Chapter 16: The Great Five Family & The Villainess (Part 2) (Edited)

In the middle of the day, within Welford's household, inside of a certain room…

Three people gathered together around the table.

The first will be a huge middle-aged man with black hair and red-blood color eyes who is currently sitting across from his wife.

The older male sipped a cup of tea, he procured from the table.

"Hmmm, what a pleasant day...a cup of warm tea, a time with my wife and my children." As he spoke.

The middle-age old man was known as [The Head of the Welford family, Henry Von Welford].

The second will be his wife, who appeared to be young despite her age being the same as her husband across from her, with her gorgeous blonde hair and light-blue color eyes.

The blonde haired lady giggled while watching her husband in front of her. "Fufufu~ dear, you have been busy with paper works lately, so having a day off is good for your body~" She replied to his comment.

She is [The Duchess of the Welford family] and the Duke's wife, [Eliza Luth Welford].

As for the last one will be a young man who sat in between the two of them. The young man had the same blonde hair color and light-blue eyes, just like Eliza.

"Mhm, indeed father, you have been working too hard. Mother and Iris are worried of you."

The young man joined into the conversation. He is the first son as well [The Heir of Welford family, Albert Dragh Welford].

"Hehehe, of course. As expected my wife and daughter. They both are beautiful and kind!" Henry spoke while smiling proudly.

"Ara~ what a wonderful husband I have~" Eliza said while smiling at her husband.

"Ohhh?~ But aren't you the wonderful one, especially...you know..." Henry spoke while taking a glance of his wife.

Eliza looked shy, "Dear!~ come on~ don't say that!~"

As the two flirt while their son is sitting between them.

'Seriously, at this early in the morning?' Albert thought while watching his parents speaking inappropriate way, makes him uncomfortable in between them.

"Ahem." Albert coughed to reminded them, that his son was still here.

The two stopped and remain dignified once again.

Henry put his cup down, "So, where is my daughter now? It is unusual for her to be late in family gathering." He spoke while looking around.

Albert does the same, "Yeah, it is unusual, I haven't seen her ever since this morning." He replied.

The two doting father and brother continue to look around.

Eliza took a sip of her cup of tea. "Right now, She is training in the training ground with the knights and our soldiers~" she gave them the answer regarding where Iris now.

"Ohhh, training? I heard from the report, but I never thought she would train this early." Albert commented.

"But, of course, I don't hate it! I am proud of her! Since she is my daughter after all!" Henry proudly spoke loudly, but at the same time he got curious.

"But, I am still curious, of how did she suddenly change? Mostly, girl at her age would do play house and tea party with dolls." Henry speculated as he knows what mostly girl at her age would do.

"But instead, she asked me to start her training. Is there a reason for her to do it?" Henry asked, curious of his own daughter's decision.

Albert shook his head, "Unfortunately, I don't know as well, father."

"Even I found it odd about her changes, but..."

"I just cannot refuse her when she looked at me like that." He replied while reminded of her face looking cutely towards him.

"Me too." Henry reminded the same.

But the two snapped from their imagination and proceed to continue their conversation.

"However, father, I believe she had been acting a little strangely ever since returning from that village." Albert answered.

"That village? You mean the village that was in the report?" Henry asked.

"Yes, it was called the [Blumund Village]." Albert replied, "It is a village located near to the [Border], a village that does not exist on our Kingdom map due to its location." As he explained.

"I see, I never heard this village before, so I guess it is an isolated village from our Kingdom." Henry tried to recall if he had ever heard of it but to no avail.

"But to think the villagers there would dare to live near to the border which filled with dangerous monster around." Henry replied while folding his arms.

Albert nodded, "Indeed, but father...apparently, there's a rumor that have been going around and I heard something interesting happen from that village."

Henry piqued interest on this in formation, "Hoo, what is it my son?"

Albert smiled, "I heard there's an outstanding kid who lives there."

