입양딸 역할을 지나치게 잘해버렸다 059화

“I know that child’s father isn’t Viscount Seaal.”

The moment Duchess Ilail heard those words, the world around her seemed to turn yellow.

Viola didn’t smile, but in Ilail’s mind, she was grinning.

And it was a very sardonic smile.

‘Stay calm.’

She hid her trembling hands and managed a light smile.

“I tend to fumble about like this. My husband even finds this endearing.”

Her attitude was as if dropping a fork was not a big deal at all.

The Duchess wiped her lips with a napkin.

“I was curious about why Princess Viola wanted to meet me privately, but could it truly be something so childish?”

In Ilail’s mind, Viola was merely the ‘Iron-Blooded Princess’ of Bellatu.

A cold-blooded and cruel princess, made of iron and blood.

At just twelve years of age, she had earned the title of a prodigy and possessed the ‘Bellatu’ essence more than anyone else.

‘I must never let her find my weakness.’

Otherwise, life would be hard forever.

I could end up living in fear for my whole life.

“Princess Viola is making a huge mistake right now. Do you intend to tarnish my honor?”

I needed to push harder.

Right now, the best defense for Duchess Ilail was attack.

“I plan to publicize the issue.”

“Really?”

“Yes. This is more than an insult directed at me; it mocks the Seaal Viscount House.”

Viola pretended to calmly cut her steak.

She had dealt with situations like this before.

Facing her father, who was the final boss of this world, made the Duchess seem easier by comparison.

“I have a wonderful dog.”

“A dog?”

“The world calls that dog my Partner Sword.”

“Ah.”

Partner Sword.

That name was known by Duchess Ilail as well.

“Isn’t that the boy who the Iron-Blooded Princess took in five years ago and trained as her loyal subordinate, known to be Sir Hixson’s only disciple?”

“That’s right. But why would I treat a person as a dog?”

“Is that relevant to the current topic? I’m discussing how the princess insulted and mocked me.”

“It’s because of his excellent sense of smell.”

In fact, I had learned of this ability just yesterday, but thanks to that, I could make this excuse.

“You’ve never heard of this before. It’s been kept entirely secret.”

“I have no interest in Princess Viola’s secrets. I don’t want to know. Rather, I request an explanation for the insults directed at me.”

Viola shrugged her shoulders.

She appeared to be very relaxed.

However, Duchess Ilail felt an ominous sensation beneath that relaxed demeanor.

‘Does she truly know something?’

Desperately pretending to be calm, her insides were burning with anxiety.

I never expected to feel such poise and pressure from a twelve-year-old girl.

I thought the rumors about Viola Bellatu were somewhat exaggerated, but they were no exaggeration at all.

“My Partner Sword can smell a person. Each person has a unique scent of special mana.”

Viola grinned.

“But I detected the scents of two people on the Duchess. That’s how I learned you were pregnant.”

The Duchess nodded.

She would accept that she was pregnant.

She determined that hiding it further was meaningless.

“It’s true that I’m pregnant. Then, shouldn’t the princess have congratulated me instead of insulting me?”

“But amusingly, it seems there’s the scent of another person mixed in, right?”

That was a lie.

I knew that because of what I read in the novel.

“Why does the child in your womb carry the scent of another man?”

“Please don’t confuse my mind with baseless slanders.”

The Duchess stood up as if she had nothing more to hear.

“I suppose our pleasant meal ends here. Next time, I might meet you in an uncomfortable situation, with a displeased face.”

“Why does that child have such a pure mana?”

As she turned to leave, the Duchess froze.

“That child’s father must have had abundant natural mana. But it doesn’t seem like that of a martial artist. His status must not have been low either. Shall I name him? Or should we leave it here?”

“That father came down from a high mountain? Whispered sweet, tender words of love?”

Viola knew that name.

Serfon Louis Varten, second son of the Louis Varten family.

The peak of Mount Parah, known for its ruggedness.

The second son of Louis Varten located in the Parah Basin was her affair.

Duchess Ilail nearly lost her strength and collapsed.

‘She knows everything.’

That night was a mistake.

That night had beautiful fireworks, the moon in the sky was stunning, and people’s smiling faces were delightful.

The wine that night was especially sweet, and the night breeze felt pleasant.

‘What… should I say?’

Her mind went white.

Viola’s voice echoed.

“It must have been a mistake.”

She recited what she had read in the novel.

“That night, the fireworks must have been beautiful.

The moonlight particularly blue.”

“……Stop.”

“It must have felt good to see people’s smiling faces.”

“Stop it.”

“The wine must have been extra sweet that night, and the night breeze blowing by the riverside…”

“Stop!”

Duchess Ilail cupped her face in her hands.

‘She knows everything. She really knows it all.’

The Iron-Blooded Princess knew everything.

Coming here to seize her weaknesses and shake her.

With the blood of a demon and the tongue of a serpent.

Her hands and feet trembled.

“What do you want from me?

