I Overdid My Role as an Adopted Daughter Chapter 156

[You’ll soon be like this too. Our pretty daughter.]

It was obvious who sent it. ‘Duchess Isabella!

I tossed the note onto the floor and scooped up the butterfly. Quilton’s unique shadow was strangling the butterfly, which was barely clinging to life now.

‘Don’t die.’

What sin does the butterfly bear? It had merely gotten close to Uncle Hixson and had occasionally connected with me.

‘The butterfly is innocent!’

Isabella had calculated the timing meticulously. By the time Viola read the note, the butterfly was meant to be dead.

It was currently gasping for breath.

“Zeno!”

Viola called out loudly, and Zeno opened the door and walked in. “Yes, Princess.”

Zeno gazed at the butterfly cradled in Viola’s arms. Through Zeno’s eyes, the butterfly was already dead.

Or in a condition where death seemed more merciful. Viola’s voice broke through.

“Do something… please.”

In that moment, Zeno felt a strange sensation. Bang! Something heavy seemed to drop in his chest.

He saw tears welling up in the eyes of Iron-Blooded Princess Viola.

Zeno’s eyes went cold.

‘Duchess Isabella.’

Zeno quickly grasped the situation.

He sensed that Isabella had done this, and he understood that Viola was grieving because of it.

‘You are now my enemy.’

Today’s incident solidified that realization.

It pained Zeno to see Viola sad.

His feelings towards her weren’t limited to that of a mere heir candidate.

Ultimately, Zeno fully acknowledged it.

Because I like the Princess.” He wished for Viola not to be sad, and anger swelled within him towards Isabella, who had brought her such grief. ‘I’m angry.

I thought I had forgotten my emotions.

His friends at the academy had called Zeno a soulless monster.

But that wasn’t true. Zeno had emotions too.

Right now, he felt overwhelmingly sad.

“Princess, please don’t be sad.”

Zeno summoned his mana. Rasbon Freeze Blade Technique Chapter 7.

Using the intricacies of ‘Rapid Freezing,’ he froze the butterfly. It was a temporary fix, but it wouldn’t die immediately.

“Your butler will fulfill the orders, no matter what.”

The person who brought the small box containing the butterfly and the note was Bichen. Bichen had gotten bored waiting for Viola and had come back after exploring outside.

“Uh? Viola!”

Bichen smiled brightly. “…Huh?”

However, she quickly realized that the situation wasn’t as bright as it seemed. She pointed at the butterfly with her finger.

“Is that the butterfly?”

The butterfly was trapped in solid, transparent ice. It looked far from well.

“Did your brother bring this?”

“Yeah?”

Bichen instinctively hesitated to answer. In truth, she hadn’t cared at all what was inside the box. She had merely been happy about going to the capital where Viola was.

Plus, her mother Isabella had repeatedly emphasized not to open the box or even show interest in it. So, Bichen had completely forgotten about the box while leaving it with the butler. “Uh…”

But she couldn’t lie. “It’s true. I brought it.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I-I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Bichen waved her hands in panic and took a few steps back. She could feel Viola’s ominous aura.

‘Yikes, this is bad.’

Bichen nearly drew her sword without realizing it. Such was the intensity of Viola’s killing intent.

Cold sweat trickled down Bichen’s back.

“D-Do you want to fight me?

Did you want to kill Bichen?”

Upon hearing those words, Viola regained her composure. After all, it wasn’t entirely Bichen’s fault.

She had just run an errand for her mother with excessive cheerfulness.

‘Right, it’s not Bichen’s fault.’

She took a deep breath. First things first, she needed to find an excellent cleric now that she had executed the rapid freezing.

“No, sorry. Thinking back, it’s not your brother’s fault.”

“Don’t hate me.”

…Huh? Viola doubted her ears at the unexpected words.

Bichen’s body was trembling slightly.

‘Thinking about it… Bichen’s reaction is strange.’

Without realizing it, Viola emitted her killing intent. Bichen nearly drew her sword at that aura.

If it had been the original version of Bichen, she would have merrily shouted, ‘Hehe! Are we going to have a life-or-death duel? How exciting!’ while swinging her sword.

Yet this Bichen was afraid of something. “I hope you don’t hate me.”

Bichen was scared. Scared that Viola might hate her.

Viola found that sight somewhat strange yet familiar at the same time.

‘Just like how Dad became my dad.’

Bichen was the same. Once a cheerful killing machine in the novel, now she had become family, someone who cared for Viola.

“I don’t hate you.”

“Huh?”

Bichen heard but wanted to confirm once more. “I said I don’t hate you. I was just shocked and upset, and took it out on my brother.”

“Well, that’s a relief. Hehe.”

Bichen finally felt at ease and laughed brightly. Though her behavior was entirely different from the original, Bichen herself didn’t find it odd, nor did Zeno, who was there to observe.

However, Zeno did notice one fact. ‘It’s not just a carefree laugh, is it, Young Master?’

Though Bichen was smiling, there was a subtle killing intent hidden within that smile. It was killing intent directed not at Viola, but at Isabella.

As she smiled on the outside, she inwardly wondered.

‘Duchess, why did you do this?’

She was curious. Why did Isabella commit such acts?

