In front of Rhaedor, on each side sat several people in their chairs, looking at Vesper.
On his left side—and to Vesper's left—sat four exceptionally beautiful women, each radiating a different aura.
First was a woman in a light blue, gown-type dress. She didn't look a day over twenty-five and exuded mature charm that could captivate any who looked her way.
This woman was Viona—Rhaedor's first wife and the mother of his eldest son, Lucel, and third daughter, Gene.
Second in the row was a woman dressed in a bright red dress. She had a sharp look on her well-sculpted face as she stared at him.
She was Rhaedor's second wife and Ryder's mother, Luceille.
Third was a woman in a simple white dress. She had a calm, almost indifferent expression on her face.
At first glance, she appeared ordinary—but the longer one looked at her, the more extraordinary she became.
She was sitting there with her eyes closed as if nothing around her was worth her attention. But when Vesper stepped inside the hall, she opened her eyes and looked at him briefly before closing them once again.
This woman was Rhaedor's third wife and his second daughter, Rina's mother, Ember.
On the fourth seat sat a green-haired woman in a matching green dress. She had a light smile on her face as she looked at him.
A chill ran down Vesper's spine when their gazes met. It felt as if he wasn't looking at a beautiful woman but a highly venomous snake that could reap his life at any moment.
She was Rhaedor's fifth wife and mother of little Marie—Rhaedor's sixth daughter—Myra.
As for the fourth wife…
She was his and Alric's late mother, Hannah.
Suddenly, he recalled the fond memories of her and felt a little wistful.
However, he quickly shook those feelings away and looked at others.
On the next seat sat a little girl in a vibrant green dress. She looked barely a year older than Alric and was looking at him with a slightly worried look on her cute face.
She was little Marie—Myra's daughter and the only person in the Ironhart family, aside from Butler George, who treated him and Alric with any decency. Of course, it could be because she was too young, too pure, and the Ironhart family's toxic environment hadn't corrupted her yet.
Vesper gave her a small, assuring smile before turning his gaze to the other side.
On the first three seats sat three men, two who looked similar to Rhaedor in both looks and age, while the third one was older, had a head full of white hair, a heavy mustache, and a long beard on his stern face.
These two were Rhaedor's younger brothers—Rael and Orlen—and the old man was their father—Valeric Ironhart.
After Rhaedor, he held the most sway in the family, not because he was the strongest after Rhaedor or because he was the previous Baron, but because he was the disciplinary hall's head and held considerable authority in his hands.
Except for Rhaedor, everyone was afraid to offend him because he could judge and discipline them anytime he wanted.
When he saw Vesper walk into the hall and saw him looking around instead of kneeling in respect for the family head, his uncles, and others, he narrowed his eyes and scolded,
"How audacious and disrespectful! No wonder you dare to flaunt family rules."
Vesper calmly looked at him and bowed his head slightly. "My apologies, Disciplinary Head, for whatever you think I have just done that's audacious and disrespectful. But if you don't mind, can you tell me exactly what I did?"
After a pause, he added, "I do recall there was something that I was supposed to do when I stepped in this hall, but because it has been several years since I last came here and because I have been too preoccupied with trying not to starve to death, I seem to have forgotten about it."
Valeric opened his mouth, but no words came out. So, he just harrumphed and ignored him.
Rael and Orlen looked at this nephew of theirs with no small hint of surprise. While Rael frowned in displeasure, Orlen grinned, his eyes sparkling with a hint of approval and praise.
Vesper was inwardly surprised upon seeing their expressions. He had no memory of ever interacting with these uncles of his, so he didn't know what kind of people they were.
However, their reactions just now told him a little about their personalities—Rael should be stern and a stickler to rules like Valeric, while Orlen was completely opposite.
He subtly glanced at his half-mothers and noticed Viona and Luceille had frowns on their faces, Ember still had her eyes closed and a calm expression on her face as though she hadn't heard anything, and Myra's lips were curled up into a small smile and an inscrutable glint was in her eyes.
"I heard you killed Ryder's servant. Why?"
Just then, Rhaedor spoke up, his voice calm but carried a lot of weight.
Vesper glanced at Ryder sitting on the next fourth seat after Orlen before looking at Rhaedor with a calm look on his face. "Yes, family head, I killed him, and it was because he dared to raise his hand on my younger brother, Alric."
Save for Ember, everyone looked at him with differing looks on their faces when they heard how he addressed Rhaedor and how he emphasized 'my'.
Viona and Luecille had cold smirks playing on their lips, Myra still had that small smile on her face, and little Marie was wide-eyed.
On the other side, Valeric's expression turned cold, but he kept silent. Rael mirrored his father, while Orlen looked taken aback before an even wider grin broke out on his face.
As for the last person in the hall—Ryder—he had a gloating expression on his face.
A moment later, everyone turned to Rhaedor, waiting for his reaction.
His reaction, however, surprised everyone because…
He acted as if he hadn't heard Vesper's underlying meaning and asked,
"Are you aware that you have broken a family rule by killing him yourself?"
"I am," Vesper calmly nodded.
Suddenly, Rhaedor's expression turned stern, and an imposing momentum surged out of him. "Good. Now choose your punishment."
"Do you want to go and manage Vista Village, or… Are you going to the Second Battlefield?"
Boom!
Everyone's pupils constricted when they heard him. Even Ember's eyes shot open.
"Have you thought about it?" She asked, her expression turning cold.
"I have," Rhaedor nodded before saying, "You have the night to decide. You can leave now."
Vesper knew about Vista Village; it was one of the small villages under Rhaedor's barony. He was practically exiling him by sending him there.
But what was this so-called second battlefield, and why did everyone look so surprised?
He didn't ask because he noticed everyone, even little Marie, seemed to know about it, meaning he, or rather the original Vesper, should also know it.
Taking a breath, he asked, "What about my brother and my maid?"
"You can take them with you if you choose to go to Vista Village. Otherwise, Alric stays here." Rhaedor said,
"I understand." Vesper nodded, turned around, and walked out of the hall.