입양딸 역할을 지나치게 잘해버렸다 062화

“Then I shall make you feel utterly out of place.”

In fact, Jeremy was quite proud of his own scheming skills.

It was a promise he made alone, but nonetheless, he arrived a whole day earlier than the promised date.

He intentionally created a scenario where she couldn’t refuse his proposal.

However, Viola’s response was unexpected.

“It means this place shall be the arena for our duel.”

Jeremy doubted his ears for a moment.

“A duel?’

The kind of duel I know?

Duel?

“So… the duel I’m thinking about and the one you are thinking about will certainly mean the same thing, right?”

“Of course.”

Viola aimed her dagger at Jeremy.

Jeremy shrugged his shoulders in embarrassment.

Even at that moment, he didn’t lose his relaxed smile.

“I’ll explain the duel I envision. First, it’s a fight to determine victory or defeat. Secondly, it refers to a fight held under certain conditions to resolve grudges or insults, you see.”

“Exactly.”

“Why should I have to duel?”

“Because you looked too easily upon me and my family.”

The smile vanished from Jeremy’s face.

If she said that he looked lightly upon her, there might be room for conversation.

But mentioning “me and my family” indicated something more serious.

She referred to Bellatu.

It meant Viola was sincere about this.

‘U-uh… this isn’t what I wanted.’

Jeremy felt uncomfortable.

He didn’t want to duel with Viola.

“I just wanted to explore the ruins with my lady.”

“It’s not like it was promised, but even so, it’s supposed to be tomorrow.”

Viola continued her words while keeping the dagger aimed.

“Did you think that you could just maneuver things and I’d act like a pawn on the chessboard you set up?”

“Ah, no, what are you even talking about? I never thought that way.”

“Your intentions don’t matter. The results do.”

Viola knew.

Jeremy was originally a pure-hearted and optimistic character.

He was far from schemes or conspiracies.

His intentions likely were innocent.

For example, it was highly probable that he simply thought, ‘Exploring the ruins with Princess Viola would be fun’ or ‘If treasure comes out during the exploration, I’d better gift it to Princess Viola.’

“You set the board, and I acted like I’d happily play on it. Before the many people following you, I would have acted as if I would move according to your designs.

What do you think of me?”

“Well…”

Well, she is Princess Viola Bellatu.

He couldn’t bring himself to say that.

There were too many eyes around him.

The moment he thought of saying it, he felt like he could never get close to Viola again.

He was trapped; had he fallen into his own scheme?

Viola said, “Hurry and draw your sword.”

Before long, the iron-clad guards of the viscount lord arrived to manage the crowd.

This, too, was something Viola had previously requested.

Some who gathered there asked the guards.

“John, who is that woman?”

“……”

However, the guards remained silent.

In truth, they didn’t even know who she was.

She was a high-born noble lady, so they were just following the viscount lord’s orders to actively support whatever she did.

“Who dares to challenge our Sir Jeremy to a duel?”

“Well, is there anywhere to give roses? Don’t you think?”

“That may be so… but…”

“It’s a great opportunity to see Sir Jeremy’s excellent swordsmanship.”

“Hey? Now that you mention it, that’s true.”

Viola could feel it.

The fervor of the extreme fans.

To them, Jeremy was an idol and a god.

And to boldly raise a weapon against such Jeremy, they likely expected him to elegantly suppress the situation with his beautiful swordsmanship.

Wow… those gazes are so intense. How come I have no allies here?’

Ugh.

In what way should I think this is unbiased?

“Sir Jeremy! Show what you’re made of!”

“Sir Jeremy! Please teach that audacious lady a lesson!”

Jeremy found himself in an even more difficult situation.

‘Ah. This isn’t what I wanted…….’

This wasn’t what he had aimed for.

He originally intended to meet Viola with a light heart, but he thought he had come up with a good plan, which turned out to be an illusion.

‘Show me what you’ve got? Audacious lady?’

Jeremy scratched his head.

In truth, he wanted to pull his hair out, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

If this continued, the situation would only deteriorate further.

The good intentions he thought were on his side were complicating matters.

“Then shall we move to another place? This isn’t suitable for a duel.”

*

Inside the viscount lord’s residence, there was a training ground used by the viscount’s knights.

There were three training grounds in total, and Viola and Jeremy were assigned to one of them.

“Sir Hixson, is that alright?”

“Just do as usual. What kind of Sir Hixson nonsense is that?”

The viscount lord frowned.

Since there were children present, he raised his voice a bit, but that didn’t apply to Hixson.

“Is it alright?”

“Sure, it should be fine. Viola is clever.

She always thinks a step ahead.”

The viscount lord looked at Viola and Jeremy standing in the training ground with a worried expression.

He understood that Viola was impressive, but she was still a twelve-year-old girl.

Her physical development couldn’t be compared to Jeremy.

At that age, each year made a significant difference.

Moreover, the opponent was the so-called ‘Light Storm’ Jeremy.

Jeremy nervously laughed and said,

“Now that there are no spectators left, can’t I just apologize and let it go?”

“I can’t do that because I’m one of Bellatu’s people. Don’t you remember what I said?”

“What was that?”

During their first meeting, Viola had said this.

“Prince, please show me your true self.”

“But the prince hasn’t shown me his true self at all. He used incomprehensible tricks to make me act.”

