입양딸 역할을 지나치게 잘해버렸다 023화

“Hehe. It’s a knife. A knife.”

Cold sweat dripped down Viola’s back.

‘If it’s the Bichen I know…’

Alright. Let’s have a sword fight together!

I’m so excited!

Bichen is the type of character who would pull out a dagger and swing it around wildly.

‘Huh?’

But that didn’t happen.

‘She’s just standing still?’

The knife swinging toward her didn’t seem to bother her at all.

I’m not sure if “composed” is the right word for Bichen, but she seemed a bit more reserved today.

With a bright smile, she innocently asked, “What were you doing?”

“I was looking in the mirror.”

“Why? Do you have princess syndrome?”

It seemed that eight-year-old Bichen thought looking in the mirror equated to princess syndrome.

Viola frowned slightly.

“Why are you here?”

“I got hurt?”

Bichen pointed at her knee.

“This.”

There was a scrape on her knee.

It wasn’t a big wound.

“So?”

“Does it hurt a lot?”

She’s saying it hurts when she’s acting like a tough kid who wouldn’t cry from a knife prick.

With a serious, almost dramatic expression, Bichen boldly said, “You need to put some ointment on it.”

“Why?”

“Well, because Viola put ointment on it for me?”

“Do it yourself.”

“I’ve never done it myself. I don’t know how.”

“Then get the butler to do it.”

“No way.”

“Why not?”

“Just don’t wanna!”

Bichen confidently thrust out the ointment.

“Here. Take it.”

It wouldn’t be a lie to say Bichen was a bit intimidating, but she had her cute sides too.

Whining to get ointment put on her knee, she really did look like a typical eight-year-old child.

But come on, kid.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

If I give in to everything you ask, you’ll just become spoiled.

Viola asked, “What will you do for me?”

“Do I have to do something for you?”

“Of course.”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then I won’t put the ointment on.”

Bichen pouted.

Hmph, I’ll do it by myself, she seemed to think, but two seconds later, she turned back.

“What should I do then?”

“Later, grant me one wish.”

“A wish?”

Bichen scratched her head.

She thought for a moment. A wish sounded a bit too grand.

Viola didn’t miss the opportunity and opened the ointment lid.

She scooped out a bit with her finger.

Left,

Right,

Bichen’s eyes followed the ointment.

Her gaze was like a puppy chasing a snack.

If only she had a tail, it would be wagging happily.

“Hmm. Fine.”

Viola held out a piece of paper.

“Here. Sign this.”

“A signature?”

“Yup. Sign it, and I’ll put the ointment on.”

A contract document is very important.

If I just apply some ointment and nab a wish in return, wouldn’t that be a profitable deal?

“Here’s my blood…”

I was going to hand her the pen, but Bichen didn’t wait.

She bit her finger, and with the blood that seeped out, she signed.

‘W-What?!’

She’s definitely not in her right mind.

I quickly lowered my head to hide my surprise.

Suppressing my trembling heart, I applied the ointment on Bichen’s knee.

“Ow, ow, ow! Be gentle!”

Bichen was being dramatic. I applied all the ointment.

But Bichen stood there awkwardly, hesitating.

“What are you doing? Not leaving?”

“Hehe.”

She pointed at her finger.

“You need to put some on here too. It’s bleeding.”

That’s from leaving a perfectly good pen and biting it.

Her obsession with ointment was far worse than I imagined.

“Hey, Viola.”

Bichen seemed to be deep in thought.

For some reason, I didn’t want to leave this room.

So I thought about it.

The reason I must be here.

But no matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t find a reason.

So I just blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Are you jealous of me, Bichen?”

“Jealous of what?”

“The welcome banquet.”

“You’re jealous of that?”

“Yeah. I’ve never had one.”

Of course, it made sense. Bichen had always been a Bellatu. Since she wasn’t adopted, there was no welcome banquet for her.

“I can’t say anything. Just eat.”