"An outstanding? Are you sure you aren exaggerating it?" Henry asked as he look disbelief.

"Of course not, I overheard it from the soldiers that went along with Iris." Albert answered.

"Hmmm, I am listening." Henry waited for him to continue.

"Apparently, there's an appearance of a [Boss Monster] near to that village." Albert continued.

Henry widened his eyes, "[Boss Monster]? Then, what is the damage from the village?"

Albert shook his head, "No, father, the village was safe and didn't received any damage from the [Boss Monster]."

Henry tilted his head, "That's so strange, a [Boss Monster] had the strength to destroy one village, but to think it couldn't damage a single house of the village."

"What kind of barrier do they have?" Henry asked.

"Sadly father, you are wrong...there's no single barrier around the village nor fortress around to protect them." Albert gave him the answer.

"The...how?" Henry still curious.

"However, the [Boss Monster] was halted before it reached the village." Albert answered him.

"Halted?" Henry asked.

"Yes, by none other a little kid which came from that village." Albert revealed.

"—?!" Henry was surprised, even Eliza who sat beside him was the same.

"A kid, you say?" Henry asked.

"Yes, father, a little kid...prevented the [Boss Monster] alone and defeated it before it could reached the village."

"But Despite getting numerous injuries all over his body, he was able to achieve a hard victory in defeating that monster." Albert explained.

"No way...a kid prevented it? No matter how weak the [Boss Monster] is, a monster is always a monster!" Henry was still in disbelief at his remarks.

"I know father, and I don't want to accept it either...but, our soldiers provided their testimony to me, and they did observe the kid fight alone." Albert explained.

Henry somewhat cannot comprehend on what happen, "How old is this kid?"

When he heard his question, Albert smiled, "He is in the same age as Iris, father."

Henry couldn't be more surprised by this, "What a scary talent, I guess you weren't exaggerating about this kid being outstanding."

"I know, it makes me want to recruit him under our house, but apparently he lives far away from here." Albert replied.

"Then, let's visit the village someday, and we shall recruit him before anyone else." Henry replied.

As both of them came to a mutual agreement after knowing Rei's talent and fighting sense.

But...

Eliza start to giggled, "Fufufu~ well unfortunately, you both are too late for tha." And she joined into the conversation.

Then two of them suddenly turn their head to the woman.

"What do you mean by that? My dear?" Henry asked.

Eliza smiled, "Because my daughter, Iris had tried to recruit him the moment they met~"

"What?!" Henry and Albert shouted in surprise.

But they felt proud after hearing it.

"As expected my daughter is genius!" Henry commented her deed.

"Yes! I am proud to be her older brother!" Albert does the same.

"But wait, my dear! how do you know about this?" Henry asked.

"R-right mother! Even our soldiers didn't mentioned it to me." Albert added as well.

Eliza giggled once again, "Fufufu~ of course I know, it's lady's talk between mother and daughter~" and she replied to these two confused men.

"Then...what is his answer?" Henry asked her once more, the gaze of these two are now focused on her.

"He rejected her offer." Eliza answered him calmly.

"—?!" Henry and Albert were surprised by her answer, but knowing that it angers them instead.

"He actually rejected from an angel!! How dare he!!" Henry said with anger.

"What an arrogance...I shall lead the army, father." Albert said with full of killing intent.

"Thank you my son, we shall purge that pest once and for all." Henry replied as he agreed to his son's plan.

'Like father~ like son~ fufufu~' Eliza thought of it while enjoying these two attitude.

"Now now, let's stop with the killing intent~" Eliza smiled, reducing their will to kill this boy.

"But dear!" Henry was about to respond, but Eliza smiled at him again, calming his fury.

"And try to understand the boy's reason first~"

"Iris told me everything about him, of how brave he is facing the monster that was going to harm his village."

"And how he sacrificed himself for that moment, and at such young age." Eliza explained, which made these two slowly felt guilty.

