Chapter 258: Melissa’s Affection
“You're the Viscount of Allende?” Baron Evans stood up and walked over, cautiously asking Leon.
“I am, uh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Baron.” Leon also responded cautiously and shook hands with him.
He was now Melissa's legal guardian, so he could basically truly be considered Melissa's older brother.
Now that his younger sister had beaten the man's daughter into this state, he figured the other party would definitely want to make a few accusations.
“Regarding what happened today, may we speak privately?” Baron Evans asked tentatively.
“Sure.” Leon had the same thought and glanced at the instructor.
The instructor immediately understood and first took Melissa back to the infirmary.
Baron Evans stepped out of the room and closed the door, then went with Leon into the empty corridor.
𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Leon was still thinking about what to say when Baron Evans took off his hat first and bowed his head to him: “What happened today was entirely caused by my daughter's unruly behavior, please allow me to apologize to you on her behalf! If you require any compensation, please feel free to name it, so please……show mercy!”
Leon was somewhat thrown off by the man's attitude. At first, he had thought this would turn into one of those situations where an awful child inevitably had an awful parent, and he had already mentally prepared himself for a confrontation.
Instead, the other party immediately lowered himself and apologized, leaving Leon with no way to get angry at all.
Rather, after seeing that Melissa had already beaten the baron's daughter who bullied her into that state, Leon honestly didn't feel there was much need to get angry anymore.
“I wasn't planning to do anything, I just wanted to understand what happened.” Leon raised a hand and replied, “Is your daughter's injury all right?”
“Nothing serious, she'll be fine after resting for two weeks.” Baron Evans shook his head repeatedly, “I failed to discipline my daughter properly from a young age, I never expected her to do something like this, I'm truly sorry. May I ask something presumptuous, are you and Miss Melissa……relatives?”
Leon realized that the other party didn't understand his and Melissa's backgrounds. He had probably only heard that Melissa's guardian was the Viscount of Allende, so Leon explained it to Baron Evans: “Back when I was still a Junior Inquisitor, I once lodged with her family. Later, because of a case, she lost her mother, and then His Highness Aaron, who happened to be investigating that case at the time……”
“His Highness Aaron, you really do know that His Highness Aaron!” Baron Evans's eyes widened.
Leon nodded. After the Marquis of Veronia's gathering, the news that he, the Viscount of Allende, was an old acquaintance of Prince Aaron had already spread throughout the eastern noble circles.
If Baron Evans had no family members serving as ordained Church personnel, then he probably wouldn't have received the Marquis's invitation. He had merely heard about it afterward, which was why he looked as though this was only now being confirmed.
“At the time, His Highness Aaron had not yet revealed his identity and happened to be my superior while investigating the case. After the case ended, he sympathized deeply with Melissa and asked me to take good care of her. Later, after I married and inherited the title, I completed the formalities to become her guardian.” Leon continued explaining.
“So His Highness Aaron personally entrusted her to your care……” The color drained somewhat from Baron Evans's face, and he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
Leon studied Baron Evans in front of him and suddenly had the strange feeling that his own side was the one bullying others with power.
“Actually, when I attended the Rank Advancement Ceremony today, I met His Highness at the cathedral, and he happened to ask about Melissa's recent situation.” Leon tentatively mentioned it.
“I-is that so……” Even more cold sweat appeared on Baron Evans's forehead.
Just what kind of person had his foolish daughter provoked! She had actually assumed the other girl would be easy to bully just because she was an orphan from a reformatory, when the other party's background was practically enough to destroy their family outright!
At that moment, Leon finally began to understand why Baron Evans's attitude had made him feel so at a loss.
After becoming the Viscount of Allende, advancing in rank within the Church, and establishing connections with archbishops and even Prince Aaron, the current Leon was already considered a figure of some standing within the eastern noble circles. A low-ranking noble like Baron Evans already needed to face him with an attitude of utmost deference and look up to him.
So rather than standing up for his daughter, Baron Evans was far more worried that Leon might do something to his family in anger, which was why he had immediately begged Leon to “show mercy”.
In a situation like this, Leon no longer needed to reveal any potential force. The status and power he had accumulated openly were already enough to overwhelm others.
However, after savoring it for a moment, Leon found that this kind of “using power to pressure others” didn't make him particularly happy.
His starting point had been very low. All along, he had been accustomed to climbing upward, always facing people stronger and higher in status than himself. In the process of dealing with stronger opponents, he could savor the thrill and sense of accomplishment of overcoming those above him from below.
But facing the deferential Baron Evans like this felt no different from facing his own subordinates when he was Fenrir.
“Baron Evans, I'm also sorry about what happened today. No matter what, Melissa did go a little too far. I'll provide Miss Jacqueline with the best medical treatment and care……” Leon still wanted to resolve the matter properly.
“You're far too courteous. It's a good thing for her to learn a lesson!” Baron Evans hurriedly waved his hands.
