Chapter 29 

Back at the ducal estate, Isabella sat soaking her swollen ankle in warm water, easing her fatigue. Her gaze remained fixed, blankly, on the black veil she had set aside.

That was when Baal approached and spoke.

“My lady, how’s the water temperature? If it’s cooled down, I’ll fetch some fresh.”

“…”

“My lady? My lady? Can’t you hear me?”

“Huh? Oh! Baal, what did you just say?”

Baal frowned, puzzled by Isabella’s strange behavior. She had been lost in thought for over thirty minutes now, her mind clearly elsewhere.

“Did something happen at the palace?”

“Ah, no? Nothing… really.”

“Come now. I’ve been by your side for years. You think I wouldn’t notice?”

She had left for the banquet all cheerful and excited, only to return with a sprained ankle, and since then, she’d been spacing out non-stop.

Baal was growing increasingly frustrated by her evasiveness. After a moment of silence, Isabella finally spoke softly.

“Hey, Baal…”

“Yes, yes! Please, go on!”

Baal immediately leaned in, eager now that she was finally opening up.

“It’s about the veil… What do you think of it?”

“The veil? What’s there to think? It’s just what you wear, isn’t it?”

“I mean… don’t you think it’s strange?”

“Strange? In what way? Do you not like the design? Or is the new one uncomfortable?”

Having known Isabella since she was a tot toddling around, always veiled, Baal couldn’t quite grasp what she was getting at. Fiddling with the veil in her hands, Isabella mumbled in a shrinking voice.

“It’s not that… I’m just wondering if maybe I should stop wearing it. At least while I’m in the capital.”

“What? But you know the sun’s stronger here than in the Hellen estate. Why would you…”

Baal, noting her unusually downcast demeanor, suddenly had a terrible thought. His eyes narrowed.

“What did someone say to you at the palace?”

“N-not really…”

Isabella twisted a lock of her hair and looked away. Baal’s eyes flashed. He pressed her.

“Don’t even think about lying. You’re the worst liar I know.”

“Ugh… Fine. Okay, so what happened was…”

Unable to hide it any longer, Isabella finally confessed what had happened at the palace.

Wham!

Baal slammed a nearby cushion with fury.

“How dare some pathetic human insult my lady like that?!”

“Cough! Baal! Calm down!”

Startled, Isabella grabbed his arm as feathers burst from the cushion, flying everywhere. But Baal, far from calming down, began to transform. Horns sprouted from his head as his true demonic form started to show.

“Calm down? You expect me to calm down after that, meh?! You should’ve cursed their vile tongues to silence, meh!”

“But curses come with a price. And it’s not like they tried to kill me. It was just gossip.”

“Oh? And you think only knives can kill? Sometimes, a single well-placed word cuts deeper than any blade!”

“But still…”

“No buts! That’s your problem, my lady! You’re human too, you should have some bite! Being kind doesn’t always do you favors!”

Baal was so furious his neck tensed visibly.

As the saying goes, better your child come home after throwing a punch than after taking one. Regardless of their master-servant relationship, Baal, having raised her with care over many years, saw her more like a late-born daughter. And it pained him deeply.

“Alright, alright. I won’t let it slide next time. So please, calm down.”

“Hah… Saying you won’t isn’t much comfort…”

Baal’s anger melted away as he looked at Isabella, who was clearly overwhelmed by his outburst.

‘What kind of friend could have caused all this…’

He hadn’t realized just how deeply Isabella longed for friendship, so much that she’d be wounded even by veiled scorn.

‘Maybe Lady Hilda was right. I shouldn’t have encouraged her to mix with humans… She wouldn’t be hurting like this if she hadn’t.’

Baal thumped his chest in frustration. But her wish was his wish. Even knowing that contact with humans would only lead to more wounds, Baal couldn’t bring himself to oppose her.

“Phew… Even for your skin’s sake, you can’t go without the veil. But if the rumors bother you that much, I’ll ask Sitri to alter it.”

“Really? It can be altered?”

“It’s not impossible. But in return, you have to promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

Now back in his black goat form, Baal straightened his front hooves with grave dignity.

“The next time someone insults you, make sure they get it back double.”

Isabella looked flustered.