"So, why did he reject her offer? If he accepted her offer, our house will provide him with the protection he seeks for himself and the village." Henry questioned.

"The reason he turned down her offer, because he still want to stay with his family." Eliza answered.

"Wouldn't it be upsetting for both of you if Iris began to work for someone else?" Eliza even give them the example, if Iris does the same.

"His parents would worried of him and missed him, and not only that...he is still a child just like Iris."

"Now, do you understand his reason?" Eliza explained it as the two of them couldn't gave her an answer and nodded their head.

"I see, I guess, it was insensitive of me, after knowing his origin, it reminds me before meeting you." Henry spoke towards Eliza.

Eliza smiled, "Yeah, you and him have the same background before becoming the Head of the Welford family."

Henry smiled the same, accepting her words which reminded him of the past where he and his wife together.

"The same as me and Iris, to think that she start to fall with someone with the same origin like you~"

But after she spoke those words...

*SNAP*

Something snap could be heard around them.

*BAM*

Suddenly, Henry slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"Y-you must be joking my wife...our daughter must misspoke about it." Henry stuttered.

"Y-yes! Mother, Iris would never like someone else other than her family right? Hahaha..." Albert chuckled a bit hysterically while standing up as well.

But Eliza stayed calm and smiled at them while taking a sip of her tea.

"Albert...let's go to the Blumund village and found this boy!!" Henry shouted like a maniac.

"Yes father!! I'll follow you!!" Albert shouted as well.

But then the heated atmosphere, slowly getting cold when Eliza spoke.

"Ara~ where do you think you are going to~ dear~"

The two of them froze for a moment and turned their head to this smiling women who enjoy her tea calmly, the smile of unlike before.

A cold like ice.

Henry knew that expression and immediately toned down his voice, "U-ummm...my wife, I-i'm p-planning to go to that village to...give my respect to that kid! Yeah! Hahaha..."

"Mhm~ mhm~ and your real plan?~" Eliza asked with a smile.

"I wanted to purge this boy..." When Henry spoke those words he looks menacing like there's dark aura around him.

Eliza sighed and smiled again at him.

"Could you please stop these act my dear~ didn't I told you about the boy's story?" Eliza spoke.

"B-but my dear wife!" Henry about to retorted once again.

"Or do you want to be hated by Iris?" But Eliza spoke as if there's a flower popping out around her.

"U-ughh... b-but m-my wife–"

"My dear~"

"O-our daughter is–"

"My dear~"

"U-ugghhh..."

"My dear hus-band~"

"U-ughh... I-i understand..."

After her relentlessly attack him with her beautiful and cuteness, Henry quickly sat down and quietly drank his tea as he somehow felt the blizzard from her words despite her looks cheerfully with smile.

Albert who saw this quickly sat down as well when his mother glanced over to him.

'As expected mother.'

Eliza huffed exasperatedly and looked at them with a wry smile.

"I understand both of you are worried of her, but she respects his answer and beside this boy look like a good kid to me."

"And extremely rare one~" Eliza mused, taking another sip of tea from her cup.

"Rare? what do you mean by that?" Henry asked cautiously while slowly looking at his wife.

"Fufufu~ curious?~" Eliza replied to her husband with a smile.

They quickly nodded since they did want to know the answer.

But when she's about to say something...

"Well he's–"

*BOOM*

A loud explosion invaded their ears and the sound was powerful enough to rattle the windows.

"What happen?!" Henry shouted with serious looks.

"Father! that direction!" Albert said while point his finger towards the smoke.

"That is where the training ground place!" Eliza added as she stood up from her seat.

"Tsk, my dear, you stay here." Henry spoke towards his wife.

"It might be an ambush, so Albert, I want you to protect your mother understood?" Henry said while tapping his son's shoulder.

"Yes father!" Albert nodded his head as his father left the room with few guards following him.

"Protect them with all your might! I'm going to save my daughter." Henry ordered to those guards.