Why did she make Viola so sad? ‘I won’t let this slide.’

Isabella was no longer a mother to her. To her, Isabella was merely a duchess.

She decided to return to Winter Castle as soon as possible and hold Isabella accountable.

“Oh, by the way, I have an important task, so I’ll be heading out first.”

She waved her hand vigorously. “If I get hurt, make sure to apply ointment!”

There’s no one but Viola who would apply ointment on me! She swallowed those words and headed straight for Winter Castle.

*

In a dark room.

Isabella spoke.

“To become a true lord, you must consume your mother.”

At her feet lay the Second Prince Garcia. Garcia shook his head in that position.

Isabella’s eyes were darkened, and sinister, dark energy was seeping from her body.

“Have you delved into black magic?”

The Second Prince wasn’t terribly intimidated. He had been accustomed to Isabella’s behaviors since childhood.

But today seemed to have crossed a line. “I will not kill my mother.”

He pushed Isabella’s foot away with strength and rose to his feet. He wouldn’t allow himself to be powerless like when he was a child.

He briefly looked at Isabella with disdain before turning away. “Your current self is not worth consuming. Please, regain your senses.

What would Father think if he sees you like this?”

He tried to leave, but he couldn’t. “W-What the…!”

A shadow pierced his chest. The shadow of Quilton, imbued with death’s energy, pierced through his heart.

“Oh… Mom?”

The Second Prince Garcia died on the spot. He had never imagined Isabella would act this way within Winter Castle, and he was caught off guard.

He thought today’s events were just the usual.

Blood dripped from Isabella’s hand as it intertwined with the shadow.

“A lion that cannot consume his mother is of no use.”

She gazed blankly at Garcia. Black tears streamed down Isabella’s face.

“It hurts my heart.”

Hohoho! She burst into laughter.

“It hurts so much, I feel like killing everyone.”

She awaited someone while looking at her son’s corpse. “It’s about time they come.

Another son.

Bichen was coming.

Perhaps he would return with great anger.

Isabella had meticulously calculated timings for her actions.

The councilors of Winter Castle or others would have too little time to notice this turn, but it was enough time for Bichen to return.

In fact, Bichen had already passed through the southern gate of Winter Castle and soon came to find Isabella.

Isabella greeted him with a wide smile.

“I’ve been waiting, my son.”

Upon spotting Isabella, Bichen came to a halt. The scent of blood he had sensed earlier was no lie.

“Why did you kill my brother?”

“He lacked the qualities of a lion.”

“We’re inside Winter Castle.”

“Did your mother forget that?”

Bichen bit her lip. “I have to kill you, mother. For the sins of the law.”

“To become a true lord, you must consume your mother.”

Just like the unfolding events from [A Place Viola Doesn’t Know, Bellatu’s Shadow].

『“I have to kill you, mother. For the sins of the law.”

“To become a true lord, you must consume your mother.”』

Isabella stretched out her arms wide. “Now, go ahead and eat me.”

Isabella was filled with anticipation. Her body was brimming with mana. When she drinks the blood of her kin, the true power of black magic is unleashed.

‘I have amplified my strength by drinking the blood of my kin.’

Now, if she could pass this energy wholly to Bichen, everything would be complete.

Bichen would become the true lord who had consumed his brother and mother.

Bichen had to do so.

‘My child, the child who bears my blood, must rule Bellatu.’

That thought consumed her entirely. ‘If you kill me, you can become the ruler, Bichen.’

A Bellatu ruled by someone who isn’t my child has no meaning. “I have missed my mother every day.”

“I have missed my son too.”

I had wished to have my mother by my side.” Bichen loved his mother, Isabella. Bichen shed tears.

“Therefore, I cannot forgive you.”

He wiped his tears away.

No more tears fell.

“I won’t ask you why you did that to Viola.”

In truth, he had been contemplating this since coming here. Why had his mother done such childish things towards Viola?

He was angry, wondering how he should address it. But now, it no longer mattered. “I shall grant you your wish.”

He would lose his mother. But he wasn’t afraid of that. ‘I’m not sad.’

Even if he got seriously injured, there would be someone to apply ointment. He drew his sword and charged at Isabella.

*

Viola followed Zeno’s lead to a tavern.

It was said to be a branch of a well-known information organization in the Empire.

Zeno mentioned that he didn’t know the exact name.

‘We have to save the butterfly.’

Even if it costs a lot, that was fine. She wanted to save the butterfly.

If she returned like this, she wouldn’t be able to face Hixson.

‘Is nobody here?’

There wasn’t a single person. Yet, Viola’s keen instincts caught a strange sensation. ‘Strangely… it smells like death.’

This was the very place where Medea met Gaia. She hadn’t discovered that fact yet, but the smell of death was palpable. At that moment, a voice echoed.

“Well, well. It seems an unexpected noble guest has arrived.”

The woman who had just been conversing with Medea. Gaia, the head of the information organization ‘Night Cat,’ revealed herself.

Surprisingly, she spoke as if she knew everything.

“You’re looking for a way to save the butterfly, aren’t you?”

“Is there a way?”

“There is, but…”

Gaia subtly surveyed the surroundings. “I wonder if the Princess can afford the price…”