“What?! Then the rumors might end up becoming true. That could hurt not just me, but the family too.”

“So what? The House of Hellen is already known for its dark magic. Those who want to slander you will do it no matter what.”

Baal’s answer was as nonchalant as it was bold.

Isabella blinked in surprise.

A family known for curses? So what?

She had once shrunk under the weight of society’s biases, but now, at Baal’s blunt truth, something within her loosened.

The House of Hellen had always been a perilous lineage, commanding monsters feared and shunned as demons.

Isabella finally let out a laugh, light and free.

“You’re right. I really was worrying about something ridiculous.”

You can’t get along with everyone. If there are those who like you, there’ll always be those who don’t.

It was only now that Isabella came to truly understand that simple truth.

Baal, watching her recover and regain her composure, shook his head slightly. Then, as though recalling something, he added:

“Ah, while we’re at it, I should tell you something interesting. Might be good to know.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“You’ve lived mostly in the estate, so you probably don’t know. It’s about a special privilege, officially granted to House Hellen by the Imperial Family.”

“Privilege?”

Her ears perked up at the familiar term, one that Edwin had mentioned during their talk with Duke Douglas.

“Have you ever wondered why the House of Hellen, despite being a founding hero family, remains only at the rank of Count, abstaining from politics and living in seclusion?”

When Isabella shook her head, Baal gave her a knowing smile.

“The heads of House Hellen, for generations…”

He trailed off mysteriously. Isabella leaned in, hanging on his words.

Then Baal whispered, “…have all been massive homebodies.”

“…”

Isabella’s expression went flat at the utterly absurd revelation.

Baal burst into giggles, clearly enjoying the unimpressed look on her face. Summoning a black flame in her palm, Isabella growled. 

“Baal, do you want to be roasted in hellfire?”

Baal quickly backed away, hooves waving.

“Haha, just a joke, my lady. A joke.”

Shuffling a bit farther from the fire, he continued.

“What I meant is, this is something only royals and high-ranking nobles know.”

“Okay.”

“The truth is, staying out of politics and holding only the countship is a choice. Every head of Hellen has made that decision willingly.”

“Why? To guard against monster invasions from Hides Mountains?”

“That’s part of it, yes. But not the whole reason.”

“Then what is?”

“Because the power of the Hellen family is too dangerous.”

Isabella blinked at Baal’s sudden serious tone.

He went on.

“Normally, black magic comes from making contracts with demons. And even then, human bodies have limits. But Hellen… is different.”

“How?”

“It’s in the blood. House Hellen is the only family in history to maintain demonic contracts for generations.”

“In the blood…”

“So each generation grows stronger than the last. And think about it, do you really believe not a drop of demonic blood has mixed in by now?”

Isabella was stunned. She’d never considered it. But the story didn’t end there.

“The founder of the line, Nezar, the first Count, was a half-demon. Born of a human and a great demon.”

“…!”

“Only a few know that the blood of demons runs in Hellen’s veins: the family head, the emperor… and a handful of greater demons like me.”

Mouth agape, Isabella stared at Baal in disbelief. He simply shrugged.

“Anyway, that’s why only the Hellen bloodline can fully control black magic. The only power that could stand against us would be… maybe the Duke of Caron’s household.”

“Not the Temple?”

“The Temple’s only a threat if you’re up against a high priest or a divine beast. But the Caron Dukedom is different.”

Isabella tilted her head, still not following. As he dried her feet with a towel, Baal continued.

“The Caron family has always wielded spirits. And spirits, unlike other magical forces, are neutral. That makes them unpredictable.”

“Oh! So that’s how the Duke managed to break your barrier last time?”

“Grrr… Yes. Exactly.”

Clearly still bitter about the incident, Baal responded through clenched teeth.

“Anyway, getting involved in politics would only complicate things. That’s why, under the pretext of guarding the empire from Hides Mountains, the Hellen family stays hidden in their territory, living quietly.”

“I see. That’s… more complicated than I thought.”

With arms crossed, Isabella reflected on the story, nodding.

Meanwhile, Baal, busy gathering the wet towel and clearing the foot bath, wore a pensive expression. He had, after all, left out one very important truth…

……

T/N: Does this mean that Isabella and Cedric would have opposing powers? Interesting 🤔