"Yes sir!" As they quickly answered him.

Then they guarded the room while Henry left with a sword on his hand towards to the training ground.

'I hope you are safe...Iris."

******

25 minutes ago, Iris was having a spar with one of the soldiers there.

"Haaa!!!"

*TING*

Iris shouted while clashing her sword with an old man who stood in front of her.

"You have grown stronger from the last time I see you, Ojou-sama." The old man spoke while holding his sword with one hand to block her strike with ease.

This old man is Rowan, he has silver white hair and striking blue eyes. He has sharp jawline and there are wrinkles that marred his face due to old age considering he's almost in his late sixties.

But despite that he was quite tall with broad shoulders, straight posture and well-built physique.

He is the man who has the title of the strongest swordsman in the kingdom, [The Sword Saint].

He also the one who taught the head of the Welford family of how to wield a sword.

But now he was recruited to be Iris's teacher, to teach her how to wield a sword just like her father.

"Well, I need to be thid strong, so I can be recognized as one of the Welford family!"

*TING*

Iris said while smiling at her opponent, then she swung her sword and clashes with him from one to another.

She changed out of her usual clothes and was wearing a breast plate, simple blue clothes and skirt with her hair tied into a ponytail.

"I see, then show me how strong you have become!" Rowan shouted and increased his strength.

"Don't worry, it's my plan to defeat you today Sensei!" Iris shouted as well and lowered her strength.

*TSSSKKK*

She moved her sword, allowing Rowan's sword to pass beside her.

"—?!" Rowan was shook when she suddenly does that, he then took a step back.

Iris took this chance and stepped forward to swing her sword from the right side.

But Rowan quickly lifted his sword again and swung it down towards her.

*SWOOSH*

When the sword was hitting her, it passed through her body like a black mist and disappeared.

Rowan widened his eyes in surprise seeing her disappear from his sight.

'What—?'

"—?!" Then he felt a presence from his back as Iris came out from his shadow from behind.

'[Shadow Movement].'

Iris casted her skill as her sword cloaked with black mist that turned into dark blade.

'[Shadow Blade].'

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[Shadow Movement]

Active Skill

MP Cost: 25

Maintain the skill: -5 MP/1 sec.

A skill that allows individuals to move along in the shadow and slipped inside enemy's defense to strike.

=======================================

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[Shadow Blade]

Active Skill

MP Cost: 50

Cooldown: 15 sec.

Maintain the skill: -10 MP/1 sec.

Casting a shadow on individual's sword with shadow energy that ignored any kind of defense.

=======================================

Rowan who noticed this quickly turned around to anticipate her sword then he lift his sword again to block.

*SWOOSH*

When his sword about to hit her sword.

It slipped through his block.

'It slip through—?!' Rowan was surprised after seeing that but he slowly smiled.

'Hah, to think she improved this much and learn this kind of trick in such young age.'

'But even so...'

When her sword was about to reach him.

*THUD*

Rowan stopped it by holding her hand that was holding her sword.

"—?!"

Iris widened her eyes seeing her attack was stopped with that kind of manner.

*BAM*

Rowan kicked her legs to make her fall while he quickly lift his sword and aimed it at her neck.

"You're still inexperienced." Rowan spoke with a smile.

"Uggh, fine I lost!" Iris admitted.

"Heh." Rowan huffed when finally the fight ended.

"Woahhhh!!!!"

*CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP*

The two were applauded by the audience which is the soldiers that was hanging around there to watch.

Together with her maid Silvi who spectated along between them.

Silvi walked towards her while bringing a clean towel on her hands, "That was amazing, Ojou-sama."

"Thanks, Silvi~" Iris replied with a smile as she got up with Rowan's help who was giving her a hand to stand.

Iris took the towel and wiped her sweat on her neck line with it.

"Phew, now it's time for magic training!" Iris exclaimed brightly.

"Another training? But Ojou-sama, you might ruin your body if you don't have enough rest." Silvi protested with worry.