“Ugh. I truly apologize for that.”

“It seems the time for an apology has passed.”

“Are you really going to duel me?”

“I’ve been sincere since the moment the prince privately called me out.”

Of course, it wasn’t sincere.

If they truly fought, it would be a disaster.

There was no way he could contend with the Light Storm Jeremy.

There was a method of truly bringing out the real Viola as a last resort, but that wasn’t his aim right now.

“How can I fight Your Highness?”

“Why, is it because I’m Bellatu?”

Viola tilted her head in confusion.

“Bellatu has nothing to do with injuries or deaths from a rightful duel. You need not worry.”

“No, that’s not it…”

Jeremy scratched the back of his head.

In truth, Jeremy had never crossed swords with a woman before.

Dueling with a lady was…

“What’s the essence of that statement?”

Viola seemed to understand.

She had anticipated this from Jeremy.

Jeremy was a character who held the mindset of ‘If you’re a knight, you should protect the lady.’

However, if the opponent was a martial artist, the situation would differ.

Even if the opponent was a woman, if she was a martial artist, Jeremy would give it his all.

That was the courtesy owed to a martial artist.

However, Jeremy was still young, and he likely had no experience in dueling a woman.

He was still at the time before his awakening.

“I faced a female opponent for the first time when I was nineteen.”

“Her name was Medea.”

“I couldn’t last even three seconds against her sword.”

The story about facing a woman for the first time at nineteen comes up.

“I was originally a fool who believed women to be weaker.”

“But after meeting Princess Medea, my thoughts completely changed.”

At this point, Jeremy held a fixed notion that ‘women are weak,’ and Viola accurately pointed that out.

“Are you saying that because I’m a woman, you cannot fight me?”

“Th-that…”

“Right now, before being a woman, I am a martial artist. I understand your inclination to insult a martial artist.”

“Ah, no, Princess Viola. That’s not—”

Then Tundra stepped in.

Tundra knelt on one knee and politely said,

“My Lord. Would it be alright if I fought in your stead?”

“You? Why?”

“I think it’s not suitable. My Lord is far stronger than I am; I don’t see why you need to engage with Prince Jeremy directly.”

Jeremy felt like a mute who had just swallowed honey.

It was irritating, but since they had provoked first, he couldn’t exactly refute being insulted.

The justification was on that side.

“Surely, you won’t turn your tail and run from a mere dog of My Lord, will you, Prince Jeremy?”

Jeremy could see it.

Tundra was now a dog ready to pounce.

*

As an adjudicator for the duel, Hixson stepped forward.

Hixson also held a steel sword.

“Well, don’t kill each other. That would be bothersome.”

In case of any accidents, if things got too dangerous, Hixson would intervene.

Only then did Viola let out a sigh of relief.

‘Ah. It’s fine.

I’ve preserved the dignity of Bellatu while avoiding a direct duel.

With Hixson involved, no one is likely to die.

‘This incident will probably make Jeremy a bit uneasy around me, right?’

That would be ideal.

Given Jeremy’s personality, he would likely not hold a grudge.

He’d just feel a bit uncomfortable and move on.

Maintaining that distance would be the best outcome.

Meanwhile, Tundra gazed at Jeremy while holding a large steel sword.

Jeremy held a common steel sword he had borrowed from the viscount lord instead of his usual masterwork sword.

“Tundra, you’ve been practicing for five years, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve been at it for over ten years.”

“I know.”

“That’s why I’m using this sword. It’s not disrespectful; it’s meant to ensure fairness in our training time, so don’t get the wrong idea.”

“Suit yourself.”

Tundra didn’t mind.

He didn’t think he was engaging in a duel.

Dueling was something noble aristocrats or great martial artists would do.

‘What I’m doing is hunting.

A hunting dog for my Lord.

That’s Tundra’s identity as a pet dog.

‘I just have to hunt.’

It didn’t need to be noble.

All he had to do was hunt.

His mindset had diverged from that of the original protagonist.

‘I never liked you from the very start.

Even from our first meeting.

You walked out of my Lord’s room late one night.’

That provoked Tundra’s anger.

He had been watching for an opportunity.

This felt like the perfect moment.

Seeing that, Jeremy couldn’t help but feel a subtle stubbornness rising within him.

‘Princess Viola might be a different case.’

That gaze.

It was not the gaze of a martial artist coming to duel.

It was a fierce look that seemed determined to chew him up no matter what.

Then a bit of stubbornness arose.

‘A pet dog’s possessiveness over wanting to monopolize Princess Viola.’

Though he didn’t fully comprehend it, he made an effort to understand.

‘At first, I just wanted to get closer to Princess Viola.’

There was no notion of her being a woman.

She seemed too young for that.

From the start, Jeremy had no interest in women; to him, Princess Viola was just an interesting and fascinating princess, which led him to want to befriend her.

‘If you’re going to act like this, I’ll get obstinate too.’

He felt that Tundra’s obsession with Viola was somehow unpleasant.

It seemed that Tundra thought only he could become close to Viola.

‘It’s not like you’re the only one who can get close.’

Perhaps reading his inner thoughts, Tundra said,

“I like your gaze.”

“I guess I really will have to fight seriously. I’ve gotten a bit obstinate.”

“What kind of stubbornness?”

“Just. Something like that.”

The two’s gazes clashed in the air.