He genuinely meant it. As long as the Viscount of Allende didn't intend to pursue the matter further, he would already be thanking the heavens. His daughter had caused such a huge mess, so if getting beaten up and suffering only superficial injuries could make her learn some sense, then it really was a good thing!
“As for what happened before, let's just let it stay in the past, but I'm also rather concerned about whether they'll have any unnecessary disputes again afterward. If possible, could you also help talk some sense into her?” Leon tried asking.
“Please rest assured, I'll discipline her properly. And I've also thought it through completely, I'm afraid my daughter really isn't suited to becoming a knight. Honestly, I've thought that for a long time already, if she hadn't insisted on it herself. Since she can't follow discipline, this time I'll have her switch directions and study something else, she won't come back here again.” Baron Evans said.
With things having developed this way, Baron Evans felt his daughter probably couldn't continue down the Apprentice Knight path anyway, so it would simply be better to have her study somewhere else.
Leon thought that it would actually be quite good for both sides if they no longer ran into each other in the future, so he nodded and said: “Thank you for being so reasonable, Baron.”
“Not at all, not at all, you're the one who's being generous.” Baron Evans repeatedly nodded, inwardly breathing a long sigh of relief that the matter had been resolved.
A quarter of an hour later.
Leon went back to see Melissa again. This time, Melissa lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong and didn't dare look at him, her hands crossed in front of her while her fingers fidgeted uneasily.
“All right, it's all settled. I've already reached an agreement with Baron Evans that neither side will pursue the matter. Miss Jacqueline will also transfer to another school in the future, so you won't run into her again.” Leon said.
But Melissa still didn't dare raise her head and quietly responded: “I'm sorry, Brother Leon, I caused trouble for you again……”
“If someone bullies you, isn't fighting back only natural? You didn't do anything wrong.” Leon thought about it as he spoke, “If no bones were broken, then you actually didn't hit her that hard, mm.”
In their organization, when dealing with members who didn't follow the rules or people from other gangs, they used much harsher methods than that.
If Melissa was going to become an Inquisitor in the future, that ruthlessness would probably need to go even further.
Though Leon had no intention of assigning Melissa to those dangerous positions in the future anyway.
“Speaking of which, how old is that baron's daughter?” Leon asked.
“Sixteen or seventeen, I think, I'm not really sure.” Melissa answered.
“So she's two years older than you, and you still managed to beat her, that's pretty impressive.” Leon laughed.
Thinking about it, Melissa was almost fifteen this year.
“I'm sorry……” Melissa still kept apologizing.
She was genuinely depressed. She had come here to study and train because she wanted to become someone who could help Leon, yet instead, time and again she still ended up causing Leon trouble.
“All right, it's rare for me to come all the way here to see you, so stop thinking about unpleasant things. You don't have classes or training tonight, I'll take you out for dinner and then we'll stroll around the market.” Leon patted Melissa's shoulder.
This was also one of the most prosperous regions in the east, so naturally there were plenty of places worth visiting.
“But the way I look right now……” Melissa touched her still somewhat bruised face and the corner of her eye that had just been treated, hesitating greatly.
It was rare for her to go out together with Brother Leon, yet she had to do it with a face like this.
“When you used to help the beekeeper and your face got swollen from being stung, I told you to stay home and rest, but you still insisted on going out to work. And when you had all your hair cut off before……” Leon began listing examples.
Melissa hurriedly waved her hands to stop Leon from continuing: “Th-that's different, isn't it? Brother Leon, honestly!”
Why did he only remember the times she had looked ugly before?
“If you don't want to go out with me, then I'll just head back after seeing you now.” Leon pointed outside.
“Don't!” Melissa hurriedly said.
“All right.” Leon smiled and reached out to rub Melissa's head, “No matter what you look like, you're still the cutest Melissa in our family, there's no need to care what other people think, let's go.”
“Mm……” Melissa's face reddened as she answered.
By evening, Leon led Melissa, who had washed up and dressed herself again, out of the academy and toward the bustling district.
As they walked side by side, Melissa secretly glanced at Leon from the corner of her eye. After hesitating for a long while, she finally gathered her courage and suddenly hooked her arm around Leon's, then naturally pressed the injured side of her face against his arm.
“Melissa?” Leon was somewhat surprised by Melissa's action.
“I still feel a little embarrassed about my face looking like this, Brother Leon, help me hide it a little.” Melissa said quietly with a red face.
“I already told you there's no need to care……” Leon sighed.
With Weiss's situation having happened first, now that he saw Melissa make such a bold move, he had also noticed to some extent that Melissa's feelings toward him weren't merely dependence, but affection.
Leon wasn't particularly surprised by that.
At most, it was probably the vague affection of a young girl, who knew what it would become once she grew up. He thought inwardly.
The only problem was, this girl was really hugging his arm tightly, why did it feel like……she was grabbing prey?