I was too good at playing the role of an adopted daughter 048 – Prince Jeremy.

Recently, it had become the hottest topic in the social circle.

Even though he hadn’t officially entered the social scene, his beauty sparked flames in the hearts of countless young noblewomen.

Rumor had it that he was a beautiful dragon’s incarnation; a beauty that could make history, even the delicate Revilia flower pales in his presence.

Many rumors always surrounded Jeremy.

Some people said those rumors were unnecessarily inflated out of envy.

“If he’s such a beauty, why is he holed up in the Storm Fortress?”

“Isn’t that admitting that his own rumors are exaggerated?”

And rightly so, for if he were a noble’s offspring, he would step into the social scene at the age of twelve.

Usually, he would flaunt his existence at the noble ball held in May, the Forget-Me-Not Ball.

Yet, Jeremy had never once shown his face in the social hall.

Inside the Winter Castle.

A famous egg tart shop known across the continent, Azulegia.

There stood a boy in line.

His attire was shabby, and he wore a rusted sword at his waist.

His appearance was shabby, and he wasn’t a handsome boy, but his eyes were filled with spirit.

“I heard that Princess Viola loves the egg tarts here.”

He slipped away from the official entourage and made his way to Azulegia.

“Since I have free time anyway, it should be fine.”

He kept the official schedule but had freedom during the other times.

As long as he didn’t cause a commotion inside the Winter Castle, it would be okay.

“I should find out a bit about Viola.”

He had heard a lot about Viola.

The Iron-Blooded Bellatu.

An extraordinary noblewoman who became immensely wealthy at a young age with great insight.

She was said to be close to the famous Sir Hixson, and had it not been for her being born ten years later, she might have engaged in a significant succession war with the 1st Princess Medea.

He took a look around.

No one here seemed skilled enough to notice his identity.

“I’m wearing a mask, so it should be fine.”

This mask was produced in the Winter Castle’s workshop; its quality was almost magical.

There were rumors that it might belong to Sir Hixson’s associate, Seivan Marcos, but that was unconfirmed.

Jeremy tapped the shoulder of the person in front of him.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh, aspiring knight, huh? I was once in that phase too.”

“Do you know about Princess Viola Bellatu?”

The talkative man from the start proudly listed a plethora of information.

“…That’s how it happened. Do you think that’s all? She earned the title of Iron-Blooded Princess at the welcome banquet. There’s a rumor going around that she slaughtered an entire pack of wild boars rampaging in Maple Village.”

The reality was a bit different, but that was how the rumors spread among the people.

Jeremy’s eyes widened.

“Wild boars?”

“Yeah. But not just any wild boars. They were monster wild boars that thrived on mana.”

“I’ve heard that even the Empire’s knights find it hard to kill monster wild boars alone.”

Jeremy had experienced monster wild boars himself.

Among them, the strongest he encountered was a special breed of wild boar called ‘Shavel.’

You’d need at least a 7th-grade knight to hunt that beast.

“She killed them all when she was just ten years old.”

“She’s impressive!”

Jeremy was reminded of the Shavel wild boar, but in reality, it was just a wild boar.

“Is that all? We Winter Castle residents know a fact that everyone else does.”

“What is it?”

“Princess Viola annihilated the pack of wild boars and raised a toast with their blood.”

Of course, that had never happened.

“Those who saw her drinking the blood said this.”

Gulp.

Jeremy was drawn into the man’s story.

“The evil spirit of iron-blood. The incarnation of the Killing Star.”

“Is that so?”

That’s how the rumors about Viola generally flowed.

“I wonder.”

How can such rumors be so widespread?

A ten-year-old killing the Shavel breed boar…

It was no wonder that she could be compared to the famous Medea.

“Wow. So many people.”

Jeremy had been in line for over 30 minutes.

The sweet smell of egg tarts wafted through the air.

His nose twitched.

“That’s delectable.”

