tone prompted me to shake my head with a smile. I already knew about the beastβs appearance and weaknesses from the novel.
βNo, Your Grace.β
βThen why are you here? Surely not just to admire my face.β
βHa-ha-ha...!β
In the novel, the Duke of Belian reappeared when Mikhail began his revenge arc, joining forces with him to take down Wolfgang Rui, who had killed Mikhailβs mother.
I knew what kind of character the Duke wasβcheerful yet distrustful, quick to judge but incredibly loyal to those who earned it.
βSpeak plainly, steward of Desmund.β
In the novel, the Duke was always straightforward.
I had come with a proposition for this very reason. I knew she desired to restore her familyβs glory and that my proposal would be irresistible.
Many called her incompetent, but no one had worked harder to rebuild a fallen house than she had.
Gathering my thoughts, I spoke.
βIβve come to make you a proposal, Your Grace.β
βA proposal? Then the patriarch of Desmund should have come himself.β
βMy apologies. I acted out of line by approaching you directly.β
The Dukeβs eyes trembled. For a steward to make a proposal in place of their patriarch was an affront to the Belian familyβs dignity.
It was an arrogant move, one that would have warranted immediate expulsion if not for my backing by Desmund.
Understanding her feelings, I chose my words carefully.
βI believe the greatest family in the West is the House of Belian.β
β...β
βIt is thanks to Your Graceβs unseen efforts to protect the West that it remains strong today.β
βAre you mocking me?β
βNot at all. Iβve come to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.β
βArrogant.β
βItβs an opportunity to restore the House of Belian to its rightful place as rulers of the West. Will you hear me out?β
The Duke bit her lip at my unwavering gaze but nodded, signaling her willingness to listen.
βSpeak.β
βThank you.β
βA proposal to save my house...β
β...β
βIf itβs a lie, Iβll have your head.β
I nodded firmly in response.
βWith pleasure.β
Morning broke.
The forces aiming for Desmundβs downfall and those seeking to reclaim past glory faced each other.
Wolfgang stared at the young Duke of Belian, trembling at her unexpected presence.
βWhy is the Duke of Belian... here?β
βHow could I miss the chance to fulfill my fatherβs legacy?β
β...β
βWe are grateful for Wolfgangβs sacrifice.β
Wolfgang muttered bitterly to himself.
βPerhaps... wiping out the Dukeβs family here wouldnβt be a bad idea.β
The two factions glared at one another.
Despite their supposed common goal of defeating the beast, their animosity was palpable.
On the right, Wolfgang and the Crown Prince.
On the left, Desmund and Belian.
Darbav smiled faintly.
βShall we? Time to hunt the beast.β
The moment had come to end the beastβs centuries-long reign of terror in the West.