Why threaten me by coming here?

What grudge do you hold against me?”

The Duchess sank to her seat and began to sob.

“That night was a mistake.”

A mistake, and she thought no one had noticed.

She returned to her daily life and held her position.

Vowing never to make the same mistake again.

Promising not to indulge in foolish actions due to the atmosphere.

“Even if it was a mistake, it doesn’t change the fact that it was wrong. I met Viscount Seaal, and he was a man worthy of respect. He valued honor and was upright.”

The Duchess acknowledged that.

She had grown this far from being born into a declining noble family.

Though she couldn’t become a high-ranking noble due to her birth limitations, the Seaal Viscount House was one of the solid noble families.

Viscount Seaal was an excellent man and a kind husband.

“Only you, my lady.”

“I love you truly.”

He confessed his love to her plainly, without any embellishments.

Like a sturdy tree, he always stood firmly by her side.

The Viscount was always dependable and strong.

In contrast, he was somewhat lacking in entertainment.

So that night, she had unconsciously been enamored by someone amusing.

“I want to toast to my lady’s eyes tonight.

Let’s forget everything and enjoy the stars together.”

Viola looked at the Duchess, who wore a look of despair.

Seeds have been sown.

It was time to reap the harvest.

“There is no intent to threaten.”

…A lie.

“I swear by the name of Bellatu.”

At those words, the sobbing Duchess raised her head and looked at Viola.

“Sworn by the name of Bellatu?”

“That’s forbidden. Swearing by the name of Bellatu is an act only permitted to the head of the family.”

Viola shrugged her shoulders.

“So if you just talk carelessly, I’ll be cut off from the heir candidate in one stroke. A person with a rash tongue has no qualification to be an heir.”

“………..”

“We are both holding each other’s weaknesses now. Will you now consider believing my words? I’m sure you understand how important the position of heir to Bellatu is to me.”

Of course, that was a lie.

I had no interest in the position of heir to Bellatu.

The heir was Medea.

I had firmly decided that in my heart.

But to Ilail, Viola’s words sounded very persuasive.

“If it isn’t a threat, then what is it?”

“I want to be friends with the Duchess.”

“Friends?”

“That child in your womb has the talent to become a great mage. An extraordinary talent.”

That child was destined to become a great archmage in the future.

One of the main antagonists who would torment Bellatu and Viola in the latter part of the story.

I didn’t want a villain like that to be born.

“I need influence. So this is an investment for me.”

“Investment…?”

Duchess Ilail felt more at ease.

This was much more reassuring.

The term “investment for the future” resonated more than the abstract term “friends.”

‘Princess Viola is the Iron-Blooded Princess who will stop at nothing for her goals.’

That’s why I felt she was talking about this now.

An adopted daughter who could not receive help from her maternal family.

An outstanding individual yet lacking outside support. Understanding this would make it easier.

“To be precise, I want to invest in the child in your womb. It would be perfect if they could help me when they grow up.”

Viola stared intently at the Duchess for a long time before opening her mouth.

“Viscount Seaal is a clever man; I’ve said so before.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think so too?”

“I think so.”

“Then surely he wouldn’t be unaware of anything?”

In that moment, Duchess Ilail flinched again.

Her heart sank!

“I know. He genuinely loves you, Duchess.”

“Would a man like that consider a war with Bellatu merely for the sake of his child’s honor and family reputation, knowing he might die? Leaving behind the one he loves most in this world? Knowing how sad you would be?”

That was a point that struck home for Han Ah-rin, the reader.

The Viscount had his own circumstances.

Indeed, he was a noble who valued honor, but he wasn’t so cruel as to choose death leaving behind his beloved wife.

If he had been unaware of his wife’s infidelity, he might not have chosen death at all.

In other words, the Duchess’s affair had driven the Viscount to his end.

“If I hadn’t come as a special envoy, the Viscount would have declared war on Bellatu, and by now, he wouldn’t be among the living.”

“In my view, he does not appear to be the kind of person who would choose death and leave the Duchess behind.”

Viola rose from her seat.

“The choice is the Duchess’s. I’ll observe and speak from the perspective of a member of Bellatu, as White Bellatu.”

She walked toward the door.

“You must correct your own mistakes. And nobles have the responsibility to rectify their own faults.”

She added one last remark.

“I believe that the Viscount Seaal would forgive you even if you committed a wrong far worse than infidelity. Because he loves you more than anything.”

She closed the door behind her.

A day passed.

Around 12:30 a.m.

Knock, knock.

There was a sound of knocking.

“Princess Viola. May I have a word with you?”

Naturally, it wasn’t a regular visit.

There were no official documents, nor any prior communication.

Moreover, it was 12:30 a.m.

Typically, one wouldn’t hold meetings at that time.

‘Viscount Seaal?’

When she opened the door, she saw the pallid face of Viscount Seaal.

In his right hand was a long sword.

But something was off.

Blood was dripping from the sword.