Now he understood why so many people traveled to Winter Castle to eat egg tarts.

After nearly an hour of waiting, he finally entered Azulegia.

“Huh?”

There was a particularly eye-catching person inside.

“Purple hair.

And a piercing sharpness.

Eyes filled with a chilling intensity.

Ahn!

Nom!

There was a girl who adored egg tarts.

“Viola Bellatu!”

Viola Bellatu was here.

*

Ironically, the man who boasted he knew Viola well didn’t recognize her at all.

Even Jeremy didn’t recognize her at first.

“Her portrait looks so different.”

There wasn’t a magical photograph capturing Viola’s face; the only depiction circulating was her portrait.

In that portrait, Viola looked like a witch, dark and ominous.

If he hadn’t sensed the sharpness radiating from Viola’s body, he might have missed that it was her.

“Her hair and eyes are much lighter purple than in the portrait.

There’s a fierce aura around her, but her eyes are sparkling.”

Jeremy scanned the surroundings.

“Hmmm.”

It seemed only the owner of Azulegia knew Viola’s identity here.

No wonder, as the owner was continuously keeping an eye on Viola.

“Three egg tarts, please.”

“We only sell two to one person. We hope for your understanding.”

“Then give me two. By the way, is that person of high status?”

The shopkeeper swallowed nervously.

It seemed he did not want to utter Viola’s name lightly.

“Her reaction confirms it.”

Interestingly, even Viola, who wielded such formidable power in Winter Castle, could only purchase four egg tarts.

And that was also for Tundra’s share.

“Tundra, I’m eating this?”

“Yes. I don’t like sweets.”

Jeremy perked up.

“Oh, that boy is Tundra.”

He was said to be 17 years old.

He mentioned being the same age as Jeremy.

Was he not the only disciple of Sir Hixson?

Despite not being a noble, he had honed his swordsmanship so well that he was considered a potential dragon in Winter Castle.

“But he’s more famously known as the Partner Sword.”

The reason for his title as Partner Sword was unclear.

He just stayed by Princess Viola’s side constantly and devoted himself to serving her, which earned him that nickname.

In reality, it was a misunderstanding that he was like a loyal dog.

“Here are your two egg tarts.”

Jeremy took the two egg tarts on a tray and walked over.

Viola Bellatu.

And Tundra.

*

Viola was pondering.

Only one egg tart remained.

Should she take it home to eat or eat it here? She seriously contemplated.

“If I eat it now, it’ll be warmer and sweeter.”

But,

“This is the end. Shouldn’t I save it? I’m already full.”

Her deliberation wasn’t long.

Ahn!

Nom!

She couldn’t resist.

This egg tart was simply too tempting to resist.

But then she saw someone.

“Huh?”

Ruffled silver hair.

Freckles covering his face.

An ordinary-looking face.

Worn-out clothes and a rusted sword.

“Jeremy had always been in disguise.”

The boy matching the description in the novel was here.

Coincidentally, she also knew that Jeremy’s entourage had just arrived at Winter Castle.

“Could it be really Jeremy?”

She glanced at the hilt of his sword.

“He always tied a blue knot on his sword.

The blue knot symbolized the Storm Blade and was tied by his younger sister.”

She saw the blue thread knot.

“It’s Jeremy!”

Here stood Jeremy Palail.

Her heart raced uncomfortably.

In the original story, the Storm Fortress and the Palail family become enemies of Winter Castle.

Jeremy was the young lord leading the Palail family and would engage in the famous “Summit Battle” with Medea.

The Summit Battle unfolded over seven days on Meiwhan Peak in the Serke Mountain Range, and both would sustain severe injuries.

“Taking advantage of the weakened Medea, Viola would ambush and… inflict a fatal wound.”

Medea, who loved her family, would be driven out of the succession position due to Viola’s schemes.

In any case, the important thing is.

“That one day, he would become a martial artist rivaling even Medea.”

And.

“In the original story, his family considered Bellatu to be their enemy.”

