When the voice rang out, the nobles present glanced at each other, but no one said a word.
Most of their gazes turned toward Viscount White, but he only smiled faintly and remained silent—his eyes, however, glimmered with amusement as he watched Hel, curious to see how she would handle the situation.
With a loud bang, the doors to the room were kicked open from the outside.
Three flamboyantly dressed young men swaggered in.
One of them—a dark-skinned, blond-haired youth—immediately barked at Hel:
"Are you deaf? Didn't you hear what I said?
Our boss, the great Harvey, eldest son of the Knight Guild's president, has arrived!
Why haven't you come out to greet him yet?"
Before Hel could respond, another youth, with a somewhat foolish but proud expression, added loudly:
"Our boss Harvey's father is a Kingdom Honorary Viscount!
Not someone a mere provincial count like you can afford to offend.
Be smart and show some respect—kneel and salute our boss!"
"Yeah, you little—"
Before the third youth could finish, the golden-haired, blue-eyed young man standing between them raised his hand to silence him.
He looked around the hall with open disdain, his eyes sweeping across the nobles like they were insects. Then, turning to Hel, he sneered:
"I hear you're reorganizing the city's markets…
and you didn't think to invite our three guilds to join in?"
Without waiting for an answer, he sauntered right into the conference room, sat down arrogantly in the main seat, and propped his boots up on the table.
"Hel, you'd better understand something.
I, Harvey Fis—even if I'm just a branch member of the Fis family—
am not someone a little backwater noble like you can insult so freely.
If you don't give me a proper explanation today, I'll make sure you regret—"
Before he could finish his sentence, two skeletal greatsword knights stationed at the doors suddenly lunged forward.
In the blink of an eye, they were beside the three young men.
Swords flashed—
—and before anyone in the room could even process what was happening, three heads rolled across the floor.
Hel's voice came only after the sound of their bodies hitting the ground:
"According to imperial law, the relatives of nobles who hold no title themselves are not considered nobles.
And if a commoner attacks a noble, the noble is free to retaliate as they wish—
even if it results in the attacker's death, there is no legal consequence.
Unfortunate for you...
That door you kicked open just now?
It nearly hit me."
Hel crouched down slightly to look at Harvey's lifeless face, her tone calm and almost conversational—as though she were explaining something to help him die in peace.
But judging from his wide, terrified eyes, it was clear he hadn't quite heard her explanation.
The other nobles, however, had heard every word—and the blood drained from their faces.
Some trembled. Some averted their eyes. All were terrified.
"All right, you two—take these three corpses away.
Oh, and one more thing—hang them at the city gates.
After all, they did attack the lord.
We should make sure the rest of the city's troublemakers get the message."
At that, the entire room shuddered as though a cold wind had blown through.
Every noble present stared at her in disbelief.
Is she a demon?
Even Viscount White's calm facade cracked. Inside, he was terrified beyond measure.
A madman. He's a damn lunatic.
He knows who they are—he has to know.
The eldest son of the Knight Guild's president, the sons of two sitting viscounts… and he killed them anyway?
And now he's hanging their corpses at the gates?!
This isn't boldness. This is insanity.
Right then and there, White bitterly regretted attending the meeting himself.
This wasn't a council meeting—it was a bloody ambush banquet!
Hel rose to her feet again, her tone suddenly light and mocking.
"Those three idiots must've gotten so used to strutting around that they forgot their place.
Or…"
Her gaze flicked toward White, eyes gleaming with meaning.
"Maybe this was someone's little scheme—
a ploy to turn me against those three viscounts.
What do you think, Viscount White?"
White forced out a polite smile, though cold sweat streamed down his back.
"The lord worries too much.
Those three relied far too heavily on the prestige of President Harpy's title as a Kingdom Honorary Viscount.
They've long been known to cause trouble around Heim City.
I'd say they got exactly what they deserved."
Hel's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Oh? Funny—I heard your son was part of their little clique.
How come he didn't join them today?"
"Th-this…"
White's face went pale as chalk. He shot to his feet and bowed deeply.
"Please forgive him, my lord! It's true my son once kept their company,
but surely his loyalty to you, Lord Hel, kept him from joining their foolishness today!"
"Hmm… I'll take your word for it."
Hel didn't press further. Instead, her gaze shifted to another noble seated nearby—a plump viscount who'd earlier ignored her attempt at courtesy.
"And you… the unnamed viscount over there.
You seemed rather unfriendly when you arrived.
You ignored my greeting—care to explain that?"
The fat man's face jiggled as he trembled, then he collapsed to one knee, stammering in terror:
"Forgive me, my lord! I was blind and foolish!
Please, have mercy!"
Hel waved her hand impatiently.
"Spare me the excuses about your eighty-year-old child and your eight-year-old mother.
I'll ask you only once:
Are you willing to accept my friendship?"
She didn't even rise from her seat—she simply extended her right hand.
The fat viscount, who moments ago looked ready to faint, suddenly felt like a drowning man spotting a lifeboat.
He scrambled forward, nearly crawling, and clutched Hel's delicate hand tightly, blurting out:
"Yes! Of course, yes!
The Dogtail family will forever be loyal friends to Lord Hel!
Whatever command you give—even if it means my death—I will obey without hesitation!"
Hel withdrew her hand and said coolly:
"Good. Return to your seat."
Then, sweeping her gaze once more across the trembling nobles, she asked in a low, sharp tone:
"If I remember correctly…
there were still a few others who ignored my offer of friendship earlier.
So—what's your choice now?
Will you accept my friendship?
Or shall we go to war?"