Viola already knew this.

At the welcome banquet, siblings were expected to say nothing. They just quietly ate like background characters.

The main guests of the welcome banquet were Duke Heron, Duchess Isabella, and Viola, the three of them.

Because it wasn’t just a simple welcome banquet.

If it genuinely was a ‘welcome banquet,’ the family would greet each other, familiarize themselves, and have a good time. But they both knew that wasn’t the case.

Welcome banquet.

In the actual novel, the subtitle was ‘The Gruesome Trial of the Duke House.’

A place to evaluate and test Viola’s potential as a Bellatu.

“Brother, just eat.”

“…Okay.”

Bichen’s mood dropped.

“Let’s play together next time, okay?”

“Sure!”

Bichen perked up a bit.

“You promised to have fun, right?”

“Yep.”

“Got it. A promise is meant to be kept. You know that, right?”

“I know, I know.”

Fully charged up, Bichen smiled widely as she went outside.

In a way, she was remarkably easy to handle.

And just like that, a day passed.

*

4 AM.

Zeno woke Viola up.

“Princess?”

“…..”

“Princess?”

Viola mumbled, still half-asleep.

“……I’m sleeping.”

Mmm, mmm, it sounded like Viola was munching on something in her dreams.

Zeno checked his wristwatch.

He quietly gazed at the sleeping Viola.

“Just one more minute, please.”

He watched with warm eyes as he counted down in his head.

5. 4. 3. 2. 1.’

Now, it was time to wake her.

“Princess?”

He bowed his head slightly.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll shake you awake now.”

He placed a hand on Viola’s shoulder and shook her gently.

In an instant, Viola’s palm flew toward Zeno’s neck.

“Whoa!”

Zeno narrowly dodged her strike.

Her hand was infused with mana.

“You could easily cut through a thin iron plate with that.”

Zeno pretended it was nothing and tried waking Viola again.

“Princess, you need to wake up.”

Eventually, Viola came to.

She had no idea she had just tried to strike him.

“It’s 4 AM.”

Are you crazy? Why are you waking me up at 4 AM?

“You need to prepare.”

“It’s too early….”

“The welcome banquet is scheduled for 9 AM.”

“Then why are you waking me up at 4 AM?! Are you trying to kill me?”

A murderous intent unknowingly gleamed in Viola’s eyes.

Zeno smiled brightly.

“There’s no time. I’m sorry, but you need to get up.”

He supported Viola as she stood.

Ah, I’m so sleepy.

I want to sleep more.

A seven-year-old body can only resist sleep for so long.

‘I’m tired.’

Viola unintentionally closed her eyes.

It felt like her body moved slightly, but it was dreamlike. Zeno smiled as he said,

“Princess? You almost sliced my carotid artery there.”

Zeno caught Viola’s wrist to defend his neck.

After gently letting go of her wrist, he continued,

“I’m really sorry for waking you up so early, but surely, you don’t have to go for the kill?”

“……”

“Twice, no less.”

I didn’t do that!

This body just acted on its own!

I wanted to say that, but couldn’t.

Sleepiness kept washing over me.

Zeno smiled brightly and said, “Next time, try tilting your angle about 3 degrees to the left.”

“…….”

He even touched her shoulder muscles.

“If you release your strength here while swinging, the success rate of a kill will increase by over 10%.”

He carefully helped her body up.

“Sir Seivan is waiting.”

Nodding off.

Sleepiness came rushing back.

The seven-year-old body was extremely vulnerable to sleep.

*

In conclusion, Viola kept nodding off.

I couldn’t exactly remember what transpired during that time.

The maids bathed her with fragrant oils and dressed her in a flowing gown.

They also styled her hair and gave her a massage.

‘It’s 8:30 now.’

It was finally 8:30 AM. By now, Viola could gather her senses.

She was all ready to go.

Viola, who had been half-asleep, found little inconvenience in her preparations.

