I played the role of an adopted daughter a bit too well, Chapter 63. A duel broke out, and the fight between the two lasted an impressive hour.

Clang!

Swords clashed.

“Huff… Huff…!”

“Huff, Huff!”

Both Jeremy and Tundra were exhausted.

Tundra had some light injuries scattered all over, while Jeremy was pristine.

In terms of skill, Jeremy had the upper hand.

It couldn’t be helped.

No matter how much of a genius Tundra was, the sheer amount of time spent training with a sword was far too different.

Viola watched their duel intently, and Hixson chuckled before speaking.

“But they’re fighting quite well, aren’t they?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it’s tough for Tundra to win, though.”

“No, he must win. He’s fighting for me.”

Jeremy and Tundra clashed again.

Jeremy’s sword darted toward Tundra’s neck, but Tundra swiftly dodged and jabbed his sword toward Jeremy.

“Tundra. Is that all my hunting dog can do?”

Tundra was definitely doing well.

With five years of sword training, he was holding his own against someone who had trained over ten years.

The duel was momentarily paused due to Viola’s intervention.

“Huff… Huff…!”

Tundra was worn out but had a fierce glint in his eyes.

In fact, the intensity in his gaze was more alive than at the beginning.

“Prince Jeremy has a habit of applying pressure to his index finger before unsheathing his sword.”

Viola didn’t discover this herself.

It was mentioned in the novel, and later, this would become a significant weakness for Jeremy.

“Distinguishing between true and false strikes will help.”

When he’s about to attack, he puts pressure on his index finger.

As his index finger tenses, his pinky finger naturally relaxes a bit.

It was a bad habit of Jeremy’s.

“And he feels a special rhythm. It’s not just a simple sense; he reads the pattern and fights accordingly.”

Jeremy fights with a special pattern.

His initial attack always starts with a light jab.

“Every attack of the Storm Blade begins with a jab.”

The movement itself was simple.

However, it was so quick and natural that it was challenging to respond.

“Depending on the reaction to the jab, Prince Jeremy’s next move is decided.”

If he steps back, nine out of ten times, it lands deep.

If you try to counter it, he executes a step that slips to the right.

Hearing that, Jeremy unconsciously chuckled to himself.

‘Come to think of it… it’s true?’

Viola was right.

The movements that had been ingrained in his subconscious seemed clear to Viola’s eyes.

‘Is this what it means to be Bellatu?’

Typically, you can’t pick up on the flaws of someone better than you.

But Viola seemed to read his weaknesses with uncanny accuracy.

‘Does this mean she has better skills than me?’

Although still young and his physical capabilities might be slightly lacking, at least he had a natural eye for reading the flow.

If time passed and years went by, Viola might very well become a strong fighter who far surpasses him.

Clang!

The swords collided, and one broke.

Jeremy’s sword shattered.

Since it wasn’t his usual sword but a cheap one, it couldn’t withstand the shock for long.

Thud.

Tundra, who broke Jeremy’s sword, fainted.

“Well, it’s a draw.”

One sword broke while the other fainted.

Jeremy shrugged as if disappointed.

He had declared he would talk informally with Viola but couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Since he had drawn with Tundra (the dog), it counted as a defeat to his owner, Viola.

“Yeah, a draw. It’s impressive, considering he’s only been training a few years. I could see why Sir Hixson would take him as an apprentice.”

And then the focus shifted to Viola.

Jeremy grinned.

“And thank you, Princess Viola. Because of you, I noticed my bad habit.”

“I didn’t mean to help.”

This was how it was expressed in the novel.

「“Thank you for the valuable lesson, Lady Medea.”

“One day, I will surely surpass you and conquer the Bellatu. Thank you for sparing my life today.”」

At that moment, Medea was both an enemy and a benefactor.

The weaknesses that Viola pointed out to Jeremy were essentially the very same ones that Medea would later identify.

“You’re likely learning the Storm Blade, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“The Storm Blade is an aggressive sword, similar to Tundra’s. It has an intense vigor and consumes mana rapidly, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I think training in the Yorga Meditation Technique will help immensely.”

“The Yorga Meditation Technique?”

As soon as he heard that, Hixson burst out laughing.

The Yorga Meditation Technique was a breathing and fundamental exercise practiced by noble young ladies in this world.

However, it would later be re-evaluated by Jeremy.

「“If I had learned the Yorga Meditation Technique five years earlier, I would have achieved far greater accomplishments.”」

Anyway, at this point, the Yorga Meditation wasn’t the kind of meditation typically practiced by martial artists.

“Are you mocking me for barely managing a draw against your dog?”

“Not at all. I respect the duel you fought with all your might. Thank you for giving your all to my dog.”

Jeremy looked at Viola with a look of entertainment.

Viola appeared sincere.

‘Learn the Yorga Meditation Technique?’

It didn’t seem like a joke.

Whatever Viola meant by that, Jeremy accepted it for now.

“Alright. I’ll make sure to heed Princess Viola’s words. Anyway, thanks to you, I noticed my bad habit today and feel like I can improve.”

“That’s a relief.”

“And since I tied with your dog, it means I’ve lost to you, Princess.”

“Yeah.”

“I sincerely apologize for all my actions. I was simply too eager to befriend you.”

“Are you just apologizing with words?”

“Do you want something?”

Viola lightly laughed.

Jeremy felt a strange chill from that smile.

It felt like a cold warning.

“I was already aware of Prince Jeremy’s affections.”

“Really?”

