Inside the room, Orl leaned on his staff, observing the black-robed young woman from his seat on the expensive sofa. The atmosphere felt somewhat oppressive.
This was his first encounter with Celia’s instructor. She carried herself with dignified elegance, and the long, silvery-white hair cascading over her chest was particularly striking.
He couldn’t recall many Heroes possessing such a distinctive hair color.
Her hood failed to completely obscure her face, and after a brief assessment, Orl concluded that she was not one of the currently renowned Heroes.
This realization brought a slight throb to Orl’s head. The black-robed young woman before him was, in all likelihood, a seasoned veteran among Heroes, implying she possessed extensive connections.
This would undoubtedly present him with considerable trouble.
Dorothy, unaware of his internal musings, simply gave Orl a cursory glance before speaking. “Mr. Orl, if you have something to say, please be direct.”
Clearing his throat, Orl once again presented his reasons for opposing Celia’s path to becoming a Hero.
“Miss Dorothy, as the eldest young lady of the Fiona family, Celia cannot become a Hero. I trust you understand this, Instructor.”
“Have you ever asked for her wishes?”
“Her wishes are not important. The Fiona family has only one heir, and as you know, Miss, Heroes are always at risk of sacrificing their lives.”
At this, Orl paused, his tone growing firm and chilling.
“From the moment she was born, she was destined not to become a Hero.”
Throughout the entirety of the Rossi Empire, not a single child of a great noble had ever chosen the path of a Hero.
It wasn’t that they disdained Heroes; rather, their pampered existences simply meant they had no desire for a life constantly teetering on the edge of danger.
Similarly, some Heroes, after being granted territory by the current Empress, would choose to retire and settle down, no longer serving as Heroes but instead becoming local nobles.
However, these words, falling upon Dorothy’s ears, only served to ignite her fury.
Completely disregarding Celia’s wishes?
Did this not imply that the Fiona family merely viewed her as an object?
Celia was her daughter, and this made Dorothy intensely angry.
One reason she had abandoned Celia all those years ago was her reluctance to see her daughter endure hardships by her side.
Being a princess, second only to the Demon King, was far more fortunate than constantly fleeing and hiding with Dorothy.
Yet, how had she ended up as the Fiona family’s heir? And why was she unaware of her own demonic heritage?
What exactly was Demon King Sophia playing at?
She simply couldn’t comprehend it.
Beyond that…
“Being the heir to the Fiona family is no safer than being a Hero, Mr. Orl. You must be even more aware of that than I am, correct?”
Though Dorothy hadn’t paid much attention to the affairs of the Human Empire over the years, she had still stumbled upon a considerable amount of news concerning its nobility.
The Fiona family was one of the empire’s three great noble houses, having offended countless other aristocrats. Their influence was so vast it even posed a threat to the royal family.
Many wished to eradicate the Fiona family, making Celia, as their heir, a natural prime target.
Consequently, becoming a Hero might very well be a safer path than inheriting the family.
“At that time, the young lady will naturally be protected by guards. Instructor, you needn’t concern yourself with her safety.”
“But who can truly vouch for the loyalty of those guards? Betrayal is hardly an uncommon occurrence, Mr. Orl. Your words strike me as overly optimistic.”
After a moment of silence, Orl chuckled.
“Instructor, you mean to say your own strength surpasses that of the guards I would select, don’t you? If that’s the case, then you must be a Sage-level Hero.”
Why Sage-level?
Because there were only a handful of Councilor-level Heroes, and he had seen all their faces. The young woman before him was not among them.
As for the possibility of her being a Sixth-rank Hero…
Based on her demeanor, Orl found that possibility to be zero.
“Perhaps, Miss, you wouldn’t mind revealing the title bestowed upon you by the Heroic Council? It would certainly broaden the horizons of this ignorant old man.”
This time, he couldn’t be bothered with further pleasantries, opting instead to directly pose the question whose answer he most desired.
Once he knew her title, he could investigate her past experiences and network.
She would then be significantly easier to manage.
“A title, you ask? That’s quite an old story. However, since Mr. Orl is so eager to know…”
A hint of vexation flickered across Dorothy’s face. Then, as if reaching a sudden understanding, she slowly reached up and removed her hood.
“In the past, they all referred to me as the Silverbloom Sword Princess. I wonder if Mr. Orl has ever heard of that name?”
Her silver hair and full countenance were completely exposed to Orl’s gaze in that moment. He wasn’t struck by the young woman’s beauty, for her words had delivered a far greater shock.
“The Silverbloom Sword Princess?!”
“…Wasn’t the Silverbloom Sword Princess defeated in the Demon King’s Castle over twenty years ago?”
He remembered it with perfect clarity: more than two decades prior, the Silverbloom Sword Princess had led a team of Heroes into the Demon King’s Castle, only to be ultimately defeated and captured by the Demon King.
As for what befell the Silverbloom Sword Princess after her capture, even he, a member of the Demon Race, had never managed to uncover any information.
Whether she had become the Demon King’s personal captive or had been slain, he remained utterly ignorant.
And now, the young woman sitting opposite him claimed to be the Silverbloom Sword Princess?
He was initially unwilling to believe it, but the aura the young woman deliberately exuded compelled him to accept the truth.
She possessed at least Seventh-rank strength.
“The events were somewhat convoluted, Mr. Orl. All you need to know is that I am here now,” Dorothy said, playfully twirling a strand of hair over her chest. “So, Mr. Orl, do you still believe I am incapable of protecting Celia?”
Orl averted his gaze from her face, once again falling silent.
The Silverbloom Sword Princess: the strongest human Hero of over two decades past, a Councilor of the Heroic Council, who had once led companions in the first assault on the Demon King’s Castle. Rumors even claimed she had already touched the threshold of Ninth-rank power…
Compared to her, the Fiona family was utterly insignificant.
Any notion of using family influence to pressure the instructor had become nothing short of a laughable absurdity.
To take Celia away, he would have to seek out other means.
“I admit, Miss Silverbloom, you are exceptionally formidable. But even with all your power, you cannot protect the young lady every single moment, can you? I still harbor some reservations.”
Facing the Silverbloom Sword Princess, Orl offered a wry smile, able only to propose a relatively fair compromise.
“I’ve heard that to become a true Hero, one must pass a Heroic assessment within the Guild, the core of which involves battling and defeating a magic beast.”
“So, how about this? Six months from now, if Celia’s Hero team can defeat a Fourth-rank magic beast, then I will agree to her becoming a Hero, and there will be no further interference from me.”
“If they fail to win, she must return with me to properly inherit the Fiona family, and Miss Silverbloom must not impede her.”
After several seconds of contemplation, Dorothy agreed to his terms.
She understood this was the greatest concession Orl would make. Any further retreat on his part would only lead her to suspect he intended to cause trouble behind the scenes.
Moreover, defeating a Fourth-rank magic beast in six months, in her estimation, was far from impossible.
Having reached a conclusion, she had no desire to prolong her conversation with Orl. Rising from her seat, she posed one final question.
“Where are her parents?”
“I apologize, but that is a private matter concerning the Fiona family. It would be best if Miss Silverbloom did not inquire.”
Casting a deep gaze at Orl, she knew immediately that he wouldn’t reveal such information.
As for why Celia had become the Fiona family’s heir, Dorothy would have to investigate that personally in the future.