"It's fine, it's fine~"

'Since I can cast [Heal] to myself, so it will heal any damage I received and even my fatigue.'

Then she slipped through from her maid gaze, 'Now then what should I do for magic training~"

Iris having such a thought while smiling.

Meanwhile, Rowan was staring at her.

"Hmmm." Rowan then stood beside Silvi.

"Silvi, did something happen to Ojou-sama?" Rowan asked.

"You noticed." Silvi replied.

"Well, after exchanging sword with her, I can tell that she seems spirited up more than usual on her training." Rowan explained.

"That's really observant, and certainly, something did happen while you weren't around." Silvi replied.

"Ohh? Is that so? Was it that talented boy that our Ojou-sama trying to recruit?" Rowan guessed it.

"Yes, but if you know it already, why would you bother to ask?" Silvi asked him without giving a glance towards him.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm just curious about her change."

"Since you are someone who stood beside her and watched her over." Rowan said while glancing at her.

"Beside...is he that strong?" Rowan asked again.

"Indeed, as a person who watched over her, that kid...is pretty strong." Silvi stated.

"Stronger than Ojou-sama?" Rowan asked again.

Silvi nodded her head, "If you are talking about talent, our Ojou-sama is definitely talented and genius."

"But that child was abnormally strong, despite being less talented than her and having a common background."

"He still managed to defeat that monster....alone." Silvi explained.

"I see, so that's why she keeps training over and over." Rowan hummed, rubbing his chin as he closed his eyes.

"Yes, because of that, I'm worried about her forcing herself…" Silvi trailed off, looking at Iris worriedly.

Rowan looked at her and patted her head gently. "You don't have to worry about her, since she is my disciple and she also my Granddaughter's Young Lady."

Silvi widened her eyes when she felt her head being patted by him.

She quickly looked away as she spoke with her ears slowly reddened, "Please stop this, we are still working, Ojii-sama."

"Hahaha! my Granddaughter is the cutest, but well I hope you take care of her as well." Rowan grinned widely towards her.

"Of course I will. Because it's my job as her maid." Silvi said determinedly.

But then after that...

*SWOOOSHH*

"Hmm?"

Suddenly a gust of wind was blowing them from their side making the two of them turned their eyes towards the source it. They could see Iris was standing there with her hand aiming at something in front of her and there's a large dark and light magical energy formed on her hand.

"O-ojou-sama!?!" Silvi shouted, her eyes widened since they could feel the magical energy that was coming from her got even stronger.

Even Rowan was surprised after seeing the large magical energy that she let out.

"Ojou-sama?! That is..!"

"S-sensei... S-silvi... what should I do?..." Iris panicked, getting teary eyed as she thought,

'H-how did this happen...!?'

To be continue...

*Iris' Current Status*

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[STATUS]

NAME: Iris Mei Welford/ Hanamachii Yomi

JOB : Magic Swordsman

TITLE : [The Other Worlder]; [The Villainess]; [Quick Learner]; [Magic Master]; [Sword Master]

[Level: 12]

[HP: 2020/2020]

[MP: 650/600]

[FATIGUE: 0]

EXP: 0/9000

STATUS POINT : 0

______

STRENGTH : 32(+15)

AGILITY : 32

VITALITY : 32

INTELLIGENCE : 60(+15)

SENSE : 24(+15)

SKILL

<PASSIVE >

Magic Mastery Lv3; Sword Mastery Lv3; Super Growth LvMax; Darkness Magic Lv3, Light Magic Lv3; Magic Eyes Lv2; The Villainess LvMax; Etiquette Lv4

<ACTIVE >

Status Appraisal Lv2

Foresight Lv2

Restraint Lv3

Shadow Movement Lv2

Shadow Blade Lv2

Heal Lv2

Holy Light Lv1

Sword Dance Lv2

Vital Strike Lv2

Omni-Slash Lv2

=======================================