Of course, many circumstances were different from the original story now.

But I knew that the author’s settings don’t change easily.

The details may change, but the flow doesn’t change, a fact already confirmed.

“There’s no point in keeping him close.”

I don’t know why I’m here.

For now, I decided to pretend not to notice.

The only reason I could recognize his disguise was due to the novel.

“I can’t exactly say, ‘I recognized you because I read the novel!’”

“But why did he come here?”

Tundra’s gaze turned toward the silver-haired boy.

“…Who?”

“There’s not much space. Is it okay if I share a table? It’s a four-person table.”

Tundra replied shortly.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“You’re a stranger.”

A dog should stand guard for its owner.

That’s how Tundra thought.

“In return, I’ll give you one egg tart.”

“I still…”

Viola cut him off.

“Sit.”

Viola quickly snatched the egg tart from the tray as if someone might steal it.

Jeremy smiled lightly and sat in front of Viola.

“Aspiring knight?”

“Yes. I’m doing my best.”

Tundra openly laughed at him.

“You’re an aspiring knight, huh?”

He growled in a low voice.

“After hiding your aura like that.”

He placed a dagger under the table.

The dagger touched Jeremy’s knee.

“What’s your scheme?”

Jeremy chuckled.

Indeed, being called a potential dragon of Winter Castle meant he seemed to have read his aura.

“I don’t have a scheme. Just…”

Viola, feeling good after eating an egg tart, opened her mouth.

“It’s fine. He’s my guest.”

“Guest?”

“Yes. You can put your knife down. Are you planning on using violence here in Winter Castle?”

Tundra silently sheathed his dagger.

Somehow.

That silver-haired boy caught her attention.

“What? Did the noble lady recognize my identity?”

“Wandering around with a blue knot representing the Storm Blade, did you want me to pretend not to notice?”

I didn’t particularly want to get involved with the minor character Jeremy.

It’s safest to keep a distance from someone as potentially dangerous as him.

“If I reveal everything, there won’t be any variables.”

So, I pretended to be ignorant.

If I shared simple pleasantries in a controlled environment with no variables, nothing significant would happen.

“Let’s keep some distance.

Ahn!

Nom!

I quickly ate the egg tart.

“I’m done. Prince, come forward as your true self. I’m leaving now.”

I meant I didn’t want to converse with the disguised fake.

Having gotten the egg tart, there was no need for further interaction.

Viola stood up first.

Tundra followed her.

Tundra glanced back at Jeremy multiple times as they walked out.

“Something feels ominous.

I couldn’t tell why.

That boy felt ominous for some reason.

Jeremy smiled broadly and popped the last egg tart into his mouth.

Unknowingly, he touched his cheek.

“Delicious!”

This was the most delicious egg tart he had ever eaten.

He could now understand why Viola had looked so happy.

“Princess Viola.”

She felt quite different from the rumors.

Behind that calm demeanor lay a ruthless side.

When he had only heard the rumors, she seemed like a fearsome Iron-Blooded Princess, but in reality, that wasn’t the case.

“Had I underestimated her to be a witch?”

So perhaps she felt even more relatable.

“I want to get closer.

Ahn!

Nom!

That image kept resurfacing.

Jeremy chuckled.

He rubbed his nose slightly.

“How could the Iron-Blooded Princess be this cute?”

He stared at the blue knot hanging from his sword sheath.

It was the knot tied by his youngest sister, Jessie, with her tiny hands.

“This could be a bit dangerous.

If she’s cute.

“I want to treat her well.”

At that moment, suddenly, chaos erupted.

Someone shouted angrily.

“How dare you! Not only did you keep me, the noble child of the viscount, waiting like this! You only sell two? Are you trying to deceive me? You commoner, counting on your petty skills to act all high and mighty! I’ll personally chop off your head!”

But the response from Azulegia’s commoner shopkeeper was peculiar.

“It would be best not to do this, Prince.”