“It’s just that the approach and method were wrong.”

“…… Yeah.”

“Thus, I will accept that affection.”

The place they referred to as the “Mad Sorcerer’s Laboratory.”

In that place, Jeremy would contract with a spirit possessing the name “Kel,” who would later grow to become the Spirit King of Wind.

‘If I could just contract with a spirit there…’

If he could meet spirits in that place, life would surely be easier.

That “Mad Sorcerer’s Laboratory” was an incredibly special location where even if one didn’t have a high affinity with spirits, they could still make a contract.

There, I could also make a deal with a spirit.

In other words, it was an opportunity to meet a guardian spirit, no, a protective spirit.

“So, I’m planning to visit the ruins with Sir Jeremy.”

“I thought you’d decline.”

“I did plan to refuse. Until I saw how serious you were while fighting my dog.”

No, she had no intention of refusing.

Viola wanted to take advantage of everything she could while keeping a reasonable distance from Jeremy.

The feeling Jeremy had of ‘an impending disaster’ wasn’t just a mere illusion.

“As a martial artist, I’ve chosen to acknowledge Sir Jeremy and, therefore, decided to accompany you. I’ve seen the Storm Blade. That’s quite an achievement.”

“Hehe.”

Jeremy rubbed his nose.

It felt good to be recognized by someone as exceptional as Viola.

“However.”

Viola got to the main point.

“If we find something there, we’ll agree to give me priority over it.”

Jeremy thought for a moment.

He didn’t know what might come out of the ruins.

It might even be possible to not uncover anything at all.

‘But Princess Viola pointed out my weaknesses and bad habits and taught me.’

If she were an enemy, she wouldn’t have told him.

‘Moreover, she even protected my pride.’

She didn’t teach him directly.

Instead, she gave advice under the guise of helping Tundra and provided information.

Jeremy believed that was Viola’s considerate and warm gesture.

“If I simply accept your condition without question, I think my father would be upset.

In fact, that’s information my father provided me.”

“Then I won’t be accompanying you.”

“Oh come on. Why are you being so hasty?”

Jeremy laughed mischievously.

“I’ll add another condition.

Listen carefully. It won’t be a loss for you.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve developed an interest in you, Princess. I want to befriend you. It’s unusual to have such eyes at your age.”

“And?”

“If we want to become friends, I think we should speak informally. I was going to do it last time, but I ended up losing.”

“……”

Jeremy slightly bit his lip, revealing his determination.

A strong resolve to speak casually was evident.

Might as well continue with the momentum.

“If you refuse to speak informally, then I’m going to officially request an engagement with the Bellatu family.”

“Engagement?”

Viola knew that Jeremy had no interest in women or marriage whatsoever.

Even at this moment, the curiosity gleaming in Jeremy’s eyes wasn’t about women at all.

It was a curiosity and fondness directed toward the ‘curious human’ that is Viola Bellatu.

“Besides, I’m not interested in women or marriage. But if I have to marry, forming a connection with the Bellatu wouldn’t be a bad idea. The Bellatu family wouldn’t have a reason to decline, would they?

I’m the heir to the Storm Fortress, and Bellatu could obtain the southern fortress, the Storm Fortress, and geographically, it’s in a very advantageous position to keep in check the Monarch Empire. For the Bellatu family, it’s a win-win situation. Perhaps even Princess Viola, the White Bellatu, thinks so too?”

Viola let out a sigh and laughed.

To mention marriage as a means of negotiation or blackmail—how bold.

“I’ll accept your informal speech on the condition of giving me priority for rewards.”

“Do you dislike the idea of marrying me that much?”

“Yes.”

So not interested.

Jeremy was one of the main supporting characters who grows amidst various dangers and adversities.

He was always surrounded by tremendous villains and traps.

Unless he intended to survive by devouring Jeremy whole, keeping a distance was the best strategy to take.

“Others say I’m handsome.”

“That’s true, you are.”

“Well, typically, wouldn’t one accept an engagement then?”

Why was he acting this way?

He had no interest in engagements anyway.

Viola sighed and replied.

“It’s just not my type.”

Although the face might be appealing.

Your character is too dangerous.

You could ruin all my plans for a long and happy life.

“That’s quite unfortunate. I find Princess Viola adorable.”

“Even if it’s a compliment, I appreciate it.”

Hixson’s eyes widened.

‘That guy!’

Who would have thought there’d be another human who recognized Viola’s cuteness?

Finding a thread of cuteness in Viola’s expression, filled with coldness and a vicious vibe—it was surprising.

‘Not a bad guy, after all?’

Nobody assumes there’s cuteness in Viola Bellatu.

There are hardly any humans who could recognize the hidden cuteness within Viola.

Even Viola herself doesn’t know that she’s cute.

But she feels conflicted about it.

It felt like she had been secretly aware of her own cuteness, and then someone else discovered it.

Feeling pleased about sharing cuteness, but also strangely irritated.

‘Anyway, marrying me is out of the question.

That’s a no-go.

If you ask why it can’t be done, I wouldn’t have an answer, but it definitely just can’t happen.’

Hixson was glad Viola refused decisively.

“Anyway. So, are we dropping the formalities?”

“Yeah.”

“Then we’re friends now?”

Viola responded with a poker face, and Jeremy smiled as if he had struck gold.

At that moment, Tundra regained consciousness.

Tundra heard Jeremy’s words.

“So, we’re friends now?”

Tundra’s eyes widened, and he shot up from the ground.