When she opened her eyes, most of the preparations were done.

Arin, who found rinsing and drying hair the most tedious, happened to experience unexpected convenience.

A voice rang out.

“You’re absolutely beautiful. More elegant and lovely than any seven-year-old noble I’ve ever seen.”

An amusing fact was that Seivan’s face had changed.

The voice was undoubtedly Seivan, but the face was different now. Viola knew the reason.

‘Because he’s a mask maker who uses the faces of corpses.’

Remembering that fact, cold sweat suddenly trickled down.

Seivan shivered and said, “With this, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you’ve inherited Duke Heron’s bloodline.”

There was a hint of excitement in his breath.

Merely thinking of the duke seemed to make him restless.

The reflection of Seivan in the mirror wore a bright smile.

There were small wounds around his neck.

It looked like he had been scratched by something. What kind of wound is that?

“Princess, could you please stop holding those scissors?”

“………..”

Viola realized she was holding a pair of scissors.

When did I start holding these? Why are they upside down? And why is my shoulder so sore? Did I swing something around?

“It seems I almost died three times.”

Seivan laughed.

“Haha, with just a little more refinement in your technique, you could become an elegant and beautiful killer.”

‘No, I really don’t want that.’

Viola held back her thoughts. Those small wounds seemed to be ones she had caused herself.

In a hazy state, she must have swung about blindly.

‘Even if you’re hazy, you wouldn’t swing scissors around!’

What kind of body is this, anyway!

If I stare into Tundra’s eyes for more than 5 seconds, bam! I lose my mind. Any skinship beyond a hug with Tundra, bam! I lose my mind again, and in front of Egg Tart, I lose my sanity completely, not to mention I can’t even pronounce self-defense, and here I am with a body that swings scissors when I’m in a daze!

‘Damn it!’

Viola looked at the scissors she was holding.

They screamed high-quality at first glance.

Their cutting ability seemed top-notch.

If she had stabbed correctly, blood would have flowed out profusely!

Seivan gently brushed Viola’s lavender hair aside.

“Seeing you swinging those scissors blindly, eyes closed, trying to find the weak spots of your opponent was truly enchanting.”

“……”

“I mean it.”

……

·I really don’t need the sincerity.

This isn’t unusual; today again, I found myself short of breath, feeling constricted.

Knock, knock.

Just then, a knock sounded.

It was Zeno. Through the full-length mirror, I could see him entering through the door.

As always, Zeno wore a neat black suit.

Seivan brushed past Zeno.

Seivan’s fingertips brushed against Zeno’s shoulder. His fingers moved like a magician’s.

“Zeno, you look sexy as always.”

“That’s too kind.”

Zeno bowed his head, greeted Seivan, and then approached Viola.

With a bright smile, Zeno said, “You look beautiful.”

In truth, how beautiful can a seven-year-old be?

That had always been Viola’s thought.

Before seeing her reflection in the full-length mirror, that is.

‘She does look young…’

Arin realized.

A seven-year-old can be beautiful enough.

That girl with lavender hair exuded a charm and aura that belied her age.

Yet, amidst it all, there existed an elegance one couldn’t dare to touch.

‘They say Seivan’s makeup skills are the best on the continent…’

She lifted a finger and touched the mirror.

The girl in the mirror mimicked her movements.

‘Is this me?’

Seivan’s makeup amplified that mysterious aura.

It felt like special magic had been cast upon her.

It wasn’t merely about beautifying appearances.

Seivan’s makeup created an aura that only a divine being could possess.

Zeno bent at the waist.

“I’ll guide you to where today’s star should be.”

“……Okay.”

“Today, you’ll shine more brightly than anyone else.”

Zeno extended his palm toward Viola.

“You must shine brilliantly, Princess.”

Viola placed her hand on his palm, and they walked together.

They finally arrived.

At the welcome banquet.

Facing the episode titled ‘The Gruesome Trial of the Duke House’ in the novel.